Yesterday at 02:16 AM seebs said this in Post #9 Note that theistic evolution is, from a scientific standpoint, indistinguishable from non-theistic evolution. The question is irrelevant, really, from a scientific standpoint.
And also from a spiritual standpoint. Theistic evolution is certainly an attempt to accomodate "science, falsely so called" (1 Tim. 6:20-21). The Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator (Jn. 1:1-4) certainly took everything written in Genesis literally, including the creation of man (Matt. 19:3-6). However, the Gap Theory is just that. It is simply a theory to accomodate "science, falsely so called", which even scientists today are questioning.
It also does damage to careful exegesis, since everything about a world before the world is pure speculation. Furthermore, it allows for death before the disobedience of Adam and Eve, and the death penalty that was consequently imposed on the human race (Gen. 2:17; Rom.5:1-21). Larkin brought this theory into prominence but it has no basis is Scripture.
There is no discontinuity between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 if we will simply take it to mean exactly what it says. Just as with Adam God first took disorganised dust and then created a perfect specimen of humanity (Gen. 1:27;2:7), He took this globe that was ill-defined (without form), empty (void), dark (darkness was upon the face of the deep) and totally covered in water (the deep, the waters) and then reorganized everything (Gen. 1:6-10) after commanding the light to shine out of darkness (Gen.1:3-5; 2 Cor. 4:6).
Let us never forget the allegorical Gospel truth within the first creation. On the first day of the week, the Lord Jesus Christ brought the light of the glory of God in His face by His resurrection (2 Cor. 4:6), which is a "new creation", with the rising of "the last Adam" to undo the transgression of the first Adam, and at the same time abolished the emptiness and darkness of a sin-cursed world by triumphing over sin, death, hell and Satan (Heb. 2:14-16)
The Decalogue (10 Commandements) gives the lie to the Gap Theory also: "For in SIX DAYS [no gap] the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exod. 20:11). The Law cannot be broken, so this account must not be broken.
Furthermore, belief in creation is an exercise of FAITH, just as belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, both LORD [God] and Christ is an act of FAITH (John. 20:30-31). What saith the Scripture? "Through FAITH we understand that the worlds [not just the earth but the entire universe] were framed by the Word of God, so that thiings which are seen were NOT MADE of things which do appear" (Heb.11:3). This is clearly teaching that the universe was literally made out of nothing. God simply "spoke the worlds into existence". If we will not believe that, how can we believe that the blood of the Lamb of God washes us from all our sins (Rev.1:5-6) and that believers are actually "kings" and "priests" in the sight of God?
Paul warns us that if we accept the seductions of "science, falsely so called" [some may quibble because the Greek word also means knowledge] we will ultimately PROCEED INTO DOCTRINAL ERROR:
O, Timothy, KEEP THAT WHICH IS COMMITTED TO THY TRUST [the teachings of the Word of God], avoid profane and vain babblings, and OPPOSITIONS OF SCIENCE FALSELY SO CALLED: which some professing have erred concerning the faith" (1 Tim. 6:20-21).
