Some Doctrines of New View Compared

As yet incomplete, but presented in case useful.

Doctrinal Issue Conventional Beliefs New View

Non-human Creation Not a mere backdrop to the drama of human salvation But of eternal value to God in its own right.

God's Love and Concern Not just for human souls, nor even just for human beings But for all he has made.

Nature Not a resource for disposal at our whim But a target and recipient of our care

Role of Humanity Not (only):

to serve God
"The chief end of Man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever" (Westminster Confession)
to worship God
to be creatures who, uniquely, can love God
to fight against evil
to populate heaven (cf. Reinhard Bonnke)
But to represent God to the rest of Creation.
To radah (manage, steward, rule over) the rest of Creation.

'Radah', management, rulership Not for our own sake, convenience or pleasure But for the sake, the blessing, of that which is ruled

Representing God Not a perk. But a responsibility placed on one group, to:

reveal God to the rest,

so that, in experiencing us they will experience the joy that God brings (e.g. "Trees clap hands when the LORD comes")

inviting and helping the rest to come to God
sometimes being the vehicles for God's action in his world
Humankind is to represent God to the rest of Creation. But the theme of representing God is diverse, throughout Scripture:

Humanity representing God to rest of Creation
Israelites representing God to other peoples
God representing himself to us all, in Jesus Christ
Those in whom the Spirit of God dwells representing God to all people
Examples "Follow me as I follow Christ"

Humankind's authority is not that of

Aristotle

who saw God primarily as a Monarch, at top of hierarchy of power and authority
but is that of

Ezekiel

"Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves. Should not the shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool, and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them [radah] harshly and brutally. ... This what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock." (Ezekiel 34)

"Do not eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil" Not, as some suggest, a petty constraint on human potential.
Not, as others suggest, a more-or-less arbitrary test of Adam's love for God. But a warning against taking to ourselves the right to determine what is Good and what, Evil.

The Fall Not a punishment from God for disobedience. But a statement of how we find Creation working against us, if we do take to ourselves the right to determine what is Good and what, Evil. Examples given in:

Child birth
Marital relationships
Agriculture

God's Judgement and Anger Not because of his authority. But because of God's love
- he loves all he made, so if one entity harms another, he is angry because of his love for that other.

The Doctrine of Original Sin Not harsh. But beautiful, leading to a merciful attitude to all others and a humble attitude to myself.

What is Deemed Sin By the 'tolerant' liberals: Intolerance, saying anything that might offend. By Christians: sexual sins, and earthiness (thus showing the influence of the Matter-Form and Nature-Grace ground motives) and falling short of perfection. (a) what the prophets condemned, which were usually social sins such as injustice and sacrificing to idols (b) what Jesus condemned in the 'upright' religious leaders, which were sins of pride and attitude.

God's Solution Not just being justified by Christ, nor just indwelt by the Holy Spirit But becoming mature 'sons' of God, whom the Creation eagerly awaits.

Part of God's Solution - Justification Not "Promise to try harder, and I'll overlook it." But costly forgiveness, God taking on himself (in Christ) the effects of our wrongdoing; so we are 'justified'.

Part of God's Solution - Love Relationship Not only the new state of being forgiven ('justified'). But being lived-in by the Holy Spirit of God, so we love God with natural intimacy, crying 'Abba, Father'.

The Final Part of God's Solution - "The Creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of God." (Rom 8:19)

Nature of 'sons' of God Not age, nor gender, nor being boring. But being so like their Father
that he can trust them to think, decide and do
as he would think, decide and do,
in any situation.

How we become these Sons of God Not by waiting, nor by education and training, nor by effort, nor by will, nor by imposition of rules, nor by incentives ('law') But by the Holy Spirit of God living in us, and growing his fruit (Gal 5:22,23), which speaks of an attitude of heart towards the Other: Love , Joy , Peace , Patience , Kindness , Goodness , Humility , Self-control.

