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God's Glorious Creation

(Genesis 2:4-7, 15-24)

Lesson 1 -- fourth quarter 2004
September 5, 2004

by Mark Roth
© Copyright 2004, Christian Light Publications


Probing Your Own Heart

Have you chosen to accept God's creation record as absolutely true?

What is your heart response to those who explain away or even mock certain elements of the Genesis account?


Building on Some Foundational Concepts

God's Word has always been true.

Everything God has ever thought, spoken, or written is absolutely true. We can have -- we must have -- full, unwavering confidence in the accuracy and truthfulness of the record He has provided for us. His Word is true; therefore, the Genesis account of creation is true. Psalm 119:160 declares, "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever."

God's truth requires our acceptance and submission.

That verse also shows us that accepting the accuracy of the Genesis record requires that we also submit to God's commandments and rules for living as we find them declared in the Scriptures.

Accepting the Genesis account requires faith.

The Genesis record of origins, like evolution, is a faith system. But quite unlike evolution, this is, has been, and will continue to be an unchanging record (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25; Hebrews 11:3). Faith in God's record declares, "Even if evidence is presented that seems to make Genesis a square peg for a round hole, I will still believe Genesis. Evidence that is contrary to God's Word is always suspect!"

Genesis states the witness of the Creator.

Genesis was inspired by the only witness. Who else was there? Anything else you read or hear other than sound Scripture are the theories and imaginings of those who were not present at the time these events unfolded. Why give less credence to God than to someone removed from the story by a many millenia? People can say what they will, they weren't there. People can have all the training and experience they could possibly accumulate in one lifetime, but they weren't there.


Questions and Responses

Is the day spoken of in the creation account a literal 24-hour day?

This page hasn't sufficient space to adequately summarize all that has been written in defense of creation taking place in six 24-hour days. Suffice it here to respond to the question with two other questions. If God meant a geologic time period consisting of thousands or millions of years, why would He say something so different and misleading as day? In Exodus 20:9, did God command His people to work for six geologic time periods (Exodus 20:11)?

What difference does it make whether or not we accept 100% of the Genesis creation account?

If I accept the Bible as inerrant, I must believe the Genesis account. If the Bible is goofed up in any area, how could I then be sure that nothing else is mixed up? If the Bible is goofed up in its introduction, why accept any of the rest of it?

Genesis 1-11 is foundational to the rest of Scripture. Marriage, death, redemption, accountability, judgment, rest, work, headship, sin, gospel -- these and more have their introduction and foundation in the first eleven chapters of Genesis. If the foundation is dangerous (or just weak or even only suspect), why should I live in the structure built upon it?

Jesus and the Apostles clearly regarded Genesis 1-11 as inspired Scripture. If they couldn't tell fact from fiction, we really are stuck!

Our lives will reflect our genuine acceptance of Genesis. Listen to Revelation 4:11 -- "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." And also Ecclesiastes 12:1 -- "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them."


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