Bible Q & A

Is the Creation/Evolution Debate Mentioned in the Bible?

For those of us who have spent a good part of our lives studying the Bible, it is not surprising when we find passages that anticipated, almost two thousand years ago, very specific topics that are relevant in our time. Not only is the creation/evolution debate outlined in the Bible, I believe the consequences of evolutionary theory to mankind are specifically discussed. If you are not a Christian and assume that an evolution-bashing frenzy is about to commence, you couldn't be further from the truth. If you wish to read about science and evolution, cosmology and the philosophy of naturalism, I suggest you check the WWCW Q & A section. Once you have realized, contrary to what you have been told almost since you were born, that evolutionary theory is hardly something to hang your hat on and that it is logical and scientific to conclude that God exists, the following paragraphs may turn a light on somewhere. This will be, more or less, a Bible study with the bulk of the text coming from Romans 1.

The Bible says:

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (Romans 1:18)

The people to be mentioned in the following verses are described here as those who suppress the truth. The Bible promotes an interest in the truth. Some people think that Christians are taught to blindly follow, without regard to the truth. This is obviously not correct. The above passage also calls the methods of those who suppress the truth immoral.

The passage continues:

since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 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 men are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)

Here it's saying that God's power and divinity can be clearly and plainly seen from what has been made. The creation itself shows us at least some of God's qualities. This makes sense if you believe God to be the creator of the universe. Why would the creation not tell us something about the creator? Can a creation's design be totally separate from the thought processes of the creator itself? In human terms, it is no possible. And here it looks like God made an effort to reveal himself in the creation to all mankind, everywhere, for all time. As an aside, the question about what happens to a person who has never heard the gospel is put to rest with this passage. No one has an excuse not to know the creator. Some might claim that God's qualities are not obvious to them. That unsupportable claim is handled in the next passages.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:21-22)

They knew God because God revealed himself to them through his creation. The mistake they made was that they did not glorify God or thank him for, perhaps, creating them. Because of their deliberate lapse and brazen disrespect, they were given minds that reveled in futile thinking to match their foolish hearts. I don't think God changed their minds so that God's qualities could no longer be recognized by them. I think God pulled away from them, letting their foolish hearts take control. In Psalms 14:1 and 53:1 it says, "The fool says in his heart, 'there is no God.'" It can be reasonably assumed that their foolishness could be related to their claim that God does not exist. That God does not exist is the claim of nearly every evolutionist alive. So nearly every evolutionist alive is consider foolish by God. This may not be a permanent condition though. God is patient and forgiving.

If mankind is created in God's image and God is spirit, then there must be more to us than our animal-looking exterior. In fact, the lion's share of what really makes us what we are must be spiritual and possibly closely involved, on a spiritual level, with our creator. How else can we claim to know, worship and commune with God, who is spirit? The Bible says that the wisdom of man is foolishness to God (1 Cor. 4:19) and the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Cor. 1:18) but it does not call believers foolish. God shares his wisdom as well as his "image" with mankind, specifically believers. If God removed his wisdom from someone, what would be left but a foolish, futile-thinking person? God may still save them someday though. That possibility cannot be ruled out but until then, the foolish person will impugn the things of God - the creation and the cross of salvation. The passage continues:

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles… They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:23, 25)

What did they do after their thinking became futile and their hearts darkened, when they became fools while claiming to be wise? They exchanged the glory due God for his divine nature and eternal power, as revealed by his creation, for images of mankind, birds, reptiles and animals. The key to verse 23 is the words "immortal" contrasted with "mortal." They exchanged the immortal and the very truth of God for what is mortal and a lie. In 2 Peter 3:4, it says:

They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation

They say that everything goes on as it has, which is the main tenant of the theory of evolution. In other words, they claim that everything can be explained in a naturalistic fashion (mortal), without the need for the immortal (God). They exchange God for mortal processes, so their creator becomes the animals from which they think they descend. Also note that they have to throw in a "dig" at God. It's not enough to claim to work within the realm of science, many evolutionists seem to be very concerned with attempting to discredit belief in God as well. More on that later.

So, where does it all lead?

