• Preface
• Introduction
• 1. A Chance Result or a Creation?
• 2. A Creature of Nature
• 3. A Person
• 4. A Social Being
• 5. A Person in Quest
• 6. A Person in Conflict
• 7. In Search of Freedom
• 8. In Search of Victory

      My purpose is to write something that is "down to earth," simple and clear, and, I hope, interesting and stimulating particularly to young people who are intelligently and honestly seeking guidance in this area of thought.

E.L. Williams June, 1989.

      In Psalm 8:4 the Psalmist asks, "What is man that Thou are mindful of him?" It is reasonable to interpret "man" as being used generically in this passage. Wherever it occurs in this study it is certainly used generically. We are concerned with the species classified as Man irrespective of such differences as sex, race, colour, period of existence, culture, creed or any other contingent difference. The question turns into, 'Who are we?"

      One explanation of man's origin is that he is a product of a natural process. Somehow, in the course of time, matter, chemicals and energy came together and in response to the total environment man emerged as a high form of life. This may be described as a miracle of chance, which is accepted by "scientific faith". This explanation of man's origin appears to be akin to a theory that if all the letters of the alphabet were thrown into the air often enough and for long enough and allowed to settle they eventually would come down as words, and then as sentences, and finally as literature akin to a Shakespearean play and the like.

      The alternative explanation of the origin of man is that he is a creation. That is, behind man and the world we know, there is a purposive, creative Mind and Power. Philosophers have called this an Uncaused Cause; religionists have called it God. This view is supported by the evidence of law and order in our universe and by the remarkable processes that operate both in the inanimate and animate phenomena of our universe. Our universe appears to be obviously a cosmos and not a chaos. There is also the appearance of design. For

example, the structure of the hand gives the appearance of its being designed to perform all the dexterous activities of which it is capable. The eye also gives the appearance of having been designed to see. It has been said that if one picked up a watch in a desert and examined its precise mechanism and its time face one would be moved to ask, "Who made it?" If we follow a philosophical line it may be said that we cannot think of the idea of a Creator without thinking of the existence of a Creator in the same way as we cannot think of a triangle without thinking of the sum of its angles being equal to two right angles. These thoughts do not provide proof of the existence of a Creator but they at least suggest that such an idea is not unreasonable.

      The late H.G. Wells, writing as a scientific historian and not as a professing Christian, in his book, A Short History of the World, records the fact that Jesus was born during the reign of the first Roman Emperor and makes the observation that the only direct source of information about the life and teaching of Jesus is the four Gospels and he states that they all agree in presenting a very definite personality. He admits that one is obliged to say that here was a man who could not have been invented.

      The testimony of eyewitnesses who had personal contact with Jesus is found in the New Testament and it is evident that He made such an impression on them that they were convinced that He provided a unique revelation of a Creator to whom man can relate by a faith that involves belief, confidence and commitment. A notable Christian writer of this century has made the claim that there are some things that cannot be known by research and reflection but only by committing ourselves.

      In the last resort, as it is written in Hebrews 11:3, "By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God."

      The Christian view is reflected in a humorous story. An applicant for a life insurance policy was being medically examined. The doctor asked whether he had ever suffered a serious illness and he answered no. He was then asked whether he had ever suffered a serious accident and again the answer was no. The doctor then asked whether he was sure he had never suffered an accident of any kind. He thought for a while and then said that a bull once tossed him over a fence and he suffered three broken ribs. The doctor then commented that that was surely an accident, to which the applicant replied: "Oh no! It was not an accident. The bull did it on purpose."

      We have to recognise that the Bible has to be interpreted. May I

suggest to the reader that in the Biblical account of creation the great essential truth is in the statement "in the beginning God" and not in interpretations or theories concerning the process or the time taken in creation.

      An affinity with animals emphasises that man is a creature of Nature. We obviously share the instinctive or natural urges of animals and also the digestive, respiratory, vascular, excretory and reproductive systems. We also suffer the physical limitations of diseases, accidents, the ageing process and death of lower creatures.

