Did God create all life on Earth according to the Genesis account or did it gradually evolve? Millions of professing Christians have been told science supports evolution, not Creation. They declare, “I believe in God and the Bible, I just think evolution was how He created man.” They believe God directed the gradual development of all plant and animal life. This is referred to as “directed evolution,” or “theistic evolution.”

This introduces great questions: Can a Christian accept evolution? Is this compatible with the Bible—and following Jesus Christ? What does the New Testament say? What did the apostles teach? What did Christ say? This two-part Personal answers all these questions and more.

My five-part The World to Come series titled “Does God Exist?—Many Absolute Proofs!” forms the foundation for this Personal. It explores the latest science to prove that God exists and that evolution is factually impossible.

This two-part Personal is different. Its purpose is to examine whether the Bible permits Christians to believe in directed evolution. We will look at verses most never consider. I will prove absolutely—with overwhelming evidence—that belief in evolution is not compatible with Christianity.

Theistic Evolution

Theistic evolutionists believe God created the universe and all life, but that biological evolution is a natural process within that creation. They believe the God of the Bible did not form man directly, but rather created matter and then guided the long process of evolution. A quote summarizes this thinking: “…theistic evolution contends that abiogenesis (the spontaneous formation of life from chemicals) and evolution (amoeba to man through eons) have occurred, but a creator was instrumental in forming the initial matter and laws, and more or less guided the whole process” (The Creation-Evolution Controversy). This idea purports that science and the fossil record prove evolution—but, since life is too complicated to have happened by itself, God must be behind the process. Evolution was simply His tool to develop single-celled organisms into complex ones and eventually into human life.

On the surface, theistic evolution sounds scientifically plausible. One might reason, God is infinitely powerful. Why couldn’t He use evolution if He wanted? Of course He could. But the correct question is, did He? And does He permit you to believe something other than what He said He did?

Before examining a broad array of plain scriptures from Christ and His apostles that confirm Genesis, setup is required. We begin by asking: How did evolution become acceptable within Christianity?

This began in the system of modern education. For 120 years after Darwin’s theory, until the late 1970s, belief in Creation was not accompanied by automatic ridicule. Today, even insinuating that a Supreme Being had any part in designing the universe, and life within it, is usually met with scorn!

People are now thoroughly indoctrinated with evolution from an early age. The official policy of the National Science Teachers Association is, “There is no longer a debate among scientists about whether evolution has and is occurring.” No wonder evolution is assumed by the masses today. When I was in school, it was still “the theory of evolution”—always! Now it is considered fact—when it has always been fiction.

The apostle Paul warned God’s servants not to get caught up in phony science, which could threaten their eternal lives. Christians are to be laying “up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (I Tim. 6:19). Following this verse, Paul charged Timothy to “keep that which is committed to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith…” (vs. 20-21).

Be careful what you profess. Many unlearned ministers have caved to junk science, which is popular but false. They teach that God endorses evolution. False science can make you err concerning the faith. Do not let it threaten your eternal life!

My series proving God exists demonstrates who stands on true science and on “science falsely so called.”

Confusion spread by evolutionists has led many to believe that the early chapters of Genesis, including the Creation account, do not describe real people and real events. Let’s ask: Is Genesis just a collection of helpful stories that mostly never happened? Are names and places described mostly myth and superstition? Atheists and agnostics, but also growing numbers of professing Christians, think so. Seven days of Creation and a literal Adam and Eve are just too hard to believe. Sadly, much of the confusion is because many have been taught that since man is 6,000 years old, so are the Earth and universe—when in fact these are billions of years old.

The question becomes: Is God’s Word written in such a way that it permits followers of Jesus Christ to accept Him while rejecting the Genesis Creation account? A sequence of verses—from the Old and New Testaments—sets the table with enormously powerful understanding you cannot avoid.

Bible Validity

Let’s see how God says the whole Bible must be accepted or rejected as is.

Jesus commanded (in two gospels), “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4). Some know this much but do not know He was quoting Moses, whom God first inspired to say, “…man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord does man live” (Deut. 8:3).

Realize that Jesus opened His ministry quoting—and validating—Moses, who wrote the Genesis account. Did God inspire Moses to record what God knew was at least partially false?

