Creation

I am amazed by the vast amount of time, effort and information that has come out of the scientific community regarding the origins of the earth, the universe and even of life itself.  So much of this effort has been spent to either disqualify or disprove the Biblical account of creation as false and nothing more than just mere hyperbole.

Science has generally taken the position that we can glimpse into history and extrapolate and deduce facts from hypothetical theory.  For example, if empirical observation is all that is required to prove the theoretical view of the evolution of life without actual facts, then we have in fact elevated ourselves and the sciences up to a God like level, and we have become deluded. This is not saying that the scientific observations are false, but that the approach in fact finding is skewed.

When it comes to knowledge, the bible clearly states that knowledge is first gained through relationship with God and not by being dependent solely upon science or any other resource for gaining knowledge.

Proverbs 1:28-33 (NKJV)

²⁸ “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

²⁹ Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the Lord,

³⁰ They would have none of my counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

³¹ Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

³² For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

³³ But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

There is a starting point which requires a leap of faith which must be surmounted by anyone to gain the knowledge of God, it requires faith to make that leap.  This is a faith that is placed firmly within us by God Himself so that we would seek after Him.  The beginning point of the journey of faith is to trust God’s desire for us to seek Him and His ways.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

If faith were something that we could create in our own efforts to gain God’s infinite wisdom and knowledge, then each of us would be the equivalent to a Rhodes Scholar. We would be the perfection of God in human skins, and faith would be displayed all over this world changing lives and building God’s kingdom.  This world would be a very different place if that were true, but the reality is, we cannot gain God’s wisdom and knowledge apart from His interaction with us.

Creation is a tapestry of Gods design in all aspects of our natural world.  We can see God’s design as we look with our natural eyes and see that happenstance had nothing to do with creation.  The intricacies of creation surround us in everything we see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.  All of creation is defined and ordered to work together to produce what we see today―harmony.  But this only encompasses what we can experience in our natural world of three dimensions.  

Quantum physics declares that there are at least 11 dimensions which co-exist within our universe at the same time, this is known as M-Theory.1   This leaves us with the matter of time which is the limitation that is upon on our three dimensional world.  Time as we understand it, brings with it a beginning and an end.  Other dimensions may not have this restriction and may have an existence unbounded by the effects of time.  Scripture indicates God operates within this type of dimension, this is what some simply call the 'spiritual' dimension.  Scripture also indicates God is unbounded by the effects of time, that is why some utilize the word ‘eternal’.

Our interaction with this God who lives in this 'other dimension' without time, can create a great deal of doubt and frustration on our part.  How does this ‘other dimensional’ God even exist and interact with us in our natural world?   The simple answer is God exists in our lives through faith.

 Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Faith is something that God gives us.  We cannot even claim that we have anything to do with faith other than to trust in His gift of faith to believe in Him, and know that He is real. 

God’s interaction with us has been detailed in the Bible.  He has left us a ‘Testimony’ of His interaction with other people throughout history which is recorded in the Bible.  It is when we read and interact with this written word that this invisible God becomes active in our lives by revealing Himself and convincing us to trust Him and begin to think as He thinks.

Philippians 2:5-7 (NKJV)

⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

There is no way creation could be proved with a scientific method of research.  Apart from faith in God creation appears to be only a myth or a quaint story.  However, scripture does indicate that God imparts a desire to seek Him and His knowledge if we only ask Him.  This can lead to deeper understanding of our world and God's interaction with mankind and with nature.

Romans 10:14-17 (NKJV)

¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The following is an excellent video entitled “Everything is Spiritual” by Rob Bell.  This video takes on the scientific aspects of our world and universe from a God centered starting point.  It is a very helpful video bringing the topic of science and creation into harmony, while at the same time making a strong case for creation.

Stephen Barnett

Creation Calls

(Words and Music by:  Brian Doerksen)

I have felt the wind blow

Whispering Your name

I have seen Your tears fall

When I watch the rain

                    (Chorus 1)

        How could I say there is no God

        When all around creation calls

        A singing bird, a mighty tree

        The vast expanse of open sea

Gazing at a bird in flight

Soaring through the air

Lying down beneath the stars

I feel Your presence there

                    (Chorus 2)

        I love to stand at ocean’s shore

        And feel the thundering breakers roar

        To walk through golden fields of grain

        ’Neath endless blue horizon’s frame

Listening to a river run

Watering the earth

Fragrance of a rose in bloom

A newborn’s cry at birth

                    (Chorus 1, Chorus 2)

I believe, I believe

I believe

Water flowing over the edge of a rock precipice

Turning misty white as it falls into the pool below

Tall evergreens, at the river’s edge, standing on guard

While a deer and fawn drink from the stream

The smell of tilled earth, just after the rain

A rainbow, dazzling natural colors

The sight of a hawk as it circles in the thermal drafts of summer

A flock of Canada geese flying in perfect formation

Rising from the valley floor, rolling hills covered with trees

Birch, maple, elm, beech turning fiery red, yellow and gold in the autumn air

A leaf on its brief journey, twisting, turning, dancing its way to the ground

Lifting our eyes, the mountains rise, trees giving way

Giving way to rock, cliffs, ice, snow, glaciers and majestic jagged peaks

As the sun slips behind the horizon and night falls,

The mountains become silent fortresses silhouetted against

The night sky, the countless stars shining in silent testimony

Snowflakes, gently falling, falling, each unique, whispering

“Remember the mercy of God ... remember the mercy ... ”

Covering the world in white and then

The quiet, quiet, quiet of creation at rest

Music Copyright © 1994 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
The music and video presentation above are copyrighted by the respective artists and are demonstrated here for educational purposes only, and not for profit.

Personal note:

I know this blog entry is a departure from my usual posts. If this blog generates questions or interest, please feel free to leave me a comment at the bottom of this page in the 'post a comment' section or email me so that we may discuss the topic further.

1 M-theory is a theory in physics that unifies all consistent versions of superstring theory. The existence of such a theory was first conjectured by Edward Witten at the string theory conference at the University of Southern California in the summer of 1995.