Question about Genesis

Asher9 · Mar 29, 2020

I believe in evolution based on the sheer amount of evidence, and that’s not going to change. I want to believe in God but this is one of the things stopping me. I know many people don’t take genesis literally due to believing in evolution, but then how can I figure out which books in the Bible to take literally and which ones not to? If I don’t have to take Genesis literally, who’s to say I don’t have to take the Gospel literally? Does theistic evolution fit in with the rest of the Bible?

HTacianas · Mar 29, 2020

You may accept the six day creation as a literal six days or you may accept it as something else altogether.

Origen, who lived around 200 AD, resolved that the six days were not literal based solely on the text itself. There has never been a defined teaching on the age of the earth within Christianity. Anyone telling you anything else is simply wrong.

If you'd like to know what to take literally see the Nicene Creed.

BrotherD · Mar 29, 2020

It has been an open attack on the bible. Specifically Genesis and if you don't believe in all of Genesis you can pick and choose what other books you believe. There is this Youtube channel Genesis Apologetics that has great scientific content about the first book of the bible and maybe, just maybe it will change your mind about how you view Genesis.

Dave L · Mar 29, 2020

This might not be true, but it explains a young earth that is billions of years old.

In Hebrews 11:3 the writer says; “By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God’s command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.”

Calvin translates it; “so that they became the visibles of things not visible,” or, not apparent. And then says; “thus the same truth is taught here, as in Rom. 1:20, where it is said, that the invisible things of God are made known to us by the creation of the world, they being seen in his works.”

He continues; “God has given us, throughout the whole frame-work of this world, clear evidences of his eternal wisdom, goodness, and power; and though he is in himself invisible, he in a manner becomes visible to us in his works.”

Calvin, J., & Owen, J. (2010). Commentary on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews (p. 266). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

But what if we took this train of thought one step further? Saying the entire universe, eternally in God’s mind and decree became visible over the course of six days. The spiritual and eternally existing now clothed on with time, space and matter? The same way metal shavings when dusted on a piece of paper with a magnet below, reveal the magnetic waves?

Like a huge house, light-years across. Where God flips the switch and all the lights come on at once. Taking moments for what would take trillions of light-years using space-time measurements?

dqhall · Mar 29, 2020

God has not finished creation. Look at the rapid advances in technology. What was a thousand years ago did not change in a day. My great great grandparents had a large farm, a horse drawn wagon and a horse drawn sleigh. Did God instruct mankind to do better?

SkyWriting · Mar 29, 2020

Consider that God controls the spin of each atom in the Cosmos.
Then evolution theory is not a problem.

Psalm 147:5
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

1 John 3:20
For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

Hebrews 4:13
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Isaiah 40:28
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

1 Chronicles 28:9
“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Matthew 10:30
But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

Daniel Marsh · Mar 29, 2020

Now that the cameras are available, why has Evolution on the larger scale stopped? I grant that there is variation within a species. But, there is no film of one species becoming another in real life.

Daniel Marsh · Mar 29, 2020

Paul an Apostle of Christ would be literal.
Psalms is mostly figurative.
Read the Bible like you would any other book.

Mantishand · Mar 29, 2020

Evolution is a theory that most take a fact. It could be fact, but also could be false. We humans aren’t as smart as we think. Why does everyone have to fully be right about everything? Even when they don’t know the truth? Pride, that’s why.

If evolution is stopping you from believing in God than the devil won. Just pray for God to enter your life, turn from sin and have your eyes opened.

Maria Billingsley · Mar 29, 2020

Welcome! The story of creation is controversial even within the Body of Christ there are varying opinions. That being said, Christianity is about Jesus Christ of Nazareth and this is what you should focus your search on. If I decided not to eat avocados because I don't know where they come from, I would be missing out on a fruit I love so much! This is the same with Jesus Christ of Nazareth! We only know in part and the best way to know Him better is to receive His Holy Spirit and be regenerated. Knowledge will grow through Him, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Be blessed and stay healthy!

eleos1954 · Mar 29, 2020

It is called the THEORY of evolution because that is what it is .... THEORY .... not based on "facts". (although deceivingly presented that way) based on Darwins theory that came about in a time when very little technological testing means and knowledge about the cosmos were not available.

A theory is a group of linked ideas intended to explain something. A theory provides a framework for explaining observations. The explanations are based on assumptions. From the assumptions follows a number of possible hypotheses.

ideas .... assumptions .... possible hypotheses ..... NOT "facts" nor "evidence".

It has not been changed to the "Facts of Evolution" ... it is and will remain THEORY.

Evolution and creation are mutually exclusive and IF one tries to meld the two then one is compromising their faith.

Understand what THEORY is and ground yourself in your faith through the Word of God.

solid_core · Mar 29, 2020

When a poetic/dramatic language is implied, like in first chapters of Genesis, you can take it as non literal.

You can also, after some studying, be able to recognize some mythical or poetical properties in various places of the Bible (like Leviathan, ancient view of human anatomy - thinking in kidneys, ancient views of the universe - flat earth with a dome etc), while being certain about historical records in the New Testament (I am not saying certain about every word there, but certain about it generally).

I would basically say that you should accept basic beliefs of Christianity and then carefully read the Bible and enlarge your beliefs gradually with things that are not essentials.

coffee4u · Mar 30, 2020

What 'sheer amount of evidence'?

The entire Bible reflects creation but you have the freedom to choose to follow a man-made theory if you wish. Not sure what you will do with no death before sin though. And as you said that is the exact path many take-doubt creation-doubt global flood-doubt the gospels-doubt everything.

Job 33:6 · Mar 31, 2020

Speciation has been recorded in many instances in both laboratory and natural settings.

