It is difficult to understand exactly what the issues are …

Comment on General Biology Seminar 111A to be revised by Roger Doering.

It is difficult to understand exactly what the issues are without hearing it first hand. What we have been reading is second hand information as to the
situation. In reading the comments again, it appears that some details
of the mechanics of how God created are being discussed and other options
presented. There are areas as I said where the word does not give a complete explanation such as what without form and void means. Was there nothing there
which is what many believe or was it just without shape and structure? I do not claim to know any more than anyone else in the matter. Anyone can read the Bible and study it for themselves.
We are reading an English translation which may require reading the original text in an effort to understand fully what was revealed. Beyond
that, we have to wait for further revelation to know some of these details.
Where there is revelation as in the Psalms, I understand it to mean that
God made it and that is how it was, it stood fast. However, maybe I don’t
understand what the issues are because we have not had them well explained to us. Some of the comments indicate that we don’t know what the issues are and this is where better communication would be helpful.
There may be areas where we do not have a complete revelation of the details of how God created or just what took place. If we don’t know we should simply say so. In some of these areas, there is room for various opinions which will have to wait for heaven to know further. We cannot know exactly how God created or all aspects of God as we are not God and his ways are past finding out. Romans 11 tells us this, but the scripture does tell us that God created everything. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, [are] all things: to whom [be] glory for ever. Amen. ”
The question in this matter is, are we dealing with scholars who are presenting the various options in areas where inspiration has not revealed all the details attempting to fill in the blanks? Some measure of intellectual freedom to discuss these options is healthy, however where there is a clear thus saith the Lord no discussion is necessary. Is this a scientific question about how to interpret scientific evidence or is this a question about the meaning of scripture and what has been revealed about creation? Or something else? In the end we should come to a deeper respect and awe for the God who made us.

Roger Doering Also Commented

General Biology Seminar 111A to be revised
Much has been said about the controversy taking place at LSU, but we have not seen a definitive position statement, complete with basis both from scientific evidence and the Bible as the rule of faith. I attended WWC and I recollect there having been one of the faculty at LSU having been there. There were rumors of liberal teachings on the subject of origins circulating among the students back then. I was not a student in that department so do not know first hand what was being taught.
What I can say is what the scriptures state. Psalms 33 leads me to believe that there was no element of evolution in creation. I am not here to debate the scripture. The text suggests to me that God made it and it stood fast, meaning it was done when he spoke, there was no other process whereby it was made. God did not step back from his creation and leave it to its own devices or to evolve, but rather he is intimately involved with us and in our salvation and in the creation of the world. “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.”
There are some details of just how God created that are not entirely revealed in scripture and in those areas silence is golden. We can get into arguements and debates on some aspects but it doesn’t do any good. We do not know for example if there were elements present on the planet before God started making life on it before or not. The earth was without form and void. Just what does that mean? That there was nothing there or that it was devoid of life and structure? Some of these details we do not have much more said in the word. God did not reveal it. However, when he made the sun and the moon, that would imply that perhaps he created these out of nothing, converting energy into matter. That is my personal thinking, but there is room for the possibility that some matter existed prior to the 6 days of creation.
There is permutation among the species but that is not evolving from one to another or to make a different life form. God is life and the author of it. The devil was able to make the magicians in Pharoah’s court throw down their rods and they became what appeared to be snakes but if you read inspiration you will find that they were not living creatures. They were swallowed up by the Lord’s creation. God is the Creator and the Living God. He is the God of Abraham, the I Am. WE dare not attempt to bring Him down to our level and attempt to say things just evolved or just happened, ignoring the divine power and authority of His holy and mighty name and His creative power. Give God the glory and the power and honor due Him.