You may think there are enough problems for the Christian church without someone wanting to persuade you to believe in a literal creation, as described in the book of Genesis.
But we must take seriously these issues, even if it means challenging the prevailing climate of scepticism and unbelief.
You may say, ‘What does it matter if Christians accommodate the theory of evolution?’ But evolution is contrary to Scripture when it assumes a series of undirected events happening over billions of years.
It assumes a ‘big bang’ explosion that brought into being all space, time and matter; and that, over a very long period of time, living cells developed from chemical precursors. It assumes that (without ‘intelligent design’) simple biological forms gradually changed into more complex forms.
The problem of death
But the Bible says that God created the heavens, the earth and all living things in just six real days. And when he was finished, he saw that it was good — in fact, ‘very good’!
A universe that needed billions of years to evolve and an evolutionary struggle involving countless deaths can hardly be described as ‘very good’. Yet God’s creation was perfect, without death.
We all know, deep down, that death shouldn’t happen! And it is only the Bible that gives us the reason for its intrusion — the first man Adam rebelled against God, and his ‘fall’ spoiled God’s creation; death spread to everyone.
Yet, thankfully, God still grants us some retained beauty in this world to enjoy, and to enable everyone to see his handiwork.
Some say that God used evolution as part of his creation process. But the writer does not hold that view. Evolutionary teaching portrays man as a ‘risen ape’ from millions of years of natural selection, and not a ‘fallen image’. The two explanations do not mix.
Although the Bible isn’t intended to be a ‘science textbook’, yet what it says concerning origins is trustworthy. God doesn’t leave his people without help in defending their beliefs. Today there is a very quiet revolution going on in the world of academic science, which is challenging erroneous evolutionary science.
Many scientists who challenge evolutionary theory are creationists themselves, but there are some eminent, non-creationist scientists who question its validity.
The problem of faith
Jesus fully endorsed Scripture and we must be ready to go against man-made beliefs, even if it means facing ridicule.
The Bible has wonderful news for us too. It tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ died on a cross to save all who believe in him from the ‘wages of sin’. He died in our place and bore our sins at Calvary. We are called upon to have faith in God and, when in doubt, to trust Scripture first and foremost.
Is this author asserting that Christians who do not believe literally in Genesis chapters 1-11 are not thereby real Christians? No! But let us ask God for an increase of faith to believe his Word.
God loves a genuine seeker. He will increase your faith and reveal things to you by the Holy Spirit. The day will come when a new and perfect heaven and earth will be created afresh by God. We will then see for ourselves what God means when he says, ‘It is very good’.
Graham E. Swift is a member of Ryedale Evangelical Church, Middleton, North Yorkshire
