For a long time, creationists have used the second law of thermodynamics to criticize the naturalistic origin and development of life on earth. Unfortunately, creationists have not always properly treated the subject, so a new effort is warranted. I begin with a brief history of thermodynamics, followed by a description of macroscopic gas laws. I then derive corresponding microscopic descriptions of gases, something sorely lacking the creationary literature. I introduce the most used macroscopic statement of the second law of thermodynamics, as well as a microscopic description. I apply the microscopic description to a few examples, including some found in living things, to demonstrate that the second law of thermodynamics effectively rules out the possibility of the naturalistic origin and evolution of life. I also briefly apply the first two laws of thermodynamics to the universe in the past to provide a possible indication of the necessity of creation. Before my conclusion, I survey previous discussions of entropy in creationary literature.