Biblical Creation vs. Evolution

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Creation Demonstrates the Position of Man

Before examining what the doctrine of creation proves about God, consider what it proves about man.

A. Man Was Created in the Image of God, a Little Lower than the Angels.
The teaching of creation

Genesis 1:26,27 - Man was created by God in the likeness and image of God.

Psalm 8:3-5 - God made man a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor.
Failure to appreciate this leads to mistreatment of other people.

Genesis 9:5,6 - Murder of humans is forbidden, because humans were made in the image of God.

James 3:9,10 - Cursing man is wrong, because men were made in the likeness of God.

The reason is it wrong to mistreat another human is because they are in the image of God. They are just as important to God as we are. To mistreat them is to mistreat one who is like God.

This is why Jesus often said that how we treat other people is how we treat Him (Matt. 25:31-46).

Failure to understand this leads to practicing such evolutionary concepts as "survival of the fittest," so "might makes right." People believe if they are able to overpower others, then they have the right to do so: they are more "fit." Extreme manifestations of this were the holocaust and Communist massacres: eliminate those who are "unfit"!

When we understand the Bible doctrine of creation, we learn why it is wrong to mistreat other humans. We did not make them. They don't belong to us. They belong to God - the same God who made us and to whom we belong. In many ways they partake of His nature, so we must not mistreat them.

[Malachi 2:10; Job 31:13-15; Prov. 14:31; 17:5; 22:2]

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Man Was Created to Have Authority over the Animals and the Earth.
The teaching of creation

Genesis 2:7 - Contrary to evolution, man was not made from the animals. We are fundamentally different from animals. We were made directly from the earth in the image of God.

Genesis 1:26,28 - God created man to have dominion over all other living things and to subdue the earth.

Psalm 8:6-8 - God made man to have dominion over the things God made. All livings things are under our feet (subject to us).

Psalm 115:14-16 - The God who made heaven and earth then gave the earth to man. That is, it is subject to our control to use for our purposes. God had the right to give us this control, because He made both us and the earth.
Failure to understand this leads to devaluing people and overvaluing animals and the earth.

Evolutionists, animal rights groups, the New Age Movement, and pagans all fail to see the proper dominion of man over animals and the earth.

Some view the earth as a living thing, a goddess named Gaia, so we must try to please it and take care of it. Some even worship the earth.

Others view killing animals as morally similar to killing people, so we should not eat meat or wear fur clothing, etc. An Internet student recently said his wife objects to his hunting, because she doesn't want him to kill animals. She wants to buy meat at the store!

Genesis 9:2-6 - Animals are given into our hand (control) and can be used for food. Animals were not made in God's image, but people were.

1 Timothy 4:3,4 - Some people forbid eating meats, but God created them to be received with thanksgiving.

Killing an animal is not the moral equivalent of killing a man. Why? Because of the doctrine of creation! Animals and the earth were made by God to be subject to our control. This does not justify cruelty or waste or other forms of poor stewardship, but it does justify using them for our good.

Failure to understand and believe the Bible doctrine of creation leads to failure to understand our own position in the universe. What could be more basic than that?!

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II. Creation Proves the Power of God's Word.
A. Creation Was Accomplished by God's Spoken Word.

Genesis 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26 - God created by simply speaking. He said what should be created, and it was so!

Psalm 33:6-9 - The heavens were made by the word of God, by the breath of His mouth. So also regarding the earth and its inhabitants: He spoke and commanded, and it was done.

Psalm 148:3-5 - God commanded and heavenly hosts were created.

Hebrews 11:3 - By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.

God did other miracles by speaking. In this way God proves the power/authority of His word. Note: Matthew 8:5-13; 2 Peter 3:5-7. See Psalm 105:31,34; 106:9; John 11:39-44; 5:28,29.

Creation is an incredible proof of the power of God's word.
B. Likewise, Salvation Is Revealed in the Gospel by the Power of God's Word.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 - The message ("word" - NKJV footnote) of the cross is foolishness to the world, but to us it is the power of God. We preach Christ crucified, which is the power and wisdom of God.

Hebrews 4:12 - His word is active and powerful like a two-edged sword.

Romans 1:16 - The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe.

What reason do we have to believe the gospel can save us? What evidence is there that we should believe it and commit our lives to obeying it in hope that in the end we will receive eternal life?

The reason we should believe the gospel is that it is the word of God. The same power of the word of God that spoke the Universe into existence is the same power that works in the written word. The purpose of all miracles is to confirm who God is and to validate His message to be true. If God did not make us by the power of His word, then why should we trust the power of His word in the gospel? (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:22; 14:3; 2 Corinthians 12:11,12; Hebrews 2:3,4).

It follows that any view that belittles or undermines the doctrine of creation likewise belittles or undermines faith in the power of the Bible, including faith in the power of the gospel to save us from our sins! What could be more basic than that? How can that not be essential to our salvation?

[2 Cor. 4:6; Isaiah 55:6-11; Revelation 1:16; 1 Peter 1:22-25;

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III. Creation Proves God Is the Living Source of All Life.
A. God Gave Life to All Living Creatures.

Genesis 1:11,12,20,21,24-27; 2:7,21-23 - God made all forms of life at the beginning: plants, birds, fish, land animals, and people. All life came from God.

Isaiah 42:5 - God created the heavens and spread forth the earth. He gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it.

1 Timothy 6:13 - God gives life to all things.

Every passage that says God created man would likewise confirm that God is the giver of life. The doctrine of creation affirms that all life comes from God. Without God, there would be no life.

[Job 33:4; Psalm 100:3; 139:13-16; Prov. 22:2; Isaiah 64:8; Jer. 27:5; Heb. 12:9; 1 Cor. 8:6]
B. This Proves God Is the Living God.

Our life comes from His life. We have life, because He is eternally alive (see next point) and He gave us life.

