Creation or Evolution III?

            Have you ever thought about why we know certain things are right and wrong?  Why is it that we have morals and consider certain acts such as kidnapping unacceptable?  No logical person would ever condone the horrific actions of men like Adolf Hitler or Sadaam Hussein.  As a result, the societies we live in have certain laws and regulations that we are adhere to.  So where do these principles and morals we live by come from?  If we came about through evolution and not creation then the only place such morals could come from is nature.  With that said, does nature reflect the objective moral human values we hold?  Anyone who has ever been in nature or watched the Discovery Channel knows that the animal kingdom consists of ruthless acts of survival.  A lioness doesn't have any moralistic values she is considering while hunting an antelope to feed her cubs.  Neither do we see a community of apes with a system of laws based on their desire to live in a morally acceptable society.  Philosophically, this is called the "Moral Argument."

         William Lane Craig's explanation of the Moral Argument is this:

• If God does not exist, objective moral values and duties do not exist.
• Objective moral values and duties do exist.  
• Therefore, God exists.     

If there weren't objective moral values, then no one would have legitimacy in denouncing horrific acts committed by those like ISIS and Al Qaeda.  This would be true because deciding right and wrong would be based on opinion.  Without a moral law giver (God), then whatever each individual deems acceptable would have to be the rule we live by.  A society based on such a principle would no doubt be a terrifying and dark place.  Even in our morally law based world of today, there are still horrific acts of violence; however, how much worse would it be if not for our objective morals?

          There is an undeniable distinction between humans and animals.  This distinction goes far beyond the physical attributes of survival we would have developed through evolution.  As people, we have a built in sense of what is morally right and wrong, whereas animals possess no such attribute.  Since we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), it would be illogical to think that our moral instincts come from anywhere but Him.  The Apostle John told us that "God is love" (1 John 4:8).  So if God is love, and we were created in His image, then it is only natural that our moral principles were divinely given to us.  If you accept that certain things are right and others wrong, then the only possible explanation for our existence is that we were created by God.            

      

                                                                                                                                               

  

What's Our Motive?

              As people, we seek many things.  Among those are knowledge, happiness, money, as well as many other earthly attributes. The men and women of the first century church were no different, and in fact, they sought many spiritual gifts as well. Paul the Apostle addressed these gifts in chapter 13 of his first letter to the Corinthian church. Such gifts that the early Christians were seeking were prophecy, knowledge, speaking in tongues, as well as other divinely given gifts to help proclaim the word of God.

            These gifts were sought by those in the church for many different reasons. One reason was for the personal prestige of having a certain spiritual gift. Paul’s writing with regard to this issue was to inform the people that each gift was special in its own way. Do we as Christians today hold certain knowledge or talents above others within the church? Finishing his instructions in regard to these gifts, Paul says that “love” is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13). Christians in Corinth were desiring certain gifts, which gave them a certain ability to serve the church, for a purpose which did not include love.

         This is still just as prevalent for us today, as it was in the first century church. Whatever we do, whether it be evangelism, Bible study, benevolence, or any other deed we deem to be “Christian,” if we do so without love, then according to Paul, it is useless. Love must be the driving force behind everything we do. We must show others the same love that Christ showed us. After all, we were lost in our sin, and it is only out of His love for us that Christ gave Himself up for our salvation. So let us not seek personal gain, recognition, or anything else that would adhere to our own benefit, and let our deeds stem from our love for God and for His people.