Intelligent Design

[HKHaugan]

As I was thinking about what I needed to be writing today this two word description of the universe’s origin popped into my mind. I take that as a nudge to explore. Rather than look into the vast material available on the subject I go to the Scripture to see what it really means there. I was struck immediately, after looking at Genesis 1, the definitive conclusion that God created all existence both invisible and visible. But I was also struck with another thought. There is a gap between vs.1 and vs. 2. God created everything in all existence in vs.1 but then he localizes His remarks on the earth in vs.2. “It was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” It is like looking at a map on Google then zooming in on a specific street and house on that street. We could spend an enormous amount of time with the universe as a subject but God is centering our attention on the locale in which we find ourselves.

It’s from this earth point on in Genesis that the Bible proceeds to get down to the uniqueness of individual hearts of people in all existence, pinpointing morality, ethics, purpose and significance for each person. That is pretty significant and should awaken us to the idea that design in the universe, by definition, involves an intricate system of physical interaction so precise that not even amassed scientists with the most advanced analytical tools can grasp its origin, what holds it all together or even give more than a speculative theory as to its breadth and depth and its ultimate purpose. Even the word intelligence itself is too narrow a word when describing the source of the mind behind the immense size and minute detail involved.

Man’s intelligence is the way we measure what can be seen and not seen. By its very nature it is a limited ability to reason, assess and make conclusions. The very fact that it has to search, explore and discover immediately reveals its limitations. Further human intelligence is ridden with imperfection due to the surrounding influence of emotional and physical limitations as well as the imperfection of the perception in each individual.

When you combine the two words ‘intelligence’ and ‘design’ it is clearly obvious that behind everything the very fact of seen and unseen existence, thinking about it, speculating on it, attempting to research it and to understand it in a contextual sense shows behind everything there is an intelligence that has designed it with a beginning and an end. This intelligence is far beyond anything we can understand and it is presumptuous to think we can. Obviously it began somewhere at some time and that because some of its parts decay and end we dare conclude that possibility for the whole of what can be seen (that dare based on 2Peter 2:10 and Revelation 21:1).

What intelligent design also indicates is that the two words are not descriptions of visible reality but invisible reality. Intelligence is not visible, neither is the idea of design. Yet both are part of our everyday experience. Reason and the need to structure it, that is to design its use, is seen in everything from grocery shopping to space exploration. Is it any wonder then that Paul makes this brutally honest yet necessary moral observation, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse (Rom.1:18-20).”

Intelligent design may be unacceptable to some minds. The question is ‘Why?’ Among all the theories that roll around in educational circles why is the idea of intelligence beyond human intelligence so incomprehensible? Why is there such hostility to the thought? Think of this: the concepts of gravity, magnetism, energy, wind, speculation, theory, to name a few, are invisible, could it be that those minds rejecting ‘intelligent design’ are guided by other invisible forces known as pride, fear of the unknown and indifference to what can’t be personally reasoned? These are moral observations. Perhaps the idea of faith in God is beyond the pride level and counted as unintelligent to preserve one’s sense of superiority in intellect. If you can keep something out of the grasp of what you think are unattainable conclusions then you have control in the judgment of others. Now we are getting down to the reality of the human heart and no scientific analysis is going to breach that wall except those with faith. And. Let’s face it, it is faith in accepting invisible ideas that propels science. And historically we have found that many scientists have extended themselves, because of faith, to research the unknown and find themselves captivated by the mind of the One whose intelligence has designed everything.

But a word of caution about spiritual pride---it is the main danger for those who believe in God. We must check the closet of our own intentions as we embrace this phrase ‘intelligent design.’ Three things loom accusingly as the basis for the ammunition non-believing people use as reasons for not accepting the idea of ‘intelligent design.’ First, there is the exposed immorality of those who call themselves Christians. We have no spiritual ground to stand on if we are not morally grounded. Second, the immaturity of the responses Christians give when confronted by self-appointed critics. Unless we are biblically informed we won’t have the resources to discern and penetrate the spiritual need underlying every non-believing reaction. Third, we have to be alert to any self-protecting attitude fueled by fear that shuts off communication. It is what supports the charge that religion is emotionalism and a crutch for the weak. We are called to take up our cross at the moment of challenge, being humble before God in the presence of others, honest and open to the Spirit’s leading whatever challenge comes.

So when we talk about intelligent design we are called to see it not only in its mental context but also as an emotional design and a spiritual design. This is why we see the mind, the heart and the spirit as images of God’s same structure. We have been given Scripture for the mind, trust for the heart and faith for the mind and each designed to function in balance with the other. Jesus is the example of perfect balance in action. It’s what we have been saying all along.