As Lutheran Christians, what do we believe about God, about faith, about good works, about prayer, about Justification and Sanctification, about creation, about the Law and Gospel, about worship? This year during the season of Lent we will be looking at the various teachings (doctrines) of our church and why we believe what we believe (as attested by God’s Word), so that when we are asked we will be better able to give an answer for the hope that we have in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today we begin with what we believe about creation.
Whenever I begin talking about such things as creation, or really any part of God’s Word I like to begin by making a distinction between the Word of God and the word of man. First, I usually ask the question, “Are human beings ever wrong?” Of course, the answer is yes. Humans are wrong and quite often are quite often wrong. Because we human beings are conceived and born in sin, our reasoning ability is fallible, corrupt, and cursed. We have faulty wisdom and reasoning. Indeed, humans get it wrong.
The second question I ask is, “Is God ever wrong?” Now, although there are those who would say yes or that they do not believe in God, I would have to suggest that “If there were a God, do you suppose He would ever be wrong?” Of course, as Christians we would agree that God is never wrong. How can the one who created all things, who is from eternity, who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent be wrong. Indeed, I would posit the truth that nothing in the Bible is wrong and nothing in the Bible has ever been proven to be wrong.
Finally, as Lutheran Christians, not only do we believe the Bible is inspired, inerrant, and infallible, we also believe the Bible is sufficient, clear, efficacious and powerful. Indeed, God’s Word has the power to effect, to bring about, to give what He speaks. So, when humans speak, they may get it wrong, but when God speaks I know it is true and trustworthy.
As for the teaching of the creation of the world and all things, there is man’s idea, man’s theory and there is the truth God has given to us. According to man’s theory, the theory of molecules to man evolution the purpose of this theory which is to be rid of God, if man can explain the world without a god, then man becomes his own god. Think about it this way, why do we have so many problems in our world, children shooting children, robbery, theft, murder, and so forth. When we are taught there is no god, then there is no accountability. In other words, as Christians we understand that we are accountable to the one who created us, who gave us life. We are accountable to God.
Also, if there is no god then that means there is no ultimate authority. If there is no god then you have no right to tell me what I can or cannot do. Indeed, to be taught that all things simply appeared from nothing and there is no god, no ultimate authority and no accountability, that we are all simply attempting to survive and work our way up the “food chain” as it were, then who are you to tell me that to kill a lesser creature is wrong? I am simply living out my natural inclinations.
I would posit, that there is not one iota of proof of man’s molecules to man idea and theory. Please understand that I when I speak of what is called “evolution” I make sure to speak of the theory itself which suggest that through natural selection pond scum has evolved into humans. Those who actually teach the theory as fact do what I call a bait and switch. They will suggest that it is through natural selection that things evolve. Here I would point out that as Christians we believe in natural selection because that is what gives us our many differences, eye color, hair color, shape of eyes, noses, etc. However, I would also point out that for natural selection to occur there must be something in one’s DNA from which to select and there is no proof that any such preexisting options exist, thus, natural selection can only work if a creator has provided all those options. So much for the wisdom of fallible human beings.
On the other hand, we have the history of how all things came in to being from the One who was there in the beginning doing all the work of creation. We have the truth of God’s Word of exactly what happened. God Himself tells us that, “1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).
God begins by telling us that before He began creating the world there was only darkness and chaos. It is interesting that He does not tell us that there was nothing, although all being darkness and chaos might not sound any better. Now, most of us understand and have never witnessed anything spontaneously appear out of nothing. To the average person that would not make any sense nor would it be believable, yet that is what the previous, human idea was. Here in Genesis, we will see that God never speaks of anything appearing by itself. Instead God begins with Himself. Now we could have a philosophical discussion about there begin a god or not, but the point would be simply that if there is a god, he would have to be the ultimate prime mover, the one who begins all things. To suggest life was planted on this earth by others would simply move the debate back to “where did the others come from,” and so on. So, we will forgo that philosophical nonsense, remember “philosophy” is the love of wisdom, which too many philosophers seem to fail to have.
With our foundation that the Bible is God’s Word and that God is the prime mover, what we learn from what God is telling us here in Genesis is that in the beginning there was God. We also get an understanding that our God is a triune God, a God who is three persons in one godhead. We get this understanding because the very word God is in the plural, not that there are many Gods, but that there is one God in a Trinity and He is from eternity. As you have heard me say time and again, God does not live in time. In the beginning there is no indication of time simply that there was God, darkness and chaos. On the very first day of creation God created light, notice, not the sun, but light and He separated the light from the dark calling the light day and the dark night and giving us morning and evening He gave us the first day and the beginning of time for us humans He would eventually create.
As each day of creation proceeded the next we cannot help but see the awesome power of our God and the awesome power of His Word. Indeed, each day what God spoke it was. God spoke light into existence. God spoke dry land and seas into existence. God spoke plants into existence. God spoke sea creatures and flying creatures into existence. However, when it came time to create the crown of His creation God did not simply speak man into existence. Rather we are told that God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being. Indeed, we humans are different from all the rest of God’s creation including His animals. While animals are living beings, we humans are not only living beings we also have an eternal soul so that we have an eternal immortal life.
What does this mean? If man’s idea is correct, if life spontaneously came about out of nothing and through mutations evolved from pond scum to human life that would mean there is no accountability to anyone because there is no ultimate authority meaning life has no meaning or purpose. If life has no meaning or purpose then why bother being good, doing good, trying to do anything except get ahead and be on top. Which might explain why when disasters happen you do not see too many evolutionist, atheist and the like out helping lend a hand.
However, I would posit that we can quite clearly see God’s hand in all of creation. Unfortunately, as we know the history of creation, that soon after God created a perfect world, the humans He created fell for the lies of the devil, the father of lies and with that fall into sin, with that disobedience sin and a curse entered the world so that we live in a sin cursed world. Yet, we still cling to our faithful God who promised and kept His promise to send a Savior to redeem, to buy back His world. Which is what we are in the midst of preparing ourselves for, celebrating our salvation.
God’s hand in seen in the intricacies of creation. Have you ever looked at the miracle of the human body and all the intricate details of the body, how it is fearfully and wonderfully made. How can anyone not believe the parts of a car, an inanimate, nonliving object did not put itself together by accident, but believe the human body did? That simply does not make reasonable sense.
As Christians we understand, we believe, teach and confess that in the beginning God created. God created all things out of nothing simply by speaking it into being. And God crowned His creation by creating us and creating us to love us. Our sole purpose in life then is to be loved by God and our response of all that God does for us and gives to us is to, with His help, live lives of faith. And although, in our attempt to live lives of faith we do so imperfectly, God continues to forgive us, love us and care for us because of His great love for us.
As we prepare our hearts and minds to once again commemorate the events of Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday, we get ready by being mindful of the fact that it was because of our sin and God’s great love for us that Jesus came to live, suffer and die for us. We are reminded of God’s great love for us a love seen in the fact that although He knew what was going to happen even before He began creating, He created us anyway. He created us to love us and so He does. Indeed, we rejoice and say, to God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.