Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church Lexington, KY. Pastor JOE H. HEAD
Pleasant Ridge Baptist ChurchLexington, KY. Pastor JOE H. HEAD 

THE DOCTRINE OF SPECIAL CREATION   11-1-98AM 5-4-14    Text: Genesis 1:1  "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." 1:24-31 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” 2:21-23 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

      I read from our members handbook the following doctrinal statement:  Article VI.  THE CREATION

   We believe in the Genesis account of creation; that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and after his own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly, and God's established law was that they should bring forth only "after their kind."  Gen. 1:1, 24-27; 2:7, 21-24; Col. 1:16-17; John 1:3   

   Intro:  Genesis is a title taken from the Greek word which means "the book of origins; beginnings ;" it is properly so called, as containing an account of the origin of all things. There is no other history so old. Moses penned the first five book of the O.T.

   There is nothing in the most ancient books which exist that contradicts it; while many things recorded by the oldest heathen writers, or in the customs of different nations, confirm what is related in the book of Genesis. Do you know that not until Darwin published in 1859 the “Origin of Species” was intelligent creation publicly challenged.

   Asking why biblical creationism is important is like asking why a foundation is important to a building. Creationism is foundational to the Christian faith. Creationism is established in the book of Genesis chapter one, with “In the beginning God created . . . .” This one statement affirms creationism and opposes any view that embraces the “big bang” and that everything has been evolving ever since. Our view of creation reflects whether we believe the Word of God is true or not.

   Biblical creationism is important because it is the only system that answers the basic questions of life and gives us significance greater than ourselves. It should be clear to all Christians that creationism and evolution are mutually exclusive and stand in opposition to one another.

   The evolutionist may state that he cannot believe in creationism because that concept requires many miraculous acts by a deity to create all things. He doesn’t believe in the miraculous. But he does believe in miracles when he believes that life could spontaneously generate itself from non-life chemicals to  form the first microscopic life form which was a self-replicating, self-sustaining, complex organic life, and all that arose by chance over many millions of years to evolve into human life. 

  But, even if that is to be considered a possible scenario, we need to ask the question as to how the first plant life; insects; birds, fish; the first tree, the first flower developed?  Just consider that many plants and flowers reproduce themselves only by seeding.  Where did the first seed come from? Yes indeedy, evolutionary scientists do believe in many miracles after all…just not the biblical kind!  Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”  The worlds weren’t made from materials already in existence.

   All we Christians must believe is that there was a powerful God who created all things; while the unbeliever, the skeptic, the agnostic, atheist and the evolutionary scientist must believe in a series of un-provable, un-demonstrable, unrealistic, unnatural, unreliable, and unlikely events interpreted with twisted thinking that goes against all the laws of probability in order to evolve something out of nothing! All God had to do was say, “Let there be…”  Now, wasn’t that easy!!!

   The first verse of the Bible gives us a satisfying and useful account of the origin of the earth and the heavens. The faith of humble Christians understand this better than the most educated people who have reasoned God out of existence.

   To me those who claim no God is needed to explain origins are incredibly illogical.  Think with me. We can categorize two areas of knowledge: (1) things we KNOW and (2) things WE DO NOT KNOW. Even atheists admit that they do not know everything.  Why does anyone describe themselves as atheist?  Because the existence of God is in the realm of their admitted ignorance.

   One would have to possess the intelligent qualities of a god himself, having infinite knowledge, in order to know that there is no such being as a creator deity. But by making such a claim, he would be denying his own point by setting himself up as a god which by his very argument insists does not exist. Atheists admit that they do not know everything so how can they be sure there is no God?

   From what we see of heaven and earth, we learn the power of our great Creator.  Romans 1:20 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; so that they are without excuse.” 

   The Son of God, one with the Father, was with him when he created the world; we are often told in scripture that the world was made by him, and nothing was made without him. 

