The Origin Of Life

If we understand ourselves as being rooted in divine creation, we will accept the divine norms as our own. Our purpose will be derived from God. We will accept our value or meaning as that which the Creator has placed upon us. If we accept the notion of evolution, we must recognise that the only norms which may make any claim upon us are our own. Then, our sense of purpose must be founded in ourselves, our own desires and ambitions, and our value is purely subjective; no more than we are valued as productive or desirable. The question of origins is, therefore, more than just one of science-fact, but one of crucial importance to how we view, and live, life. This study will examine the Scriptural answer to the origin of life. Scripture claims God as the origin of life.

Every Bible student knows this simple fact: God created life. The simple and clear statements of Genesis chapter 1 tell us this. But is there an origin of life? Day three of the creation week was the origin of life of which kind? Is there an uninterrupted progression from type of life to type of life? Was day five an origin of life? What sort of life? What about day six? Is this an origin? For what type (or types) of life? Do you see a relationship between this and 1 CORINTHIANS 15:39?

Now that we have established the Scriptural view that life did not have an origin, but several separate origins, what is the Scriptural view of the originating principle, or force for life?

The simple clarity of the Genesis account should leave no doubt with regard to this question. But the debate on origins intends to question the account. Did Genesis mean to report fact or fable? Was this an account of Creation or a myth about meaning? What the questions seek to uncover (for the sc...

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...rstanding of the image, turn to EPHESIANS 2:20-22. This is also life God has created, new life, eternal life in Jesus Christ.

This is where the central importance of the understanding of creation comes in. Without the scriptural understanding of Genesis, how can we have the biblical, gospel understanding of ISAIAH 28, or EPHESIANS 2? The same God created both, or all types of life. One may debate the creationist understanding of Genesis, but not without surrendering the plain sense of other Scriptures as well, including those which reveal the gospel to us!

Close this study with a reading of PSALM 139. Don 't skip over verses 19-22, but discuss how we can understand these words in the light of this study (for example), and still remember to love our enemies as Christ commands us. Pray for steadfastness in the understanding and confession of the truth of God 's Word.