WG-01-2. THE CLAIM OF THE BIBLE

2. THE CLAIM OF THE BIBLE

It has seemed to the writer, after pondering sympathetically the Spencerian explanation of the universe, and after being constrained to recognize its inadequacy, that the Rationalistic method of testing a theory might be applied with helpful results to the Biblical explanation of phenomena. Within recent times the Biblical explanation of the creation of the universe, par­ticularly of the earth and its inhabitants, as given in the first three chapters of Genesis, was rejected by nearly all men who made the slightest pretense to learning, upon the ground that it was in conflict with the supposed facts of natural science.

We do not propose to speak here of the profound change more recently wrought in the attitude of science, in consequence of the latest discoveries of geology and paleontology. It can now be asserted, upon the authority of the most eminent men of science, that not a single fact stands in contradiction to the Creation story of Genesis. But the question which more nearly concerns us, and which we propose here to consider, is the great question which the philosophy grounded upon Materialism failed utterly to answer, namely: " How did man and the world come to be what they are?” We are concerned, therefore, not so much with Evolution in its comprehensive sense, as with the specific theory of the origin of the species of living creatures, including man, by a process of “natural selection” in the “struggle for existence.” The time is opportune for such a discussion, because one of the events which is transpiring in our day is the collapse of the Darwinian theory of the Origin of Species. Let us dwell for a moment upon this most impressive fact, and learn from it at least the utter instability of any system of philosophy which has its basis in human wisdom.

Never in the entire history of philosophy was a doctrine more widely accepted among the learned than the Darwinian theory of the Origin of Species. Even doctors of theology and the occupants of Christian pulpits embraced it with real or feigned enthusiasm; and many of these went so far as to declare that it exalted the Creator and inculcated greater reverence for His methods in creation! So enamored of this new teaching were these sworn guardians of the “faith once delivered unto the saints” that they readily surrendered all parts of the Bible which seemed in any way in conflict with it. To accommodate this surrender to their consciences, these compromisers invented the doctrine that “the Bible was not intended to teach science,” but was to be accepted and believed only in so far as it related to spiritual and heavenly things; forgetting the words of Christ: “If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?” (John 3:12). That this surrender to the immature and erroneous teachings put forth in the name of science should have had the effect of destroying the faith of many in the whole Scriptures was inevitable.’ If men be taught that they cannot believe what the Bible says regarding earthly things, how can it be expected that they will believe what it says about heavenly things? Only a few years have passed since the time when, for a man to question the foundations of this doctrine of the Origin of Species was to avow himself a hopeless ignoramus touching the “settled results of science”; and yet to-day the philosophy of Materialism is fast becoming (if it be not so already) a mere historical phase of philosophic thought, to be classified and labeled and put on the shelf, soon to be contemplated merely as a thing which men used to believe. In the face of this fact it cannot be reasonably supposed that any discoveries which science can make, or any doctrines which philosophy can deduce therefrom, will ever contradict the declara­tions of Scriptures concerning the creation of the universe by God, the disobedience of the first Adam and the consequent loss of eternal life by all his descendants, and the Divine provision of redemption by new birth into the last Adam. How can we fail to perceive in this history of “Evolution” the truth that a theory which stands merely “in the wisdom of man” has an insecure foundation? Certainly a consideration of the collapse of Darwinism will help us to understand why the inspired Apostle so earnestly desired that the faith of his disciples “should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1Co 2:5). A doctrine which is established in the mind by the force of human arguments can be shaken by like arguments; and it of necessity falls for lack of support when the arguments by which it was bolstered up are forgotten. But the doctrine which rests upon the Word of God has an unfailing support. It needs no argument to sustain it, and none has force enough to overthrow it. The one question upon which reason has to pass judgment is whether the Bible is in fact God’s utterance. If it be such, then the things which Spencerian philosophy labels as “unknowable” are not only not unknowable, but are revealed. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him, but God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit” (1Co 2:9-10). This Book makes extraordinary claims and extra­ordinary demands upon men. It does not purport to exhort, advise, or instruct, from the standpoint of superior human wisdom or of superior intelli­gence or culture. Neither does it seek to commend itself to man’s acceptance on the score of expediency, betterment, or progress. In these respects, as in many others, it is radically unlike the writings whereby men seek to help one another. It bases its claim to acceptance entirely upon the oft- repeated declaration, “Thus saith Jehovah.” It asks no favor of man because of its superior teachings and high standards of life and conduct. The very nature of the Book requires that, if we be logical, we either accept it because “the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it,” or that we cast it aside as the greatest of all human impostures.