I have a confession to make. I am one of those troglodyte knuckle draggers that reads Genesis 1 literally. I believe that in the beginning there was nothing. Then God spoke and there was something: Light, Sky, Seas and Land, Vegetation, Stars, Animals, and People. I believe He did it all in six days, and on the seventh day He rested.
Another confession: I’ve not always been comfortable with believing this. I had questions about where the dinosaurs fit in. I’ve asked, “What about the millions of years that scientists insist – and not without evidence – represent the age of the earth?” I’ve subscribed to the “gap theory” that says that there were gaps between the days that God created. BIG gaps. I’ve wrestled with the concept that perhaps a day is an eon, for, “a thousand years is as a day,” to God. Right?
But I’ve realized something. I can’t prove God created everything is six, twenty-four hour, normal days. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” I believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and I believe He did it in days.
I’ve realized something else. I can’t prove gaps, or millions of years, or where dinosaurs fit in either. It takes faith to believe these things as well. While I tend to gravitate to objective evidence, I have come to see that the interpretation of the evidence is far from objective. There are subjective assumptions that are passed off as fact. With no disrespect to God’s Word, I say, “By faith people understand that the universe was created in a way other than what Genesis 1 records.”
Now, please don’t read anything into what I am writing here. I’m not saying a Christian can’t believe something different about Genesis 1 than I do. (I think I’ve admitted that, in the past, I’ve believed something different about Genesis 1 than I do now. Paragraph 2. So don’t get defensive on me.) Faith in Jesus as our crucified and risen Savior and Lord is what makes a person a Christian.
So, what is my evidence? I don’t have space (or inclination) to rehash all that. My purpose is devotional here. I will simply refer you to Erich von Fange’s book, Genesis and the Dinosaur and also to Ken Ham’s Answers in Genesis (www.answersingenesis.org). There are others. I encourage you to challenge your preconceived notions and take a different look at the evidence than what most of us were taught in school. And, yes, there is evidence.
I will say this. For me, a big part of why I believe Genesis 1 literally is textual and deals with the authority of God’s Word. I believe John 1:1 that says that Jesus is God’s Word, along with Colossians 3:16 that states, “For by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things were created through him and for him.” I also believe Jesus’ words when He said at the Last Supper, “Take and eat. This is my body. Take and drink. This is my blood shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” If I accept His word as authoritative as it speaks of the forgiveness of my sins, I feel I should accept it as authoritative as it speaks of my creation, fall into sin, etc.
Father in Heaven, help me to read Your Word and believe Your promises in Jesus. Amen.
Another confession: I’ve not always been comfortable with believing this. I had questions about where the dinosaurs fit in. I’ve asked, “What about the millions of years that scientists insist – and not without evidence – represent the age of the earth?” I’ve subscribed to the “gap theory” that says that there were gaps between the days that God created. BIG gaps. I’ve wrestled with the concept that perhaps a day is an eon, for, “a thousand years is as a day,” to God. Right?
But I’ve realized something. I can’t prove God created everything is six, twenty-four hour, normal days. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” I believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and I believe He did it in days.
I’ve realized something else. I can’t prove gaps, or millions of years, or where dinosaurs fit in either. It takes faith to believe these things as well. While I tend to gravitate to objective evidence, I have come to see that the interpretation of the evidence is far from objective. There are subjective assumptions that are passed off as fact. With no disrespect to God’s Word, I say, “By faith people understand that the universe was created in a way other than what Genesis 1 records.”
Now, please don’t read anything into what I am writing here. I’m not saying a Christian can’t believe something different about Genesis 1 than I do. (I think I’ve admitted that, in the past, I’ve believed something different about Genesis 1 than I do now. Paragraph 2. So don’t get defensive on me.) Faith in Jesus as our crucified and risen Savior and Lord is what makes a person a Christian.
So, what is my evidence? I don’t have space (or inclination) to rehash all that. My purpose is devotional here. I will simply refer you to Erich von Fange’s book, Genesis and the Dinosaur and also to Ken Ham’s Answers in Genesis (www.answersingenesis.org). There are others. I encourage you to challenge your preconceived notions and take a different look at the evidence than what most of us were taught in school. And, yes, there is evidence.
I will say this. For me, a big part of why I believe Genesis 1 literally is textual and deals with the authority of God’s Word. I believe John 1:1 that says that Jesus is God’s Word, along with Colossians 3:16 that states, “For by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things were created through him and for him.” I also believe Jesus’ words when He said at the Last Supper, “Take and eat. This is my body. Take and drink. This is my blood shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” If I accept His word as authoritative as it speaks of the forgiveness of my sins, I feel I should accept it as authoritative as it speaks of my creation, fall into sin, etc.
Father in Heaven, help me to read Your Word and believe Your promises in Jesus. Amen.
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