Where Should We Start

Where Should We Start?
Pastor Terry Wilcox

Genesis 1:1-2

Our world is suffering the “religion” written about in “The Humanist Manifesto I” of 1933 and “The Humanist Manifesto II” of 1976

Today science is accepted as the gospel and the Bible is regarded as an ancient irrelevance.

God is not at odds with the search for truth. However, the worship of science is idolatry.

Peel the onion of causation and we find: Problems science can’t address, problems of the heart of mankind.

“Lev” is Hebrew for “heart.” It means your mind, soul, and spirit. That by which you know God.
I Kings 3:12
Jeremiah 17:9

Science repaired my pump, but God has changed my heart for eternity!

1. Consider God’s attributes:
   Sovereign, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, immutable.

   Four others that to some degree the Holy Spirit manifests in believers: 
   Righteousness, justice, love, and truthfulness.

   a. He is eternal, as in self-existent. Genesis 1:1
   John 17:4
   b. His Omnipotence is displayed in self-sufficiency.
   “God created” in the Hebrew “Elohim” is in the plural and the word for created is in the singular.
   Genesis 1:26
   Genesis 1:2
   We glimpse the Trinity.
   John 1:1

2. He created.
   Genesis 1:2
   Genesis 1:2 ESV

   a. God created out of nothing.
   Romans 4:17
   The power of God progressed from nothingness and formlessness to form and fullness.

   “The six days of creation (see v. 5, 8, 13, 19, 23, and 31) are presented in such a way as to suggest a careful literary structure. On day 1 “light” is formed. On day 4 “two great lights…the stars also.”  On day 2 “God made the firmament, and divided the waters.” On day 5 these were filled with “great sea creatures…and every winged bird.” On day 3 “Earth” is formed along with vegetation. On day 6 “God created man in His own image;…and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth.'” Tōhû is finding “form,” as outlined in the first three days, and bōhû is finding fulfillment in the fourth through the sixth days.”  – Dr. D. S. Briscoe

   b. Six 24-hour days?
   Sincere Christians view this differently. “Day” is translation of Hebrew “Yom” which can accurately be translated: period or era.
   “The Christian View of Science and Scripture” by Bernard Ramm
   Ken Ham, CEO of Answers in Genesis
   Does it require more faith than God creating everything out of nothing?

3. God’s affirmation
   Genesis 1:31

   a. Believing “a good earth” leads to enjoyment and stewardship.
   b. A desire and willingness to reflect the image of God through faith and obedience.
   c. A sense of wonder at all of creation.

Personal Notes