The Medical Missionary, vol. 17
May 13, 1908
“Through the Bible—VII. Creation or Evolution: Which?” The Medical Missionary, 17, 20, pp. 388-390.
A. T. JONES
BY the Scriptures we have found that God is Creator; that all his works are accomplished by creation; and that creation is “immediate,” “sudden,” “now.” And we have found that Christianity is creation; that Christian experience is an experience of creation. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 388.1
Yet in spite of the fact that the Word of God says explicitly and only that the world with all that is of it was created, and that this creation was accomplished by six separate and distinct creative words, in six days; and in spite of the fact that one of the three chief originators of modern evolution says plainly that “evolution is antagonistic to creation,” there are many professed believers of the Bible and professed Christians who hold that the world and all that is of it came by evolution; that is, by an almost interminably long and slow-moving series of ages. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 388.2
Now, why is this?—It is simply because these persons have not faith. For it is written, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrews 11:3.) Creation—the fact of creation—is understood by faith. Then when any one does not understand it, but instead adopts that which is “antagonistic to creation,” it is certain that such a person has not faith. And since faith cometh by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), by which alone creation is accomplished, then when any one does not understand creation, but accepts instead that which is “antagonistic to creation,” it is plain that this is simply because he does not accept the word of God as the word of God, but looks upon it only as the word of men having in it no more power to create than has the word of man. And looking upon the word of God only as the word of men, having in it no possibility of creation, then in the very nature of the case all that can remain is that he accept the notion that all things could have come only of themselves, and of course only through an interminably long succession of ages, and thus only by evolution. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 388.3
Therefore this whole matter as between evolution and creation turns upon the one single question, Is the word of God really the word of God? MEDM May 13, 1908, page 389.1
Is then the word of God really the word of God, or is it only as the word of men? And this question simply means, Is God really God, or is he no more than a man would be in his place; so that his word means no more than a man’s word would mean spoken on the same subject? MEDM May 13, 1908, page 389.2
That the word of God is really the word of God, can be known by every soul. And this can be known simply by faith; that is, simply by accepting it as the word of God, expecting that word itself to do what the word says. (Matthew 8:8, 10.) And so it is written, “For this cause thank God without ceasing, because that ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 389.3
When the word of God is received as the word of God that it is, and not as the word of men; that is, when it is received by faith, then it is found to be the word of God that it is in truth. And when it is found to be the word of God in truth, it is found and known to be the creative word that it is in truth, accomplishing itself the thing which the word says. And so, again, it is written: “As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:9-11. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 389.4
It is not we who accomplish what the word of God says; but “it shall accomplish” in us what the word says. And thus “it is God that worketh in you that which is well pleasing in his sight.” Therefore “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Thus Christianity is creation. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 389.5
And this is just what ever professed Christian needs to learn; that Christianity is creation, not evolution; that Christian experience at the beginning and always is by creation, not by evolution; that it is “immediate,” “sudden,” “now,” and not a long, tedious struggle, and even then still unaccomplished. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 389.6
Every soul who has had the glorious experience of the divine forgiveness and conversion, knows full well that it was accomplished immediately, suddenly, “now.” And that is creation; for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus; and the clean heart is the result of creation—“Create in me a clean heart, O God.” And this beginning of Christian experience, being, as every one knows, immediate, sudden, “now,” is evidence enough that Christian experience at every stage is accomplished in the same way—by creation. Is it not even so written that “now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation?” That is simply the assurance to every soul of the divine—the Christian—experience of the creative word and power that accomplishes things “now.” MEDM May 13, 1908, page 389.7
For it must not be forgotten that though from the beginning to the finishing of the creation of the world there were six days and six successive stages, yet each of these was a distinct creation by the word of God spoken specifically to the accomplishment of that particular stage toward the completed creation. At each stage, God “said” the creative word, “and it was so.” MEDM May 13, 1908, page 390.1
And that is written to make plain to all the people forever that, since Christian experience is by creation equally with the formation of the world, and equally by the same person speaking the word, however many steps or stages there may be from the beginning to the finishing in perfection of Christian experience, yet each successive step or stage in that experience is a distinct creation by the word of God, spoken by the Holy Spirit to the mind and heart and spirit of the believer specifically to the accomplishment of that particular stage. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 390.2
Therefore, the life of faith, which is life by creation and not by evolution, is to read the word of God constantly, receiving it as the word of God in truth, expecting it to accomplish the thing that it says. And when by the light of the word and the Spirit there is seen any lack in the life, find the word of God that speaks the thing that will supply the need, then thank God in the Spirit for that word, accept it in the Spirit as the word of God to you, expect it to accomplish that which it says, depend upon the word itself to accomplish this in supply of your need creatively, that is “immediately,” “suddenly,” “now,” and in the Spirit of God and in the faith of the word of God thank God that “it is so;” that the thing is done, and that the victory is yours. And thus “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith;” faith in God through Christ by the Spirit as creator; faith in his word as the creative word; faith in his doing things by his word creatively, which is “immediately,” “suddenly,” “now.” MEDM May 13, 1908, page 390.3
Now, dear soul, are you a creationist, or are you an evolutionist? And if you see that you have been an evolutionist, will you not drop it “immediately,” “suddenly,” just “now” by faith in the Creator and the creative word, and henceforth be a true creationist only. MEDM May 13, 1908, page 390.4