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At the end of Sunday’s sermon, Pastor challenged us with the question, “What is your basis (rationale) for concluding what you conclude (about reality and morality) and for doing what you do (motive)?” We can observe from Genesis 9:1-7 a great contrast between the rationale God’s Word provides and the rationale our sinful world offers in several relevant areas.

The first area is the issue of overpopulation. Particularly in our American context, the common belief is that the physical world is all that we have (reality), therefore we must prioritize protecting and preserving the earth’s natural resources (morality), which can be accomplished through preventing humanity from overcrowding the world (motive). On the contrary, God commands all mankind to “swarm swarmingly” (Genesis 9:7) and is not concerned with overpopulation

The second area is eating meat. Those who believe in “principled veganism,” that people objectively cannot eat meat (and are contrasted with those who are vegans due to dietary and health needs), may hold this position because they believe animals have equal value to humans. However, God’s Word on this matter is that man is representatively over the animals (with God being over all things).

Lastly, we can see the distinction between the Bible and the world’s rationale in the discussion of capital punishment. Some might argue that it is not “fair” that a man be killed no matter how egregious their crime, which could also be derived from a belief that all of mankind is inherently good. Yet God’s Word is clear that man is both inherently sinful and responsible for their wrong actions (Exodus 21:24-25.

While the conclusions from the world’s perspective on these topics are by no means exhaustive, the ones I highlight illustrate a dichotomy between believers and the world (unbelievers). For the believer in Christ, God is ultimately authoritative, He determines reality and morality, and it is from Him that we derive our basis for reality and morality; for the unbeliever, man and the self ultimately determines these things. This leaves us with a choice: do we choose to trust that God’s Word is the foundation for all things and obey it, or do we reject it? As Genesis 9:1-7 demonstrates, this choice extends into our beliefs about how humanity is to function.

To provide a concrete, practical example, I have been challenged to think about how I as a human should function in the time when I get home from work. In my work environment, as is likely for others, there is a strong emphasis on time outside of work being the time when people do what they want—stereotypically highlighted by getting home, cracking open a beer, and watching TV.  While I do not consume alcohol, my heart is still tempted to think selfishly about what I want to do with the time rather than what God wants me to do with it. Changing in this area may look like getting home and prioritizing spending time in my Bible and in prayer, or focusing on the needs of other people rather than selfishly thinking about making myself happy.

It is my prayer that we as a church family continue to look to God and His Word throughout our daily lives!