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Design or chance

Design or Chance?

About 200 years ago, the first crude camera was patented by Alexander Wolcott.  Decades and millions of design hours later, we have the modern digital camera.

Today's camera has a precision ground optical lens with auto iris & focus capability. Its electronic circuits provide for a "brain" which takes and stores 100's of photos. It even has electronic flash for dim light. All in all, a pretty impressive cumulative design effort since that first 19th century camera!

By contrast, many claim our eye system was not designed at all but instead "self developed" by chance over billions of years. Is that even possible? Before answering, let's compare today's electronic camera to the human eye/brain combination.

The electronic digital camera:

  • Has a single lens with auto iris/focus which can adjust in seconds to take a sharp photo.
  • "Sees" in two dimensions
  • Can process and store 100's of images
  • Has an electronic flash for dim light.
  • Battery lasts for hours of continual use.
  • Requires manual maintenance and a plastic cover to protect the lens.
  • Lasts for years of continual use.

 The eyes/brain:

  • Has a dual lens system, with auto iris/focus that adjusts in microseconds.
  • Sees images in full 3-D.
  • Automatically processes, sorts, and recalls data from the billions of images stored in memory.  Instantly provides the required signals via the nervous system so body can react within moments to sight stimuli.
  • Requires no flash for dim light.
  • No external power needed for operation.
  • Eyes are self maintaining, self-lubricating, and are protected by auto blinking eyelids.
  • Lasts for a lifetime of continual use.
  • Our eyes are alive, beautiful and expressive.

Since the capability of human sight greatly exceeds that of the camera, it follows the eye system is also beautifully designedLogic holds that nothing can design itself.  Even in an infinite amount of time, disorder cannot "self-design" into increased order.   

So what's the point?

The point is life did not evolve by accident.  Anything exhibiting order was designed, and therefore has a designer.  The bible reveals that God is the designer and He created the earth, heavens and all life in six days (Gen 1:1-27).

We also know God has infinite power (Jer 32:17), is present everywhere (Ps 139:7-10), has unlimited knowledge (Ps 147:5); and is the only true God (Is 44:6-8); He is also holy (1Sam 2:2), perfectly righteous, and just Dt 32:4); God is Love (1John 4:8-10) and He loves His children.

Since God is perfectly just He demands 100%  obedience to His law.  When the first man (Adam) chose to disobey God, sin and death entered the world and now spreads to all men (Rom 5:12).

Have you ever used God's name carelessly or in vain, talked back to your parents, stolen something even if its small, looked at someone in lust, or wished for something that is not yours?  If you have disobeyed these or any of the ten commandments, God declares you guilty of sin and requires justice. 

The bible is clear. You and I have sinned and fall short of God's perfect moral standard (Rom 3:23). Furthermore, God set the penalty for sin as death (Rom 6:23) and this spiritual death sentence is served in a terrible place called hell (Mt 18:8-9). Each of us will leave this world one day and face a holy God on judgment Day (Heb 9:27).

The Good News:

God established a way to save us from hell while at the same time preserving His perfect standard of justice.  The Lord Jesus Christ was born and lived his life on earth without sin.  He paid the penalty for our sin by suffering a horrible death on the cross.  This loving sacrifice resulted in God the father's  just punishment to be poured out on Jesus (instead of on us). 

Jesus conquered death by rising from the grave and is now offering a conditional pardon if you:

  • Sincerely admit you have broken God's law (1John 1:9).
  • Agree to forsake sin and change (repent). (Mk 1:15)
  • Trust Jesus died and rose from the dead for your sin debt and make Him Lord of your life (Rom 10:9-10).

Although we deserve judgment, God offers mercy.  You can now leave God's courtroom with a full pardon if you repent and trust Him. If you have done this, read the bible daily and obey.   God will never fail you.