Adam and Eve ... For Real!

No analysis will ever be able to study of origins has has enough trouble with the question how how all of the elements that we can't attack and analyze how they come together form life even come close to the answer how they still will be miles away from the answer to why why is there life. Why does this universe exist why you have life work comes along man named Adam and a woman named thinking we came from lower life forms is far more fashionable.

This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi on our last broadcast. We saw that God is the creator of all that exists today we come to a passage where Paul expands that to include humanity. There are significant implications to the fact that God created us and will explore those next.

This lesson is called Adam and Eve for the in 1872 John Sachs wrote an English poem about a group of blind men.

He decided to visit an elephant determined by their powers of observation. When an elephant was truly like this poem goes like this out is written in 1872 English okay so bear with me. It was six men of Indo spam learning much inclined to went to see the elephant though all of them were blind that each by observation might satisfy his mind.

The first approach the elephant happening to fall against is broad and sturdy so I didn't want to begin the ball.

God bless me. But the elephant is very like a wall.

The second feeling of the Tosca cried. What have we here very round and smooth and sharp to meet his mighty clear this wonder of an elephant very like this.

The third approach the animal and happening to take the squirming trunk within his hands boldly up and spake. I see quoth he, the elephant is really like the snake. The fourth reach out his eager hand and felt about the knee. What most this wondrous beast is like his mighty plane quoth he is clear enough.

The elephant is really like a tree. The fifth a chance to touch his ears that even the blind man can tell what this resembles most the night affected can this marvel of an elephant is very like a fan. The sixth, no sooner had begun about the beast.

The growth then seizing on the swinging tail that fell within the scope I see quoth he, the elephant is really like a rope so these men of Indo stand disputed loud and long. Each of his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong though. Each was partly in the right and all were in the wrong on this windswept hill in Athens that we have been traveling each week up to listen in on Paul's declaration to the Supreme Court of Athens. He's basically saying you have some things that are partly right, but you are completely wrong. You have an understanding that there is some kind of divine power that there are mortalities that there are deities, so to speak, of course. For them it was plural, but you are completely wrong is also effectively telling them don't depend upon the power of your observation with what little you can you can see that close as I want to introduce to you this unknown God to you.

I'm going to make him known athlete. We pick our study backup in acts 17 that I will organize our thoughts around to statements in these two statements will sort of steer us to summarize what Paul says next about God. The first statement is this God is the creator of humanity. Now what you notice the middle part of verse 25.

Sort of drop back in their he himself gives to all life and breath and all things and he made from one every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth for us. Perhaps another gospel who have been in the word of God. It's like, okay, sure. Next verse please note these are staggering claims in the opening lines of the sentence. God is the original source of all life all breath and all things and I want to notice you again and spend a little time here this phrase he made from one every nation of mankind. That prepositional phrase means that all of mankind tracks back to a common ancestor. One nation came from man, and every nation from them tracking back to him. Darwin taught the man course of all from apes and continued evolving as various races with some races more developed than others.

Frankly shocked that our world doesn't bring Darwin's horrific racism into the open and expose his belief that the dark skinned races, whatever they might be developed slower than the light-skinned races. For instance, he believed that Africans were not nearly as involved as the European white race because of their dark skin. Why don't they ever put that in the science books they have children they don't even Stephen Jay Gould later would admit, and I quote them biological arguments for racism may have been common before 1859, but they increased exponentially. Following the acceptance of evolutionary theory. This is one of the oddly secret about evolution never quite makes it in the print Ken ham is going to be with us next week and I've pulled a number of quotes from his wonderful book entitled six days, but he writes this Darwin's error was later exposed through the field of genetics. What Darwin didn't know was that everyone has the same brown colored skin pigment called melanin a person's genetic makeup received from his parents determines his potential to produce a certain level of melanin, which is why we see a range of skin shades and people from light to middle ground to dark. Frankly, I wish I had more of it.

I want from here the parking lot I get burned on pale pink. I could use some more of it. Apollo effectively announces to the Supreme Court of Athens that humans are not split in the various races because of higher or lower stages of evolution that no matter what our skin color or our ethnic background. We all actually belong to one race one blood.

You could literally interpret pulsing one human race, and we all came from the first human beings created Adam and his wife Eve measures were evolution has invaded not just our culture but the church.

