948. The Creation of Man

I believe in the inspiration of the Bible. Both the old and the New Testament is the creation of man by the direct act of God, the incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his identification as a son of God is vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of his blood on the cross, the resurrection of his body from the two his power to save men from sin. The new birth through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the gift of eternal life. By the grace of God. The fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith are centered around these things. That's why we have agreed welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina were continuing a study series based on the creed that students recite each day in chapel services were honored this morning to have a Dr. Eric Newton, speaking in our chapel services as we continue our theme throughout creed. Dr. Newton is a graduate of Bob Jones University. He has earned a PhD in biblical theology. He served as a Dean of students here for eight years and those of you that know Dr. Newton know that he is loved and deeply respected for his life. He is a mentor.

He is a teacher and he is a friend. He is now a professor and are undergrad in seminary as a professor of theology and apologetics.

I can't think of a finer Christian at all the world the Dr. Eric Newton. So would you please give them your attention this morning as he comes and speaks morning turn your Bibles with me to Genesis chapter 1. What is happened since last week and Dr. Horn's message on inspiration of the Bible that you might remember the way he began, so I thought about subtitling this message why we can be confident that God created math majors and music majors and the rest of us to. I decided not to do that though I do believe that were talking today about the creation of man by the direct act of God.

Most of us have flown and I have been under the constraints of the regulations and the fees that make us want to travel pretty light, but it's not really manageable to to walk through an airport, even if you travel light with all of that stuff underneath your arms or you seen somebody try to do that sometime in, smiled what we we need to have something compact, portable to have our essentials in to get through the hustle and bustle of an airport. I really think that a creed is like a carry-on piece of luggage. It takes the Bible's teaching that spread throughout the canon, the entire Scripture and it packs it into a succinct statement. It's compact exportable.

It's essential we have the opportunity to consider today. This subject the creation of man by the direct act of God in packet together in our scientific and technological age is hardly a more important doctrine for us to understand and believe in glory. I think the simplest way for us to go about this is the actually in packet in four stages four parts of this phrase, one after another. What do we affirm today by saying this statement of our creed will begins with these important words creation and there's no other explanation for these realities that you'll see on the screen other than an unfathomable personal creator.

In his book the cosmic jackpot English physicist in Arizona State professor Paul Davies admits this many scientists who are struggling to construct a fully comprehensive theory of the physical universe openly admit that part of the motivation is to finally get rid of God whom they view as a dangerous and infantile delusion and not only God but any vestige of God talks such as meaning or purpose or design in nature, but the Bible says something very different. The Bible says that this world, the material and the material was spoken into existence by God. If you look down the very first verse in your Bible its first because it's chronologically primary. Its first because it's foundational to the rest of Scripture. You could argue for the most important sentence in all Scripture from many different passages but a good case can be made for this one in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth know many people in the history of the church were tickly early on when to preserve God's transcendence is purity. His spirit nests, and so they postulated that it wasn't God. Actually, it was some kind of emanation from God. Some lesser divinity called a demiurge who actually created the material world but but Scripture speaks against that idea that dualism time and again it says that God directly created and how did he do that. How did the Spirit create a material as well as a material universe. We did so by his word. Look at the words from Hebrews 11 three. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that the things which are seen were not made of the things which do appear. In fact, early in Hebrews on the first verses it says that Christ the son of God still upholds this world by the power and so therefore this this world. Spoken into existence is distinct from God. Many have propose that that for us to have some kind of relationship with God than than than God is all in and out all is God, and some unified whole, but Scripture declares a very different reality. Moses says in Psalm 90 verse two before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou has formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. God was all there was, from eternity past, and that he brought creation into existence and he did so Scripture teaches in six literal days we had that record it in Genesis 1 itself, but also in Exodus 20 where as an explanation for the fourth commandment, Moses says, for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Why do we have a seven day week while we have it because that's how God created the world and it's all very good. Notice in Genesis 1 verse 31 God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good in the evening in the morning were the sixth day God is all things William. We see the world around us.

We feel the world around us. We feel our flesh within us and everything isn't right but it's so important to our worldview to understand that that's not how it began. God made things perfectly. He finished his creation work week and he observed that all that was all that is material and immaterial, was very good.

You know, we often use that expression. Maybe somebody dumps the grab and grow Robin go on your shoe or maybe even a hard week, but now it's Friday evening you say it's all good rough week but it's all good. Well, actually, on the first Friday evening that ever existed. That was completely true, but our statement goes on.

It's not just creation of that's the foundations the creation of man of mankind.

This says something about God.

