This subject will easily fill more than one post, so today we will discuss just a couple of the most common objections we hear regarding a literal, 6-day creation. Probably the biggest, and most-often repeated objection, is that science has proven the earth to be billions of years old, so of course the Bible is incorrect in it's telling of a 6-day creation. My first response to this, is that the "science" used to prove the earth's age, is untrustworthy. Most of this is based on assumptions already help by the scientists. Read this quote from Professor Richard Lewontin, one of the leading evolutionary biology professors:
"We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism.
It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is an absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door."
If that does not show the absolute biased presuppositions of many "scientists", then nothing does! Both sides of this issue of evolution have the same evidence. We al study the same earth, fossils, galaxies, etc. However, we both come to the study with assumptions. However, for a scientist to admit that they will not even consider the possibility of a God who created the universe, simply because they are committed to materialism, how can we expect their findings to be correct? Why would you even trust some one who apparently without shame, says that he won't even look at another possibility, because it goes against what he already thinks? This is bias and prejudice at it's worst!
Another answer for this objection, is that men will take the word of "science" as an absolute truth-in spite of the fact that it is always changing-above the word of the Infallible God. Science can not make up it's mind from one day to the next on many issues, yet we should trust these men and women more than the Ultimate Authority? If you wanted to get to know the history of a certain building, wouldn't you be more likely to trust a historian who lived in the area, and was familiar with all the details of the building in question? Or would you rely on the word of some man who claimed he knew the truth, yet changed his story about this building every few days, months or years? When put this way, it is easy to see why I, like so many others, choose to believe the Bible, and the Infallible God who wrote it!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
6 Days-Possible or Not?
One of the first questions many people bring up when confronted with the subject of Creation, is the issue of the days. It is very common for people, even Christians, to think that the days are not regular days, but rather a long period of time. However, this is usually influenced by previous thinking, and not an unbiased look at Genesis 1.
It is obvious that many words have more than one meaning. Even the word day can be used regarding a literal 24-hour day, the daylight part of a day, or an historical era. For example, we have often heard the phrase "Back in my father's day" or used the word day, meaning the part that is light, in contrast to the night. However, when you read Genesis 1 without any previous ideas, the passage clearly indicates that these days are literal, 24-hour days. Let's take a look at why this is so.
First, the Hebrew word for day, Yom, can have several meanings. However, looking at Genesis 1, each time Yom is used, it is prefaced by and/or followed with a number and the phrase "the morning and the evening". Now, this may not seem important, but let's look at the other instances where Yom is used in the Bible to get an accurate meaning of the word. Excluding Genesis 1, Yom is used with a number 359 times. Every time, it means an ordinary day! Do you really think God changed the meaning of the word for this one instance, and every other of the 359 times, it means a literal day? That's not all though. Outside of Genesis 1, Yom is used with the word morning or evening 23 times. Additionally, morning and evening are used without the word Yom, but in relation to each other, 38 times. Every single one of these 61 times, it is referring to an ordinary day. And, excluding Genesis 1, the word Yom is used with night 53 times, and guess what? Each time it means a literal day!
Just by looking at the context, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, it is clear that in Genesis 1, the Creation was completed in 6 literal, ordinary days. Not 6 long periods of time, or 6 eras, but 6 24-hour days. There are over 470 instances where the word Yom is used with other words or phrases that appear in Genesis 1, and each of these are referring to an ordinary day. Why would people try to change the meaning only in this single chapter? Because they want to fit God's Word into their beliefs, rather than adjusting their beliefs to fit with God's Word! Why would you want to change the infallible Word of the infallible God, and follow the fallible words of fallible men?
Next week we'll continue with common objections to the 6-Day Creation, but for now I'll leave you with this quote from Charles Spurgeon, the "prince of preachers".
