Katechismus

General/universal/Gospel/external call

There is an external call of the gospel, whereby all who hear it are called to the fellowship of Christ, and to receive a full salvation in him, without money and without price. - Isa. 55. 1. This call is not confined to the elect, nor restricted to those who are sensible of their sins, and feel their need of a savior, or who possess some good qualifications to distinguish them from others, but it is addressed to mankind sinners as such, without distinction, and without exception. All who come under the general denomination of men, whatever be their character and state, have this call directed to them: "To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men."—Prov. 8. 4. "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth"—sinners of every nation, of every rank, and condition.—Isa. 14. 22. ...That the call of the gospel is indefinite and universal, that God is sincere in addressing this call to all to whom the gospel comes, and that none who comply with the call shall be disappointed; these are unquestionable truths. But the outward call by the Word is of itself ineffectual. Though all without exception are thus called, yet multitudes refuse to hearken, and in this respect "many are called, but few are chosen;" that is, few are determined effectually to embrace the call. Robert Shaw, Exposition on the Westminster Confession of Faith

Effectual/internal call

But there is also an internal call, in which the Holy Spirit accompanies the external call with power and efficacy upon the soul; and this call is always effectual.

The Word is usually the outward means employed, and the Holy Spirit is always the efficient agent, in calling men into the kingdom of grace. If, in any instance, the call of the gospel proves successful, it is not owing to the piety or persuasive eloquence of those who dispense the gospel (1 Cor. iii. 7); neither is it on account of one making a better use than another of his own free will (Rom. ix. 16); it is solely to be ascribed to the power of the Divine Spirit accompanying the outward call of the Word. - 1 Thess. i. 5. By means of the law, the Spirit convinces them of their sinfulness, shows them the danger to which they are exposed, and discovers to them the utter insufficiency of their own works of righteousness as the ground of their hope and trust for acceptance before God. By means of the gospel, he enlightens their minds in the knowledge of Christ—discovers to them the glory of his person, the perfection of his righteousness, the suitableness of his offices, and the fullness of his grace; shows them his ability to save to the uttermost, his suitableness to their condition, and his willingness to receive all that come to him. He also takes away their heart of stone, and gives unto them an heart of flesh—renews their wills, and effectually determines and enables them to embrace Christ as their own Saviour. Ibid

Distinction between Biblical Christians and hyper-Calvinists

God has certainly revealed no purpose to save any except those who, hearing the gospel, obey; and he requires that his people, as custodians of the gospel, should be diligent in disseminating it as the appointed means of saving souls. A. A. Hodge, Confession of Faith

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Those unable to rationally respond to revealed revelation

1. by virtue of inherent lack of ability

   1. mentally handicapped/special needs

   2. multi-sensory physical handicap

2. by virtue of age

   1. newly born

   2. pre-born

Resolution of the mystery

is not found:

1. in emotional response

   1. e.g. David – 2 Samuel 12:23

      1. a hopeful heart

      2. the grave/death, not the afterlife/heaven

   2. how could God....???

2. addressed directly in Scripture

3. ascribing attitudes/behavior to God we wish He had
   
   

is found in (revealed truth):

1. The individual's true condition

   1. sinner by nature from “the beginning” – Psalm 51:5

2. God's true character

   1. compassionate, gracious, ...bringing consequences – Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 103:8-13

3. True understanding of God's purpose

   1. our good as children conformed to the likeness of his dear Son – Romans 8:28-30

   2. His glory – Isaiah 42:8, 48:11; Exodus 20:3-5, 34:14

“The doctrine of the free will of man is theologically and practically pivotal.” Waldron

Three crucial components must be clearly understood to have a proper grasp of free will – freedom, ability, and responsibility. A proper grasp of the doctrine of free will is essential to Biblical parenting, evangelizing, and counseling.

Freedom is:

1. natural liberty – no limitations inherent in humanity
2. to make choices – in keeping with desires
3. governed by one's ethical disposition and moral nature (power of self-decision according to his desires)
4. absence of external force or necessity of nature
1. external entities (laws, states, God) do not force us to choose against our will
2. our environment is not causal
   

Note: external entities and environment influence, not control our freedom and behavior.