   Say what you will, only God could make a tree.  In H.S. we had to study poetry; I remember one about Trees, I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest against the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.   Joyce Kilmer

   To profess to believe the express declaration of Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," is to be branded by educated society as being naive and unscientific.  After all, everyone knows the theory of evolution is really fact, so stated by Sir Julian Huxley in 1959, "Darwin's theory is no longer a theory but a fact.   No serious scientist would deny that evolution has occurred, just as he would not deny the fact that the earth goes round the sun."

   The theory of evolution is the idea that life came into existence by a purely natural process, that no special or supernatural activity or intervention was necessary, that all the forms of life we know today have descended from a single, or, at most, a few common ancestors, and that man descended from animal ancestors. I say to the scientist, good luck with proving that one empirically! You have just joined the ranks of those whom the bible calls fools.

    A few years ago the news media ran with the story that scientists had created a primitive form of life in a test tube.  But that was misleading. What they did was use preexisting chemicals. 

   A make believe story goes like this.  God tells this great scientist that he created man out of the dust of the earth. The scientist said, well I can do that too. He proceeds to prove he can create by reaching for a handful of dirt.  God, speaks, wait a minute. Create your own dirt!

   Some would contend that the argument over origins is unnecessary. Does it really matter?  YES it does!   If the Word of God is wrong in Genesis 1 and 2, it cannot be trusted anywhere else!   Can't we believe in both?   NO! Some have tried to blend the two, but the hybrid results are unacceptable.

 

I. CONSIDER THE SUMMARY OF GENESIS ACCOUNT.

   The first day: v1‑5.  Heaven and earth created without form, uninhabited, and in darkness and covered by water. At first there was nothing desirable to be seen for the world was without form, and void; it was confusion, and emptiness. Then God speaks into existence light.  He divides the light from the darkness and calls the light "day" and the darkness "night". He tells us a day consists in the evening and the morning (since daytime closes at evening and the night ends with the morning, the phrase indicates that the first day‑night cycle was completed).

   The second day: v6‑8  God divides the waters by a firmament. He calls this firmament "Heaven". There was waters above, and below this firmament.

  The third day: v9‑13 God gathered the waters below into one place and allowed the dry land to appear. He calls the dry land "Earth" and the waters "Seas". He created vegetation on this third day.

  The fourth day: v14‑19.  God created the Sun, Moon, and Stars. The purpose for these were to be for signs, for seasons, for days, and for years. They were also to give light upon the earth.

   The fifth day: v20‑23. God created the sea creatures and the fowl of the air. God commands them to 'be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas'. He commands the fowl of the air to 'multiply in the earth'.

   The sixth day: v24‑31 God created the creatures on the earth. This includes beasts, cattle, and creeping things. God created man in His image and after His likeness. He gives man dominion over all of the creatures in the sea, in the air, and on the earth. He commands man to be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.

   The seventh day: 2:1‑3 Creation is now finished. God ends His work. He now rests from His creative works, and sanctifies the seventh day.

II. FAULTY THINKING CONCERNING CREATION.

A. Day‑age theory.

   1. This theory equates the "days" of Genesis 1 with the "ages" of the scientists' geological time table which requires multiple millions of years.

   2. They begin with Azoic (no life) era and proceed through the intervening eras into the present Cenozoic (new life) era, which according to the geologists, has been going on for a million years or so.

   3. The major problem with this is the Exodus account of creation. Note: Moses defines what length of time the Genesis seven days were, Exodus 20:9‑11  "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: {10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: {11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

   It is obvious from the description of this passage as to what a day is that the "days" of creation were literal 24 hour periods of time.

B. The Gap theory.  What is the Gap Theory?

   Through this teaching, a long period of time, perhaps millions (or even billions) of years, supposedly fits between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Modern expressions of it are varied, but the traditional view is best summarized by Weston W. Fields in his book, “Unformed and Unfilled” (page 7), where he states: “In the far distant, dateless past God created a perfect heaven and perfect earth. Satan was ruler of the earth which was peopled by a race of “men” without any souls.

