“the man and his wife hid themselves” Genesis 3:8
Everything changed when sin entered the world. And the events of Genesis 3 changed how we can understand what we read in Genesis 1.
We are born under the power of sin, and cannot fully comprehend its effected on us (Rom. 1:21).
But through the Gospel, God transforms and renews our minds (Rom. 12:2). He then teaches us to rely on the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).
This enables us to connect Genesis 1 to other places in the Bible, and understand it more fully, but still not completely.
Sin still affects our lives, particularly in how we think.
Being aware of our sin will make us compassionate for those who stumble in its darkness. And the Gospel creates in us a desire to share the light of truth with them. But when those who start with science disagree with us, it’s tempting to simply disregard what they say.
This temptation is especially strong when it comes from a completely different perspective than what the Bible teaches. That other perspective is the basis for Evolution.
The theory of Evolution tells us that we came to exist apart from God. From this point of view, life is purposeless; the result of random chance. Yet the evidence Evolution offers cannot satisfy our most basic questions about why we are here.
These persistent questions about our purpose in living are where we can have a meaningful conversation. Our kids may be intrigued with the theory of Evolution, but will not have fully thought through its implications for how they live.
As Godly parents, we can ask those questions. But we have to stay in the conversation long enough to get there. If that is what God calls us to do, we will find the guidance for how to do it in his Word.
Those of us with the Holy Spirit will read Scripture differently than those without him. And certain truths, such as the death and resurrection of Christ, are so clearly presented in the Bible that they are beyond reasonable doubt.
But Scripture is also used by the Holy Spirit to convict those who do not yet believe. That persuasion must come from God’s authority as the author of the Bible, and not our authority as those who have been taught the Bible.
Evolution is a way to hide from the questions about purpose. Its history and impact make that clear. But God is still at work, seeking those who hide from him. And that includes us, who are already his children, but who stray from his purpose for our lives.
God shows us the darkness of our sin even day, if we are humble enough to see it. Yet his forgiveness and grace are always there.
Our humility, and desire to learn from him, can equip us to talk to those who want to hide in Evolution. We can show that humility in how we respond to God’s questions of us.
That can be the purpose of our conversation.