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Why Christadelphians Believe in the Divine Creator. Why do Christadelphians Believe in the Divine Creator?. Why Christadelphians believe in a Creation Should we take Genesis literally? What did the Old Testament Prophets Believe? What did Jesus Believe? What did the Apostles Believe?
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Why do Christadelphians Believe in the Divine Creator? • Why Christadelphians believe in a Creation • Should we take Genesis literally? • What did the Old Testament Prophets Believe? • What did Jesus Believe? • What did the Apostles Believe? • Evidence for Creation • Where did the universe and matter come from? • How is the Earth so perfectly suited to support life and human beings? • Diversity, variation, design and beauty. • Creation and Evolution a Matter of Faith? • God’s purpose with the Earth.
The Current Debate • 2009 Bicentenary of the Birth of Charles Darwin • 150 Years since the publication of The Origin of Species
The Bible’s Claims Gen 1v1 1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Ex 20:11 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.
The Authority of the Bible. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2Peter 1.20
Has God Spoken? • 46 ‘God said’ • 413 ‘Thus saith the Lord’ • 219 ‘The Lord said’ • 144 ‘The Lord spake’ • 13 ‘God spoke’
God Has Spoken. • Hebrews 1.1-3 • God spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, • Now spoken unto us by his Son, • Made the world for his son to inherit • Made the world because of his son;
Should We Take Genesis Literally? Ex 20:11 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. See also Ex 31:17
Planck epoch • Up to 10–43 seconds after the Big Bang Main article: Planck epoch • The Planck epoch is an era in traditional (non-inflationary) big bang cosmology in which the temperature is high enough that the four fundamental forces—electromagnetism, gravitation, weak nuclear interaction, and strong nuclear interaction—are all unified in one fundamental force. • Little is understood about physics at this temperature, and different theories propose different scenarios. • Wikipedia
The Teaching of the Prophets • Isaiah 45 • I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. • 18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
The teaching of the prophets • Zechariah 12v1 • ...saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
The Teaching of Jesus Mark 10 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
The Teaching of the Apostles • Acts 2 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
The Teaching of the Apostles • Acts 17 • 4 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; • 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
The Teaching of the Apostles • Ro 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: • Ro 5:19 For as by one man‘s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Should we take Genesis Literally? • No less than 61 of the books of the Bible make reference to some part of Genesis. • 49 of these books make reference to Genesis 1 – 4 • At least 40 direct references to the LORD God as the maker or creator of the heavens and the Earth
Creation Demonstrates God’s Great Power Rom 1v20 For the invisible things of himfrom 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:
Where Did the Universe, Matter and the Laws Which Govern it all Originate From? H2O
How is it that the Earth is so Perfectly Suited to Support Life and Human Beings? The more I examine the universe and study the detail of its architecture the more evidence I find that the universe, in some sense, must have known we were coming. Freeman Dyson (1979) (quoted in Bryson B. (2003) A short history of nearly everything) • In the Goldilocks Zone – Just right! • Size to retain atmosphere • Distance from the Sun • Temperature for Water • Circular Orbit • Distance from Jupiter • Size moon • Speed of rotation • Amount of water • Properties of water • Etc, etc....
What could have produced such beautiful diversity of living things and design for purpose?
How did life itself originate and what is the point of it all? The chances of 1055 sequence molecule like collagen spontaneously self assembling themselves are, frankly, nil. The odds against a sequence of 200 molecules coming up in a prescribed sequence are 1 in 10260 ...that is larger than all the atoms in the universe. Bryson B. (2003) A short history of nearly everything p351-352 DNA COLLAGEN
By Faith We Believe • Heb 11v1-3 • 1 ¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. • 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. • 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.
What about the Evolutionists? Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
What about the evolutionist? ‘We can therefore allow it to have been an extremely improbable event, many times more improbable than most people realize.’ (p162) ‘We live on a planet where we are surrounded by perhaps ten million species which independently display the powerful illusion (evidence!) of apparent design’. (p167) Dawkins R. (2006) The God Delusion
What about the evolutionist? • Is evolution a proven fact? No! We hold it as an act of faith because there is no alternative. • 2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Why did God Create the Earth? Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
Why did God Create the Earth? Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.