I Am Not an Accident

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 (NASB) )

As a Christian and creationist, I resent being called “an accident of nature.” According to many secular scientists, we are just the result of a big bang spewing out random particles that gathered neatly into stars and planets. In that story, put simply, order came out of chaos, and random chemicals interacted through trial and error over eons to create life.

The Bible starts with a different scenario. It unfolds the plan of an almighty and all-wise God. Our world and humanity were and are planned to the minutest detail (Colossians 1:17). The world was made in all its beauty, and despite the curse of Genesis 3, it is still perfect for habitation (Isaiah 45:18).

Goldilocks Planet

The first chapter of the Bible shows us the goodness of our world and bodies and the love that the Lord has for us. There is nowhere else in the universe that is so well suited for human habitation, even in its now-fallen state. Here we have materials to build houses, food to eat in abundance, and fascinating places to explore. God made it especially for us with the perfect amount of oxygen, water, and gravity, among so many other chemical, biological, and physical “just right” conditions. And the “ugly” things of a creation “red in tooth and claw” point us to another truth: that this world has been marred by something horrible. God’s Word tells us what this is, too, and why: the sin of disobedience and the consequence, which is death (Genesis 2:16, Genesis 3:14-19). Yet those very passages also promise the hope of a Savior from both sin and death, Jesus.

The Creator presented this world to man and woman to rule and to care for it. He also made us according to a unique plan. Animals live to survive and thrive (Genesis 1:22, 8:17), but God intended something greater for man. We can think rather than rely on instinct and have a sense of our past experiences and future hopes. Our bodies and minds can create tools and manipulate objects in a way no animal can. We are too complex to be an accident. We are a product of God’s creative love and indwelling spirit (Genesis 2:7).

The Bible says that man was made in God’s image to have a conscience and a relationship with God, which animals lack (Romans 2:14–16, 9:1). God gave man his purpose. It is his will for mankind to reverence and obey God (Ecclesiastes 12:13), to be a caretaker for the world that he created (Genesis 1:28), and to have godly children (Malachi 2:15). Humanity and their world are all made according to God’s design.

True Wisdom

According to Psalm 14:1, only a fool would not believe in the Creator God (and by extension believe in naturalistic evolution instead).

According to Psalm 14:1, only a fool would not believe in the Creator God (and by extension believe in naturalistic evolution instead). Admittedly, many people don’t want to accept that there is a God because they don’t want to obey him. Yet, think of how haphazard evolution is. Evolution says that, ultimately, random debris came together into an unusual and complex order. How sad to think that we are merely a mistake of fate. Despair is rampant because of peoples’ belief in no rhyme or reason to our existence. Isn’t it more comforting to think that God planned you and your world with love? And it isn’t just wishful thinking. The complexity of our bodies alone shows the wisdom and power of God.

Instead of questioning God or arrogantly thinking that we don’t need God, the wise will praise God for the beauty of the world and our astonishing bodies capable of creating, exploring, and having fellowship with him. We are not accidents thrown together. Our loving God wonderfully makes us according to his plan (Psalm 139:13). Let us thank the Lord every day for what he has done.