“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
“Why am I here?” Though typically viewed as a question of young men and women, this inquiry comes from individuals representing all stages of life. Some time ago I sat by the bedside of a former missionary, aged and dying. Though he lived a life of faithfulness, doubts had now begun to enter and torment his mind. It is in these moments that one clearly sees the divine, strengthening power of the Word of God read aloud.
Yet the basic question remains, and is one that all human beings ask themselves. ‘What is the purpose of my existence?’ ‘Where am I going?’ ‘Are we advancing towards something, or simply living a meaningless life?’ Various philosophical schools seek to provide answers to these questions—some affirming, other disaffirming, meaning to our existence. One influential school of thought—Existentialism—suggests that ultimately life is meaninglessness; therefore an individual must create his or her own meaning. Though popular culture has largely followed an existential approach, it is far too absurd to offer us any real solution. If life is meaningless, then one cannot simply “create” meaning. Is it any wonder that those who follow culture’s “do your own thing” mentality fail to find peace?
There is, however, another model which competes for dominance in our contemporary world. Though suggestions of an evolutionary model were hinted at throughout history, the system of thought was rapidly embraced in the so-called Modern Era. Of course, there are those proponents of a “theistic” form of evolution.1 Nevertheless, the system of evolution that has been adopted by the intellectual establishment remains steadfastly anti-religious. It attempts nothing sort of proving a world without God, and remains the single most influential and substantive atheistic philosophy in history.
Belief in evolution was so warmly received because, absence of belief in God, it yet seemed to furnish grounds for hope of a better future.2 Humans have proven that they cannot function without this hope. We need to believe in something better. We need to believe that we are advancing—if not individually at least corporately. Perhaps evolution does not offer us heaven, but it makes the bold promise of a better world. While it denies us Paradise, it pledges to us Utopia.
Despite this promise, we are faced with a dilemma. Simply put, evolution has failed to deliver. Though we have seen amazing progress in technology and medicine (to name only two), we live increasingly fractured lives. The very technology that promised to bring the world closer together has driven families further apart. Though medicine has lengthened our lives, it has not endued those lives with meaning and fulfillment.
The biblical answer is to return to the beginning. In four simple words Scripture reframes our worldviews and offer us true, concrete, everlasting meaning. “In the beginning, God” not only instructs us of our past, but also guides our present and secures our future.
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1 For example, even some highly conservative theologians such as B.B. Warfield. See Warfield, Evolution, Science, and Scripture: Selected Writings (Baker, 2000).
2 Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Vol 2, (Baker), p 89.
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