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Neo-Calvinism 7: Structure and Direction

by Derek Melleby

Brian Walsh and J. Richard Middleton provide a helpful summary statement on the practical implications of the "Creation, Fall, Redemption" (CFR) motif:

All aspects of God's world are created good, but all aspects are also fallen. In Christ all may be redeemed.

What does this mean for our practical, day-by-day living? It means that we as Christians must seek to understand cultural phenomena and to bring them under the lordship of Christ. Of each part of life we must ask two questions. First, what in it is creationally good? Second, what in it is not good? In what ways has it been misdirected?

These questions apply to every area of human culture. We may not simply write off an aspect of human culture as if it were beyond redemption, nor may we accept it uncritically at face value. Instead we need to struggle discerningly with our brothers and sisters in Christ (as well as with unbelievers who are sensitive to creational norms). We need to listen to God's Spirit as he points us back to the guidance of his word for all areas of our life (The Transforming Vision, 90).

Another way to say this is to say that the Christian task is one of discerning "structure" and "direction." The following is adapted from Creation Regained by Al Wolters:

Structure
Structure refers to the order of creation. It is anchored in the law of creation, the creational decree of God that constitutes the nature of different kinds of creatures. It designates a reality that the philosophical tradition of the West has often referred to by such words as substance, essence, and nature.

Direction
Direction involves two tendencies moving either for or against God. Anything in creation can be directed either toward or away from God — that is, directed either in obedience or disobedience to his law. Direction also designates the order of sin and redemption. It refers to the distortion or perversion of creation through the fall on the one hand and the redemption and restoration of creation (in Christ) on the other.

Currently I am working with two musicians (both singer/songwriters) who have asked me to help them think more deeply and "Christianly" about their music. Our initial conversations were discussions about structure and direction. First, we attempted to develop a framework for understanding music in God's world. Thinking about CFR we determined that music is a "good" but distorted part of our culture.

Second, discussed the direction of today's popular music and identified some of the ways in which music is distorted: much of it is market drive leading to commodification, most listeners want instant gratification, often music is used as a "tool" to manipulate, some music encourages violence, and some popular music is poor technically.

Third, we've been asking: "What does it look like to bring redemption into the world of music? How can Christian musicians be agents of change, offering a 're-direction'?" Recent conversations have focused on Walker Percey's remark, "Bad books always lie. They lie most about the human condition." I've suggested that "bad music always lies. It lies most about the human condition." Music needs to be truthful, deal honestly with the human condition and have integrity. (Steven Garber pointed me in the direction of this Walker Percey quotation.)

We've also discussed Bono's reflections on his music, most notably: "In my music I hope to tear away a corner of the darkness." The entire world of music is not on a single musician's shoulders. How can you use your particular gifts and influence in the sphere that has been given to you? Our most recent conversations have been around how music is able to "liberate people's imaginations." Music can get listeners to ask the "right" questions, think "outside the box," and not be satisfied with the status quo. This has implications for both the style and lyrics of music.

Music is just one area of culture in which a faithful discernment of structure and direction is desperately needed. While I hesitate to discuss CFR as a rigid formula to run every major cultural issue through, it is a helpful way to begin to wrestle with the complexities of discipleship.

Byron Borger summarizes this well:

The point is that the biblical view of life includes the profoundly wonderful idea that this is God's world, sin has radically distorted everything and Jesus is big enough to make it all good again. The implications of seeing such a continuous flow to the unfolding biblical drama should chill us to the bone and compel us to praise and worship and unceasing service.

© Coalition for Christian Outreach 2005

Part 1: What is in a Name?

Part 2: Introductory Reading

Part 3: The Holy Bible

Part 4: CREATION, Fall, Redemption

Part 5: Creation, FALL, Redemption

Part 6: Creation, Fall, REDEMPTION

Part 7: Structure and Direction

Part 8: Sphere Sovereignty

Part 9: Final Remarks and Seerveld's Summary

Ministry Transformation- The Emerging Church  Personal Transformation- Spiritual Formation  World Transformation- Social Action

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