Young children approach life with refreshing innocence. They assume that spoken words are truth because they have no reason to question the trusted adult who spoke them. But as children grow older, they begin to question adults and situations—they want evidence of truth as they encounter unknown people and new circumstances in their world.
Adults are no different. They want proof that a new product does what it claims to do, or that a doctor received his credentials from an appropriate place, or that the latest technological gadget is truly going to make life easier. But with all our evidence-gathering, we too often overlook the importance of providing evidence to our children concerning faith issues. Shouldn’t we diligently look for ways to teach our children, in ways they can understand, the evidences of their faith?
As a Christian, I don’t question the evidence of creation—it’s simple for me because it’s outlined in God’s Word. What is there to question? But I know my children need to be taught those evidences, and it’s not always as simple for them to grasp the meanings of some Bible verses.
When we talk to our children about the evidence of creation, the best place to start is the Bible. Then we look for ways to make it understandable for our unique children, taking into consideration their ages and developmental levels. As parents, we possess the privileged information about our particular children’s learning needs and abilities—we know our own children best. And so, we can figure out how to clearly present the truths of Scripture and to make the evidence simple for our children.
Begin by walking your child through the verses found in Genesis 1-3, while making these six specific points:
- Genesis 1:1 teaches that “in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” This verse is particularly important to teach children, because it shows them that God: a) is all-powerful (omnipotent), and b) knows everything (omniscient). This verse alone shows the power of God.
- Genesis 1:1-31 teaches that God created all things differently. By simply speaking them into existence, God created the land, seas, plants, sun, moon, earth, lights, birds, creeping animals, and humans. He did not throw a match into the air and walk away. He spoke them into being. These verses show the order and distinction of creation.
- Genesis 1:26 shows the conversation between God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” By making man and woman in His image, He made us different from the rest of creation. These verses show how special you are to God.
- God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, and to fill the earth and subdue it (or take care of everything He had made). This is the purpose for creation.
- In the beginning, God made everything perfect; and when He was finished, He called it “good.” God doesn’t make bad things, but because sin entered the world, nothing on earth is perfect now.
- God didn’t create everything, put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and then just say goodbye. He wanted fellowship with people. One way He chose to have fellowship with them was by giving people an understanding of what was right and wrong (by forbidding them to eat from a specific tree in the Garden). When Adam and Eve ate the fruit from that tree of the knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the world. And that’s why we need Jesus—He came to save us from our sin.
* Dr. Forlow is Education Specialist at the Institute for Creation Research.
Cite this article: Forlow, R. 2012. Teaching the Evidence of Creation to Children. Acts & Facts. 41 (9): 19.