      While we have this affinity there are also marked differences such as man's upright stance, his dextrous hand, his use of fire, water and wind, and his use of complex tools even though lower creatures have been observed to use simple tools. For example, experiments have shown that if boxes or blocks are placed in a cage with a monkey and a banana is placed above the reach of the animal, it will place the boxes or blocks on top of each other until it has a platform high enough to enable it to reach the banana; or if a banana is placed outside the cage beyond the reach of the creature and if pieces of bamboo are placed in the cage the monkey will put the pieces together, one piece inside another, until it has a "tool" of sufficient length to draw the banana into the cage. Another observed use of a tool by a lower creature is a wasp's use of a stone to beat down the earth around or on top of its nest in the ground.

      The use of reason has led to the description of man as a rational animal but the above illustrations and other instances of behaviour indicate that lower creatures show a use of intelligence beyond natural instinctive behaviour. There is a capacity to learn by the observation of sensed objects and situations. However, man is capable of using ideas in thinking and learning.

      While animals and birds obviously communicate by the use of sounds and actions, man is distinct in the use of complex language, both spoken and written.

      An outstanding distinction of man from lower creatures is his capacity to appreciate and respond to non-physical values such as the whole range of the spiritual values of truth, goodness and beauty, which are beyond the appreciation and response of lower creatures. All these distinctions, particularly the more important ones, point to the conclusion that man is more than a creature of Nature.

      While various descriptions may be used to indicate that man is more than a creature of Nature it appears satisfactory to describe man as a person.

      The signal elements of personality are knowing, willing and feeling. Knowing, learning and feeling are more complex in man than in animals and willing appears to be a distinct capacity in the human species. While animal behaviour is based simply on instinctive urges and some elementary learning, human behaviour is much more complex and willing has a very distinctive place.

      The will is not easy to define. It may be said to be the whole person operating in decision making, or it is an operation in accord with one's image of one's self or of one's self-identity, or it may be described as the faculty of responsible behaviour. For example, according to instinctive or natural desire one is drawn to a certain line of behaviour but one's mind is called into action to consider the nature and consequences of this line of behaviour and also to consider one's image of one's self or of one's self-identity and in the light of these considerations the will over-rules desire, and another line of behaviour is chosen. As a particular example we may take the case of a marathon runner who feels that he has come to a point where he must drop out and rest but the image of himself as a stayer or the image of his self-identity as a winner takes shape as the will and by sheer force of will he carries on and breasts the tape. Another particular example may be the case of one who has been greatly wronged and feels a strong urge to take violent revenge but then one's image of self or one's image of self-identity as a being who is self-controlled and generous and this image of self or self-identity takes shape as will which takes control and cancels out the act of revenge and leads to a decision to take a better line of behaviour.

      Lower orders of creation act simply according to instinctive or natural desires or urges.

      The consideration of man as a person who knows, feels and wills may lead us to think of man as a responsible person. About four centuries B. C., Plato, a Greek philosopher, in discussing man as a responsible person, used a man as a symbol of reason, a lion as a symbol of spirit or will, and a many-headed monster as a symbol of desires. He stated that to be a responsible person the man must use the lion to control the many-headed monster. The English writer, G. K. Chesterton, once suggested that we do not say to a crocodile, when it

has just devoured its tenth explorer, "Come now, have done with that, be a crocodile," because it is the nature of crocodiles to devour explorers; but if a man does something that is mean and dastardly, we do say: "Come now, have done with that, be a man."

      Some would describe a person as a combination of body and mind and emphasise the importance of mind in relation to health and healing. We would prefer the three-fold description of a person as a body, mind and spirit. The body is self-evident and the mind is evident in a person's capacity for complex learning and reasoning. The description of man as a rational animal as previously noted, reflects the idea of mind as an element in the make-up of a person. The evidence of spirit as part of the make-up of man has been noted in Section 2, that is, in man's capacity to appreciate and respond to the values of truth, beauty and goodness. Primitive and developed moral and religious systems are characteristic of man. Such moral systems and religions are based on man's capacity to respond to spiritual values.

      It has been claimed that the most significant verse in the Bible is the one that states that man was made in the image of God and the rest of the Bible is virtually a commentary on that verse. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 man is described as spirit and soul and body and it has been suggested that in the background thinking spirit was regarded as that which is akin to God and soul is the source of man's non-physical feelings.

