The other day we shared Part 1 of a two-part series wherein Dr. Cornelis Van Dam weighs the arguments in favour of the gap theory. This theory states that there is a long period of time between the first two verses of the Bible — such a theory would allow for the long periods required for evolution. In Part 2, Dr. Van Dam discusses two more arguments: 1) That the expression “without form and void” signifies God’s judgment on the earth due to a preceding fall into sin; 2) That “the darkness over the deep” likewise was present because of the fall into sin and God’s judgment. Originally published in Clarion (January 2, 1989), you can read the article here or in our Articles section.
Is there a time gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2? (Part 1)
Evolution requires time and lots of it. One of the keystones of evolutionary theory is that the earth has a history dating back many millions of years. This presents a problem for Christians who find evolutionary theory persuasive, who accept it, or are inclined to accept it. The problem is that, on a surface reading, Genesis does not seem to speak of a history of millions of years. One of the efforts to resolve this has been to posit a lengthy gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. But how sound are the exegetical arguments for such a move? In a two-part series originally published in Clarion in 1988/89, Dr. Cornelis Van Dam weighs the arguments and finds them wanting. Today we’re pleased to share the first part. Here Dr. Van Dam addresses two of the arguments in support of the gap theory: 1) That there is a distinction between the Hebrew words for “create” and “make,” 2) That the first word in Hebrew in Genesis 1:2 includes the element of sequential action. You can find this article here — it’s also available in our Articles section.
The first verse
Today we’re posting the first of several popular articles by Dr. Cornelis Van Dam. Some years ago he published these in the Clarion.[1] By including articles such as this one, we aim to make our website a gathering place of useful resources, particularly from the Canadian Reformed Churches (of which we all are members). We intend to re-host or write both popular-level articles such as this one and those that involve more technical exegetical, theological, and philosophical arguments.
Van Dam’s article opens,
God’s Word starts off with those impressive words in Genesis chapter one. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” What a powerful and deep opening word of divine revelation! There’s nothing else like this in the so-called creation stories of man’s imagination. This is revelation! For that reason this opening verse continues to speak so directly to man today.
Besides examining briefly all the words of Genesis 1:1, Dr. Van Dam notices the implications of this verse as a refutation of atheism, polytheism, materialism, and pantheism. He also briefly notes that the context of the verse “makes it clear that this work of the creation of heaven and earth did not consist of making something out of what already existed, but it brought into being what did not exist.”
Read the rest of the article here: The first verse
[1] Dr. Van Dam’s article “The first verse” first appeared in Clarion: The Canadian Reformed Magazine 37.24 (Nov. 25, 1988), pp. 485–6. Dr. Van Dam quotes Scripture from the Revised Standard Version. We are hosting it here at creationwithoutcompromise.com with permission from the author and publisher. His own first footnote stated the following: “This article is the first in a series selected from lectures delivered on a popular level.”
Created in the Beginning
WAS ADAM CREATED AT THE END OF THE WORLD?
By Paulin Bédard
Was Adam created at the beginning of the world or at the end? This question may seem awkward, since the church has always considered Adam as the father of the human race. But in a context where secular theories on the origin of the world are being pushed into the church, this question must seriously be raised and answered by the clear teaching of Scripture.
Created in the beginning or at the end?
Both progressive creation and theistic evolution teach that the origin of man is much older than what the church has traditionally believed. According to these modern doctrines, man appeared on earth a very long time ago. So if man is so old, why ask such an awkward question about man’s possible appearance near the end of the world?
Both progressive creation and theistic evolution are “old earth” views, which means they believe that the earth is extremely old and that the world has existed for billions of years. On this gigantic scale, man either slowly evolved (according to theistic evolution) or was instantaneously created (according to progressive creation) after an extremely long history of the earth. Thus, man would have appeared on earth a very long time after the beginning of the world — not in the beginning.
As for the traditional literal interpretation of the days of creation, it maintains that Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day of the history of the world, approximately 4000 years before Christ. On this scale, the creation of man corresponds to the beginning of the world, after only 0.0004 % of the 4000 year period.
Progressive creation, on the contrary, claims that God created the world and the living creatures by successive stages spaced out over billions of years. The days of creation are said to be very long periods of time. According to this view, the universe is 13.8 billion years old, the earth 4.5 billion years old, and man was created approximately 50,000 years ago.
