Does Creation Matter?
by Don DeYoung, Ph. D., Chair, Science and Mathematics Department, Grace College, Winona Lake, IN
Intro
The issues of creation-evolution, intelligent design, and the age of the earth often result in heated debates and emotions. Are these topics really so important? As long as one believes that God created everything, is this not enough? Who really cares about the details? Does creation really matter? The short answer is yes. The verse 1 Peter 3:15 challenges us to have answers to questions about our biblical faith. The verse also cautions us to control emotions while defending the faith, with gentleness and respect for others.
Apostle Paul’s Approach to Genesis
One day Paul visited the intellectuals of his day in Athens, Greece. These leaders were very religious but were not familiar with the God of the universe. Walking around the city, Paul even noticed an image to an unknown god, just in case.
How does Paul address these outsiders to the Kingdom of God? In Acts 17:22-26 we hear Paul patiently explain who the unknown God is. This God made the world and everything in it (v. 24). He also made all people, starting with our first parent, the literal Adam (v. 26). With the Greek nonbelievers, Paul begins with basics of the Genesis creation account, he then moves on to the gospel. Paul starts at the beginning… what a novel idea!
New Tribes Mission with 3300 missionaries in 20 nations understands the importance of the Genesis foundation for evangelism. Their teaching is chronological, beginning with creation and moving through all of scripture including the New Testament. New Tribes finds this a successful missions strategy.
All of us today are surrounded by those who, like the Greeks, have a dismal knowledge of the Bible. As in Paul’s day, people need to be challenged that there is a Creator we each are responsible to. As a bonus, there is general interest in Bible and science topics including astronomy, dinosaurs, fossils, and intelligent design. Such topics provide a starting point for conversations with others.
Four Reasons why creation matters
Three examples follow, showing why creation should matter to each of us. First, in our schools, science education is incomplete without explaining its strong creation foundation. It was the creation worldview, especially in the 1600s, which led to the realization that nature is designed, dependable, and decipherable. Many pioneers in science and math were godly men and women. Their testimonies are worth study; they demonstrate that the Bible and science are entirely compatible revelations from the Creator of the universe.
Second, creationists appear to be the only group challenging highly questionable secular science assumptions. These include the big bang, an ancient age for the earth, dinosaurs living in a land before time, the spontaneous origin of life, and macroscopic evolution. Creationists may be an irritation to the science establishment, but our questions provide a much-needed assessment of science pronouncements.
The third point concerns home and family values. Television, movies, and religious scandals give a totally false picture of authentic Christianity. Furthermore, some teachers and professors are merciless in attacking the faith of students in the classroom. In sharp contrast, Genesis is a refreshing starting point in explaining creation, the Curse or Fall of mankind, and our responsibility before God. The message of hope that people desperately need to hear begins in the book of Genesis. This is where we learn the origin of the universe, the definition of marriage and family, the importance of life including the young and the old, reasons for creation stewardship, and much more. Creation studies provide a much-needed counterbalance to modern secularism.
Conclusion
Modern science has gone off on a tangent and marginalized itself with its denial of miracles including supernatural creation. True science is the search for truth. And if this search leads to biblical creation, which it clearly does, then so be it. Creation does indeed matter to the health of our society and to the souls of men.
For further information, check the books by Don DeYoung in the rforh.com bookstore. Dr. DeYoung’s website is DiscoveryofDesign.com.
Intro
The issues of creation-evolution, intelligent design, and the age of the earth often result in heated debates and emotions. Are these topics really so important? As long as one believes that God created everything, is this not enough? Who really cares about the details? Does creation really matter? The short answer is yes. The verse 1 Peter 3:15 challenges us to have answers to questions about our biblical faith. The verse also cautions us to control emotions while defending the faith, with gentleness and respect for others.
Apostle Paul’s Approach to Genesis
One day Paul visited the intellectuals of his day in Athens, Greece. These leaders were very religious but were not familiar with the God of the universe. Walking around the city, Paul even noticed an image to an unknown god, just in case.
How does Paul address these outsiders to the Kingdom of God? In Acts 17:22-26 we hear Paul patiently explain who the unknown God is. This God made the world and everything in it (v. 24). He also made all people, starting with our first parent, the literal Adam (v. 26). With the Greek nonbelievers, Paul begins with basics of the Genesis creation account, he then moves on to the gospel. Paul starts at the beginning… what a novel idea!
New Tribes Mission with 3300 missionaries in 20 nations understands the importance of the Genesis foundation for evangelism. Their teaching is chronological, beginning with creation and moving through all of scripture including the New Testament. New Tribes finds this a successful missions strategy.
All of us today are surrounded by those who, like the Greeks, have a dismal knowledge of the Bible. As in Paul’s day, people need to be challenged that there is a Creator we each are responsible to. As a bonus, there is general interest in Bible and science topics including astronomy, dinosaurs, fossils, and intelligent design. Such topics provide a starting point for conversations with others.
Four Reasons why creation matters
Three examples follow, showing why creation should matter to each of us. First, in our schools, science education is incomplete without explaining its strong creation foundation. It was the creation worldview, especially in the 1600s, which led to the realization that nature is designed, dependable, and decipherable. Many pioneers in science and math were godly men and women. Their testimonies are worth study; they demonstrate that the Bible and science are entirely compatible revelations from the Creator of the universe.
Second, creationists appear to be the only group challenging highly questionable secular science assumptions. These include the big bang, an ancient age for the earth, dinosaurs living in a land before time, the spontaneous origin of life, and macroscopic evolution. Creationists may be an irritation to the science establishment, but our questions provide a much-needed assessment of science pronouncements.
The third point concerns home and family values. Television, movies, and religious scandals give a totally false picture of authentic Christianity. Furthermore, some teachers and professors are merciless in attacking the faith of students in the classroom. In sharp contrast, Genesis is a refreshing starting point in explaining creation, the Curse or Fall of mankind, and our responsibility before God. The message of hope that people desperately need to hear begins in the book of Genesis. This is where we learn the origin of the universe, the definition of marriage and family, the importance of life including the young and the old, reasons for creation stewardship, and much more. Creation studies provide a much-needed counterbalance to modern secularism.
Conclusion
Modern science has gone off on a tangent and marginalized itself with its denial of miracles including supernatural creation. True science is the search for truth. And if this search leads to biblical creation, which it clearly does, then so be it. Creation does indeed matter to the health of our society and to the souls of men.
For further information, check the books by Don DeYoung in the rforh.com bookstore. Dr. DeYoung’s website is DiscoveryofDesign.com.
Recent
Archive
2025
February
March
April
2024
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
2023
February
June