____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ May 26, 1991 ____________________________________________________ IS IT LOGICAL TO BELIEVE IN GOD? by Tom Edwards Have you ever considered which is more reasonable, to believe in God or to believe in the theory of evolution as an answer for the existence of all living things? Though many people today teach evolution as a ``fact,'' it is still nothing more than a mere speculation and a poor one at that -- especially in view of what scientific data is really showing. The main reason why many people accept this outlandish theory (which makes monkeys out of men -- or should I say -- men out of monkeys) is because the only alternative would be to accept the truth of God, and this is what many people would rather not face up to. Could this refusal to acknowledge a Divine Being possibly be out of a pride that blinds the individual from accepting anyone (or being) greater than himself? Though man is superior to all other life forms upon our planet, there is more to reality than merely this relatively recent and transitory life on earth to contrast our lives to. Would we not be overlooking a much higher form of life if we concentrate on just this small spot in the universe on which we live and overlook the unfathomable vastness of God's wisdom, as seen in the creation, and the eternal existence of His omnipotent nature, which is also inferred through what has been made (Rom. 1:19,20)? The modern world of technology continues to marvel us as it unravels with its amazing breakthroughs in so many fields of our new age. In just the last twenty years, these new discoveries have helped to shape our world into a world that prior would have often been viewed as inaccessible. The increase of scientific data that is being pumped into our time is overwhelmingly more than what any person could ever keep up with, even if he would strive to do so twenty-four hours a day. In view of man's creative abilities to invent and fill our world with modern conveniences -- many of which operate by even themselves --is it so unreasonable to believe in a God who also has similar creative abilities, but even more so? God not only has the wisdom to design tangible forms and give to them their necessary components, in which many work concertedly to fulfill their tasks, but He also has the ability to give life to that which He makes -- for He is the Giver of Life. Paul, writing to the Roman brethren, expresses in Romans 1:20 that ''...His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,'' (NKJ). The creation itself attests to the eternal nature of God. For, obviously, the Second Theory of Thermodynamics is true: everything in all creation is wearing out and, therefore, is not eternal in itself. This is so because the only thing that can be eternal is that which never runs down, decays, wears out, or perishes through some other means. Though the evolutionist proposes the beginning of the earth to have been 4.6 billion years ago and that even the entire universe had a start with the ``Big Bang'' theory, what about the time prior -- before the ``Big Bang'' was even a ``little blip''? When dealing with eternity, even 500 trillion, 899 billion and 376 million years is, as the old clich‚ goes, not even a ``drop in the bucket'' when contrasting it to God's everlasting dimension. For there is always that mind-boggling eternity to be accounted for prior to the beginning of this abysmal universe in which we live. Though man might have trouble in accepting something that can go on forever, he ought to take a look behind him, through the past and before the beginning of time, and realize that eternity stretches in that direction as well. This is what creation tells us: that there MUST have been a superior force of some kind that has ALWAYS existed. And not only this, but also creation shows that whatever that superior force is, it also has a superior intelligence. In our study of Christian apologetics, these two fields are referred to as the Cosmological Argument, which expresses that everything in creation requires a ``cause'' to have brought it about; and, also, the Teleological Argument, which points out the intricate patterns, intelligent design, and harmonious organization in that which has been made; and, therefore, shows the need for an intelligent designer. This world is filled with so many wondrous complexities and intricate interweavings of purposeful components that for one to believe that it all came about through mere chance requires more faith than to accept the Bible's position of the Divine Creator who is God. Surely, no accountable person would ever view any invention of man as having simply evolved through just luck and without the assistance of human ingenuity. Cars, planes, computers, vacuum cleaners, televisions, radios, etc., attest to the wisdom and ability of man. Not one car ever evolved by simply a process of time. Each part had to be properly calculated in order to fit and work harmoniously with its counterpart(s). Your body itself is a remarkable unit of many diverse systems that work together to make one body. Think of it. You have eyes, ears, a heart and a circulatory system, a digestive system, a brain and a nervous system, lungs and a breathing system. And think about where these parts are located; where is a better place to have your eyes and ears than way up there on your head? Or where is a better place to have your hands than right there at the end of your arms, and your feet at the end of your legs? Do not just these simple observations indicate an intelligent designer? How could a non-thinking substance at the bottom of a mud pond suddenly decide that it ought to evolve a brain, a heart, eyes and ears, muscles, cartilage, tissue, nerves, a stomach, digestive juices, blood, etc.? The answer is obvious: it could not. In just considering the physical makeup of this marvelous creation in which we belong, it is more reasonable to accept the God of the Bible as being the great Creator rather than accepting the false theory of evolution that has been set forth by man. Who will you choose as having the answer? God or man? Of all beings to trust, who could be more reliable, concerned, and trustworthy than the One who loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ in order to die, pay the price for your sins on the cross of Calvary, and make a way that you can be redeemed from the bondage of iniquity. God knows what is best for you because He is the Creator and we are His creation. Will you not listen to Him today? He will never make a monkey out of you. ___________________________________________ "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth...." (Psalm 19:1-4). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________