      Kant, the notable German philosopher of the nineteenth century, commented on the two awesome wonders of the starry heavens above and the sense of ought within. This sense of right and wrong reflects an inborn moral sense by which man makes primitive moral decisions and is open to moral development. It has been claimed that conscience is an adequate moral guide but history has shown that man is capable of doing atrocious things in the name of conscience. Conscience is an inner goad to persons to do what they believe to be right and only serves us if we are morally educated and mature.

      As mind is important in health and healing, spirit is equally important.

      Psychologists would say that man, like other creatures, is gregarious, that is, a social being. We see animals and birds forming into herds, mobs, flocks and the like. This is due to an instinctive or natural

urge. Persons share this urge and it is in the light of this that it is rightly claimed that for persons, life is relationship. Such is essential to our being.

      An early Christian writer who belonged to those who were known as Apologists, that is, defenders of the Christian faith, made the claim that if a child lived among the animals and drank the pure water of a spring and drew sustenance from its environment it would grow to provide an example of the "natural man". This appears to be an unrealistic picture. A grain of wheat will not realise its potential if we place it in a fresh mix of cement and sand and water and leave it there until the mix hardens into a piece of concrete. The potential of any seed will be realised only in an environment of soil, air, sunshine and rain. In a similar way a person will realise his or her potential only in a normal environment of persons and experiences the creative influence of relationship.

      For good or ill we are socially generated. Society in general, by its emphases, attitudes and actions pressurises us and by a process of contagion squeezes us into a mould. As social beings we desire to be accepted and from within there is a readiness to conform to the social mould. The standard for behaviour easily becomes the recognition that everybody is doing it.

      Within the general social environment there are particular social groups by which we may be strongly generated and conditioned. The school or college group is very significant for young people. There are others that can play a very important part in our development.

      If an idea, an emphasis or an attitude is socially scouted and criticised, it will be difficult for a member of such society to maintain an independent stance. On the other hand, if a particular idea or emphasis or attitude is encouraged by the social group it strengthens each member's conviction and courage. A particular group may play an important part in serving as a counter group to the pressures of general society.

      According to the translation of J. B. Phillips, Paul wrote: "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God remould your minds from within." (Romans 12:2). It is undoubtedly true that the Church is a particular social group that is used by God to re-mould our minds from within. We cannot deny the claim that the development of character is due to the unconscious influence of consciously chosen influences.

      It has been claimed that man can be explained in terms of the basic quests of food, shelter, social life and sex. If man is nothing more than a creature of Nature this may be true, even if we think that the quests for health and security may need to be added to the basic quests. However, if we believe that man is more than a creature of Nature and is a person who knows, wills and feels and is body, mind and spirit, it is quite inadequate to try to explain such a person in terms of certain basic quests. A close study of persons discloses the fact that a person in quest is-

(a) In Search of Meaning and Purpose

      One of the great inner bondages that a person may suffer is the cynicism that can find no real meaning and purpose iii life. In relation to this kind of bondage a statement of Jesus, recorded in John 8:32, is very relevant: "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free. "

      A certain philosopher's cynicism has been expressed in the suggestion that man is like a polar bear stranded on an iceflow that is slowly drifting to a warmer temperature while the poor creature watches with growing impotence the dwindling of its small home until it sinks in the abyss. According to this picture there is no ultimate meaning and purpose for man's life.

      In the doctrine of creation there is enshrined the idea of purpose. As a created being man is endowed with a range of natural urges. These are not evil in themselves. It is only their uncontrolled misuse that is evil. In the fulfilment of natural urges meaning and purpose can be realised. For example, the natural urge to parenthood, if responsibly fulfilled, can give meaning and purpose to life. The same can be said about the fulfilment of other natural urges. If, within the limits of our being, a natural urge is inhibited, it may be possible to find a substitute in a creative or sublimated expression.

      As well as the natural urges that are common to all there are particular gifts that are possessed by some persons, and meaning and purpose can be found in the fulfilment of such particular gifts. However, the meaning and purpose that is found in the fulfilment of natural urges and gifts is tentative and temporal and we need to dig deeper in the search for abiding meaning and purpose.

      In Ephesians 3 reference is made to the eternal purpose that has been revealed in Christ. It has been claimed that purpose runs through the whole of creation just as blood runs through the whole

of our bodies and just as there are places where we can put our fingers on the pulse of the bloodstream, Christ is the point where we can discern the pulse of the eternal purpose of God. The prevalent teaching and preaching of Christ about the Kingdom of God at least suggests that the eternal purpose of God is found in the realisation of His Kingdom. Man is a partner in this purpose and in commitment to Christ and God's Kingdom meaning and purpose are found beyond tentative and temporal meaning and purpose.