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another... Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. (Romans 1:24, 26 - 27)

For not giving God the glory for his creation and for perverting God's truth, they are given over to their sinful desires. God is not forcing them or even causing them to sin. He is simply not protecting them any longer from their sin. So their sin goes unfettered and becomes the sin of homosexuality. Note that verse 24 tells of the giving over to sexual impurity for exchanging "the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" while verse 26 tells of the giving over to homosexuality for exchanging, "the truth of God for a lie" and for worshiping and serving created things." This does not mean that all evolutionists are homosexuals or even sexually immoral but one would be hard-pressed to find an evolutionist who would did not approve of such practices. And it gets worse:

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Romans 1:28-31)

So they are given over to a deprived mind that allows them to commit all sorts of evil. This suggests that the evil in the modern world could be, in part, a result of the depravity of mind that has resulted from the idea that God did not create the universe. No doubt there are a lot of other reasons than evolution that there is evil in the world today but all those reasons stem from a rejection of God and his plan for the salvation of the world.

This is not to say that Christians never commit evil acts. But it's no wonder that human life can be taken so easily and human hearts can be trampled upon so readily given that humans are consider no better than animals, since they supposedly evolved from animals. This idea has even infiltrated some churches where certain types of "sinners" are represented as somehow not important to God. We often forget that we were adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals, liars, cheaters, etc. before we came to know Christ. In fact, we still sin daily and are in need of Christ's sacrifice. Only by the grace of God is anyone saved. Evolutionists are no worse than anyone else who rejects God. There is still hope for them. If there wasn't, I don't think there would be any hope for us either. Only the Holy Spirit can retrieve a soul given over to his or her evil desires. And remember that the Holy Spirit often times works through God's own. The passage concludes:

Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:32)

In 2 Peter 3:3-5, it says:

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

Notice that in Romans and 2 Peter, it mentions that those who reject the creator (for evolution or whatever) are not just happy with their own rejection. They attempt to teach others their ways as truths not to be questioned. And they are all too quick to scoff at those who believe in a creator, all in the name of "science." Why? The Bible says it's because they have depraved, futile, foolish minds that reject truth and wisdom. It sounds harsh but God takes this stuff very seriously.

As Christians, we need to take the Bible into consideration when we are scoffed at for not accepting the teaching of fools. We should take what God says into account when evaluating any teaching, especially teachings that go against the Bible. If someone told you that crossing a busy freeway blindfolded was safe, would you accept it? What if that person had degrees and sounded "scholarly"? What if that person browbeat you for not accepting his freeway theory? You would simply laugh and know that your authority, in this case your common sense, would suffice in the freeway matter. How much more confidence should you have when facing evolutionary teaching? Not only is evolutionary theory bad science, its proponents have less than full control of their facilities (they are of depraved minds), according to the creator himself. Harsh, yes but hard to argue with.

So is everyone who believes evolutionary theory a fool, according to the creator? I don't think so. Some people simply don't know any better. They're fed lies all their lives and they just assume it's correct. If their minds are open to the truth, I don't believe they have depraved minds, yet. And even if they did, God has patience and is forgiving:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise [of his second coming], as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

If you believe evolutionary theory is true, you need to look closely at your motivations and open your mind to other possibilities. You might read the WWCW Q & A section with an open mind. The truth of the matter should become obvious to you. If you're ready to make a change now, please read on…

God made a great sacrifice for you personally. He did this out of love. Lets face it, we all blow it. That blowing it is called sin. We all sin. The problem is that God, who cannot tolerate sin, loves us so much that he wants to spend eternity with us. So instead of us paying for our sin by eternal separation from our creator, God himself paid for our sin. Through his sacrifice, the sacrifice of Jesus, we can be saved for eternity. We can return to our most natural state - since the Bible says that we were created in God's image - which is communion with God, forever.

How do you accept the creator's sacrifice? There are no magic words, just tell God something along these lines:

"God I've blown it. I've sinned and I'm sorry. I accept your son's sacrifice on the cross for my sins and I accept him, Jesus, as Lord of my life and my living Savior who rose from the dead. I believe it when you say all I have to do to be saved and have my sins forgiven is ask. I ask now. Please help me live my life for you and please send your Spirit into my heart to help me do so. Thank you. I ask this in your son's name."

If you've sincerely prayed the above prayer, please E-Mail the WWCW and let me know if you need a Bible or need to get connected with a church where you can complete your commitment through water baptism. I will help you get started in your new life if you need the help. If you sincerely prayed the above prayer, I'd like to be the first to say "congratulations," you are now one of God's own, for eternity

If you are not ready to pray the above prayer, please ask God to help you in your search for him. It is a worthwhile search that will have eternal consequences. It is definitely worth the time it will take to look into this stuff further. You owe it to yourself to look into it. What have you got to lose?

Mark Harpt
wwcw@wwcw.org

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