King David brings more weight to this, as he describes a Bible that was at the time mostly what Moses had written: “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver…purified seven times” (Psa. 12:6). King Solomon warned, “Every word of God is pure…add you not to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar” (Prov. 30:5-6). “Every word” means every word—Old Testament or New—including Genesis. God never lies, but He says any who alter His Word DO. Come to grips with your Bible!

Paul declared, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (II Tim. 3:16). It is an “all or nothing” proposition—there is no middle ground. Either you believe every word, or you might as well throw out the entire Bible! The apostle John wrote, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). The prophet Daniel referred to “the scripture of truth” (Dan. 10:21).

So then, just on this basis, if the Bible comes to you with its Author—GOD!—purporting that all of it is true, and you assert (or defer to men who assert) that some parts of it are not true, you are calling God a LIAR! In fact, you will soon learn that God would be the worst kind of liar, having told a blizzard of lies about things that never happened and Bible figures who never existed, while emphatically stating that all of it is true.

Do not carelessly dismiss this! Because if you say some of God’s words are untrue, He says you are a liar.

Here is another passage. The Psalms record, “Your word is true from the beginning: and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (119:160). The Hebrew is more correctly translated “the beginning of Your word is true.” This is powerful because the Bible begins with the Creation account in Genesis, which means “beginnings.” Anyone who disbelieves the first book of the Bible must also throw out this passage. Atheists reject the entire Bible, but it is another matter for those professing to believe it to reject Genesis—and now we have seen parts of Deuteronomy, Psalms and Proverbs in the Old Testament, as well as Matthew, Luke and II Timothy in the New.

Next, let’s at least state for the record: The word evolution, or any similar term, is not found in the Bible. Of course, most know this. What most never ask is why? If God used evolution to create man and every other living thing, why not just say He did? Why write an Instruction Book purporting to be about truth and then so unnecessarily embed all through it an enormous lie? Why do this? Why not just tell people how you made mankind? If evolution is true, why make mankind wait almost 6,000 years until one scientist—Charles Darwin—could solve a mystery that never needed to exist?

Those who dismiss Adam and Eve and other Genesis accounts are unaware that Jesus Christ repeatedly spoke of this first book of the Bible—that He validated the authenticity of Genesis. While modern scholars lampoon anyone “ignorant” enough to believe Genesis, Jesus constantly quoted it. Why would He underscore—many times—and have the apostles underscore—what are falsehoods? Why would He put Himself—and His authority as God—in a position where one person could eventually undermine everything He ever said? This is what atheists do to God’s Word—not what God would do to Himself. But most never consider this. They never consider that Christ would have participated in His own loss of credibility—and thus the loss of millions of people who would not follow Him as a result.

All you have read so far is just the barest opening salvo! There is much more than these baseline elements. You will see that many words in the Bible must contain God’s outright falsehoods for evolution to be true.

Basis of the New Testament

The New Testament Church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). In construction, cornerstones are laid first. Christ came before the prophets. In fact, it was He who inspired the many Old Testament prophets to foretell His First Coming. Thus, the teachings in God’s Church come from apostles and prophets. The New Testament points to the Old Testament much more than most realize. Paul alone quoted the Old Testament hundreds of times, most often from the prophets. In Romans alone, it was quoted 57 times! I Corinthians quotes the Old Testament 21 times and II Corinthians 10 more. While this probably comes as a surprise, it should not since the New Testament Church is built on the apostles and prophets!

Here is a related point—and it is big. Moses is the greatest prophet in the Bible other than Christ—not Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Samuel, Daniel, David or any other prophet. While his books are called “The Law,” Moses was a prophet. Deuteronomy 34 states, “There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (vs. 10).

I repeat: Moses is the Bible’s greatest prophet. And his five books, starting with Genesis, are part of the New Testament Church’s foundation.

New Testament Record

We are now ready to examine the New Testament record. As we do, ask if Jesus and the apostles were just ignorant—or if they deliberately blurred truth to make certain points. We begin with Jesus speaking to the leaders who would crucify Him three days later: “That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel [the son of Adam and Eve] to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar” (Matt. 23:35). Luke repeats Christ’s words: “From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple…” (Luke 11:51).

