WHAT IS MAN?
Sailors at sea have an amazing vantage point from which to view God’s astonishing creative works. The power and immensity of the sea itself and the abundant creatures that inhabit its waters are a staggering revelation to young recruits, as well as salty old veterans. But the roaring ocean waves also give wayfaring voyagers an unmatched view of the vast universe as well. From the deck of a ship, far from the hazy glow of land-locked city skylines, the spiraling arms of the Milky Way seem to loom so ominously low above you, and reveal so many points of light, traumatized gazers are often forced to look away. And if that’s not intimidating enough, astronomers now estimate that, “…the observable universe has more than 100 billion galaxies. Our own Milky Way is home to around 300 billion stars… putting current estimates of the total stellar population at roughly 70 billion trillion (7 x 1022).”1 It was this very same breathtaking expanse, to which a young shepherd boy raised his eyes 3,000 years ago, and asked the question of his creator, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him…?”2. What are we? Who are we? How did we get here? Does anyone care? Not exactly new questions, right? Quite the contrary and yet they are profound questions that have persisted in the hearts of man, since the first muddy footprints that he laid down on terra firma.
But this young shepherd knew his place in God’s order, and the next words that he uttered from his mouth were just as profound, as he said, “You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands…”3 He knew what he was, who he was, and how he got here, he just couldn’t figure out why God would care so much for him, given how small he was compared with the vastness of God’s creation. While modern biblical scholars and anthropologists would scoff at David’s interpretation of the origin of man, we must acknowledge that it was in keeping with a literal, ‘six day creationist’ interpretation of the Genesis account, and indeed the whole of scripture. At no point does the Bible ever even suggest the possibility that, man gradually developed into man, over the course of long periods of time, through a creative process. Yet, due to overwhelming academic and political pressure applied by the unbelieving world, the Church has finally succumbed and embraced the blasphemy of evolution.
I’ve just been informed by the prestigious Christian university that I’m currently attending, that it would be quite alright for me, as a Christian, regardless of the mountains of biblical evidence to the contrary, to view theistic evolution and progressive creationism as viable alternatives to the not-so-subtle, but equally heretical theory of atheistic evolution. Following their own hermeneutical rules on these doctrines, they affirm that, “…Christians could hold a similar view... [to atheistic evolution]. This view says that God has endowed his creation with a divine potential to evolve. Though he did not directly intervene in the process by supernatural actions or miracles, he did make a world that could naturally evolve on its own. In other words, God allowed natural processes…”4 Oh really? Chapter and verse please! Of course, the school didn’t always endorse this view. In fact, a 2015 doctrinal course lesson on anthropology reveals a curriculum that is awash in contradictions, between the past theology of the institution, and the apostate leanings of the present. A 1989 textbook still in use exposes the shift in theological perspective by clearly endorsing the young earth creation model, and denouncing theistic evolution by stating the following: “If the human race has evolved, then Adam was not a historical person and the analogy between Christ and Adam in romans 5:12-21 breaks down. Furthermore, the theistic evolutionist must take a poetic or allegorical approach in interpreting Genesis 1:1-2:4 for which there is no warrant. Further, the suggestion that humanity is derived from a non-human ancestor cannot be reconciled with the explicit statement of man’s creation in Genesis 2:7.”5. The theology handbook then goes on to support the traditional, literal 24 hour day or ‘fiat creationism’ model, by listing four compelling reasons that the Bible gives in completely disallowing any form of evolution. However, in their revised lecture on anthropology, only negative aspects of Six-Day Creationism are discussed. The lecture goes on to ask the question, “Which view is correct? Obviously it would be unwise for one Christian to claim absolute knowledge of the truth on a subject as controversial as this.”6. Yeah… the biblical view would be the correct view, obviously! And yes, as Christians, we can claim absolute knowledge of the truth, because that is precisely what the Bible purports itself to be, absolute knowledge of the truth! The biblical account is unambiguous on this subject, and it rejects any notion that God may have chosen to utilize such a ridiculously clumsy and inefficient method like evolution, to produce His brilliantly creative works. They scream at us in super decibels of the abundant evidence of design, not random mutative accidents. But alas, the fear of man, the unbelieving heart, and the willingness to compromise with the world, have served yet again to undermine God’s word, and offer this capitulating and whimpering conclusion: “Today the Christian must balance the evidence of God’s Word, and also the evidence of God’s handiwork in nature, as discovered through scientific investigation.”7 Sounds reasonable, right?
Unfortunately, so called scientific investigation today, with regard to the question of origins, equates to merely scientific theory, guesswork, opinions, intellectual dishonesty, and even suppression of evidence. Real science does not contradict the Bible, but the myth that scientists today are only seeking after truth, and are somehow impervious to pre-suppositional biases and preconceived notions, that only back up their own theories, is quite disingenuous. The Apostle Paul provides a chilling warning to those who, “…exchange the truth of God for the lie…”8, stating emphatically that, “…the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.”9 What is man? He is nothing more or less than what God says he is, revealed in the pages of His word, and we must be exceedingly fearful of saying anything to the contrary. Fight the good fight in defending this truth, in spite of the onslaught of criticism that will be leveled against you.
1. www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy/how-many-stars-are-there, by Maria Temming, 2014
2. New King James Version, Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publisher, Psa 8:3-4
3. New King James Version, Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publisher, Psa 8:5-6
4. TH1110 The Church and Its Doctrines – Mini Lecture 4: Anthropology, MBI, pg. 2
5. Moody Handbook of Theology, Enns, Paul, 1989, Moody Press, Chicago, IL. Ch. 23, pg. 302
6. TH1110 The Church and Its Doctrines – Mini Lecture 4: Anthropology, MBI, pg. 3
7. TH1110 The Church and Its Doctrines – Mini Lecture 4: Anthropology, MBI, pg. 3
8. New King James Version, Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publisher, Romans 1:25
9. New King James Version, Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publisher, Romans 1:18-19
