Sabbath: Through a Glass, Darkly
Read for This week’s Study: Job 12:10;1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Gen. 3:17; John 12:31; 1 Cor. 1:18-21.
Memory Text: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’” (1 Corinthians 3:19, NIV).
Theologian William Paley wrote a book in 1802 entitled
Natural Theology, in which he argued that one can use observations of nature in order to develop an understanding of God’s character. He wrote extensively on the ways in which the features of animals exhibited the care and skill of the Creator. Paley may have made too much of some features, however, because he failed to recognize the effects that both sin and the Fall have had on nature, but his general argument has never been refuted-despite numerous and vociferous claims to the contrary!
Charles Darwin, in contrast, argued that a God who designed every feature of nature would not be good. As evidence, he referred to a parasite that feeds within the living bodies of caterpillars and the cruel way in which a cat will play with a mouse. For him, these examples were evidence against the existence of a loving Creator God.
Though Paley was obviously closer to truth than was Darwin, this week’s lesson will examine what the Bible has to say regarding the question of what it is that nature reveals, and does not reveal, about God.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 16.
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Charles Darwin? Great lesson - cant wait to study this lesson.
God made everything upright but sin came into the world through one man and so we all sinned.It was not God's plan that people suffer spiritually but the wrong choices we make.
And the animals were affected as well hence the cruel way cats play with mice, etc.
What Darwin was saying was seen by many scientists as reliable, but the scriptures makes us understand that God is the sole creator.
The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God and it should be to us as well. Let us rely on a thus saith The Lord.
Great lesson.
Charles Darwin apparently did not believe or understand Genesis 1: 24, 25, 30. Charles Templeton did not understand Genesis 1: 30 or read about the fall in Genesis 3. And they both did not understand or read Romans 8: 20-23. I also will never understand why evolution tries to push against the law of entropy which says mistakes will arise in the DNA information. Mistakes in the DNA lead to more deleterious mutations and error in the genome. They do not lead to increased complexity and more information in the genome or a creature of greater complexity.
Yes, Amen that's right--in decency and in order, right? And so true, that by design things require a certain order right?-- no more no less. For pass that it's disorder right? Hence the 'mutations' You mentioned?--which could yield 'anomalies' as "the big c" eh? Excellently put!
It is obvious that sin has tarnish the perfectnes of God's creation, yet nature does not fail to exhibit the loving care of an awesome God.
Nature reveals God but in a pale and blurred way, For this reason, we need special revelation, which is the Bible. great lesson!
yeah guess you are right wisdom of this world is indeed foolishness
Satan is trying his best to push God out of the picture of creation and his love
As human beings, we do not only see, darkly, through the glass but also on a very small picture. If only we had the privilege to look at the big picture(the way God does), then we would better understand and appreciate the revelation of God through nature.
WE HAVE NO EXCUSE... And to C Darwin i say....
Rom1:20, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse"
I CONCLUDE WITH 1Cor1:18-19,21,
"For the preaching of the cross to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will brind to nothing the understanding of the prudent. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe"
Are you listening friends of Darwin???
We are all exposed to the these situation we find ourselves today. The choices we make in ou lives. We must jealously guard our thought not to wonder aimlessly, but the devil will have it thus. This is his chief business to cast a dark cloud before us.
But we must be very thankfull to our Almighty God who has exposed the tricks of the adversary. Though we see dimly now, there is bright lights awiting each on of us. The theories the devil is trying to bring through his chosen learnt human instrumentalities are just fallacies.Let us hold the profession of our faith, us the hope of the glory of God through Chirst.
Wonderful revelation that now we know what the enemy of the gospel is up to. The WILL of God can never lead us where His Care and protection isn't there.
No matter how scientists do explain God stands out to be creator and sustainer of everything
Satan likes people like Darwin who claim to be wise. May God continue showing His mercies to us
General Revelation and Special Revelation
General revelation of God in nature needs to be supplemented by special revelation in scripture. Otherwise one may conclude: There must be an apple maker in the apple tree. God would be a driving force in nature (pantheisms). Or one may conclude: Since the universe in its orderly movements is operating like a watch, some kind of divine watch maker must have winded up the universe at the beginning. Since there is so much suffering in nature, he is no longer interested and has gone away (cf 1 Kings 18:27), which is deism. Or one may argue: Since there is no God, nature must have come into being by itself, which is substituting God for nature, which is the theory of evolution. Or one may think, God hat set in motion the evolutionary process, watching and guiding its outcome, with a God remaining more or less at a distance, even using suffering and death as instruments of evolution in the hereditary survival of the fittest and best adopted to the environment (theistic evolotion).
In opposition to all these gods, special revelation reveals a personal God who created man in His own image right at the beginning (Genesis 1:26-27) to be adored and worshiped (Psalm 100: 1-5; Revelation 14:7).
Winfried Stolpmann
Winfriede, I agree 100%. I think that is what this quarter's lessons are really saying. Science can teach us some things but because of the distortions in nature only scripture can put what we see into correct perspective.