      Jesus admonished his hearers to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33). He did not say that food and clothing are unimportant and we may take them as symbols of all necessary things. What he actually said was that all necessary things should be allowed to fall into their proper place. He was giving a lead about emphases and priorities. An undue emphasis on things is a form of idolatry into which we can fall very easily, particularly in an affluent society. With common sense practicality He did not say that bread and things are unimportant and we can live without them but He did endorse the saying that "Man shall not live by bread alone." (Matthew 4:4) In the light of this saying we could add, "Man shall not live by things alone." There is nothing wrong in desiring bread and all necessary things. Indeed, it is responsible to be diligent in providing bread and things, both for ourselves and others.

      Abiding and deep meaning and purpose are to be found in the fulfilment or satisfaction of our whole being, that is, as beings who are more than mere creatures of Nature. The top priority is found in a Kingdom of justice and truth, righteousness and compassion, peace and joy, remembering that peace is not only an inner personal quality but also a state of right relationship in all areas of life.

      As persons in quest we are also--

(b) In Search of Happiness

      In his novel, David Copperfield, the noted English writer Dickens created the character, "Micawber", as a friend of David. Micawber could be described as a hail-fellow-well-met, always waiting for something to turn up. One day Micawber gave a piece of advice to David in which he proceeded on the following lines: income, twenty shillings a week, expenditure, twenty shillings and sixpence; result, misery. Income, twenty shillings a week, expenditure, nineteen shillings and sixpence; result, happiness." Such was the depth of Micawber's philosophy.

      Sometimes it has been thought that Christianity has not valued happiness and Christians have been thought of as long-faced people.

      I recall a story that told of a church member who went to the railway station to meet an unknown new minister. The welcoming member waited on the platform and watched as the passengers alighted from the train. He looked at the various faces and eventually concluded from the face that a certain person must be the new minister. He approached this person and asked whether he was the new minister. In answer the person said, "No, I am not the new minister. It is indigestion that makes me look like this."

      Contrary to this suggestion, Christ laid emphasis on happiness in a variety of terms and the New Testament bears witness to the importance of real happiness as a value. The Kingdom of God is described as a Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

      From the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, in the fourth century B. C., and on through the ages, moral philosophy, expressed in different contexts, has said some interesting things regarding happiness. It has been observed commonly that if happiness is sought for itself it will not be found. Rather, as it were, it rides in on the back of some other quest. It is commonly held that happiness is more than sensual pleasure. Aristotle claimed that man is a being aiming for a variety of goals, and he believed that his highest goal is happiness, which he defined as an activity in accordance with virtue. This launched him into his discussion of the nature of virtue. Socrates, another famous Greek philosopher of that period, claimed that man would not knowingly destroy his happiness by doing wrong. Behind this Socratic claim was the view that virtue is knowledge and vice is ignorance. That is, virtue is knowledge of the good and vice is due to ignorance of the good. The "Platonic Dialogues", commonly ascribed to Plato, the noted disciple of Socrates, includes a statement of a character that suggests that happiness is beyond sensual pleasure. It runs along the following line: 'The man who seeks happiness by simply trying to fulfil every desire is like a man who tries to fill a leaky vessel from a limited supply with a colander."

      John S. Mill, a noted English scholar of the nineteenth century, claimed that a right or good act is one that brings the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest number of people and he suggested that happiness is above sensual pleasure by observing that there are grades of pleasure or happiness. This is reflected in an observation that it is better to be a man dissatisfied than a pig satisfied or it is better to be a wise man dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.

      An important part of the teaching of Jesus is found in what is known as the Sermon on the Mount, which includes what are commonly

known as the Beatitudes (states of happiness). In the New Testament records of these, the Greek word used is the one that connotes the deepest joy and it is clearly suggested that this true happiness is attained by the humble (poor in spirit), the meek (the non-aggressive), the merciful, the peacemakers, the pure in heart, those who mourn for their mistakes and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. This is in line with his admonition to seek to be perfect, and also in harmony with our earlier suggestion that happiness rides in on the back of another quest. It is quite common for true happiness to be thought to be attendant on virtue.

