The Book of BeginningsThe Book of Beginnings

Exposition of Genesis 1-11Exposition of Genesis 1-11

How Far We’ve ComeHow Far We’ve Come

• “The biology department of Calvin College in Michigan issued a statement on May 7: ‘We teach evolutionary theory as the best scientific explanation for the dynamic diversity of life on Earth...We teach biology from an evolutionary paradigm’’ (WORLD, Sept 2010, p. 39).

• Christiananswers.net lists 220 (out of over 900) Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries in the US who accept and teach a literal Genesis - including a six 24-hour day Creation, no death before sin, a global Flood and a young Earth.

How Did We Get Here?How Did We Get Here?

• All alternative models to a literal 6 day creation and a young earth are based upon an unquestioning acceptance of the scientific evidence for the antiquity of the earth and a compulsion to reconcile this scientific evidence with the biblical account in Genesis 1.– Influenced by backlash to the 16th century Copernican

Revolution?– “...if the data is overwhelmingly in favor of evolution, to deny that

reality will make us a cult…some odd group that is not really interacting with the world. And rightly so, because we are not using our gifts and trusting God’s Providence that brought us to this point of our awareness” (Bruce Waltke, in 2009 Biologos interview).

• In short, men “monkey” with the biblical text to make it fit the science!

An Interesting Admission by an An Interesting Admission by an EvolutionistEvolutionist

• “[Evolution is] a theory universally accepted not because it can be proved by logically coherent evidence to be true but because the only alternative, special creation, is clearly incredible” (D.M.S. Watson, “Adaptation,” Nature, Vol. 124 [1929], p. 233).

Some Wrong Interpretations of Some Wrong Interpretations of Genesis 1Genesis 1

• Theistic Evolution – Based upon an unquestioning acceptance of the theory of evolution coupled with an acknowledgement of the existence of God and an acceptance of the Genesis account as poetical and non-historical.– Denies the validity and authority of special revelation.

• Progressive Creationism – Based upon an unquestioning acceptance of the scientific evidence for the antiquity of the earth coupled with God being actively and creatively involved at certain stages in the process of evolutionary development.– Re-defines “day” as a “day-age.” Claims to interpret Gen 1

literally! Denies any interpretive value to Exod 20:8-11; 31:15-17.– Hugh Ross is a well-known progressive creationist who accepts

the scientifically determined age of the earth (14 billion years) but rejects the theory of species evolving into higher forms.

Some Wrong Interpretations of Some Wrong Interpretations of Genesis 1Genesis 1

• Gap Theory (Ruin-Reconstruction) – Based upon an unquestioning acceptance of the scientific evidence for the antiquity of the earth coupled with God refurbishing or reconstructing the earth after the judgment resulting from the fall of Satan; takes “was” in Gen 1:2 to mean “became.”– Since there was a long period between vv. 1 and 2, can still hold to 24

hour days in Genesis 1.– Poses the gap to reconcile Gen 1 with modern scientific theory. No

evidence for such a gap either in Genesis or elsewhere in Scripture.• Pre-creation Chaos Theory – Based upon an unquestioning

acceptance of the scientific evidence for the antiquity of the earth coupled with God not giving a final word on origins, plus the impact of ancient mythological cosmogonies having included chaos prior to construction.– Denies the account having any reference to creatio ex nihilo.– Denies an absolute beginning in v. 1 and assumes that physical

existence is present “at the beginning.”– Poses “without form and void” to mean something negative and sinister,

a watery chaos, which God then proceeds to overcome.– Posits God’s creative activity only beginning in v. 3.

The Proper ResponseThe Proper Response

• Recognize that the creation account in Genesis 1 is from the Creator Himself and is in that sense an eyewitness account!

• Interpret Genesis 1 with a historical-grammatical hermeneutic, according to what the words actually say and in their historical context.

• Allow Genesis 1 to say what it says, without trying to reconcile it to scientific theory. Interpret creation in light of the Bible, not vice versa.

Next Week: CreationNext Week: CreationPart IPart I

Gen 1:1-23Gen 1:1-23