God's Other Book

Have you ever wondered how people who have not yet heard about Jesus can know him? Is it fair to hold people accountable for their sins if no one has ever preached the gospel to them?

We find the answers to those questions in today’s text. Creation is Jesus’ original testament of himself. For the past 3,500 years we have had the word of god as expressed in the book that we call the bible-first in the Old Testament, then also in the New Testament. But the book of nature is the oldest testament of all. It took God six days to write that book, and he dedicated the seventh day to its study.

This is not to say that we should not be taking the story of Jesus to the world, for he gave that great gospel commission to us Himself. But a God of love has made certain that everyone can know him. The apostle Paul said the same thing in a different way to the Lycaonians in the city of Lystra: “turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein…. He left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:15-17).

However, when sin entered the world, another author-the devil-began to scribble on the pages of nature. He added all sorts of messages to confuse and frighten humanity, messages that included false and theories about who God is, where we came from, and what we have to do to live forever. The gospel is the good news because it truthfully and simply answers all those questions.

And the gospel is really another Creation story. In Eden Jesus walked with Adam and Eve and taught them directly of His character as revealed in the world around them. Today Jesus walks with us through His Holy Spirit. And through us He tells the world about the new creation story-the fact that Jesus, the original creator, died to save each of us from the natural result of sin. Jesus says, “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). That includes us.

A Word from Our Creator:

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, . . . so that they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20.