The Bible has a lot to say about the origins of the universe and life on earth. There are two main viewpoints that people hold – either God supernaturally created everything, or life evolved over billions of years through natural processes. This article will summarize the biblical perspective on creation versus evolution.
The Creation Account in Genesis
The opening chapters of Genesis provide the most detailed biblical account of how God created the universe and life. Key points from the creation narrative include:
- God created the heavens, earth, and everything in them in six days (Genesis 1:1-31)
- The sequence was light, sky, land, plants, sun/moon/stars, sea creatures, birds, land animals, and finally humans (Genesis 1:1-31)
- “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
- God formed man from dust and breathed life into him. Woman was formed from man’s rib (Genesis 2:7, 22)
- God created humans in His own image (Genesis 1:27)
- God gave humans dominion over all life on earth (Genesis 1:28)
- God provided plants and fruit for food (Genesis 1:29)
- When finished, God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2)
This account highlights God supernaturally designing and speaking all of creation into existence in a short period of time. It also shows He created humanity uniquely in His image.
Supporting Passages on Creation
Many other Bible verses corroborate the Genesis creation narrative:
- “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” (Psalm 102:25)
- “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” (Psalm 33:6)
- “For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” (Psalm 33:9)
- “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.” (Exodus 20:11)
- “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth.” (Acts 17:24)
- “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” (Hebrews 11:3)
These verses confirm God supernaturally created the universe through His divine power, not through purely natural processes.
Humans Created Separately from Animals
The Bible makes key distinctions between humans and animals. Humans were created separately and specially in God’s image, not gradually evolved from primates. Passages include:
- “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)
- “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness’…So God created mankind in his own image.” (Genesis 1:26-27)
- “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other.” (Ecclesiastes 3:18-19)
These passages distinguish humans as unique creations of God, not as more highly evolved animals.
Death and Suffering After the Fall
The Bible teaches that human death, pain, and suffering entered creation only after Adam and Eve sinned:
- “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people.” (Romans 5:12)
- “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:17)
- “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin.” (Romans 5:12)
- “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26)
If humans evolved through a process of death and struggle, how could death have first entered creation through Adam’s sin? The biblical view is that suffering and death entered creation only when mankind fell.
God’s Ongoing Involvement in Creation
The Bible says God remains actively involved in His creation, which is inconsistent with a purely naturalistic worldview:
- “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10)
- “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)
- “He is the image of the invisible God…For by him all things were created…and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)
- “In him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)
- “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” (Matthew 10:29)
Rather than setting up creation to run fully on its own, these verses describe God’s ongoing sustaining involvement.
The Trustworthiness of Scripture
If the Bible inaccurately describes the origins of the universe, why trust it on other issues? But if true, it bolsters the Bible’s divine authority. Jesus himself affirmed the Genesis creation account:
- “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’…For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.” (Matthew 19:4-5)
- “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man…the flood came and destroyed them all.” (Matthew 24:37-39)
New Testament writers also affirmed the historicity of Adam and Eve (Romans 5:12; 1 Timothy 2:13-14). Denying the Bible’s creation account undermines confidence in its entire message.
In the Beginning God Created
While allowing for some figurative elements, the most straightforward reading of Genesis 1-3 describes God specially creating the universe, life, and humans over a normal week-long period. This account conflicts with molecules-to-man evolution occurring through unguided natural processes over billions of years. Some key conclusions include:
- The eternal all-powerful God created the universe out of nothing simply by His command and power
- God created each major life form separately and purposefully
- All creation was originally good, with no death or suffering
- Humans were uniquely created in God’s image to have relationship and fellowship with Him
- Sin and death entered the world only after mankind’s disobedience, not prior to it
- The Creator continues His active sustaining role in creation
When taking the Bible seriously from the very first verses, the creation account is vital to the coherence of Scripture’s major themes including the character of God, the nature of man, the cause of sin and death, and the meaning of redemption. An evolutionary view cannot be merged with Scripture without undermining its authority and unified message of redemption.
Other Old Testament Passages on Origins
Aside from Genesis 1-3, other Old Testament passages provide perspectives on origins:
- Job 38-41 – God challenges Job with rhetorical questions about Creation, including laying the earth’s foundation, shutting in the seas, and providing for lions and ravens.
- Psalm 8 – David praises God’s majesty in creating the heavens, moon, stars and ordaining praise even from children.
- Psalm 19 – “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
- Psalm 104 – A poetic account of creation praising God’s wisdom and care for all creatures. Mentions the Spirit’s role, the flood, food sources, seasons, sunrise, habitats, lions, plants, wine, ships, and more.
- Psalm 139 – David praises God’s omniscience and intricate formation of humans in the womb.
- Isaiah 40-48 – Attributes of God as all-powerful Creator used to comfort Israel in exile. Calls idols foolish and empty.
These passages consistently point to the order, beauty, andintentionality of God’s creation.
New Testament Passages on Creation
The New Testament affirms God’s role as Creator of the natural world and righteous Judge over mankind based on how He created us. Passages include:
- Mark 10:6 – Jesus quotes Genesis 1:27, 2:24 about God making humans male and female and instituting marriage.
