But before we get to those books, let’s return to the Book of Acts.
Acts.
What providential miracle occurred on the Day of Pentecost? (The sound of the wind.) What nearly creative miracles occurred on the day of Pentecost? (Flames of fire and the languages.) When the Jews heard and saw these things of Whom should they have begun to think? (Creator.) What was Peter’s role in the events of that Pentecost? (Preached.) In what indirect sort of way did Peter refer to Creation in verses Acts 3:20-21. (The world began.) Pagan philosophers believe that matter has always existed – the world has always existed. But Christians believe that the world had a beginning. In relationship to that beginning, when did prophesies of Christ begin?
Peter was preaching again in Acts 4 after his arrest for preaching. How important to the gospel is Acts 4:12? When he was released he returned to the brethren at the church, and they prayed. How did they address the Lord in Acts 4:23-25. Was the Lord’s first church a Creationist church?
Peter’s Epistles.
How well do you suppose that Peter knew the Lord Jesus Christ? Did he look on Christ as a mere man? According to Peter at what point was it ordained that Christ should become our Saviour (I Peter 1:19-20)? Since Peter believed that the world had a specific foundation, what is the likelihood that he believed that it had a Founder?
Do you suppose that Peter believed what the Old Testament said about the history of creation and the fall? Did Peter believe that there was a man named Noah? (I Peter 3:18-22.) How many people were there in Sheol at the time of Jesus’ death? Why do you suppose that special reference is made to those of the days of Noah? Part of Peter’s purpose in writing his first epistle was to encourage the saints in their trials. Do Christians ever suffer unjustly? What should they do? Turn to I Peter 4:16-19.
II Peter 1 offers a kind of defense for our faith and for the Word of God. Let’s read from II Peter 1:16-21. Who gave us the Genesis record of Creation? How did it come to us? II Peter 2:1-5. There is no trustworthy, secular historical record of Noah; does that mean that he didn’t exist? Did Peter believe that there was a man named Noah? How close to the original creation did Peter believe Noah to live? What is the Greek word which is translated “flood” in verse 5? (“kataklusmos” kat-ak-looce-mos’ ) Was the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrha a cataclysm? Actually it was a local disaster and the Greek word is “katastrophe” (kat-as-trof-ay’).
II Peter 3:1-7. Part of the average evolutionary theory involves uniformitarianism; what is that? Does the Bible support this idea? Will there ever be another world-wide flood? Is that because conditions are no longer favorable for such a disaster? How do we know that there won’t be another flood? What can creation expect (II Peter 3:11-12)? What will happen after the fiery destruction of the original creation (II Peter 3:13)? By Whose authority and power will there be a new creation?
The Books of James and Jude.
It is commonly believed that James and Jude, had something which set them apart from the rest of the New Testament writers; what was that? (They were half-brothers of the Lord Jesus.) Can you imagine, after their salvation, how they must have looked back on their youth? Did they eventually believe that their older brother was also their Creator?
James begins by telling us that he believed that God was his Creator (James 1:17-18). What did he mean when he called the Lord “the father of lights”? To what part of our Creation does the term “firstfruits” refer? (Salvation.) But to what does “his creatures” refer? How does James 3:12 relate to the evolution debate?
What was the name of the first human being? Was that person merely an allegory? Should we consider a man who referred to an allegory as if he was a real person as sane or honest? How near was the prophet Enoch to the Flood and to the time of Creation? Turn to Jude 14.
The Book of Hebrews.
How does Hebrews begin (1:1-3)? Was the writer of this book a supporter of evolutionary principles? Referring to Psalm 102, who does Paul say is the “Founder” of the earth (1:8-10)
What ties together salvation and creation? (The person of Christ.) Hebrews 2:6-10. Who built all things? (Hebrews 3:4). According to Genesis 1, what did God do on the seventh day? Do we read of this in any other scripture beside Genesis 1? (Exodus 20 among others.) Does Hebrews 4:3-4 refer to some other scripture beside Genesis 1? If “creation” is another word for “evolution” what does Hebrews 4:10 suggest? At what point did human beings start offering sacrifices? (The beginning – Hebrews 9:26).
How much does the great chapter on faith teach about Creation? How do we know that the worlds were framed by the word of God? Creationists are accused of being fools for having to use faith to believe that God created the universe. Does it take any less faith to believe in evolution? This chapter speaks about what great antediluvian men? (Abel, Enoch and Noah.) Why did Abel offer sacrifices? Where do we first learn that Enoch did not die? How does Hebrews 11 corroborate the fact that there was no rain before the Flood? (11:7). There is another reference to the third son of Adam in Hebrews 12:22-24. Does the fact that Adam was not mentioned in this chapter prove that he didn’t exist? Why do you suppose that Adam is not listed here?
Can it be honestly said that the General Epistles teach Creation?