      We may sum up by recognising that there is a grade of happiness or pleasure that is derived from the fulfilment of natural desires but it is important that such fulfilment should be in line with mind and will through which a person grasps moral principles and aspires to spiritual ideals. This means that happiness must be in accord with the whole person. Happiness may be described as peace, which, in part, is derived from the capacity to accept limitations that we experience from our creaturely existence. It may also be described as peace and contentment that can come to those who, by faith, open their lives to divine resources. The translation by J. B. Phillips of Colossians 1:11 is relevant at this point: 'We pray that you will be strengthened from God's boundless resources, so that you will find yourselves able to pass through any experience and endure it with courage."

      In the last resort the deepest level and the highest grade of happiness is linked with quality of character.

      I have read that in front of the museum in Stockholm there is a group of statuary called "The Belt Wrestlers". It presents two men fastened together by a belt with knives in their hands. They cannot separate themselves and must fight until one wins. It is a fight to the death. It is a picture of inevitable conflict.

      The late Robert Louis Stevenson, a noted writer, wrote a book titled The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll is pictured as a gracious gentleman and Mr Hyde as a mean villain. According to the story the doctor found a drug that could separate his lower self from his higher self. By taking the drug he could turn into the ugly, evil Mr Hyde, who went his way at night and then by day changed back into the respectable Dr Jekyll. As time went on it became easier to change into Mr Hyde and harder to change back into Dr Jekyll. The change

into Mr Hyde then took place without the use of the drug and eventually it became impossible for the change from Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde to be effected. This story is another reflection of man as a person in conflict.

      In Romans 7 Paul writes about this inner conflict, which is summarised in verse 19, "I do not do the good l want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." Elsewhere, Paul talks about the conflict between the flesh and the spirit.

      If it be asked why we experience this conflict it can be said that it is because man is at once a creature of Nature and a person made in the image of God, which, in turn, means that man is a person who has the capacity to appreciate and respond to the whole range of spiritual values of truth, beauty and goodness. As a creature of Nature the pressure of natural urges and desires is very strong and can easily get out of hand. In other words, it may be described as a conflict between mind and will, and desires. Sometimes the pressure of society supports the easy way of undisciplined desire and sometimes the conditioning power of a special group can undermine reason and will and unleash the drive of the creature of Nature.

      We cannot escape the fact that within our make-up there is a higher self and a lower self, which makes for inevitable conflict. If we are to realise our whole and true being, mind and will must triumph over undisciplined desires. In the light of our discussion, an old translation of 1 Corinthians 16:13 conveys a challenge when it reads: "Quit yourselves like men."

      According to the history of Greek philosophy Socrates went to Delphi and consulted the alleged Delphic oracle and it said to him: "Know yourself." If we can imagine a "Bethlehem oracle" I would suggest that if we consulted it, it would say: "Behave yourself."

      A distinction should be made between what may be described as psychological freedom, social freedom and moral freedom. Psychological freedom is the capacity to choose between alternatives. Social freedom is the right to think, speak and act according to reason and conscience without offence to the rights of others. Moral freedom is the capacity to follow the highest moral values and obey the laws or principles that one accepts. Freedom is not doing as we like but liking to do what we believe we ought to do.

      Psychological freedom has been denied by the theory of determinism, which claims that a person is predetermined by forces outside of one's self so that whatever a person does is the only thing that one can do. Over against this theory is the simple self-conscious conviction that one is free and responsible. Commonly the concept of freedom is highly prized and this has been used in favour of freedom as a reality. Social praise and blame, and legal judgment of guilt and the imposition of punishment reflect the assumption that persons are free and, therefore, responsible.

      Differences between persons have to be recognised. Temperamental and dispositional differences mean that some will be more decided and persistent than others in making and maintaining choices. Social pressures and circumstances may condition the exercise of the will in making and maintaining choices. Temperamental and dispositional and social pressures and conditioning, while possibly limiting the free exercise of the will, do not commit us to a theory of determinism. Basically persons are free and responsible for their choices.

      Social freedom is an outer gift that may be granted or taken away by human powers. It has been said that its price is eternal vigilance. History shows that the price is sometimes martyrdom of varying degrees. At different times and places in history and experience man has been and is in search of this freedom.

