The nature of Intelligent Design shows as ID advocates interviewed in the movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed went to great pains to state they were not a Christian movement, Jesus Christ had no part in the Science Classroom, and they did not know who the designer was.
Many Christians confuse the Intelligent Design debate with the Creation versus Evolution debate, but even though they overlap, they are not the same. The Bible does tell us we must recognise God as Creator, and the apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 1:20 that the evidence from the Creation so clearly reveals both God’s power as Creator or Designer, but also His divine nature, so there is no excuse for unbelief. (Romans 1:20)
The Apostle James rather bluntly points out that even the demons believe in God and shudder. (James 2:19). Biblical Creation involves recognising the character and works of the Creator and responding to Him, not just studying the design in Creation. As the items in this newsletter point out, the evidence that living creatures are made by a supremely intelligent designer is overwhelming. However as we study the living world we find many things that don’t work well, e.g. violence, disease, parasites, competition for scarce resources. If we only looked at design features for survival we would have to accept that predators and disease microbes were designed to harm and kill, but deep down people know that disease, violence and death are inherently wrong. Studying the creation alone will not resolve this dilemma.
If you really want to know the original function and subsequent history of a created object the best way to find out is to obtain a record from the Creator, who has recorded for us that the world and all that is in it was created as a perfectly functioning system of fully formed created kinds of living creatures living together without violence, disease or death. Human beings were made as unique creations in the image of God, but the first human beings rebelled against their Creator and the world has gone from being “very good” to being cursed by God. Since then the world has continued to degenerate and every generation of human beings knows that something is wrong, but only the Creator has the power and authority to make it right. Therefore, when we recognise the amazing design seen in living things we should respond by putting our trust in the awesome Creator, who not only made all things but has also come to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for man’s rebellion and will one day create a new earth for all those who trust him to live in a very good world. We wonder what marvellous creations there will be there for us to study, enjoy and give praise to the Creator for making.
Evidence News 23 April 2008