Creation, Facts, and Purpose

Spirituality Column #202
September 21, 2010
Current in Carmel - Current in Westfield - Current in Noblesville
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Creation, Facts, and Purpose
By Bob Walters

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth …
(Genesis 1:1)

Considering that Creation is among the hottest of contemporary, fightin’-words, flash-point topics in church, theological, political, scientific, cosmological, educational, philosophical and biblical circles, this could be a dangerous discussion.

However the intention here is to simply present a few non-combative thoughts on the how and why of Creation, not challenge anyone’s Christianity or second-guess God.

Neither is this an attempt to prove the “six day” teaching nor to bash evolution, but we will put the Bible in its rightful and true spot as God’s voice.

The truths we’re working with are that God exists, God is eternal and uncreated, God is the creator of all things, God had a reason for creating all things, God is omniscient (knows all) and omnipotent (can do all), and the Bible is what it says it is.

Let’s also clearly state that the world is real, we are real, we are alive, we are aware, and what we do matters. Plus, it is reliably entrenched in our human brains to ask how and why Creation happened, and how and why we are here.

Science and Philosophy (God created them, too) ask how and why all the time.

Science asks: How do things happen? What are the predictable and repeatable results? What are the facts?

Philosophy asks: Why am I here? Why are we here? What is truth? What is our purpose?

The scientific “How” leads to facts: we find out how God made things, leading to knowledge. And then, philosophically asking “Why” God made things leads to discovery of God’s purpose, leading to relationship and faith.

The Bible reveals little of “how” God created us, but is overwhelmingly packed with “why.” From Adam and Eve to Abraham to Moses to the Prophets to Jesus Christ to Paul, God describes His relationship with mankind, and the relationship He wants us to have with each other.

God’s purpose for Creation becomes clear as our faith grows, and that purpose boils down to one word: Love. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and his Son Jesus Christ entered this world to defeat death, remove our sin, and save us for eternal communion amid God’s love.

I appreciate science exploring how God does things, but am thankful beyond expression that faith is all we need to know why.

Walters (www.believerbob.blogspot.com, email rlwcom@aol.com) thinks science is God’s way of having us look for Him in Creation. Too often we think we see ourselves instead.

Evidences of God

Spirituality Column #133
May 26, 2009
Current in Carmel (IN) newspaper
Current in Westfield (IN) newspaper

Evidences of God
By Bob Walters

My elder son Eric is taking a Religious Studies minor in college and is always an interesting conversational partner during our car trips to and from school.

Eric, heading into his senior year at Purdue, is a baptized believer in Christ and walks his faith in a number of tangible ways – missions, campus ministries, Bible study leadership, youth group mentoring, worship musician, avid volunteer for assorted Kingdom activities, regular church-goer, chaplain of his fraternity, and (OK, I’m a bit biased) all around good-guy.

Plus, he’s a sinner like the rest of us. It’s ironic that we Christians, so often assailed by secularists for either being hypocrites or goody-two-shoes, are also the first to admit we are sinners.

That’s because being a sinner is the one and only thing that qualifies us for the grace of Christ. But I digress …

It’s easy to get through college thinking there is no God, being confused about God, just plain not thinking about God, or ridiculing God and those who believe in Him.

Eric’s faith, thankfully, is surviving both the college experience and what he’s learning about philosophy and theology.

On our most recent ride back down I-65, Eric mentioned a philosophy class this semester which discussed that there are just two kinds of arguments – evidential and logical.

An evidential argument, for example, would suggest that it is more likely God and evil in some way coexist. We see God, we see evil; both exist. A logical argument, differently, would note that a good God would not allow evil to exist, there is evil in the world, therefore God does not exist.

Conversation ensued … evidence obviates assumptions, while logic is wholly dependent on assumptions. Logic is harder to prove than evidence. “My concept of good outweighs God’s likelihood of existence” is a big, awful assumption, not evidence.

But here’s my point. Secularists – who in my experience are particularly queasy about being called “sinners” – immodestly fight against the idea of God’s existence, eternal salvation by Jesus Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit because they see no evidence … and call their position logical.

Look at a changed human life, look at a church full of believers, look at the Bible, look at beauty, look at love, experience an answered prayer, look at the sacrifice of Christ … evidence of God is everywhere, unless you assume it isn’t.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) was passively confused about God for roughly three decades, including college. Eric, by the way, is majoring in Aviation Management.