      Moral freedom is an inner capacity that cannot be given or taken away by human powers. A novelist once strikingly illustrated this truth by picturing a young man in prison because of his defiant loyalty to his moral convictions. The gaoler asked him what he thought his father would say when he learned that his son was in prison. He claimed that his father would say it was better to be a free man in a dungeon than a slave walking the streets.

      In John 8:32 Jesus is recorded as making one of his very profound statements: "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free." The context shows that the Jews completely misunderstood him. They protested that they were descendants of Abraham and were never in bondage to any man. As is quite common, they thought of freedom as social freedom. Jesus then clearly pointed out that he was speaking of moral freedom by saying that if they continued in sin they were in bondage to sin. This is the bondage about which Paul wrote in Romans 7 when he said he failed to do the good that he wanted to do, and did the evil that he did not want to do. He reasoned that the old law showed plainly what was right and wrong but it gave one no power to do the right. His cry was who could deliver him from his body of death,

that is, who could deliver him from bondage? This reflects the picture of man in search of freedom and Paul went on to claim that it could be found in Christ.

      The Bible is a book that uses imagery in stories and words to convey truth. For example, the New Testament Greek words that are translated as "ransom" and "redemption" conjure up a picture of a bondage, a price and a liberation. From this kind of imagery the idea is drawn of a price as paid to someone to gain the release of someone from bondage. The literal use of this kind of imagery has led to transactional theories of the Atonement such as the Ransom to Satan theory and the Satisfaction theory of the Atonement. In theological thought the former theory was displaced by the latter theory. According to the Ransom to Satan theory a bargain was made with Satan that in return for the price of Christ he would release man from the bondage of being captive to Satan (the Adversary). Unfortunately for Satan he did not realise until too late that Christ, owing to his divinity, could not be held.

      The Satisfaction theory conceived of Christ as a price paid to satisfy the just demands of a righteous God. The price having been paid God could justly forgive man's sin. Hence Christians have sung and still sing hymns about the price being paid in the way a debt is paid in a commercial transaction. We prefer to think of God in Christ being ready to bear the cost of identification with the limitation of humanity through the Incarnation and identification with human sin and suffering through the Cross through which the divine power of a risen and living Saviour and Lord provides the possibility of a new creation through a dynamic faith relation in Christ. See 2 Corinthians 5:17, 19 and 21 as significant texts. Nowhere is it suggested that God has to be reconciled or won over. As a result of the Atonement, a new creation in Christ, being reconciled to God, and attaining the righteousness of God in Christ, are most significant. Like the Incarnation of God in Christ, the Atonement wrought by Christ is of such dimensions and depth that it is impossible to confine it within any theological formula or theory. While enjoying liberty in the area of theories of the Atonement it is good to accept the plainly stated fact that Christ died for our sins and rose for our justification (see Romans 4:25). The Atonement is something to be experienced rather than explained.

      The late Dr Leslie Weatherhead, a noted Methodist preacher and writer, in one of his books told of a lady who was suffering violent headaches. Medical treatment gave her no relief. She then visited Dr Weatherhead and told her inner story. A great wrong had been

suffered from a former friend and now there was an opportunity to take revenge. A fierce moral struggle was going on. He advised her to go to her former friend and frankly share the truth with her and forgive her. A little later, she returned to Dr Weatherhead cured and radiant. The truth had made her free.

      In different areas there is psychological evidence that the truth makes free. Persons commonly suffer from the bondage of ignorance and prejudice, fear and other inner bondages. A noted psychologist of an earlier day, in a book on abnormal psychology, told of a lady who suffered an irrational fear of white cats. Psychological probing disclosed the cause of her fear. When she was very young she was left alone one day in a room with a white kitten, which unexpectedly took a fit and jumped all over her. The terrifying experience was buried in the depths of her mind and was beyond the recall of normal memory. When the truth was brought to the surface by a deep psychological process, the truth, known and faced, made her free. This kind of evidence could be multiplied.

      In Hebrews 2:15 the writer refers to those who, through fear of death, were constantly in bondage. According to the truth of resurrection, as presented in the New Testament, those of faith are made free from the bondage of this fear.

