by Ishwaran Mudliar
Assistant Professor of Old Testament, Southwestern Seminary
Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).
Once upon a time, about 4.5 billions of years ago, say the evolutionists, the Earth and solar system came into existence. How exactly no one knows, yet they allege that it happened haphazardly from gas, dust, primordial soup or the like. There was no purpose and no creator, except perhaps some aliens from outer space. Indeed, life is random and meaningless. Evolutionists insist that humans evolved from “ape” men who lived millions of years ago. Through the process of natural selection, animals, “ape” men and men experienced evil, death and misery. Because there is no heavenly Maker and Judge, humans received no code of ethics and have no need of eternal salvation.
To the contrary, the holy Bible declares that the eternal God created the universe out of nothing in six days, and rested on the seventh day (Gen. 1:1-2:3; Ex. 20:8-11). Man’s body was created from the ground on the sixth day and the LORD God breathed into him the breath of life (Gen. 2:7). Possessing the image of God, his purpose is to glorify God forever (Gen. 1:26-27, 31; Rom. 11:36).
Man has the capacity to reason and commune with God, but animals are devoid of this capacity. Plants, animals and man do not possess deity and are not to be worshiped (Jer. 10:1-10; Acts 10:25-26; 12:20-23). Only God is be worshiped. In addition, man’s Maker and Judge is holy and expects holiness in man, without which no one will see the Lord (Isaiah 6:1-13; Psalm 73:1; Heb. 12:14-17; Matt. 5:8; Titus 2:11-14). Man is accountable to God.
Let’s elaborate. Scripture teaches that God is eternal, unchanging, and created the world out of nothing. “Before the mountains were born, or You gave birth to the Earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Psalm 90:2). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.” (Heb. 13:8) “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (Heb. 11:3) The Creator spoke and the perfect and good world systematically came into existence in the span of six days (Gen. 1:1-2:3).
Our Almighty Creator made man for the purpose of glorifying Him forever. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:36) “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31) We do not exist to please and glorify ourselves, but the God Who created us (John 8:29; 2 Cor. 5:9; Col. 1:10).
Yet, fellowship with our Maker and Judge is broken by sin. Our greatest need is to be reconciled to God. Adam and Eve, the first human couple, were tested by the Lord in the Garden of Eden, yet failed in disobedience (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7, 18-25; 3:1-24). Because of their sin and each person’s many sins, death entered into the world, and lost man’s penalty for sin is the Lake of Fire forever (Rom. 5:12-21; Matt. 25:46; Rev. 20:11-15). However, Jesus Christ, the sinless Lord and Savior, came into the world to save sinners from eternal punishment if they repent of sin and believe in His death and resurrection on their behalf (Isa. 52:7-53:12; John 2:23-3:21; Acts 20:21; Rom.10:9-13).
The sacred Scripture says, “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Gen. 1:27) This means we have a rational capability foreign to the animals and one which is to submit to the will of the Creator. Christian ethics assume these truths so that there is right and wrong, good and evil (Ex. 20:1-17). Man is not a higher animal, nor is he able to decide for himself according to his whims. Moreover, no ethnicity is inherently higher or better than another because all humans possess the image of God (Gen. 5:1-32; 11:1-9; Acts 17:16-31; James 3:9). Therefore, genocide and the suppression of others are contradictory to a biblically-informed Christian worldview.
The preceding views also inform our standpoint on missions. Since the Lord, “made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the Earth,” (Acts 17:26) and since, “both Jews and Greeks are all under sin,” (Rom. 3:9) it is necessary to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. As Jesus commissioned us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matt. 28:19-20) The one true and eternal God, the Creator of the ends of the Earth, the only Savior, announced long ago, “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the Earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 40:28; 45:22; 43:10-11; 49:6).”
For further reading, check Coming to Grips with Genesis: Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth by Terry Mortenson and Thane H. Ury. Also visit: www.answersingenesis.org.
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