Theistic Evolution by Eric Lyons, M.Min. Bert Thompson, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=422

Theistic Evolution

by	Eric Lyons, M.Min. Bert Thompson, Ph.D.

Amidst all the discussion of whether atheistic evolution or special creation is true, a group of people has arisen which claims that both are true. These people hold to a theory known as “theistic evolution.” The word “theistic” comes from the Greek theos, meaning God. Therefore, when one claims to be a theistic evolutionist, he is claiming to believe in both God and evolution at the same time.

Many believe in theistic evolution because they do not want to make a decision in favor of either evolution or creation. As the old saying goes, “they want to have their cake and eat it too.” One important reason for the current popularity of this theory is that Bible believers have been intimidated. Several years ago, the famous evolutionist of Oxford University, Richard Dawkins wrote: “It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid, or insane (or wicked, but I’d rather not consider that).” Such “intellectually intimidating” statements have had an extremely negative affect on our society. People of all walks of life have been duped into believing that evolution is a fact and that the Bible is fiction. They have been bullied by impressive credentials and prestige jargon from some within the scientific community. As a result, the intimidation of pseudoscience has convinced them that somehow evolution must be “worked into” the Bible.

There are several reasons why one should reject theistic evolution. First, it is wrong because the Bible states that Adam was the first man. First Corinthians 15:45 and Genesis 1-2 both make it plainly clear that Adam was the first man. Not so, says evolution. Evolutionary theory says thatHomo erectus or Homo habilis or Australopithecus afarensis or Kenyanthropus playtops was the first man. Which will the theistic evolutionist accept as correct—the Bible, or the evolutionary model? Both cannot be correct, since they teach exactly opposite concepts.

Theistic evolution is wrong because it cannot explain Adam’s wife—Eve. The problem of Eve has haunted theistic evolutionists since the very inception of their theory. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God put Adam to sleep and took from his side material from which He then made woman (Genesis 2:21-23). Paul even identified Eve in 1 Timothy 2:13 as being a real, historical character (including calling her by name). Yet evolution says that the sexes evolved simultaneously in the same geographical region, with one being male and one being female. To even the most casual reader, it is obvious that there is nothing similar in the two events.

Theistic evolution is wrong because it cannot explain where man acquired his soul. The Bible plainly states that God created man (not an ape or ape-like creature) in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and gave that man an immortal soul (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Did that soul evolve along with all the other parts of man? How will the theistic evolutionist get a soul into man? [Without a soul, man is nothing more than a “naked ape.” And when we teach children they are nothing but animals, they will live like animals! (And some wonder why we have kids killing kids in our schools.)]

Theistic evolution is wrong because the Bible states that the heavens, the Earth, the sea and all that is in them were created in six days (Exodus 20:11; Genesis 1). Genesis 1:5 even states that each of these days was a period of “evening and morning” so that there would be no doubt as to their length. Additionally, we are told in Genesis 1:14 that the lights in the heavens were “for signs, for season, and for days, and years.” If the days that are described by evening and morning were long epochs of time (as some theistic evolutionists would have us believe), then what, pray tell, would the “years” have been? Either the Universe was created in six literal days, or it evolved over billions of years, but of one thing we may be certain—both concepts cannot be true!

Finally, theistic evolution is wrong because it makes a liar out of Jesus. In Mark 10:6, Jesus stated: “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.” Jesus affirmed that Adam and Eve had been on the Earth “from the beginning of the creation.” Now if the evolutionists are correct and man has been here 4 million years or so, it does not take very much intelligence to figure out that 4 million years out of an alleged Earth history of 4.5 billion years is not, by any stretch of the imagination, “from the beginning.” Rather, it is instead “from the end.” The choice is this: either Jesus Christ lied and the evolutionists are correct, or Jesus told the truth and evolution is wrong. To accept any part of evolution makes Jesus a liar!

Theistic evolution is nothing but a serious compromise that turns inspired writers into liars. God said He created the heavens, the Earth, and everything in them in six days. He said He made man and woman in His image, after His likeness. He did not say that He created an ape-like creature through a slow, evolving process. Question: What is wrong with the way God said He did it? Is His word on the matter not good enough for us anymore?