Freedom is not:

1. ultimate and unbounded – the ability to make any choice whatever under any circumstances
2. complete unpredictability
3. disconnected from God's sovereign will – there was a law from the beginning before the Fall

Ability is:

1. consistent with his desires
2. relative to his state

Ability is not:

1. ultimate and unbounded
2. the capacity to act against desires or moral disposition

Responsibility is:

1. based on freedom and ability (see Phila. Assn. Circular Letter, 1783)
2. based on actual choices
3. placed on us by God

Responsibility is not:

1. excused by influence
2. excused by limitations placed on freedom and ability

So what does all that have to do with parenting, evangelizing and counseling?

Parenting

1. Putting boundaries on children's choices and behavior does not necessarily infringe on natural liberty.
2. Behavioristic methods (reward and consequence) can mold a child's behavior to a degree.
3. “Relapses” shouldn't surprise us, especially in unconverted children.
1. After all they're only doing what's natural.
4. Reward and consequence must be closely associated with responsibility. Eph. 6:4 (discipline AND confrontation)
1. Certain behaviors don't just make me unhappy, they are sin against God.
2. Accountability to an authority, not just a matter of opinion
5. Socializing (Freud) and environment (Skinner) and a sense of responsibility (Rogers) are important.
1. People and surroundings do influence (but not control) the individual.
2. Responsibility before God is the beginning of dependence on him.

“Children who are deterred from quarreling by fear of spanking are not necessarily performing a good work, but they are certainly doing better than if they were not deterred. Similarly, children should be taught to pray even though they may lack a right spirit or converted heart, because for them to neglect to pray would be worse. We must not give over requiring and teaching our children to do what is right because they lack a right spirit, but we must also not let them rest in a purely formal conformity to God's will.” (Waldron, p.213)

Evangelizing

1. Since man freely chooses based on his nature, making a choice for Christ cannot be the goal.
1. Offer a sufficient reward of the right type at low enough cost and the choice is a given.
2. It's not the sinner's choice that saves.
2. We must present the facts of the Gospel and plead with sinners to turn to Christ.
1. The Creator has been patient but he commands repentance. Acts 17
2. All who come to Christ will not be rejected. John 6:37 Romans 10:13
3. Those who believe will be saved. Acts 16:31 Romans 10:9-10
3. The goal is genuine repentance following conversion resulting from a new nature.
1. See Luke 24:46-48; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 1:9

Counseling

1. People in trouble do not need
1. re-socializing (Freud)
1. re-programming conscience so it doesn't overrule natural desires
2. a new environment (Skinner)
1. genetic tinkering + environment = über man
3. to live up to their potential (Rogers)
1. it's an internal problem with an internal solution
2. merely need to plug into pre-existing resources
2. People in trouble do need
1. to know and acknowledge the difference between sickness and sin
2. to repent of any sinful behaviors and patterns
3. to be pointed firmly in the direction of what is right
4. to be given proper help and necessary tools to develop the habit of doing right

1. His ordination to the office of mediator
   1. The Author of the ordination – God the Father
   2. The time of the ordination – eternity past
   3. The framework of the ordination – covenant between Father and Son
   4. The character of the ordination – mediator, Prophet, Priest, King, head and Savior of the church, heir of all things, judge of the world
   5. The purpose of the ordination – redeem, call, justify, sanctify, glorify his people; that is, accomplish their salvation
2. His incarnation for the office of mediator
   1. The subject of the incarnation – the Son, second person of the Trinity
   2. The time of the incarnation – the fullness of (appointed) time
   3. The essence of the incarnation – God taking on man's nature in total except for sin
   4. The mode of the incarnation – the Holy Spirit and the power of God
   5. The result of the incarnation – two whole, perfect, distinct natures in one person
      1. His full deity
      2. His true humanity
      3. His single personality
3. The qualifications for the office of mediator
   1. The anointing of the Holy Spirit – made public at his baptism
   2. The commissioning of God the Father – validated at his baptism, transfiguration; cf. Jn 12:28
4. The execution of the office of mediator
   1. Its historical description – incarnation, humiliation, ascension
   2. Its central operation – penal substitutionary atonement
   3. Its ancient communication – one means of salvation pre- and post-Calvary
   4. Its mysterious communions – the interworking of two natures
   5. Its effectual application – he actually accomplished something at the cross
   6. Its inalienable possession – he can't give it away, no one can usurp it
   7. Its necessary functions – his threefold office

From: Samuel E. Waldron, A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, (Evangelical Press, 1989), p126-127.

