The Importance of the Doctrine of Creation
While
Creation has repeatably been declared to be foundational to the gospel, I have
yet to see anyone show from the Bible why it is important not to compromise
with what “science” says is fact, that the world is billions of years old and
all things are related by some distant one-celled ancestor. As creationists, however, we proclaim that we
must believe the Bible, and from it build our framework by which we understand
the world around us. Therefore, we must ask, “Does the Bible say anything in
regards to the importance of the doctrine of creation?” I shall endeavor to show that it does, and
how it relates to the gospel.
Previous
authors have gone to Acts to support the need to understand the creation vs.
evolution debate. They have shown how Paul dealt with those who did not know
the scriptures. They have argued that
Paul used the world (or science) about us to introduce God to those whom have
not yet encountered Him though His Word. On the other hand anecdotal evidence
has been given to show how creation has been used to bring the lost to Christ.
These arguments have their place and are valid but not conclusive. Instead, I
am going to Peter. The passage that I believe relevant is II Peter 3:1-10.
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto
you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
That ye may be mindful of the words which were
spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles
of the Lord and Saviour: [1]
Here we see Peter’s admonition to pay careful heed to the
Word of God, being careful to paying attention to BOTH “the holy
prophets,” which describes the entirety of the Old Testament, and “the
commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior,” which is the New
Testament. The New Testament did not superseded the Old Testament; all that has
been reported in the Old Testament still has value, and should NOT to be
ignored in favor of the New Testament.
That which has been written by the Apostles, found now as the New
Testament Books, here has been given equal status as the Word of God as the Old
Testament Books have had and still do.
Therefore,
having reminded us of the Word of God, the Bible, Peter continues:
Knowing this
first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts, [2]
“Knowing this first” – This is the second time Peter uses
this phrase in this letter; the first time he says it, he is dealing with the
Word of God. Let us look at the context of the phrase’s first use:
For we have
not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he
received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to
him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.
And this
voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
We have also
a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a
light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise
in your hearts:
Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost. [3]
Let us break this down. In verses 16-18 Peter is speaking of
his own experience during the Transfiguration.[4]
Verse 19 is pivotal; while not negating his experience, he elevates the Word of
God, giving it preeminence over his and our experiences which would also give
it precedence over evidential science.
Now, we find that phrase “knowing this first,” in verse 20,
directing us to learn and know the following things. First, that scripture is
not to be interpreted however we wish, because, as we see in verse 21, the
Scriptures were not written by man’s will but by God’s, using men to write what
God wanted written. We are, then, to interpret scripture at face value, not
reading into, nor ignoring what it says, being influenced by the Holy Spirit.[5]
We see
then a contrast between what should have been done with the Word of God and
what the “scoffers” have done with it, according to II Peter 3:3. These scoffers do not consider the authority
of the Word of God, elevating whatever they can to supercede the scriptures,
trying with all they are and possess to negate its convicting effect in their
lives so that they may walk in their sin, enjoying whatsoever they please.
So,
they form their opinions and questions according to their desires, as Peter
declares:
And saying,
Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.[6]
The argument, “Where is the
promise of his coming?” or, “Why does not God do something about all the evil
in the world?” or more simply, “Where is God’s judgment?” is a common question
of those that are lost. I even remember asking my dad about it when I was a
child. Peter deals with this later, and
so shall we.
Next comes their attempt to negate the whole idea of any
judgment, by arguing that there never before has been any judgment. As they proclaim, “[Since] the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.”
This is the same that we see declared in the schoolrooms today, backed up in
practically all media, news, TV programs, movies, amusement parks, museums,
zoos, and wherever else the “scoffers” can insert the idea of Uniformitarianism,
popularized by Charles Lyell and James Hutton around 1840.[7]
The Doctrine of Uniformitarianism, which is not a theory but a religious
doctrine,[8] is
commonly expressed by the statement: “The present is the key to the past,” and
by this assumption it is derived that the earth is somewhere around 4.5 billion
yrs old. Peter shows us where we should
look for our answer to this assumption:
For this they
willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of the water and in the water:[9]
Look to these words, “this they
willingly are ignorant of”; it is a terrible indictment. Peter is telling us of
that which the “scoffers” do not wish to know; this “ignorance” can even be
seen in many that proclaim to be followers of Jesus Christ. This should not be
the case! If our enemy is basing his arguments on the willful ignorance of
those that are following him, should we not put effort in learning that which
they do not want to know?[10] [11]
What is it that the “scoffers” do
not wish to know? First, Peter describes the creation, which was probably at
least the state of the earth by the end of Day Three,[12]
which was accomplished by nothing more than by God speaking, thus bringing
forth his desire. So then, we see that they do not wish to acknowledge that God
is their creator. Therefore, they make up stories about how everything made
itself, and have called these stories evolution.
