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The
Creation Explanation
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Intelligent, Purposeful Design in Nature |
Man's place in the world The Bible tells us in Genesis 1:26-27 that God created man in His own image with dominion over the creatures. That this image in man is not a physical but a spiritual, intellectual, and moral image is made clear by all the scriptural teaching concerning God, and specifically the teaching of Christ in John 4 and Luke 24 that God is spirit and that a spirit does not have physical attribute. Human nature, which will be considered in some detail in Chapter-5 and Chapter-9, is a complex of attributes and capacities which make man man, not animal his intellect, affections, moral capacity and will. Alone of all creatures on earth, man uses symbols, language and logic, reasons inductively and deductively and is capable of abstract thought, plans for the future, preserves the intellectual accomplishments of the present for use in the future, and makes use in the present of the heritage preserved from past generations. Man alone possesses and exercises a sense of moral responsibility; he alone shows compassion and concern for others arising from moral and spiritual considerations. He alone evidences awareness of a supernatural world or feels any responsibility to know if such a world is real and has any desire to relate to it. The dominion over all other creatures which man obviously possesses to a considerable extent is sometimes exercised in a responsible manner, but oftentimes irresponsibly. There remains, nevertheless, a sense of that responsibility in the world which is unique to man, to preserve the natural order for the benefit of all. Only man has the intellectual capacity for comprehending at least to some degree the complex ecological systems which make up the world of living things, including the human race. Man alone has the ability to apply knowledge and reason to the solution of the difficult problems of imbalance, pollution and destruction caused primarily by man's activities. It is now universally recognized that such problems are of extreme importance to all peoples, because of the need not only to keep the earth a livable place, but also to preserve its order and beauty which only man has the aesthetic sense to appreciate. The person who honestly accepts the testimony of the scientific evidence which points to intelligent, purposeful design in nature should be more responsible and concerned for its preservation. Especially is this so if he goes on to perceive the biblical teaching that God created man with dominion overt the created world and all its creatures, giving him responsibility to dress and guard it. The knowledge of science and creation such as that offered in the present and succeeding chapters of this book, should lead every sincere seeker after truth to praise and glorify the God of Creation to Whom the beauty, order, complex designs and interdependence of all things in nature so powerfully testify. This is the God who created all things by and for His Son, Jesus Christ. You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and
power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. |
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