April 10, 2019 -- Ephesians 4:17-18 -- Nothing from nothing is nothing

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of heart.

Ephesians 4:17-18 ESV

In writing to the Ephesians, Paul is celebrating that glorious fact in Christ we are made completely new. Believers in Jesus have new life. Believers in Jesus speak the truth in love and grow up into Christ Who is the Head. This means our view of the world changes. Because we are in Christ, our understanding of life, the world, origins, human interactions, things visible and invisible—all of this is changed.

Personally, I experience the world’s hardness of heart and alienation from God in nature and science programs. While I love such programs, I hear the endless repetition: millions of years ago. Or, in science, explanations of the “Big Bang” which never explain where the material came from in order for there to be a “Big Bang”.

A preacher I listened to recently gave this brilliant illustration. (I cannot remember his name or who it was as I would love to give him credit!) Here is my version of it. “Let me tell you the story about my house. A million years ago there was nothing. Just empty space. Then suddenly there was an explosion. Trees grew. Copper formed underground. Metals formed in the molten fires of volcanoes. Over time my house formed itself. It had rooms. Carpeting. Lights and a roof. A furnace to heat it in winter. All without the use of human hands or any divine interference. The brilliance of my house is that I have voice commands for music, for food delivery, for lights to be turned on or off, and the property can be armed with an alarm when I am away.” Do you see how ludicrous this is? Yet a house is nowhere near as complex as a single cell organism.

All of us know that “nothing comes from nothing”. Only those who have hardened their hearts against God and the knowledge that He created the heavens and the earth will cling to the idea that nothing came together, nothing caused a chain reaction, nothing exploded and suddenly there was a cosmos. Only those who are alienated from God will accept that life came from nothing. If it is inconceivable that a simple house (which cannot feed itself, cannot move itself, cannot reproduce itself) would form itself from nothing, how then could one ever believe that a single cell organism (which feeds itself, propels itself, has mechanisms for expelling waste, can reproduce) would ever form itself?! It is hardness of heart in the extreme that would exclude the Creator from receiving the honour and glory due His Name for creating the beauty of the cosmos and life and all that is in it.

Believers in Jesus Christ—we must examine every philosophical strand, every teaching by science, by government, by media and recognize we can not walk as the Gentiles do in the futility of their minds. We are called to see the glory of our God in creation, in the way in which He sustains the heavens and the earth, and in the purpose of creation—that one day all flesh will give an account to God for all their actions. Our lives give credit to the Living God for the splendour of the heavens and the earth. Our breath gives credit to the One Who called creation into being. Our thoughts and mouths bring praises to Jesus Christ Who delivered us from sin-darkened ways of thinking as we praise Him for new life, new understanding and wisdom that comes from Him alone. Blessed be the Spirit of God Who instructs us in the ways of God through the Word of God.

Can hundreds of scientists be wrong? Would our government really mislead us? Can religious leaders, many of whom are convince of evolution, or even theistic evolution, be wrong? Think of the life of Jesus. He walked this earth. Perfect in obedience to God. Honourable in all He said and did. He was despised by the rulers and the religious leaders. He was hated by the lawyers and the Scribes—keepers of knowledge. The One Who walked the earth with all wisdom, all understanding, all knowledge, all the fear of the LORD He was put to death. Why? Because those who hate God are darkened in their understanding and alienated from God. Such is the great ignorance in them. This same ignorance and sin-darkened thinking rules our day as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not bound in such ignorance or darkness. We have new life in Christ, Who is the Light of the World. Therefore we do not walk as the rebellious do. We do not give into the pressure to believe as they do. We rejoice in the knowledge that all things were made by God, are sustained by God and God’s purposes will be revealed—even those who now refuse Him will one day see Him in His splendor. Blessed be the Lord our God.

Great are You LORD!

Thank You for the beauty of creation and the succession of seasons, all of which declare Your glory.

Thank You, Spirit of God, for the Bible which reveals the mercy and compassion of God shown most clearly in Jesus Christ.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your constant prayers on behalf of believers so that we will not be lost or drift away. Thank You, Jesus, for Your Mighty throne of power against which no power, no government, no philosophy or worldview can triumph. You are the King. You are the glorious One.

Triune God, honour and praises, dominion and power be to Your Name now and forever. Amen.