Human Evolution or Creation – Whose image do we bear?
With the advent of Darwin’s Theory of evolution humankind was given another critical choice: Trust God’s Word or believe in a human construct. Here are two versions of life, which one do you trust?
“Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”― Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:26-28
If evolution then no creation, if creation then no evolution. You cannot have it both ways, either God created or He did not so we must choose what to believe, and no choice is a choice. For me I don’t want to get this wrong because I’ve learned that what we believe has eternal consequences. How about you? Let’s look at some of the real evidence:
The fossil record is presented as evidence for human evolution from a previous ape-like ancestor because evolutionists will show drawings with sequences of supposed changes over time. However, if you spend enough time researching the human skull and fossil records there is no evidence of evolution there. Instead we find them to be either fully ape or fully human based on their structure and available DNA. We also find missing transitions that should be there if evolution were true (review of morphology shows that there should be at least 50,000 transitional forms between fossils we have if evolution were true, and there are not). The top rated fossil evidence for human evolution, such as Lucy, is under lock and key and we are not allowed to test the bones. Why? (Does money and fame have anything to do with that?)
In addition, the skulls and bones that are presented as being “pre-human” such as Australopithecus, Homo Erectus or Neanderthals are, in reality, fully ape or fully human and not intermediate, and that is what the evidence bears out. Dr. Fazale Rana, one of my Professors at Biola University, specializes in human origins. In Dr. Rana’s class he confirms the lack of evidence in the fossil record and the falsification of much of the so-called evidence that evolutionists hold up. In fact, he send outs undergrad students to research the evidence for human evolution and they come back empty handed every time.
For a more in-depth study of this subject I highly recommend reading Marvin L. Lubenow’s book called “Bones of Contention” or any of Dr. Rana’s work at Reasons to Believe.
We don’t have to search far to find that the Bible gives the most reasonable and coherent answers to the question of life’s origin. The Biblical record best matches the evidence we find in science. When we look at the Bible, especially in the book of Genesis, we find answers to some of our most commonly asked questions:
What is the origin and purpose of humankind?
Read Genesis Chapters 1-2
Here we find the creation story. Chapter 1 gives the overview of the creative act of God. Chapter 2 goes back into that story and gives the details for human creation. Here we find that God created humans in His image; no other living thing was created with these special attributes given by God:
- Image of God with creative capabilities (a lesser model of the Trinity)
- Freewill choice (exercised wrongly at the Fall, Ch. 3)
- Ability to love and have relationship with God and each other (broken at the Fall, Ch. 3)
- Rulership over the earth and the command to take care of it (stolen by Satan at the Fall, Ch. 3)
In addition, humans have drastically different capabilities from all other living things:
- Humans have a distinct bone structure and fine motor abilities.
- Humans are reflective on the past.
- Humans have intentionality.
- Humans possess deep and thoughtful emotions.
- Humans can plan and foresee possibilities.
- Humans have motives for their actions.
- Humans can do research.
- Humans are creative problem solvers.
- Humans have a spirit that cries out for answers and intrinsically know that there is something beyond ourselves.
- Humans can feel eternity in their souls.
He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
The Christian faith is the only place you will find a God of love and relationship; A God of righteous truth and perfect justice.
- No other religion or belief system has a god with the all-encompassing attributes of the one true God of the Bible.
- No other God would send His only Son to suffer and die in our place (promised from the beginning in Genesis 3).
- No other God would prepare an eternal home for those who would believe and accept His Son’s sacrifice, and put their trust in Him alone for salvation through this grace (see John 14).
Yet we often ask why things are the way they are in our world today if God loves us? We deeply feel that things are not the way they are suppose to be. It is a result of the Fall (Genesis 3), but, God immediately gave a Promise of a rescue plan (Genesis 3:15; 12:1-3) that culminates in Jesus. Keep in mind the entire Old Testament is an historical narrative reporting the unfolding of that Promise that culminates in Jesus; the entire New Testament points to His second coming where all will be restored to its original intent (Revelation chapter 21).
In the meantime we are to be about the business of bringing people into God’s rescue plan! (Matthew 28:19-20)
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14-16
For a more in-depth treatment of the truth of human evolution watch this insightful, fact filled, and thought provoking 17 minute educational video that debunks much of what has been taught in public education. I believe it will help answer a lot of the questions you might have on Human evolution:
Join us next week as we continue our case for Christianity!
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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
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