Creation in a Universe of Chance
Introduction
A.
B.
C.
Evolution
Theistic Evolution
Doctrine of Creation
A. Evolution
a. Definition: it is the view that a nonliving substance
gave rise to the first living material, which
subsequently reproduced and diversified to produce all
extinct and extant organisms
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Chemicals present on the earth spontaneously produced a very simple,
probably one-celled life form
This living cell reproduced itself and eventually there were mutations or
differences in the new cells produced
These mutations led to the development of more complex life forms
Process of natural selection – different organisms most fitted to the
environment survived, while others perished
A. Evolution
b. Critique of the Theory of Evolution
1.
After more than a hundred years of experimental breeding of various
kinds of animals and plants, the amount of variation that can be
produced is extremely limited
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Dogs remain dogs
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If they are allowed to return to the wild, the highly specialized
breeds quickly perish and the survivors revert to the original wild
type
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Natural selection actually helps preserve the genetic fitness, not
change the characteristics of the population
A. Evolution
b. Critique of the Theory of Evolution
2.
Darwin’s “missing link”
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Darwin published his theory in 1859
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All he found were fossils of existing species, species which
continue to exist today
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What was needed were fossils of “intermediate” types – he did not
find a single fossil
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He then claimed that since all the fossils had not yet been found that
upon further excavation intermediate fossils would be found
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In the subsequent 130 years of intensive archaeological activity not
one such fossil has been found
A. Evolution
b. Critique of the Theory of Evolution
3.
Individual parts of an organ are useless by themselves – the organ
functions properly when all parts are working properly and together
functioning to make the whole organ work
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The mathematical probability that all the individual parts randomly
mutated in one generation is effectively zero
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Evolutionists end up saying that it must have happened because it
happened
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Bombardier beetle
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Fires a hot charge of chemicals from two swivel tubes in its tail
When these two chemicals are mixed in a lab, they explode
It has an inhibitor substance that blocks the explosive reaction until the beetle
mixes the chemicals in its combustion chamber
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pib9qT-pccI
A. Evolution
b. Critique of the Theory of Evolution
4.
The biggest problem with the theory of evolution is explaining how any
life could have begun in the first place
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The spontaneous generation of even the simplest living organism
capable of independent life from inorganic materials on the earth
could not happen by random mixing of chemicals
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It requires intelligent design and craftsmanship so complex that no
advanced scientific laboratory in the world was able to do it
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“That a living organism emerged by chance from a pre-biotic soup
is about as likely as that ‘a tornado sweeping through a junkyard
might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein.’ Chance
assembly is just a naturalistic way of saying ‘miracle.’”
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Watch and leaf
A. Evolution
b. Critique of the Theory of Evolution
5.
The destructive effects
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If human beings are a result of random chance, what is our worth or
significance?
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If there is no creator, and someone who holds us accountable, what
about moral laws?
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If natural selection means improvement in life forms through
survival of the fittest, what happens to those who are weak of less
able to defend themselves?
B. Theistic Evolution
a. Definition: living organisms came about by the
process of evolution that Darwin proposed, but that
God guided that process so that the result was just
what he wanted to be. With these exceptions, they
believe that:
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Evolution proceeded in the ways described by natural scientists
This was the process that God used to allow life forms to develop
Those life forms that had an “adaptive advantage” lived when others did
not
B. Theistic Evolution
b. Critique of the Theory of Theistic Evolution
1.
Scripture teaches that there is a purposefulness in God’s work of
creation, as opposed to randomness demanded by theistic evolution
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Gen. 1:21-25; there is purpose, intentionality, intelligent design
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Bible of the Theistic Evolutionist: “And God said, ‘Let the earth
bring forth living creatures according to their kinds.’ And after
three hundred eighty-seven million four hundred ninety-two
thousand eight hundred seventy-one attempts, God finally made a
mouse that worked.”
B. Theistic Evolution
b. Critique of the Theory of Theistic Evolution
2.
Scripture presents the role of God in creation as an “active” approach
rather than a “hands-off” approach that theistic evolution suggests
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Ps. 139:13; Matt. 6:26, 30
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Theistic evolution’s hands-off approach in creation is inconsistent
with the direct involvement of God’s continual care for His creation
3.
Special creation of Adam and Eve
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Some Theistic Evolutionists say that God did this – if we can accept
this as special creation then why not the rest of creation?
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The special creation of Adam and Even in scripture is starkley
different from the nearly animal, barely human creatures whose
ancestors were nonhuman apelike creatures
C. Doctrine of Creation
a. Definition: God created the entire universe out of
nothing; it was originally very good; and he created it
to glorify himself.
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It has meaning and purpose
God, in his wisdom, created it for something
We should understand that purpose and use creation in ways that fit that
purpose, namely, to bring glory to God himself
C. Doctrine of Creation
b. Creation out of nothing:
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Heb 11:3; Rom. 4:17
Gen. 1
c. Creation of Adam and Eve:
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In his image – Gen. 1:26-27
d. Creation is made for his glory:
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Ps. 19:1-2; Isa. 43:7
e. Creation distinct from God, dependent upon God:
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Transcendence and Immanence
Eph. 4:6; Col 1:17
C. Doctrine of Creation
f. Size of the universe
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Everything that you and I experience on a daily basis has been created by God.
Light travels at the speed of 186,000 miles/sec
It would take light 20 billion years to go from one end of the universe to the other
The main disk of the Milky Way Galaxy is about 80,000 to 100,000 light-years in
diameter, about 250,000 to 300,000 light-years in circumference, and outside the Galactic
core, about 1,000 light-years in thickness.
As a guide to the relative physical scale of the Milky Way, if the galaxy were reduced to
80 mi in diameter, the solar system would be a mere 2mm (0.08 inches) in width.
There are approx. 10 – 100 billion galaxies in the universe.
The Milky Way galaxy is estimated to contain 200 billion stars. And our sun is one of
these stars – and it is rather small in size.
God is the creator of all this. He made all this by simply giving the command – exist!
This is how big God is
In spite of all this, God chose to look upon us with favor – and God is intimately involved
in the smallest details of our lives – what concerns us concerns Him