   Eventually, Satan, who dwelled in a garden composed of minerals (Ezek. 28), rebelled by desiring to become like God (Isa. 14). Because of Satan’s fall, sin entered the universe and brought on the earth God’s judgment in the form of a flood (and indicated by the water of 1:2), and then a global ice-age when the light and heat from the sun were somehow removed.

   All the plant, animal, and human fossils upon the earth today date from this “Lucifer’s Flood” and do not bear any genetic relationship with the plants, animals and fossils living upon the earth today.

   Mention should be made here that some modern advocates propose a Gap only for the purpose of attempting to account for Satan’s fall. Many others hold it to allow for evolution and an old earth, thereby accepting both evolution of the previous world and creation of the present world.” 

   Talk about wild fantasy! However, that is where those who doubt the biblical account must go for a hypothesis of how all created things began by self creation.

   1. The basic contention of this view is that Genesis 1:1 declares the original creation.

   2. And that there is a "gap" of millions of years between v1 and v2.

   3. One weakness of this theory is that it arrived on the scene shortly after Darwin wrote the "Origin of the Species". It was never heard of before that.

   4. This theory has been promoted by the Scofield Bible and Clarence Larkin as well as many others who wish to satisfy the God hating educated sinners who think us fools for believing in divine creation of seven 24 hour days.

   5. The greatest problem with this theory, for the bible believer, is theological: death would have had to occur for the formation of fossils before any sentence of death was passed by God in Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”  Therefore, death could not have occurred before Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit.  Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

   The first animal death was when God slew animals to provide clothes to hide the nakedness of Adam and Eve.    The first human death recorded in the bible was Abel’s when his brother Cain slew him out of jealousy. The animals that died after Adam’s sin and before Abel’s death would not have had sufficient time lapse for them to become fossils. So, the fossils which geologists claim existed from millions of years before human life, could not have existed before Adam and Eve were created and before death to all forms of life resulted from Adam’s sin.  How or when did the fossils form which science dates millions of years old? Noah’s flood! Not so old!

   How much better to take God at His Word and simply believe what He says.

III. THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATION.

A.   It distinguishes the true God from idols.

   1. Ps. 96:5, "For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens."

   2. Is. 37:16, "O Lord...thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth."

   3. Note: Jeremiah 10:10‑12   "But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. {11} Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens."

B.   It establishes the sovereignty of God.

    1. Note: Isaiah 40:12 "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counseller hath taught him? 25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. 27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

   All created beings shrink to nothing in comparison with the Creator. When the Lord, by his Spirit, made the world, none directed his Spirit, or gave advice what to do, or how to do it.

   This magnifies God's love to the world, that though it is of such little importance and value to Him, yet, for the redemption of it, he gave his only begotten Son, John 3:16.

   The services of the church cannot add anything to God’s sovereignty or glory.   Our souls would have perished forever if the only Son of the Father had not given himself for us.

   Isa 40:26  "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth."

   (Isa 40:28)  "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding."

   2. God is sovereign over all of the earth and over man.  God questions Job, (Job 38:4)  "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding."

   For the humbling of Job, God here shows him his ignorance, even concerning the earth and the sea. As we cannot find fault with God's work, so we need not fear concerning it. The works of his providence, as well as the work of creation, never can be broken; and the work of redemption is no less firm of which Christ himself is both the Foundation and the Cornerstone. The church stands as firm as the earth. (Jer 32:27)  "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?"

   3. To deny that God created the world in which we live is to deny that man has an obligation to obey Him and honor Him.   In my mind this is the whole point of evolutionary theory.   (Psa 10:4)  "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."    (Rom 1:28)  "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"

   Paul shows us, Rom 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (down, or suppress) the truth in (or by their)  unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20 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; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." Look what denial of God has done to American families!

   Until modern times the common sense knowledge was that God exists.  Every form of reasoning pointed to that. Daniels prophecy speaks about the increase of knowledge in the latter days, Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”  The sad part of increased knowledge is that it has led to the suppression of the God who is, in favor of any theory which excludes him and the accountability of every human being to him.

