Blog

by Aaron Felty

My name is Aaron Felty, and this is my first blog post for Worldview Warriors! I am excited about the opportunity to listen to feedback and share what the Lord has laid on my heart.

Now to the question: is there such a thing as a Christian evolutionist? The short answer is yes, but upon further inspection we have to question if that is even possible. The requirements for salvation are to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ; that is what Paul and Silas said when the jailer asked what must he do to be saved (Acts 16:30-31). There is nothing in this passage about evolution, the age of the earth, or the fossil record. So, belief in evolution is not going to make someone go to hell! However, I would suggest that a mature faith CANNOT believe in evolution. Please re-read that line: a mature faith CANNOT believe in evolution.

To dig into this further, we first have to define evolution. In this case I am referring to macro-evolution (one species evolving into another). We are not talking about micro-evolution (changes within a species, which you can see by looking at my 5 kids!). So from here on out, when I say evolution I am talking about macro-evolution.

In order for the proponents of evolution to support their claims, they need millions of years of animals dying and a fortuitous set of random occurrences to happen in a very precise order. Not only that, but they need new DNA information introduced into a species which would account for an actual change from one species to another. While there are many escape vehicles around these claims that the most ardent proponents of evolution will cling to, there is one question for the “Christian” that is impossible: how do you account for death and blood shed before Adam sinned?

Having a Christian worldview means that we view the world, as best we can, according to the way Christ did. We get Christ’s view from the Scriptures. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people.”

A Christian follows Jesus, but an evolutionist believes that millions and millions of things died before Adam sinned, meaning DEATH ENTERED the world before Adam sinned!

God told Adam in the garden, the moment he ate the fruit he would die. God also explained the consequences Adam’s sin would have on all of creation - thorns and thistles, essentially all the created order would move toward death (Genesis 3:17). Obviously, Adam did not physically die the moment he ate the fruit, so is God a liar? Of course not; the Bible says it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18). God breathed the breath of life into Adam’s lungs and he became a living being. Once Adam ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he died spiritually. He was disconnected from God until God sacrificed an animal and covered Adam’s nakedness.

So back to the original question. Can someone be a Christian evolutionist? I would contend one cannot be a mature Christian and believe in evolution. If evolution is true, God is a liar, death did not enter the world because of Adam’s sin, and Jesus’ death on the cross to undo Adam’s action was unnecessary. Romans 5:17 says, “For if, by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 goes further: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

So, while believing in evolution is not a heaven or hell issue, I would say, it certainly indicates one who claims to follow Christ has not really considered the implications of this belief. This person’s faith is immature and risks stripping Scripture of its power. I would encourage you to think through why an evolutionist would want to believe death has been around millions of years. I believe this worldview (the evolutionary worldview) is an effort to create a god in our own image and give us unrestricted freedom and excuse to do what we want without accountability. If death entered the world through Adam’s sin, we are all guilty and need a Savior! If death has always been around, nobody is guilty or in need of a Savior. One step further: if you believe that Jesus is the only way to get to heaven but also believe that God used millions and millions of years of death and bloodshed as His vehicle to deliver salvation, I would ask you to consider the very fact that you have conflicting worldviews. I urge you to search the Scriptures to see if there is any room ANYWHERE for millions of years. Search to see if there is any room for macro-evolution. As I read the Bible, I see that God created plants, fish, birds and all the other animals “according to their kind” (Genesis 1:11-12; 21; 24-25).

One final question: why would God declare everything “very good” at the end of the 6th day, if for millions of years before this death and bloodshed reigned?

To those of you still with me, if you have been believing in evolution and claim to follow Christ, I suggest re-examining what you actually believe about the Scriptures. As you hopefully are beginning to see evolution does not fit into the Christian worldview.

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