Posted by Travis on 02-14-2003 10:56 PM:
Thestic Evolution vs. The Bible
Theistic evolutionists: I compel you to abandon your beliefs regarding the creation of this world and to instead conform them to the teachings of Scripture. As many of you know, I was also once of the mindset as you; I too once thought that theistic evolution was true. However, I was quite wrong. Scripture is very clear on the subject. I pray that you will revere it and give Gods Word the proper respect and priority by abandoning your belief in theistic evolution.
Why must Christians reject theistic evolution take the creation account given in Genesis literally? Many reasons can be given. First of all, The Hebrew word for day (yom) must be taken in a literal sense. Secondly, other Scripture explicitly supports the literal view and stands in contrast with evolution and naturalistic thought. Thirdly, Adam is cited as a literal man elsewhere in Scripture. Fourthly, without Adam being a literal man we can neither make sense of inborn/original sin nor of the fall of mankind as it is presented in Scripture. Consequently, since Scripture does not allow for a metaphorical interpretation of creation, to believe in theistic evolution is to place science as an authority that is above Scripture- something that we as humans and therefore subjects before God (and especially as Christians and followers of God) are absolutely not permitted to do.
Support:
The word yom must be taken in a literal sense, denoting a twenty-four hour day as we know it. This is demonstrated in the following quote by mustbenothing:
1. The primary meaning of the word 'yom' is a 24-hr day.
2. Moses identifies each creative day as one passing of "evening and morning." This phraseology appears 37 times apart from Genesis 1, and always refers to a 24-hr day.
3. In the 119 other times an ordinal prefix is attached to yom (second day, etc.), it always refers to a 24-hr day.
4. The sun is created to "rule" the day/night pattern presented in Genesis 1 (a per v. 14). Therefore, the day/night pattern is a normal day.
5. God patterns man's literal six-day work week after His creation week (Exodus 31:15-17). The parallel breaks down in a non-literal interpretation.
6. In Exodus 20:11, God's creation week is said to have taken "six days" (yammim). Yammim ('day' plural) is used 608 times in the Old Testament, and refers to literal days everywhere else.
7. Had Moses intended to refer to ages rather than days, 'olam,' which specifically refers to eras, could have easily been used.
We conclude, therefore, that a) the Bible elsewhere shows us that the creation week was six literal days, b) the language used in the text refers to six literal days, and c) had Moses intended to express something other than six literal days, the Hebrew language would have easily allowed for it.
We see that other Scripture supports the literal view and stands in contrast with evolution and naturalistic thought:
Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Isaiah 45:12
I made the earth
and created man on it;
it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
and I commanded all their host.
Isaiah 48:13
My hand laid the foundation of the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I call to them,
they stand forth together.
Jeremiah 10:12
It is he who made the earth by his power,
who established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
Jeremiah 51:15
"It is he who made the earth by his power,
who established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
Adam is blatantly cited as a literal person elsewhere in Scripture in genealogies and lineages:
1 Chron. 1:1
Adam, Seth, Enosh; Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; Enoch, Methuse-lah, Lamech; Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Luke 3:23-38
Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Jude 1:14
It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones.
1 Timothy 2:13
For Adam was formed first, then Eve;
Adam is referred to many times in the New Testament in the context of explaining the doctrine of original and inborn sin. Without Adam as our literal representative we cannot make sense of original sin or the fall of mankind.
Isaiah 43:27
Your first father sinned,
and your mediators transgressed against me.
Hosea 6:7
But like Adam they transgressed the covenant;
there they dealt faithlessly with me.
1 Cor. 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Cor. 15:45
Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Romans 5:14
Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
1 Tim. 2:14
and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
Conclusion:
There is no reason to take the creation account as a metaphor besides "scientific" evidence. I also happen to believe that true science will actually aide in exonerating the literal view of creation, but that is irrelevant. We are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, not from men (Mat. 4:4). Thus, to subscribe to theistic evolution is to elevate such supposed evidence to a level above Gods holy, infallible Word. Christians are compelled to conform to Gods Word and its holy standards and doctrines (2 Cor. 10:5; Titus 1:9; John 4:24). Therefore Christians are compelled to reject theistic evolution and accept the literal creation accounts put forth in Scripture.
