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CREATION versus EVOLUTION
Which is True?
by B.B.Knopp
Creation in six days: that is the teaching of the Bible, explicit in Genesis and Exodus; implicit throughout all Scripture, and generally accepted in the Christian Church until the middle of the 19th century. But nowadays those who adhere to this teaching are usually regarded as akin to latter-day flat-earthists.
What has caused the change? Undoubtedly the main responsibility lies with the theory of evolution, launched upon the world by Darwin's Origin of the Species (1859), wherein an attempt was made to account for all things in existence by a process of natural change or selection. The theory was eagerly welcomed by many in the scientific world and, as time went on, numbers of Christian leaders sought to reconcile the new ideas with the old Christian doctrines.
Some said that the days of Genesis were immensely long periods. Others postulated a gap between the first two verses of Genesis 1, during which the old world was said to have perished, followed by a re-creation. Suffice to say that both these ideas must be rejected because, among other things, they both involve death long before death came into the world through Adam's sin.
The plain fact is that the Bible and evolution are irreconcilable, for this reason and many others. How do we decide between them? For the Christian there is only one answer. The Bible is the Word of God, and the other the word of man, and it is a question of faith in the one or the other. One is forcefully reminded of God's word to Job, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?" (Job 38:4).
For the Christian there is no room for further argument. But men will argue, and the Bible believer can welcome the most thorough investigation, well knowing that nothing can overthrow the impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture. He looks around him and it soon becomes obvious that evolution cannot account for life on earth as we know it:
- 1. The Bible says that God gives life.
Evolution says that it came by chance; but no-one has seen it
happen, even where the highest human intelligence is available
to assist;
- 2. Genesis says that everything reproduces "after its kind", and
this is what we see.
Evolution requires numerous exceptions to this rule, but cannot produce even one. No one has ever seen a new species form.
- 3. The Bible says, "He that planted the ear, shall He not hear?"
He that formed the eye, shall He not see?" (Psalm 94:9).
Evolution, though blind, deaf, dumb, and impersonal. is alleged
to have produced the eye, the ear, the voice and the personality!
This cannot be true, for streams do not arise above their source.
- 4. The Bible says that sin brought a curse on all creation, and we
see it in operation in the universal second thermodynamic law
of change and decay.
Evolution, if true, would mean that this law had been defied
over millions of years.
It is obvious which of the two explanations fits the picture the better, and much more similar evidence could be advanced. Christians are now moving to the offensive, and several Creationist groups, both local and national, have sprung up. There is no known mechanism which, even in the immense time supposed, could form an original cell of life, or from it produce the amazing multiplicity of life-forms which we see on every hand.
But finally, what about the age of the earth? Radiometric datings are all based on several unprovable assumptions, and are therefore unreliable. All can agree that, if the earth is only thousands of years old, evolution is completely defeated, and indications of this are now multiplying.
A case in point is found in the strength of the earth's magnetic field which has been measured since the year 1835, and found to be declining at a substantial rate. If the rate of decline is measured backwards in time and taken as an increase, it has been computed that 20,000 years ago the strength would have been such as to liquefy the earth. A million years ago is quite unthinkable.
Much other evidence could be adduced but a few headings must suffice:
Meteorites: (only found near the earth's surface); Meteoric dust: (very little on the moon); Short period of comets: (should have disappeared); Helium: (not enough in the atmosphere); Population statistics; (not enough people).
It is easily seen that nothing else but Creation as the handiwork of Almighty God can account for the earth and everything in it. The only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, who died to put away sin, will return, and there will be a New Creation. What a day that will be!
It is better to know the Rock of Ages than the ages of the rocks!
Creation is the work of God, evolution is the dream of man.
Reproduced from The Bible League Quarterly, No.332, January-March 1983, pp.108-109, Abingdon, Oxon, England.
See the Science Homepage for a more detailed scientific examination of this topic.
This page was created on 7 April 1998
Last updated on 7 April 1998