Sunday: God in Nature
Read Romans 1:18–20. What is Paul saying here?
What a powerful few sentences. Enough of the reality and existence of God is revealed through “what has been made” (NASB), that is, through the created world, that people will be “without excuse” (NASB) for their unbelief.
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Paul is saying that from the creation alone humans can learn enough about the existence and nature of God that they can justly be condemned on the day of judgment.
No question, the natural world does reveal so much to us about the existence of God. Modern science, too, has revealed to us details about the marvels of Creation that our ancestors, even just 300 years ago, much less 3,000 years ago, could not even have begun to imagine. There’s an interesting irony here, as well: the more complexity science finds in life, the less likely becomes the means science claims for its origin, that of accident and chance. An iPhone, for instance, which looks designed, acts designed, reveals design both inside and out, and works only through design is, of course, designed. But a human being, which looks designed, acts designed, reveals design both inside and out, and works only through design is, we are assured, a product of pure chance alone. Sadly, many people are deceived into believing such claims.
Read Job 12:7–10. How do the words here reflect the idea presented in Romans 1:18–20?
Here, too, we are told that the reality of God is seen in the created world. Though especially in its fallen state, nature doesn’t reveal the full character of God, it certainly reveals His creative power and aspects of His goodness, as well.
What things in nature especially talk to you about the power and goodness of God? How can you learn to draw strength and encouragement from the message it gives you?
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Genesis 1:29 seed bearing, seed bearing fruit... the ability to create seed it would produce apples and oranges fruits amazing to me testifies to the creation of God that God does truly exist and he's loving creator.
I agree. The ability to reproduce yourself, whether human or food, is not something that happen by chance; it was by intelligent design, God's design. God give us this ability to reproduce in order to sustain ourselves and this world. Thanks for the thought!!
Though it's a valuable observation, why does seeing nature bring the question of an ultimate judgment? We see a link in Rev 14:7. What else might bring up that same question?
I do know that you are already knowledgeable on the subject, and my answer to your question. You are just throwing this question out there to get a more thoughtful discussion going!! 🙂
Every kingdom, and I mean every kingdom, have to be able identified by what the King has control/dominion of, and where his territory starts and ends. A king is not a King, unless He has control and a territory. You identified one of three verses in the bible where God makes it explicitly known to everyone what He has control of, "who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water"; He MADE, He is the CREATOR of the heaven and earth, the sea and the spring of water. Where does His dominion starts and ends - "heaven and earth". I hope that some of the other Bible scholars out there will comment and give the other two bible verses.
Also, speaking of "the sea and the springs of water", during creation, God told the seas and the springs of water where their boundaries are, and to not to go over those lines. Yes, we have hurricanes and typhoons, but that is nothing compared to what could happen if God's creative powers were not holding back the waters. Lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans, would be overflowing on a daily basis. We must remember that when the God created the Earth, it was covered with only water, there was no land at all. God divided the land from the water on the Third day of creation, so that He could plant the first vegetation to sustain the animals and humans. There is no scientist or philosopher that can explain how that process occurred, the dividing of the water and land. It's mind-boggling! It's Amazing!! Only God could have done it. His intelligent design!! Praise God!!
What a amazing grace how tree grows and sun that helpiur body...
God is so Good..
Whe one is in nature you cannot observe it only without saying to yourself there must be some super power behind all of this, It just did not come about and that is why Paul is writing and speaking unto us,telling us because of Gods creation and us experiencing it we will not be unjustly condemned.I believe Gods prescence is everywhere in nature and when we out there He speaks unto us.
Light and sight are wonders of God. Think about it. I speak from experience.
Nature is a powerful testimony of the existence of God. No one should question this because it could not be man who creates the universe and it cannot just happen by chance. There must be a powerful God. Looking at how the earth hangs in space tells me there is a God. It takes a miracle to do the. Praise God!
We-humans- went to the moon, built the golden gate, the empire state building, the sears tower, we create computers and all kind of computerize devices that made our live a lot easier; and all of that function fallow system, design. How can live came to existence by itself. It may no sense to me.
Nature indeed is beautiful, and a fascinating, perfectly working system. what if God,creator of all things, created the universe, but like writing or designing a kind of "computer programme", and supervising and steering this process, which is evolution and still ongoing, constantly? For me that's a wonderful concept...
Barbara, before we consider your idea we need to know what you mean by evolution.
The way we usually refer to "evolution" is as an explanation for the origin of life on this planet. And the Bible is very clear that "He spoke and it was done." (Ps 33:6,9) In other words, the Bible supports the concept of creation by divine fiat, rather than a gradual process.
