Thursday, May 27, 2010

Truth Series - Creation, part two




I have to go back to Creation for a moment.

My daughters are taking an Old Testament 111 course at a local Christian college this spring. Last night they came home and told me that the professor does not believe in a young earth and doesn't take Genesis literally. He says that it is poetry and not meant to be a literal account.

This does not surprise me but it does tick me off.

There is one more passage that you need in your arsenal to defend literal creation. Hebrews eleven is the called the faith chapter because it starts by defining faith and then listing out the various characters from scripture who displayed saving faith as an example and encouragement to all believers. Despite the fact that the first twenty-two verses use people from the book of Genesis, implying that they were actual real people, it is paramount to note that before even one name is mentioned, the faith chapter extols those who by faith believe that God created the world in the manner He recorded in Genesis.

"By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." Hebrews 11:3

This is the first charge of faith. What we see today came from the mouth of God. It didn't come from a big bang and it didn't mutate into intelligent life. By the word of God, just as Genesis records, this world was created. What we see today did not form out of something previously existing, like a tadpole to a monkey to a human. No, what we see today came from the words of God as He created. He created finished products.

And it takes faith to believe it.

Why? Because this very foundational belief is the starting place for Satan to weaken the structure of the Christian faith. If he can convince man (and he has) that everything we see is independent from God, then he has removed the greatest evidence of God's existence. Romans 1:20 says that all men are accountable for the fact that God exists because creation displays His invisible attributes, His eternal power and His divine nature. Creation proves God's existence. This is why Satan has worked overtime to discredit what we see, to lesson the testimony of nature itself.

But it is interesting to me that the faith chapter begins with faith in God's creative activity. And that's the first thing that professors of OT Survey classes at Christian colleges discount on day one of class.

If you believe that God created through the use of evolution, that He was the source of the big bang and Genesis 1 and 2 are not literal accounts of His creative activity, then you have to discount the story of Adam and Eve as being literal as well. Evolution would demand that humans evolved as a species, not as simply two individual people. At what point did God choose to put a soul into the creatures who were mutating into humans? When Adam and Eve were chosen, were there hundreds of thousands of other humans on earth who were just not as advanced as they were? And why did the evolutionary process stop in those other human-like creatures - did God wipe them all out so that He could just start with two humans? What about their offspring? Do we get our sin natures from Adam and Eve or could we have come from one of those other human-like creatures? Or were Adam and Eve the only two humans in a sea of evolving creatures?

Here's the next problem - the first person named in the faith chapter is Abel. So if the creation week is simply poetry and not literal, making Adam and Eve representative of fallen man, then is their son suddenly a true character? Or is he representative of what faith should look like? What about Enoch? Real or make-believe? Then we get to Noah. Was that story real as well, or is it just poetry? When does Genesis shift from fictional poetry to truth? Abraham is next in Hebrews 11 and I think most would agree he was real.

Do you see the danger in allegorizing Genesis? And this fictional label has been placed on Genesis simply because people don't have enough faith to believe what it actually claims. Why is it so hard to believe God created in six days?

Sorry for the rant. But Hebrews 11:3 is a good reminder that the Christian's call is one that is grounded in faith.

9 comments:

  1. Never be sorry for a rant on something that's important and as you so beautifully explained--pivotal to all we believe and hold as truth. I'm not sure why, but I had never really considered that this faulty way of thinking really boils down to not having enough faith. I'm so disappointed that even in our Christian institutions our children are being taught that they can't trust God's word. Think of all the kids who are sitting in those seats trusting in what they are hearing because of where they are...
    Keep teaching the Word without apology Kristen...I sometimes feel like you are a voice crying out in the wilderness, but your post encourages me to study more and join my voice with yours.

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  2. Thanks, Beth - you are definitely an encourager! By the way, my baby and his bride are home!!

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  3. AMEN. Thanks for eloquently putting these thoughts into words. That always ticks me off too :)

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  4. I agree with Beth! I wish I could put it all in words so clearly when put on the spot (like you just did.) Outstanding "rant." Perhaps if more of us ranted as clearly and logically as you do, there would be less people watering down the word and turning truth into mythology or poetry or whatever they want to call it. I, too, have been compelled to study more lately, 'cause too often I feel like I know the truth, but I don't know how to explain it. Maybe more study will help with that, too. In the mean time, thanks for sharing what you do. Not only do I love your writing style, I love the way God's using your words to challenge and convict me. (It's kind of like sitting in ladies' Bible study again, but I can do this when I have time :o) It's wonderful!) I'm so glad Dane started telling me about your blog :o)

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  5. You are a teacher's teacher! This is excellent material for my class. I echo Jen, outstanding rant! Never stop being bold, keep pounding truth into us!

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  6. Amazing how you can incorperate creation and truth which is the true word of God. I am truly concerned with the way our christian schools are now teaching the bible with compromised theory. Makes me think of the verse in John 8:32 "then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free". Thanks for ranting and keep right on with the great teaching!!!

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  7. Creation is a hot topic of mine...like endtimes...I think it is a genetic passion, handed down by both parents...

    Boy, the truth does set you free, doesn't it? I amazes me how scared people are of the truth...

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  8. Oh, be sure to go over and read "Moellerd's Blog" - you can access it on the right side of the page here. This is a young pastor from Harvest who is coming up to Michigan to be a part of our church plant. He is also my daughter-in-law's brother and I've know him for years. He is passionate about the Word as well, and I am afraid I sent him into a rant this morning with my post...it's a good one...be sure to read it...

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  9. You hit the nail on the head Kristen. Fear of the truth. Why should we be afraid of the truth? Truth being true is good. We should run to it, it's running into the arms of Jesus where there is freedom and safety. What a great team you at Harvest Spring Lake are going to have. I pray that God richly blesses you as you stand for truth.

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