WHICH CAME FIRST?

WHICH CAME FIRST?

“In the beginning God . . .” (Gen. 1:1)

Philosophers, since the “beginning” of history, have debated the question of which came first mind or matter. We do have a mind, but where did it come from? Did our mind come from another mind, or did matter come first and evolve to produce our mind. Did physical material somehow cross the Rubicon and create consciousness which is not material.

The same argument goes for God. What was in the beginning? Was God in the beginning creating the universe, or was the universe in the beginning eventually creating God?

Another way of asking the same question involves life. Did life come first and create the non living, or did the non living come first and create life?

For those who believe the Bible the answer is clear. The opening verse of the Bible declares: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . .” (Gen. 1:1).

Those who do not believe in God will want to know - “Where did God come from?” But that question works both ways. If you believe the universe is eternal and created the concept of God, then it is fair to ask where the universe came from? Obviously something is eternal, and it is not the universe. Based upon science the universe is winding down, wearing out, and burning up.

Many years ago Dr. Kent Holvind was debating three college professors when one of them asked him to tell everyone where God came from? Here is Dr. Holvind’s answer:

“The question, ‘where God comes from?’ indicates that you are thinking of the wrong God. The God of the Bible is not affected by time, space, or matter. If He an be affected by time, space, or matter, then He is not God.

Time, space, and matter are what we call a continuum, and all three have to come into existence at the same instant. If there were matter but no space, where would you put it? If there were matter and space but no time, when would you put it? You cannot have time, space, and matter independent of each other. They all have to come into existence at the same time. The Bible answers this in ten words: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’. In the beginning - there is time. God created the heavens - there is space. God created the earth - there is matter. So you have time, space, and matter created which are a trinity of trinities. Time is past, present, and future. Space is length, breadth, and height. Matter is solid, liquid, and gas. So we have a trinity of trinities created instantly.

God, Who created these is outside them. If He is limited by time He is not God. The guy who created this computer is not running around in the computer changing the numbers on the screen. The God Who created this universe is outside of this universe. He is above it, beyond it, outside of it, and unaffected by it.

The concept that a spiritual force cannot have an affect upon something physical is wrong! Consider such emotions as love, hatred, envy, jealousy, and rationality. If your brain is just a random collection of chemicals formed by chance over billions of years, then how on earth can you trust your own reasoning process and the thoughts that you think?

The question of where God comes from assumes a limited God, and that’s your problem. The God that I worship is not limited by time space, or matter. If I could fit our Infinite God inside of my three pound brain, He would not be worth worshiping, that’s for sure. So that’s the God that I worship.”

There was a time when the Pharaoh of Egypt was the most powerful man on earth. When Moses told him what God said to do, he arrogantly replied: “Who is the Lord that I should obey him . . .?” Unfortunately, Pharaoh found out the hard way. What about you?