The Wayside Pulpit No.53
Fingerprints and Irises
Where do we come from? How
did we get here? Where are we going? What's it all about? These are
commonly asked questions, and the world has sought its own answers. Men of God
in the early Christian era asked the same questions, and sought answers in Holy
Writ, coupled with the logic of experience.
The Eastern Fathers, Jerome
and Hilary, believed in Creationism, in other words that God creates
each person at the time of their conception or birth. (They never could decide
which!)
The Western Fathers,
Gregory of Nyassa, and Tertullian, believed in Traducianism, in other
words that Adam bore within him the germ of all mankind. His soul was the
fountain head of all souls. As the body is derived from the parents' bodies, so
the soul is derived from the parents' soul by natural generation.
The Alexandrine School,
headed by Origen, believed in Pre-existence, in other words all human
souls were created at the beginning, before all worlds, as spirit beings, who
throughout the ages have come down to this earth to spend a brief sojourn in
the "shadowlands" of the earth. The early church was mainly of
Origen's persuasion until AD 543, when it was thrown out by Justinian and a
Council of Constantinople. Since then, the Traducian theory has held sway, as a
result of Augustine's scholarship. But most believers do not think this
through, and when confronted by the three possibilities, are either bemused or
thrown into a flat spin. Spare a few moments to consider.
If we are the sole product
of our parents, then certain characteristics should logically follow. For
example, there should be a distinct likeness between the children of large
families, not just physically, but also in personality and temperament. But
this is not found to be the case. In our own family of four children we have
watched the development of vast differences in personality from their earliest
years. Likewise, although all have a firm belief in the Lord Jesus Christ,
their manner of displaying this belief is equally variable.
In the Old Testament, in
the line of the Kings of Judah, we observe Jehoshaphat the son of Asa (a
good king of a good king), Manasseh son of Hezekiah (a bad king of a
good king), Josiah son of Amon (a good king of a bad king), and Jehoiachin
son of Jehoiakim (a bad king of a bad king). We also observe, going
back further in history, the marked difference between Jacob and Esau, even
though they were twins. And what about Cain and Abel? I suppose there are many
other similar examples to cast doubts on the Traducian theory.
In more recent times we
have been presented with the teachings of the French "Enlightenment
School", and in particular Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) who wrote
the fictional story of "Emile", (1762) with his "ideal unfallen
human nature" which had to be nurtured in a perfect environment to produce
Emile's perfect manhood. But all such experiments fail dismally in practice.
Faulty humans cannot produce perfect offspring, even in a perfect environment.
(And what exactly is that?)
Mike Phillips, a popular
Christian writer in the
All such theories lead to
the faulty concept of "possession." Phillips' sons were considered
his own property, to fashion as he pleased, because they derived from him, body
and soul. But more reflective thinkers have realised that children are not our
property, they are only lent to us by God for care and nurture until
they fly the family nest. Dr Archibald Hart made the point admirably when he
wrote "The old idea that a child is born tabula rasa, - a
"blank slate" on which his or her environment "writes" a
personality - is now out of date. Most researchers agree that each human being
comes into the world with a distinct personality and a unique response to his
or her environment." [From "Stress and your child." (1992)]
Comes into the world? From whence?
Here then is the answer.
Not that we understand the mysteries of human origin and development in
anything like fullness, but at least we have been able to eliminate some
illogical (and non-biblical) thought patterns. Each one of us is a unique
creation of God. Each one will become part of a divine symphony
consisting of untold numbers of musical instruments, and sweetly blending
harmonies (rather than a boring single note produced by what some would view as
a blessed "unity".) Or, to change the picture, each one of us will
ultimately be seen as a coloured thread woven into a magnificent tapestry of
exquisite design, the art-work of our Creator God, (rather than just a piece of
plain weave.)
Peter tells us that we are
"Living stones for a spiritual temple" (1 Peter 2:5), and Paul refers
to us as "Members of the body of Christ." (1 Cor.12:12) But it is
common knowledge that to build a temple, one needs stones of many different types,
shapes, and sizes. Likewise, a human body is composed of myriads of cells,
organs, blood vessels, glands, bones, and flesh, rather than all parts being
the same. All this is part of the mystery of God's creation, infinite variety
within a complex unity too wonderful for us to comprehend.
The Lord told Job that when
He created the world, "the stars sang together." (Job 38:7) Daniel
tells us, "those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the
stars". (Dan.12:3) Paul tells us that in resurrection many will shine like
the stars, and "star differs from star in glory." (1 Cor.15:41) And
the Psalmist informs us that "God tells the number of the stars, and calls
them all by name". (Ps.147:4)
In "The Problem of
Pain" [page 137, Fount paperback edition] C.S.Lewis says that overcomers
will receive a white stone on which is a secret new name. "What can be
more a man's own than this new name, which even in eternity remains a secret
between God and him? And what shall we take this secrecy to mean? Surely, that
each of the redeemed shall forever know and praise some one aspect of the
divine beauty better than any other creature can. Why else were individuals
created, but that God, loving all infinitely, should love each differently? And
this difference, so far from impairing, floods with meaning the love of all
blessed creatures for one another, the communion of the saints."
How precious is each one of
us to our Creator God. How magnificent is the variety within humankind. We are
told that each has a unique set of Fingerprints, and a unique pattern in the
eye's Iris, by which one's identity can be vouched for with certainty. And so
it is with our souls, our personalities, which although unseen, declare us to
the world as individuals. How can anyone consider taking such material to try
to mould it according to his own design, to fashion his children according
to his own will? What a terrifying responsibility it is to become parents. How
easy it is to disfigure the unique creation of God within a small child by
unloving handling. How dearly God views and watches over his "little
ones", whose angels are constantly before the face of the Lord.
- - - - - - - -oOo- - - - - - - -
[My wife and I believe
there is more evidence for Pre-existence than Creationism. Maybe you would like
to express your thoughts on this topic?]