January 25, 2015
The Creation of the World
The creation account is foundational to Christian theology. The literal interpretation of Genesis 1 is supported by the rest of the Bible, linguistic analysis, the testimony of historic Christian orthodoxy, and science itself.
Scripture: Genesis 1
Sermon Notes:
- Genesis 1 forces us to examine our unexamined assumptions and challenges our cultural idols.
- Many interpretations of creation attempt to get around the historical or traditional readings of Genesis.
- Gnostic influence in the church seeks to de-historicize Christianity, replacing historic facts with ideas, dismissing the historical creation account and chronology of the Bible.
- Genesis 1 is written with a plain simplicity and beauty that makes it accessible to a child in any era while occupying the minds of theologians and scholars over the centuries.
- As God’s inspired Word the Bible transcends the modern idea of genre. Modern literary ideas cannot unlock novel truths which God supposedly hid in past eras.
- In Genesis 1 the Hebrew word for day (yom) is defined as the period governed by the sun; in 190 biblical uses, yom always means a 24 hour day; and in Exodus 20:11 God patterns the 6 day work week after the creation week.
- If the creation account is non-literal, then why isn’t the account of Jesus’ resurrection in John 20:1-10 also a non-literal, non-historical literary device.
- But if Christ didn't raise from the dead then we haven't received mercy. If we deny the history of creation, we likewise lose the doctrines of sin and salvation.
- Where ideas are abstracted from history, they can be accommodated to almost anything. There is no logical stopping point.
- Many of the church fathers and many great scientists held the creation account to be real history.
- As God's image bearers we occupy a linguistic world. We need God's linguistic interpretation in His Word to explain the meaning of the facts of creation.
- Man theorizes and imposes his ideas upon creation; as a sinner he usually lies to himself and others.
- Science is totally fallible in all of its pronouncements. Scientific theories and models of origins are constantly being falsified, rejected and replaced.
- We need to distinguish science as a construct or theory and science as the discipline of observing facts and evidence.
- In the Bible God has given us linguistic truth and we need to accept that Word and be ready to defend that God created the heavens and the earth.
Application Questions:
- What are some root causes of modern challenges to the literal 6-day creation account of Genesis 1?
- What are the presuppositions or biases that unbelievers bring to the enterprise of science?
- Why must we accept that the Bible’s plain meaning is accessible to non-scholars from all eras of history?
- What is the importance of Genesis 1 for Christian theology?
- How is God’s special revelation in the Bible necessary for scientific endeavour?
Resource Type:
Topic(s):
Scripture:
Media Format:
N/A