What you're probably referring to is evolution from a genus to a genus.

Job 33:6 · Mar 31, 2020

Well, you can take your time and can read through each book of scripture. Personally, if I find something that contradicts my understanding of physical reality, I usually approach it with a skeptical eye.

For example, in the book of Job there was a fire breathing Leviathan.

Though certainly possible (anything is possible) realistically, it doesn't seem like a feasible concept that an animal might breath fire. Rather it could very well simply be a poetic discription of God's infinite power.

Another example: was Jesus crucified? Well many archaeological and historical scholars suggest that Jesus was a real man who traversed real places. He likely truly did live and ultimately die at the hands of the Romans. So if we read about Jesus leading His people up to the Mt. of Olives, it could very well be literally true and we have no feasible reason to necessarily doubt.

And really you can just take things chapter by chapter and book by book. And sometimes it's even ok to say 'I don't know if this is literal or metaphorical". Nobody is holding you hostage telling you that you absolutely have to believe one way or the other. Some people of faith seem to think that it is a grave sin to say "I don't know". But it's just the reality of the world that there are things that we can't always know, things we accept on faith and things that we dont.

I would recommend reading Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World. It discusses your very question and ways to earnestly approach it.

nolidad · Apr 4, 2020

What you believe is in the opinion and conclusions drawn by evolutionary believing scientists. These are people who almost unanimously have been taught since an early age to believe evolution is scientific only and creation is unscientific.

I would encourage you to take a good book on evolution, and then also from ICR get a good book for the scientific basis of believing in Creation and the flood and the tower of babel and how the evidence both creationists and evolutionists look at (for they both look at the same evidence) , far more supports the biblical creation model of beginnings than the big bang/evolution model of origins.

This is what I did and compared both to the laws of science and proven empirical data and it opened my eyes many many years ago!

I went from an evolutionist, to a theistic evolutionist, to a progressive creationist, to finally and most satisfyingly a young earth literal biblical creationist!

miknik5 · Apr 8, 2020

I don´t understand why your believing in evolution has to stop you from believing in GOD.
every created living thing is moving from a starting/beginning point to a final/end point and that created living thing changes. As well, the environment in which these living created things abide is not constant it also changes...and both can affect and effect a change in both...

Why would this have to mean that GOD, the original designer, did not initially create something that was pure? But with time, the original pattern, kind of...changed?

nolidad · Apr 9, 2020

People who believe in evolution can be wonderfully and gloriously saved. Because it is all by grace and how theologically sound you are!

But if a believer does believe in evolution and those long long ages required for evolution to work (according to teh evolutionary hypotheses) then they become a crippled follower and constantly have to alter the SCriptures in their mind when it contradicts with Evolution.

One major example: God says death entered the word by sin and sin by one man---Adam. Adam is shown to be only from about 6-7K years ago, but according to evolutionary hypotheses, death in mankind had been happening for several hundred thousand years if not several million yesars (if you wish to call all the early homo species primitive men)

coffee4u · Apr 9, 2020

It contradicts Scripture, so people immediately jump to the conclusion that Genesis must be allegorical. Some people (I did say some not all) then start to wonder if other miracles are allegorical as well, stories holding spiritual truth but not real events. This can lead to all scripture including Jesus as not being seen as literal. if Jesus is not literal then the resurrection didn't really take place. There are people who with this line of thought have completely given up their faith.

FreeGrace2 · Apr 10, 2020

There is no evidence for evolution. Remember, it's still just a theory. No one was around when it was supposed to have started.

Since there is no evidence for evolution, there is nothing stopping you. btw, under your name, you are identified as "Christian", so something doesn't add up, since you "want to believe in God". All Christians DO believe in Him, and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Why would it matter if you aren't going to change your mind about evolution, which, btw, is a theory that EXCLUDES God totally?

Sure sounds as though you aren't a Christian.

Genesis can be taken literally. But not the way most evangelicals understand it. Creation is found in v.1 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth.

Unfortunately, v.2 has been woefully mistranslated. I've studied the original, plus the Septuagint, which is the OT translated into the Koine Greek, the language of the NT.

From my studies, this is how v.2 should have been translated:

But, the earth became an uninhabitable wasteland, and darkness was over the face of the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

So, God didn't create the earth as "formless and void", as every translation has it. Rather, something occurred that trashed the earth. The Bible doesn't say what happened, so we just don't know. So what follows in ch 1 is actually a restoration of planet earth, over 6 literal 24 hour days. Therefore, the age of the earth is obviously much older than Adam, but we just don't know by how much.

btw, the age of the earth was initially determined by a geologist named Lyell, based on what he called the "geologic columns". What is interesting is that his work was done around 1895 or so, and Darwin wasn't even born until 1905. So Lyell wasn't influenced one bit by evolution.

Having said all this, age of the earth, and evolution aren't really the issue here. The real issue is your wanting to believe in God. What does that mean to you?

Romans 1:19,20
19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

The red words refer to the knowledge and existence of God.
The blue words refer to the fact that His existence has been made plain to everyone.
The green words is the result of what God Himself has made plain to everyone.

The most glaring problem of evolution is HOW it all started. It requires something occurring from nothing. Does that make natural sense? No.

The Bible says that God created the heavens and earth. The Hebrew word for "create" carries the idea of creating out of nothing. There is another Hebrew word that carries the idea of making something out of existing materials. In fact, in Genesis 1:26,27 we have both words used in reference to creation of man. In that context, Gen 2:7 gives us both kinds. What was made out of existing materials is the "dust of the ground", or the chemicals found in our physical bodies. What was created out of nothing is the "breath of life" that God breathed into Adam's physical body, which resulted in man being a living being.

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