One Creation or Two

FUTURISTIC
NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH

Did the universe have a cause for its beginning? Yes. Good science, good philosophy, and good theology confirm that every actual made-thing had a beginning. In addition to the biblical view of God, nature presents millions of pieces of evidence of God as the powerfully intelligent eternal Creator who made the heavens and the earth in the beginning. The following two premises lead to a valid cosmological conclusion. 

1.) The universe had a beginning. 

2.) Everything that had a beginning had a cause. 

3.) Therefore, the universe had a cause for its beginning. 

Genesis 1-3 describe the process and development of the first creation before God blocked Adam and Eve from the tree of life due to disobedience and, unfortunately, a deceptive encounter with Satan. Will there be another creation in the future? In Revelation chapter 21, an angel showed John a vision and told him about a futuristic new heaven, a new earth, and a new holy city where the blessed will eat fruit from the tree of life. Yes, there will be a second creation after God gives a final judgment of all the humans that have ever lived. One big difference between the first creation and the second creation is access to fruit from the tree of life (Rev. 22:1).

Non-Christian skeptics might reject a one-creation model of the origin of the universe or they might embrace some creator who does not interact with the cosmos. These non-Christian views of the origin of the universe range from but are not limited to coming from atheism, agnosticism, casual doubting, pantheism, certain monotheistic religions, and uncaused evolutionism. Non-Christians often view the origin of the universe from the perspective of a skeptic or the view of a misleading belief system. Barriers to understanding the origin of the universe are mostly due to intellectual obstacles, irrational emotional excuses, or rebellion on various levels.

In contrast, after much study and proper analyzing, Christianity has confirmed that the origin of the universe had a beginning, and the beginning must have had someone eternally intelligent and powerful who caused it to begin. The book of Genesis confirms that the creation unfolded in steps over time by the hand of our Creator. It does not say that the whole of creation was an instant act all at once. Rather, the Bible confirms that the act of creation was developed by the Creator in multiple steps over a length of time referred to as days. In addition, the creation of the heavens and the earth and all the created things that exist on earth did not unfold by itself through a kind of unguided macroevolution development from one mysterious uncaused point. Moreover, while an expanding cosmos gives evidence that the beginning of the universe started with a big bang, this type of hot big bang must have been carefully orchestrated by a powerfully intelligent designer. The beginning of the universe may have started out from a small singular point, but it must have been created ex nihilo from One who caused it to begin. The origin of the universe ex nihilo (from nothing) was caused by the one and only: the lovingly personal, powerfully creative, eternal God.

Skeptics typically believe that this universe is all that there will ever be for human beings. In one sense they are correct because mortals exist in this decaying universe for a finite time. As the saying goes, for unbelievers, this universe is the closest world the unsaved will ever get to God. Some doubters think the universe will hopelessly end while others guess it will go on forever without any supreme being. Born again mortals resurrected by the power of God in the blessed first resurrection will live and reign with Christ.

Unless skeptics believe in a multiverse or reincarnation, they limit existence to a spiritless life on earth, thinking there is no heaven, no hell, no spirit, no soul, no afterlife and no white throne judgment after the first and second resurrection. However, skeptics cannot deny the invisible human mind since every human has one. Non-Christians who reject the Christian view of the origins of the universe do not grasp the invisible human mind as something that is a part of the invisible human soul. Skeptics live among the uneducated as well as the educated. They exist as the unwise and the wise. They communicate as both a philosopher and a carefree rebel. Agnostics confess that they do not know if there is a God who created the universe, and some agnostics will go further, giving an incomplete conclusion that it is not possible to know the origins of the universe. Opposite to agnostics are the monotheists and polytheists. While some scientists such as Einstein might agree with the rightful conclusion that God must have been the one who created the universe, many of these scientists believe in macroevolution or guess that God does not intervene or that humans are alone in the universe. Christianity teaches that God is closer than a brother. The New Testament teaches that believers and followers of Christ will receive eternal life and live in a perfect new creation with God. This second creation for followers of Christ will be wonderfully perfect, without decay. In the new creation, there will be no more death. 

The good news of the gospel message of Jesus Christ is this: Jesus Christ the Man of God began to exist in Mary’s womb when the Holy Spirit caused Mary to become pregnant. Jesus Christ the Son of God was born from his virgin human mother, Mary. Jesus lived as a man and many of his miracles have been recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus preached about many things:  the kingdom of God, the need to repent from sin each day, how to live a better life, how to be born again, and how to receive eternal life. He foretold his resurrection on many occasions, and his prophecies have come true. While he existed as the Man of God, he also claimed and proved to be fully God in the human flesh who lived and dwelt among us with the limitations of being a human being. He willingly paid the price for all of mankind’s sin by willingly dying on the cross to pay the penalty for all who receive him as their personal savior. Three days after he died on the cross, he rose from the dead. 

Prayer of one-time salvation, a prayer of confirmation, or rededication: 

Dear Lord, I believe that Jesus lived as the Man of God and the Son of God, fully human and fully God. I am sorry for my sins. I believe Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all my sins. Help me to turn away from sin each day and help me to walk with you in grace. Teach me truth and how to live a better life by remaining in the words of Christ. I believe Jesus miraculously rose from the dead. Thank you for giving me eternal life. Thank you for being my savior who forgives me of all my sins. Help me to give you thanks each day for my salvation and to praise and worship you in spirit and truth. Teach me your good ways that bring life. In Jesus name, Amen.

Creator and the Cosmos by Hugh Ross, 1993.

Why the Universe Is the Way It Is by Hugh Ross, 2008