Evolutionists vs.
Young-Earth Creationists
Some Bible readers believe that God created the
universe approximately six thousand years ago with
all the living things that we see today. For ease of
writing, we will refer to these people as
"young-earth creationists." Many scientists dispute
this belief because of the abundance of physical
evidence to the contrary, including fossils of
dinosaurs and other living creatures, petrified
wood, etc., which points to a much older earth. The
young-earth creationists say that the fossils were
either created six thousand years ago or left as
evidence of the flood at the time of Noah. However,
many scientists use various scientific techniques
developed according to certain other theories, such
as radiometric dating, to argue that the fossils and
the earth should have existed for a few billion
years. In addition, based on this fossil record,
scientists have developed some theories of
evolution. Basically, they believe that there was an
evolutionary progression from no life to simple and
lower forms of life which then evolved into more
complex and higher forms of life. Some further
believe that this explains the origin of all the
life forms that we see today, including man, which
is directly opposed to the biblical record of the
creation of man by God from the dust of the ground.
In this article, we will use the term
"evolutionists" to refer specifically to scientists
who insist that man evolved from some lower forms of
life.
The young-earth creationists claim that,
according to the Bible, God created the heaven and
the earth six thousand years ago with all the living
things that we see today and that the fossils were
either created at that time or left as evidence of
the flood at the time of Noah. The evolutionists
argue, based on their beliefs, that the earth should
have existed for at least a few hundred million
years.
The Evolutionists'
Theories Became their Belief
The evolutionists have many theories and assumptions
which are not proven as facts. Many evolutionists
condemn young-earth creationists for blindly
trusting in beliefs based on their interpretation of
the Bible. However, the evolutionists themselves
believe in their unproven theories with blind faith
just as much as the ones whom they have accused.
Some have even used fossils to try to force-prove
their theories of evolution. However, pure science
is by observation; theories are secondary to the
actual evidence. If after many decades of research
they cannot find all the proofs they need to
substantiate their theories, they should not be too
strong in believing them blindly nor too bold in
teaching them to others as facts. Many biological
scientists are controlled by the widespread
acceptance of the evolution theories. If any
scientist were to challenge these unproven theories,
that one would be considered a scientific heretic.
Teachers and textbooks should stress that
scientists are still studying and what they present
are only theories. However, evolutionists have won
the approval of lawmakers and school boards to teach
their theories and beliefs in textbooks as pure
science. The fact that evolution is taught in public
schools does not mean that God did not create the
heaven and the earth with all living things. Courts
of law and school boards cannot legislate the
historical facts that happened many years ago.
The Sequence of
Creation according to the Bible
In
this article, we are not addressing the validity or
error of the theories of evolution, but pointing out
a third understanding that both the evolutionists
and the young-earth creationists may not have
considered.
The young-earth creationists have misunderstood the
Bible in this matter, so their difficulty in
convincing people of their beliefs does not disprove
the Bible. The Bible does not set an age for the
universe. According to Genesis chapter one verse
one, God created the heavens and the earth in the
beginning, maybe billions of years ago or longer.
The Bible does not give any record of how the earth
and the first living creatures came into being or
what things were like. However, it does indicate
that the most powerful archangel, now called Satan,
was given charge of the earth. At some time he
rebelled against God and was judged. At that time
the earth became covered by water, and all living
things on it were killed; then the earth became void
and remained in darkness. After another unknown
stretch of time, God came back to "re-create" by
first saying "let there be light" and then
continuing on to create all the living things on
earth. The fossils we find from hundreds of millions
of years ago were of the living creatures of the
original creation. The living things that we see
today came into being by God's "re-creation"
approximately six thousand years ago.
The Bible and the facts of pure science do
not contradict one another. The contradiction is
between the shallow and improper study of the Bible
by the young-earth creationists and the unproven
theories of the evolutionists. The fossils that we
mentioned above do not contradict the Bible; in
fact, they support the Bible. Historical records of
human culture mainly date back no more than six
thousand years, which matches what the Bible says.
If one would recognize all the theories as merely
theories and compare the scientific facts with a
more thorough study of the Bible, one would be able
to see that God created all things and that the
living creatures on earth today did not evolve from
the creatures that were here millions of years ago.
God and Judgment
It
is convenient for some people to believe that
everything evolved; it allows for the possibility
that there is no God, no accountability, and no
judgment after death. In such a case, some people
may consider that they have the license to do
whatever is right in their own eyes, that they can
be immoral if they choose without fear of a tragic
destiny. This obviates the need to live by their
conscience. If the universe was created by God for a
purpose, however, we all need to change our thinking
and lifestyle to fit into God's desire, purpose,
ways, and judgment. To deny the existence of God is
to act like the fabled ostrich which, chased to the
point of exhaustion, buries its head in the sand so
as not to see its pursuers. Just as the ostrich is
overtaken, so one day sudden destruction will come
upon all who try to pacify their conscience and
think that they are living in peace and safety while
refusing to repent to God.
Your most basic need is not to figure out
how God created man but to receive God the Creator
into you as life, because He created the universe
for this purpose. It is not good enough to find the
right answer; you must receive Jesus as your Savior
and life. He is the all-inclusive Answer to all the
questions in the world. To receive Him, just pray,
"Lord Jesus, thank You for creating me. Come into me
and cleanse me of all my unrighteousness. Fill me
with Your life that I may live properly according to
You and express all that You are, thus fulfilling
Your original intention in creating me."
Bible
Verses for Your Reading:
Genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. And the earth became without form, and void;
and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was
light.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after
our likeness: and let them have dominion over... all
the earth.
John 10:10
I have come that they may have life and may have it
abundantly.
Ephesians 3:9-11
And to enlighten all that they may see what the
economy of the mystery is, which throughout the ages
has been hidden in God, who created all things, In
order that now to the rulers and the authorities in
the heavenlies the multifarious wisdom of God might
be made known through the church, According to the
eternal purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life; and man became a living soul.
Isaiah 14:12-15
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of
the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground,
which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said
in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit
also upon the mount of the congregation, in the
sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights
of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet
thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of
the pit.
Hebrews 9:27
It is reserved for men to die
once, and after this comes judgment.
2 Peter 3:7
But the heavens and the earth now, by the same word,
have been stored up for fire, being kept unto the
day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
2 Thessalonians 2:12
So that all who have not believed the truth but have
taken pleasure in unrighteousness might be judged.
Acts 24:16
I also exercise myself to always have a conscience
without offense toward God and men.
1 Timothy 4:2
By means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, of
men who are branded in their own conscience as with
a hot iron.
Psalms 14:1
The fool hath said in his
heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they
have done abominable works, [there is] none that
doeth good.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
When they say, Peace and security, then sudden
destruction comes upon them, ...and they shall by no
means escape.
1 Timothy 4:10
We have set our hope on the living God, who is the
Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.