“I measure a culture according to its ability to create and sustain life.”
During a conversation a few years ago, a friend of mine made this passing comment that has stuck with me ever since. The implication is that a culture in which children, animals, and plants flourish is superior to one in which they don’t.
Since reflecting on this has been a blessing to me, I decided to write my thoughts down in case it might bless others as well.
Life and God’s character
The Bible has a very high and positive view of life, and ties it inextricably to God. God is the author of life, and in Genesis He creates both the environment that could sustain life (days 1-4), and He creates life itself (days 3, 5 and 6). Not only does He create life, but He creates life that creates more life. In a sense you could say that God’s intent with creation was a multiplication of life.
Since we were created in God’s image, we should likewise have a life-giving impact on the world around us. This is reflected in the original command given to Adam, in which he is told (1) to multiply and fill the earth and (2) to keep and guard the garden. If Adam succeeds in these commands, life will flourish.
Therefore, wherever we see life flourish under the hands of people, we see God’s character being honored to some extent. In a way you could say that more alignment to God’s character leads to more life.
This principle of conformity to God bringing forth life is expressed in Deuteronomy 30:
“19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
~ Deut 30:19-20 ESV (emphasis mine)
Rejecting God leads to death
Since conformity to God brings forth life, the rejection of God leads to death. Modern examples of this are abortion and homosexuality: the first destroys life whilst the latter can’t produce it. They represent rejections of the Genesis commands to “keep and guard (preserve) life” and “to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth”.
When these commands are rejected, those who reject them inevitably become more conformed to Satan’s image, who is the one that “steals, kills, and destroys” (John 10:10). However, by God’s grace, many societies that reject Him have still discovered some life-giving principles, such as respecting the elderly and managing their farms in a sustainable manner. These external conformities have brought about some measure of blessing to them, but they remain dead in God’s sight.
True life is a Person
It is therefore possible that someone can have a thriving garden, happy family, and still be dead in God’s sight. Jesus referred to the Pharisees as those who appeared beautiful outwardly, but inside were full of death (Mat 23:27). The reason for the beautiful outward appearance was a high level of conformity to the Law of God. This can likewise happen to cultures or societies.
At the same time, Jesus declared Himself to be the life. The true measure of life is therefore not measured externally, but whether or not a person is grafted in to Christ:
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
~ John 11:25-26 (emphasis mine)
Last thoughts
Since Jesus is the life, those who profess to follow Him should see life flourishing in their sphere, whether that is in happy children, care for their colleagues at work, or taking care of their gardens. The absence of flourishing life should give cause for concern.
On the other hand, it would be naive to assume that the people of a life-giving culture really know the true and living God. God is not necessarily with them, or even among them, but they could simply be experiencing God’s common grace toward them.
The statement of my friend is a tool (and a very helpful one), but the true measure of life will always remain a person’s connection to the Author of Life.