The church is becoming more and more besieged by theistic evolutionists, that is they believe God started everything, but then left it to evolve over millions and millions of years in the human race. Eventually evolve from animals part of the problem of course is in the church at least theistic evolutionists is to somehow erase or redefine what the Bible has to say about Adam and Eve and and somehow spiritualize in a way because they don't outright deny it begin to do something with Carl Jimerson, a former professor of Eastern Nazarene College along with Francis Collins wrote, we make no claim that the description provided in Genesis is how God created us. Neither science nor the Bible answers that question. That's my word, by the way slipped" on the part of that quote the Genesis account says little about how God created again. Adam was created from Dustin God's breath. Eve was created from Adam's rib, but none of these explanations can possibly be actual descriptions simply not reasonable to try to turn the brief comments in Genesis into a biologically accurate description of how humans perform really what the problem I have with this quote by the way, is that it's not coming from the science department at NC State or UNC Chapel Hill. The problem is it's coming from a Christian college from a Christian professor is trying to somehow make science, nature and reason for it with some miraculous account just to him doesn't seem reasonable and you notice he says that we just don't have enough information about another problem is you don't like what little information we been given by the way, I wonder if this professor would have a problem with the fact we have even less biblical information on how God is to re-create our bodies the last forever. We believe that hell somehow is going to translate us from mortality to immortality is to create I have and that will enjoy forever. We have a lesson on how God did not or will do that. I imagine he would like to believe that we only know a fraction Paul in this text is introducing God to the Athenians by effectively introducing Adam and by virtue of a literal Adam Young Earth and every nation coming from him. But Paul was it in other passages saying the same thing. Listen to what he wrote to Timothy, for it was Adam who was first created and then eat for 7230 not born not of all created by the word Dr. Peter ends as a professor years was a professor for years at Westminster theological seminary. Again another seminary that because of the liberalism that was urging the community and around that's been in many many years. But in he retired in 2004 and he wrote with with with some open frustration with the emphasis of Paul on Adam.

I just could never chuckle but it is it is no laughing matter says this. It's not so much the Genesis talks about an Adam is the fact that Paul talks about an Adam.

That's the heart of the tension concerning Genesis and evolution. If Adam just stayed in the Old Testament where he belong, we wouldn't have this problem. But Paul draws him out and for Paul. Adam is the first human being. Well maybe we ought to listen to Paul when he said you magic in a way that happens to be the gospel message of Paul that the Athenians back in chapter 17.

In verse 26 again and he God made from one man, a literal man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth listed that is not clunky that is descriptive, descriptive, Paul is confirming in the New Testament. What happened in the Genesis account in the Old Testament and by the way it what he saying here understand this isn't anymore popular in the afternoon as it is in America, those Athenian councilmembers were sitting there right now, they're probably thinking this guy is a bit off today believe that Zeus was the originator of life. They believe it came from him. The Greek word for life by the waves, so and and and Paul is effectively confronting that he saying it in this manner. This is what they would be hearing that that Zeus did not produce so for us, God produced Zoe life. God created all the variations of color and physical attributes within one race is only one human race in the Athenians but we didn't like that because they have for centuries believed that the Greek race they believed was a distinct race and was the master race, but of course we picked up later by Hitler and the Germans would believe that same thing.

Centuries later, not so all of mankind are members of one race descending from one man, a literal first man by the name of that was created in money, drawn into the gospel that so no matter what color you are when it comes to the gospel. God is colorblind. No matter what part of the family tree. You know you fell from when it comes from the wind when it comes to the gospel. God is socially blind, no matter how much money you have or status.

God is economically blind when it comes to the gospel. No one has the inside track for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God was and we thank God for Adam and the human race.

But we must not cling to the human race by faith become a member of God's chosen race, a redeemed people prize possession been called out of darkness. Our eyes have been opened into a marvelous light. First Peter two so just a couple of sentences here. Paul literally confronts the Athenian theories of origins and for us the theory of Darwin, along with theistic evolutionists as well.

God is the creator of humanity.

I've a second point will do this a little quicker.

God is the controller of history. Notice verse 26 again and he made from one one-man you could render yesterday translated that way, which I prefer. He made from one blood or one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation. In other words, every nation, and the borders of every nation, and the length of the history of every nation is under the sovereign control designed by God, which means it isn't the role of the Christian to save his nation from perishing God is determine the length of its history any more than it is your role to save this planet from perishing. We do not take the place of God is his. He controls our mission.

I've said before, I'll say it again seems to fit well here. Our mission is not to say America but to say by means of the gospel. American. Our mission is not to save this planet. In fact, the Bible tells us that this planet. In fact the universe is being prepared for that judgment by means of fire to be this incredible fireball. Peter writes in second Peter, where it will be destroyed by fire and God within re-create a new heaven and a new earth. That doesn't mean that that you're not supposed to take care of this planet throw trash around not care know you good guardian of doesn't mean that you're not supposed to care about this country. It's one thing to be responsible and even a patriotic citizen which I happen to be with great joy.

