"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1, KJV). Consider for a moment how solemn, powerful and wondrous these opening words of Holy Scripture are. They present the work, thought, and exactness of Almighty God. You are probably saying to yourself, "Well, of course. The Bible is not going to present any other explanation of how everything originated. The Bible is a book of miracles, divine encounters, instruction, and comfort for the soul, but not a book of science. We have a better understanding of our origins today. Science gives us better ways of interpreting data, the need for and the value of experimentation, the use of forensics, the discovery of fossils and skeletal remains of extinct animal and plant life, mathematical laws, and other areas of discovery and analysis."
I do not intend here to criticize or demean the importance of scientific work or dismiss the contributions that scientists have made. Without science, we would not have the necessities and luxuries we take for granted, nor have ideas of how things work, to make things better, and invent new products and original ideas. Science and all worthwhile subjects are a wonderful gift from God given in order to strengthen our capability for thinking, satisfy our curiosity, and give Him glory for allowing this wondrous opportunity. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), a pioneer in the field of astronomy, said that science "is thinking God's thoughts after Him." I have no reason to question his observation or conclusion.
Science, mathematics, history, languages, astronomy, biology, botany, physiology, geology, economics, theology, government, chemistry, physics, art, music, politics, the laws of nature, and intimacy with God begin with the first verse of the Bible. The viewpoints advocating random development, survival of the fittest, macroevolution and natural selection are interesting to hear and read about, but I cannot in good conscience nor rational thought embrace the idea of the origin of life being devoid of meaning, purpose, standards, absolutes, or ultimate goals and satisfactory objectives this worldview proposes and often demands that I accept without any questions or skepticism.
I know that some of you who are reading this message believe that science and God cannot be reconciled, or that because I am a follower of Jesus Christ, I have cast aside all rationality and logical thinking to embrace an outdated, irresponsible, ignorant, and childish supernatural explanation of how everything came into being. Let God be true and every man a liar (Romans 3:4). You are probably approaching this from a preconceived bias that some teacher, peer, or scientist has taught you, dismissing any other explanations for life than that of naturalism. Here's a word of advice for believers and skeptics alike: do not let other people do your thinking for you. Now, you may have taken it upon yourself to study and read material that brought you to a point of honest skepticism. I can respect that decision. However, If you have decided that any mention of religious thought, the existence of God, or that the creation account spoken of in Genesis is not worth your time to even consider, and you would rather ridicule, mock, get upset or angry at what I am presenting, or argue to make yourself look like you are an intellectual and write me off, then kindly stop here and go visit another site, or you can swallow your pride, continue reading, and open your mind. Believe me, the world does not revolve around my opinion or yours.
Let us say for the sake of argument that what the Bible describes about the origins of the universe might be a true and sensible answer. Scientific thinking should allow for all points of view to be considered, to approach all theories and hypotheses objectively, and to come to a satisfactory conclusion, does it not? How did the authors of the Scriptures see the universe and our world? They deserve a say at the table. What harm will it do for you to read about it? The subject of creation starts with the assumption and/or belief that a Being outside time. space, and matter designed a precise, orderly, exact, logical, goal-oriented, rationally functioning, sequential, expanding universe and world for a reason and purpose. All the natural laws of the universe were put into place, along with the principles of cause and effect. The following Biblical verses describe this process of creation and I invite you to look them up for yourself. The possibility that what you are reading here just might be the right answer:
God's creation of the Universe is presented in Genesis 1:1, 2:3; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Job 12:9, 26:7, 13, 40:15; Psalm 24:2, 33:6, 95:5, 102:25, 104:5; Isaiah 40:12, 28, 45:12, 48:13; Acts 4:24, 7:50, 14:15, 17:24; Hebrews 1:10, 11:3. The creation of Humanity is presented in Genesis 1:26, 3:7, 5:2; Deuteronomy 4:32, 32:6, 18; Job 4:7, 10:8, 31:15, 22, 33:4, 34:19; Psalm 8:5, 22:9, 71:6, 86:9, 94:9, 95:6, 100:3, 119:73, 139:13, 149:2; Proverbs 20:12, 22:2; Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7; Isaiah 19:25, 27:11, 29:23, 41:4, 42:5, 43:1, 7, 15, 44:2, 21; 45:12, 51:13, 54:16, 64:8; Jeremiah 1:5, 27:5; Zechariah 12:1; Malachi 2:10; Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6; Luke 3:38, 11:40; Acts 7:26, 17:28; 1 Corinthians 11:12; 2 Corinthians 5;5; Galatians 1:15; Hebrews 2:7; 1 Peter 4:19. The Bible says that the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, the Second Member of the Trinity created everything (John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:1, 2). Before I proceed any further, allow me to comment on the world's criticism and hostility of what we believe as followers of Jesus Christ and HIs Word. Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of having the church made to feel ashamed or embarrassed by the world that what we read about in Genesis 1:1 is some kind of fable, myth, legend, or tales from primitive nomads who had no other way to explain everything other than make up some magic deity who put this world together.
Why do we allow anyone make us feel embarrassed about the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17) and the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3)? I am fed up with gutless, cowardly pastors, teachers, writers, scholars, and self-appointed critics who continually keep pounding into our heads that what the Bible teaches cannot be the truth when it concerns our beginnings (Isaiah 5:20-21). I refuse to play that game. I will not and shall not ever allow this fallen world system to tell me what I can and cannot believe, study, consider, or conclude about God and HIs Word in order to please, placate, or look relevant and trendy to those who hate God and everything for which He stands (1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 1John 2:15). I possess a backbone and I fear no one except God. What about you? Are you going to allow your own or some other skeptic's opinions keep you away from the claims of the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ? Eternal hell is not worth allowing anyone to deter you from considering that what the Bible teaches just might be true.
If Genesis 1:1 is not true, then what I read about Jesus Christ and His mission of redeeming fallen humanity from the obvious sins and wickedness we flaunt at every opportunity is not true either. The Russian novelist Feodor Dostoyevsky wrote that if God does not exist, then everything is permissible. Any hope for a satisfactory punishment of any criminal and justice for their victims is a fantasy that ends in the grave and the perpetrator gets away with no accountability or consequences. The good are not rewarded or recognized. Those with noble hearts have wasted their time and talents on causes that end up forgotten in oblivion. We are all consigned to an eternity with no joy, hope, love, compassion, empathy, or rescue (Judges 21:25; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19). The call for 'reasoning" is shouted from the housetops of unbelievers, but their foundations are built upon sand. Whose reasoning? Why should I adopt your means of thinking if you change your mind, refuting what you have taught or promoted? Why should I trust mere "rationality" if there is no moral or ethical standard by which to measure it? If all we have is our own limited thoughts and nothing else, then everything is allowed and is nothing more than your opinion versus mine.
I cannot live with that kind of premise, and neither can you if you're honest. The Bible teaches otherwise. Real thinking is from God (Isaiah 1:18), and so is His offer of grace, mercy, and forgiveness for your sins through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, who took our sins upon Himself and paid for them with His death and resurrection in order that we may be redeemed before God and allowed into His heaven and presence for eternity. Only Jesus Christ can rescue you from the mess and death of this world. Only He can provide you true peace with God (John 3:16, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:6-11, 6:23, 10:9-10). I implore you to repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ today (2 Corinthians 6:2). God is in the business of making all things new, and He is ready to do the same for you. Don't let anyone tell you to mock or ignore what has been presented here (Hebrews 9:27). Your eternal destiny rides on what you will do with Jesus.
donaldwhitchard@outlook.com
www.realitycityreverend.com
www.youtube.com/@realitycityreview
