You know, that's how it is in life. Where we start makes a great difference.

What we believe about the origin of life will significantly impact what we believe about the meaning of life. What we believe about the origin of life affects our search for belonging, acceptance, and fulfillment - and whether or not we can find answers.

We must have knowledge to use reason. With research, we become more knowledgeable. But even with research, we depend on reliable information. Much of our knowledge comes through human testimony - written or spoken. We have not personally verified the facts. We accept the testimony and conclusions of others. This means that most knowledge is a matter of faith.

We accept that Abraham Lincoln was a real man not because we knew him but because we have read and heard about him through the testimony of others. Most decisions we make are dependent on the knowledge we gain from a variety of sources. Yes, we all exercise faith on a regular basis. Hopefully our knowledge is gained from reliable, honest witnesses; otherwise our information is not very accurate and can be filled with error.

In dealing with the origin of life, we are dependent on reliable information. None of us were there to observe life's beginnings. So what, then, is the basis of what we believe about man's origin? There are two basic explanations for the origin of life - the naturalistic view and the supernatural view.

The naturalist holds that there are certain natural laws or properties associated with matter itself. These laws or properties, under the right conditions, overcome the problems of chance alone. Therefore, evolution is inevitable whenever the conditions are right.

This theory postulates that the earliest chemicals on the road to life are governed by certain laws. As more complex chemicals are formed over time, by chance, they unite into larger structures. Different laws (applicable to the larger structure) then take over. The analogy is used, likening the process to that of an atom as the basic building block of a molecule, and a molecule as the basic unit for the cell, and the cell as the basic unit for the organism.

According to the naturalist, each new level of organization is subject to new laws inherent or natural to each new structure. The naturalist contends that these laws inevi-tably lead matter from the non-living to the living whenever conditions are just right.

Verification or testing of the view is not analytical but analogous. Once again the natur-alist uses the analogy made between atoms, molecules, cells, organisms, and culture, with each higher level exhibiting different properties than the previous level.

A major problem rests in defining the form of these natural laws or properties inherent to the developing structures. These laws or properties are never outlined. The lack of analytical form to these laws makes experimental verification or refutation impossible.

For example, we are told that H₂0 is the chemical formula for water. According to this formula, water is composed of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Take that formula into a laboratory and we can either prove or refute that formula because it is defined/outlined. Conversely, if we are told that there are natural laws or properties inherent to matter which lead to the evolution of man or other life forms, how can we verify this without an outline? We can't!

Logically, this position is much more a philosophical point than a scientific one. The naturalist is postulating certain properties of matter which can't be observed, tested, or verified, and therefore must be accepted or rejected by faith, not on the basis of observable evidence.

Yet another problem is the lack of any explanation for the origin of the raw matter that is purported to begin the process. In order for any evolution to take place, matter must be accounted for. Where or how did matter come into existence?

The supernatural view holds that life did not evolve but was created, and that God created all of life. Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

The biblical account goes on to say that "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

The entire premise of the supernatural view falls apart if there is no God responsible for the origin of life. In chapter one, we have dealt with the objective evidences for believing there is a God.

Some claim that it is intellectual suicide to accept the existence of a "Creator God." Dr. Wernher von Braun, the father of modern space flight, wrote, "It has been frequently said that scientific enlightenment and religious belief are incompatible. I consider it one of the greatest tragedies of our times that this equally stupid and dangerous error is so widely believed." ⁵

There are some who call themselves atheists. When I talk with or read from these people, it becomes evident to me that the problems of logic in believing there is no God are far greater than the problems of logic in believing there is a God.

To believe there is no God requires one to believe that dead matter somehow produced life. Then living matter ultimately produced the mind with its incredible capacity and ability to reason. Then the mind produced conscience. To accept that intelligent life came into existence by chance does not call for faith, but credulity. So the person who does not believe in God seems to be saying, "I don't want to believe."

Aldous Huxley, a famous self-proclaimed atheist, admits his own bias: "I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning. Consequently I assumed that it had none. I was able, without any difficulty, to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in pure metaphysics, he is concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do, or why his friends should not seize political power and govern in the way that they find most advantageous to themselves. For myself, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation, both sexual and political." ⁶

We now proceed based on the premise that God is the Creator of all life and that He has communicated to us through His Word, the Bible.

The Bible reveals that life, as we know it, is not what it should or could be. God created man for Himself. He created man to enjoy all of creation in fellowship and perfect harmony. But we know that something has gone wrong. The chaos in our world is evidence that things are not as the Creator God intended.

We feel enslaved by our sin, crippled by our ignorance, and bound by our tensions. What is the problem?

The Bible clearly defines God's expectation of man.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12).

Men have chosen to reject the knowledge of God. Since we are not robots, God allows the natural progression from rebellion to sin to take its course. "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts.... They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator" (Romans 1:21-25).

The Bible labels this self-serving rebellion, sin, and says we are all guilty.

"There is no one righteous, not even one ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23).

Sin encroaches on the perfection of God's world and, as a result, it separates us from God.

We were created by God and designed in such a way that all life would revolve around Him. When sin entered the world, the balance shifted. Now, we view life as revolving around ourselves. We have turned away from our Creator and Father, rejecting the very source of life itself. That separation is a void in our lives that cannot be filled except by dealing with our sin. Every one of us has a sense that things are not as they should be, even though we may not be aware that sin has invaded our world and our individual lives.

We have torn God from the center of our lives and taken the place that is rightfully His. Now we are the authority, motivation, and goal of our own existence: "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2).

The result is still being played out in our world and in our lives today. Confronted with the following standard: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all

your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37), can anyone honestly claim to have lived up to it? I can't.

