Engaging God’s World – Chapter 3 - The Fall

There were so many quotes and great points in this chapter that we can take away from it as an example of why we are living this way, how to live as best we can and encouragement to have patience until the coming of Christ. Plantinga reminds us that we are living this way on earth temporarily and that "Human life is not the way it's supposed to be." The fall of man changed life completely. It is good to remember that this is just a place to stay until the second coming. We are simply aliens in this place and are getting closer and closer to the day when we can be with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Another encouraging factor in the chapter was when Plantinga said “the goodness is still there.” There is goodness on earth today because Christians, God’s people, roam the earth and despite the fact that we are a fallen land there is still good in this place because we carry Jesus with us in our hearts forever. What makes it even better is the reminder that one day he will return! That brings a kind of joy to my heart mind and soul that I cannot fully describe because there are not words good enough to describe it. We are so weighted down by this sinful world that to remember that God will conquer it done day and the earth will return to having the fully perfection that it once did in the days of the Garden of Eden.

Sin crept upon the earth by way of the fallen angel. God created a world that was perfect, as He is. Plantinga said “God is perfectly holy.” God also despises sin because wherever evil is God cannot be. In bible times wherever sin was God would remove Himself completely from that area. Now because of the death and resurrection of Jesus our God can be in our presence which is how every Christian is able to have Jesus in our hearts every day, with us at all times. This chapter was a great little reminder of that fact that God loves us, hates sin and that he cannot wait until the day of the Lord when we can all rejoice together and celebrate the Lord for the rest of our days.

Plantinga began the chapter with the lyrics to "This is My Father's World." I am going to end this blog with those lyrics.

This is my Father's world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres. 
This is my Father's world: 
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise. 
This is my Father's world: 
he shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world. 
O let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet. 
This is my Father's world: 
why should my heart be sad? 
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! 
God reigns; let the earth be glad!