9 Questions Christians Need to Ask When Current Events Make Life Feel Crazy

Question #1 – “What Does It Mean to Be Made ‘In the Image of God’?”

To start with, we should notice that Genesis 1:26 does not say mankind is the image of God. Rather, it says mankind is made in, or “according to the likeness of,” the image of God.

Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus is the image of God, the “exact representation of God” or “imprint” of God’s nature. Colossians 1:15 says, “the Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” To be made in the image of God, is to be made so that we reflect the character, ethics, and behaviors of Jesus.

We are then commissioned to fruitfully multiply and fill the earth not only with other humans— as evidenced by our physiological and sexual makeup—but “cultural artifacts” that reflect the good character and glory of God. We are to rule and reign over creation according to God’s design, according to the way Jesus rules and reigns over creation. 

This is what it means to be made “in the image of God.”

For more on this, check out:

• Engaging God’s World by Cornelius Plantinga
• Culture Making by Andy Crouch
• The Bible Project “Image of God” video

Question #2 – “What Exactly Happened at ‘The Fall’?”

Genesis 3:4-5 explains how the serpent cast doubt on God’s goodness. He made it sound as if God was holding out on Adam and Eve, not giving them His best. As Adam and Eve pondered such a possibility, it seemed the fruit wouldn’t be as bad as God had made it sound. After all, it looked good. And it was “able to make one wise.”

Their choice to eat the fruit was a choice to decide for themselves what is good and what is evil instead of trusting that what God calls good was truly good and what He calls evil is truly evil.

As the story unfolds in verses 6-7, we see that a sense of chaos ensued as sin was unleashed throughout creation. To this day, mankind now strives with each other to cover their nakedness and shame, to make themselves feel a little less empty and a little more put together.

For more on this, check out:

• The Drama of Scripture by Bartholomew and Goheen
• The Bible Project “Genesis 1–11” video
• Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller

Question #3 – “What Implications Does This Have for Us Today?”

First of all, you and I today are also designed, like Adam and Eve, to rule and reign according to the way Jesus rules and reigns over creation. However, each of us still tends to rule and reign according to our own perceptions of good and evil—just as Adam and Eve attempted in Eden.

Human philosophy develops worldly concepts of ethics and morality. Earthly governments set up humanistic ways of bringing about justice. Businesses and schools enact principles that justify life without God. In this way, mankind moves farther and farther away from God into their own demise.

The second implication of this is that the chaos we see today is the extrapolation of generations of people living in rebellion against God. Naturalistic secularism is the logical consequence of man defining morality apart from God, which philosophers sought to do in light of the bloodbath that happened when the Church wed itself to the State. 

Postmodernity, the sexual revolution, and critical theories of justice are human attempts at reconciling our experiences on this earth without starting at God and His Word.

The church should not be married to the State. Humans experience a conglomeration of sexual desires that are not inherently bad or prohibited in Scripture. And much injustice continues to reign even under so-called “Christian constitutions.” 

But without repentance and a return to the starting place of God, we only experience more and more chaos.

Thirdly, we cannot trust our natural senses. What we perceive as “light” might actually be darkness (or vice versa). What we call “good” might actually be evil. Our perceptions of right and wrong, good and evil, success and failure are majorly distorted from God’s perception of right and wrong, good and evil, success and failure.

In other words, it may be perceived that the moral thing would be to develop an economic system that spreads people’s wealth around to care for society’s poor when in actuality the moral thing may be for you and I to voluntarily go and care for the poor ourselves. 

Or it could be that while America postures as a “Christian nation” because of its advocacy for religious freedom, it is in fact a kingdom of rebellion because of its violent means for obtaining such freedom.

The challenge before us is will the church of Jesus go the same route as the world and seek to bring about morality and justice in a way that seems right in her eyes, or will she follow the way of Christ, ruling and reigning the way He taught us to?

For more on this, check out:

• The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
• The God Who Is There by Francis Schaeffer
• A synthesis essay I wrote on ways the church seeks to influence culture called, “Rethinking the Church’s Attempt to Influence Culture Through Social Media”

Question #4 – “What Is the Kingdom of God?”

Hey there. Thanks for reading!

You’ve just read the introduction and the first three sections of my latest eBook, 9 Questions Christians Need to Ask When Current Events Make Life Feel Crazy.

This eBook is designed to serve as a guide in processing crazy events, such as we have experienced this year. Race riots, a global pandemic, divisions within the church on how to respond to these things–you name it. In pondering these nine questions, you will gain clarity about where God is at in it all, peace about Who is in control, and a sense of direction about what you’re supposed to be doing right now.

As one reader put it,

Thank-you for this! I’m so upset I could lose my mind, but the Lord is still faithful. I’m going through extreme pain, and this was encouraging.

If you’d like to access the rest of this guide for yourself, I invite you to download your own free copy of the eBook below.