The Modern Creation Trilogy. Dr. Henry M. Morris

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СКАЧАТЬ times in the Declaration of Independence (“endowed by our Creator,” “created equal,” “Nature’s God,” etc.). Marshall Foster has pointed out that at least the first 24 state constitutions recognized biblical Christianity as the religion of their states.6 Yet today, the Bible, Christianity, and creationism have been banned from the schools of the states, which were founded to teach these very truths! All this has been done in the name of a gross distortion of the First Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment, which was intended to prevent the establishment of a particular national denomination (e.g., Catholic, Anglican), has instead been so twisted as to establish evolutionary humanism in the United States as the quasi-official religion of all our public institutions!

      That the primeval dominion mandate is still in effect, with its implied responsibility of all men to their Creator for exercising careful and fruitful stewardship over His creation, is evident from various later passages of Scripture. The mandate itself is cited in such Scriptures as Psalm 8:6–8 and Hebrews 2:6–8. The Christian is not excused from his responsibilities under the dominion mandate just because he is now also under the missions’ mandate of Christ’s great commission (Matt. 28:18–20; Acts 1:8). Both of these are age-long, worldwide commissions, and, if anything, the Christian “ambassador for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20) is under even a greater responsibility than the unbeliever to fulfill the first commission, as well as the second.

      He is commanded, for example, to serve with enthusiasm in whatever legitimate vocation that he follows, and no calling is excluded if it is done in obedience to God and His Word. “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men . . . for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23–24). Likewise, the Christian is commanded to be a good citizen of the secular government — and this also because he is thereby serving God. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake. . . . as the servants of God” (1 Pet. 2:13–16). Effectiveness in witnessing for Christ under the second mandate, to a large degree is contingent upon our faithfulness under the first mandate — by being good stewards of God’s creation, good workers in our jobs, and good citizens of our countries.

      Creation in All the Bible

      A third indicator of the importance of the doctrine of creation is found in the emphasis that God has placed on it throughout the Bible. Not only is creation the theme of the first and foundational chapters of the Bible (Gen. 1 and 2), but the restored creation is the theme of the final, consummational chapters of the Bible (Rev. 21 and 22).

      The longest divine monologue in the Bible is God’s response to the philosophical disputations of Job and his friends, as recorded in Job 38–41. This response does not deal at all with the issue of human suffering, which these men had been debating for 35 chapters, but solely with God’s creation and His providential concern therewith.

The New Testament has many references to creation, with the prologue to John’s evangelistic Gospel being of special significance. In fact, every book of the Bible (except the three one-chapter personal epistles of Philem., 2 John, and 3 John) contain one or more references to the people and/or the events of the first 11 chapters of Genesis.7

      The doctrine of special creation is the foundation of all other Christian doctrines. The experience of belief in Christ as Creator is the basis of all other Christian experience. Creationism is not peripheral or optional; it is central and vital! That is why God placed the account of creation at the beginning of the Bible, and why the very first verse of the Bible speaks of the creation of the physical universe.

      Jesus Christ was Creator (Col. 1:16) before He became Redeemer (Col. 1:20). He is the very “beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 3:14). How then can it be possible to really know Him as Savior unless one also, and first, knows the Triune God as Creator?

      The very structure of man’s time commemorates over and over again, week by week, the completed creation of all things in six days. The preaching of the gospel necessarily includes the preaching of creation: “The everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth . . . worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Rev. 14:6–7).

      One of the greatest blessings of the study of God’s creation is the increasing sense of wonder and gratitude that it generates. The planning and fabrication of the infinite array of beautiful stars in the heavens and animals and plants on the land and in the sea, with systems of incredible complexity and marvelous symbiosis, can only be explained in terms of an omniscient Creator!

      Praise to God for His Creation

      One of the greatest mysteries of human nature is the fact that intelligent scientists, familiar with these phenomena, can actually attribute them to blind chance, acting through random mutations and natural selection processes operating on eternal matter. The only explanation of this strange belief is, as the Apostle says, they “became vain in their imaginations. . . . Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. . . . they did not like to retain God in their knowledge” (Rom. 1:21–28).

      The normal response to the beauty and order of the creation, however, is one of thanksgiving and praise! This is one of the dominant themes of the writers of the Bible, especially in the Book of Psalms. A few of such passages are noted below:

      For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens (1 Chron. 16:25–26).

      Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. . . . By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth (Ps. 33:1, 6).

      Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving. . . . The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (Ps. 95:2, 5–6).

      Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves. . . . Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name (Ps. 100:3–4).

      I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (Ps. 139:14).

      O give thanks unto the Lord of lords. . . . To him that by wisdom made the heavens . . . . To him that stretched out the earth above the waters . . . . To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth forever (Ps. 136:3–7).

      Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains (Ps. 147:7–8).

      Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were created (Ps. 148:5).

      And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever . . . saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev. 4:9–11).

      Many other such references abound in the Bible, ascribing praise and thanks to God for His magnificent work of creation and for His providential and loving care thereof. In contrast to the people who offer such praises, however, those who refuse to acknowledge and thank God for His creation are condemned in these words of bitter irony:

      For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; СКАЧАТЬ