God finished his work week by creating image bearers. Look at verse 26 of Genesis 1 and God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness. In fact I would argue that the most difficult aspects of creation for a naturalistic worldview to explain are not the Galactic components, not the molecular parts, but the intangible realities. How do you explain human love or heroism or morality, or joy, or even desire without the personal creator God fueled Genesis 2 verse seven it says in the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. There something special about human beings because God breathed life into us and there's no other explanation for that life other than a personal creator God and this shows us that that these are just personal but is gracious and you can be a person you can know people who are really nice people there.

There persons.

God is gracious and that's what David is expressing in Psalm eight versus three and four when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained what a marvelous reality.

But what really amazes him what is man that thou art mindful of him in the Son of Man without visit is 10 God cares about us as individuals and so the fact that our creeds is the creation of man says something not only about God but about human beings as well. It says that we are the pinnacle of God's creation. We have significance not because he came from a certain family not because we've accomplished a certain feet. Not because we cheer for a certain team or amass a certain fortune. It's because we were made in the image of a certain creator that gives us dignity. Chapter 1 verse 27 of Genesis says God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. This has huge implications. As you know that we were made in the image of God. Everything from the sanctity of human life to our distinction from the rest of creation to the moral essence at the heart of human existence and notice what it says it says that he made us in his image after his likeness, male and female, so another part of the creation of mankind is that we have divinely designed biological sex man and woman are made of the same stuff literally God formed Eve from Adam's rib men and women equally bear God's image in a complementary a perfectly and beautifully corresponding way. We affirm that we affirm that he gave us than dominion. He gave us purpose. Look at verse 28 of Genesis 1, God bless them and send them be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and sit through it have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moved upon the earth. Your every worldview that kinda sticks and gain something of the following has some truth to it. The humanist worldview has it half right. Mankind is very important, as many biological similarities those there are between some of the amazing creatures that we visit at the zoo and those of us who buy tickets to actually see them.

There's no comparison in terms of God and God's purpose. He gave us dominion, the capacity to steward our creation resources and cultivate earth to his glory, and so when you and I become disoriented. We get discouraged. What when that question brought arises in our soul and we say is, is there any purposes that is there any meaning to this life. We can see dart by reminding ourselves that God made us in his image, male and female with dominion over the creatures.

His design and purpose are perfect, but you know this creedal statement is not simply about the creation of mankind in general it hasn't even more specific point and so we come to this third portion and that is the creation of man by the direct act are Crete is especially focused on two human beings. In particular, it's a two-step creation. Sometime during that sixth day God, the master potter reached down to the clay and scooped up DOS to form Adam and then he crafted Eve out of Adam's rib. What this clearly means is that Adam and Eve were real people.

In fact, the very first two people they were not born they were created by the direct act of God. Genesis 220 says, but for Adam was not found an help meet for him. This indicates that there were not human beings are that there were no female human beings around. This is not like artist series last night.

This is not like some of you guys who had a lot of options you could have asked and you decided to go by yourself. That's not the case here, there, there was no one else around. So God created Eve. It would make no sense for God before me from Adam's rib. If Adam was one of 10,000 or so hominids who mysteriously crossed the line become Homo sapiens. It would make no sense for Adam to call his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Genesis 320 says because this issue is debated today. Even by some very prominent Christian scientists and theologians.

I think we need to take a couple of minutes and consider the overwhelming evidence for the historical Adam and Eve to do so by looking at it briefly in six categories. Six. Reasons for the historical Adam and Eve number one there's a traditional reason. This is been the consistent teaching of the Christian church for centuries. You say don't people make mistakes.

Yes, most of us probably have this morning. Hasn't the church gotten it wrong at times, certainly, but but if if the church is taught something for 20 centuries. We need to be hesitant about feeling the freedom to rethink it even more importantly, secondly, there's an ethnological reason for Adam and Eve's historicity.

Acts 1726 says, and hath made God's made of one blood of one literally all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth and is determined the times before appointed bounds of their habitation. If you descended from certain hominids and I descended from others and our friends across the globe descended from an descended from another set altogether then we add fuel to the hideous fire of racial and ethnic prejudice. The fact that we all came from two human beings means that there is way more that binds us together than that separates us apart. Thirdly, there are contextual reasons.

