If you see a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be sure that it did not get there by itself. We should have the same clarity regarding how we find ourselves here on planet earth. The first worldview question the Bible answers is the origin question. How did we get here?

Origin determines identity, purpose, morality, and destiny; so, getting the answer to the origin question right is extremely important.

That is why the devil, works so hard to get us off course on the beginning of our worldview journey. He knows that if he can deceive us regarding from where we came, he can more easily dupe us in the other areas.

Genesis opens with the following two verses.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2 (ESV)

We learn from these verses that:

• There was a beginning of time, and God was there. We have a hint that God is eternal.
• God acted to create everything in the visible and invisible universe – the heavens and the earth. We learn that he is extremely powerful.
• Initially the earth was not the place we know today. It was “void” and had a lack of order.
• The Spirit of God “hovered” over the face of the waters. This introduces the mystery called the Trinity.

Creation Reveals Something about the Creator

Whenever we ponder anything that has been made, we learn something about the maker. A beautiful watch is a doorway into the mind of the watchmaker. If we did not have the Bible as a guide or reference, could we still know things about God by looking at the world around us? The answer is a resounding Yes!

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 (NASB) 

Some of God’s attributes are unique to him and divine. Others are communicable, meaning that he shares them with his creatures. Theologians call God’s attribute of power omnipotence, which means he is all powerful. It is interesting that Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God’s power is eternal, which is an inference we can make from seeing that God was present in the beginning. He predates the beginning. Later in the Bible we find out that God has no beginning or end. He is eternal. God has placed something in the heart of mankind that is drawn toward eternity. The author of Ecclesiastes wrote that God has “…set eternity in the hearts of men…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV) 

What can we discern about God’s divine nature? One of the children in our small group responded to this question by saying that God is “amazing, fantastic, and surprising.” (Not bad for an 8-year old!) We can also tell that he is creative and good. We gather that God appreciates beauty, complexity, and diversity by observing the world he created. Perhaps a very good exercise would be for us to ask ourselves, what else can we discover about God by thoughtfully observing creation?

Is the Bible Narrative a Satisfying Explanation of Our Origins?

In order to be open and honest, we should ask ourselves if we have ever encountered another satisfying explanation of how things came to be.

Does it satisfy our intellectual curiosity and resonate as being true in our hearts? There are certainly a variety of theories out there, one of which is materialistic evolution. This theory of origins usually starts with the “big bang,” which posits an extraordinary explosion which originated the known universe. One problem with this explanation is that it is merely an hypothesis regarding the mechanics of how the universe came to be, without answering the question of origins. It does not tell us where the big bang’s matter and energy originated. In other words, what was before the big bang? This fails to pass the intellectual test and the heart test.

Evolutionary theory assumes the presence of the material world, without trying to explain its origin, and tries to explain life’s origin in terms of chemical and physical processes taking place over untold eons, without God being in the picture. Since this is not a scientific paper, I will not attempt to show all the problems related to this unprovable hypothesis. If you are interested, you can do your own research at the Creation.com website. A very informative video is available, entitled Evolution’s Achilles Heels, which I highly recommend. Let me summarize my objections by saying science has already proved that it is impossible for matter to move from chaos to complexity without the application and maintenance of external energy. Things fall apart naturally, not self-create. Our complex and ordered world demands a Creator.

It is obvious that I accept the Bible’s explanation that we and the universe were created God, whose genius we have been studying for centuries, and, in many cases, the intricacies and amazing complexities of his creatures are still being discovered.

The biblical account, on the other hand, is both intellectually and emotionally satisfying.

The Deliberate Suppression of Truth

Those who choose to refuse to acknowledge God’s existence usually work hard to try to refute the Bible’s creation claims. Evolution, when it was first introduced, was readily embraced by communist leaders, because it was thought it gave validity to their atheistic dogma. If people are determined to believe that there is no God, it is easy to understand why Darwinism is so attractive. It appears to lend some scientific credibility to an unsupportable doctrine. Those who wield power in academia suppress the teaching of creationism, insisting that evolution must be accepted as scientific fact, when it is actually an unprovable hypothesis.

Those who accept the existence of the biblical God also believe that there is an archenemy, Satan, whose plan is to destroy faith in God as the Creator in young children in order to subvert God’s plan and purpose for their lives. It is revealing to see how creationism is suppressed in public schools. It is ridiculed, mocked, and often ignored. Creationist teachers often face the wrath of other teachers and the administration. This is no accident. Truth can stand on its on merits.

If evolution is true, then why must creationism be squelched? It is because evolutionists fear the power of the truth they have chosen to suppress.

Research shows that children are naturally disposed to believe that there is a Creator, even when they have been raised in an anti-God environment. From where did this proclivity to believe come? If we accept the Bible account, we must conclude that it was built in at creation. What a travesty it is when childlike faith is undermined by a deliberate suppression of truth!

Conclusion

No matter to which side of the argument we are drawn, we bring to the table certain unprovable presuppositions. The evolutionist presupposes without proof that there is no God; whereas, the creationist presupposes the very opposite. Every worldview depends on such beliefs. After I became a follower of Christ and accepted the truth of the Bible, I have found great joy in acknowledging the kindness, wisdom, and power of the God I serve! For me, the creationist approach to origins passes the heart test and the intellectual test.

If you are still searching in this area, I recommend the study of the writings of dedicated creationist scientists, such as are found at Creation Ministries International and the Institute for Creation Research. You will find that belief in God and the Bible account is not intellectual suicide. Far from it. You will see that in order to hold to evolutionary theory, one must suppress truth.

When we admit that the universe could not possibly have self-originated and recognize that we owe our existence to the Creator God, it automatically sets us up to be able to answer the other worldview questions correctly.

• We will see that knowing where we come from helps us to know our identity.
• We will show how knowing our identity helps us to understand our purpose.
• We will see how understanding our origin, identity and purpose gives us insight into how to determine what is right and wrong.
• Finally, we will also understand what is our destiny.

A proper understanding of origins is the fountainhead of truth. It opens up a path of revelation into the heart of God that, if followed to the end, provides us with the ability to live with purpose and joy.