Fruit of the Spirit Not just a personal quality, not just towards other people But an attitude towards the rest of Creation, a complete worldview with which we see it:

Love - for the creation
Joy - in God's creation
Peace - with God's creation
Patience - with the speed with which creation works
Kindness - towards the creation
Goodness - in our dealings with it
Humility - in our attitude to it
Self-control - in our use of it, our demands on the resources it joyfully offers us

Transformation Not just of the character or personality But of our worldview, our way of seeing things - which is our "true spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1,2).

Destiny - God's Ultimate Plan Not human souls worshipping in spiritual heaven (the pagan Greek idea)
Nor spirits of the saved / baptised safe in spiritual heaven But whole human beings resurrected, inhabiting a renewed earth and heaven (Romans 8:21)

The New Heaven and Earth Not only for human beings But for the whole creation.

Destiny of Nature and Culture Not destroyed. But redeemed, renewed, resurrected, with us who turn to God through Christ.

Destiny of Nature Not apart from us But with us; its destiny and ours interwoven; with our radah-role renewed and purified.

God's People Not his favourites, not immune to his punishment But God's special representatives,

showing God to the rest
inviting and helping the rest to come to God
sometimes being the vehicles for God's action in his world
- a joyful privilege but also an awesome responsibility. (God's representatives must never misrepresent God, nor be a barrier preventing others coming to God, and he will judge them more severely than he does other people, and to higher standards: witness Amos 1,2, the Jewish exile, and "judgement starts with the housefhold of God".)

What parts of Creation will endure? Not just people, animals and plants, the entities of creation But the aspects of creation, such as art, economics, politics, technology. (This is speculative, and is inspired by the philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd, but prophecies of the future hint at it. That is, culture as well as nature might be saved. See J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Leaf by Niggle'.)

