We have moved – change your bookmarks.
Pages at this location will disappear soon!
For new site go to www.hpcisp.com/~kls/What_does_it_Matter.html
Young Earth – Old Earth, what does it matter?
Young Earth - Old Earth, what does it matter?
Science and the Bible can be harmonized
The Bible and Science in Conflict
Understanding Genesis Chapter 1
Scriptural Evidence for Long Days
The Origin of the Universe
The Creation / Evolution Controversy Part 1
The Creation / Evolution Controversy Part 2
The Creation / Evolution Controversy Part 3
The Creation / Evolution Controversy Part 4
Entropy, the Fall, and Adam
The Tree Of Life
What I learned at an Answers in Genesis Conference
What's Wrong With This Picture?
Science finds a purpose for the appendix
Flat Earth - A lesson to all of us
Why are young people leaving the church?
Why Does God Hate Me?
Links to the World and Beyond
A friend I greatly respect believes the earth is approximately 6,000 years old. I recently had a discussion with him on my belief in an old earth and even older universe. During the friendly exchange he said to me, “we spend all this time trying to teach our kids that evolution isn’t true yet we can’t even agree with one another about what is true.” After further conversation it became apparent that in his mind the earth must be young or the creation account in the Bible isn’t true. If the Bible does not accurately describe the beginnings how are we to trust anything else in it including the resurrection? This is a serious subject.
Now let’s look at it from a different perspective. My son and I recently attended a presentation by a local astronomy group. They had several telescopes set up for the public to view the wonders of the heavens. One of the telescopes was equipped with a video camera allowing us to stand around a television screen and view the polar caps on Mars as a group. There was also a neat slide presentation and the speaker told many fascinating stories about the folklore and myths associated with the night skies and the constellations. He talked about the antiquity of the heavens and the vast distances between the stars. It was a fun evening.
After the presentation I struck up a conversation with the speaker about the speed of light and how it is possible it was slightly different shortly after the big bang. He openly discussed quasars, the inflation theory of the early universe, and how in his mind this related to the speed of light. Then I asked him if he was aware some people claimed the speed of light possibly changing meant the universe is really only 6,000 years old. His demeanor immediately changed. He became very defensive. At that moment an impenetrable intellectual wall was erected between the two of us. You see he is certain that his view of the night sky is an accurate portrayal of reality.
He never gave me the opportunity to explain I wasn’t making this claim only that I wanted to hear his reaction to it. I guess I got it. To him, a young universe is intellectually naïve and any spiritual belief based on such is worthy of less respect than the myths and folklore he spoke of with such passion moments before. Let me repeat myself; if the Bible does not accurately describe the beginnings how are we to trust anything else in it including the resurrection? This is a serious subject.
In the first example we have a person who believes an old earth eliminates God and renders the Bible inaccurate. In the second we see a person who has an intellectual objection to Christianity, believing the Bible to be inaccurate concerning origins he concludes the God of the Bible does not exist. Both sides are needlessly in error.
My young-earth friend is a washed in the blood, Spirit-indwelled, born again believer. What do I care what he believes about creation? I do not think it is essential to his salvation but I do think it could be essential to the salvation of the astronomer speaker. That is why I care about this topic. For many people the age of the earth is irrelevant. It is neither help nor a hindrance when explaining the gospel message. To others it has become an unavoidable roadblock on the path to salvation. This should not be.
We who believe are commanded to take up the sword of the spirit which is the word of God (Eph 6:17), study it to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15) so that we may go and teach all nations (Mark 28:19). With this in mind consider the following verses:
Psalms 19:1b-3 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. ”
Romans 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”
Those who hold the earth is 6,000 years old do so because they are concerned about maintaining the integrity and authority of the Bible. Watching as the world rejects the things of God more and more with each passing day is it any wonder it is viewed as worldly to consider the simplest reading of the KJV may not be the correct interpretation?
Yet even the casual student of science has good reason to believe in an ancient universe. Those who reject our message, for science reasons, find it ludicrous when a Christian tells them the universe was created with the appearance of age. They do so because the heavens declare the glory of God. God does not lie or deceive. That is why it can confidently be declared that all are without excuse. Yet is it possible we are giving them an excuse?
I agree the world doesn’t need more watered down Christianity but it doesn’t need us persecuting them for agreeing with Galileo either. The world does not need flat-earth Christianity. It needs Jesus. That is why this subject is important.
