Some thoughts by C.S. Lewis on creeds and the Bible

I remember once when I had been giving a talk to the R.A.F., an old, hard-bitten officer got up and said, 'I've no use for all that stuff. But, mind you, I'm a religious man too. I know there's a God. I've felt Him: out alone in the desert at night: the tremendous mystery. And that's just why I don't believe all your neat little dogmas and formulas about Him. To anyone who's met the real thing they all seem so petty and pedantic and unreal!'

Now in a sense I quite agreed with that man. I think he had probably had a real experience of God in the desert. And when he turned from that experience to the Christian creeds, I think he really was turning from something real to something less real. In the same way, if a man has once looked at the Atlantic from the beach, and then goes and looks at a map of the Atlantic, he also will be turning from something real to something less real: turning from real waves to a bit of coloured paper. But here comes the point. The map is admittedly only coloured paper, but there are two things you have to remember about it. In the first place, it is based on what hundreds and thousands of people have found out by sailing the real Atlantic. In that way it has behind it masses of experience just as real as the one you could have from the beach; only, while yours would be a single glimpse, the map fits all those different experiences together. In the second place, if you want to go anywhere, the map is absolutely necessary. As long as you are content with walks on the beach, your own glimpses are far more fun than looking at a map. But the map is going to be more use than walks on the beach if you want to get to America.

From Mere Christianity
Compiled in A Year with C.S. Lewis

The serpent cursed: Blessings and curses

“So the LORD God said to the serpent: 'Because you did this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life'” (Genesis 3:14). The serpent has many names, which we need to know if we are to understand the various scriptures about him. He is the great dragon, the Devil, Satan etc. (Revelation 12:9). Satan can transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Now angels can manifest in various ways,  including as human (Hebrews 13:2).  Satan had manifest himself in the Garden as the serpent. We do not know the original form he took when tempting Eve, but he was likely beautiful and upright. If this were not the case why would the curse result in him crawling in his belly and eating dirt?  It is a sign of disgrace and humiliation by the way! And since that time Satan and his angels are pictured as despised snakes and scorpions (i.e Luke 10:19).  

But what does it mean to be cursed of God? We get something of a  picture from the first man God cursed.  Adam and Eve's firstborn son Cain had risen up and slain his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1, 2, 8). And God cursed Cain as follows “Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its crops to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth” (Genesis 4:11, 12).

Cain was cast out from the fruitful land, and had no place to call home. Likewise the devil and his angels were expelled from heaven and cast down to the earth (Revelation 12:9 again).  Satan now wanders the earth seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). With regrade to not bearing  crops, Satan cannot produce life in any form. The best he can do is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10a). He can also lie, in fact he is the original deceiver. He can imitate signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9), but he cannot produce fruit (Galatians 5:22, 23).  For this reason Jesus told us that it is by their fruit you will know them (Matthew 7:16).  

Satan was cursed, and it fact so are the “seed of the serpent” (Genesis 3:15),  all those who go the way of Cain. After Adam and Eve had in essence chosen rules over relationship there was need of a whole bunch of new rules, and God brought in the Law (Exodus 20:1-17). Living under the Law was tough, for “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do  all things which are written in the book of the law”  (Deuteronomy 27:26). But it's impossible to live up to all that is written (James 3:2).  But for God! Paul quotes Deuteronomy in order to say that “Christ has set us free from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'” (Galatians 3:10, 13). The tree of course is the cross!

Father, thank You Lord that Jesus took our curse in order that we might receive Your blessing (Ephesians 1:3).  You did this Lord so that you could be just and the justifier of those who put their trust in You (Romans 3:26). Thank You Lord,  in Jesus Name Amen

Our misunderstood and often maligned God

It’s not that long ago that I was complaining to the Lord about being misunderstood. You can complain to Him you know, King David did (Psalm 142:2)! And it’s better to complain to Him,  rather than to others,  because when you complain to others, it’s all too easily to be promoting disunity (2 Corinthians 12:10).  But I digress! God’s ‘tongue-in-cheek’  reply to me was “You think you’re misunderstood,  what about all those people who say they represent me,  but don’t have a clue who I am? What about all those who blame Me for everything that goes wrong? What about most of  the over 40,000 registered Christian denominations whom claim to have figured Me out, but don’t have a clue nevertheless tell anyone who is not them,  that they are right and everybody else is wrong?” In other words He was saying “And you think you're misunderstood?” Feeling misunderstood?  There's nothing we go through that He has not gone through in spades (Hebrews 4:15).

