January 5 - Genesis 1-3
As the title of the book indicates, Genesis is the book of “origins” or “beginnings.” It outlines the origin of the earth and everything in God’s creation. It also outlines the fall of man into sin and how all creation is cursed by sin.
In Genesis 3:15, we find the first mention of a Savior who will come. The scarlet thread of redemption begins in Genesis and runs all the way through the Bible to the book of Revelation.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 sets the stage for two radically different worldviews. The Theistic Worldview verses the Secular/Naturalistic Worldview. These two worldviews are poles apart and they stand as the fundamental dividing line in the modern-day cultural wars that are raging throughout the world.
Most evangelical Christians adhere to a Theistic Worldview. We see God as the ultimate reality. The Universe is not eternal, God created it, and it is dependent upon Him for its continuation (Colossians 1:17).
The truth that God is the Creator and sustainer of the universe is polar opposite of what the secular world believes. The secular/naturalistic worldview denies the need for a creator. In their view, the universe is self-contained, matter and energy are eternal, and all things are explained without reference to God.
In my view, there is no middle ground. You either believe the Bible or not. The Bible makes over 3000 claims to be the Word of God. Those with a Theistic Worldview believes the biblical account of creation because it is the declaration of the Word of God. Those on the other side mock the first two chapters in Genesis, but what do they believe? Where did matter come from? Where did time and space originate? They have no definite answer to these questions.
How can we believe the Genesis account of creation? Hebrews 11:2 reads, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Human reasoning and understanding are very limited. Divine revelation informs us about realities that are beyond scientific observation. Living by faith means interpreting life through God’s Word, not just through sight and the philosophies of the secular world.
Someone might interrupt and say that science disproves the Genesis account of creation. Does it? Does science contradict the Bible? Science investigates the mechanisms of the natural world - how things work, what can be observed, tested and measured. Science can’t disprove the Genesis account of creation because it is limited to what can be observed and tested. The origin of the universe is a historical event, not a repeatable experiment. The fact is, with the Big Bang Theory, modern cosmology actually supports the idea of a definite beginning, which perfectly aligns with “in the beginning, God.”
Therefore, does science contradict the Bible? When rightly understood, no. Science explains the natural order that God set in place, the Bible explains the divine origin and purpose of creation. Something else, science changes as new discoveries are found, the Word of God is unchanged (Isaiah 40:8). Science shows the complexity, order, and fine-tuning of creation; faith points all these things back to God.
Trusting Jesus Christ is trusting the One through whom all things exist. Our faith rests on our Creator and Redeemer. Therefore, faith is not blind - it is seeing the unseen, trusting the Creator, and living in the light of His eternal word.