Perhaps because of the accountability it places on us, we find it easier to deny that God exists. Denying His existence and our accountability before Him doesn't change a thing. It doesn't matter what we think or our friends think. What matters is what God says. Because the Bible is God's Word, its content is authoritative. We stand before a holy God.

"So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).

But I didn't know! I've been trying to live the best I can.

The law in England says that all drivers must drive on the left side of the street. In America, the rule of the road requires a driver to keep to the right side. Now suppose while in London I drive on the right side. Obviously I wouldn't get very far before having an accident or being given a summons.

Imagine that when I stand before the judge, I say, "This is ridiculous. In the United States we are allowed to drive on the right side." The judge replies, "You are not being judged by the laws of America. It doesn't matter what the laws of other countries may be; you must obey the laws of England while you are here."

So what if I've sinned? Is my sin worthy of death? I haven't murdered anyone. Why should God judge my sin as worthy of death? The answer is because God is infinite in holiness; no sin can exist in His presence. Our problem is that we don't understand infinite, perfect holiness.

Some people are deathly allergic to bee stings. Whereas you and I may not like the sting, it is just a temporary nuisance. But still those who are very allergic simply cannot tolerate the sting - period. In a similar way, God cannot tolerate sin. Like oil and water, they cannot and will not go together.

In some primitive cultures, a native chief may club his wife to death with no provocation. In that primitive culture it's not a crime. That act in our country would result in arrest, conviction, and punishment for murder. Men and cultures are able to view the same act quite differently. Similarly, man and God obviously view acts on earth quite differently. What appears as nothing at all to us looks altogether different to an infinitely holy God.

The Bible is in essence God's handbook on how to restore what has been lost, and how to live as He created us to live. We all desire acceptance and a sense of belonging. Most of us strive hard to find this in other relationships, but real acceptance can only be met by God. It is impossible to find genuine meaning and fulfillment in life apart from the purpose for which we have been created.

It's true that God's expectation for how we should live sets a very high standard that cannot be reached or kept without the help of God.

Albert Einstein said it well: "The real problem is in the hearts and minds of men. It's not a problem of physics but of ethics. It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of man." ⁷

Our natural way of doing things is in opposition to God.

So, now you say, is that it? We've come all this way to discover that the God who created us set a standard that is impossible for us to keep. And because it is impossible for us to keep, we are condemned?

Not at all! God has made provision to deal with your sin and mine. There is a solution! The solution is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh.

CONSIDER Remember, where we originated has a significant bearing. Ultimately we have only two options:

1. Life is the result of a chance occurrence.

2. Life was created by God.

Are you willing to honestly approach your questions, assumptions, and presuppositions?

REASON If life came into existence by chance, then we must ignore a mountain of evidence proving a Creator God. If life is the result of God's creation, then we must face the claims of Scripture and realize that ultimate meaning and fulfillment are to be found in God alone.

RESPOND Take a few minutes to answer the following questions. Be willing to ask yourself why you believe what you believe.

1. The Bible is rather matter-of-fact in describing the origin of life:

a. What does this passage say about how the worlds came into being?

b. What two responses are called for

- from the earth?

- from all the people?

2. The Bible tells us that man is a unique creation of God:

a. What does this passage tell us about the origin of human life?

b. When did it begin?

3. Communication is essential in developing relationships.

"Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete" (1 John 1:3-4).

a. What purposes does communication serve in developing intimate relationships?

b. What did John the apostle intend for his readers if they fellowship with God?

4. In our subjective world, people are uncomfortable accepting an absolute standard by which everything is measured. Consider this passage:

"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7-11).

a. What does this passage say about the values to be derived in your life by following this standard, the Bible?

b. How is this standard characterized?

c. What do you think is the reward for accepting this standard?

In Volume I, we have considered whether there is a God, if God can be known, is Jesus truly God, and how did life originate. We have presented the evidence for our belief that God is living, loving, and personal, and that it is possible to know Him through personal reason and through His written Word, the Bible. We have established that Jesus Christ was indeed who He claimed to be, the Son of God, and that life originated as God's own creation.

In Volume II, we will use these beliefs as the foundation for understanding God's gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 1. THERE IS A GOD

1. Dr. Arthur Compton, in Chicago Daily News (Magazine Section, Issue of April 12,

1936).

2. George Gallup, as quoted in Robert Laidlaw, The Reason Why (Chicago: Moody Press,

1962), 9.

3. Professor Edwin Conklin, as quoted in Robert Laidlaw, The Reason Why, 7.

Chapter 3. JESUS IS GOD

4. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1952), 55-56.

Chapter 4. HOW IT ALL BEGAN

5. Dr. Wernher von Braun, in Missiles and Rockets Magazine (Issue of July 1957).

6. Aldous Huxley, as quoted in Michael Green, Runaway World (Downers Grove, IL:

InterVarsity Press, 1968), 270 ff.

7. Albert Einstein, as quoted in Robert Laidlaw, The Reason Why, 13.

Anderson, J. N. D. Christianity: The Witness of History. London: Tyndale Press, 1969.

Bruce, F. F. The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988.

Bruce, F. F. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1964.

Earle, Ralph. How We Got Our Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1971.

Geisler, Norman L. and William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, 1968.

Greenlee, J. Harold. Introduction to New Testament Textual Criticism. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.

Horn, Robert M. The Book That Speaks for Itself. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1970.

Kenyon, Frederic G. The Story of the Bible. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans

Publishing Co., 1967.

McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict. San Bernardino, CA: Here's Life Publishers, Inc., 1989.

Stott, John R. W. Basic Christianity. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1971.

Vos, Howard. Can I Trust My Bible? Chicago: Moody Press, 1963.

Wiseman, Donald F. "Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament." In Revelation and the Bible, edited by Carl Henry. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1969.