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For the
invisible things of him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that
they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20).
There has been much discussion about the amount and
quality of the “natural” revelation God has displayed in
the universe He created. Much has been discovered about
the processes and functioning of our world—so much that
some have suggested that these facts of science must be
used to “interpret” the written text of Scripture.
What is the rightful place of the “things that are made”
in our understanding of God’s truth?
The written words of Scripture are inspired, and it is
clear from passages like Psalm 19:1-4 and Romans 1:18-20
that God created the universe to “speak,” “declare,” and
“show” much of His nature. It follows then that the
creation itself would make “clearly seen” that which can
be under-stood about the Creator—unless there is a
willing rebellion against that truth (Romans 1:21-25).
The creation declares and speaks of God’s glory, but the
“law of the Lord is perfect…the testimony of the Lord is
sure....The statutes of the Lord are right” (Psalm
19:7-8). Created things tell us something about the
nature of God, but the revealed words define, clarify,
limit, and command. The writings (the Scriptures) are
that which is inspired (God-breathed, 2 Timothy
3:16-17).
Natural revelation, therefore, provides only limited
insight into truth. Final authority rests in the written
revelation that God “breathed” into a living record (1
Peter 1:23) that “shall not pass away” (Mark 13:31). We
can only understand the events of creation by
revelation, not by discovery. Science cannot duplicate
or comprehend creation. Man can merely steward that
which is preserved by the Creator in His patient mercy
(2 Peter 3:8-9).
What we speak and teach about the creation, we speak and
teach about the Savior.
Jesus Christ is clearly both Creator and Savior. Such
passages as John 1:1-14, Colossians 1:16-19, and Hebrews
1:1-3 manifestly declare that Jesus, the Word made
flesh, is none other than our Lord and Creator. What is
revealed to us about the nature of the Creator teaches
us about the nature of the Savior. The Gospel points us
to “worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:7).
The doctrine of creation cannot be separated from the
doctrine of salvation. Only the omnipotent, omniscient,
omnipresent Creator could accomplish the work of
redemption on Calvary, implementing an eternal
reconciliation of all things to the immutable will and
purpose of the Creator-Redeemer.
Since Scripture reveals that the creation demonstrates
the nature of the Creator, the inextricably bound
attributes of the Father, Son, and Spirit cannot be in
conflict with the message of the created things. Nor can
the message of the gospel conflict with the message
discovered in the creation. God cannot lie (Titus
1:2)—either by word or by action. Creation issues are
foundational to a biblical worldview.
The gospel we present must include “all the counsel of
God” (Acts 20:27). The secular worldview is in direct
opposition to a Creator. It knows and acknowledges
nothing of the need for eternal redemption. It speaks
only of self-centered appeasement. Naturalism at its
core is atheistic, and the thrust of evolutionary theory
is to tell the story of our origins without God.
We then who have been given the high privilege of being
“ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) must
ensure that our teachings about the creation, the
Dominion Mandate, the fall of man, and the plan of
redemption are as accurate as our human minds can
portray, guided by and submitted to the revealed words
of our Creator.
(© 2009 International Creation Research Institute. All
rights reserved. http//www.icr.org )
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