      When we are thinking about freedom it is very practical for us to recognise in our day, the danger of partial or complete addiction to drugs whether it be hard drugs or the legal and socially respectable drug of alcohol. In the light of medical evidence should we include nicotine?

      According to one of Christ's parables the Pharisee thanked God that he was not as other men. We should never fool ourselves that we are not as others who have lost their freedom by an initial free choice of moderate drug tasting. Liberty taken may mean liberty lost. Need we emphasise the fact that a Christian is called upon to consider the possible influence of his free choices on others?

      In the light of our foregoing discussion our conclusion is that the search for freedom is rewarded in Christ as Saviour and Lord.

      (a) The Problem of Limitation

      As a creature of Nature man is subject to the limitations of all creatures, such as sickness, accidents and death, and because of the depth of human relationships man suffers the limitation of grief beyond that of lower creatures.

      On the whole, Nature serves us well but there are the occasional ravages of Nature such as famine, fire, flood etc. There are no cosmic pets. All suffer alike. "Earthquakes do not scorn the just man to entomb nor lightnings turn aside to find his virtues room." Man cannot escape the conflicts and ravages of society that involve suffering of all who are inevitable victims. Human behaviour or misbehaviour often means a natural consequence of suffering. In Galatians we read that God is not mocked; whatsoever man sows that shall he also reap. If any have doubts about God and his involvement in the course of events, the hard facts of life face us with the truth that reality is not mocked; mistaken sowing often yields a tragic harvest.

      I recall a thought expressed in Saturday's leader in The Age about sixty years ago. It was expressed somewhat as follows: If men and nations keep on doing what the universe does not want done, the result will be disastrous--for men and nations."

      (b). Reflections of Man's Search

      In the Old Testament the book of Job grapples with the problem of human suffering, and it registers the claim that man is born for trouble as the sparks fly upward. While there is no equality in the human experience of suffering, there is no escaping the fact that there is an inevitable tragic element in human life.

      Scientific research and the efforts of social reformers directed towards social reform in the interests of justice and mercy reflect the search for victory over human limitation.

      Religion in its various forms and some philosophies reflect this search. Cultic movements and the charismatic movement with its common emphasis on healing also reflect the same search.

      (c) The Christian Answer

      The Bible confirms the assurance of divine partnership as reflected par excellence in Psalm 23. We do not pass through the shadows alone. In Romans 8 optimism is expressed in the assurance that God can work in all things for good. It does not say that things in themselves are good or that God sends them but if we open ourselves to God He can help us not to be beaten. In verse 26 it is indicated that the Spirit mediates God's partnership with us by stating that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Greek scholars point out that the Greek word that is translated as "help" is a word that pictures one facing a burden too heavy to be carried alone and it pictures one coming to the other side of the burden and together the load is carried. In verses 35-39 it is stated that there is nothing in all creation, nothing that may happen

to us in life, that can separate us from divine love by which we win an overwhelming victory.

      The second assurance to which the New Testament bears witness is the hope of resurrection. The early Greek philosophers put forward the idea of the essential immortality of the soul. The New Testament appears to us to teach a doctrine of resurrection from which immortality flows as a divine gift. According to John 11:25 Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." This must surely mean that physical death is not the end of the road. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul affirms the fact of Christ's resurrection and bases the hope of resurrection and immortality for man on the resurrection of Him through whom God gives us the victory. According to the translation by J. B. Phillips, 1 John 2:17 reads: "The world with all its passionate desires will one day disappear. But the man who is following God's will is part of the Permanent and cannot die." Here again we should recognise what is really claimed is that physical death is not the end of the road.

      In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul refers to his being afflicted and perplexed and naturally cast down but not driven to despair. Faith and hope gave him inner victory. Within this passage of 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, J. B. Phillips translates one sentence as follows: "We may be knocked down but we are never knocked out." Victory over limitations lies in faith, hope and love rooted in Christ as Saviour and Lord.

      As in the world of material values we need to provide reserves on which we can fall back in lean times, so in the area of spiritual values we need to build up reserves on which we can fall back in times of limitation and crisis. As beings who are socially generated, Christian worship and fellowship are important parts of the process of building reserves.

      In days of youth and/or days of health and general well-being we may feel no need of God and no need of building spiritual reserves. If so, maybe we need to consider seriously the question: What is man? or Who am I?