Peter continues:
Whereby
the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:[13]
The next thing they deny is that
God has judged in the past. They cannot
admit that the Flood ever happened. Instead of looking at the world around us
and the evidence left for us in the very rocks and seeing it as the remains of
God’s judgment upon a sinful generation, they again make up stories, and say
that all the rocks and the fossils in them took a long time to accumulate and
form, and this they called uniformitarianism.
But
the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store,
reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.[14]
The last thing they wish to
forget is the coming judgment of God. Therefore, as we have already seen, they
ridicule, asking, “Where is the promise of his coming?”
Now then, how shall we respond? Should we allow them to
continue in their ignorance? Should we even follow their ignorance, and accept
their stories as truth? While correcting a fool may sometimes be folly[15],
accepting their foolishness and following after is always folly. Let us not do
so. Instead, let us see what Peter admonishes.
But,
beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day.[16]
This does not allow for the
compromise that is often used. It does not allow the time God used to create to
be expanded to accommodate the long ages that evolution demands and
uniformitarianism allows. We have already
been given the answer to these lies. God created in six days, and the Great
Flood happened. Instead, what we are being told is that God is not constrained
by time. It has no power over God, and He is not limited by it. Let us see how
this is important:
The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance.[17]
We see here that our God is not
delaying the fulfillment of His promise to us, to redeem fully this world to
His Glory, removing all unrighteousness, and its effects upon this world, out
of some laziness on His part. Instead,
His desire is that all who will, may come and receive the gift that He has
provided. His Son, Jesus Christ, took our judgment upon Himself when He died
upon the cross, allowing all who will to turn to Him for forgiveness of their
sins.
When the time comes, however, He
will judge:
But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.[18]
This judgment we see will come
suddenly and unexpectantly. Peter has declared, “The Lord knoweth how to
deliver the godly out of temptations.”[19]
Those who have repented by coming to Christ can expect to escape the coming
judgment, covering a period over 1007 years, as Revelation describes. What we see next though is the end, just before God’s final
judgment as seen in Revelation:
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth
and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.[20]
Therefore, we need to be
prepared, to give an answer as Peter commands,[21]
whenever we are confronted or need to confront those who have fallen prey to
the lies of the Adversary, showing them the truth as it is found in the
Scriptures. First and foremost, we need to present the blessed gospel, that
Jesus suffered their judgment for them, that they may come to Him and escape
God’s judgment of the wicked. Then, as needed, being prepared to show that the
evidence, interpreted correctly, proves the Scriptures, rather than
discrediting them.
[1] II Peter
3:1-2
[3] II Peter
1:16-20
[4] Matthew
17:5
[5] I
Corinthians 2:14
[6] II Peter
3:4
[7] Dictionary
of Scientific Literacy, ed. Richard P. Brennan, Wiley Science Editions, Pg
310.
[8] The
ideas which are known as the theories of evolution, and its partner,
uniformitarianism, need to be refered to by what they actually are, religious
doctrines, instead of the misnomer of a ‘scientific theory’ or even religions
in and of themselves.
[9] II Peter
3:5
[10] II
Peter 1:5
[11] II
Corinthians 6:6
[12] Genesis
1:9-13
[13] II
Peter 3:6
[14] II
Peter 3:7
[15]
Proverbs 26:4,5
[16] II
Peter 3:8
[17] II
Peter 3:9
[18] II
Peter 3:10
[19] II
Peter 2:9a
[20]
Revelation 20:11
[21] I Peter
3:15
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