Theology Demands Creation -- By: Warren Vanhetloo

Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 13:3 (Fall 1970)
Article: Theology Demands Creation
Author: Warren Vanhetloo


Theology Demands Creation

Warren Vanhetloo

Dean Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Minneapolis

All truth is interrelated. In this day of specialized studies, schools need to require general preparation so that later studies will be in right perspective. All truth about God (doctrine) is likewise interrelated. Augustus Strong points this out: “The doctrine of the Trinity is not wholly comprehensible by us, and we accept it at the first upon the testimony of Scripture; the full proof of it is found in the fact that each successive doctrine of theology is bound up with it, and with it stands or falls” (p.15).

Note that if a man is wrong concerning the Trinity, he will then be wrong in almost every other area: the incarnation of Christ, the two natures of Christ, the substitutionary death of Christ, the power of the resurrection of Christ, the way of salvation for a lost sinner, the future return and rule of Christ. Almost every area of doctrine is affected by error at this one point.

The purpose of this presentation is to show that the same is true of the doctrine of creation. A wrong view of the origin of the earth will mean (if consistent) error regarding many other areas of theology. Several of these will be examined to show that, in addition to sound exegesis requiring creation, sound theology requires creation.

First of all, note the clear manner in which Scripture sets forth the doctrine of creation. In Genesis 1:1–5, God says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and

there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

Next, notice the relation of the sun and the moon to the evening and morning type days of this chapter: “And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was ...

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