The writer speaks into a controversy that exists today. Is there a creator? He speaks of the problem of worshipping
created things rather than the one who created them. The simple question is whether there is a
creator, an intelligent designer, in the universe. In appreciation of the beauty and wonder of
the universe or in the study of small or large things in the universe it would
seem that we would be astonished by it all and see God behind it but that isn't
necessarily the case. If the universe
was somehow self-generating and complete then there wouldn't be anything to
worship except for the reality that there is something rather than nothing at
all. That would be enough to cause us to
believe but it wouldn't be proof. The
evidence for a designer seems so obvious but some will not accept it. What is the writer's attitude towards such
people? Pity. Yet these people are little to be blamed, for
perhaps they go astray while seeking God and desiring to find him. For while they live among his works, they keep
searching, and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen
are beautiful." Perhaps we should
be praying for those whose eyes cannot truly see.
When Jesus commands wind and water it gets the disciples'
attention. Who is this? No man can command the elements but the
creator God did command them into existence and all through their history they
have evidence of God commanding nature to do His will. The plagues in Egypt, the rolling back of the
Red Sea by a mighty wind, the same with the Jordan at Jericho, water from a
rock, the manna, quails falling like rain in the camp to provide food, burning
bushes, the sun standing still in the sky, and so many other instances that
they can't be named in this space. When
Jesus speaks to the wind and waves and they obey, we see that His claim to be
one with the Father is no mere metaphor.
He is worthy of worship and to be feared.
Paul makes the argument that earthly authorities exercise
their authority as given by God Himself and that we should obey them as an act
of obedience to the Lord. Remember when
Jesus was before Pilate and Pilate said he had authority to crucify Jesus or
release Him? Jesus' response was, "You
would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above." What do we do when that authority is doing
evil? Paul's life was ultimately in the
hands of authorities who were unjust and yet we see nothing in his writing that
blames the authorities, only praises God for all things. God is sovereign in all things, not only in
good times but in difficulty as well. It
isn't an easy thing to decide ethically about obedience to wicked rulers.
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