Exercising faith in the Word of God

One of the benefits of coming to the Scriptures with a “plain man” approach is that we avoid “backfeeding” the Biblical text with men’s thoughts and subsequent conclusions.  Every systematic or traditional grid has the potential of being superimposed on the Word of God and consequently forcing the interpretation to fit the system.  While a systematic or conservative tradition may be at times helpful, man’s interpretations must be subject to the inspired Scriptures to determine their accuracy and relevancy.  “Plain man” faith begins by resting squarely on the Word that God has spoken and preserved.

The “plain man” reading of God’s Word brings us face to face with the fact that God speaks in exacting Self-revelation.  In doing so, He is expecting that we exercise faith by trusting Him to give to us everything we need to know for spiritual life and health.  When God speaks about creation, we are expected to receive His “morning and evening” description, including six days of work and one day of rest and reflection.  The creation account is the singular explanation for a seven-day cycle of life… work and worship.  This “will” of God is laid out before the fall, indicating that this is His plan, that which He pronounces “good”.  This establishes the “Sabbath principle” that remains man’s guide (even though in accord with New Testament teaching, the Jewish Sabbaths were fulfilled in Christ and thus no longer apply).  “Plain man” faith is established in God’s created cycle of weekly work and worship.

The “plain man” learns in the creation narrative that God is glorious, and God is good, and God is gracious.  His superabundant “yes” grants to Adam and Eve the full enjoyment of His provision for their sustenance and satisfaction.   His solitary “no”, (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), communicates God’s desire to be worshipped, and loved, and obeyed.  A robotic determinism has no support in the creation narrative.  God’s desire is that His image-bearers choose to love, worship, and obey Him.  This earliest indication of man’s relationship with God is never countered by offering another plan.  Faith is the only possible response that pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).  The fall by Adam and Eve was a choice to listen to the rival voice of the serpent, Satan, and to choose the personal godhood of, “I will” (Isaiah 14:12-14).  Spiritual death became a reality with its guilt and shame and blame-shifting and hiding and fig-leaf covering.  Immediately, it was clear that God’s voice was the truth-speaking voice, and that the rival voice brought the death and decay and degeneracy that God warned of.  “Plain man” faith chooses God’s voice over all other voices.

At this point, the grace of God is expressed against the backdrop of the fall.  God comes to the garden and raises questions to draw His image-bearers out and expose the rebellious transgression that caused the darkness and distance.  It is clear that man, though spiritually dead, could still hear from God and respond in faith.  The image-bearing of a thinking, feeling, and willing/choosing “moral being” remained intact though marred and darkened by the fall.  There is no indication that God’s fallen image-bearers could not hear and understand and respond in faith to the Word of God.  As with Cain in Genesis 4, Adam and Eve are invited to return in faith and worship and obedience.  In Genesis 3:15, God first states His gospel provision, in the head-crushing work of Christ on His heel-bruising cross.  Faith in this promised provision magnifies the saving heart of God.  A grace salvation through faith is announced and developed throughout the remainder of the Scriptures.  The plain man is called to faith in the earliest chapters of Genesis.  Genesis 1-3 lay the foundation for all that follows.  The glory and the goodness and the grace of God is the fundamental message of the Scriptures.  “Plain man” faith embraces the gospel of God as his singular hope for reconciliation and eternal life.