Part One: "In the Beginning, God CREATED the Heaven and the earth." --Genesis 1:1
There are but three possible explanations as to the origin of our earth: we must either believe in its ETERNAL EXISTENCE, that it had no beginning and will have no end; or in its EVOLUTION, that it is the product of multiplied changes into its present state; or thirdly.
we must believe in its CREATION, that it was made out of nothing and had its beginning apart from anything found in creation itself.
The theory of "Eternal Existence" can be quickly dismissed since it is contrary to the Second Law of Thermodynamics which states that things are "getting older", or "decaying", and such is evidenced by the corrosion of metals, the spoilage of food, our progression in aging, etc. The earth did have a beginning and must therefore have an end.
As to the theory of "Evolution", there are basically five views: 1.) The Collision or Planetissimal Theory, 2.) The Tidal Theory, 3.) The Nebular or Cloud Theory, 4.) The Dust Cloud Theory, and 5.) The Explosion of a Companion Star Theory.
The "Collision (or) Planetessimal Theory" was advanced by Mr. Georges LeClerc, a Frenchman, in the 1700’s. He taught that the earth was the product of a collision of the sun and another star. "The result of the collision was the formation of the earth and two other planets in the form of large globs of molten matter.
Within this century, Mr. LeClerc’s theory was modified by Sir James Jeans, Mr. Thomas Chamberlain, and Mr. Forest Moulton. Their view was that instead of a collision by a star, tides were raised on the surface of the sun by a star that passed in close range. They maintained that these tides detached from the sun in hot bolts of material which cooled and later condensed into planets. Within fifty years, however, this theory fell into disrepute.
In the nineteenth century, Mr. Immanuel Kant and Mr. Pierre LaPlace formulated the "Nebular (or) Cloud Theory." According to them, clouds of gas and dust called "Nebulas" cooled, shrank, and in doing so, revolved faster and faster thus causing matter to break away from the outer edges. It was refuted mathematically by Mr. James Maxwell who showed the gravitational force would not be strong enough to condense the material on the outer edges.
Since 1940, two men have modified the theory of Misters Kant and LaPlace. In 1943, Mr. Carl Weizacher propounded that as the sun condensed, the outer portion did not condense, but instead became larger and larger. According to Mr. Weizacher, the earth thus formed, was hot and has since cooled.
His student, Mr. Gerald Kuiper, modified the position of his teacher by stating the Dust Cloud of Misters Kant and LaPlace contracted. Then, as the sun condensed, it became hot and warmed the earth. Mr. Kuiper began with a cold earth.
While evolutionists are thus of various and Sundry opinions, the Apostle Peter was impressed by the Spirit of God to give the Church an "inoculation" against such "vain deceit", against such "traditions of men" and "rudiments of the world."
"KNOWING THIS FIRST,’ that there shall come in the last days SCOFFERS walking after their own lusts, and saying, ’Where is the promise of His coming? for SINCE THE FATHERS FELL ASLEEP, ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION.’ For this they willingly are ignorant of that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." II Peter 3:3-7
Moses, carried along by the Spirit of God, wrote, "In the beginning, God CREATED..." The Hebrew word "Sara" is correctly translated in the Latin Bible with the words, "ex nihilo" which means, ’"Out of nothing."
Now, the Egyptians believed creation was a cosmic egg out of which the god "Phaeta" created the world; and the lore of New Zealand declares how "Tane" made the trees, "Ru" made the mountains, "Tanga-Na" made the fish, "Mani" set the sun and moon in their respective places, and "Knum" made men out of clay on a potter’s wheel.
"But what saith the Scripture?" "THROUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLDS WERE FRAMED BY THE WORD OF GOD, so that THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN WERE NOT MADE OF THINGS WHICH DO APPEAR. " --Hebrews 11:3
Augustine in his City of God correctly observes, "Though God formed man out of the dust of the earth, yet the earth itself and every earthly material is absolutely created out of nothing."
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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May 23, 1618 --Bohemia. Last year when Ferdinand was crowned king of Bohemia, he immediately effected bitter persecution against all Protestants. Today, under Count Thurm, the Protestants penetrate the Castle of Prague and throw the Imperial Commissioners out the window.
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A MAN AND HIS WIFE --
Since we would not rob them of the blessing of God for their good works, we will not name them. Mr. X works a full-time job as a truck driver. Who would suspect this unobtrusive individual has a second full-time job at which he and his wife labor year round? The purpose of this second job is for giving the profit from it to the Lord’s work!
Such folks must be much loved by our Lord because He has impressed them with such a work of faith in His vineyard.
And where do you expect they give this money? If you believe they give it to the Great, the Noted, the Highly esteemed in the world --you are absolutely wrong. People who give to such works have their reward on earth, This humble man and wife may give their gifts to a college student, a Christian man needing an operation and who is caught short financially, etc.
God has given us this family as a friend through the years, and we would not trade their friendship for the society of millionaires.
Don’t you quite agree people such as this are a rarity these days? and don’t you agree that these who, though they are not much in the estimation of the world, are nevertheless for their works highly esteemed by God?
May God graciously countenance your faithfulness, friends.
