Issues of Christian Life in Heaven is not My Home by Paul Marshall

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Issues of Christian Life in Heaven is not My Home by Paul Marshall

In Paul Marshall's book, Heaven is not my Home, various subjects pertaining to the relevant issues of Christian life are broadly discussed. In one section, Marshall writes briefly about the area of imagination and the arts. The rough framework for his discussion of this topic is that of biblical creation, fall, and redemption. Due to the author's lack of expertise in the area of professional and fine art, Marshall chose to discuss art forms that are closer to daily life, including mainly clothing and fashion. He also briefly discussed food and speech within this setting. This essay will give a summary of Marshall's position on how Christians should be involved in imagination and the arts, and also my personal insight regarding this topic.

Paul Marshall first presents the imagination and arts in connection with creation. From his standpoint, God himself is the master artist, creating the world a both functional and beautiful thing. Images he linked to this included that of the sky being a gallery to the world, God's rainbow after the Flood, sunrises, and sunsets. Evidence of God's artwork can be seen throughout all of creation. God has also created unlimited resources with which we can make our own art. Pigments, shells, glass, plants, the list goes on. Humans, being made in God's own image, have been blessed with an imagination and creative tendencies. According to Marshall, we are all called to be artists, to imagine and create.

The fall of man, however, has resulted in some changes in human imagination and arts. Man has a choice to glorify himself, other gods, or God through the arts. Directly after the fall, Adam and Eve created clothing for themselves in attempt to cover their sins. In the desert, while Moses was on Mount Sinai, the Israelites created a golden calf to worship. In modern times, clothing can either glorify God and aid a person in status and financial success, or can become an obsession, taking the place of God as an idol. Exuberant amounts of money and time can be spent on clothing and fashion that should really be spent in more productive and edifying ways. Due to the fall of man, imagination and the arts have become a form of glorification of man.

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