Presuppositions are beliefs that we consider to be self-evident, taken by faith, and requiring no proof.
For example, many people believe in God without being able to prove his existence empirically. Hopefully we have what we consider to be good reasons for believing our presuppositions, but we will never be able to prove them to a doubter. Everyone has presuppositions, even those who claim to be purely rational and scientific. To claim that we can think rationally is a presupposition, especially if one believes in a randomly evolved universe.
If our presuppositions are correct, they will help us arrive at proper conclusions. If they are incorrect, they will lead us into further error.
In order to establish a biblical cosmology, we must agree upon certain presuppositions, some of which I have listed below. If we can agree on these, it will help us see eye-to-eye as we move forward. I have put the corresponding presuppositions of the Big Bang heliocentric side, as well.
Biblical Cosmology Presuppositions |
Popular Cosmology Presuppositions |
| God exists, and he created the heavens and earth out of nothing by speaking it into existence. | There is no God. The universe and all life self-created through the Big Bang and randomly evolved. |
| God gave us the Bible, which, according to its own testimony, is absolutely true. All its words are inspired by God. (2 Timothy 3:16) Therefore, we can rely upon the truth of every word. (Proverbs 30:5, John 17:17) | The Bible was written by men and is fallible, outdated, and not a reliable source of information about scientific matters. |
| We should accept that the words of the Bible are literally true, unless it is clear from the context that we should interpret them in some other way, such as symbolically. We should not impose upon the scriptures an outside presupposition to make them mean something different from the author’s original intent (2 Peter 3:16); although, some scriptures can have multiple meanings beyond the author’s intent. | When the Bible conflicts with established scientific consensus, we must interpret the Bible in a way (symbolically, poetically) that agrees with science. |
| The Bible is not merely a book that communicates spiritual and moral truths, but it also is correct when it addresses practical, historical, and scientific issues. | If the Bible has relevance, it is only in spiritual and moral matters. |
| God did not “dumb down” his inspired and true Word to accommodate the ignorance of what some call the “pre-scientific” era. | If God did inspire the Bible, clearly he spoke in ways to accommodate the level of comprehension of the writers and readers. |
If we can accept these five presuppositions, we can conclude that the Creator God of the Bible was present at creation, knows all things, says what he means, and means what he says. (Numbers 23:19) Many times God does not tell us everything we want to know, but he is always truthful.
None of us were there and have no right to question God’s veracity.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Job 38:4 (NASB95)
Therefore, it is reasonable and mandatory for us to believe the assertions made by the Creator in the Bible over the theories and declarations of fallible men, no matter how intelligent, credentialed, or admired they may be.
The Bible is our most reliable source of truth in all matters. We believe it gives us accurate information regarding the order of creation, the nature of the heavens, and the design of the earth. (Romans 3:4)
The Bible also teaches us that we have an adversary called Satan who is a liar by nature. Jesus said that no truth dwells in him. (John 8:44) According to Scripture, he actively deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9), which lies in his power (1 John 5:19). Only those who belong to Christ have escaped from his kingdom of darkness (1 John 5:5). Only those in whom dwells the Holy Spirit of truth and who study and believe the Bible have the ability to detect and defend themselves against the devil’s lies. How sad it is, however, when born-again sons and daughters of the God of truth are duped into believing Satan’s lies! Tragically this happens on a large scale.
There is a worldwide satanic plan to deceive the masses regarding the design of the earth and heavens in order to hide the existence of the Creator.
His plan is also to convince people that we are insignificant and worthless in the grand scheme of an infinite chaotic universe. He wants us to believe that we live in a rather hopeless situation, that our “planet” is in mortal danger, especially from the “virus” of humanity. He also aims to trick people into believing that the Bible is unreliable. (Psalm 2:1-4) How better can he do that than by convincing us that the very first chapter of Genesis is a fairy tale account of creation.
Conversely, our Creator God is revealing the truth about the heavens and earth in order to awaken people to his existence and to convince us to place our faith and allegiance in our Lord Jesus.
It is my hope that this series of articles will assist you to gain a better understanding of the shape and design of the earth and heavens as revealed in the Bible so that your confidence in the Bible and God will increase.
