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 Did God Create Over Billions of Years




Published: 6 October 2011(GMT+10)
Often, people challenge biblical creationists with comments along the lines of, “I believe God created, and I don’t believe in evolution, but He could have taken billions of years, so what’s the big deal about the age of the earth?” Some claim that an emphasis on ‘6 literal days, 6,000 years ago’ even keeps people away from the faith, so “Why be so dogmatic? Why emphasize something so strongly that’s not a salvation issue?”

It might come as a surprise that we agree—to a point. The timescale in and of itself is not the important issue. So why does CMI emphasize it? It’s important because the issue ultimately comes down to, “Does the Bible actually mean what it plainly says?” It therefore goes to the heart of the trustworthiness of Scripture. As such, compromising with long ages also severely undermines the whole gospel message, thus creating crises of faith for many as well as huge problems with evangelism.

Continues at http://creation.com/did-god-create-over-billions-of-years

 2012/1/28 1:30
mguldner
Member



Joined: 2009/12/4
Posts: 1862
Kansas

 Re: Did God Create Over Billions of Years

It's called the Gap theory...basically the earth from the beginning with everything else ie Big Bang theory type stuff, they really cling to the words Earth was formless for Gap Theorist this is enough to conclude at creation Earth was and had some kind of form.

Basically the theory is the idea Earth and the rest of the universe set formless without order and God 6000 years ago brought about that order and created man.

What happened during the gap? the billions of years that scientist cling to and break down but essentially Dinosaurs. I know its seems pretty far fetched but hey that why it's a theory. I personally don't believe it but I have a very basic understanding of it.

Some even go to the length of saying that the 6000 year old mark is simply the "known world" to men at the time. Ie the earth is billions of years old but Adam didn't know about it so recorded it as such, which is invariably what Moses recorded.


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Matthew Guldner

 2012/1/28 6:20Profile
ginnyrose
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Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re: Did God Create Over Billions of Years

It might make for an enlightening study of you were to check out the WORD about God's creation, how long it took. Exodus refers to God creating in six days and because he did, they were to work six days and rest the Sabbath because God did. Now spiritualize that, if you can!

The point is, you will find other references to God creating that would indicate 24 hour periods. Check it out.

A person could explain it all to you, but if you do a personal study - beginning with Genesis 1 and reading all the way through the WORD - you will find it much more meaningful.

Have fun - and it will be, I promise! You will go on many rabbit trails, see some delightful scenery along the way.


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Sandra Miller

 2012/1/28 11:10Profile
TrueWitness
Member



Joined: 2006/8/10
Posts: 661


 Re:

I do believe in the Gap Theory. By verse 2 in Genesis 1, the Earth and all the oceans are in place, and when I say Earth I mean the rocky planet, not the living things we are familiar with on it's surface and oceans and skies. Verse 2 talks about the Earth being formless and void. Well that doesn't sound like something God would do, making something chaotic like that. Could it be that Satan had already fallen like lightning to the Earth and caused upheaval and disturbance on the Earth? By the way, do you believe Satan was created during the 6 days of creation? If so, he sure had to move fast to get 1/3 of the angels to follow him and get kicked out of heaven. I don't want to get dogmatic about exactly how God created everything or how long it took. I think that it is possible to believe that there is a gap of millions if not billions of years between Gen.1:1 and Gen.1:2. So God made Earth (just the rocky sphere, not life yet)and the oceans initially. And by the time Gen. 1:3 starts the six days of creation, we are millions or billions of years later. Again I don't want to be dogmatic about these things because the Bible does not give lots of details here, such as when Satan was created and when Satan got to Earth, etc. I refuse to argue about the matter. I have an opinion, I am willing to listen to yours, and if I don't agree with yours, that's fine, I don't hold it against you. If you want a fuller treatise on the Gap Theory you might consult 2 books on the subject:
Earth's Earliest Ages by G. H. Pember
http://www.amazon.com/Earths-Earliest-Ages-G-Pember/dp/0825435331/
and
Another Time, Another Place, Another Man by Finis J. Dake
http://www.amazon.com/Another-Time-Place-Man/dp/1558291105/
This is probably the easiest and best book on the subject.

