“In grammar school they taught me that a frog turning into a prince was a fairy tale. In the university they taught me that a frog turning into a prince was a fact!” – Ron Carlson, Professor and Author, U.C. Irvine
Last week we looked at some of the important concepts to understand when discussing Creation vs. evolution. Evolutionists often try to convolute microevolution with macroevolution and then defer to abiogenesis when cornered on origin. This is part of the deception, whether willful or not, that causes confusion in students of the sciences today.
It is amazing that God, from His Word in the Bible, warns us that deception is the number one weapon of Satan. Do you ever wonder why people believe the things they believe once all the evidence is out on the table? “Beliefs” are often based on things taught by so-called experts who hold to a particular worldview, and who are not willing to consider all the available evidence because it does not fit their presuppositions. This is exactly what is happening today in public education because secular humanism is the reigning philosophy and it permeates every curriculum, especially science.
As Christians it is so important to be discerning, ask questions, and look at the research yourself. Though Christianity owns the truth, unfortunately “they” own the system, so knowledge is especially critical when it comes to the big questions of life like origin, purpose, morality, and destiny. In taking the time to do a little research your confidence level will increase, and you will be able to balance a conversation by shining a light on all of the evidence.
We are called to give a reason for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15). This means we must be able to share, and defend, the reasons for what we believe, and why. The Bible warns us that in the last days deception will run rampant:
The Apostle Paul warned the Church at Colossae:
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Colossians 2:8
The Apostle Paul also wrote this warning to the young pastor Timothy:
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1
The Apostle Peter wrote this to the early Church facing persecution:
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 2 Peter 3:3
Human Evolution or Creation – Whose image do we bear?
With the advent of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution” humankind was given another critical choice: Trust God’s Word or belief in a human construct? Here are two versions of human life, which one do you trust?
1. “Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”― Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species
2. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:26-31
Some Christians try to partner God’s creative act with evolution, but that would nullify God’s own explanation of creation, and the importance of humankind, found in Genesis. Evolutionary theory is based on the “philosophy” that undirected chemical reactions happened by random chance without any intelligence or design. Evolutionary theory concerning the origin of life (abiogenesis) is in conflict with God’s hand in creation. If macroevolution then no creation, if creation then no macroevolution, you cannot have it both ways.
The Bible gives the most reasonable and coherent answers to the question of life’s origin and human purpose. The Biblical record best matches the evidence we find in science. When we look at the Bible, especially in the book of Genesis, we find answers to some of our most commonly asked questions.
Read Genesis Chapters 1-3
Here we find the creation story. Chapter 1 gives the overview of the creative act of God. Chapter 2 goes back into that story and gives the details of, and for, human creation. Here we find that God created humans in His image; no other living thing was created with these special attributes given by God:
- Image of God with creative capabilities (Ch. 1-2)
- Freewill choice (exercised wrongly at the Fall, Ch. 3)
- Ability to love and have relationship with God and each other (broken at the Fall, Ch. 3)
- Rulership over the earth and the command to take care of it (Ch. 2; stolen by Satan at the Fall, Ch. 3)
- Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Ch. 1-2; 9)
In addition, humans have completely different capabilities from all other living things because we are made in the image of our Father:
- Humans have a distinct bone structure and nervous system that allows for fine motor abilities
- Humans are creative problem solvers
- Humans can do research
- Humans are reflective on the past
- Humans have intentionality
- Humans possess deep and thoughtful emotions
- Humans can plan and foresee possibilities
- Humans have motives for their actions
- Humans have a spirit that cries out for answers and intrinsically know that there is something beyond ourselves
- Humans can feel eternity in their souls
He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
The Christian faith is the only place you will find a God of love and relationship, a God of righteous truth and perfect justice
- No other religion or belief system has a god with the all-encompassing attributes of the one true God of the Bible
- No other God would send His only Son to suffer and die in our place (promised from the beginning in Genesis 3)
- No other God would prepare an eternal home for those who would believe and accept His Son’s sacrifice, and put their trust in Him alone for salvation through this grace (see John 14)
Yet we often ask why things are the way they are in our world today if God loves us. We deeply feel that things are not the way they are supposed to be. This is a result of the “Fall” (Genesis 3) and the deception by Satan that continues today. However, God gave a Promise of a rescue plan (Genesis 3:15; 12:1-3) that culminates in Jesus. Keep in mind the entire Old Testament is an historical narrative reporting the unfolding of that Promise and rescue plan. The entire New Testament shows how Jesus fulfilled that Promise by rescuing us from Satan’s deception (evidenced in our sins and spiritual death), culminating in Jesus’ second coming where all will be restored to its original intent (Revelation chapter 21).
In the meantime we are to be about the business of bringing people into God’s rescue plan! (Matthew 28:19-20)
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14-16
Going Deeper:
Listen to Greg Koukl present “The Story of Reality,” based on his book “The Story of Reality,” that gives the “big picture” of the Bible and its application to us today.
Another great presentation by Greg Koukl on “Evil, Suffering, and the Goodness of God”
Reflection:
- Have you experienced deception in the teachings or curriculums of public school?
- What is our purpose according to God’s plan? How does that differ from what the world (Satan) would have us believe?
- Prayer focus—strength to live a life honoring to God and boldness to share God’s purpose for us with others.
Join us next week as we conclude our “Case for the Bible!”
We will be starting a new series in two weeks called: “A Case for Creation and a study in Genesis”
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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15