Sunday School Class: “Creation as Foundational Truth,” Week 10

This section should really be connected with Section 1, “The Importance of Genesis.” I will reorganize the material the next time I teach it.

 

Section 9:  Genesis as Foundation of Doctrine

Genesis is the foundational book of the Bible. Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

The word “genesis” actually means “beginnings” or “origins.” Every important theme and teaching in the Scriptures find their beginnings in Genesis.

Genesis is not simply the record of creation, but also the foundation of Biblical doctrines.

If we dismiss Genesis as a myth or mere symbolism, then we have no starting point for all the vital teachings of Scripture, which in turn means that we have no solid rock for our faith.

The fact that Genesis gives us the origin and initial explanation of the major biblical doctrines is a big reason for the continued attacks on Genesis, especially chapters 1-11.

They want to kick the foundations out from under our faith.

If a building has no solid foundation, the structure cannot last for long. “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3, NKJV).

Evolution is an attack on the foundation.

Lack of faith in Genesis has brought about unbelief in the Bible in general.

Trying to “make the Bible relevant” to modern-day so-called “science” is a losing battle and a waste of time. The Bible is already relevant.

“… Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge (“science”) — by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith” (1 Tim. 6:20-21, NKJV).

Remove the authority and inspiration of Genesis and the rest of the Bible must crumble.

This is exactly what Satan intended when he cast doubt on the Word of God and then blatantly denied the Word of God. Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” And the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:1-4, NKJV).

Atheistic and Theistic evolution have sought to destroy the foundation of Scripture.

Those who reject the literal interpretation of Genesis do not really believe the Bible.

 

Major categories of doctrine addressed in Genesis:

 

1. Doctrine of God (Theology)

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

 

This verse tells us many things about God:

 

He is the Creator. “Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Psalm 100:3).

 

He is all-wise.  “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens” (Proverbs 3:19, NKJV).

 

He is all-powerful. “For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” (Psalm 95:3-6).

 

He is in control of all things. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him”  (Colossians 1:16).

 

Genesis also presents God as Lawgiver in His command to Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17).

 

God is seen as Judge following Adam’s disobedience,as well as in His judgment at the Flood, at Babel, and on Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

God is also seen as Savior (Genesis 3:15). This is seen in His saving Noah and his family from the judgment of the Flood. Without the flood of Genesis, we cannot really explain why there are billions of fossils, since fossils are formed by rapid burial in water and mud, not over millions of years. The flood presents us with the fact that God must punish sin. This is not a popular teaching and is another reason people reject the whole idea of God judging the world by the flood. If we really believe the Bible, we must accept all of Genesis, even the parts we don’t fully understand.

 

God also saved Lot and his daughters from the judgment on Sodom (Genesis 18 and 19).

 

As the Creator of all things, God has the absolute right to rule over all things, and He exercises this authority in the world — demonstrating His sovereignty. This is seen in Genesis in four outstanding events:  the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel. It is also seen in God’s choice, call, and direction of four outstanding people:  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.

 

The Trinity is seen in Genesis. The Hebrew word for God, Elohim, in Genesis 1:1 is a plural name with a singular meaning, a “uni-plural” noun, thereby suggesting the uni-plurality of the Godhead. God is one, yet more than one. In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our image.” This shows the “Tri-Unity” of God.

 

The Spirit of God is mentioned “hovering over the waters” in Genesis 1:2.

 

Christ is mentioned prophetically as the “seed of the woman” in Genesis 3:15.

 

2. Doctrine of Mankind (Anthropology)

 

The first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, appear in Genesis as special creations of God.

 

Adam was made from the dust and Eve from Adam’s rib. Both were made by God in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27).

 

We are not evolved animals, or a mere conglomeration of chemicals, but we are beings with a spiritual or God-conscious nature.

 

Clearly, the whole human race is descended from this first man and woman (Genesis 3:20).

 

Eve was created to be a “companion” for Adam (Genesis 2:20–22).

 

From this follows the doctrine of marriage (Genesis 2:24–25 and confirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4–6), as the union of one man and one woman for life (not the union of two men or of two women, or something else). God has originated and defined marriage, and no one has the right to redefine it. Since God ordained marriage between one man and one woman, this fact forbids polygamy, adultery, non-marital sex, and homosexuality. These four practices result from disobedience to God, but are defended as human rights. Belief in evolution makes acceptance of these very easy. Evolution is a denial of God's created order, and that allows humanity to justify just about anything. 

 

If we did not have the book of Genesis how would we explain the institution of marriage?  Without it, man would simply be on the same level as animals.

 

3. Doctrine of Sin (Hamartiology)

 

With the first man came the first sin — seen in Genesis as violation of the law of God (Genesis 3:6–11), and as depravity imputed to the whole human race (Genesis 4:8; 6:5). When God created Adam and Eve, they had the ability not to sin, as well as being able to sin. They had “free will” in a way no one has it today. They had the ability to choose to be sinners or not. We don’t have that choice today. Today, “free will” must be defined as “the freedom to act according to one’s nature.” When Adam and Eve chose to reject God’s rule over them, they and mankind lost the ability not to sin; instead we have an innate sinful nature.

 

The first sin brought the first guilt (Genesis 3:8). Some today try to say that there is no real guilt, only guilt feelings, and those feelings are caused by Christians and their preaching against sin. However, guilt is real.

 

The first sin also brought the first judgment (Genesis 3:14–19). There would be enmity between Satan’s seed and the woman’s seed (Christ - the One would come into the world and defeat sin and Satan forever). Women and men would suffer in their respective roles. All humanity would now be subject to death. The result of the fall was murder, sickness, sorrow, pain, death, and separation from God.

 

Genesis also describes how mankind became increasingly wicked. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, NKJV). “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth” (Gen. 6:11-12, NKJV).

 

Some believe that education is than answer to all the terrible things that are present in the world today, but no amount of education can make the nature of man better. Everyone is, by nature, bent on disobeying God and His word. “The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside,  they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Psalm 14:2-3, NKJV).

 

 

Continued next week with more doctrines that have their origin in the book of Genesis, and then on to "Quotes from Evolutionists and Other Scientists." This study will conclude in two weeks with "Scientific Evidence for Creation."

 

 

Following are some of the resources, in addition to the Scriptures, that have helped me a great deal as I have studied to teach this Sunday school topic. These include the following:

 

Materials from the Institute for Creation Research, including the book The Genesis Record by Henry M. Morris.

 

Materials from the “Answers in Genesis” website, and the book The Lie: Evolution by Ken Ham.

 

Sermons by John MacArthur from the website, “Grace to You.”

 

Icons of Evolution by Jonathan Wells, a proponent of the Intelligent Design movement.

 

The “Got Questions?" website.

The "creation.com" website, specifically http://creation.com/genesis-the-seedbed-of-all-christian-doctrine.

 

Various other resources, both printed books and websites.