- Mark 13:19 – Jesus refers to “God’s creation” He made.
- Acts 4:24 – Early believers praise God as sovereign Creator of all things who spoke through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David.
- Acts 14:15-17 – Paul tells pagans God made the heavens, earth, seas, and everything in them. He provides rain, crops, and joy.
- Acts 17:24-28 – Paul says the all-powerful God created the world and everything in it. He determines nations’ times and boundaries.
- Romans 1:18-25 – God will judge those who suppress the truth of His eternal power and divine nature displayed in creation.
- Ephesians 3:9 – God created all things in heaven and earth. He uses the church to make His wisdom known.
- Colossians 1:15-17 – Jesus is the image of the invisible God and Creator who holds all things together.
- Hebrews 1:2, 10-12 – God made the world through Jesus. Jesus laid the earth’s foundations and will remain after it wears out like clothing.
- Hebrews 11:3 – “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
- Revelation 4:11 – God is worthy of all glory, honor, and power for creating all things for His good purpose.
The rest of Scripture builds on the foundation established in Genesis 1-3. Belief in God’s good creation and His purposes for humanity shape a Christian worldview.
Two Contrasting Worldviews
The creation vs. evolution debate involves opposing worldviews with different assumptions. Key differences include:
- Origins: Created supernaturally by God vs. developed naturally through random chance and processes over billions of years.
- Process: Intelligently guided by an all-knowing Creator vs. undirected natural selection and mutations.
- Purpose: Created for God’s glory and to serve His purposes vs. no inherent purpose or meaning in life.
- Humanity: Unique beings created in God’s image vs. highly evolved animals.
- Morality: Objective standards from our Creator vs. relativistic, changing social norms.
- Death/Suffering: Not part of God’s “very good” creation originally but entered the world later because of mankind’s sin vs. present from the very beginning, shaped the evolutionary process.
- Future Hope: Eternal life with Christ and the restoration of all things to God’s original intent vs. unknown future destination guided only by chance and circumstance.
These differing foundational assumptions lead to vastly different understandings of the universe, truth, humanity’s value, ethics, and destiny. Scripture upholds the creationist perspective.
Apparent Conflicts With Science
Some claim the biblical timeline and sequence conflict with modern scientific consensus on matters like the age of the earth, fossil records, and method of emergence of life. But Scripture need not be read as contradicting true scientific observations and facts. There are various possible explanations for apparent conflicts, including:
- The days of Genesis 1 may represent long periods rather than literal 24-hour days.
- There may be gaps in the Genesis genealogies, so calculations based on them need not be definitive.
- The earth and life on it could appear much older than their actual age due to God’s creative activity.
- The Flood profoundly impacted earth’s geology, climate, and animal life dispersal.
- Apparent errors or lack of precision in Scripture need not call the whole into question.
- Limited human knowledge and discoveries must be interpreted with humility, realizing Scripture reveals spiritual truths, not comprehensive scientific details.
Scripture and science need not directly oppose one another. But when interpreting general revelations like science, special revelation in God’s Word is the ultimate authority.
Theistic Evolution
Some Christians hold to theistic evolution or evolutionary creationism, believing God used evolution to develop life over billions of years. Arguments include:
- Scripture allows for this view if “days” in Genesis 1 are interpreted as long periods.
- God could have used evolution as His means of creating.
- It synthesizes science and faith.
However, critics note problems including:
- This view compromises Biblical authority and authorship in favor of ever-changing mainstream science.
- It imposes outside ideas onto Scripture rather than reading Genesis on its own terms.
- Evolution requires millions of years of death and struggle, contradicting Genesis 1-3 and undermining the Fall and redemption narrative central to Christianity.
- Gaps or apparent conflicts with current science may simply reflect our limited knowledge.
Attempts to merge evolution and Genesis typically undermine the coherence and integrity of the biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, and new creation.
Salvation Does Not Depend on This Debate
Christians hold a variety of positions in interpreting Genesis 1-3 and integrating it with science. Room for discussion exists without undermining the gospel message or core doctrines of Christianity. Key points are:
- Faith in Jesus Christ as Savior is what’s essential for salvation, not one’s view on creation.
- Sincere Christians can study the same data and reach different conclusions.
- Humble, gracious discussion with an open Bible is wise, not hostile debate.
- Christians should be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)
This complex issue should not create divisions or superiority attitudes within the church. God grants wisdom when sought prayerfully and with humility. Christians can discuss and disagree charitably while affirming salvation by grace through Christ.
In Closing
The Bible clearly depicts God as the intelligent, purposeful Creator who made humans in His image and originally called all His creation “very good.” The Genesis account conflicts with modern scientific assertions of undirected evolution over billions of years. Apparent discrepancies may result from limited human knowledge, not defects in God’s Word. While disagreements exist among Christians, we must discuss this issue graciously, upholding Scripture’s authority and the gospel’s centrality. The glory and trustworthiness of our wise, powerful Creator should compel us to worship Him, the divine source of all truth and life.