Genesis 1:1, Exodus 20:8-11, Job 26:7, Psalm 33:6, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 48:13, Acts 4:24, Acts 17:24

Summary: This is the last of four messages on the alternatives of creation often presented to skeptics and the scientific community apart from what is described in Genesis 1. This final message deals with “progressive creationism,” another example of the futility of man’s “wisdom.”

We have looked at four alternative theories that some Christians use to either defend or explain to a skeptical world how everything came into being instead of what is clearly presented in Genesis 1.

The world system took advantage of our withdrawal from the scientific community soon after the publishing of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in 1859 and the drama associated with the Scopes Trial of 1925. Instead of standing firm and doing our own research and rebuttal of evolution, many believers decided to leave these issues to “the world.” As a result, we lost some of the greatest opportunities to advance the cause of the Gospel, such as the use of film, media, technology, and other areas where our witness could have shone brighter.

Now in 2023, when nearly 80% of young people who grow up in church walk away from the faith after they either leave home or attend a university, we see the unfortunate consequences of abandoning the world and not being the “salt” and “light” that Jesus expects of us. We are a generation of biblical illiterates and live lives of biblical apathy. Those few brave souls who are trying to help turn the tide are facing the harsh fact that because we did not hold the line generations ago, we may be seeing a case of “too little, too late.”

In what I observe as a desperate attempt to play “catch up” in the winning of minds and souls, some believers are presenting alternative theories of our origins that attempt to blend the Bible and the narrative of Darwinian evolution. These alternatives are “theistic evolution,” the “gap” theory, the “day/age” theory, and “progressive creationism.”

While these titles sound rational and appealing, they are, in reality, nothing more than a desperate means of “fitting in with the world” instead of standing firm on what the Bible teaches and that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

We are not to be ashamed of the Word, nor have any excuse to capitulate before a world system that hates God. No Christian should ever feel that he has to bow to the altars of futile human wisdom in order to feel accepted in any realm. I truly believe that our days are numbered, and we must be bold, courageous, and unwilling to settle for anything less than being bold soldiers for the kingdom of heaven and rescuing the perishing, educated, skeptical, hostile, and the indifferent away from the wrath that is to come.

With that said, I now want to focus on the last of the alternative theories of creation. It is called “progressive creationism.” It is a fairly new theory that has gained a remarkable hearing in a relatively short period of time. The basic premise is that God created specific life forms in periodic stages during life’s evolutionary development. The similarities between atheists promoting “punctuated equilibrium” (“fast evolution,” according to the late evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould) and theists promoting the day/age theory, or the idea of progressive creationism, are striking because all of them realize that naturalistic evolution alone cannot give an account for the diversity of life forms.

In their view, allowing God to begin and end the evolutionary process still assumes that the evolutionary process works. Whether proposed by atheist or theist, the process simply does NOT work. Progressive creationists realize this and suggest that God created specific life forms (birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, and man) at various intervals of time, then allowed them to evolve. Really?

The Scriptural problem with progressive creationism is that the order of creation recorded in Genesis 1 does NOT agree with any aspect of the evolutionary theory. Advocates of this theory often suggest that the passages about the six days represent a poetic parallel, despite the fact that the account of creation is written in prose.

The other Scriptural problem is that a perfect God would NOT create imperfectly. Progressive creationism teaches that God used the “assistance” of natural selection to carry out His work of creation. A God powerful enough to raise the dead but unable or unwilling to speak the heavens and the earth into existence without the aid of natural selection is NOT the God of the Bible. Progressive creationists reject a plain, literal interpretation of Genesis. In the end, they deny both the content and sequence of creation as given in the Genesis account.

All four of the theistic positions ultimately ask Christians to either place more faith in the opinions of men than the Word of God or to compartmentalize their faith. Either option is a mistake. Christians who are willing to undermine the faith of others by raising doubts and uncertainties regarding the authenticity of the Bible create more problems than they resolve, even if their motivation is sincere. Christians would be wise to heed the clear teaching of God’s Word than attempting to accommodate it to human opinions.

God gave us a clear, powerful, and logical sequence of order when He made the heavens and the earth. He did not have to use alternative theories or ideas to put everything into place. He also knew that we would need His intervention to rescue us from our sins. God our Creator is also Our Redeemer and Savior. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ, and when you give your life to Him, He will make you a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

No idea from the mind of fallen men can ever dare to try and improve that which God has ordained. His ways are the best, and His love and compassion for us never fail. For those who genuinely follow Him, we look for His return and the fulfillment of His promise to make a new heaven and earth free from the corruption of sin. I ask you to place your faith and trust in Him today so that you may be part of the “new creation” that is to come.

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

www.youtube.com/@realitycityreview

 

Ephesians 2:8-9; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast. (ESV – all emphasis mine)

The powerful verse above is to remind us all that our Salvation is not something we can earn or buy, as it has been the most valuable gift ever given on this earth. A part of our Heavenly Father came to this earth because of His immeasurable love for all of us flawed humans (John 3:16-18).

