By
Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship,
Clarinda
Herald Journal Publication Date : 02/28/2007
“Do
you believe in the biblical account of creation?”
Yes, I believe in the literal six-day
creation account as told in the Scriptures. I believe that it is more
reasonable and plausible to conclude that the amazing complexities of life are
best understood by the existence of God, than by random chance.
The simple answer for this question
is complicated only by a growing world-view within western civilizations that
increasingly denies the supernatural, the existence of God, and views faith as
irrational. Because of this, a significant portion of the scientific community is
unwilling to consider God as the first cause of all creation. Add to that the
politically expedient “separation of church and state,” and you have educators
prevented from discussing or researching the matter.
The limitation of the scientific
community is twofold: First, it can only observe the natural realm. The
scientist who begins with the "a prior" (propositional bias) that
nothing exists outside the natural realm, will not allow in his or her reasoning
that there is phenomena from any realm beyond nature, i.e. super-natural. Hebrews
11:3 says, "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's
command, so that what is seen (the natural world) was not made out of what was
visible" (but from the invisible supernatural realm).
Secondly, some atheistic scientists
have been honest enough to confess that they have to work at denying God’s
existence. The appearance of God in their research would make them accountable
to Him—this they strive to avoid at all costs. Aldous Huxley admitted, “I had
motives for not wanting the world to have meaning, consequently assumed that it
had not, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for
this assumption.” So much for the objective open-minded thinker.
Scientists are people just like you
and I. They are not the intelligentsia elite who are above the biases of mere
mortals, but are similarly subject to the prejudices, opinions, and
misconceptions of all humanity. As such, too many give an inordinate amount of
authority to their beliefs, I mean.... hypothesis. Science is of vast help to
those who know its strength and inherent weakness.
The theory of evolution has yet to
present absolute conclusive evidence (hence the ‘theory’ status), too easily
dismisses evidence to the contrary, and on occasion, is fraudulent.
Now, not all evolutionist are
atheists, and there are genuine Christians, who come to differing conclusions
on this issue, but I cannot help wonder how strong their conviction in the
truthfulness and reliability of God’s Word is. (This, I will address in next week’s
column)
A story is told of an atheist-friend
who had stopped by Sir Isaac Newton’s workshop, and remarked on Isaac’s
invention of a solar system machine, which, with the crank on the handle,
caused its model universe to rotate. The atheist, remarking on this wonderful
apparatus asked, "Who made this?" to which
His friend came to realize that he
had fallen into the trap of his own reasoning. A design indicates a Designer. The
vastly complicated and multitudinous designs present in nature are a grand
testimony to a wise, loving, and powerful Creator. To believe otherwise
requires much faith.
--Pastor Scott (www.askpastorscott.com)