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The God Who Is
Chapter 11
CREATION
There are three works of God: creation, predestination or "the decrees of God," and providence. The latter concerns the means God uses to effect His will. Here we will treat the doctrine of creation.
The study of the origin of the heavens and of the earth, of the animals and of man, does not lie within the realm of science. It lies within the realm of philosophy, and specifically within that area of philosophy we call theology. Science is able to be tested and observed, and since no man was present at the origin of the heavens or of the earth, or of the animals or of man, the subject of origins lies within the area of faith.
In I Timothy chapter 6, in verse 20, the apostle Paul instructs, "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen." First note the warning by the apostle to beware of "oppositions of science falsely so called." Such is not true science but is merely profane and vain babblings masquerading as science. Second, note that some having professed these profane and vain babblings have "erred from the faith." This powerful indictment is brought by the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul who wrote in the first century.
The Origin of Heaven and Earth
There are two basic explanations of the origin of heaven and earth: either they had no beginning and have always existed, or they had a beginning. If they had a beginning, then there are two other explanations of their origin: either they are the result of a process of a long series of changes known as "evolution," or they are the result of the deliberate work of God, and were created out of nothing.
Eternal Existence
The doctrine of eternal existence is disproved by science being contrary to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. The First Law of Thermodynamics states that "Matter can neither be created nor destroyed." The Second Law states that things are "running down." The world is getting old. Neither the earth nor people grow younger. If the world is becoming older, then at one time it must have been younger. In fact, at some time in the past it had to have had a beginning.
The idea of eternal existence was known in the 19th century as "The Figment Theory." It must be rejected, however, because it is contrary to what is known by testing and by observation. The heavens and the earth had a beginning; therefore two possible explanations of their origin remain. Either the heavens and the earth are the result of chance changes, or they are the handiwork of God.
Evolution vs. Creation
Christians are known as "People of the Book." They believe the Bible is the Word of God, and that in the Bible God has expressed what He means to convey. The Bible teaches about the origin of the heavens, of the earth, of animals, and of man. The psalmist wrote, "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Psalm 33:6-9).
The Bible teaches "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The Hebrew word "create" is "bara" and it means "out of nothing." The Latin translation is "ex nihilo," and it means "out of nothing." Augustine declared, "Though God formed man of the dust of the earth, yet the earth itself and every earthly material is absolutely created out of nothing." This is the historic position of Christianity.
The Lord Jesus Christ declared that "...in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established" (Matthew 18:16). The historic position of Christianity is evidenced by the creeds Christians have issued. Here are some witnesses, and some of which are publicly affirmed each Lord's Day.