Expert: Scott Talbot - 2/24/2004

Question
Hi Pastor Talbot,
I have read about 3 books on the creation account. Do you believe in a young earth (about 6000 years) or in an old earth (millions of years) where human history spans only about 6000 years on the old earth? This leads to another question: Do you believe in a literal six days of creation?
I know this is a complex subject, and you can answer as briefly as you like.
I am teaching 17 years old students in a secular school. I will like to discuss evolution/creation with my students.

Thank you.

Wes


Answer
Hi, Wes. Thanks for the question.

Yes, I do believe in a young earth (6,000 to perhaps 10,000 or 12,000 years old). And I believe in a literal six days of Creation.

Why do I believe this? As to the six literal days of Creation, this is what God tells us in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. It is very clear that it was six actual days, and not "eras," or six long periods of time. The phrase, "morning and evening," makes the point even more emphatic. God tells us it took six days because it took six days. And to believe otherwise is to call God a liar and to set ourselves up as being a higher authority than God.

The reason that some do not believe the Biblical account is that they prefer not to accept the fact that God even exists. To do so is to acknowledge accountability to that same God. So how does one explain the universe without acknowledging the God who made it? That was difficult until Charles Darwin came up with his theory that perhaps everything came about by chance, and took shape into the complex world we see today.

Finally there was a way to attempt to explain the existence of our complex universe without admitting that there was a God. And many who prefer to deny God's existence latched onto this riduculous theory as if it were absolute truth.

(It's interesting to note that Darwin himself regretted having even proposed this theory, not realizing that it would have been latched onto so fervently and intently. He later stated that he himself did not believe that the universe came about in this way.)

So how does one justify the notion that a beautiful, intricate, complex universe came about by sheer chance, by accident? The only way to make the idea even remotely palatable is to interject the idea that it took place over a LONG, LONG, LONG time ... say, billions and trillions of years. "Given that much time, surely this theory is plausible!" Or so they would have us think.

Then, in order to give further credibility to the theory, various forms of evidence are interpreted in light of this bias, and are used to supposedly "prove" an old earth and the tenets of Evolution. The fact is, this evidence, if interpreted in light of the truth (as revealed by God Himself), confirms rather than denies the Biblical account.

I would be happy to provide additional information, if you like. Also, there's a good website which you might want to check out:  www.answersingenesis.org. This will shed more light on the subject.

I hope that this is helpful, and can be useful in your class.

Sincerely,

Scott