“Let us make man…” Genesis 1:26-31

Nothing is more important in talking with Evolution than the origin of human life.  Our understanding of the relationship between science and Scripture will be tested at this point.

The story of creation changes when mankind is introduced.  Up until now, the structure has been simple and repeated.  God said, creation is separated or filled, God calls it good, then evening and morning.

Now God speaks as “us,” revealing the relationship into which mankind is created.  Mankind is made in God’s image, and given the purpose to have dominion over the rest of creation (Gen. 1:26).  Now, when God observes everything he has made, it is “very good” (Gen. 1:31).

We were created by God with a purpose to fulfill.

After this day, God rests, showing his work is complete.  Nothing new will be added, but man will continue the work that God has begun (Gen. 2:4-25).  As those entrusted with the care and fruitfulness of God’s creation, mankind stands at the top of the created order.

Evolution also places man at the top of the natural order, but as proof that its theory of random occurrences is true.  From the evolutionary perspective, there is nothing unusual or permanent about who we are.  We are simply the current form of our ongoing development.

At this point, Scripture and Evolution must part ways.  The Bible leaves no room to see mankind as the result of random events.  We were created with a purpose, and we are responsible for that purpose.  We cannot be the result of random chance.

Evolution, by its own definition, must be purposeless.   It allows only for the principle of “natural selection,” which is impersonal and purposeless.  To deny any purpose for us and our existence, Evolution must reject the Bible’s account of creation.

And those who believe the Bible must reject any form of Evolution.  God cannot accomplish his purpose for creation through a purposeless method of bringing it about.  Theistic Evolution is a contradiction in terms because Evolution must be unguided.

The creation and fall of mankind is also given significant attention in the rest of the Bible.  The Apostle Paul describes Adam as “a type of the one to come” (Rom. 5:14), pointing to Christ, and his obedience in place of Adam’s sin.

We must admit we don’t know the exact scientific explanation for how God brought the world into existence.  But we do know his exact purpose for doing so.  That purpose was to reveal his glory by creating us in his image, and restoring that creation when we fell into sin.

A sense of purpose sets humanity apart from all the rest of creation, and that purpose is on display in everything we do.  That even includes the purposeful way some argue there is no evidence for God.

God created us with a purpose, and any expression of that purpose will ultimately bring glory to him.