Bible Maps & Resources
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2 |
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Bible Maps & Resources
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2 |
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Articles Index Creation versus Evolution 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Page 5
THE PERSONAL CREATOR To help us understand the following comments, Stephen L. Craig gives an excellent illustration: "Imagine you walked into the kitchen and saw the kettle boiling on the stove. You ask, 'Why is the kettle boiling?' Your wife might say, 'Well, because the kinetic energy of the flame is conducted by the metal bottom of the kettle to the water, causing the water molecules to vibrate faster and faster until they're thrown off in the form of steam.' That would be a scientific explanation. Or she might say, 'I put it on to make a cup of tea.' That would be a personal explanation. Both are legitimate, but they explain the phenomenon in different ways." Reason 1: He goes on o say that what he is trying to explain is that there cannot be a scientific explanation of the first state of the universe. Since it's the first state, it simply cannot be explained in terms of earlier initial conditions and natural laws leading up to it. So if there is an explanation of the first state of the universe, it cannot be a scientific explanation. Therefore, logic tells us that it has to be a personal explanation. There has to be an agent who has volition and desire to create it. Reason 2: Further, he tells us that because the cause of the universe transcends time and space, it cannot be a physical reality. Instead, it must be nonphysical and immaterial. There are two types of things that can be timeless and immaterial, one would be abstract objects, like numbers or mathematical entities. However, abstract objects cannot cause anything to happen. The second kind of immaterial reality would be a mind. Since a mind can be a cause, it makes sense that the universe is the product of an unembodied mind that brought it into existence. Through a series of given explanations for why the first cause is personal...he states that we can come to the following conclusion that the origin of a finite universe comes from a timeless cause. How? Only one explanation seems to explain this fact, namely, that the cause of the universe is a personal agent who has freedom of will. He can create a new effect without any antecedent determining conditions. He could decide to say, 'Let there be light,' and the universe would spring into existence. Both Lee Strobel and Stephen L. Craig have made a good case for the cause of the universe being personal, yet they offered no evidence concerning whether the Creator is still living today. Stephen L. Craig's final response to us: "It's certainly plausible that this being would still exist because he transcends the universe and is therefore above the laws of nature, which he created. It therefore seems unlikely that anything in the laws of nature could extinguish him. And, of course, Christians believe this Creator has not remained silent but has revealed himself decisively in the person, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, which shows that he's still around and still working in history." Should you wish to learn more about the above information, I would highly recommend you read Lee Strobel's book, "The Case for a Creator." Craig goes into greater details, describing all the other sciences that also point to a creator--a divine creator. The author also includes interviews and illustrations from several other well know scientists in various fields. The purpose of this article is to give you, the reader, a firm foundation for the defense of a divine creation of the universe and our earth and all of us that are on this planet, including all the creatures, animals and people. You will be further amazed in all the other amazing things in the Cosmos that also point to the necessity of a divine creator. |