A STUDY BY
GARY RAY BRANSCOME
Lesson 4
Although God’s creation of the world in six days is an
objective event which took place at a specific point in time, it has a
spiritual significance that transcends the actual event. That significance
stems from the fact that God’s act of creating us determined who we are,
as well as our relationship to Him. In other words, the Biblical account of
creation not only tells us why we are accountable to God, but also that God did
not create the sin in our nature, and that sin entered the world only through
man’s disobedience. It is also significant to know that all men are
descended from the same parents, that all of the good
things of the earth were created for our enjoyment, and that marriage was
intended to be a life long union between one man and one woman. By giving us
that information, the Biblical record of creation lays the groundwork for both
law and gospel.
Since God created us, we are under
His authority and will be judged by His exacting standard (Psalm 100:3, Matthew
THE ORIGIN
OF LIFE
Our view of life, the conclusions
that we draw in regard to life, and ultimately the worth that we ascribe to our
own life, will be determined to a great degree by our understanding of the
origin of life. If we see ourselves as mere matter formed by chance, then we
will tend to view our life as somewhat meaningless,
and human life in general as no more valuable than the matter of which it
consists. However, once we understand that we are God's special creation, our
life takes on a new meaning. The fact that God, “so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” gives purpose to our
existence (John
Since God gave us life, He has
every right to expect our devotion and obedience (Jeremiah 18:1-6). In fact,
giving our worship to a false god would be like kicking our father out of the
house while claiming that something we made is our real father. Such behavior
would not only be depraved, it would be insane! Yet, without the Biblical
record of creation such foolishness can seem perfectly reasonable to the
sin-darkened mind of man. Therefore, you can see that the First Commandment,
“Thou shalt have no other Gods before
Me,” is founded on the Genesis account of creation.
Likewise, the fact that God has
given us life gives obligates us to respect His name and use it respectfully.
Such respect is nothing more than kindness and common decency, and it is only
reasonable for God to expect it (Romans 12:1). Therefore, like the first
commandment, the second commandment is founded on the Genesis account of
creation.
When it comes to keeping the
Sabbath day, the Bible makes it clear that the seventh day was set apart
because God ceased from the work of creation on that day (Genesis 2:2,3, Exodus 20:9-11). Moreover, our identification of that
day with worship emphasizes the fact that we worship the God who created all
things in six days.
Just as God gave us life and
provides for our needs, His plan for our individual entry into the world
included parents who were intended to act in His stead, not only by giving us
life but also by providing for our needs. Therefore, the respect that we owe to
our parents stems from the fact that they are doing the will of God in regard
to His command, “be fruitful and multiply,” and have been His
instruments in giving us life and caring for our needs (Exodus 20:12).
In regard to murder, because God
has given us life, those who commit murder are attempting to override His
authority. Also, since man was originally created in God’s image, murder
is rooted in the satanic desire to destroy God. God’s law calls for
capital punishment as an act of divine judgment (Isaiah
This also applies to the rest of
the commandments. Adultery is an attack on God’s institution of marriage.
Theft is an attempt to deprive a person of that which God has given him. False
witness is of the devil, and was used by the devil to lead man into sin.
However, evolution leads to the
opposite conclusion. If evolution were true, man would no more be bound by rules
of morality than are dogs or horses. If evolution were true, taking a person's
life would be no worse than stepping on an ant, clipping a fingernail, or
breaking an icicle. If evolution were true, we would have no reason to honor
God, respect His name, or do His will.
Worse still, those who claim that
God used evolution are slandering Him by portraying Him (rather than Satan) as
the one who brought pain, suffering, and death (the survival of the fittest)
into the world. At the same time, by directing their worship to the author of
pain and suffering, those who claim that God used evolution are in effect
directing their worship to Satan. Therefore, I see theistic evolution as a form
of idolatry.
Going further, if we believe that
God used lust and the urge to kill to produce man, then it would follow
logically that lust and homicidal rage are godly and wholesome. It also would
follow that any commandment forbidding the gratification of lust and homicidal
rage would be a satanic interference with God's plan for advancing evolution.
Therefore, the murder of unborn babies, the handicapped, and the elderly as
well as the legalization of pornography, adultery, and homosexuality follow
logically once theistic evolution is accepted as a basic premise. For that
reason, I find it very difficult to regard those who teach theistic evolution
as brothers in Christ.