Another kind of evolution simply means "change," and it is undeniable that living things change from generation to generation. Scientists who believe in the Genesis creation account call this "micro evolution" as compared to "macro evolution" which seeks to explain the origin of all things.
The thing about all evolution of living things is that much of it is driven by mutations at the genetic level, and most actually represent a loss of genetic material with a resulting loss of diversity. Put another way, most creation scientists believe that all the diversity we see today in the Canidae family was originally created in the genetic make-up of the first wolf/dog in Eden and then preserved in a male and female in the ark. Thus the Great Dane and the Chihuahua, the foxes and the wolves all descend from that one pair of Canidae on the ark with the genetic material they carried. But the Chihuahuas and the foxes have lost the genetic material that would allow them to have wolves or Great Danes as offspring.
Another example would be all the variations between humans on this planet, including colors of eyes, skin, hair and shapes of noses and foreheads, etc. We all descended from one man and one woman who had the genetic material to allow for the wonderful diversity we see today. But we blonde, blue-eyed northern Europeans have lost the genetic material that would allow us to have brown-eyed, dark-skinned babies. (Blue eyes have no pigment, and light skin demonstrates a lack of melanin.)
Realistically speaking, the arguments of evolutionary science make a great deal of sense if you accept the foundational argument that all that all the material of the universe can be explained by naturalistic processes without intervention from a divine being.
Creation science use the same evidence as evolutionary science but demonstrates how the evidence fits very nicely into a framework of creation by divine fiat a few thousand years ago, rather than a slow process beginning billions of years ago. In fact, I believe the observable evidence fits much better into the creation framework.
If this subject interests you, be sure to check out our Creation Science Resources https://ssnet.org/links/creation-and-science/.
As a computer scientist, I would like to add a couple of comments as something to think about:
Most computer programs are deterministic. That is; given a set of circumstances, they will always react in the same way. God's creativity differs from classical programming in two significant ways:
1) he has given his created beings free choice. We can think for ourselves and make decisions.
2) he has provided nature (and by inference us) with the flexibility to adapt and learn.
Can someone please explain what the author means here? The wording after the comma is confusing.
" There’s an interesting irony here, as well: the more complexity science finds in life, the less likely become the means science claims for its origin—that of accident and chance."
Hi Liz, I would like to attempt with an explanation - I think what the author is trying to say is; Science is finding out more information about our world, and the creatures that live in our world as well as finding out more about how the human body works. With all the new knowledge, most scientist are sticking to what they have learned as the origin of life - for most of them the Bible explanation of how our world was created, and how life began is too simple for them. But there are some scientist who come to realize the truth through the study of nature. If you open your heart to God, He will reveal Himself to you through nature. I hope this helps.
Hi Liz, here the lesson writer simply says that the more science investigates creation, the more the scientist postulation, that the universe originated by chance/accident, is proved wrong. I hope that helps you, best.
The reason so many are believing such, is because they don't want creation to be true, for they would have to face their true condition. It is better, in their eye, to disbelieve God then to own up to their distrustful heart. It is the same reaction of Adam and Eye, going to hide behind the brush cause God came out to find them.
IIndeed, nature speaks of an intelligent being behind it's existence.If it's really true God is in nature, can I bow to worship the tree, moon or mountain because God is in it?
Brother Simeon greetings to you from Papua New Guinea. The Bible teaches that worship is due to the 'Creator' only and not the 'created'. Be blessed.
I think simon has a point that cannot be overlooked because of the heading "God in nature" that is speaking of pantheism".if you say God the creator of nature that is different.But yes we can see God's handiwork all around us in his creation of the plants and animals etc.
Sometimes we try and dissect words and phrases according to our own previous views rather than allowing the author some leeway in meaning. I take photographs of nature and some people say to me that they can see me in my photographs. Of course they cannot see me, but they can see my style and thinking in the photograph. I know what they mean.
As a photographer I see God in nature, not in a pantheistic sense but I see design and aesthetics, that are consistent across a broad spectrum of subjects that are indicative of a God that I can trust. I must also add that I see the effects of sin too and their attempt to mask that design.
I am not unmindful that many real scientists (as opposed to those who write about science) are also quite aware of the design and aesthetics of nature, but attribute it to nature itself. I don't think they reject the "God designer principle" as such but have either not thought about it, or reject it because of bad experiences with religious people. We need to accept that many people reject God because of our attitude to them. We need to be careful about how we show God's character in us.