“Who is Jesus?” is the main question in all of the differences between Muslims and Christians. from answeringislam.org

There's a deeper question than this; Christ the Mediator is Chapter 8, not Chapter 1 and for good reason. Absolutely foundational is the question of how God has revealed himself to us: the Analects (Confucius), Bhagavad Gita and Veda (Hindu), Tao-te-Ching (Taoism), the Qur'an, the Bible. Next, based on that is the understanding of man's true condition. Hence, Chapter 1 (the Scriptures) is followed by Chapter 6 (the Fall) which is followed by Chapter 8.

So what is our condition??

1. Basically good 'cause Adam's sin only counted for Adam and he repented and was forgiven Islam, UU's
2. Basically good 'cause we evolved from pond scum and there's no such thing as sin Secularism
3. Basically sinful 'cause we inherited a sin nature and are alienated from God Christianity

What are the consequences of these views?

1. I don't need a mediator 'cause there's no problem; Adam managed OK and so can I.
2. I'll mediate for myself, thank you, 'cause I'm good enough to do that.
3. Woe is me, for I am undone.

How many choices do we really have?

Christ, and Christ alone, is fitted to be mediator between God and man. He is the prophet, priest and king of the church of God. His office as mediator cannot be transferred from Him to any other, either in whole or in part. Paragraph 9

Why do we need Christ and Him alone?

1. Because of our ignorance
2. Because of our estrangement from God and the imperfection of our services at their best
3. Because we have turned away from God and are utterly unable to return to Him
4. Because we need to be rescued and rendered secure from our spiritual adversaries

How does Christ meet our need?

1. By His prophetical office he teaches us the truth of our need and God's gracious provision, uniquely revealing God to us.
2. By His priestly office he reconciles us to God and renders us acceptable to Him
3. By His kingly office he convinces, subdues, draws, sustains, delivers and preserves us, until we finally enter His heavenly kingdom.

Confucius Craze

What is it that we say we believe? We believe in a Triune God, self-disclosed in both special and natural revelation, who has decreed all that comes to pass for the purpose of manifesting his glory.

There is meaning in life and what is around us; God designed his creation in such a way as to lead us toward finding that meaning. “The universe, rather than being devoid of meaning is, like a great work of art, full to overflowing with meaning, complex, integrated and intelligible order, rather than senseless piles of gibberish. Contra nihilism, the universe has more meaning than we can imagine – layers of meaning that scientists, among others, continue to discover.” Wiker and Witt, p 17 We live in a universe as part of a creation that was not only designed, it was designed according to a plan with a purpose. It is purpose, value and relationship which gives true meaning to life.

“Wiker and Witt have convinced me. At each point I started out with "Aw, c-mon!" and ended with "How come nobody told me about this before?" Years ago I felt a little embarrassed for God, that He knew so little about science. Now I'm embarrassed for our scientific establishment. This book definitely bolstered my faith. It's clear enough for a dumb sheet metal worker (me) to understand.” Michael Lux, Santa Clara, CA, Amazon Review

Evelyn Waugh, author of Brideshead Revisited, said, “Conversion is like stepping across the chimney-piece out of a Looking-Glass world, where everything is an absurd caricature, into the real world God made; and then begins the delicious process of exploring it limitlessly.” “Modern novelists try to represent the whole human mind and soul and yet omit its determining character – that of being God's creature with a defined purpose.”

A. Purpose

1. God's purpose

a.the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness – Romans 1:20

b. his “theater of operation” - Colossians 1:16

i. The universe was built by the Creator to be his own property; to be the theater on which he would accomplish his purposes, and display his perfections. Particularly the earth was made by the Son of God to be the place where he would become incarnate, and exhibit the wonders of redeeming love.

