Cosmology Addendum
By Jay Wegter
The Word of God gives us the reasons why so many ‘intelligent’ people reject God’s testimony as Almighty Creator which He has given in His infallible Word. One of the most incisive passages on this intellectual rebellion is found in Romans chapter one.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore, God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Rom 1:18-25).
- The fall in the Garden of Eden produced a radical bias in the mind against the true knowledge of God (Jn 3:19-21; Eph 4:17). In theology, we refer to this as the noetic effects of sin. Since fall into sin, no one has been a neutral truth-seeker (Rom 3:11).
- The darkness-loving prejudiced mind of fallen man is against God’s claims to be Creator, Owner, Ruler, Redeemer, and Judge. But, God has given ample evidence in His creation of His wisdom and power. The rejection of God’s testimony about Himself in the creation is called the unrighteous suppression of the truth (v. 18). God’s truth is ethical, to push it aside is an unrighteous act with massive consequences. (EX. Ken Ham story.)
- Man’s worshipping nature can’t be suppressed; he must give credit to something really great for his existence. So, unbelieving man goes down a path that leads to pantheism, or nature worship:
- He suppresses God’s clear self-revelation.
- He refuses to honor God or give Him thanks.
- He speculates, and moves into greater darkness.
- He professes to be wise though a fool.
- He gives credit for his existence to birds, beasts, and reptiles.
- He worships and serves the creature, and forfeits his glory.
- He perverts God’s gift of sexual oneness.
- He is given over to a depraved mind.
- God has given two great areas of witness, or testimonies of Himself as Almighty Creator —even before a person opens the Bible, or hears of Lord Jesus Christ. His witness is in creation and conscience. God made the knowledge of Himself evident IN them (conscience), and TO them (creation) (vv. 19-20). Therefore, even for unreached people groups, it is sin and rebellion to worship anything in the creation (Note: Hindu ‘gods’. Buddhist goddess elephants, amoeba-worshipping evolutionists.)
- God states in Romans one that mankind has not a shred of excuse for his truth suppression which results in idolatry (the worship of created things)—because God’s evidence of Himself in creation and conscience is so clear. The Greek here is apologeia —no reasoned defense for their position rebellion and unbelief.
It will only take the record of one sin (conscience) or the image of one lowly caterpillar to condemn the unbelieving impenitent on the last day, of Judgment. Yet, we are surrounded by a culture that claims to have not enough evidence that the God of the Bible exists and rules His creation. (EX. I once asked a skeptic, “What kind of evidence would make you investigate the claims of God in Holy Scripture?” His answer was revealing, “If God parted the Pacific Ocean, it would get my attention.”)
- People choose their worldview, their life narrative in order to ‘free up’ their lusts. “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness” (Eph 4:17-19). Paganism, sexual perversion, totalitarianism, abortion on demand, eugenics, all need Darwinism in order to justify their sin.
“Pay heed, you senseless among the people; and when will you understand, stupid ones? He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see? He
who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, even He who teaches man knowledge? The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are a mere breath” (Ps 94:8-11).
Our faculties of sight, hearing, speaking, reasoning, all point to the wisdom, power, and omniscience of our Creator, and His moral government, and ownership of us (Ps 50). In our public schools and universities today, one cannot say, “The human eye was designed as a purposeful organ.” My friends, the human condition is one of innate hostility toward God and His claims upon us, His creatures (Rom 3:9-19; 8:5-8). The natural man does not wish to owe God obedience to His commandments. The natural man regards rightful rule to be an immense intrusion (into our thoughts, looks, speech, motives, deeds, and desires). People gravitate to false religious philosophies to ‘get God off their backs’.