Doctrinal Issue	Conventional Beliefs	New View
Non-human Creation	Not a mere backdrop to the drama of human salvation	But of eternal value to God in its own right.
God's Love and Concern	Not just for human souls, nor even just for human beings	But for all he has made.
Nature	Not a resource for disposal at our whim	But a target and recipient of our care
Role of Humanity	Not (only): to serve God "The chief end of Man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever" (Westminster Confession) to worship God to be creatures who, uniquely, can love God to fight against evil to populate heaven (cf. Reinhard Bonnke)	But to represent God to the rest of Creation. To `radah` (manage, steward, rule over) the rest of Creation.
'Radah', management, rulership	Not for our own sake, convenience or pleasure	But for the sake, the blessing, of that which is ruled
Representing God	Not a perk.	But a responsibility placed on one group, to: reveal God to the rest, so that, in experiencing us they will experience the joy that God brings (e.g. "Trees clap hands when the LORD comes") inviting and helping the rest to come to God sometimes being the vehicles for God's action in his world Humankind is to represent God to the rest of Creation. But the theme of representing God is diverse, throughout Scripture: Humanity representing God to rest of Creation Israelites representing God to other peoples God representing himself to us all, in Jesus Christ Those in whom the Spirit of God dwells representing God to all people Examples "Follow me as I follow Christ"
Humankind's authority	is not that of Aristotle who saw God primarily as a Monarch, at top of hierarchy of power and authority	but is that of Ezekiel "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves. Should not the shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool, and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them [`radah`] harshly and brutally. ... This what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock." (Ezekiel 34)
"Do not eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil"	Not, as some suggest, a petty constraint on human potential. Not, as others suggest, a more-or-less arbitrary test of Adam's love for God.	But a warning against taking to ourselves the right to determine what is Good and what, Evil.
The Fall	Not a punishment from God for disobedience.	But a statement of how we find Creation working against us, if we do take to ourselves the right to determine what is Good and what, Evil. Examples given in: Child birth Marital relationships Agriculture
God's Judgement and Anger	Not because of his authority.	But because of God's love - he loves all he made, so if one entity harms another, he is angry because of his love for that other.
The Doctrine of Original Sin	Not harsh.	But beautiful, leading to a merciful attitude to all others and a humble attitude to myself.
What is Deemed Sin	By the 'tolerant' liberals: Intolerance, saying anything that might offend. By Christians: sexual sins, and earthiness (thus showing the influence of the Matter-Form and Nature-Grace ground motives) and falling short of perfection.	(a) what the prophets condemned, which were usually social sins such as injustice and sacrificing to idols (b) what Jesus condemned in the 'upright' religious leaders, which were sins of pride and attitude.
God's Solution	Not just being justified by Christ, nor just indwelt by the Holy Spirit	But becoming mature 'sons' of God, whom the Creation eagerly awaits.
Part of God's Solution - Justification	Not "Promise to try harder, and I'll overlook it."	But costly forgiveness, God taking on himself (in Christ) the effects of our wrongdoing; so we are 'justified'.
Part of God's Solution - Love Relationship	Not only the new state of being forgiven ('justified').	But being lived-in by the Holy Spirit of God, so we love God with natural intimacy, crying 'Abba, Father'.
The Final Part of God's Solution -		"The Creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of God." (Rom 8:19)
Nature of 'sons' of God	Not age, nor gender, nor being boring.	But being so like their Father that he can trust them to think, decide and do as he would think, decide and do, in any situation.
How we become these Sons of God	Not by waiting, nor by education and training, nor by effort, nor by will, nor by imposition of rules, nor by incentives ('law')	But by the Holy Spirit of God living in us, and growing his fruit (Gal 5:22,23), which speaks of an attitude of heart towards the Other: Love , Joy , Peace , Patience , Kindness , Goodness , Humility , Self-control.
Fruit of the Spirit	Not just a personal quality, not just towards other people	But an attitude towards the rest of Creation, a complete worldview with which we see it: Love - for the creation Joy - in God's creation Peace - with God's creation Patience - with the speed with which creation works Kindness - towards the creation Goodness - in our dealings with it Humility - in our attitude to it Self-control - in our use of it, our demands on the resources it joyfully offers us
Transformation	Not just of the character or personality	But of our worldview, our way of seeing things - which is our "true spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1,2).
Destiny - God's Ultimate Plan	Not human souls worshipping in spiritual heaven (the pagan Greek idea) Nor spirits of the saved / baptised safe in spiritual heaven	But whole human beings resurrected, inhabiting a renewed earth and heaven (Romans 8:21)
The New Heaven and Earth	Not only for human beings	But for the whole creation.
Destiny of Nature and Culture	Not destroyed.	But redeemed, renewed, resurrected, with us who turn to God through Christ.
Destiny of Nature	Not apart from us	But with us; its destiny and ours interwoven; with our `radah`-role renewed and purified.
God's People	Not his favourites, not immune to his punishment	But God's special representatives, showing God to the rest inviting and helping the rest to come to God sometimes being the vehicles for God's action in his world - a joyful privilege but also an awesome responsibility. (God's representatives must never misrepresent God, nor be a barrier preventing others coming to God, and he will judge them more severely than he does other people, and to higher standards: witness Amos 1,2, the Jewish exile, and "judgement starts with the housefhold of God".)
What parts of Creation will endure?	Not just people, animals and plants, the entities of creation	But the aspects of creation, such as art, economics, politics, technology. (This is speculative, and is inspired by the philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd, but prophecies of the future hint at it. That is, culture as well as nature might be saved. See J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Leaf by Niggle'.)

On How we Know about God

	Not Fundamentalists: by the written words of Scripture Liberals: by reason and science Traditionalists: by tradition	But via God's representatives. Because nothing in Creation (words, reason, tradition, etc.) is sufficient to reveal God fully.
	Not by 'supernatural', 'magic'	But via the very workings of the Cosmos, such as people's lives, writings, etc.

On the Nature of Cosmos

To be written.

Part of his xn pages, under the section 'Discussion'. Comments, queries welcome.

Created 17 January 2003. Last updated: 15 December 2003 with title. 23 December 2004 sin. 20 March 2006 rid unet.