Genesis 1:26,27 - We were created in God's image. Whatever else is involved in being in the image of God, surely it requires that He is alive. [9:6]

Acts 14:15 - Paul taught idol worshipers to turn from these useless things (idols) to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. If God made life, then God must have life. He is the living God. Idols cannot qualify.

Acts 17:24-29 - Again idol worshipers were taught that God made the world, and He gives to all life, breath, and all things. In Him we live and move and have being. We are His offspring, so we should not think of God as something dead like gold, silver, or stone.

Revelation 10:6 - The God who lives forever and ever created heaven and earth and the sea and the things that are in them.

How could life come from a non-living source? The sun, ocean, mountains, etc., cannot be God. Neither can statues made of metal or stone or wood. They are not alive. If we are the offspring of God, who gave us life, then He must have life. This is why so many passages refer to God as "the living God."

Creation proves God must be alive.

[Job 33:4; Matt. 16:16 1 Thess. 1:9; 2 Cor. 6:16]
C. God Likewise Is the Source of Spiritual and Eternal Life.

Having given men life at creation, God warned that sin would lead to death, both physical and spiritual. When Adam and Eve sinned, they brought upon mankind physical death. They were also spiritually separated from God (spiritual death), and the same happens to all people when they sin. (Gen. 2:16,17; 3:1-19; Rom. 5:14-21; Eph. 2:1-19)

So God gave man life, but man brought death upon himself. Now only God can give man life again.
Jesus is the way to spiritual life (fellowship with God)

John 1:1-4 - The Word (Jesus) was in the beginning, and all things were made through Him. In Him was life. He possessed life and is the source of life - not just physical life but also spiritual life.

John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Having been alienated from God by sin, no one can come back into fellowship with God except through Jesus, the Giver of life.

Romans 6:4 - After baptism we walk in newness of life. This is called being born again. It makes us a spiritual child of God. Who could give this new life except the Giver of life? (See 2 Cor. 5:17; John 1:12,13; 3:1-7; 1 Peter 1:22-25; Galatians 3:26,27).
Jesus is the Giver of eternal life.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Those who are faithful to the Lord will live with God forever in eternal life. God is the Giver of this life.

John 6:63,68 - Jesus' words are spirit and life. They give eternal life. Since Jesus is the Giver of eternal life, the only way to know how to receive eternal life is through His teachings.

Matthew 25:46 - At judgment the wicked will receive everlasting punishment, but the righteous will receive eternal life.

If God did not create us, why should we view Him as the source of life? Why should we trust Him as the One to give us life after death or eternal life? Shouldn't we instead find the One who did give us life to begin with and trust Him as the source of future life?

Every view that belittles or undermines the Bible doctrine of creation thereby undermines our faith in God as the Giver of life. This undermines our confidence that He is the source of spiritual life, resurrection, and eternal life. How can that not be fundamental to Christians?

[Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; 1 Tim. 4:10; John 11:25; 1 John 5:11,12,20; John 3:16]

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IV. Creation Proves God's Eternal Existence.
A. God Existed in Eternity before the Creation.

John 1:1-3 - The Word (Jesus - v14) was in the beginning with God and was God. All things were made through Him.

Colossians 1:16,17 - All things were made by Him (Jesus), and He is before all things. Obviously if God made all things, He must have existed before the things He made.

Isaiah 40:28 - The everlasting God is the Creator of the ends of the earth. (See also Psa. 90:2 below.)

The fact God created everything else would imply that He is Himself eternal. Otherwise, it would be reasonable to ask who made Him. The doctrine of creation states that He is the eternal, uncreated Creator.
B. God Will Live Eternally after Creation Is Destroyed.

Psalm 102:25-27 (Hebrews 1:10-12) - Of old God laid the foundations of the earth. They are the work of His hands. They will perish, but He endures. His years have no end.

Physical things come and go. They have a beginning and an end. But God is eternal in the future, as well as in the past.

Psalms 90:2 - Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

Revelation 10:6 - He who lives forever and ever, is the One who created heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.

The Bible doctrine of creation is inherently bound to our faith that God is eternal. Any view that belittles or undermines our faith in creation likewise belittles or undermines our faith that God is eternal.

[Jer. 10:11,12]

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V. Creation Proves God's Unlimited Wisdom.
A. Creation Shows the Wisdom of God.

Psalm 136:5-9 - By wisdom God made the heavens and the heavenly bodies.

Jeremiah 51:15 - He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by His understanding. [10:12]

Proverbs 8:22-31 - Wisdom speaks, saying she was with God before the world was made and was there when God made the universe.

Clearly great wisdom would be required to make the universe: heavenly bodies, earth, plants, animals, and man. How could it be done by anyone without incredible wisdom?

[Prov. 3:19; Psalm 104:24]
B. This Wisdom Is Beyond Man's Ability to Comprehend.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 - As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything.

Isaiah 40:28 - The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

Romans 11:33-36 - All things are of Him and through Him (i.e., created by Him) and unto Him. His ways and judgments are unsearchable and past finding out. Who can know His mind or give Him counsel?

By observing the universe we can know that its Maker had to be very wise. But further, we can know that His wisdom must be infinitely beyond our own. As men study the creation, there are still many things about it that we cannot even understand how they function, let alone, could we have planned it and created it to begin with!

The universe shows the supreme wisdom of God.

[Job 38]
C. As God's Creatures, We Must Turn to Him as the Ultimate Source of Wisdom.

Psalms 119:73 - Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. When we realize that we were made by God, then we recognize His wisdom. We should then turn to Him as the source of wisdom for how to live our lives.

Proverbs 3:19-26 - God founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. So we should keep wisdom and discretion. They will help us walk safely and live without fear of going astray.

Proverbs 8:30-36 - When we realize that God made the world in wisdom, then we should listen to God's wisdom. Hear instruction and be wise, do not disdain it. Wisdom leads to life and favor with God. To reject wisdom is to love death.

