And so I'd like to ask and to understand.
> Suppose you became convinced that instead man had developed from lower organisms over billions of years.
As a science student how did ever you become convinced of that?
To provide just one example - human genetic code consists of 3 billion individual nucleotides each with one of 4 possible variations. The probability that this got assembled by chance even over the course of billions of years is vanishingly small. And this is before we even begin to account for the epigenetic control or the astonishing complexity of a single cell.
My question for you is this since you claim to be a christian who believes in evolution. If you believe in evolution then that means you do not believe in the Genesis account of what we generally call creation. Which means you do not believe the beginning of the Bible. So the question is this: at what point do you begin the believe the Bible. Is the beginning of the New Testament any more believable. A virgin birth? Are you kidding me? Just a question. As one Bible teacher I was listening to pointed out when we read the beginning of the Bible we all need to make one very important decision. Do we believe what we are reading or do we not believe what we are reading and the rest will flow from that. OK...It's now time for me to go to the gym. Thanks for the post
Not really.
I used to hold them compatible.
I just realized one day that the evidence for evolution is
OUTRAGEOUSLY inadequate. Virtually less than nothing.
Evolution is passe.
Panspermia or some such will be ushered in as the vogue anti-God pseudo-intellectualism
once the global oligarchy and their fallen angel “ET” cohorts are more overtly pontificating on the MSM about such things. The ET’s will be claiming that THEY bioengineered humans etc. etc. etc.
Evolution was quite useful for hell since Darwin. It has helped usher thousands of folks into hell.
However, times have changed. The satanic led global government has a ‘better’ . . . i.e. more sedctive and useful scenario/deception to foist on the world next.
Not at all. It would change my understanding of some scientific precepts.
I believe in evolution within the limits of a genetic code (Created and set by the Creator), not from one species to another.
If we proved that God Created human beings through another species, that would certainly turn ALL of our scientific understanding on its head, because it would be a proof we don’t currently have, rather than merely a belief.
No, because one of my *deepest* "core beliefs," proved by experience over and over, is that I am capable of being wrong about just about everything. (This is also a matter of religious faith - human reason is part of fallen nature, and therefore prone to error.)
I believe in Creation - young earth, six days - based on my best understanding of Scripture and observable reality. If I'm mistaken, oh well. If I were to conclude that I'm in error about this, I would hold another position with the same understanding - that I'm as likely to be in error as not.
I believe God set things in motion and always uses His laws of physics for His miracles.
I think you can believe in both, I do.
I think He created a perfect plan.
As only man has free will, could other evolving life forms also attain this distinction of freewill? And if so, will their Christ have to die for them also or will the sacrifice of Jesus be enough?
Not saying that man is any more superior to other creatures other than being able to comprehend right and wrong, and to then always choose to sin and fall short of the glory of God, it comes to what makes man unique in accepting his sinful nature, which animals do not, and to accept the need for salvation.
Turning to science, all systems in the universe seek to return to an equilibrium state, not rise to a more complex one. A complex system will always revert to a more stable or less complex system, rather than rising to a more complex state or system. This is also based on the fact that energy or heat must be added to become something else, and where did that energy come from? And if the energy was removed from said system, it would revert back to its simpler form.
Taking the evolution point of view for a second, then God was a respecter of species when he instilled in man the essence that made him a living-soul with eternal life, and capable of sin. This statement would then mean that if God was a respecter of species, then He could be a respecter of persons and that would mean that He created some worthy of salvation and some unworthy. But it is written that He died once for ALL men, the just and the unjust. Does that mean that the Christ also died for the sins of animals and plants?
If God did create all creation for His pleasure, irrespective of time, whether over 7x10(to the 17,000,000 power) years, or in seven seconds or less does not matter, then His ultimate goal was to create a system that would allow man and God to commune together forever; at least until man chose to sin and break covenant with Him.
But where does science allow for man's redemption in evolving to a state where he no longer sins, needs salvation, or eventually becomes god himself. Christ is said to have been slain BEFORE the foundations of the earth, for what purpose, except to allow the eventually to be created man to fall and to then have an already established way back to God.
Taking evolution further, if the entire universe has the capability of reproducing life in very similar circumstances as happened here on earth, then that life is evolving into ever-increasing complex life forms until they too must reach the state of man here on earth that can choose to sin against God. That will mean that they will choose sin because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Then these life forms must require that the Christ must be born on that planet in order to eventually climb up on another cross and to die eternally over and over again for eternity for an endlessly increasing number of developing lifeforms. But, we are told that Christ died once and that His work was finished.
The laws of thermodynamics mitigate against evolution ever taking hold, rather than breaking down into simpler less complex systems, or to at least a less complex system that is homogeneous rather than as diverse as life here on earth.
Even in mathematics there is an explanation where science and faith can never meet in evolution, and that is X=1/Y, an exponential curve where "X" and "Y" can never meet. If "X" is the evolution of man and "Y" is time, then man would devolve over time rather than evolve. This is so because the inverse cannot be true of "Y" cannot equal the inverse of "X" of: Y=1/X, which is a linear line of 45 degrees.
The above equation of X=1/Y would allow for the diversification of the various species being unique among themselves and other species along the Y=1/X scale, with each species having different positions on the latter scale, and to also allow for an infinite diversity within species, but never allowing for two distinct species having similar qualities; like a rose having scales or feathers, or a man or woman having offspring by splitting in two without procreation.
Simply put, science can never explain faith, and faith needs no science but it does not disallow it. And, I needed salvation through Christ's shed blood as I was the chief of sinners in my own life.
Old Patriot
This is how I look at it. I believe that God created evolution, and steered every single step along the way.
God is much bigger and more all-encompassing than a static God who can only handle one moment of creation. What a poor God that would be! God can steer every flap of every butterfly’s wings. He can steer evolution.
“I’d like to understand.”
As would I! But since you asked, I will share with you my beliefs. Ok, if I am honest with you and God, I struggle with the “young earth” creation account in Genesis. If I am truthful, it does seem to contradict what science tells us. Science also tells me that parthenogenesis is exceedingly rare in higher life forms, unheard of in humans. (Although it happens in turkeys and chickens, and has been manipulated to occur in some mammals.) And yet, I am compelled to believe that Jesus Christ was born of Mary, a virgin. Why? I believe the answer lies in faith. Faith is a mystery - I have so many questions that remain unanswered, like the account in Genesis. And what of the bodily Resurrection of Christ, my beloved Savior? Does science not tell us this is quite impossible? And yet I believe.
My wife is much more educated than I, and yet she is a “young earth” creationist. It was through her absolute faith in Almighty God, and her unshakable belief in the Holy Bible that I reached the conclusion I should just accept the Genesis account as accurate. Not that I understand or don’t have questions - just acceptance, in other words faith.
As a Christian, God doesn’t promise us an easy road. In fact, we are told to expect the opposite. But, if we hold on to the faith, Christ is most assuredly preparing a wonderful place for us. And that friend, is truly the Good News that we should spread!
I hope I didn’t offend you, I just thought I would share with you where I am. God Bless You in your Journey in Faith—JM
Neither do I see any conflict.