http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=452
It is not Enough to be JUST a Creationist
INTRODUCTION
Origins. The mere mention of the word stirs controversy, especially in
our day and time when evolutionists battle creationists in oral debates,
in print, in the news media, and even in the courts. Most people
understand that when a discussion centers on origins, in reality it is
an entire cosmogony—a whole system of thought regarding where we came
from and why we are here—that is under consideration. Evolution and
creation are admittedly “thorny” topics, and often evoke very strong,
deeply seated emotions, because of the dichotomy that exists between the
two concepts. The Universe and its inhabitants came into existence
either through
natural means (viz., evolution), or
supernatural means (viz., creation), those being the only two possibilities.
However, it is not my purpose in this discussion to examine either the
many fallacies of evolutionary theory, or the many reasons why biblical
creationism should be accepted and defended. Instead, my comments will
be directed at people who accept the Bible as God’s inspired, inerrant
Word, and who believe in the literal, historical account of creation as
recorded in Genesis 1-2. The point I would like to make is that
it is not enough to be just a creationist! Here is why I make such a statement.
IF CREATION, THEN WHAT?
James Coppedge, in his book,
Evolution: Possible or Impossible?,
remarked: “The growing evidence against evolution will eventually force
American evolutionists to face the fact that the position is untenable.
Some will then openmindedly explore the idea of creation, while others
will doubtless persist in materialism at any cost” (1975, p. 180). Over
the past several years, as the creation/evolution controversy has become
both more public and more heated, and as the many scientific and
biblical evidences for creation have come into view more clearly, there
have been some who have made changes in their views on
origins—abandoning their belief in evolution and accepting creation in
its place. Good scientific evidence, and good biblical interpretation,
establish the fact that they have made the right choice. And, of course,
there always have been those who have accepted creation in the first
place, and who simultaneously have rejected evolution.
But, is merely accepting “creation” enough? As unorthodox as my answer
may seem at first glance, I suggest that the proper response to such a
question must be an unequivocal “No.” It is not enough to be
just
a creationist. Please do not misunderstand. It is imperative that those
people who wish to be pleasing to God accept what He has said regarding
creation (or any other issue, for that matter). Henry Morris correctly
observed:
They tell us not to “waste time on peripheral controversies such as
the evolution-creation question—just preach the gospel,” not realizing
that the gospel includes creation and precludes evolution! They
say we should simply “emphasize saving faith, not faith in creation,”
forgetting that the greatest chapter on faith in the Bible (Hebrews 11)
begins by stressing faith in the ex nihilo creation of all things
by God’s word (verse 3) as preliminary to meaningful faith in any of
His promises (verse 13). They advise us merely to “preach Christ,” but
ignore the Savior, and that His finished work of salvation is meaningful
only in light of His finished work of creation (Hebrews 4:3-10). They
may wish, in order to avoid the offense of the true gospel, to regard
creation as an unimportant matter, but God considered it so important
that it was the subject of His first revelation. The first chapter of
Genesis is the foundation of the Bible; if the foundation is undermined,
the superstructure soon collapses (n.d., p. 2, emp. in orig.).
Certainly, creation
is important. But that is not
all
that is important. With the acceptance of either of the two systems of
origins (evolution or creation) must come an acknowledgment of the
implications and inferences that accompany each system. Acceptance of
evolution, for example, will force an acceptance of the implications
surrounding that system (e.g.: nothing supernatural exists, therefore,
there is no God; man is nothing but an animal, religion is merely an
“invention” of evolved man; naturalistic forces are responsible for
everything we see and are, etc.). Acceptance of the biblical account of
creation also forces acceptance of the implications surrounding that
system (e.g.: there is a God, man is a creation of, and responsible to,
that God; there is an objective, moral code given by the Creator, etc.).
The question thus becomes:
if creation is true,
then what are some of the implications and inferences accompanying it, and how do these affect me?
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE JUST A CREATIONIST
Acceptance of biblical creationism carries with it many implications.
Space will not permit a discussion, or even a listing, of all of them.
We would like, however, to mention one which we feel is perhaps the most
basic of all: acceptance of the biblical concept of creation
acknowledges the existence of the God of the Bible, and therefore His
system of man’s salvation. In other words, my point in titling this
tract as I have is this: it is not enough to be
just a creationist; one also must believe exactly what God has said in regard to salvation as well.
There
will be many creationists who will not inherit heaven, because although
they accepted God’s account of creation, they rejected His plan of
salvation. That is to say, although there are many people who accept
creation, who believe in God, and who claim to accept the Bible as His
word, they will be lost because they are not New Testament Christians.
While it is important to be a creationist, it is more important to be a
saved
creationist. It is both admirable and commendable to defend the
biblical account of creation, but it is of even greater importance to
obey God’s commands regarding the salvation of one’s soul. How sad it
will be to see those who, on the Day of Judgment, will be turned away
from heaven in spite of the fact that they believed in the biblical
account of creation. They were creationists, but they were not
saved! Jesus Himself remarked:
Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in
heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy
in thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many
mighty works? And then will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23).
The Lord’s point is quite clear: there will be those people who were
“good” people—doing works in “His name”—but who, in reality, had not
done what He told them to do. They had built their houses on sand (human
doctrines), not rock (the Lord’s commands). Consequently, their houses
did not stand (see Jesus’ comments in Matthew 7:24-27).
