D
The Theological Message of Genesis Chapter One
Thomas Tvedten
In this essay the concepts of atheism, polytheism, materialism, and evolution will be touched upon. Genesis chapter one will be the primary source for this essay, but other references will be used as further evidence. While it is useless to throw pearls before swine, apologetics is a responsibility for Disciples of Christ in order to spread the good news of Christ’s salvation. It is also necessary to address these topics in order for the student to demonstrate a true understanding of the contents of the Bible. Too many pseudo-Christians believe that reading and understanding the New Testament is all that is required in order to be a disciple of Christ, and even more so-called Christians believe that reading the Bible is not necessary at all in order to serve Christ.
In most cases atheism and evolution are tied together, and they are usually tied together with the big-bang theory. The Holy Bible is the divinely inspired word of God. In Genesis 1:1 God states that “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” It does not say that “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth from … something else.” It is clear that God simply created the heaven and the earth from his own power. Unfortunately, this argument will only be partially effective upon those who claim to be Christian and believe that the Holy Bible is indeed the inspired word of God.
According to http://big-bang-theory.com, “Our universe is thought to have begun as an infinitesimally small, infinitely hot, infinitely dense, something - a singularity. Where did it come from? We don't know. Why did it appear? We don't know.” The big-bang theory further goes on to state that through a combination of forces such as electricity, minerals, heat and other elements that life cataclysmically began. This atheistic view is a religion that requires more faith than the simple truth that God created the universe by speaking it into existence. If the big bang theory were true it would be reproducible. As of yet it has not despite many attempts to duplicate it in a laboratory.
Regarding evolution, the purpose of life is said by evolutionists to be solely to procreate. A Christian once jokingly said that “if the only purpose in our existence is to procreate then once one has procreated why not end one’s own life, because his purpose has already been fulfilled?” Dr. Gibson points out that one aspect of the atheistic view of evolution is the concept of variation. He does not deny that there are variations between individuals and between species. The next element of this theory is that of overproduction. Dr. Gibson does not deny that more individuals of all species are born than individuals that make it to maturity. The third idea of evolution that Dr. Gibson explains is the “struggle for existence.” Along with this concept is the concept of the “survival of the fittest.” This leads us to a “giant leap of faith” (Dr. Gibson, lecture number two). This giant leap of faith is the notion that there is an inheritance of favorable traits that allow one individual to survive and carry on his genetics while another individual does not survive and procreate. There is no evidence for this, and as Dr Gibson points out, “Who is to say what a favorable characteristic is?” (Paraphrased). For example who is to say that being tall is better than being shorter? The Bible authoritatively declares that God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness …” (Geneses 1:26). “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female he created he them” (Geneses 1:27). Dr. Gibson also points out that there are theistic evolutionists who proclaim that God created the world but then simply left it alone and allowed it to evolve on its own. Biblically this is not sound.
The next appropriate concept to discuss is polytheism. In Geneses 1:26 God makes use of the term “us.” Some people may falsely interpret this as a polytheistic statement but further in the Bible it explains that there is one God with three parts. Isaiah 9:6 refers to God as, “the (indicating one) mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of peace” (emphasis of italics added). The Son, is referred to throughout the old testament in prophecy and in the New Testament, “and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who was called the Christ” (Matthew 1:16). Mark 1:10-11 states, “And straightway coming up out of the water , he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in who I am well pleased.” This statement declares the existence of the Holy Spirit and the Son. Everywhere else in Genisis chapter one the Holy Bible refers to God as one being.
According to http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/nontheism/naturalism/materialism.html an atheistic view of materialism, or more accurately,”reductionist materialism maintains that everything is strictly physical.” If this is true then the only purpose in life becomes the acquisition of material things. Geneses 1:2 declares, “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Here again we have reference to the Holly Spirit, and this reference serves as Biblical evidence that not everything is strictly physical.
In summary, the false theories of atheism, polytheism, materialism, atheistic evolution, theistic evolution and even the big-bang theory have been analyzed in this essay from a Biblical perspective. While a Biblical understanding of the truth cannot be proven in a test-tube it is a matter of faith. This faith is best acquired through personal experience in one’s life with divine intervention, and the testimonies of what Jesus Christ has done in people’s lives. Once you truly believe in Jesus with all of your soul and mind, the reality of the Holy Bible as God’s divinely inspired word becomes self evident; for if you doubt that the Bible is the Holy inspired word of the Lord, then you must logically doubt everything else the Bible has to say including that Jesus Christ died at Calvary’s cross for our sins. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”