Genesis The Implications of Creation

Genesis 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Genesis - One of the most important concepts in the Bible 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Romans 1:19 “…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” - One of the most important concepts in the Bible - Flatly contradicts naturalistic theories -When we look inside ourselves, we see evidence there that we were created by an infinite, personal God

Internal Consistency (Presuppositions) Beliefs should match actions. Our actions may demonstrate our true beliefs better than our words When our actions contradict our claimed beliefs, it suggests we are either confused or dishonest Example #2: A friend says he is concerned about the environment, but you catch him emptying car oil into the stream behind his house Example #1: Your friend says he’s such a good driver, it is impossible he will ever get in a car accident…

Example #3: Argument from Design If these rocks were arranged like this, the arranger must be a thinking, planning, creative, willful being -- i.e. a personal being

Internal Consistency (Presuppositions) Beliefs should match actions. Design means a Personal Designer.

Argument from Presupposition: You cannot argue that this happened by accident and yet claim it is meaningful!

Internal Consistency (Presuppositions) Beliefs should match actions. Design means a Personal Designer. Accident cannot produce Meaning. Does your life have meaning or value? Only if your were the product of creation! If humans just “happened” our existence must be meaningless.

Internal Consistency (Presuppositions) Beliefs should match actions. Design means a Personal Designer. Accident cannot produce Meaning. Naturalism cannot produce Morality. Everyone Knows there is right and wrong. Derived from Society? Derived from Natural Law? Matter reacting to physical laws cannot be turned into morality See a paper falling…is it right or wrong? Under naturalism, what is, is right “If you want to get the plain truth, be not concerned with right and wrong. The conflict between right and wrong is the sickness of the mind.” Yun-Men, Buddhist master (Oz Guiness, "The East: No Exit", p.221) Those who believe in an infinite, personal creator God believe in morality because God, as a moral being, made us moral beings

Internal Consistency (Presuppositions) Beliefs should match actions. Design means a Personal Designer. Accident cannot produce Meaning. Naturalism cannot produce Morality. Human Dignity: by Special Creation. Who is unwilling to swat a mosquito? Why kill these but not humans? Why are all people equal? Without a personal, spiritual dimension, “human dignity” is nonsense! Eastern Religions: humans have no special place of dignity. Humans are significant because we were created in the image of God. . .

Internal Consistency (Presuppositions) Beliefs should match actions. Design means a Personal Designer. Accident cannot produce Meaning. Naturalism cannot produce Morality. Human Dignity: by Special Creation. Freedom means we are not predetermined. Vinegar and soda: a predetermined outcome. If the universe arose strictly from natural law, you are a machine (no matter how complex). Including your thoughts, urges, personality, etc. If everything is predetermined, nothing matters Eastern Religions also have a problem with freedom: Karmic Law When we protest a rapist or a racist, we are showing that we believe they are not determined to do what they do, but are free As thinking Christians we argue that humans were created with the capacity to make free choices

And yet we all know these are true of humans! Conclusions When we believe people are meaningful, significant, free, moral beings, we HAVE to believe that a purposeful God created them that way And yet we all know these are true of humans! All of these are incompatible with a pantheistic origin All of these are incompatible with a chance origin

Conclusions Romans 1:19 “…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” God has "made himself evident..."

Conclusions Who is God? What is He like? How can you get to know him personally? Start tonight by taking your search directly to Him…

Christian Considerations: Beliefs should match actions. Design means a Personal Designer. Accident cannot produce Meaning. Naturalism cannot produce Morality. Human Dignity: by Special Creation. Freedom means we are not predetermined.

What it Means These people faced significant choice: Tree of knowledge of good and evil: Satan:“your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 3:5 3:22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.” Now, like God, people needed to look no further than themselves to define right and wrong This tree stood for autonomy, self-rule and unqualified independence.

What it Means These people faced significant choice: Tree of knowledge of good and evil The tree of life Life is union with God. Death is separation from God. Matters of good & evil settled relationally. Includes the notion of authority: Depends on trust. Regained in Christ!

Conclusions All of these are incompatible with a chance origin When we believe people are meaningful, significant, free, moral beings, we HAVE to believe that a purposeful God created them that way All of these are incompatible with a chance origin

Conclusions All of these are incompatible with a pantheistic origin When we believe people are meaningful, significant, free, moral beings, we HAVE to believe that a purposeful God created them that way All of these are incompatible with a pantheistic origin

Conclusions And yet we all know these are true of humans! When we believe people are meaningful, significant, free, moral beings, we HAVE to believe that a purposeful God created them that way And yet we all know these are true of humans!

Conclusions How you view the origin of humans controls how you view the nature of humans Our own actions show that at some deep level, we know a personal God made us

Conclusions How you view the origin of humans controls how you view the nature of humans Our own actions show that at some deep level, we know a personal God made us God has “made himself evident within us” Rom 1:19

Conclusions Who is this God and What is he like? How can you get to know him personally and be with him forever?

Conclusions Who is this God and What is he like? How can you get to know him personally and be with him forever? Start tonight by taking your search directly to him Learn the answers to these questions in Genesis

Next Time: Gen. 2: A detailed look at what it means to be created “in the image of God”

Genesis Comments? Questions? Experiences?