By Faith: Creation
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Introduction
Introduction
One of the most prolific arguments between those that study science and those that embrace Christianity is that of creation. How did our world as we know begin? You have folks that believe in what has been called the steady state theory, which says the universe is constantly expanding and generating its own new matter and therefore never had a beginning and has always been there. However, this theory is rejected by most cosmologists today because the evidence is overwhelming that the universe did in fact have a beginning. In fact, even scientists that profess to be atheists feel there was some type of beginning. In his bestseller, A Brief History of Time, professing atheist and theoretical physicist, Dr. Stephen Hawking wrote, “So long as the universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a creator.”
There are many hypotheses of what that creator might be.
Dr. Michael Strauss, a distinguished professor of Physics at the University of Oklahoma, has spent his life studying the world’s tiniest particles. He was interviewed by Lee Strobel for Strobel’s new book, A Case for Miracles, which devotes two chapters to the miracle of creation. Dr. Strauss states, “I’m friends with an artist who says he can look at a piece of art and see the soul of the artist. I can’t do that, but I’m a scientist. I can look deeply into the universe and the subatomic world and see the soul of THE ARTIST.” For instance, I see evidence of His transcendence. So what does that tell me? It tells me that for Him, intervening in the world He made is simple. Miracles are trivial. They’re easy to do. Then I look at the bizarre world of quantum mechanics. Virtual particles pop in and out of existence; apparently, one particle can be two places at the same time. To me, that’s a reflection of , which says that God’s ways are different from our ways. His thoughts are greater than our thoughts.”
He goes on the say, “The artist looks a t painting and says, ‘These brushstrokes tell me about the mood of the painter.’ As a physicist, I know that virtual particles inside of protons have a mass that is finely tuned so I can exist. That tells me the mood of the Creator--- He’s both ingenious and caring, Why else would He cause all of creation to accrue to our benefit? Frankly, I look at a painting and say, ‘Huh, that’s nice.’ To me, it’s just color on canvas. I can’t see deeper realities that an artist can But I’m privileged to be a scientist. I can see the nuances and subtleties and intricacies of nature in a way that others can’t. And invariably, they point me toward one conclusion: the God hypothesis has no competitors.”
He goes on to say,
How can a world renown physicist make such a statement?
The same way you and I can and the same way that the writer of Hebrews can: By Faith!
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
The Aramaic Bible in Plain English says it this way: “For by faith we understand that the worlds were fashioned by the word of God, and these things that are seen came into being out of those things which are unseen.”
Notice three areas that we can by faith, see the hand of God in our creation.
First, notice:
By Faith, Comprehension.
By Faith, Comprehension.
Faith not only looks forward to the end of the world, but looks back to the beginning of the world.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
By faith, we understand that God was in existence before anything else. How did He get there you might ask, the bible says that God always has been
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
By faith we understand that the visible universe was created by something invisible, namely the word of God.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
By faith we understand that knowledge is not independent of faith. Everything that exists on earth, exists under God’s control.
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
1 Chrono
We see that by faith comprehended, we are able to understand that God initiated the created order, and that He constructed the universe.
By Faith Construction
By Faith Construction
By faith, we understand that God formed the universe. He formed it, He fashioned it, He framed it, He constructed it.
Psalm 74:16-
Psalm 73:
The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.
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By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
If you have ever built anything, you understand the exact precision that has to be done. Have you ever thought about just how precise this world was constructed? Paul Davies, a professor of physics at Arizona State University, stated, “There is, for me, powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all. It seems as though somebody has fine-tuned nature’s numbers to make the universe…The impression of the design is overwhelming.”
British cosmologist Edward R. Harrison takes it a step further: “Here is the cosmological proof of the existence of God: The fine-tuning of the universe provides prima facie evidence of deistic design.” In other words, God constructed the universe is such a way that it is perfect for you and I to live on this planet at this time. Did you know that if the earth was tilted just a few degrees one way we would burn up and if He tilted it the other way just a few degrees we would freeze?
By faith, comprehension.
By faith, construction.
Lastly, look at by faith, the command.
By Faith Command
By Faith Command
All this took place, according to the Bible, by God speaking. Throughout Genesis chapter 1, we see the words “and God said” followed by some type of command.
Let there be light.
Let there be an expanse to separate water from water.
Let there be water in one place and dry ground.
Let the land produce vegetation.
Let there be lights in the sky to separate day and night.
Let the water teem with creatures in the sea and birds in the air.
Let the land produce living creatures.
Let us make man in our own image.
By God’s command, the universe was made.
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
God used His spoken word through the instrument of His personal word.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created.
48:
You see, God’s incomparable power is such that He can call the universe into being when there is nothing from which it can be fashioned. He simply declared that it was to be, and once He said it, it was done!
Our world had a beginning point when out of nothing, God spoke and created an ordered universe. Out of chaos, He created order. This is important for you and me.
As I was studying and researching for this message, I was reminded of the logic that science demands. Here is some logical faith for you:
If God can create the splendor of this world out of chaos, then He can do something wonderful with our lives.
If God created this world, then He can show us how to live in it.
If God can show us how to live in it, then we can trust that His ways are the absolute best for us to live life to its fullest.
If God’s ways are the absolute best for us to live life to its fullest, we begin by accepting by faith this Personal Creator as the foundation of life. We do not prove a Divine Creator through human logic but come by faith to our conviction that God created the world by His word.
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Hebrews 11:3
What is your understanding?
Why is creation such a big deal
