Geisler Vol 2 Chaps 18 and 19

8/14/2019 Geisler Vol 2 Chaps 18 and 19

1/31

Geisler, NormanGeisler, Norman

SystematicSystematicTheology IITheology II

Vol. 2Vol. 2Chapters 18 andChapters 18 and

1919


2/31

Systematic Theology IISystematic Theology II

Chapter EighteenChapter Eighteen

Alternative Views onAlternative Views on

CreationCreation

pp. 423-440pp. 423-440


3/31

Alterative Views on Creation

There are three primary alternatives:

1.Materialism

2.Pantheism3.Theistic


4/31

MaterialismMaterialism

Two basic subdivisions ofmaterialism:

1.Platonism: God created out of

preexisting matter.

2.Atheism: There is no god, matter iseternal.


5/31

PantheismPantheism

Absolute Pantheism claims that onlymind (or spirit) exists, not matter.What we call matter is only an illusion,

like a dream or mirage: It appears toexist, but it really does not exist.

This is much like the dream world thatexisted in the movie The Matrix.


6/31

PantheismPantheism

Non-Absolute Pantheism holds a moreflexible and elastic view of reality. According tothis thinking, there are many things in theworld, but they all spring from the essence ofthe One (God).

The word was not made out of nothing (exnihilo), or out of something preexisting (exmateria)it was made out of God (ex Deo).


7/31

PantheismPantheism

Summary of Pantheistic View ofOrigin:

There is no absolute distinction between

Creator and Creation.

There is an eternal relation betweenCreator and Creation.

The World is of the same stuff as God. Human Beings are God.


8/31

TheismTheism

In contrast to both materialism andpantheism, there is the Judeo-Christian view that God created all

that is, out of nothing (ex nihilo).

According to this position, God isabove and beyond the world, not

merely in it, and certainly no of it.God created the world and manifestsHimself in it (Ps. 19:1).


9/31

Important Elements of theTheistic View of Creation

There is an absolute differencebetween Creator and Creation.

Creation had a Beginning, God doesnot.

The Nothing out of which Godcreated was absolute nothing.

Creation out of Nothing is notcreation by Nothing.


10/31

Source of Creation

The source of creation is a theisticGod: He alone can create somethingfrom nothing.

Not only did God create, but onlyGod can create. This is in distinctionto recreate or reduplicate which

uses existing elements to producesomething.


11/31

The Content of Creation

God created everything that exists:He created the heaven and theearth and every living thing (Gen.

1:1, 20-27, KJV)

All things are from God, but they arenot of God. In other words, God did

not pull out pieces or essence fromHimself and create. He created out ofabsolute nothing.


12/31

The Method of Creation

God is the source of creation, and HisWord is the means. God created byHis unlimited power and by His will.

He was not compelled by anything tocreate. Creation came from nothingmore than His own desire or will to

create and by necessity.


13/31

The Time of Creation

God created in the beginning. Godis eternal, but the world is not. Theuniverse came to be, but God always

was (actually, is).

Both time and space were createdwith the universe.


14/31

The Purpose of Creation

If God created freely, then we can ask,Why did He create, rather than notcreate?

Augustines answer was because it isgood.

Aquinas concurred, saying, God

brings things into existence in orderthat his goodness may becommunicated and manifested.


15/31

Be familiar with thefollowing table

CATEGORY THEISM MATERIALISM PANTHEISM

Source ofCreation

Creator beyondnature

No Creator Creator withinnature

Method ofCreation

Out of nothing(ex nihilo)

Out of something(ex materia)

Out of God(ex Dio)

Duration ofCreation

Temporal Eternal Eternal

Relation ofCreation and

Creature

Creator andcreation (really

different)

No real Creator No real Creator

Gods Control Unlimited Limited ornonexistent

Limited


16/31

Systematic Theology IISystematic Theology II

Chapter NineteenChapter Nineteen

The Origin of MaterialThe Origin of Material

CreationCreation

pp. 441-474pp. 441-474


17/31

The Biblical Basis forThe Biblical Basis for

CreationCreationThe word create (bara) is used inconnection with three great events inGenesis 1: the creation of matter (v.

1), living things (1:21), and humanbeings (1:27).


18/31

The Creation of Matter

Gen. 1:1 In the beginning Godcreated the heavens and theearth.