So why should we believe in the power of God's wisdom? Why should we trust God's wisdom to lead our lives? Because of the evidence of His wisdom in the great works He has done, especially in the creation. When you see the evidence of God's great wisdom in the creation, Whom else would you want to guide your life? Why would you ever trust instead your own wisdom or that of any man? [Prov. 1:7]

Psalm 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:15-17 - But remember, His wisdom to guide our lives is revealed in the Scriptures.

If God did not make us, then why should we trust His wisdom? Why should we follow the instructions in His word? Shouldn't we instead find out who did make us and put our trust in His wisdom?

So again, any view that belittles or undermines the doctrine of creation, thereby belittles and undermines our faith in the wisdom of God. This is turn undermines our reasons for following the Bible as the revelation of God's wisdom. How can that not be fundamental and basic to the faith of Christians?

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VI. Creation Proves God's Unlimited Power.
A. Creation Demonstrates God's Great Power.

Psalm 89:11-13 - God founded the world. He has a mighty arm and a strong hand. [Psalm 65:6; 86:8-10]

Jeremiah 10:12 - He has made the earth by His power. [51:15]

Jeremiah 27:5 - I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm.

Romans 1:20 - For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Anyone who observes the universe must wonder where it came from. There is no sensible explanation except that it was made by a wise and powerful Supreme Being. This clearly required great power, so that anyone who does not believe in this God and His power is without excuse.
B. Such Power Is Vastly Superior to Human Strength.

Job 9:8-10 - God made heaven and the constellations. He does great things past finding out, wonders without number.

Jeremiah 32:17 - Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.

Job 26:7-14 - Describing various works God has done in the universe, Job said, "the thunder of His power, who can understand?"

Not only was great power required to make the universe, but it had to be power much greater than any that people have. We could never make such a universe. We cannot even make a single thing and make it come alive! We cannot possibly comprehend such supreme power, let alone could we ever duplicate it.

[Psalm 33:6-9]
C. As God's Creatures, We Should Trust His Strength to Care for Us and Save Us.

Psalms 121:2 - My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. [124:8; 145:5,6]

Isaiah 40:28-31 - God is the Creator. He never faints or is weary. He gives power to the weak.

Why should we trust in the power of God? Why should we believe He can keep His promise to give us eternal life if we are faithful? Because He has proved His power in the miracles He has done, especially in the creation. When you see the evidence of His power in creation, why would you ever doubt His power? What other power could be greater?

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 - God's weakness is greater than man's power. Through Christ (the Creator - John 1:1-3) is the power to save. The same power that created the world is the power to save us and give us eternal life. [Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16; Heb. 7:25]

Whoever made us must be the greatest power in the universe. If the God of the Bible did not make us, then why should we trust in His power to care for us and save us? Shouldn't we instead find out who did make us and put our faith in His power?

Any view that belittles or undermines the doctrine of creation likewise undermines our faith in the power of God. That in turn undermines our faith in God's power to save us and give us eternal life! Don't tell me that such matters are not of first importance to Christians! What could possibly be more important?

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VII. Creation Proves God's Right to Control the Universe.

Since God made the universe, He has the right and power to control it and do what He chooses with it.
A. The Universe Belongs to God, Because He Made It.

Psalm 24:1,2 - Earth and all who dwell on it belong to God, because He founded and established it.

Psalms 89:11,12 - The heavens and earth and all its fullness are Yours, because You founded and created them.

Since God made the universe and it belongs to Him, it follows that His power should control it.

[Psalm 95:5; 74:16,17; 100:3]
B. Since He Made It, He Rules as Lord over It.

Isaiah 29:16 - The clay has no right to criticize how the potter made it. So we have no right to deny or criticize our Maker. He made us, so He had the right to make us to be whatever He wants us to be. We must submit to the will of the maker. [45:9,10; 64:8; Rom. 9:20-24]

Acts 17:24 - God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord (Ruler) of heaven and earth. He rules because He created.

Colossians 1:15-17 - Just as Jesus made the church and is preeminent over it (v18), so He is preeminent over His creation. It was made by Him (by His power) and for Him (to serve His purposes). [Heb. 2:10]

1 Peter 4:19 - We commit our souls to Him in doing good, because He is the Creator.

Romans 1:25 - It is a fundamental error to "serve" the creature rather than the Creator. Serve here means to obey Him as God (see vv20-25 and the context).

Why should we fear God and keep His commands (Ecc. 12:13)? Because He made us for that purpose. As our Maker, He has every right to expect our service. As His creatures, we are obligated to give whatever service He requires. Until we understand creation, we have no understanding even of our purpose or reason for existing!

[Deut. 32:5,6; Rom. 11:36; 1 Chron. 16:26,36; Psalm 96:2-10; 100:2,3; Jer. 27:5; 5:22; Ex. 4:11; 20:9-11; 31:16,17; Num. 16:22; Isaiah 51:12,13]
C. He Has the Power to Punish or Reward Us, Depending on Whether or Not We Please Him.

Genesis 6:6,7; 7:4 - God determined to destroy man, because he had so corrupted himself that God was sorry He had made man. Since God made man, when man failed to serve the purpose for which he was made, God had the right to destroy what He had made.

Isaiah 27:11 - Some had become so corrupt that God who made them decided He would not have mercy on them; He who formed them would show them no favor. God is the maker. Whether He shows mercy and favor to us or not is up to Him.

Many people deny God has the right to punish or destroy mankind for sin. "I can't believe in a God who would do that." Frankly, if you do or don't believe it, will that change the reality of it? If God really did make us, He has the power to do with us what He wills, regardless of what we want or what we believe.

Creation is a simple fact of history. It follows that, since God made us, He has the right and the power to reward us or to destroy us. If He was a tyrant, there would not be a thing in the world we could do about it. We ought to glorify Him every day that He is not just our Maker, but He is a God of mercy and patience!

If the God of the Bible did not make us, then why would He have the right to control us? Why shouldn't we instead find out who did make us and do what He says?