2. Our purpose

a. glorify God and enjoy him forever – 1 Corinthians 10:31

i. “fit unto that life to God; for which they were Created”

ii. ID fails to go far enough – it stops short of God's purpose that those who view his creation should honor him as the Creator; the Designer of ID is a far cry from the immense, wise and good God of the Bible

b. Productivity – Genesis 1:28

i. producing the results of labor

ii. reproducing

iii. adding value and/or beauty

B. Value

1. God's estimation

a. good – each element of creation: Genesis 1:4, 1:10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:21, 1:25

b. very good – the sum total Genesis 1:31

2. imaging – Genesis 1:26-27

a. value derived from the original

i. knock-off of Rolex vs. Timex

3. inherent

a. who we are, not what we produce – Exodus 21:22-23

i. impacts both ends of the life spectrum

C. Relationship

1. with God – Genesis 2:15-17

2. with man – Genesis 2:18, 21-22

3. both are bi-directional

a. God does for man and he responds

b. man does for man in a complementary way

Of God's Decree

Virtually everyone has a sense of norms; ideals; good & evil; things that ought and things that ought not. Coupled with that is a well-defined sense on the part of mankind regarding how God ought to manage the affairs of the world, what things He should be responsible for and what areas of life He should stay out of.

“One of the most flagrant sins of our age is that of irreverence—the failure to ascribe the glory which is due the august majesty of God. Men limit the power and activities of the Lord in their degrading concepts of His being and character. Originally, man was made in the image and likeness of God, but today we are asked to believe in a god made in the image and likeness of man. The Creator is reduced to the level of the creature: His omniscience is called into question, His omnipotency is no longer believed in, and His absolute sovereignty is flatly denied. Men claim to be the architects of their own fortunes and the determiners of their own destiny. They know not that their lives are at the disposal of the Divine Despot. They know not they have no more power to thwart His secret decrees than a worm has to resist the tread of an elephant. They know not that "The Lord hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all" (Ps. 103:19).” Pink, Sovereignty

“God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases: that whatever takes place in time is but the outworking of that which He decreed in eternity. Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 14:27; Daniel 4:35; Romans 11:36” A. W. Pink, Sovereignty of God

“The plan of God comprehends and determines all things and events of every kind that come to pass. This is rendered certain from the fact that all God's works of creation and providence constitute one system. No event is isolated, either in the physical or moral world, either in heaven or on earth. All of God's supernatural revelations and every advance of human science conspire to make this truth conspicuously luminous. Hence the original intention which determines one event must also determine every other event related to it, as cause, condition, or consequent, direct and indirect, immediate and remote. Hence, the plan which determines general ends must also determine even the minutest element comprehended in the system of which those ends are parts. The free actions of free agents constitute an eminently important and effective element in the system of things. If the plan of God did not determine events of this class, he could make nothing certain, and his government of the world would be made contingent and dependent, and all his purposes fallible and mutable.” A. A. Hodge, WCF Commentary

A. If God is good and all-powerful, why is there evil?

“Every system of thought must deal with the issue of evil and figure out how to reconcile the existence of God with the existence of evil; historically this has been accomplished in a variety of ways. The existence of evil has been used as evidence that God cannot exist or that He is powerless to do anything about it. Others conclude there must exist two independent deities, one good and the other evil, and neither has yet destroyed the other. Still others redefine evil in such a way that it is no longer evil but rather varying degrees of good. Much of the discussion today either attacks or ignores religion altogether; if God is involved and concerned in any way with current events and behaviors, then His power must be limited to the degree that He must work with evil in turning it to good instead of eradicating or preventing it completely. Even Augustine went so far as to develop a theory of free will that allowed men to act apart from divine influence; when men make evil choices of their own free will they alone, and not God, are responsible. While the notion of free will might seem to absolve God of responsibility, it rests on the assumption that mankind are equally disposed to both good and evil. Since the Bible repeatedly denies the concept of free will, another solution to the problem must be found.” Summary of Gordon Clark, God and Evil

1. God is really not good.

He may do good (Allah the beneficent), but he is not inherently good in his nature.

2. God is really not absolutely sovereign.

God wants things to go a certain way but man, the devil and Mother Nature won't cooperate. (darn it)

3. God is incredibly wise.

Consider the most immoral and barbaric act of all time – the Crucifixion, and all its connected acts.