And to those who think that the days of creation could have been 1000 years each: That would mean that when God instructed man in the Garden of Eden about the two trees, Adam would have been 1000 years old. Adam was created on the sixth day, God rested on the seventh day (1000 years). So I think it is fairly certain that a day is not nor could have been 1000 years.

 2012/1/28 12:12Profile
staff
Member



Joined: 2007/2/8
Posts: 2227


 Re: Did God Create Over Billions of Years

Hi Churinga,
I want to try and address the issue of the billions of years rather than evolution.However I think a couple of things have to be said firstly.Evolution is incompatible with christianity either one is wrong and the other right.
The simple reason for this incompatibility is the bible states that Adam brought sin and death into the world and evolution says that death has been recuring for billions of years.If death is in the world billions of years before Adam then their is no need for a second Adam namely Christ.

Now 2 points
1.Why do christians who believe in billions of years think that it is important to believe in billions of years?
2 Why do christians who believe in billions of years not listen to scientists that are christian and listen to secular evolutionist scientists instead?

Yours Staff

 2012/1/28 17:30Profile
MrBillPro
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Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 3422
Texas

 Re:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. this right here is a verse "no man" will ever figure out. When was the beginning? "no one knows" just how big is the Heavens? "no one knows" Were did God come from? "no one knows" How old is God? "no one knows" is there actually a end to the Heavens were it stops, and you would just run into a wall/dead-end? "no one knows" and the best question yet, for us believers, do we really need the answers to the above questions?


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Bill

 2012/1/28 17:45Profile
1000faces
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Joined: 2012/1/12
Posts: 2


 Re:

Ginny,

I don't want add just another opinion, but I want to know what you think. Going by what you said, that one would "Check it out" to "find other references to God creating that would indicate 24 hour periods," I read in Genesis 2.4, in the Hebrew, that it is the account of the heavens and the earth "in the day" (bayom) they were created. It seems to suggest a single day for the entire process.

Now, responsible reading and exegesis wouldn't allow for large arguments based on a single word, but it remains to be seen that the account in the second chapter suggests something other than the first.

This doesn't mean billions of years or gap theory or any other latter day back readings, but could it be that the text itself resists our efforts be dogmatically reduce it to doctrine?

This is not an attack or a criticism. I'm not familiar with the common arguments for the different theories, but I was recently surprised by this as I was learning the basics of biblical Hebrew. I don't know how to take Genesis 2.4 against the inscribing of the sabbath in Exodus, as you suggested. But I would love to hear your thoughts or anyone else's.

thanks

 2012/1/28 18:09Profile
mguldner
Member



Joined: 2009/12/4
Posts: 1862
Kansas

 Re:

I also want to point something else that is another factor in all of this.

God is without time, meaning before the Heavens and Earth were made IE the Solar System and the earth rotating around the Sun, time as we as humans know it didn't exist. Why? Because our method of keeping track of time is by the revelations of the earth and then further time is calculated by how many time the earth rotates around the sun ie years. Without this time as we know it doesn't really exist.

I honestly can say its okay that I don't know the answer to the question. We all kind of have our "theories" but ultimately God's word is true and we will have to submit to His interpretation on that day, right? :)


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Matthew Guldner

 2012/1/28 18:13Profile
staff
Member



Joined: 2007/2/8
Posts: 2227


 Re:

Hi MrBillpro,
On the 7th day god rested,he was giving an example that even God rested and the example of sabbath.If god didnt create the heavens and earth on the start of day one then this example would not be valid.All through the bible from the beginning their is an example of rest.
This is why the beginning is on the beginning of the first day because he rested on the 7th
Yours Staff

 2012/1/28 18:22Profile









 Re: Staff Member

Point 1/ It can be because of the saturation from early age that the world as portrayed by secular interests is billions of years old,we are all bombarded with unsubstantiated sources that such is the case,and sheer repetition completes the indoctrination.Popular presenters like Attenborough and the like brainwash people on a regular basis, especially our children,plus contending for the faith by going public that one is a creationist to friends and work mates will draw a lot of reaction to put people down and make them uncomfortable.

Point 2/ Because Creationism gets such a poor run in the secular world you must dig deep to find credible sources to support the creationist side of the coin,some Churches do not believe that such teaching is relevant,and Apostate Pastors and Liberals pander to the non believers,fortunately the internet does provide a level playing field and several sites have excellent teaching material for all those interested,not only Christians.

 2012/1/28 18:42





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