Any view that belittles or undermines the doctrine of creation, thereby undermines our faith in God's power to rule in our lives. It weakens or destroys our understanding of our obligation to serve Him.

Understanding the doctrine of creation is fundamental even to understanding the very purpose for our existence. Who can say that is not of first importance to Christians?

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VIII. Creation Proves God's Right to Be Worshipped.
A. God Deserves Man's Worship Because He Made Us.

The fact that He created us demonstrates power and wisdom so great that we ought to worship Him, not anyone else (such as idols, etc.).

Deuteronomy 32:15-18 - People are rebuked because they forsook the God who made them. They served other gods and forgot the God who fathered them.

Psalm 86:8-10 - All nations should worship and glorify God, because He made them. He alone is God. No other gods are great like Him, because they cannot do works like His works (including creation).

Psalm 149:1,2 - People should praise the Lord and rejoice in their Maker.

The thing which has been made ought to give glory to its maker. God's power to create proves unquestionably that He deserves our worship. No one else made us; therefore no one else should be worshipped.

[Psalm 139:13,14; 8:3-9]
B. God Deserves Our Worship Because of the Greatness of All He Has Made.

Psalm 95:1-7 - Come let us worship before our Maker, for He is God. His hands formed the dry land.

Psalm 148:1-6 - Heavenly hosts should praise the name of the Lord, because He commanded and they were created.

Romans 1:25 - Since God's power and Deity are clear from the things he made, people are without excuse (v20) when they worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator.

Note carefully that this truth is absolutely fundamental to all Christians: anything which was created does not deserve to be worshipped. Only the Creator should be worshipped, for only He has ultimate power.

Romans 11:36 - For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Why does glory belong to God? Because all things are of Him and through Him - i.e., He is the Creator. That of itself is reason enough that we should give Him glory forever!

Revelation 4:11 - God is to receive glory and honor and power. Why? Because He created all things. By His will they exist and were created.

Revelation 14:6,7 - The everlasting gospel says that people of every nation, tribe, and tongue should worship Him who made heaven and earth.

Note carefully that we do not worship and serve God just because Jesus died on the cross to offer us eternal life. Mankind owed worship to God long before that event happened, and we still owe God our worship because he made us.

If the God of the Bible had not made the Universe, why should we worship Him? Shouldn't we instead find out who did make the heavens and the earth, and then worship Him?

Any view that belittles or undermines the Bible doctrine of creation, thereby also undermines our very reasons for worshipping God. It undermines our faith in the right of God to be worshipped!

[Neh. 9:6; 1 Chron. 16:25-29; Psalm 96:2-9; 33:6-9; 19:1; 103:22; Ecc. 12:1; Isaiah 43:7,21; 1 Cor. 8:5,6]

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IX. In Short, Creation Proves that God Is God!

The conclusion of the foregoing evidence is that creation is the defining proof that the God of the Bible is the true God. This is why we recognize Him as God, and this is why it would be wrong to recognize anything or anyone else as God.

These conclusions follow from all we have already learned. They are also stated or implied in the following passages:
A. Old Testament Passages

2 Kings 19:15 - Hezekiah prayed that God alone is God. He made heaven and earth. [Isaiah 37:16]

Psalm 86:8-10 - He alone is God. There is none like Him among the gods. All nations should worship Him, because he made them.

Psalm 95:1-7 - The Lord is the great God and King above all gods. He made the sea and His hands formed the dry land. Worship the Lord our Maker, for He is God.

Isaiah 45:18 - For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it: "I am the Lord, and there is no other."

Jeremiah 10:11,12 - "Gods" that did not make heaven and earth will perish! If the God of the Bible did not make the Universe, then He is a false God! He will perish. Why should we then serve Him as God?

See conclusion below for 1 Chron. 16:25-35 and Psalm 96:2-10.

The Old Testament clearly teaches that God is clearly proved to be God because He made heaven and earth. Nothing and no one else can be God, because they did not make heaven and earth. Creation is a defining characteristic of Who is God!

The issue is: Who is or is not God? Surely that is not a matter of Old Testament teaching that could change in the New Testament. Commands about how we serve God have changed, but not who is God nor how we know He is God (Heb. 13:8 ). How can that not be fundamental to our faith?

[Neh. 9:6; Psalm 100:3; 8:3-9; Isaiah 17:7; 40:25,26; 42:5-9; Jeremiah 14:22; 51:15-19]
B. New Testament Passages

Acts 4:24 - Disciples raised their voices to God and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them."

Acts 14:15 - People who worship idols should be taught to turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.

Acts 17:24-29 - Again idol worshippers were taught they should not worship idols of gold or silver. The true God who rules heaven and earth is the one who made the world and gives us life. We are His offspring. So we should seek Him, for He is not far from us.

Romans 1:20 - The things that have been made by God clearly reveal, not just His power, but also His Godhead. They prove that He is God, and those who fail to recognize Him as God are without excuse. Those who reject these truths will fall deeper and deeper into error and will absolutely be rejected by God (see vv18-32).

In the New Testament, as in the Old, the creation is the proof of who is the true God. The true God is the one who created heaven and earth. Nothing and no one else can be God because they did not make heaven and earth.

If the God of the Bible did not make heaven and earth and mankind, then why should we recognize Him as God? If He did not make the Universe, then He is not God! He would be a false god, and we should turn from him and instead find and serve the one who did make us.

Any view that belittles or undermines the Bible doctrine of creation, thereby undermines our whole ability to even recognize who God is! How then can the doctrine of creation not be a fundamental part of the gospel?
Conclusion

1 Chronicles 16:25-36 (also Psalm 96:1-10) - How do we know we should praise God, fear Him, worship Him, recognize that He reigns, call on Him to save us, and believe that He will judge us? Why not trust ourselves, or something in nature, or some idol? Because God made the heavens and established the earth. That's why!

We may argue that other miracles prove God's power, and they do confirm it. But all other miracles are just additional or further demonstrations of the power God showed at creation. What other miracle shows greater power and greater wisdom than were demonstrated by creation?