"We are invited, brethren, most earnestly to go away from the old-fashioned belief of our forefathers because of the supposed discoveries of science. What is science? The method by which man tries to conceal his ignorance. It should not be so, but so it is. You are not to be dogmatical in theology, my brethren, it is wicked; but for scientific men it is the correct thing. You are never to assert anything very strongly; but scientists may boldly assert what they cannot prove, and may demand a faith far more credulous than any we possess. Forsooth, you and I are to take our Bibles and shape and mould our belief according to the evershifting teachings of so-called scientific men. What folly is this! Why, the march of science, falsely so called, through the world may be traced by exploded fallacies and abandoned theories. Former explorers once adored are now ridiculed; the continual wreckings of false hypotheses is a matter of universal notoriety. You may tell where the learned have encamped by the debris left behind of suppositions and theories as plentiful as broken bottles."
It is obvious that many words have more than one meaning. Even the word day can be used regarding a literal 24-hour day, the daylight part of a day, or an historical era. For example, we have often heard the phrase "Back in my father's day" or used the word day, meaning the part that is light, in contrast to the night. However, when you read Genesis 1 without any previous ideas, the passage clearly indicates that these days are literal, 24-hour days. Let's take a look at why this is so.
First, the Hebrew word for day, Yom, can have several meanings. However, looking at Genesis 1, each time Yom is used, it is prefaced by and/or followed with a number and the phrase "the morning and the evening". Now, this may not seem important, but let's look at the other instances where Yom is used in the Bible to get an accurate meaning of the word. Excluding Genesis 1, Yom is used with a number 359 times. Every time, it means an ordinary day! Do you really think God changed the meaning of the word for this one instance, and every other of the 359 times, it means a literal day? That's not all though. Outside of Genesis 1, Yom is used with the word morning or evening 23 times. Additionally, morning and evening are used without the word Yom, but in relation to each other, 38 times. Every single one of these 61 times, it is referring to an ordinary day. And, excluding Genesis 1, the word Yom is used with night 53 times, and guess what? Each time it means a literal day!
Just by looking at the context, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, it is clear that in Genesis 1, the Creation was completed in 6 literal, ordinary days. Not 6 long periods of time, or 6 eras, but 6 24-hour days. There are over 470 instances where the word Yom is used with other words or phrases that appear in Genesis 1, and each of these are referring to an ordinary day. Why would people try to change the meaning only in this single chapter? Because they want to fit God's Word into their beliefs, rather than adjusting their beliefs to fit with God's Word! Why would you want to change the infallible Word of the infallible God, and follow the fallible words of fallible men?
Next week we'll continue with common objections to the 6-Day Creation, but for now I'll leave you with this quote from Charles Spurgeon, the "prince of preachers".
"We are invited, brethren, most earnestly to go away from the old-fashioned belief of our forefathers because of the supposed discoveries of science. What is science? The method by which man tries to conceal his ignorance. It should not be so, but so it is. You are not to be dogmatical in theology, my brethren, it is wicked; but for scientific men it is the correct thing. You are never to assert anything very strongly; but scientists may boldly assert what they cannot prove, and may demand a faith far more credulous than any we possess. Forsooth, you and I are to take our Bibles and shape and mould our belief according to the evershifting teachings of so-called scientific men. What folly is this! Why, the march of science, falsely so called, through the world may be traced by exploded fallacies and abandoned theories. Former explorers once adored are now ridiculed; the continual wreckings of false hypotheses is a matter of universal notoriety. You may tell where the learned have encamped by the debris left behind of suppositions and theories as plentiful as broken bottles."
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The Purpose of Clearly Created
Welcome to Clearly Created!
"Why does it matter?" you ask. "What difference does it make; salvation is not dependent upon believing in a created world. Many people who claim to be Christians believe in and promote evolution". Yes, that is correct. I believe a Christian can believe in evolution. It is not the unpardonable sin by any means. However, when a Christian takes the liberty of changing God's Word, and choosing what they do and don't believe, they end up making their own God. And if you reject the Genesis account of creation, you destroy the very foundation of Christianity. If you don't believe Genesis 1, why would you believe in the rest of the Bible? Jesus Himself accepted and taught from Genesis. For example, when discussing marriage, He referred to Genesis when He said "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female...". If you accept what Jesus taught for salvation, then you are a hypocrite if you do not believe what He taught about creation! So, although I know Christians who believe in "theistic evolution" or the gap theory, I believe they are sadly mistaken, and in error.
I welcome honest questions, even debating (via comments) but vulgarity or foul language will not be allowed.
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