In the previous episodes, we talk about the relationship between God and man and the relationship among people. Today, I want to share about the relationship between people and material things. From such a relationship, we can see a person’s values in life and understand his spiritual perspectives. The relationships between people and the material things affect not only the person’s happiness, but also his environment. It is a question about ecology. I know a person’s values in life from the way that he spends his money and his spiritual life from his willingness to sacrifice. Therefore, we begin to know a person better from his relationship with material things.

What is the relationship between people and the physical substances?

Before the fall of man, what is the depiction between people and the physical substances? First of all, we can see from the Bible that the relationship between people and the material substances and the relationship between people and the physical world are inseparable. Genesis 1:29 from the ESV Bible tells us that: And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” In other words, people cannot survive without food that is produced from the ground. Genesis 2:7 from the ESV Bible tells us that: then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. His name was Adam. Man is created from the dust of the ground; the relationship between Man and the dust is inseparable. The human body consists entirely of elements, including calcium, iron, carbon, iodine and others. These elements can be found in the dust from the ground because man is made of dust from the ground. Since the man comes from dust, his nutrients also need to depend on the dust or ‘soil’ from the ground. You eat the vegetables which are also from the soil of the ground; Then, you say: ‘I do not eat vegetables but I eat meat.’ You eat beef and the cows eat the grass which also comes from the soil of the ground. What if you do not eat the animals on the earth? You say, “I eat fish.” Well, fish eat the seaweeds which are also inseparable from the soil. Therefore, people have to depend on the dust from the ground for nutrients. After people have passed on, they will return to the dust of the ground.  Centuries later, it will become a handful of loess, sediment underground, and a pile of bones. This speaks of the wisdom in the Bible. It tells us that human beings are part of the physical world, therefore, we have to love and protect the environment. God has given the role of stewardship to the mankind for managing and having dominion over the earth so we are merely stewards.

The humans are stewards in the physical world. Since they are part of it, they are also above it

What enlightenment do we understand from the word “steward”? The role of stewardship tells us that man is not the owner of the physical world or the earth; he is just a steward. The owner of the earth is Jehovah our God. He has created the earth and owns it. He is the Lord of the earth. However, God gives authority to human beings to have dominion over the earth and thus, we have the responsibility of stewardship. God requires His stewards to be faithful, good and have wisdom and experience to manage the earth.

However, we take a look at the world today. The earth is in a mess. There is air and water pollution. The land is barren. We can see that it is harmful for the human beings to live on the earth because people have polluted it. We do not fulfil our responsibilities as stewards. It also means that we are not faithful stewards. Therefore, we have brought trouble and pain upon ourselves. Human beings have human rights; all substances have their rights; the plants have their plant rights and the animals have their animal rights. If we exploit them unceasingly, do not have dominion over them and do not live in harmony with them, one day, they will counter attack and take revenge on us. All the creatures will have their revenge on us and human beings will not be able to survive. God has entrusted you and I to be His stewards so we should fulfil our responsibilities towards the earth!

Creation theory vs. Pantheism

We should not shrink the physical world and control it like our own private property. In the same way, we should not allow the living creatures or the physical substances to control us and make us their slaves. We also should not make them infinite or make them our gods for worship. On one hand, we clearly know that we are not material things. On the other hand, we are also physical substances. We are part of the physical world and are not higher than nature so we have to live in harmony with it. However, we are also above the physical world because we are created in the image of God. Thus, we should not see the physical world as a god to be worshipped.

According to the Creation theory in the Bible, this physical world or the living creatures are not a result of dispersion of the nature of God. This is different from the theory of pantheism in the east, for instance, the creation myth in China about “Pang Gu splitting the heaven and earth apart”. It was said that Pang Gu grew together with the heaven and the earth, as in the saying, “for every foot that Pang Gu grew each day, the sky was also one foot higher and the earth was one foot thicker”. After 18,000 years, the heaven and earth were fully formed. Eventually, Pang Gu collapsed and died. His breath became the wind and the clouds, his drops of perspiration became the rain dew, his voice became the thunder, his two eyes became the sun and the moon, his blood become the rivers, his muscles became the land and his hairs became the grasses and straws; finally, his skeletons became the ore (in the worst scenario, today, the oil is his fats). This was how the world came into existence! This kind of creation theory inevitably had given rise to pantheism. What is the meaning of pantheism? It means that all living creatures have the nature of God. Therefore, it is not difficult to comprehend the reason that we, the oriental people, have treated many physical substances as gods for worship and deified them and the physical world.