Jeremiah 32:17 - Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. If God can create the Universe, He can do anything. No other miracle can possibly prove greater power than did creation.

Other miracles simply demonstrate the power of God to control that which He made to begin with. Even the resurrection is just giving life again to someone who already had it. How is that a greater or more difficult miracle than creating all kinds of life to begin with?

If the Bible doctrine of creation as taught in Genesis 1 is not fundamental to a Christians' faith, then why should we oppose theistic evolution? Why wouldn't belief in evolution be acceptable, so long as one still believed God directed it? Why should Christians oppose such a view, if creation is not essential to our faith?

In fact, the Bible doctrine of creation is fundamental to the gospel, because it is absolutely fundamental to the issues of whether or not the Bible is the word of God and whether or not the God of the Bible is the true God! How can that not be fundamental doctrine to Christians?

To teach that the doctrine of creation is not fundamental to Christians is to deny basic gospel truths. Such views constitute preaching "another gospel" and failing to abide in the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:8,9; 2 John 9).

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Creation as a Miracle:
Consequences for Theistic Evolution and Genesis as Literal History
Creation as a miracle: Should we take Genesis as symbol, myth, or legend to harmonize with science? What are the consequences for evolution, Genesis as history, and our faith as Christians?
How important is it that Christians appreciate creation as a miracle? Should we take the Genesis record and the days of creation as symbol, myth, or legend in order to harmonize with science? If we weaken faith in creation as a miracle, what effect does that have on the evidence for the all-wise, all-powerful, true and living God and in Jesus as His Son and in the Bible as His revelation? What consequences follow regarding theistic evolution, modernism, liberalism, atheism, and agnosticism?
Introduction:
Bible miracles are a fundamental part of true Biblical faith.

Miracles are used throughout the Bible as evidence that God exists, that Jesus' claims were true, and that apostles and prophets were sent by God. This, in turn, constitutes proof that the Bible is the word of God.

This explains why unbelievers, atheists, agnostics, liberals, modernists, skeptics, and believers in evolution continually deny or undermine Bible accounts of miracles. It likewise shows why true believers must recognize and defend Biblical miracles.

Nevertheless, in order to accept theories of science, some professing believers compromise the Genesis account of creation by saying it is symbol, legend, or myth, not necessarily literal history or fact. Some say the days of creation are not literal days but were actually long ages. Such views (whether intentionally or not) have the effect of undermining Bible faith and weakening the force of creation as evidence for God, Jesus, and the Bible.
The purpose of this study is to examine the Bible account of creation as a miracle.

Does the Bible claim creation was a miracle? If so what consequences follow if people deny the literal truth of various supernatural aspects of creation?

Note: Please see our other studies for evidence of the importance of the doctrine of creation in a Christian's faith. This is the faith that is undermined when miraculous aspects of creation are compromised.

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I. Evidence that Creation Was a Miracle.
A. Creation Fits the Definition of a Miracle.

Psalm 72:18 - Wondrous things (miracles) are things only God can do. Bible examples show that a miracle is an event which is impossible by natural law, but which occurs by the supernatural intervention of God.
The Bible repeatedly affirms that no one but God could create the universe.

Neither man nor other "gods" could do so. It follows that creation must fit the definition of a miracle: an event that cannot happen naturally, but only God can accomplish it.

Psalm 95:1-7 - God is above other "gods" and deserves to be worshipped as God, because He made the earth and us. We can't do it and gods can't do it. Only God can.

Isaiah 40:25-28 - God made the heavenly bodies. This proves there is no one like Him. There is no searching of His understanding - no one else can understand how He could do it.

Nehemiah 9:6 - The Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. He alone is God. The fact He made these things proves only he is God. No one else could do it.

1 Chronicles 16:25-27 - God should be feared above all gods. They are idols, but He made the heavens. Creation is something the idols cannot do. Only God can do it.

Jeremiah 32:17 - The fact God made the heavens and earth proves nothing is too hard for Him. Creation is at least as great as any other miracle and proves God can do any work He chooses. Can He miraculously heal the sick, part the sea, cause a virgin to conceive, or raise the dead? We know He can, because He created the universe!

No other power in existence can do what God has done in creation. Only God can do it. By definition, that means creation was a miracle.

[Job 38:4-11; Heb. 11:3; Jer. 10:10-12; Psalm 100:3; 86:8-10; Job 9:8-10; Ecc. 11:5; Rom. 11:33-36]
Specifically, living things were created supernaturally, not by natural reproduction.

Genesis 1:11,12 - God made plants to yield fruit, whose seed was in itself. So after creation, plants reproduced by means of seed that grew in the fruit. That is natural reproduction. But originally God produced them directly, not by natural reproduction.

Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7,21-23 - After God had made man and woman, He commanded them to reproduce and populate the earth. That is natural reproduction. But the original man and woman were made, not by natural reproduction, but the man was made directly from the ground and the woman was made from the man's side.

These passages clearly distinguish natural reproduction from how God made the living things at creation. The original creation of living things was not accomplished by the natural laws of reproduction. It was therefore supernatural. Only God could do it. By definition, it was a miracle.
B. Creation Is Described by the Kind of Language that Describes Miracles.

The Bible uses various descriptions to refer to miraculous works of God. The may be called "wonders" or "wondrous things" or "signs" or other terms that emphasize their supernatural purpose or character (see examples under next point).

Notice how these descriptions are used for creation.

Job 9:8-10 - God spreads out the heavens. He made the constellations. He does great things we cannot understand, "wonders" without number. Creation is describing as beyond our understanding and as "wonders." This is the kind of language used for miracles.

Psalm 139:13,14 - Observing the formation of his body, the psalmist praises God saying, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are your works." The works of God in creation cause us to marvel. That is how miracles are described.

Psalm 33:6-9 - The heavens, sea, earth, and everything in them were made by the word and command of the Lord. So we should stand in "awe" of Him. Creation is amazing - awe-inspiring.

