Isa 45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

The concept of evolution and a billion year old earth is something that everyone has heard at some point in time or another. As Christians we are not exempt from the exposure of these ‘theories’ of the modern man. In fact it is a concept that is hotly debated in all walks and areas of Christian life.

The question that we must ask is what of these theories? and do they line up with the bible? And is it really important which way I believe anyway? The concept of six 24 hour day creation vs. a longer process whereby the 6 days, mean 6 periods of time – does it really matter to me as a Christian? It’s true that the idea is not necessarily essential to our salvation, so why do we need to talk about it?

This thought process has led many Christians to compromised the bible to science. Is that so bad?

I personally would dare say “Yes – it is.”

Unfortunately, those who subscribe to the old earth theory do not seem to realize the enormity of their compromise.

If the earth is millions of years old and the theory of evolution is correct, then death did not come by Adam as Paul states in his epistles; rather, death is the mechanism by which man has evolved. The theory of natural selection and that is that man (or anything) exists due to evolution, is dependent upon the assumption that there was death in the world before the appearance of man and that death played a part in the development of mankind, since man would have been the product of the process of the survival of the fittest. Thus, the theory of Evolution places the origin of death prior to the existence of man.

However, the Christian view of redemption is that man's fall introduced sin and physical death into the world. Death did not come naturally to man. To counter this death scripture tells us that Jesus Christ redeemed us from these effects of the fall through his incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection.

"Just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all sinned." -- Romans 5:12

Now I know some of you reading might say… “Well this didn’t mean physical death… it meant spiritual death”. The answers are ‘Yes’… and ‘Yes’ It meant both.

Let’s go back to the garden. Let’s look at Genesis 1:29-30

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. – Genesis 1:29-30

You might want to read that passage again, because yes it clearly states that Man and beast a like were vegetarians in the Garden.

Now we can clearly see that man and beast ate plants. So, no animals died to feed other animals, nor man.

We also know that there was an exception to the eating of the seed, herb and plants. The tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam was told not to eat of it, or he would surely die.

We all know the story, and we know that Adam and Eve did eat of the tree. What happened then?

Well firstly Adam and Eve noticed their nakedness and were ashamed and made themselves leaf skirts to cover their shame. Their shame was a product of their conscience and their disobedience of God.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. -- Gen 3:7

What is interesting to note here is verse 21.

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. -- Gen 3:21

Think about this now. Adam and Eve already had clothes of leaves, but God still killed an animal(s) to provide clothes (skins) for Adam and Eve. To cover their shame and nakedness before him.

This is important. Because what we have here is the first Sacrifice of an animal, to cover man’s shame and nakedness before God. This animal(s) was(were) the first to suffer death for sin. The event marked a drastic change in relationship between God and man and began the tradition of the sacrificing of an innocent animal (most cases a lamb) for atonement.

This and several other places in the scriptures tell us that God requires the shedding of blood for the remission of sins.

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. - Hebrews 9:22

That same requirement was carried on from generation to generation until Christ fulfilled the ultimate sacrifice for mankind.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. -- John 1:29

Let’s get back to Evolution and the old earth theories now.

Evolution and old earth would state that blood was shed and death occurred before Adam’s original sin. If we as Christians believe in this concept we destroy the very foundation of the atonement brought by the death of Christ on the Cross.

The Christian message is that Christ has redeemed mankind from sin and physical death. If Adam did not bring these things into the world, then Jesus Christ could not have acted as the "second Adam" to redeem mankind from these things.

For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. -- 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

And 1 Corinthians 15:54 tell us that “Death is swallowed up in victory”.

We can now clearly see the seriousness of the compromise. According to the Bible, to succumb to the belief in evolution is to undermine the entire Gospel of Christ.

All Christians believe that Christ died on the cross. That he suffered physical and agonizing death and shed his blood as a penalty for our sin. This Atonement was necessary for us (as reiterated throughout the scriptures) since the fall of man in the garden.

Therefore, we are left with no other conclusion but that of understanding that the teaching of millions of years of death, disease, suffering and bloodshed prior to Adam’s first sin, is a direct attack on the foundation and message of the Cross.

As such these very theories proposed by man cannot be reconciled with the Christian view of redemption.

For these reasons. We here at Grace Prophetic Ministries uphold the doctrine of Christ through the teaching of a 6 day, 24 hour creation. We study the concepts around it, we utilize science as a tool to prove it and in no way do we compromise the Cross, for the sake of ‘Peace’ in the body.

For the bible is clear that each of us are to be educated in all aspects of the Scriptures so that we can know what is truth, and what are falsities, and not fall into deceit:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; -- Eph 4:14

We are to be diligent in our refuting of false teaching.

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. - Titus 1:9

And we are to above all else Preach the Gospel of the Cross in it’s fullness, completeness and purity.

“…For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive…”

-- J.R.Hall

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