The World Is Upheld by God's Word. Christians call it “the Fall” – the Fall of humanity. We now live in a Fallen world.  Last week we reviewed the story. How Adam, to whom God had given dominion of the world, chose against God and brought evil into the world. Now the world is in the power of the evil one, the devil, called in Scripture the ruler or prince of this world. End of story? No! Most people know the climax of God’s story with humanity is salvation in Jesus Christ. Yes. But let’s not rush the story. It is also true that God has chosen space and time, spirit and matter, to work out His designs, His plan. Scholars call it “salvation history.” We’re still in the midst of it. The Bible reveals God’s plan – it’s no secret. Paragraph 1 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church sums it up most succinctly: “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life.” – Catch that: God’s plan is ...

The World Now Fallen.       We have begun looking at what Jesus Christ and the Bible tell us about this world.       In creating humankind, God’s goodness made us in His own image and likeness ( Gen1:26-27 ; Wis 2:23 ), part of which includes our intellect (ability to reason) and will (ability to choose, to act or not act). With these powers we have freedom of choice or “free will.” Free will attains its highest purpose, its perfection, when directed towards God.       What if we use our free will to direct our actions in opposition to God – against the Good?       That brings about evil. All of God’s creation is “very good” ( Gen 1:31 ), but we have now removed some of that good by our willing something contrary to the Good, God. We have brought about some evil. All the evil we see in the world comes from humanity (and fallen angels) exercising their free will against God – God the total Goo...