But it's another thing to assume sovereign ownership and believe that if you don't save it. Somehow God's purposes will be shortchanged. What's got to do if we don't save it. By the way the world things are determined to attempt to save it as they have been able to detect God is allowed this universe is winding down winding down what God has in his omnipotent hand stop and it is all divinely ordained according to his purposes, and were right on track. Paul states you the nations belong to God is the Lord of history.

He goes on to to add in verse 27 that these nations should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Now that doesn't mean that they any nation or individual can find God on their own. Paul wrote to the Romans. How can they believe in one Dave, of whom they'd never heard they have to hear about how will they hear your rights without a preacher or a messenger. Romans 1014. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

The gospel has to be delivered and it has to be delivered for person to be saved, they must hear the gospel. Romans 1017 what Paul means here is that the Athenians are close to the truth and that they know there are deities, so to speak. They know that there are more talented is they they know there are spirit being like the blind man of the blind minute in the stand. They are partly right, but they still end up entirely wrong of the word Paul uses here that the key word to describe your searching. You might've noticed any rights if perhaps they might grope for him were means to feel around but the groping of a blind person who has difficulty finding the object he wants to hold, and this is so incredibly strategic. Paul is using the same verb to grow that one of Athens most famous citizens used in his best-selling work entitled the Odyssey author's name was Homer and Homer told the story of Odysseus, the Greek champion warrior who is trapped on one occasion with the soldiers in the cave and the cave is controlled by one. I giant named Cyclops Odysseus this warrior champion is able to blind the Giants with the spear and then he and his men try to avoid the blinded and rather upset enraged giant who was groping for them with his hands and he uses that same word. Paul now uses that famous Athenians writings and EE chooses of course by the leading of the Holy Spirit that same verb to describe the Athenians in their groping about trying to find God, but he also implies and that you notice that the true and living God wants to be found. He desires fellowship, companionship. He doesn't need us, but the light sentence. Mankind was created for worship and companionship with this creator God.

Adam and Eve sin and God came because these the walk is not exactly sure how that were they walked together. God came looking for them and cried out where where are you out of their hiding behind the bushes.

Three. God seeks, as it were companionship with those is created in his book John Lennox explains the inability of reason alone to grasp the answer to the most important issues of life study of mythical origins. All the theories actually can answer the question that resonates in the heart, really, of every human being is a pillow, there aunt Matilda. He says is made a beautiful luscious three layer cake.

The cake is taken to be analyzed by group, the world's top scientist nutritionist biochemist nutrition scientist finishes their examination and are able to tell us the number of calories in the case and each specific nutritional element and effect upon human body. The biochemists are able to determine structure proteins and fats. I should need it looks great idea anyway. All of that in the battery. I think the physicists are able analyze the cake in terms of fundamental particles so the mathematicians are able to determine the behavior of those particles with sets of elegant equations and how they corresponded to what degree with each other. They present an elaborate report on how the cake was made and how its various ingredients relate to one another in how the cake will affect the body and on he says this, but suppose you ask the experts. One question why did aunt Matilda make that they will not be able to answer the only person in the room smiling would be aunt Matilda because she alone knows its purpose was and it is an insult on any scientific discipline to do everything that they do and yet be unable to answer the question why because they cannot think the only way we never did answer the question why is Saskatoon aunt Matilda and she will tell you it's a birthday cake or nothing to celebrate with him. Listen without any disclosure, no amount of scientific analysis will ever be able to like this study of origins has has enough trouble with the question how think about it.

How did life originate. How did all of the elements that we can detect and analyze how they come together to form life.

But even if they can come close to the answer how they still will be millions of miles away from the answer to why why is there life. Why does this universe exist. Why do you exist why do you have life analyze the chemicals in your body. You cannot determine the purpose of being alive why this universe measure it, study it, explore and you will never be able to answer the question God's Word comes along and says to me answer that heavens of their purpose is to declare Lori God for us to effectively stand in all of his creative light and and listen let me say this were done. You exist serve and represent in worship and love and enjoy.

And one day talk with and walk with and worship praise serve your Creek God created you, knowing that purpose should inform the way you spend your time in the way you live your life in the way you interact with the people you encounter. I hope this time in God's word has challenged and encouraged you today. You've been listening to wisdom for the heart.

Stephen Davey is working through a series from acts 17 entitled introducing God. We have one more lesson to go in that series and will bring you that lesson next time. In the meantime, we'd love to interact with you if you have a comment question or a note that you'd like to send to Stephen. Our mailing address is wisdom for the heart PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627. Let me give you that one more time. It's wisdom for the heart PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627. We do enjoy getting a card or letter from you. Our website is found@wisdomonline.org. Once you get there you can explore the complete archive of Stephen's Bible teaching ministry is a form that you can use on that website to send us a note as well, but if you prefer email that address is info@wisdom online.that's info@wisdomonline.org thanks for joining us today speak with us next time. For more