There are many aspects of Genesis 1 through 11 indicated truthful record of historical events. For instance, the seamless move from the end of Genesis 3. The fall in the garden of Eden to the birth of Cain and Abel and the first murder. In Genesis 4 we we we could cite other examples will move on. There's 1/4 set of reasons in their genealogical very few people question, Jesus's historicity or even Abraham are usually not Noah and Scripture links their genealogy directly with Adam look at what Genesis 5 says this is the book of the generation of Adam in the day that God created man in the likeness of God made he him, male and female he created them and bless them and called their name Adam, in the day when they are created and Adam lived an hundred and 30 years and get a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth, etc. he lived for 800 years more than he died. In verse six, Seth lived an hundred and five years and beget enough becomes a beginner first Chronicles 1 Adam Chef Enis Keenan Mahalia Jared Teaneck, etc. maybe you've heard Dr. Olinger's testimony before that one of the things that God used to rescue his faith was reading and realizing the historicity of the genealogical records and chronic in the New Testament, Jesus Luke three himself began to be about 30 years of age being as to suppose the son of Joseph, which was the son of Hallie etc. verse 38, which is the son of Enoch Simpson, son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God was an unbroken line.

There facet of reasons are so teary illogical. These get even more important questions concerning wise sin and and death are universal are crucial to understanding our anthropology in this passage in Romans five is core to that understanding it says in Romans 514 that death reigned from Adam to Moses and look at these verses.

Verses 12 and 17 wherefores by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin.

So death passed upon all men, for all sin. Verse 17 for by one man's offense that's Adam death reigned by one, much more. They show receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

If Adam was not a real person, not the first person who plunged all of us in the sin and death that then we have grounds to question the historicity of Jesus as a real man whose obedience and righteousness merit eternal life for all who believe the same kind of theological reasoning is using prescriptions 15 when it comes to the resurrection, and finally a six set of reasons is propositional. There are direct statements we've already read one of them in acts 1726 and at the made of one blood all nations in the first contains 1545 it is written, the first man Adam became a living soul. But you know the tree doesn't end there statements as the creation of man by the direct act of God most important word in this phrase is the last one, not simply because he's the right answer for your doctrines test because he's the ultimate point, we have to consider the massive implications of how we think about him. In response to the reality that he is our Creator was to consider for a second where this statement lies in our overall creed. Notice what become what comes after and what comes before it points back to inspiration where it is our belief in the inspiration of the Bible begin. It begins in Genesis 1 with the account of a historical six-day creation, culminating in the creation of man by the direct act of God.

This is no minor matter. The truthfulness of God is at stake. Will we believe everything that the Bible teaches, and it points forward to what will consider next in our series, the incarnation, it provides a context for what comes next. How would God rescue fallen, sinful people and is cursed world by sending his own son, not just temporarily, not just apparently. But to be fully human. Both then and and and forever after, and to redeem and restore and graciously rule over repentant sinners, and ultimately all creation is British theologian Michael Reeves says if Christ is not assumed my flesh, but the flesh of another humanity than he is not my kinsman redeemer. But finally, and most importantly, this word God points upward to glory. This doctrine is essential because the Bible itself considers it fundamental.

Consider Romans one in Romans one God uses what we believe about him, his creator as exhibit a for how people suppress the unrighteous thereon of the truth in unrighteousness. What could be so wicked that it merits the holy wrath of God. How about when we take the evidence around us and within us and and we exchange it for idols. God's we we fabricate weather nature itself, or whether ourselves or other people or possessions are or power or experiences whatever kind of God we have that's not gonna hold us accountable that we think that we can control we think we found freedom, but were enslaved. We profess to be wise we made ourselves the hero of the story.

But all these theories exposes for the fools that we are outside of Christ is likely develop this elaborate explanation for why the sun doesn't exist.

There is no such thing as a son. What we continue to mark our annual calendars and Molly continue to mooch off the sun's light and heat, God says this idolatry is why he has revealed his wrath. If you say I think we just need to make peace with certain aspects of the naturalistic worldview, or you might say I believe creation but I sometimes wonder whether it really matters what God says is it matters because my glory is at stake read with me these beautiful words from the Belichick confession God's creation, preservation, and government of the universe are before our eyes, is a most elegant book wherein all creatures great and small are so many characters leading us to contemplate the invisible things of God. This doctrine ultimately is about worship and so should be no surprise to us that some of the most sublime heights of worship in the Bible you find this doctrine like these. Revelation 4 1011 the four and 20 elders fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art worthy of the Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were our created in Romans 1136 for of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. And so ultimately it's for his glory that we believe in the creation of man by the direct act of God to pray with me. Father, creator, Lord, we acknowledge our smallness from express with David wonder that she would think of us.

Oh Lord, help us to revel in that truth today, and thereby to think much of you and to give you the glory you deserve. Give me thanks in Jesus name you been listening to a sermon by Dr. Eric Newton one of the seminary professors at Bob Jones University.

I'm Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University and I invite you to join us at our beautiful campus in Greenville, South Carolina to see how you can be prepared academically and spiritually serve the Lord through one of our more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs.

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