Cedarville Magazine, Spring 2017

In higher education all across the country, schools are not distinguishing between scientific theory and scientific fact. And when science disagrees with the Bible in any way, institutions of higher education everywhere will place science over Scripture. Here at Cedarville University, we will not place science in authority over Scripture; we will place Scripture in authority over science. Science is ever-changing. I am a devout lover of salt. I salt everything but ice cream. Watermelon, apples — you name it, I’ll salt it. Pizza. I love salt on pizza. So people constantly tell me, “That’s bad for your health.” Well, there was a time when people said, “It’s actually good for you.” So I saved those articles that said it was good for you, so that every time they send me an article saying, “No, it’s bad,” I can send them back an article that says, “This scientist says it’s good.” I am firmly convinced that in the academy, you have people who will say on one hand, “Things are bad,” and then a new generation rises up and needs to make a name for itself, that needs to publish articles and journals so they can get tenure. What are they going to do? They look back at what was said, they disprove it, they put a new theory forward, and they prove their theory. Then along comes the next generation. We have general revelation, but we look at general revelation through a sinful, flawed thinking process. We need Scripture as the ultimate authority and the lens of faith that allows us to see clearly what is in general revelation, and to that end, we must have the authority of Scripture. The authority of Scripture is clear. We have a historic Adam and Eve. The real question is, “Has God really said?” The answer is a resounding “Yes, He has.” There is a spiritual war with the devil, that cunning serpent, who undermines biblical worldview and authority. We must stand and say, “Not in our lifetime.”We must stand for Scripture. ARE WE ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD AS OUR CREATOR? If evolution is true, then why am I accountable to God? If God didn’t create me, if God didn’t give me life, then I have no accountability; I can do whatever I please. I can live life the way I want, and that is what we see happening in society. If you have a secular, humanistic view where you are your own authority, you can do whatever you please. And there are a lot of people who really want to do whatever they please. But if there’s a Creator who gave us life for a purpose, and we’re going to stand in judgment for how we stewarded the life He gave us, then that is an entirely different worldview and an entirely different understanding. DOES GOD HAVE AUTHORITY TO TELL US HOW TO LIVE? If He didn’t create us, why does His Word have authority over how I live? If I’m a cosmic accident of evolution, who can tell me what I’m supposed to do in this life? And here you see our world saying, “How can you tell someone else how they should live if we’re cosmic accidents?” That worldview clashes with the biblical worldview, which says for me to truly love my neighbor is to tell my neighbor, “You’re headed for disaster.” And if I truly love my neighbor, if I’m going to love them as I love myself, I would want somebody to tell me, “You’re running off a cliff. You’re headed for disaster. Here’s the truth. Here’s what we have to believe.” And true love means you will confront them with the truth of the Bible. Not loving somebody is knowing this book is true and letting our neighbor run off the cliff without saying, “Wait brother. Wait sister. Don’t go there. That is utter disaster.” What you believe about a historic Adam, a historic Eve, and about creation affects your view of God. It affects the way you live life. Will there be a judgment or will there not be a judgment? If there is no judgment, if there is no resurrection, Paul says, “Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor. 15:32). HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE DOCTRINE OF MAN? Sanctity of Life. If we are created in God’s image, then every life is precious to God. If Psalm 139 is true, that God knew all of our days before any of themexisted, then life is sacred from conception to its natural end. If that’s not true, then it’s okay for the sake of convenience to eliminate a human life, whether that’s on the front end or the back end of life. Racism. We all trace our lineage back to Noah, back to Adam, and we understand that we are all one race. About the Illustration Look closely at the illustration on the opening page. What do you see? Yes, it’s the guardian cherub blocking re-entry to Eden. But why is Jesus there? Look more closely at Jesus’ eye. Notice that it’s also a man’s head of hair. The moustache? A covering for the man’s waist and legs. And Jesus’ cheek? A woman covering her face with cupped hands. Gary Varvel’s cartoon is a brilliant portrayal of the truth Thomas White conveys in his article: There must be a real Adam and Eve, not metaphors as some claim, for Christ to face the cross. The fall of man is the reason for the death and resurrection of Jesus. 8 | Cedarville Magazine The following is an excerpt from Thomas White’s September 16, 2016, presentation during the “In the Beginning: Creation and Your Biblical Worldview” conference September 15–16. During the first half of White’s presentation, he laid the biblical foundation for the theological necessity of Adam and Eve, highlighting texts throughout the Old and New Testaments in order to display the comprehensive witness of Scripture to a historic Adam and Eve. The excerpt that follows provides the implications of this biblical foundation. Listen to his full remarks at cedarville.edu/creation .