B. If God is sovereignly executing his decrees, why am I responsible?

1. Freedom

Man has the freedom to choose any of the courses of action open to him. He will only choose that which he desires the most. His desires are such as are consistent with his nature. Within the dictates of his (human) nature man chooses all his actions freely up to the point where God sovereignly overrules his choices for good. Since he has the freedom to choose his actions he bears responsibility for them. Genesis 50:20; Joshua 24:15

2. Ability

Man has the natural ability to make choices and carry out actions based on his free choice. He is thus responsible to use that ability for good and responsible for however he does use his ability. He does not have the spiritual/moral ability or inclination to do good so he won't; but that does not negate his responsibility. Romans 1:21-25

3. Purpose

Man is free to purpose what he wills regarding his actions - Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. The wicked or unregenerate “devises evil continually”; his natural purpose is to serve self and not God, to do what will further his own ends and not (exclusively) those of others. Since he purposes freely, he is responsible for his actions.

Man's freedom to will and to choose is not an absolute freedom – it operates within the “confines” of his own nature and God's sovereign decrees and actions. It's comparable to the distinction between liberty and license: liberty is the freedom to do what one sees fit up to the point where it infringes on the liberty of another; to cross that boundary is to enter the realm of license.

C. How can God's sovereignty give us comfort?

See Pink, pp 219, 221, 224

5. It affords a sense of absolute security.

6 It supplies comfort in sorrow.

9. It guarantees the final triumph of good over evil.

Geneva Bible Notes:

Rom 8:28 (1) And we know that (2) all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his (3) purpose.

(1) Eighthly, we are not afflicted, either by chance or to our harm, but by God's providence for our great profit: who as he chose us from the beginning, so has he predestined us to be made similar to the image of his Son: and therefore will bring us in his time, being called and justified, to glory, by the cross.

Remember what A. A. Hodge said!!

Within thy circling power I stand;
On every side I find thy hand;
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad,
I am surrounded still with God. Isaac Watts, Psalm 139

Chapter 2 Of God and the Holy Trinity

1. Which God is ours?

• Buddhism - Varies: Theravada atheistic; Mahayana more polytheistic. Buddha taught nothing is permanent.

• Christian Science - One God. No Trinity (in traditional sense). Matter and evil do not exist.

• Hinduism - One Supreme Reality (Brahman) manifested in many gods and goddesses

• Islam - One God (Allah in Arabic), strict monotheism.

• Jehovah's Witnesses - One God, Jehovah. No Trinity - Christ is the first creation of God; the Holy Spirit is a force.

• Mormonism - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate individual beings

• New Age - The Divine is an impersonal life force that pervades all things

• Taoism - Pantheism - the Tao pervades all. Yin-yang - opposites make up a unity.

• Unitarian Universalism - Not specified. Members might believe in one God, many gods, or no God.

• Wicca - Polytheism, centered on the Goddess and God, each in various forms.

• Christianity - One God who is a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Trinitarian monotheism.

Source: http://www.religionfacts.com/big_religion_chart.htm

2. But aren't they all just different names for the same God?

Remember the presupposition: “There is a God and he has spoken to us through the Bible.” Our God then is the one who has identified himself in the Bible and in the following ways:

• Yahweh, the self-existent one. Genesis 15:7; Exodus 3:13-15

• The true God, the living God Jeremiah 10:10

• The Creator Jeremiah 10:11-12; Isaiah 45:18

• The exclusive God Isaiah 45:18

3. How is He different?

• The one who has provided the ONLY path to reconciliation John 14:6

• The ONLY one who has provided the path to reconciliation Isaiah 45:22

• The only god who has done everything for his creatures Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-10

• The only god who has demonstrated mastery over death 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

4. Why your god and not mine?

• My God tells a consistent and non-contradictory story.

  • A trustworthy revelation is evidence of a trustworthy author.

• My God has a logically consistent explanation/answer for the big questions.

• My God has an explanation/answer that is consistent with the evidence.

5. Why does it matter?

• It is a matter of life and death, literally. Isaiah 45:22

• What if??

  • It's about identity and purpose: who am I, where did I come from, why am I here, where am I going?