Psalm 65:5-8 - God did awesome deeds for His people. Specifically, He established the mountains by His strength. So the people shall be afraid of His "signs." Again, creation is an example of power that only God has and is included among His "signs" - common Bible language for miracles.

Who would deny that such descriptions are intended to convey to our minds that creation was miraculous? Surely that is the clear intent of such language.

[Psalm 86:8-10; 89:5-13; Neh. 9:6-15]
C. Creation Accomplishes the Purpose of Miracles.

Miracles served to prove that God was at work through a person or an event. They thereby proved that God exists, that God is the true God, or that a certain man or message was from God. Miracles confirm Divine claims to be true.

[See Mark 16:20; Acts 2:22; 2 Corinthians 12:11,12; Hebrews 2:3,4; Exodus 4:1-4.]
Specifically, many miracles proved that God exists and that He is the true God.

Exodus 7:3-5; 8:10 - God said that, as a result of His signs and wonders in Egypt, the people would know that He is the Lord.

Exodus 14:4,30,31 - Because God parted the Read Sea, the people feared and believed the Lord.

Deuteronomy 4:32-45 - Signs and wonders God did in Egypt and at Mt. Sinai occurred so Israel might know the Lord is God, and there is none other besides Him.

1 Kings 18:36-39 - When God sent fire from heaven, the people concluded, "The Lord, He is God."

We could include here the miracles of Jesus, since they proved His Deity. See John 5:36; 20:30,31; Acts 2:22; etc.

Since only God can do miracles, their occurrence proves that God exits and that He is the true God.

[Psalm 72:18]
Like other miracles, creation is repeatedly used to prove that God exists and is the true God.

Old Testament Passages

2 Kings 19:15 - God alone is God. He made heaven and earth. [Isaiah 37:16]

Nehemiah 9:6 - You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it.

Psalm 95:1-7 - The Lord is the great God and King above all gods. He made the sea and His hands formed the dry land. Worship the Lord our Maker, for He is God.

Psalms 100:3 - Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.

1 Chronicles 16:25-27 (also Psalm 96:4-6) - How do we know we should praise and fear God instead of some idol? Because God made the heavens and established the earth, that's why!

New Testament Passages

Acts 17:24-29 - Again idol worshippers were taught they should not worship idols of gold or silver. The true God who rules heaven and earth is the one who made the world and gives us life. We are His offspring. [Acts 14:15]

Romans 1:20 - Creation clearly reveals God's power and Godhead. They prove that He is God, and those who fail to recognize Him as God are without excuse.

In the New Testament and the Old, creation proves who is the true God. This is the purpose of miracles.

Hence, creation fits the definition of a miracle, it is described by the kind of language used for miracles, and it accomplishes the purpose of miracles. Who can deny that the Bible claims that creation is a miracle? Those who would deny it are not true believers.

[Acts 4:24; Psalm 86:8-10; Isaiah 45:18; 40:25,26; 42:5-9; Jeremiah 10:11,12,16; 32:17; 51:15-19]

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II. Consequences of the Miraculous Nature of Creation

Since creation is a fundamental proof that God exists and is the true God, it follows that we must avoid any doctrine that weakens or undermines the force of that miracle. Specifically:
A. True Believers Must Always Accept Bible Records of Miracles as Literal, Historic Fact.

The power of miracles as evidence rests entirely on their validity as historic fact. Unless they are events, which are contrary to natural law, but which nevertheless occurred as true, historic fact, then they prove nothing at all about God or His will.

It follows that, to deny the literal, historic descriptions of miracles as recorded in Scripture - to claim that some aspects are legendary or symbolic instead of historic fact - is to deny the accuracy of the Bible and to belittle the force of the miracle. This encourages the ultimate rejection of our evidence for God, for the Bible as His word, and for Jesus as His Son.

The more important and fundamental a miracle is to our faith, the greater are the consequences if we deny the historical accuracy of the Bible record of the miracle. Consider some examples.
The virgin birth - Luke 1:34,35

The Bible says the virgin birth is impossible by natural law, yet it happened by the power of God. This is how it proves Jesus is from God.

But some folks point out that, for a virgin to conceive without a physical relationship with a man, would be impossible according to science. (Of course! That's the point of miracles: they are impossible by natural law.)

So some try to reconcile the Bible and science by saying that the virgin birth was not literal. They say the Bible account is a legend, or just conveys some spiritual concept, but it is not historic fact.

But denying the literal, historic fact of the account has the effect of removing the miraculous element. This eliminates the power of the event as evidence to substantiate Divine claims!

Such views constitute modernism or liberalism. Those who hold them are not true believers.
The resurrection of Jesus - Romans 1:4

The Bible says Jesus' resurrection is impossible by natural law, yet it happened by the power of God. This is how it proves Jesus is from God.

But some folks point out that, for a dead man to come to life again after three days, would be impossible according to science. (Of course! That's the point of miracles: they are impossible by natural law.)

So some try to reconcile the Bible and science by saying that the resurrection was not literal. They say the Bible account is a legend, or just conveys some spiritual concept, but it is not historic fact.

But denying the literal, historic fact of the account has the effect of removing the miraculous element. This eliminates the power of the event as evidence to substantiate Divine claims!

Such views constitute modernism or liberalism. Those who hold them are not true believers.
Creation - Romans 1:20

The Bible says creation is impossible according to natural law, yet it happened by the power of God. This is how it proves the existence and power of God.

But some folks point out that, for everything in the universe to suddenly come into existence in six days, would be impossible according to science. (Of course! That's the point of miracles: they are impossible by natural law.)

So some try to reconcile the Bible and science by saying that the creation was not literal. They say the Bible account is a legend, or just conveys some spiritual concept, or it is just accommodative language written for people too primitive to understand the facts. But it is not historic fact.

