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Adding Wisdom to Knowledge.
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When God and Creation Are Rejected, What’s Left?
Denying God’s role in creation leaves the youth of our nation without a sense of purpose. Probably nothing has done more to challenge America’s belief in God and her high standards of morality than the teaching of evolution. Evolution, as opposed to creationism, is now the prevailing answer for such questions as “Where did we come from?” or “How did the world begin?” or “What is the source of life?” This has been the case since our nation’s tax-supported schools began promoting evolution in the text books our students study. Consequently, the teaching of evolution is now grounded in tradition and is even supported by judicial decisions, all of which deny the Genesis creation story. In some places, it is illegal to teach any other belief about origin. Such was not the case in the beginning days of our nation. Rather, there was a strong commitment to the teaching of creation and a belief system based on Christian ethics. The Christian researcher, George Barna, reported recently that a mere four percent of the American population possess a Biblical worldview, a world- view that views life from the lens of Scripture. When God is rejected in questions of origin, what is left? We are left without a sense of responsibility to God. People often speak about the decrease in a sense of responsibility that character izes this age. The very concept of responsibility assumes that there is a higher authority holding mankind accountable. That higher authority is God Himself; this teaching is clearly presented in Scripture. When God is removed from that equation, responsibility can only be based upon some concept of common good for the benefit of society. The problem then becomes the inability to agree upon what that common good should be. Consequently, children are left to their own ideas and thoughts about responsibility. Such thinking leads to a philosophy of life that is driven by worldliness and materialism, both of which deny responsibility to God, the Designer of His created universe. We are left without a common understanding of what is right and wrong. Any educational program should teach children about issues of right and wrong. But when God is removed from the equation, as He has been in public education, what do children use as a standard in determining what is right and wrong? Again, when the morality of right and wrong has been forsaken, people are left to resort to “personal rights” in resolving conflict. Leaving God out makes all issues “rights” issues. Right and wrong are determined by legal guidelines rather than moral guidelines. Clearly, removing God from public life means that His principles no longer apply and rules of morality no longer have a place in public debate or public life. We are left without a common definition of truth. There is no longer any commonly accepted definition of truth and justice. Thus, the motivation for life without a common definition of truth causes one to focus on material prosperity as opposed to God. We become motivated by what we want and not by an allegiance to God. We are motivated by what works and not by truth. Today, the great rush toward materialism is occurring because of the removal of God, resulting in the removal of any common definition of truth and any common sense of justice. We are left without a common godly purpose for life. “Why am I here?” “Why was I born?” The latter part of Colossians 1:16 says that “. . . all things were created by Him and for Him.” The Bible clearly gives to each of us a purpose—to bring glory to God who is both our Creator and our Redeemer. We have been created by Him and for Him, for His purpose. The removal of God and creation from our nation’s classrooms and from our view of life leaves us without purpose. This is the only reasonable explanation for the lack of purpose that characterizes so many lives today. In essence, without finding purpose in Christ, there is no satisfaction in life. Application In today’s world, for all too many, life has little purpose. In contrast, God has planned for us to live our lives with deep purpose and a sense of responsibility, to Him and, then to others. It is His intent that we pass this purpose and sense of responsibility to our children. Paul makes this point clear in Ephesians 5:15, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.” Peter warns about being led away by the errors of the wicked in 2 Peter 3:17. Denying God’s role in creation leaves the youth of our nation without a sense of purpose. Conversely, in order to create within our children a deep sense of responsibility to God and purpose in living, we must make certain that God’s role in creation is a foundational part of the educational program where our children attend school.
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