God vs. Darwin
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NOT FINAL DRAFT of SERMON NOTES:
Proposition: Modern Science wants everyone to believe that Science and God simply cannot mix. However, we must realize that Science is only true because God does exist and made it so. In fact, Science instead of being opposed to God – helps reveal God to us.
Now Romans 1 is not a direct response to evolution, because the theory wouldn’t be around for another 1800 years. But Paul makes some points about those who worship the created over the creator and I think it can be used as a response to Darwinism.
I. Know the debate is central to the gospel. (16-19)
Paul makes clear that every man needs the gospel, because every man lives in sin. And every man is without excuse, because God has made Himself evident through His creation. We’ll talk about that more later – but know up front that this topic is central to the gospel.
A lot of people think that we can just accept full Darwinist evolution and it should have no effect on the gospel. That is impossible! Some people think religion should be silent on science and that we have nothing do with each other. That is ridiculous.
The full sense of Darwinist evolution holds that no one began life. It happened by chance. Chemicals sparked together and created sludge. And from that goo through random mutations all of life came over millions of years.
Well randomness contradicts divine design. If this is all just random that means God had no plan. But before the foundation of the earth God had prepared to save us through Christ His son.
“Without the doctrine of creation, Christianity is only one more artifact of an evolutionary process.” – R. Albert Mohler
So the gospel is vital to the evolution debate. In fact, many Darwinist look to the evolutionary theory as a replacement for religion. Darwinism has become the substitute creation story for those who embrace materialism. The worldview fosters relativism, religious skepticism, and a dehumanized view of men and women.
“By coupling undirected purposeless variation to the blind, uncaring process of natural selection,
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You see the worldview of true Darwinism is that we are just one of the many animals that accidently formed through natural selection and chance mutation. There is no great plan for our lives. And there is no morality or sin except what we make it. In other words, there is no need for a savior.
24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' Acts 17:24-28
II. Understand that God makes Himself known through Creation. (20)
This verse is vital to the God/Darwin debate. God – the creator – makes Himself known through His creation. God has made Himself obvious to us in His creation. And so to deny He is the creator is a drastic affront on God. He both creates and sustains everything which shows us His greatness, power, and faithfulness!
16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17
Did you know if the earth’s angle on the axis were slightly changed we’d all either be frozen or burning up? Did you know you could fit 1.3 million planet earths in our sun? It would take 1000 lifetimes at the speed of light just to cover our galaxy. Astronomers say there are 140 Billion galaxies. 140 Billion frozen peas to fill Chicago Stadium.
The greatness of our planet and the cosmos declare the glory of our God!
We have many hymns about it. Read #42
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-4
Spring Break evangelism: How can you not believe in God? Look!
And God’s creation doesn’t end just with what we see. His amazing creation is found in you and me as well.
“Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.” – Augustine
Did you know there are 60k miles of blood vessels in your body? That’s two times around the earth. Your heart beats 100k times a day. Your body creates 25 million new cells every second.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Our bodies themselves shout the existence of a God who spoke. Bible says He spoke and the worlds were formed. Can you do that? Can chance and natural selection do that? What is God vs.
It’s important to realize that until Darwin the vast majority of those who studied Science did it as a way to better understand God.
“Essentially all the pioneers of the modern physical sciences were Christians.” – Dr. Henry Schaefer, UGA professor and pioneer of theoretical chemistry.
Christians should not run from science, but be it’s biggest advocate. For in studying the heavens and earth we come to better know the One who spoke them into existence.
III. Full Darwinism is foolishness. (21-22)
Micro-Evolution vs. Macro evolution. My class. Breeding does not create new genes. Like shuffling up cards. No new cards are created. No new genes are created and def. no new species. Random mutations have been the answer. But random mutations impair a life and don’t advance it in natural selection.
Example of mouse to bat. Problem is mutations in between would not be advantageous. Only way it would work if suddenly a mouse bore a bat.
“If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possible have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” – Charles Darwin
"I believe in God, but I'm not sure He created everything. I'm right in the middle." – mom of 2 teenagers in
Only 15% of Americans believe evolution happened without any guidance from God. But that is full and true Darwinism – the kind taught in classrooms and academia.
Many people try to say God and evolution work together. However, true Darwinistic teachings of evolution are incompatible with the truth of Scripture.
“You cannot coherently affirm the Christian-truth claim and the dominant model of evolutionary theory at the same time.” – R. Albert Mohler
No dissent is allowed. Ex. Stephen Jay Gould before his death.
Molecular Biology today is proving Darwinism has problems.
For chance and time to randomly create one cell (and remember you body creates 25 million a second) – it would be similar to lining up a 1 with 50 zeros behind it of blind men and have them all simultaneously figure out a Rubik’s cube.
Paleontology – the study of fossil records is also a problem for the Darwinists. We should have a massive fossil record of gap animals. There is no fossil record of proof.
Evolution is often called Science’s best idea of how life began and came about. However, it was Science’s best idea over 100 years ago. Now with modern understanding of cosmology, molecular biology, and paleontology – it is clear scientists have made full Darwinism just a blind faith. They are ignoring the science and choosing foolishness.
“I suppose that nobody will deny that it is a great misfortune, if an entire branch of sci
IV. Full Darwinism leads to rejection of God. (22-24)
“Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.” - Augustine
That does not mean that scientists do not believe in God. Many do. But they see science as an effort to find out how the material world works, with nothing to say about why we are here or how we should live. – New York Times (2005)
You cannot separate understanding the world from questions like “Why are we here?” and“How should we live?”.
“I do not see how an honest proponent of the dominant model of evolution can believe in the God of the Bible, who intervenes in human history and rules over His creation. I am reminded of Professor Stephen Hawking, author of the best-selling book, A Brief History of Time. A defender of evolutionary theory, Hawking famously remarked that if God exists, there is simply nothing for Him to do. For biblical Christians, this is the central and unavoidable issue in the current controversy.” – R. Albert Mohler
“Many people who accept evolution still feel that a belief in God is necessary to give life meaning and to justify morality. But that is exactly backward. In practice, religion has given us stonings, inquisitions and 9/11. Morality comes from a commitment to treat others as we wish to be treated, which follows from the realization that none of us is the sole occupant of the universe. Like physical evolution, it does not require a white-coated technician in the sky.” – Dr. Steven Pinker,
In a 1998 survey, nearly 95% of biologists in the National Academy of Science identified themselves as atheists or agnostic. Similarly, in a 2003 survey of leading evolutionists, 87% denied the existence of God and disbelieved in life after death.
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Conclusion:
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