Why Should I Question the Age of the Earth? Pt. 2 They Just Don't Mix

In the previous blog post we introduced the topic of Why Should I Question the Age of the Earth? by looking at a basic overview of the mainstream scientific account and the Biblical account of the age of the earth.

Here is a summary of the two sides:



In comparing the Bible and mainstream science we can see an astounding difference:

  4,550,000,000 years

-               6,000 years

-----------------------------

  4,549,994,000 years 

That’s a difference of 4,549,994,000 years!

However, it is becoming more and more common for Christians to begin accepting mainstream science's teaching of an old earth as truth. And in doing so, they begin to compromise God's Word in order to make the Bible fit mainstream science. 

I believe this poses a great threat to the integrity of Christ's Church. We can NOT compromise God's Word to fit the thoughts and ideas of man as shown here:

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (KJV)

We are warned by God here not to allow the philosophy or vain deceit of man fool us into compromising God's Word.

So then the question becomes:

Is believing in mainstream science's theory of an old earth a compromise of God's Word?

In order to answer this question let's look at the most popular theory that attempts to merge the Bible with mainstream science:

The Gap Theory

The most popular theory that many Christians buy into concerning the merging of these two ideas is called The Gap Theory. 

In an effort to combine the theories of an old earth and the Biblical creation Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847) and later many other scholars helped popularize the idea of the Gap Theory. 

(Thomas Chalmers)
Retrieved from britannica.com

The basic idea of the Gap Theory is that billions of years went by between the first two verses of the Bible:

Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (KJV)

So basically God created the heaven and the earth and then allowed billions of years to pass (in which macro-evolution occurred) and billions of years later God finalized his creation starting in Genesis 1:2.

(The Gap Theory)

Retrieved from Dr. Kent's Creation Seminars at wiseoldgoat.com

This theory can be found in an excerpt from Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible:

“When men finally agree on the age of the earth, then place the many years.. between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2, there will be no conflict between the Book of Genesis and science.”

-Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible

Thus, with the addition of these billions of years between these two verses we have the Bible and mainstream science in complete agreement.

So the Gap Theory sounds pretty legitimate, right?

Here are three reasons why I believe the Gap Theory and any other related theory is a direct compromise of God's Word:

1. Six Literal Days

The Bible teaches that ALL things were created in six literal days.

Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (KJV)

The Gap Theory states that God created the heaven and the earth, and then billions of years later (through evolution) God finalized the sea and creatures and mankind. But that's not what Exodus 20:11 says! Exodus 20:11 states that the heaven, the earth, the sea and ALL things within them were created in just six days! Thus, the Gap Theory is a direct contradiction of God's Word.

Some then may argue that the word 'day' (or 'yom' in Hebrew) in Genesis or Exodus could be translated to mean thousands or millions of years. This is sometimes referred to as the Day-Age theory. Is this theory legitimate?

Throughout the Old Testament the word ‘day’ (or 'yom' in Hebrew) is used over 200 times and is always translated to mean a literal 24 hour day. This is further evident in Genesis 1 when God uses the phrase ‘evening and the morning’ to describe the word ‘day’. Thus the word ‘day’ here must be taken in its most literal sense.

Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (KJV)

For a more comprehensive study on the Day-Age theory check out this article: http://www.icr.org/article/theistic-evolution-day-age-theory/

2. The Death Problem

The Bible clearly states that when Adam (from Adam and Eve) sinned he brought sin and death into this world. This is stated in Romans 5 here:

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (KJV)

Therefore, if Adam brought death into the world we can infer that death was not present before Adam sinned.

However, if we follow the Gap Theory, we agree to the idea that evolution occurred during this 'Gap' period and thus creatures lived and died over millions of years during this 'Gap'. 

(The Death Problem)
Retrieved from answersingenesis.org

But how could Adam have brought death into this world if the Gap Theory implies that death had already been around for millions of years?

Perhaps the creatures of the Gap Theory never died, but they were millions of years old at the time of Adam and Eve?

I don't buy it. You see, trying to compromise the literal meaning of Genesis leads to conflict and illogical conclusions.

3. Jesus Taught a Young Earth

Perhaps the most compelling argument is that Jesus believed and taught a short creation. In Mark 10:6 Jesus states:

Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. (KJV)

Jesus states that God created man and woman ‘from the beginning of creation’. The Gap Theory states that man and woman had not come into existence until billions of years after the initial creation. 

Do you really think when Jesus stated that God created man and woman ‘from the beginning of creation’, that he meant 14 billion years after the creation? 

That is what the Gap Theory teaches.

Conclusion:

If you choose to believe in mainstream science's theory of an old earth, I feel it is evident that you are in direct contradiction with Jesus' teachings and God's Word itself.

I cannot stress enough the danger of compromising God's Word based on the ideas and teachings of man. Mankind and mainstream science have been wrong countless times before in the history of this world, but the Bible has always been proven true.

So it all comes down to who or what you are willing to trust:

Will you trust the all-knowing God or will you trust the teachings and ideas of man?

I invite you to have an open heart and open mind in studying this topic. My intent is not to put down the beliefs and opinions of others, but instead to promote and spread the truth of God's Word.

In the next few posts I will look at flaws within the mainstream scientific theory of an old earth, and why this theory may not be as valid as you think.

Sincerely,

Jacob Springer
A Young Christian