Introduction: When Charles Darwin’s famous book On the Origin of Species was published 150 years ago on November 24, 1859, all 1,250 copies were purchased on the first day of publication. This suggests that the people of England were waiting very much for a theory that would mean that the Bible and the Christian God were no longer needed. “The world jumped at Darwin,” said George Bernard Shaw.[1]
What’s the big deal of not believing in the doctrine of creation and specifically a relatively recent creation in the space of six days?
Proposition: The issue is what will be determinative? Man’s supposed knowledge or the truth of God’s Word?
Basic Choices
1. Six-day creation, approximately 6,000 years ago.
2. Day-age theory, trying to correlate the ‘days’ of creation with periods of millions or billions of years.
3. Framework Hypothesis – no attempt to harmonize Genesis and the supposed conclusions of science.
Problem #1: How do we account for Adam, Sin, and the Need for Christ?
There are those who say that we can merge or synthesize Genesis and the idea of evolution. But where does this leave Adam? Do we somehow stop believing in evolutionary theory only when it involves the creation of man? There are even Christians today who are leaving the door open to the fact that Adam doesn’t even have to be a historical figure. Are we then going to say the same thing about Jesus Christ?
If Adam and Eve were created or evolved after life had already existed for millions of years then we must believe that death had already been present. Scripture, however, states that Adam’s sin led to death and an entirely changed world because of the curse.
Problem #2: Do we want to submit everything that Scripture says to the dictates of science? When and where do we draw the line?
If we must accept what ‘science’ states about the creation of the universe and our world, then where do we draw the line and start believing what the Bible declares that might supposedly goes against science? Do we accept the miracles of Jesus? Did Jesus really feed 5,000 men or as some want to say, did He merely teach them to share? Liberals have attempted to demythologize the Bible. Don’t we do the same thing when we start interpreting Genesis based on modern scientific theories?
The resurrection of Jesus Christ goes against all ‘scientific laws.’ Why should we accept this miracle but reject what Scripture clearly states about creation?
Problem #3: Do we recognize the danger of interpreting the Bible according to a theory, which at its core is anti-Christ?
The teaching of evolution is anti-Christ because it rejects the creation of the world through Jesus Christ and instead places improbable chance as the Creator. Why would we want to try to make such a theory fit with the truth of Scripture merely by saying that God has used such a process? Yes, there are many well meaning Christians who seek to do this. There are very intelligent professors in colleges and universities who have spent their entire careers trying to make this work. But it must be recognized that evolutionary theory cannot just co-exist with the truth of Scripture. “Every doctrine of Scripture is undermined when strict creationism is undermined. Wherever strict creationism is set aside, the vital nerve of Christianity is cut, and the church begins to move in terms of humanistic and political power rather than the power of God.”[2]
Don’t be ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth of Scripture. You need to focus on three areas of study.
a) What the Bible says concerning creation
b) Answers that creationists have given to the questions of evolutionists
c) What the evolutionists themselves teach
[1] R. J. Rushdoony, The Mythology of Science, 45.
[2] Ibid., 49.