Theistic evolution - A belief that God created the universe, but through an evolutionary process
Compromise - An agreement between two disagreeing views in which something is surrendered from both sides
Encounter - Meet in opposition
Symbolic - Pertaining to that which pictures or represents something else; having a non-literal, deeper meaning
|
Due to the strong views of evolutionary scientists, teachings, publications and general acceptance, some Christians have proposed a compromising position between evolution and creation known as theistic evolution. Theistic evolutionists believe that God created all things, but that He did so through an evolutionary process. Quoting 11 Peter 3:8, that "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years," theistic evolutionists believe that the "days" of creation in Genesis I and 2 are long periods of time - each "day" being a time period of millions of years. During these millions or billions of years, God created, but in an evolutionary manner.
This attempted compromise position satisfies neither the evolutionary scientist nor the biblical creationist, however. The one does not want to acknowledge the presence and power of God in the universe, and the other desires to remain fully true to the creation account found in the infallible Word of God.
Theistic evolution or "long days of creation" theories encounter the following scriptural difficulties:
1. The Old Testament word "day" in Hebrew - "yom," when used with a numeral, always means a literal day of twenty-four hours. The only possible exceptions to this rule are found in the difficult, symbolic visions of Daniel (Daniel 8:14 and 12:11-12). These "days," being quoted in a clearly symbolic vision opens them to non-literal interpretation. The context clearly indicates that these chapters in Daniel are visions and not history. This is not true when reading Genesis 1.
2. Scripture always speaks of God's creative work as being instant in power. "By the Word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth... For He spake and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Psalm 33:6-9). Read Genesis 1. How does the entire chapter testify of this truth? Which verses clearly portray God's instant creating power?
3. The fourth of God's ten commandments reads as follows: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do
|
