According to the Bible, your life is an integrated whole which includes body, mind, and spirit. God is your Life-Giver. In theological language we are described as tricotymous. Remove any aspect of our being and we would be a different being but non-human. Remove the work of God in giving life (Gen.2:7), even ‘renewed’ spiritual life (Eph. 2:1-7) and we would be ‘beings’ but without physical life or eternal life. To be whom God intended for us to be, it serves us well to acknowledge who we are, the faculties thereof, and our dependency on Him; yes, body, mind, and spirit of the Life-giving God.
Ever tempted to default to (believe) something different than the original design?
Take this little test and think like an engineer for a moment. Let your reasoning tether out some of author John Gall’s thoughts on systems theory and especially how systems fail.
- A complex system cannot be “made” to work. It either works or it doesn’t.
- A simple system, designed from scratch, sometimes works.
- Some complex systems actually work.
- A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that works.
- 5.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work. You have to start over, beginning with a working simple system.
My tethering on Gall’s critique and through a biblical lens:
- Would you agree that our “being” is very, very intricate and complex. Just talk to your doctor or reread Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Body.
- From God’s perspective, our “created being” was all in a day’s work, a paint-stroke by the Master Artist. Surely I can’t take any credit.
- Are we a simple system designed from scratch? As God did it, we are not even ‘from scratch’. Rather we are of ex nihilo (something out of nothing). Sorrowfully, we default in our view of ‘being’ and leave God out, simple systems…may work but not eternally nor even by design.
- Indeed some complex systems actually work. Yes, yes. God has intended design (to know and acknowledge Him, Eccl. 3:11, Eph.2:4-5)
- Complex systems that works evolved from working simple systems? Yes, and through the fulfillment of the Cultural Mandate ‘be fruitful and multiple and increase in number…’ resulting in the reproduction of more Adams and Eves, in marital systems, family systems, and human cultures.
- Lastly…’complex systems designed from scratch never work…’ Never have and never will if thought-engineered by the scratch-making of human hands and plans. Let’s cast off our system-making that leaves God out. Accept who we truly are, the faculties thereof, and our dependency on Him, yes, body, mind, and spirit of the Life-giving God. Cf. Gen. 11; Rev.13, 20:7-10
Systemantics: How Systems Work and Especially How They Fail, Quadrangle/NYT, 1977
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