But denying the literal, historic fact of the account has the effect of removing the miraculous element. This eliminates the power of the event as evidence to substantiate Divine claims!

Such views constitute modernism or liberalism. Those who hold them are not true believers. They become instead believers in some form of evolution, natural or theistic.

This illustrates why it is so important to our faith for Christians never to compromise the literal, historical character of Bible accounts of miracles.
B. Specifically, True Believers Must Never Compromise Any Supernatural Element of a Miracle.
The importance of the supernatural characteristics of miracles.

We have learned that we must accept the Bible records of miracles as historic fact, not legendary or symbolic or figurative. But what makes an event a miracle is that it involves certain specific characteristics that only Divine power could accomplish. Bible accounts of miracles usually involve several such supernatural elements. It isn't enough just to claim that we believe the event as a whole is a miracle. If we are to accept the Bible record of a miracle as historic fact, we must accept as literal fact the specific supernatural elements that make up the event. To deny or undermine the supernatural elements that make an event miraculous is to deny or undermine the miracle itself!

Satan has always offered false prophets, false churches, false plans of salvation, etc., which will cause people to be lost if they accept them. (See Matthew 7:15-23; 15:14; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; Acts 20:28-30; 1 John 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; Titus 1:9-14; 2 John 9-11; Romans 16:17,18; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Peter chap. 2.)

In order to get people to accept his false teachings, note some things Satan does:

(1) Satan offers "false miracles" - 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (Acts 8:5-13; Exodus 7:10-13; 1 Kings 18:20-40; Acts 19:11-17).

Just as true miracles lead people to accept God's true teachings, so Satan's false miracles lead people to believe His false teachings. False miracles are those which claim to be from God, but which do not have the characteristics of true Bible miracles. But by believing these events to be miracles, people are deceived into believing false doctrines.

(2) Satan belittles the supernatural elements of God's miracles - Matthew 28:11-15 (Matt. 12:24; Ex. 7:10-13).

Since the supernatural characteristics of miracles are what convince people to believe in God and His will, those are the aspects Satan attacks. He doesn't necessarily insist that people deny the whole event occurred. He just wants people to believe the basic elements of the event could occur by some natural explanation or by some power other than God.

If people do not recognize the supernatural elements of a miracle, then the miracle cannot produce faith. This is why it is so important for believers to defend the historic, literal truth, not just of a miracle as a whole, but of the supernatural elements of the event that make it a miracle. We must never accept views that allow natural explanations to be substituted for the supernatural elements of a miracle. Again, the more important and fundamental a miracle is to our faith, the more important this is.

Consider some examples.
Examples of the consequences of failing to recognize the supernatural characteristics of miracles.

False "miracles" of faith healers, the Occult, etc.

True miraculous healings always involve certain fundamental characteristics: They involve obvious ailments which are cured obviously, completely, and immediately. These elements are what make miraculous healings clearly supernatural.

Modern faith healers fool people into believing miracles have happened, even though the elements that make an event a miracle are missing. If someone seems to gradually improve, some folks may claim a "miracle."

When people accept these false miracles, it is easy for false teachers to convince them to believe other false doctrines (they are saved without baptism, etc.). Other people see that these "miracles" are not really supernatural, so they reject all "Christianity" as fraudulent superstition, etc.

Similar observations can be made about the supernatural claims involved in sorcery, witchcraft, etc.

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Folks end up in error because they failed to recognize the supernatural elements of true miracles. They call events "miracles," but the events can be explained naturally. The only way to avoid this danger is to steadfastly defend the supernatural elements of Bible miracles!

The virgin birth, the resurrection, etc.

One way that people have compromised the miraculous nature of Bible accounts is by accepting views that eliminate or deny certain supernatural elements of the Bible record. The may not deny the whole event, but they compromise the basic elements that make it a miracle.

Some claim Mary conceived by a relationship with Joseph or some other man. Some claim Jesus never really died on the cross, or that His disciples stole the body, or that He just fainted then revived. This is often done to harmonize the event with "scientific facts."

All these views must be rejected because they deny or compromise some supernatural element of Bible accounts. People may still call the event a "miracle," but it becomes easier to explain the event naturally. It weakens the force of the event as supernatural proof of Divine intervention. The only way to avoid this danger is to defend the historical accuracy every supernatural elements of these events!

Creation

One way that people have compromised the miraculous nature of creation is by accepting views that eliminate or deny certain supernatural elements of the Bible record. The may not deny the whole event, but they compromise the basic elements that make it a miracle.

Some deny that woman was created from the side of man. Others say man was created from other animals, instead of from the ground. Some say man was not created in the image of God. And some say creation did not occur in six literal, consecutive days. Again, this is often done in order to harmonize the event with "scientific facts."

All these views must be rejected because they deny or compromise some supernatural element of Bible accounts. People may still call the event a "miracle," but it becomes easier to explain the event naturally. It weakens the force of the event as supernatural proof of Divine intervention. The only way to avoid this danger is to defend the historical accuracy every supernatural elements of the creation accounts!
C. In Particular, True Believers Must Never Compromise the Supernatural Time Element in a Miracle.
The importance of the time element

Among the elements of a miracle that demonstrate it to have occurred by the power of God, one such element is often the time element. The length of time the event takes gives one reason to believe God must have done it. Specifically, many accounts of miracles specify that they happened suddenly - very quickly. Given a much longer time period, one might believe the event could have occurred by nature. But the shortness of the time demonstrates that God must have done it.

If so, then it follows from the above discussion, that we must recognize that time element to be historic fact. To believe it to be symbolic, figurative, or anything other than historic fact is to compromise the Bible account and defeat the purpose of the miracle as evidence for our faith.
Consider some examples

Miraculous healings

Bible accounts of healings often specify that they occurred immediately. They did not take days, weeks, or months to gradually develop. The time element confirms that only God could do it. See Acts 3:7; Luke 13:11-13; Mark 2:10-12; 5:25-29; 5:35-42; Acts 13:11; 14:8-11; John 9:1,6,7; Mark 1:42; Luke 7:14,15; etc.