Simeon, I believe it's unfortunate that some lesson editor shortened the title of the day's lesson to "God In Nature," rather than "God Revealed in Nature." It seems clear that the lesson author did not intend to say that God is *in* nature, and the Bible certainly does not support the idea. Indeed, the idea that God is *in* nature is the false teaching of pantheism and panentheism. It is what undergirds the worship of trees and mountains, etc., as you suggest. Paul addressed the problem of worshiping created things rather than the Creator in Romans 1:18-32 NET. (Please click on the link to read the whole passage.)
As its Creator, God is *above* nature. However, just as much of an artist is revealed through his art, an architect is revealed through his buildings and sculptor is revealed through his sculptures. so much of the character of God is revealed through His creation. Paul particularly points out that "his eternal power ad Godhead" is revealed through His creation.
I see God's creative power through people. we all are a version of each other but are unique in our own way. We have not discovered all there is to know of the human body, and what we do know its amazing how intelligently it functions, like our brains, which can continually learn new things that are represented by neural pathways. How amazing we are!!
Thanks friends for your comments about my question.The greatest confusion down the centuries sorrounding religion has been creater worship v.s creature worship. The element of pantheism with it's teaching has swept the globe terribly!! I allude to the fact that much as God is revealed in nature,we should worship Him only.I therefore, perceive that, pantheism denies the individual existence of a deity, supreme being(God) and transfers it to the nature. Again,with the rise of many religions: Taoism, Confusianism, Budhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism etc, using their points of reference as Christians do from the Bible, how can we as christians challenge these ever rising pantheistic ideologies, creating a platform comprising of all the religions to harmonise the doctrines?
I think it is a bit of a generalisation to say that all of these religions are pantheistic. A comparative study of religions reveals some common elements such as life after death, and a reality beyond the visible. But their views of a supreme being or beings are quite divergent.
The human body is magnificent, when I look at how it's different systems work together in order to have homeostasis. For example, we usually use our brain to tell our bodies what do to, but when it comes to our heart it beats on its own without a constant reminder. Lol I can't imagine what would happen if I had to always tell my heart to breathe, I think I would be passed out majority of the time, because I forgot to tell my heart to breathe. And God anticipated people like me, he knew when we get so caught up in what we do on a daily basis, we will forget, and mess up.
Therefore, he could't trust us with such an important organ. And the heart represents love. Isn'tq it amazing that he controls our physical heart, and takes care of it, once we do what he ask (live healthy ). This reminds me to give him my spiritual heart too.
There are a couple of caveats that must be considered when thinking about God revealed in nature:
1) much of nature is red in tooth and claw. We need to acknowledge that nature can appear cruel. Eg The cat playing with the mouse before eating it. The cuckoo laying its eggs in the host nest. And so on. Nature not only reveals God but shows a competitive and cruel evil power at work. That cannot be glossed over by the beauty and design of nature.
I photograph nature and display my photos. I know that if I display a beautiful cuddly bunny I will get lots of comments about God's wonderful nature. If I show photographs of a beautiful Wedgetail Eagle catching that Rabbit and killing it, we remain curiously silent. Our argument about God in nature must take both views into account. We cannot pick and choose our evidence.
2) it is unwise to characterise evolutionary scientists as all believing in design by chance. There is a broad spectrum of views on the mechanisms of evolution. We can make arguements that appear plausible us as creationists because we have a wrong or incomplete perception of how evolutionary scientists think. Eg Richard Dawkins, inspite of his popular vitriolic books, does not represent all evolutionary scientists and their thinking. It is probably unpopular in this forum to suggest that we read about what evolutionists think, but we do need to refrain from using our own stereotyped views of scientists in our discussions.
Maurice:
1) When you photograph a beautiful rose, do you focus your lens on the petals or the thorns? While we cannot pick and choose our evidence, we can pick and choose what we focus on.
2) I think it's a bit presumptuous to imply that readers don't know what evolutionists think. Most of us have been brain-washed with exactly that since our first day in school.
Away from theories and all the science gimmick around us (I am a scientist and at some moment was so convinced about neo-darwinism), we need to understand that satan is busy destroying nature and our environment, the very manifestation of God. We have a role to play here. Instead of facilitating extinction of certain if not all species, let us try to conserve for Gods glory. Let us desist from selfish acts of degrading the environment and being party to those who don't care any more. Thank you
lt is amazing that nature tends to listen to God rather than men,remember the night the disciples struggled in the boat,remember how Jonah was given a ride by the fish, the lions turned to vegetarians when Daniel was thrown in the pit. lt saddens me that human beings who are made in his likeness deny Him who is Life.May God open our eyes.......