Some will argue, of course, that there are many good and sincere people
today who are creationists. That is no doubt true. But “sincerity” or
“goodness” alone is not enough. No doubt Uzzah was “sincere” when he
stretched forth his hand to steady the ark of the covenant of God as the
oxen stumbled, and he thought the ark would be destroyed (2 Samuel
6:6ff.). But God struck him dead, because he disobeyed a direct command
not to touch the ark (Numbers 4:15). Saul (later called Paul) was
“sincere” in his persecution of the church, and even did what he did “in
all good conscience” (Acts 22:19-20; Galatians 1:13; 1 Corinthians
15:9), yet God struck him blind (Acts 9:3-9). Paul later would admit, in
his own writings, that he was sincere, but
sincerely wrong. God does not want
just sincerity. He wants
obedience (John 14:15).
It is by the Word of God that we one day will be judged (John 12:48).
That being the case, it behooves us to ask, “What does the Word of God
say about my salvation?” Fortunately, the Scriptures are crystal clear
on this important point. God has not left us without divine wisdom
regarding what to do to get out of sin and into Christ. He has told us
what to do to be saved. God wants creationists, yes. But God wants
saved
creationists! He does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), yet only
those who come to Him in the way He has stipulated will enjoy eternal
life (Acts 17:30; John 14:6).
WHAT MUST ONE DO TO BE SAVED?
Jesus Christ, speaking as the Son of God, said: “I am the way, the
truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John
14:6). Jesus invites all men everywhere to enjoy salvation in Him (John
3:16). He came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Since “all have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), all are
lost and in need of being saved. What, then, must one do to be saved?
Obviously, one who accepts creation, and who wishes to seek the God of
that creation, wants to be pleasing to that God. Hebrews 11:6 then
becomes important: “And without faith it is impossible to be
well-pleasing to him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.” How, then, does
one build such a faith? Romans 10:17 provides the answer: “So faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Thus, faith is built
by the Word of God. In addition, however, there is the important step
of believing that Jesus Christ is Who He claimed to be—the Son of God.
John said: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal
life.” He also stated: “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life”
(John 3:16,36).
Hearing and believing, however, are not enough according to the
Scriptures. Repentance also is necessary. “The times of this ignorance
therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth all men everywhere that
they should repent” (Acts 17:30). Jesus Himself said: “I tell you, Nay:
but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish” (Luke 13:3).
Once a person has heard the Gospel message, believed in Christ, and
repented of his former sins, he then must be willing to confess publicly
that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. “Every one therefore who shall
confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is
in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me, him will I also deny before my
Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).
This person, then, who has heard, believed, repented, and confessed, is faced with one last, and very important question:
How do I get rid of my sins?
To a person who wishes to become a New Testament Christian, this is the
single most pressing question in his or her life. What must a person do
to get rid of sin? Once again, the answer is provided by Scripture.
Examine Acts 22:16. What did Ananias tell Saul to do to get rid of his
sins? “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away
thy sins, calling on his name.” Saul was told rid himself of his sins
through baptism. Jesus Himself said: “He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16, emp. added). On the Day of Pentecost when the church was established, Peter
commanded those people who wanted to know what to do to be saved, to “repent ye, and
be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
unto the remission of your sins” (Acts 2:38, emp. added).
Where is salvation found? Salvation is found “in Christ.” Paul stated
in 2 Timothy 2:10: “Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake,
that they also may obtain the salvation which is
in Christ Jesus
with eternal glory” (emp. added). Where are all spiritual blessings
found? Spiritual blessings are found only “in Christ.” Paul wrote in
Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
in Christ” (emp. added).
The obvious question, then, is:
How does one get “into Christ”? Baptism brings us “into Christ.” Paul told the first century Christians in Rome:
Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through
baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through
the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life
(Romans 6:3-4).
He told the Galatians: “For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ did put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27, emp. added). Peter said it was baptism that saves us (1 Peter 3:21).
If we do as God has commanded,
then
his grace saves us because our faith has brought us in line with His
teachings (cf. Ephesians 2:8-9). Baptism, of course, is neither more nor
less important than any other of God’s commands regarding what to do to
be saved. But it
is necessary, and without it, one cannot be
saved. One thing we know for certain—“faith only” is not enough. Belief
in Christ is simply not enough. John 12:42 makes that clear. The rulers
“believed on him; but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess
it.” James said their “faith alone” did not save them (2:19). In fact,
James even went so far as to say: “Ye see that by works a man is
justified, and
not only by faith” (2:24, emp. added). One must
undergo baptism (immersion) in order to: (a) wash away sins, (b) get
“into Christ” and (c) come into contact with the cleansing blood of
Christ.
After a person becomes a New Testament Christian, the Lord Himself then
adds that person to the church of Christ (Acts 2:47; cf. Romans 16:16),
not any man-made denomination. That person becomes a member of the
one
church established by Christ (Matthew 16:18; Colossians 1:24; Ephesians
1:22; 4:4-6). He then is commanded by Scripture to live a faithful
life, which will be followed by a crown of righteousness in heaven
(Revelation 2:10).
It is not enough to be
just a creationist; one must be a
saved creationist. This article is written with an urgent plea to those who may be “creationists,” but who are not
saved
creationists. Many creationists will not enter heaven because they have
not obeyed God’s simple commands regarding their own salvation. I urge
you to consider your salvation. Have you done
all that God
commands in order to secure that salvation? If not, please read, and
then re-read the Scriptures mentioned in this article, and come to the
Lord in humble submission to His will, so that you can be a New
Testament Christian as well as a creationist.
REFERENCES
Coppedge, James (1975),
Evolution: Possible or Impossible? (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
Morris, Henry M. (n.d.), “The Gospel of Creation and the Anti-Gospel of Evolution,”
Impact Article No. 25 (San Diego, CA: Institute for Creation Research).
