The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Timothy 2:13,
"Adam was formed first, then Eve."
Paul makes reference to God's creative acts as given in Genesis 2:7 and 21-22, "Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being... the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."
The Genesis account of God's creation of Adam and Eve was Paul's perspective on the beginnings of the human race as provided in this verse. Jesus Christ, as well, vindicated the account of creation when he was here. Both Old and New Testaments acclaim the veracity of Moses' account of creation in Genesis.
However, many today find fault with the account of creation in Genesis. Many do so in an attempt to deny God's very existence. The thought of having to face their Creator and give an account of their lives brings an unbearable conflict. How can one cling to their sin, reject God's Son and his offer of forgiveness, and still face life? Imagine the foreboding outlook of looming judgment, an eternity in a "fiery lake of burning sulfur", Revelation 21:8. The remedy many take is to deny God's existence and any reference to God in the beginnings of mankind. Such is the relief Darwinism provides those who reject God to cling to their sin, John 3:19, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."
Those who refuse to embrace the God of creation and reject even the notion of his existence, those who turn to Darwinism (and other remedies) have a real problem: their denials fade in the face of the vast testimony provided by all of God's creation. Psalm 19:1-4 says,
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."
Paul quotes this psalm in Romans 10:16-18, where he answers anyone who may object that God has not left us enough proof of his existence, (such as Penn Jillette, the comedian, has complained), "For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.'"
In another place Paul explains the delusion atheists engage will not thwart any consequence they face in rejecting God's Son, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 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 people are without excuse." Romans 1:18-20.
While the testimony of creation falls just short of precluding the opportunity for faith, there is plenty there for any reasonable person to understand God's existence and his creative acts. It is the desire to avoid having to face him to whom we all must give account that provides berth for the delusion God does not exist.
While we have those among the ranks of church-goers who can't seem to get their big-boy faith pants on, there is simply no coherent synthesis of the account of creation with evolution, Darwinism or any other deception. Our account of creation in Genesis is straightforward and simple. No need to compromise it with the delusions of mankind. This account, after all, is provided us by God through Moses. Why attempt to correct or challenge those two?
"Adam was formed first, then Eve."
Paul makes reference to God's creative acts as given in Genesis 2:7 and 21-22, "Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being... the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."
The Genesis account of God's creation of Adam and Eve was Paul's perspective on the beginnings of the human race as provided in this verse. Jesus Christ, as well, vindicated the account of creation when he was here. Both Old and New Testaments acclaim the veracity of Moses' account of creation in Genesis.
However, many today find fault with the account of creation in Genesis. Many do so in an attempt to deny God's very existence. The thought of having to face their Creator and give an account of their lives brings an unbearable conflict. How can one cling to their sin, reject God's Son and his offer of forgiveness, and still face life? Imagine the foreboding outlook of looming judgment, an eternity in a "fiery lake of burning sulfur", Revelation 21:8. The remedy many take is to deny God's existence and any reference to God in the beginnings of mankind. Such is the relief Darwinism provides those who reject God to cling to their sin, John 3:19, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."
Those who refuse to embrace the God of creation and reject even the notion of his existence, those who turn to Darwinism (and other remedies) have a real problem: their denials fade in the face of the vast testimony provided by all of God's creation. Psalm 19:1-4 says,
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."
Paul quotes this psalm in Romans 10:16-18, where he answers anyone who may object that God has not left us enough proof of his existence, (such as Penn Jillette, the comedian, has complained), "For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: 'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.'"
In another place Paul explains the delusion atheists engage will not thwart any consequence they face in rejecting God's Son, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 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 people are without excuse." Romans 1:18-20.
While the testimony of creation falls just short of precluding the opportunity for faith, there is plenty there for any reasonable person to understand God's existence and his creative acts. It is the desire to avoid having to face him to whom we all must give account that provides berth for the delusion God does not exist.
While we have those among the ranks of church-goers who can't seem to get their big-boy faith pants on, there is simply no coherent synthesis of the account of creation with evolution, Darwinism or any other deception. Our account of creation in Genesis is straightforward and simple. No need to compromise it with the delusions of mankind. This account, after all, is provided us by God through Moses. Why attempt to correct or challenge those two?
"And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." If this is not a twenty-four hour period, I'll eat my hat! I promise!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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