From the very beginning, a fallen archangel with a severe case of destructive self-pride believed he should be equal to the God that had created him. Lucifer, Satan, the devil, was so persuasive that he caused a multitude of the heavenly host to follow him and thus be condemned for all eternity (Revelation 12:4). They are being allowed a certain latitude now, but when the time that has been set by the Father arrives, they will be cast into the lake of fire forever that was created especially for them (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 19:20, and Revelation 20:10). They have no pathway to forgiveness as we humans do.

Up to a certain point, God allowed sin sacrifices in the form of blood from animals and birds. However, these were to be temporary in nature until the absolute most perfect sacrifice would be made once and for all (Hebrews 10:4). That sacrifice was given at Calvary for us by the only “human” that would ever live a totally sin-free life.

Even though Jesus is a part of the Triune Godhead, He allowed Himself to become lower than the angels in the form of a human (Hebrews 2:7-9). He was fully God, yet He submitted completely to the will of the Heavenly Father (John 10:11-14;18). As a result, His blood sacrifice was the only one that could ever appease God’s requirement for absolute perfection. There could never have been, nor could there ever be, any other pure, sinless blood sacrifice that would provide permanent forgiveness of all our sins. Also, there is no price that could ever be paid by us that would cover even one sin.

The amazing part of the “gift” of eternal life for us is it’s ours if we receive and accept Jesus as our eternal Savior. No matter what any false prophets or antichrists may try to tell you, Admit, Believe, and Call is the only pathway to the Father.

Admit or confess that we are all sinners, as given in Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and Romans 6:23. To say we have not sinned or that we are living a sinless life would be the same as calling the Father a liar.

Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living Lord God Jehovah, and His death, burial, and resurrection is the only pathway to eternal life. This is stated very specifically in John 14:6 and Acts 4:12.

Finally, Call out to Jesus to forgive you and to be your Savior forever. That’s Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13. God’s promise is, “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Once we receive our immortal bodies and renewed mindset, we will never be subject to sin again. We will serve and worship our Savior in Paradise (Heaven) forever.

Does this mean we will never sin again? The truth is we will be sinners because of the fall of humans in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. Our God knows that as long as we’re in these mortal bodies on this sin-filled earth and with our sin-nature mindset, we will slip and sin. He has provided a pathway to forgiveness in 1 John 1:8-10.

There is a poem I copied long ago by an unknown author. It’s labeled “The Best Poem in the World.”

I was shocked, confused, and bewildered as I entered Heaven’s door. Not by the beauty of it all, nor the lights or its décor.

But it was the folks in Heaven who made me sputter and gasp – the thieves, the liars, the sinners, the alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from 7th. grade who swiped my lunch money twice. Next to him was my old neighbor who never said anything nice.

A man who I always thought was rotting away in hell, was sitting pretty on Cloud 9, looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, “What’s the deal? I would love to hear Your take; how’d all these sinners get here? God must’ve made a mistake. And why is everyone so quiet, so somber; give me a clue.”

“Hush, child” He said. “They’re in shock; no one thought they’d be seeing you! Judge Not!”

And then there’s the story of a woman asking a very specific question, and the answer she received.

“While praying one day, a woman asked, ‘Who are You, God?’ He answered, “I Am!” ‘But who is I Am?’ she asked. He replied, “I Am Love; I Am Peace; I Am Grace; I Am Joy; I Am Strength; I Am Safety; I Am Shelter. I Am Power; I Am The Creator; I Am The Comforter. I Am The Beginning and the End. I Am The Way, The Truth and The Life.” With tears in her eyes, she looked toward Heaven and said, ‘Now I understand, but who am I?’ God tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes and whispered, “You Are Mine!”

The day will be coming soon when all true believers will be taken up to meet Jesus in the air to be kept from the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Romans 3:10). This has nothing to do with any earthly race, religion, or whatever. It is an individual event for all who have truly received and accepted Jesus as their eternal Savior. It is commonly called the Rapture, and only those who freely chose Jesus will be involved (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

All who do not have Jesus will be left behind to face the worst seven-year period of time this world will ever experience. As stated, it will have been each person’s choice, whether they realize it or not, as God will force no one to accept His Son.

Although there will be souls saved during the tribulation, all who are not will end up with Satan and his demons in hell forever (Revelation 20:11-15).

Finally, I would like to share a prayer inspired by Ephesians 6:

“Most Merciful Heavenly Father; as I prepare to face another day in this sin-filled world, I call upon You in the name of My Savior, Jesus the Christ, to provide me with the full armor of protection against the evil one.

“Gird my waist with Your truth, give me the breastplate of righteousness, and shod my feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. In order to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one, strengthen me with the shield of faith, and put upon me the helmet of Salvation. Finally, provide me with the sword of the Spirit, which is your loving word. Only then will I be prepared to enter another day in this world as one of Your ambassadors.

“When my final day arrives, guide me across the River, which My Savior has already crossed, to live eternally with You and all the Saints that have preceded. This I ask in the name of my Precious Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.”

Hope to see you at Home – Come, Lord Jesus!

huebshman46@gmail.com