  • It's about a long time if my God is the true God

Chapter 1 The Holy Scriptures

In order to begin a logical argument or proof, one must have an axiom or given – that which is accepted as true without proof. Axiom: “a proposition that is assumed without proof for the sake of studying the consequences that follow from it.”Random House Unabridged Dictionary According to Webster's 1828: “A self evident truth, or a proposition whose truth is so evident at first sight, that no process of reasoning or demonstration can make it plainer; as, "the whole is greater than a part."

Every one has a basic presupposition, Christian or not; the question is not if we have one but what is it. The most basic presupposition for the Christian is that “there is a God”, for everyone else that “there is no God”. The next presupposition for the Christian is that “the Bible is the Word of God”.

Neither of these proposition can be logically proven since all the arguments eventually become circular or reach a conclusion exceeding what is contained in the presupposition (e.g., arguing from the finite to the infinite). The inability to prove a proposition does not mean it is false, illogical or invalid – remember Webster's definition! The most basic philosophical discussions and logical proofs begin with an unprovable axiom.

While Christians begin their logical arguments with axioms which cannot be proven, that does not imply an absence of evidence. Charles Hodge in his commentary on the WCF says: “The fact that such a revelation has been made, and. that we have it in the Christian Scriptures, is fully substantiated by that mass of proof styled the "Evidences of Christianity."

Further, it is unnecessary to prove the existence of God; this is evident both from empirical evidence and the testimony of Scripture. Every culture ever discovered or known has at some point in its existence worshiped some sort of deity; the universality of worship indicates a “pre-programmed” idea of God coupled and an “innate” sense of right and wrong indicates an external source for a moral code of some kind. As in the line from The Sound of Music – “nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could”, or ex nihilo, nihil fit, everything that exists must have a source.

Second, Paul indicates from two different perspectives in his letter to the Romans that a logical proof for God's existence is unnecessary. In Romans 1:18-22 he declares that the fact that some God with certain attributes exists is obvious from natural revelation. In support of that he points to universal theism or atheism as evidence implying this logic: if there is no God, why would anyone feel the need to worship or deny the existence of God? Then in Romans 2:14-15 Paul uses the moral code developed by Gentile peoples apart from the influence of Mosaic law as further evidence of God having implanted a sense of right and wrong in every human being.

So, to put our two basic presuppositions together, what do we have? “There is a God and he has spoken to us through the Bible.” While this cannot be proven, it cannot be disproven and there is overwhelming evidence in its favor, making it a reasonable and rational axiom. The explanations (metanarratives or big stories) given for various aspects of our history and experience fit the evidence – creation, the flood, the post-Babel diaspora, development of languages, the Exodus, the great empires (Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman), the advent of Christ himself, etc.

Two more questions: if we believe our presupposition, where does it logically lead and how do we use it within our circle of influence?

If God exists, then he must have rights (ownership and rulership). If he exists, has rights, and has spoken, then we have a duty to listen, to know what he has spoken. If he exists, has rights, and has commanded, then we have a duty to obey. If it is through the Bible that he has spoken, then the Bible carries the same weight of authority as its author and has the same authority to command. Here, then, is the line of reasoning used by the framers of the WCF and the LCF – nowhere in the confessions is there an attempt to prove God's existence; it is merely assumed and our presuppositions are in fact their starting point, forming the foundation for the several points enumerated in Chapter 1.

In the culture!

1. We don't need to beat people over the head trying to prove the existence of God; neither do we have to scream and run because we can't prove his existence. Rather, the burden is on them to disprove his existence.

2. We can challenge them to show how the definition they have of God fits the evidence.

3. When we have opportunity to explain why we think or act the way we do, we can logically reason from the Bible back to God, not as proof but as evidence.

4. In the interaction between the Bible and science, the Bible wins hands down! Science has no explanation for origins; it can only begin with what already exists and through the scientific method reach logical conclusions. Science has no explanation for why things occur or why particular things occur; science cannot identify purpose. Further, the Bible is the only credible source that claims an eyewitness perspective of the beginning.
   
   Just a short rabbit trail: one's presuppositions determine one's interpretation of the evidence and ultimate conclusion. If you begin with atheism, you of necessity must find evidence of some other mechanism than creation to explain reality.