Before I go into answering all the questions posed in my previous blog (more on that later this week) I want to talk about the creation story and the creation/evolution argument..
When we talk about what we believe it can with a lot of issues end up being and/or. In this case if you believe in the theory (yes, theory, not proven historical fact) of evolution, then to some or even to most people you can't believe that God created the world.
A question. Why not both?
Can't they be two sides of the same coin?
Why can't God have created the world, and used evolution as His tool? Just because the Biblical story of creation (which is actually a poem, and more likely a metaphor rather than historical fact) doesn't advocate it doesn't mean it isn't how God created.
God is God, and He can do things however He chooses. You don't mess with God.
Its only when we get legalistic or proud, and insist on being right and that you have to believe one or the other that we start to get into the realms of falling out over these things.
Creation/evolution issues have caused major division amongst Christians. There are other issues as well where people are falling out over either/or when it might be both/and. God isn't rigid and bound by anything. He can do as He chooses.
The bottom line is that however it happened, none of it changes the truth about Jesus. It shouldn't do anyway.
The point of the creation story for me isn't to tell us in exact detail how God made the world and isn't necessarily historically accurate (I hear cries of heresy already...). The point is that it illustrates the fact that God made the universe and everything in creation, and that we were the pinnacle of that and rejected Him, hence the need for Jesus.
That's more important than actually knowing the exact details of how He did it. The idea that He made it in six literal 24-hour days has flaws. For a start, the way we measure 24-hour days isn't even created until the third 'day'. So how were days measured before that? Who measured them?
It doesn't add up.
If God used evolution to create the world, then so what? Seriously somebody give me an argument to prove that it matters.
Truth is, it doesn't.
What matters is believing and knowing God made the earth. God created everything. That's the principle behind this story.
Some people criticise Christianity purely on the basis of the creation v evolution argument. But once you tear that down they are left with the simple truth and way of Jesus. Then they have little left on that score. Because they seem to have the same way of thinking, not the three-dimensional way of thinking outside of it all that God has.
It could change everything.
There are some people whose whole relationship with Jesus depends somehow on whether God made the earth exactly as described in the creation story, in six 24-hour days.
If your faith depends on that, then its not very strong faith. Take one thing out and it all falls apart? Not exactly built on rock is it?
However God made the earth, that's up to Him isn't it? The point is He made it, and however He did it doesn't change one bit the truth about Jesus and our need for Him. God created everything, we rejected Him and He sent Jesus to save us and show us how He wants us to live and the values and lifestyle He wants for us.
That's what's important. Not how God made the world.