This verse describes the origin of allthings, and creation is the foundationfor everything else that follows. It is

a reference to creation from nothing(ex nihilo).


19/31

The Origin of Matter

All of this was created by God in the beginning.And through him all things were made (Jn. 1:3).God created all things . . . Visible and invisible(Col. 1:16). He created heavens and earth. He

creation includes the land, the seas (Gen.1:10), and all plants and animals (vv. 6-26). Itincludes also the human body that was madefrom the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7). This is areal material universe, and it was created by God.


20/31

The Origin of Matter

Matter was created from Nothing

Matter was created by God, Not outof God


21/31

The Nature of Matter

Material Creation is Contingent: That isto say, even though the world exists, itcould nevertheless not exist; it is, but it

might not be. Material Creation is Finite, only God is

infinite.

Material Creation is Spatial andTemporal, restricted to space and time.

Material Creation is Good.


22/31

Creation of Living Things

God not only created matter (Gen.1:1), but He also created everyliving thing that moves (Gen. 1:21

NKJV)


23/31

Creation of Living Things

The Origin of Live: All life exists because God willsit to exist (Acts 17:25)

The Nature of Life:

1.There is unity of all life.

2.There is diversity of all life.

3.All life was created to multiply.

4.There is stability in life, created to continue.

5.Humankind was given dominance over all life.


24/31

Creation of Humankind

The Origin of Humankind

The Lord God formed the man fromthe dust of the ground and breathedinto his nostrils the breath of life, andthe man became a living being(Gen. 2:7)


25/31

The Nature ofHumankind

Human dignity: Humankind is aspecial creation of God.

Human sanctity: Human life issacred. Murder is, as it were, killingGod in effigy.


26/31

The Image and LikenessThe Image and Likeness

of Godof God Image includes intellectual likeness to God

Image includes moral likeness to God

Image includes volitional likeness to God

Image includes the body: not that God has abody, but that the human body communicatessomething about the image of God. We are likeGod, but God is not like us in all respects.


27/31

Baseless Arguments forBaseless Arguments for

RacismRacismBe prepared to refute the following errantarguments which are used to support racistpositions:

The Mark of CainThe Command not to Intermarry withother Nations

God Desired nations to be separate(See Geisler, pp. 454-455)


28/31

The Basis for EthnicThe Basis for Ethnic

IntermarriageIntermarriageFirstFirst, all ethnic groups are from the same racethe human

race.

SecondSecond, the New Testament specifically repeats that we areall from one blood (Acts 17:26, NKJV)

ThirdThird, there are biblically approved cases of ethnicintermarriage (such as Ruths and Rahabs)

FourthFourth, when Moses married an Ethiopian and was criticized,God intervened and judged those who disapproved.

FifthFifth, and finally, the scriptural commands applicable tomarriage are to marry in the Lord (1 Cor. 7:39, NKJV),someone with whom one is not unequally yoked together(meaning, not an unbeliever2 Cor. 6:14, NKJV).

h fTh P f


29/31

The Purpose ofThe Purpose of

HumankindHumankindThe twofold purpose ofThe twofold purpose ofhumankind is to honorhumankind is to honor

the Creator and tothe Creator and to

enjoy His creation.enjoy His creation.


30/31

The Debate on Creation andThe Debate on Creation and

EvolutionEvolution

Young-Earth CreationistsYoung-Earth Creationists insist thatcreation occurred in 144 hourssixsuccessive twenty-four hour days with thetext of Genesis 1 understood as literal.

Old-Earth CreationistsOld-Earth Creationists allow for millions(even billions) of years with the text inGenesis understood as symbolic.

Theistic EvolutionistsTheistic Evolutionists believe God usedevolution as His means for producing thevarious forms of physical life on thisplanet, including human life.


31/31

ConclusionConclusion

According to Geisler (p. 473) The essentialsof Creationism that are consistent with theChristian faith include the following:

1.There is a theistic God.2.Creation of the universe was ex nihilo3.Every living thing was created by God.4.Adam and Eve were a direct and special

creation of God.5.The Genesis account of creation ishistorical, not mythological.

Geisler Vol 2 Chaps 18 and 19

Documents

Transcript of Geisler Vol 2 Chaps 18 and 19