Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the
world God’s
invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly
seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
A couple of weeks ago there was a very public debate about
creation versus evolution between Ken Ham (who is a “young earth” creationist) and an evolutionist named
Bill Nye.
I didn’t
watch the debate and only read a couple of reviews of the event because I have
mixed feelings about that sort of argument. Personally, I lean more toward the “old-earth” creationist position, which is to say
I believe the Bible teaches that God created the heavens and the earth but I
believe Genesis leaves room for the universe to be much, much older than 6 or
7,000 years.
Having said that, I think what’s most important to recognize is that
the central issue is really not science ersuss religion at all. The Bible is
not anti-science and Christians need not be afraid of or intimidated by
science. In fact, quite the opposite! I believe the pursuit of science honors
God!
Think about it; the Bible teaches that human beings are
created in the image of God which means, among other things, that human
intelligence and curiosity comes from God himself. So when we seek to
understand the secrets of the universe or the order of creation we are actually
honoring the God who created us to do so.
I believe the central issue in the debate over creation
versus evolution is always faith. The origins of the universe and the reason
for the existence of humankind simply cannot be proven by science. It takes
faith to believe the universe came about by random forces of nature; it takes
faith to believe that the earth, with it’s combination of atmosphere, temperature, and water
perfectly tuned for human life, came about by chance; just as it takes faith to
believe that everything was created by the eternal God who exists outside of
space and time.
The writer of Psalm 100 states his faith simply and clearly.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his...
It is he who made us, and we are his...
Just as it is sometimes said that “ownership is 9/10ths of the law” so
it could be said that once we establish “creatorship” we
know where our worship belongs.
The Apostle Paul goes even further, suggesting that the
evidence for a creator is so overwhelming that those who fail to acknowledge
God are simply refusing the obvious.
For since the creation of the
world God’s
invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly
seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Along with the ancient Psalm writer Paul would say that all
science should lead toward God, not away from him. Each time we discover a new species of
animal or plant; when physicists discover smaller and smaller sub-atomic
particles; when astro-physicists discover the universe is even more vast than
previously thought; our hearts should leap with joy and our knees bend in awe
before the “eternal power and divine nature” of
the God who created all things, including us, for his glory.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us...
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