In his sermon on Romans 4:17, Stephen Davey explains Paul’s declaration that the God Abraham believed is the God “who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” Davey shows that this verse is Paul’s sweeping affirmation of God as both Creator and Life-giver, grounding the believer’s faith in God’s revealed power rather than human speculation. He contrasts this with mankind’s endless search for origins—Darwinian evolution, modern theories, and scientific guesswork—none of which can explain how life began. Only revelation, Davey argues, provides that answer. Turning to Genesis 1, he notes that Scripture introduces the origins of time, cause, space, matter, humanity, marriage, morality, nations, and language—all created instantly and intentionally by God. Paul’s statement also affirms mankind’s unique dignity as God’s image-bearer, a truth rejected by evolutionary thinking that reduces humans to mere animals and strips life of meaning. Davey illustrates how such a worldview leads to moral confusion, loss of human worth, and a culture where animal rights overshadow human life. By contrast, Paul’s theology of creation upholds human value and anchors the gospel: the God who first created life is the only One who can give new life through Christ. Davey concludes that because God is the Creator of all life, He alone can guarantee eternal life—an assurance rooted not in scientific theory, but in divine revelation and Christ’s saving work.
Origins
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