By contrast, in most modern so-called miracles, if healing occurs at all, it takes days, weeks, or months. Such gradual healings could be explained as simply natural processes. They are claimed as miracles, but the time element proves they are not really miraculous.

So, the power of a Bible miracle as evidence is defeated or seriously compromised if people conclude that the time element is just figurative or symbolic or legendary. When God states a specific time element in a miracle, then we must accept the Bible account as historic fact.

The same can be said of other Bible miracles. God sometimes revealed when they would happen, and at that time they would occur immediately. The fact that they happened at exactly the time God specified, or that they occurred so quickly, gives one reason that they must have been supernatural.

[1 Kings 18:25-30,35-39]

Creation

The Bible repeatedly states that the creation occurred in just six days. See Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31; 2:2,3; Exodus 20:11; 31:17; Heb. 4:4.

Since the Bible clearly presents creation as a miracle, then for all the reasons described above, true believers must take these accounts as literal, historic fact. If so, we must believe that creation occurred in six literal, consecutive days, followed by a literal day of rest.

Yet many people claim that creation occurred over long time periods of millions of years each. They claim the "days" of creation were figurative or symbolic or that long ages occurred between the days. They may take this view to harmonize the Bible with the claims of "science." But the effect of these views is to compromise a basic supernatural element of the Bible account of the miracle.

This in turn weakens the Bible evidence that creation was impossible by natural law. Evolution requires billions of years of gradual development. When we ask why we cannot see new kinds of living things evolving today, we are told that the process is too slow to be observed. But "given enough time," natural selection and mutations could produce all the kinds of organisms, including man. So to say the Bible account includes billions of years would promote faith in evolution.

On the other hand, if the Bible account literally teaches that the universe came into existence in six literal days, then no one could believe that such a thing could happen by natural processes. It must be by the power of God.

Hence, the time element, revealed in the Bible, is one supernatural element of the Bible account of creation. To take it as including long periods of time encourages people to accept a natural explanation. The result defeats or seriously weakens the force of the Bible account of creation as evidence for God.
Conclusion

If we can compromise the supernatural time element of creation as described in Scripture, why can't we compromise other supernatural elements? If we can take the days to be figurative or symbolic, why can't we take other plain statements of the account to be other than historic fact? In short, what is there to prevent us from simply accepting Theistic evolution? And then what is there to prevent us from taking other Bible miracles as being figurative or symbolic, till all the supernatural elements of all Bible miracles are removed? The result is a faith that is a mere shell with no substance and no reason for existence.

In short, the Bible claims that creation is a miracle made possible only by the supernatural intervention of God. This means that true believers must defend every supernatural element of the account as historical fact. To compromise any supernatural element of it - including the time element - is to undermine and weaken faith in the Bible, faith in other Bible miracles, and ultimately faith in God.

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The Consequences of Evolution:
Can Evolution Be Harmonized with the Bible?
Theistic evolution says that the theory of evolution does not necessarily contradict the Bible teaching of creation. Can the two views of origins be harmonized?
Many scientists claim that all living things - plants, animals, and man - began by process of evolution over billions of years. This view is defended by many atheists, agnostics, humanists, and skeptics. The Bible teaches instead that God created the Universe in six days, yet Theistic evolution claims the two views do not necessarily contradict. Can the evolutionary theory of origins be harmonized with Scripture? What consequences does evolution have to the faith of a Christian?

Introduction:
The Theory of Evolution is widely believed and strongly advocated.

    A few billion years ago - back when Earth was new - rivers rolled down from barren mountains into great dead seas. Rainstorms squalled and lightning flashed. Lava hissed and spewed from giant volcanoes.

    Nothing lived on that long-ago Earth. But the oceans were astir with promise - they swirled and simmered a primordial soup that held the raw materials of life.

    Somehow, probably in the first billion years of our world's existence, that promise was fulfilled. A nondescript glob of chemicals crossed some vague and wondrous boundary to become the first living thing.

    From such unfeeling chemicals, Earth eventually filled with a teeming diversity of life, from microbes to Men.

This is a typical statement of the Hypothesis of Evolution. Most people have heard it many times in schools, museums, books, and the public media. This particular statement began an article written by Robert Locke and entitled, "In the beginning" (Ft. Wayne News-Sentinel, 1/26/80).

Evolution may be defined as the belief that somehow, multiplied millions of years ago, life began by natural causes from nonliving matter; then gradually that original life changed till from it came all the modern kinds of plants and animals including man.

Robert Muller, former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, said: "I believe the most fundamental thing we can do today is to believe in evolution." This demonstrates the current influence of evolutionary doctrine.
Christians have serious problems with the Theory of Evolution because we believe in Creation.

We believe that there is an all-wise, all-powerful, eternal God who created the Universe and all the forms of life in it, including people. Evolution and creation are two fundamentally different and competing beliefs about the origin of the Universe, of life, and of mankind.

Some people, even in the church, have wondered why we cannot believe both the Bible and evolution. Many claim that the two can be harmonized. Theistic evolutionists say that everything evolved from an original life form, but God began the process and directed it. They cannot, of course, take Gen. 1 literally, so they say it is figurative speech or legend.

The purpose of this study is to consider the consequences of accepting the Theory of Evolution. Is it possible to believe both evolution and the Bible? Does evolution necessarily contradict the Bible? Can a person firmly defend evolution and still be a faithful Christian?

Note that it is not here our purpose to consider the scientific evidence for creation or against evolution, though we believe this can profitably be done. Nor will we emphasize the reasons why we believe the Bible. We believe it, not just because it agrees with science, but because of fulfilled prophecy, the miracles done by Jesus and the Bible writers, the resurrection, and other such proofs. But in this study we simply wish to compare the Bible to evolution and see if the two can be harmonized.

So please consider a summary of the consequences of evolution when compared to the Bible doctrine of creation.