I used to believe that God caused evolution to occur but now I don't really think this is so. I still tend to look at the creation stories as being at least semi-symbolic, i.e. a day to God in the days before the separation of light and dark may not have been 24 hours as we know them today. However I do believe that the order of creation described in the Genesis stories is literal. (I guess I'll have to go add this to the Genesis Thread.)
With this said, I believe that if evolution were a fact, there would be scientific evidence to support it and the fact is, this evidence doesn't exist. At one point, I skimmed over a book written by the pastor of one of my work friends. He listed this information, and I don't want to misquote him so I'll search for the book and report back.
I guess my bottom line is that I have faith that the Bible tells me all I need to know. Although I always enjoy seeing Biblical truths backed up by science, it isn't necessary. I mean, do I need scientific evidence that Jesus was crucified and then raised from the dead? Nope, it's a faith thing. Same for the creation of the world, it's enough for me to know that God did it.
Melinda
Yes, but one has to believe that the 6 creation days were 6 24-hour periods.
The atheistic formula for evolution is:
Evolution = matter + evolutionary factors (chance and necessity + mutation + selection + isolation + death) + very long time periods.
In the theistic evolutionary view, God is added:
Theistic evolution = matter + evolutionary factors (chance and necessity + mutation + selection + isolation + death) + very long time periods + God.
In this system God is not the omnipotent Lord of all things, whose Word has to be taken seriously by all men, but He is integrated into the evolutionary philosophy. This leads to 10 dangers for Christians.
1Danger No. 1: Misrepresentation of the Nature of GodThe Bible reveals God to us as our Father in Heaven, who is absolutely perfect (Matthew 5:48), holy (Isaiah 6:3), and omnipotent (Jeremiah 32:17). The Apostle John tells us that "God is love", "light", and "life" (1 John 4:16; 1:5; 1:1-2). When this God creates something, His work is described as "very good" (Genesis 1:31) and "perfect" (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Theistic evolution gives a false representation of the nature of God because death and ghastliness are ascribed to the Creator as principles of creation. (Progressive creationism, likewise, allows for millions of years of death and horror before sin.)
Danger No. 2: God becomes a God of the GapsThe Bible states that God is the Prime Cause of all things. "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things ... and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him." (1 Corinthians 8:6)
However, in theistic evolution the only workspace allotted to God is that part of nature which evolution cannot "explain" with the means presently at its disposal. In this way He is reduced to being a "god of the gaps" for those phenomena about which there are doubts. This leads to the view that "God is therefore not absolute, but He Himself has evolved - He is evolution".
Danger No. 3: Denial of Central Biblical TeachingsThe entire Bible bears witness that we are dealing with a source of truth authored by God (2 Timothy 3:16), with the Old Testament as the indispensable "ramp" leading to the New Testament, like an access road leads to a motor free way (John 5:39). The biblical creation account should not be regarded as a myth, a parable, or an allegory, but as a historical report, because:
- Biological, astronomical and anthropological facts are given in didactic [teaching] form.
- In the Ten Commandments God bases the six working days and one day of rest on the same time-span as that described in the creation account (Exodus 20:8-11).
- In the New Testament Jesus referred to facts of the creation (e.g. Matthew 19:4-5).
- Nowhere in the Bible are there any indications that the creation account should be understood in any other way than as a factual report.
The doctrine of theistic evolution undermines this basic way of reading the Bible, as vouched for by Jesus, the prophets and the Apostles. Events reported in the Bible are reduced to mythical imagery, and an understanding of the message of the Bible as being true in word and meaning is lost.
3Danger No. 4: Loss of the Way for Finding GodThe Bible describes man as being completely ensnared by sin after Adam's fall (Romans 7:18-19). Only those persons who realize that they are sinful and lost will seek the Saviour who "came to save that which was lost". (Luke 19:10)
However, evolution knows no sin in the biblical sense of missing one's purpose (in relation to God). Sin is made meaningless, and that is exactly the opposite of what the Holy Spirit does - He declares sin to be sinful. If sin is seen as a harmless evolutionary factor, then one has lost the key for finding God, which is not resolved by adding "God" to the evolutionary scenario.
Danger No. 5: The Doctrine of God's Incarnation is UnderminedThe incarnation of God through His Son Jesus Christ is one of the basic teachings of the Bible. The Bible states that "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14), "Christ Jesus ... was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:5-7).
The idea of evolution undermines this foundation of our salvation. Evolutionist Hoimar von Ditfurth discusses the incompatibility of Jesus' incarnation and evolutionary thought: "Consideration of evolution inevitably forces us to a critical review ... of Christian formulations. This clearly holds for the central Christian concept of the 'incarnation' of God ... ".
Danger No. 6: The Biblical Basis of Jesus' Work of Redemption Is MythologizedThe Bible teaches that the first man's fall into sin was a real event and that this was the direct cause of sin in the world. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12)
Theistic evolution does not acknowledge Adam as the first man, nor that he was created directly from "the dust of the ground" by God (Genesis 2:17). Most theistic evolutionists regard the creation account as being merely a mythical tale, albeit with some spiritual significance. However, the sinner Adam and the Saviour Jesus are linked together in the Bible - Romans 5:16-18. Thus any the logical view which mythologizes Adam undermines the biblical basis of Jesus' work of redemption.
2Danger No. 7: Loss of Biblical ChronologyThe Bible provides us with a time-scale for history and this underlies a proper understanding of the Bible. This time-scale includes:
- The time-scale cannot be extended indefinitely into the past, nor into the future. There is a well-defined beginning in Genesis 1:1, as well as a moment when physical time will end (Matthew 24:14).
- The total duration of creation was six days (Exodus 20:11).
- The age of the universe may be estimated in terms of the genealogies recorded in the Bible (but note that it can not be calculated exactly). It is of the order of several thousand years, not billions.
- Galatians 4:4 points out the most outstanding event in the world's history: 'But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.' This happened nearly 2,000 years ago.
- The return of Christ in power and glory is the greatest expected future event.
Supporters of theistic evolution (and progressive creation) disregard the biblically given measures of time in favour of evolutionist time-scales involving billions of years both past and future (for which there are no convincing physical grounds). This can lead to two errors:
1. Not all statements of the Bible are to be taken seriously.
2. Vigilance concerning the second coming of Jesus may be lost.
Danger No. 8: Loss of Creation ConceptsCertain essential creation concepts are taught in the Bible. These include:
- God created matter without using any available material.
- God created the earth first, and on the fourth day He added the moon, the solar system, our local galaxy, and all other star systems. This sequence conflicts with all ideas of "cosmic evolution", such as the "big bang" cosmology.
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