      The apostle shows that all mankind need the salvation of the gospel, because none could obtain the favor of God, or escape his wrath by their own works.   The cause of that sinfulness is holding down the truth in unrighteousness.    All, more or less, do what they know to be wrong, and omit what they know to be right, so that the plea of ignorance cannot be allowed from anyone. This is known as “practical atheism.” 

   Our Creator's invisible power and Godhead are so clearly shown in the works he has made, that even idolaters and wicked Gentiles are left without excuse.  They foolishly followed idolatry; and rational creatures changed the worship of the glorious Creator, for that of brutes, reptiles, and senseless images. 

   People have wandered from God up and till this 21 century when almost all traces of true religion has been lost. Only God’s will and the revelation of the gospel has prevented it.  For whatever may be pretended, as to the sufficiency of man's reason to discover Divine truth and moral obligation, or to govern the practice aright, facts cannot be denied.   Man has failed.

   And these plainly show that people have dishonored God by the most absurd idolatries and superstitions; and have degraded themselves by the vilest affections and most abominable deeds.   Halloween, demonology, the occult, monsters, Satanism, gore and gross depictions on TV & movies, illustrates well the degradation of human conduct.

   4. This is the danger... to be against intelligent creation is to be anti‑God!

   5. He is Lord.    (Col 1:16‑17)  "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: {17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

   6. Those who deny that God created this world and all that is therein fall in line for the same condemnation as those in Romans 1:25.  "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."  Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

   7.   Refusal to believe in the creation account of Genesis is to deny the truthfulness of Jesus Christ.  The Bible says of Him: (John 1:17)  "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."    Did Christ make any statement about the creation of all?   Yes, (Mark 10:6)  "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." This was obviously NOT a progressive evolution from nothing to something. Adam and Eve were something at the start.  Jesus is a credible witness to the truth of the book of Genesis!  And if Jesus told the truth, evolutionists are liars!  And visa versa.  Where ought we to take our stand?

Conclusion:  There are many facts that are used by both sides of the creation vs. evolution debate. Facts are facts, but there is no such thing as a fact that absolutely requires a single interpretation. The divide between creationism and secular naturalism (evolution) rests on different interpretations of the facts.

   Regarding the evolution vs. creation debate specifically, Charles Darwin himself made this point. In the introduction to The Origin of Species, he stated, “I am well aware that scarcely a single point is discussed in this volume on which facts cannot be adduced (offered), often apparently leading to conclusions directly opposite to those at which I arrived.”

   Obviously, Darwin believed evolution over creation, but he was willing to admit that interpretation was key to choosing a belief. One scientist might view a particular fact as supportive of naturalism; another scientist might view that same fact as supporting creationism.  Much the same as two or more doctors disagreeing on what the symptoms tell them is the affliction of a patient and how to treat it.
   Creationism is the only possible alternative to naturalistic ideas such as evolution, especially since this has been admitted to by some of the leading minds of science. Influential scientists state that the only possible explanations for life are naturalistic evolution or special creation. They don’t agree on which is true, but they almost all agree that one or the other must be.

   Creation and Evolution are incompatible. We believe that God's Word is true.   God said what He meant and meant what He said.  My faith is not shaken by so‑called scientific discoveries.

   Hebrews 11:3, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."    Jesus told Thomas, "...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Jn.20:29

    We believe the literal account of creation just as much as the literal account of salvation!   Where is your faith today?  Is it in the Word of God or the words of men?

 

 

 

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Revelation 11:17 "Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." 

 

SERVICES:

SUNDAY MORNING:

Bible Study 9:30
Worship 10:30

 

SUNDAY EVENING:



Choir Practice 5:00



Men’s Prayer 5:15



Evening Worship 6:00

 

WEDNESDAY EVENING:

Men’s Prayer 5:15

Sermon 6:00

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