Posted on 02/07/2014 3:11:21 PM PST by fwdude
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Just when was the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, as spoken of in Genesis 1:1? In these days when scientists talk about billions of years, the question of what the Bible says on the matter of origins becomes even more important.
Few people doubt that the Bible intends to teach that the creation is young. The genealogies of the Old Testament are actual reproductions of the calendar system used in most ancient times.
While the subject is very complicated, we can share with you the calculations done by some well-known Christians. You are probably familiar with Bishop Usshers calculation that creation took place in 4004 B.C. But did you know that no less than the great scientist Kepler calculated that creation took place in 3877? Martin Luther calculated that creation took place in 3961 B.C. The very oldest ages arrived at through calculations based on Scripture say the creation is about 7,500 years old.
For the Christian, the question of the age of the creation can only be answered on the basis of Scripture. There is no question that Scripture gives us more than enough information to conclude that the creation is young and that God wants us to know it. After that, it is simply a matter of whether we accept Scriptures authority.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, help my thinking not to be conformed to this world, but help me to be transformed by Your renewing of my mind so that my faith in Your clear Word is unshakable. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Notes:
Painting: Archbishop James Ussher, painted by Peter Lely (16181680).
Agreed. God alone is immortal.
1 Timothy 6:15-16 "1which God will bring about in his own timeGod, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen."
People should study their scripture more. It was implied that Adam would not die if he did not eat of the fruit. It was also clearly stated that if he was allowed access to the Tree of Life he would not die, in spite of his sin. However, both situations are conditional, and do not represent true immortality.
Nonsense.
Adam’s choice foreclosed his immortality.
John 3:16 is clear. Those who believe in God will live forever.
Adam did not believe, he did not trust. He died as a result.
But Adam was promised a redeemer and it is clear that if Adam believes he will live.
Immortality is a choice.
It IS the word of God.......written by man. Man is fallible, God is not. Again, God is smart enough to have had the Bible written for the people of the time” to understand. God has no limitations. A “serious error”?..........you are not my judge, God is.
RB,
I realize you are stridently committed to this - apparently to the point you cannot consider another rubric. I understand. I just disagree.
Creation, in my view, begins in verse 3. From verse 3 through the rest of the creation account is 6 days plus a day of rest.
I am talking about what happened before verse three.
Again, if you want to believe whatever, I”m fine with it because it is non-essential to the faith. I am just pointing out that I disagree with your initial article that refuses to believe people of faith can disagree. I disagree.
That, concisely stated, is the point of the argument. Young Earthers, myself included, are sola scriptura. Old Earthers take extra Biblical sources to inform their interpretation of scripture.
We are free to believe what we want, and must inform those opinions with some source. What gets me, though, is that Old Earthers try to reach conclusions that are at odds with the plain, obvious reading of scripture. To wit:
Exodus 20: 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
There is no reason whatsoever to interpret this means anything other than 6 solar days, except the introduction of the assertions of the big bang and macro-evolution, and it's required time frames, and the ages reached by some dating methods. What's not so obvious to Old Earthers, for reasons that escape me, are the myriad other scriptural compromises they must then force.
For example:
1. If God really used evolution of millions of years, then that means He used mutation, suffering, and death to reach the level of sophisticated life forms we, and Adam, observe(d). How then could God call this creation "good"?
2. If death existed prior to the fall, why does Romans say death entered by Adam, and that all creations is under a curse as a result.
3. The days of creation are all out of order, and do not fit with the aforementioned extra-Biblical theories, e.g. Earth created as sphere of water, and dry land appeared 2 days later. Earth created before the sun, moon and stars. Birds were created before land animals.
In conclusion, believe what you want, but be aware of the baggage that comes along with it. And don't compromise scripture to fit current pet theories that will be different in 10 years!
Just go ahead and throw away Genesis, and be done with it.
I'm curious, how do you reconcile that statement with this scripture:
Exodus 20: 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“I’m curious, how do you reconcile that statement with this scripture:”
I am not entirely clear what you are asking. Could you rephrase it or make it more specific?
Excuse me, but the Bible was written for men OF ALL TIMES.
And yes, you are in serious error when you say that God’s Word is error prone because he inspired men to write it.
That is not what I said at all, but feel free to take over God’s job of judging me.
Matt 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.I wish I had more time today, this is a good subject.
“Scripture implies that Adam would eat the fruit. God knew he would, it was part of his plan. Note the first three verses if Genesis. we have creation, then destruction then recreation beginning with light. These are types, corresponding to birth, death and resurrection.”
Sounds like you are trying to lay the foundation for cultic Mormonism....
Perhaps you can explain how plants lived “ages” without the sun. 6 days. Period. That is the Bible.
but your view completely disagrees with Scripture
And, the 6 day creation is repeated numerous times in Scripture
yet you claim to have a ‘Biblical’ view
Your view contradicts what is said, completely
Ex 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it [is] a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that [ye] may know that I [am] the Lord that doth sanctify you.
Ex 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth [any] work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Ex 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth [any] work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Ex 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a perpetual covenant.
Ex 31:17 It [is] a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for [in] six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Ex 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
If SIX DAYS is not clearly taught in Scripture, you are either not in possession of a Bible or you are ignoring the numerous places it is stated
“but your view completely disagrees with Scripture
And, the 6 day creation is repeated numerous times in Scripture
yet you claim to have a Biblical view
Your view contradicts what is said, completely
............................
You can continue to repost the same thing, insisting I am wrong. Or you could have a real discussion. I fear you are not ready to have a real discussion.
Suffice it to say that after examination in Hebrew, I disagree with your rigid view, while still fully accepting a literal 6 days of creation.
RB, I do not have time for watching YouTube.
“What nonsense. The vast majority of Christians don’t believe that’s what the Bible “intends” to teach “
The majority of Christians that go to church believe in a young earth.
you need to make time
Ken Ham explains it perfectly
but I dont need to post anything in more detail, and what I am posting is where your error begins
you ignore what Scripture says and state something that it clearly doesn’t
Even unbelievers can see that
“you ignore what Scripture says and state something that it clearly doesnt”
Actually, I do not ignore what Scripture says. You just see it differently. Fine.
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