Evoltion: Why A Bible Believer Cannot Accept It
by Mark H. Senter
While many competent scientists point out numerous scientific barriers to the acceptance of the evolutionary theory, most of us are not experts in this field. Now the Bible is for all mankind -- scientists and non-scientists -- and we can expect guidance for all. We are not disappointed, for Bible believers find in God's Word adequate cause for rejection of this theory. Some of these will be pointed out.
The question is asked by young people, "Why can't Christians accept evolution?" The answer is that it is contrary to the Word of God which we believe. When we get to the root of this theory, we discover the fact that the existence of such teaching is an effort to avoid God and therefore man's responsibility to Him. Prof. D.M.S. Watson of the University of London once said, "Evolution itself is accepted by zoologists not because it has been observed to occur or ... can be proved by logically coherent evidence to be true, but because the only alternative, special creation, is clearly incredible." Here is an honest man, and here we have the basic issue. It boils down to this: do we believe God's Word or man's substitute? It is the old choice of God or Satan. And if the Bible shows clearly that evolution is contrary to God's record, Bible believers do not have to be scientists to know the answer. The answer is settled forever. And such is the case.
Before we examine some facts making evolution impossible, let us define our terms. By "evolution" is meant the theory of organic evolution by which man is said to have come originally from a lower form of life. By "Bible believer" is meant one who like the Thessalonians accepts the Bible "as it is in truth, the word of God" (1 Thess. 2:13). He is one who takes the Bible without reservation as God's revealed will and message for mankind. There is no partial or limited acceptance of it.
We who believe God's record of the origin of things find many facts therein that are incompatible with evolution. Notice but five of them.
(1) The phrase "after his kind" is found eight times, "after their kind", twice, in Genesis 1. This is a Divine prohibition against any living thing's changing from one "kind" to another. Regardless of our definition of "kind", there is a limit here which cannot be crossed. Here is a point, if we believe God, there is a point past which change is impossible. There cannot be movement from one form of life to another as evolution calls for. If we believe the Bible, evolution must be rejected because such movement is the very heart of evolution.
(2) The sun was brought forth on the 4th day, Genesis 1:14- 19. Vegetation had been started on the 3rd day, Genesis 1:11-13. The evolutionary theory requires these days to be long ages, perhaps millions of years, but it would be impossible for vegetation to exist long without sunlight. God has so ordained nature, and so science recognizes it. Any other statement is contrary to known facts, and science claims to be factual. If we believe the Genesis record, evolution was impossible. (This is not to imply that there was no other light. Light was provided the first day, 1:3. God here made the sun which had not existed before. The same verb of command is used for the sun in verse 14 as was used of other light in verse 3. Our sun provides but a small part of the light of the universe, but God has ordered that light and life as we know it on this planet are dependent on our sun either directly or indirectly. As The Volume Library summaries it, "except for it, there would be no form of activity on our earth. We depend upon the sun for all power and warmth and life on this earth.")
(3) In the 6th day man was created (Genesis 1:27, 31). Evolution would have these days, as stated above, to be millions of years. By all fair interpretation, the 7th day like the 6th should be ages long. Yet from the time of Adam's creation through the rest of that day, through the 7th day, past the ejection from the garden, the birth and growth of two sons, the slaying of one and the birth of a third, Seth -- all this took only 130 years, for this was Adam's age at the birth of Seth (Genesis 5:3). So if we accept God's Word as correct, evolution was impossible for lack of time.
(4) In Genesis 2:7 we are told that man was formed out of the dust of the ground. In 2:19, we are told that animals and fowls were likewise formed. Each was made, not of lower forms of life but of a common substance, earth. To say that this means that man was formed of dust by being made of lower forms of life is to accuse God of deception. Had He meant that, He would have so stated. The clear impression here is that all life came by the direct act of God at specific times and using the same specific substance. Satan is the deceiver (John 8:44; Revelation 12:9) not God. So if words mean anything, the Bible teaches direct creation and not a gradual evolution.
(5) Again in Genesis 2:7, we learn that as the direct result of God's breathing into his nostrils, man became alive -- or literally "a soul of life." Obviously before this action of God, man's body was not alive. This brought life to him. Hence we have here not an evolving from one form of life to anther but a transformation from an inanimate object of clay to a living person. If the Genesis record is accepted, evolution is false.
Thus we can see that God puts it squarely up to men. He gives ample evidence of His Divine creative acts for those who will believe Him. The choice is simply do we believe God who is true or Satan who is a liar? A faithful record or a counterfeit? Without distorting God's Word, it is impossible to accept evolution.
One further word of warning needs to be sounded. Satan's method is exposed in Genesis 3. He first injects doubt and then openly denies God, trying to make Him appear to be the liar. If men accept evolution, they must discard the Genesis record. Next will come the rejection of other vital doctrines of the faith. As proof, observe that evolution and apostasy go hand in hand in our schools. Take heed and beware of what you believe.
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