The knowledge that God created Adam
from the dust of the ground and afterward created Eve from one of his ribs is
essential to a responsible attitude toward sex, marriage, and family
relationships (Genesis 2:21-24). It is also basic to a healthy society and a
godly culture.
The record that God has given us
makes it clear that God intended for men and women to fulfill different roles
in society (Genesis
Everyone has a different role to
fill in life. Bakers, butchers, shoemakers, bricklayers, plumbers, and
electricians all have a different role. Furthermore, just as all of those roles
work together to make the world a better place, God expects a man and wife to
work together as a team. On one hand, He expects the husband to lead the house
and bear the primary responsibility for providing for the family's needs. On
the other hand, He expects the wife to play a key role in caring for the family
and training the children. Both roles are important! In fact, because women
play such an important role in preparing the next generation of leaders and
homemakers, how well the wives and mothers of today do that job will determine
the future history of the entire nation. Therefore, Christian women have no
reason to feel inferior, but instead should feel honored by the role that God
has entrusted to them. They should realize that those who demean that role have
a distorted view of reality.
The Biblical view is neatly summed
up by the old saying. Woman was not taken from man's head that she should rule
over him; Nor was she taken from his heel that she
should be trodden underfoot. Instead, she was taken from man's side, that she
should be held close to a man's heart, cherished by him, and be a helpmate to
him (Genesis 2:18-24, Ephesians 6:4, Colossians 3:18-21, Ephesians 5:22-31).
[For further reading on this topic I recommend the
books, “The Way Home” and “All The Way Home,” by Mary
Pride, “Domestic Tranquility” by F. Carolyn Graglia,
and the books, “Earthly Images of the Heavenly Bride (Women and the
Church),” and “He Her Honour and She His
Glory” by Vernon Grieger.]
The truth of man’s origin is
not only basic to much that we believe, but also to an
entire way of life that has (over the centuries) grown out of a desire to live
and think in a way that is consistent with God’s Word.
Because an artist who regards the
beauty of creation as God’s handiwork will seek to produce a work of
beauty, Christian art differs from much of the art in the world. In saying this,
I am aware that many Renaissance artists sought to emulate the art of pagan
Since Christian scholars view
creation as the product of intelligent design, they have historically sought to
understand the divine principles that govern creation. In fact, Sir Isaac
Newton felt that he was simply, “thinking God's thoughts after
Him.” In contrast, the Australian Aborigines viewed themselves as a part
of nature, and so tended to drift with nature rather than applying their minds
to subdue it. Moreover, because evolution leads to the same belief that the
Aborigines held (the belief that men are just a part of nature), it has an
anti-scientific bent that is not often recognized. That bent is behind much of
the “environmentalist” anti-progressive thinking, glorification of
primitive lifestyles, and revival of witchcraft that we see in the world.
Because Darwinian evolution
emphasizes the survival of the fittest, it can easily lead to the might-makes-right
philosophy of the communist party. In contrast, the Biblical account of man's
origin leads logically to the conclusion that every man is entitled to the
fruit of his labor, and that any attempt to rob him of the fruit of his labor
is wrong (Genesis
In the same way, a Biblical
knowledge of creation leads us to view marriage as a divine ordinance, while
realizing that clothing should be designed to avoid stirring up lust. In
contrast, evolution leads men to see marriage as a superficial social
convention, while seeing nothing wrong with clothing that is designed to allure
and entice.
Because so many of the decisions
that we make relate to our view of origins, the Biblical record of creation is
basic not only to our view of God and morality, but also to our relations with
other people. It not only determines weather we regard others as mere matter or
as living souls created by God, but makes it clear that we are all accountable
to God for our choices. In short, creation leaves no room for those who wish to
blame their behavior on society or the environment. We are all accountable to
God.
1.
What does the Biblical account of creation tell us?
2. What is the Law of God founded upon?
3. The Law of God is a reflection of what?
4. What is determined to a great degree by our understanding of the origin of
life?
5. What does the fact that God gave us life obligate us to do?
6. Evolution leads to what conclusions?
7. Why might theistic evolution be viewed as a form of Satan worship?
8. What conclusions follow logically once one accepts theistic evolution as a
basic premise?
9. The historical record of creation is basic to what?
10. What saying neatly sums up the Biblical viewpoint of the roles of men and
women?