To help us understand the meaning of these gigantic numbers, let us imagine that we compact into one single year the whole history of the earth until the first coming of Christ. If we reduce the alleged 4.5 billion years into one year, the earth began to be formed on January 1st, and the end of the earthly ministry of our Saviour corresponds to December 31st at midnight. On this reduced scale, man would have appeared on December 31st at 11:54 PM, and the extra-biblical recorded history (less than 3000 years before Christ) would cover only the last 20 seconds of the year. In other words, Adam was supposedly created after 99.999 % of the 4.5 billion years of the earth.
As for the theory of evolution (both atheistic and theistic), it alleges that God created the living creatures by means of a very slow biological evolution from the first cell to man. According to this view, the first hominids (or pre-humans not yet in the image of God) appeared about 5 million years ago. On the scale reduced to one year, it would correspond to around 2:00PM on December 31st, after 99.9 % of the 4.5 billion years. It even took another 4 million years or more before they became real men. We are told, for example, that archaic Homo sapiens, the forerunner of anatomically modern humans, evolved between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago, or between 40 to 25 minutes before midnight on the last day of the year, according to the compacted model.
This means that, for both progressive creation and theistic evolution, man was created close to the end of the history of the earth — not in the beginning.
In the beginning, according to Christ and the apostles
What did Christ and his apostles teach about this subject? They taught, on the contrary, that man was created in the beginning and that the human beings have existed ever since the beginning of the world.
read the rest of this article here: Created in the Beginning
Why?
Why?
Why a new website? To paraphrase Solomon, “Of the making of blogs there is no end.” So do we really need another one?
Why keep on arguing about the issue of origins and its importance to the Christian faith? Is this continual discussion really necessary?
Why continue to fight against the theory of evolution, in the face of all the evidence that apparently supports it? Hasn’t this already been resolved?
Why not leave these disputes behind, and simply get out there and spread the gospel? (Or, to put it in a slightly more crass fashion, “Don’t you have anything better to do with your time?”)
Why perpetuate division in the church? Shouldn’t we all be working together in a common cause, since we all believe in Jesus Christ, and that’s what’s really important?
And finally, in the now immortal words of Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?” Is this debate/controversy/argument/dispute really worth fighting about?
Why?
Because God’s creative work is vitally important to the Christian faith on many levels. What we believe about the origin and development of the universe has an impact that is far-ranging and profound. How we interpret the opening chapters of Genesis affects how we read all of the rest of Scripture. How we view God’s work of creation is closely linked with how we think of everything about God, what he has done, what he continues to do, and what he will accomplish in the future.
David Nelson, writing in Theology and Practice of Mission, wrote the following:
“In order to build a biblical-theological framework for understanding God’s mission, the church’s mission, and the church’s mission to the nations, one must first understand the unified biblical narrative, including its four major plot movements – creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.”
When we get one of those “plot movements” wrong, when we go astray in one of those “grand themes” of the Bible, our error compounds itself. The foundations of our faith are eroded. Our theological superstructure begins to crumble. The progression (or regression) is inevitable, and it’s disastrous. History has proven this to be true, time and again. When the Bible’s account of creation is re-interpreted in an attempt to allow the Christian faith to peacefully co-exist with a currently accepted scientific paradigm, Scripture’s “big picture” begins to fall apart. Creation falls; the fall into sin follows; redemption goes next; and what remains to be restored?
That’s why we’ve developed “Creation Without Compromise.” We know that many Christians struggle to maintain faith in God’s Word in the face of criticism, questions, and scepticism about the Bible’s account of creation. We also understand that others struggle to integrate their understanding of the physical sciences with their understanding of Scripture. And there are others who believe this isn’t an issue at all.
Our plan is to address the issue, and to do so with an unapologetic and firmly held starting point: the Bible is God’s perfect word, and our interpretation of the evidence provided by the sciences must be entirely shaped by it.
Why? Because we ignore this issue at our own peril.
Why? Because God requires us to be “prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us” (1 Peter 3:15), and to do that “with gentleness and respect.” The Creator God’s work of forming and upholding his handiwork is essential to the hope that is in us (Revelation 4:11).
Why? Because when God’s people are struggling with an essential element of their faith, it’s our duty, and privilege, to direct them back to the unshakeable foundation of God’s Word, and to help them to interpret it with wisdom.
Why? Because how God created all things tells us as much about his character as the simple fact that he created all things.
Why? Because God’s creation astounds us more every day, and our hearts cry out to praise him for it!
May God grant us his grace and wisdom as we seek to defend the truth about creation, without compromise – to his glory, and for the benefit of his people.
— Jim Witteveen
Creation Without Compromise 