I believe that nowhere has God been more misunderstood than in women's issues.  God's blueprint for relationship between men and women is Adam and Eve before the fall. And we are to seek, with His help,  to bring the Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven, and as it was in paradise (Matthew 6:10). Adam and Eve were neither a patriarchal nor a matriarchal society. In paradise Adam did not rule over Eve. And so when we read in Genesis 3:16 that the man will rule over the women, it is to my way of thinking,  a prophecy of what would take place post fall. It was not, and is not,  something that God was desiring, let alone commanding!  And in fact for a long time that was, and in many places still is, an accurate description of what has actually happened.  But God's desire, is that the man love his wife sacrificially,  just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25).

And if we really want to know what God is like, we just need to look at Jesus Christ. He tells us “If you have seen Me, You have seen the Father (John 14:9).  God has revealed Himself supremely in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:2). In fact the whole of Scripture testifies to who He is (John 5:39). But it is not enough to know about Him, we need to know Him,  as in have a relationship with Him. He promises “You will search for Me and find Me when you search for Me with all of your Heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).  To know Him in relationship is the essence of eternal life (John 17:3).

Father, please forgive us for jumping to conclusions as to who You are.  I suspect when we think badly of You,  we have  believed lies,  for You are the very essence of love (1 John 4:8).  Lord Jesus, as the God-Man You show us God and You show us mankind as God intend for us to be (John 14:9-11). In relationship with You we move towards life in all its fullness (John 10:10b). So I pray this morning Lord, that You will continue to teach us who You are, and to draw us to Yourself. I believe we will be fascinated for all eternity with You,  our mysterious, fascinating and wonderful God. Thank You that when time is no more, we will be able to praise You as we aught,  and as You so richly deserve in Your precious Name Amen.

The curse: Rules or relationship

Everything changed the day Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:17; 3:6), but not just for Adam and Eve. In particular the serpent is cursed and the ground is cursed. Now working the soil requires that we deal with thorns and thistles,  and by the sweat of our brow (Genesis 3:17, 18). Murphy's law kicks in “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."  And deep down we know that there's something seriously wrong with what was initially created perfect (1:31). It's the curse, and it's part of the death, both physical and spiritual,  that happen as a result of the fall (Ephesians 2:1)

If  a single disobedience to the command seems too small a thing for everything to change, consider the  Biblical picture of the fly in the ointment (Ecclesiastes 10:1). To obey the one simple command should not honestly have been a big deal.  In fact obedience is no big deal when you heart is right with God. John puts it this way “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).  And the essence of His commandments are that we love Him passionately,  and love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:30-34). And like the loving Father He is, He has only our very best interest at heart. What He wants is relationship. In fact relationship with Him is the very essence of Kingdom life (John 17:3).  The fruit of a heart that is right with God includes love, joy, peace, goodness,  gentleness etc. (Galatians5:22).   But a lukewarm heart does not cut it (Revelation 3:16). A recovery saying advises “half measures profited us nothing!”

As mentioned earlier when we're walking in obedience,  His  “perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:17, 18).  This side of the fall this is a process, and God is so holy that when God reveals Himself to us, we can be terrified (Acts 9:5;  2 Corinthians 5:11; Revelation 6:16).  And this can lead to choosing rules over relationship. When the children of Israel heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire they replied  “If we hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore, then we shall die. You go near and hear all that the LORD our God may say, and tell us all that He says to you, and we will hear and do it” (Deuteronomy 5:25, 27). They were choosing rules over relationship. But when we chose rules, then we will be blessed if we obey, but cursed if we disobey (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).  And the problem is,  that in many things we all fail.

Father, since all have sinned and fallen short of Your Glory (Romans 3:23), no one can be made right with You by following rules. In fact the Law (rules) are there to show us our need of Your salvation. Thank you Lord Jesus that You became a curse for us,  so that in a divine exchange we can be blessed (Galatians 3:13, 14). For these and many other things we give You thanks and praise in Your precious Name Amen