Scripture is not limited by the modern infatuation with the material scientific world but equally regards the spiritual and material in importance and emphasis. The truth is that the spiritual and the material are not as estranged as popular culture takes them to be but are simply different manifestations of the one truth of creation. Both originate from the same God and therefore exist equally and undiminished, are intertwined and interdependent in ways that we may never fully understand before the return of Christ and humanity was originally designed to operate in both simultaneously and interchangeably in ways that are now difficult to comprehend.
Scripture also contains, details, descriptions, and illustrations of the material and spiritual nature of humanity. In this way it clarifies for us a general and basic understanding of the original purpose, design and function of human beings that cannot be found through material study alone. Scripture does not however provide detailed user instructions for the human entity like the owner’s manual of a sports car. Just as a practical understanding of the design and function of a sports car can be gleaned from watching how it performs on the open road scripture provides clues that reveal humanity's natural, spontaneous, and seamless expression of God’s image and likeness, as well as our fallen nature, into creation.
This spiritual and material understanding of man reveals God's loving craftsmanship through the complexity yet economy, immeasurable yet intricate and utilitarian yet elegant nature of His design. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made but the Bible does not beg this question but simply presents human abilities, nature, and purpose as ancillary information in its plainly spoken narrative.
However, there is no information given or implied that would suggest that humanity can overcome its current fallen condition through its own nature or abilities. For this reason, God crafted scripture as the specific, detailed, and clearly understood plan of salvation that encompasses the spiritual and material activities of Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the point and purpose of all scripture and there is no part of scripture that does not point to or emerge from Jesus.
The above-mentioned ancillary information concerning humanity is supportive of the plan of salvation even if as it is secondary to God’s plan of salvation. This secondary biblical information when explored reveals important truths about the nature of creation and created humanity. In this way it provides context for a clearer understanding of God's original relationship with man as well as the dire need for restoration of that relationship through Jesus Christ.
For example, Solomon’s description of earth’s water cycle in Ecclesiastes 1:7 reveals something of God's essential order and design of creation. Also, in Genesis 1:20-23 the fact that the first living creatures appeared in the oceans reveal to us that all the life on earth did not appear simultaneously but according to God's specific timetable and ordered plan. Daniel 10:12-13 reveals to us something of the nature of the spiritual opposition to the will of God and the right actions of humanity in the world. In Acts 19:13-16 Paul and Jesus being recognized by a demon to the exclusion of others reveals to us that the authority of Christ and His obedient servants are recognized by the dark kingdom but those who are outside of relationship with Christ are unrecognized and vulnerable.
This secondary information comprises an inexhaustible and important body of biblical knowledge for it is here that we find the context that frames our larger and more obvious truths. When we read in Ephesians 6:12 of Christians wrestling with a spiritual enemy this scripture is framed and given context by the above scriptures in Daniel and Acts. When we read that all of creation reveals the nature of God in Romans 1:20 the above scriptures in Genesis and Ecclesiastes also provide context.
An expansive exploration into this secondary biblical information is crucial to a larger understanding of the breadth and depth of God’s plan of salvation, the human condition, and our ability to express His image and likeness as culture.
If we accept that God has created the universe and His nature can be clearly seen in it; and if we accept that God has expressed His essential nature in the Bible; then we should expect the Bible to be, in its own way, as vast, nuanced and layered as creation itself. Our exploration of the Bible’s primary and secondary informational horizons should be no less passionate, expansive, or full of new and unexpected discoveries as the exploration of the universe.
When we do not approach scripture in this way it becomes possible to miss important scriptural details that can lead us into theological error and misinterpreting events in the larger culture. This was true of the Pharisees at the time of Jesus who's dogmatic and closed theology had them looking for a vastly different type of messiah than was presented in Jesus.
For instance, the implications of Isaiah 53:5 could not even be imagined in the framework of the then established Jewish scriptural understandings. If there were commentaries written at the time, they would not have described a suffering resurrecting Christ. There were those Jews however who were able to eventually recognize Jesus as the Christ because of an expanded exploration of Old Testament scripture guided by God's spiritual revelation.
These revelational understandings were established and solidified through the writings of the New Testament, but these writings were accomplished through a Holy Spirit led exploration of the veiled mysteries contained in the scriptures of the Old Testament. It was the fruit of this exploration that led to salvation spreading throughout the Roman world as well as the ancillary effect of changing the culture.
Christians spiritually conquering Rome one heart at a time with the Gospel were able to express Christian principals as culture throughout Rome. This was accomplished without access to a social, political, economic, or legal power base. This spiritual and material expression laid the foundation for many of the laws, social norms and political principles that acted as the foundation for modern Western societies.
Humanity was originally designed by God to shape and direct the world through exercised dominion. What humanity expresses spirituality and materiality into creation shapes the realities of culture. A clear understanding of the nature, abilities and purpose of created humanity is crucial to our understanding of how we should today express the Christian faith.
The above examples should lead us to oppose any scriptural exploration that does violence to the person and work of Christ as expressed in scripture but should not necessarily lead us to resist that which does violence to biblical traditions or current understandings.
In today’s world where science is erroneously depicted as conflicting with the Bible and material understandings are worshiped and spiritual truth is regarded as myth, it is essential to equally recognize and present all spiritual and material truth found in scripture. These expanded explorations and presentations can provide a biblical alternative to the material only emphasis of the current cultures approach to answering the riddle of the human condition. This requires fearless and expansive explorations of scripture free from the shackles of human tradition and scientific presumption. In this way the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be expressed in culture without restriction and freed from the false perception of a dichotomy between biblical and scientific truth.