vision
the title of this blog reveals the heartbeat of its creator, and hopefully, of our Creator.
by God’s grace, I serve as the director of admissions at Dallas Theological Seminary. I graduated from Kansas State University in 1999 and married my exceptionally gifted wife, Eva, that summer. she graduated in 2000, and we moved to Dallas to embark on the greatest journey of our lives.
I graduated in 2004 and Eva graduated in May ‘08. we wouldn’t trade our experience at DTS for the world, yet we plan to do just that. God’s love for the world overwhelmed us during our season of study. this blog exists to search out the implications of common grace.
first, if creation reveals God, and humans are creatures, then humans reveal their Creator. “natural revelation” includes more than just “nature.” if we learn about God by traveling through the mountains, then visiting our neighbor’s home teaches us truth, too. the imago dei in humanity so profoundly bleeds through us that we learn truth about God even from those who do not believe in him. in other words, imagers image. they can’t help it. the imago dei is common to all, regardless of faith.
second, if the imago dei is common to all, then social justice is the right of all. consider the OT prophets. why would God rail against other nations who were not in covenant with him, and thus under no obligation to obey the Mosaic Law? read Amos 1:1–2:3. the first six judgments were for violations against the imago dei. basic social justice. only when we read of the judgment due Judah in 2:4 do we hear about rejecting “the law of the Lord.” social justice is the right of all, regardless of covenant.
third, justice extends beyond humanity. Gen 1:22 declares the first blessing in all of Scripture, before humanity ever arrived on the scene. God blesses sea and air creatures. much more can be said, but in short, God’s charge to “rule over” (1:26) creation is not a right, it’s a responsibility. our responsibility is to mediate blessing to a creation that has already been blessed. the image of God in us means that we “rule” by serving and caring for what he entrusted to us. creation care is the responsibility of all, regardless of status.
if we have any “rights” in this life, it is the right to be redemptive. Dr. Mark Young, Professor of World Missions and Intercultural Studies at DTS, preached one of the most impactful messages i’ve heard in my adult life. this message, the seminal inspiration for this blog, changed the vision and direction of my ministry forever.