The Bible forbids people to deify or idolize any physical substance, forest, mountain, star or incomprehensible object for worship. According to God’s Creation theory, these substances do not have the nature of God. They are formed as a result of God’s Word. This is the relationship between people and the living creatures: human beings are the stewards in the physical world and are higher than the living creatures. God has given the role of stewardship to them to rule over all the living creatures. However, they have to surrender themselves to God and use the wisdom from God to manage the living creatures. This is a beautiful picture before the fall of man – the relationships between God, the man and the creatures are very harmonious.

Change in the relationship between the human and physical substances after the fall of man

After Adam and Eve had sinned, we see that the relationships between the human beings, physical substances and physical world have become more tensed. They have changed. Genesis 2: 8-15 in the Bible described that the environment and the physical world are beautiful before the fall of man. There was the shining sun, clear water, clean air, chirping of the birds, fragrance of the flowers and the small bridge with the flowing water – it was very beautiful and tranquil. However, in Genesis 3:17-19 from the ESV Bible: And to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” It also means that the man has to toil for food after the fall of man because the land has produced a lot of weeds and thorns.

After the man had sinned, the land is cursed and he has to toil for food. This means that they need to work very hard and earn what they need. This is entirely different from the scenario before the fall of man. Originally, Adam and Eve could eat any fruit in the garden of Eden. They could pluck and eat any fruit but not the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They could enjoy God’s creation in the garden of Eden. However, they need to toil for food physically and mentally after the fall of man.

Money, the stumbling block to heaven

According to the order of God’s creation, man is below God in position but he is in the honoured position above the living creatures. However, what we have written today, is about the man being in the position below the living creatures after his fall, being a bondage to money. People perish for money and birds die for food. What magic do physical substances have? Today, why are many people willing to worship money as God?

Taken from Matthew 6:24 in the ESV Bible: Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. ‘Mammon’ means ‘money’. In other words, some people are slaves to money, their god. However, the Bible says that we must serve our God alone. This is the Word of God but today, people in the world have worshipped mammon as God.

Some people said that money is not everything but we cannot do without money. Why can’t we do without money? It is because money has brought much benefits and convenience to people. Once, I brought my wife to a restaurant. When we reached the entrance, I took a look at the prices on the menu and then, turned around and said to my wife, “We will come here another time!” In fact, it was too expensive for me. On the contrary, if I had money in my pocket, I would enter the restaurant without taking a glimpse at the prices and tell the staff to serve the best dishes on the table. That was so generous! Money brings about convenience. When we have money, we do not have to put up with the boss. On the contrary, the boss has to put up with us. I will tell the boss, “Don’t show me your temper. I am going to resign. I will quit!” Why? It is because I have money in my pocket! I can tour wherever I like. I can get whatever I want.

In fact, money gives me a sense of freedom and independence so I do not need to rely on others. It is as if everything can be done – eat, drink and play. Furthermore, if you have money, you can control other people, instruct others to do things and satisfy your desire to control others and have authority over them. With money, I can decide the fate of other people. How great it is!

This is the lovely side of money. With money, I can have authority; with authority, I can decide the fate of other people. I want him to resign and he has to quit; I want him to work and he has to work for me. A lot of people have a sense of independence because of money so they do not wish to worship our true Creator God. Therefore, Luke 18:24-25 in the Bible tells us that: “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!” 

Why are rich people often hindered from receiving the gospel? And it is very difficult for them to enter the kingdom of God? The reason is very simple. They think that they do not need God or they are not free and have no time, or they have an unspoken sense of freedom and independence. Therefore, 1 Timothy 6:17 from the ESV Bible: As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. In other words, we should not rely on money for survival and be its slave. As a result, we will be in bondage. On the contrary, we should rely on God and trust in Him. This is the right thing to do. May the Lord help us to be a wise person and not a foolish person, seeing money as everything. Actually, human beings and physical substances are finite but God is infinite. We must remember to rely on God and return to take refuge in Him!

Let us pray together!

Dear Heavenly Father, may you give us unspeakable wisdom. Through your Word, we know that we are above money and should not be its slave; we are below you in position and should let you be our Lord, leading and enabling us to have practical, meaningful and valuable lives. Also, let us have a harmonious relationship with the earth and bless us with wisdom to have dominion over it and to manage money. May our lives be abundant, joyful, valuable and have freedom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

<< Song Title: Jesus I Need You >>