Keep it simple. If there was Abel, there was Adam and Eve. No one doubts the prophet Zechariah was real. He wrote the next-to-last book of the Old Testament! Therefore, do not doubt Abel—and Adam and Eve, his parents—because God-rejecting atheists who concocted evolution say you should!

The apostle Jude—Jesus’ own brother—confirmed the existence of Adam, Cain (Abel’s brother), and Enoch. Let’s read: “Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied…saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints” (Jude 1:14). Of the wicked he said, “Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah” (vs. 11). There can be no way of Cain without Cain himself. And there can be no Cain without his parents—Adam and Eve. And of course there can be no Cain to kill Abel if they were all fictitious. Jude validated Cain and Adam!

The book of Hebrews also speaks of Cain and Abel: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks” (11:4). And, “To Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel” (12:24). Is all of this—people and events—fictional? No Cain, no Abel, no faith, no sacrifice, no witness of righteous example? The apostle Paul thought and spoke as though all these were real.

John also speaks of Cain and Abel: “…we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one [the devil], and slew his brother [Abel]. And why slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (I John 3:11-12). Is all of this fictional? No Cain, no Abel, no murder, no evil, no righteous example, maybe no Satan? The apostle John also thought and spoke as though all these were real.

In several places, Paul referred to both Adam and Eve: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression [but if Adam never lived he could not have sinned], who is the figure of Him that was to come [Christ]” (Rom. 5:14). Further, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Cor. 15:22).

Think. How could you be subject to death because of sin committed by a fictitious person? You could not. Note this straightforward passage: “Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (I Tim. 2:13-14).

“Formed” means “to mould, shape or fabricate: form” (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries). This shows God created—formed—Adam, then Eve, the first human beings. It does not say God created an environment where they would gradually evolve to a higher state over millions of years. Also, it would be deceptive to describe one party as deceived and the other as not when neither person ever lived.

Are you seeing the problems here?

Now another passage from Paul: “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (II Cor. 11:3). Did Paul warn first-century Christians through a made-up story? How can one avoid being deceived like Eve if there was no Eve? If Eve never existed, Paul used deceit to warn against deceit! By this logic, relax because there may be no Satan either—and thus Paul wasted his time cautioning in another passage, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Cor. 2:11). The existence of the devil and Eve stand or fall together.

Paul knew there was a Garden of Eden—and a literal Eve—and a literal devil present to deceive her. He was not stretching the truth to prove a point. He referenced real people and real events! The prophet Ezekiel confirms Paul. Speaking of Satan, he recorded, “You have been in Eden the garden of God…” (Ezek. 28:13). But not if there was no Garden of Eden. No Garden? Again, maybe no devil! One more reason it was the devil who concocted evolution.

A great parallel exists between Christ and Adam. It introduces God’s Master Purpose—and validates Creation.

A Great Purpose

Paul declared: “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul [did Paul lie, or was he just ignorant of what Darwin would learn?]; the last Adam [Christ] was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual [Christ], but that which is natural [Adam]; and afterward [at a resurrection] that which is spiritual. The first man [the original Adam] is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven…as we have borne the image of the earthy [made of flesh like Adam], we shall also bear the image of the heavenly [composed of spirit like Christ at a resurrection]” (I Cor. 15:45-47, 49).

Paul’s inspired statement begins referencing Genesis 2:7, “And so it is written…” Do not miss this powerful New Testament verification of the Creation account! The apostle Paul knew Adam “was made” by God—that this event did happen.

Now get this! Jesus Christ is the second Adam—this is impossible without a first Adam.

Something related that most miss. Jesus referred to Satan when indicting the Pharisees: “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning…” (John 8:44). Jesus calling Satan—the serpent—a murderer from the beginning speaks of his deceiving Eve into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told the first humans not to do this or they would die. They ate—and eventually died. Satan effectively murdered them. He was also the wicked one who inspired Cain to kill Abel. So he was a murderer from the beginning.

Jesus was not confused or in doubt as to what happened.

All that has been discussed carries deeper implications beyond whether evolution is true. Jesus is referred to as the second Adam. In the Garden, Adam was given a chance to live God’s Way. Yet he rejected it. As a result, man’s only hope became the central purpose of Christ’s First Coming—essential to God’s plan of salvation for mankind. It is more crucial than most could ever imagine that we understand the events of Creation. They are fundamental to the entire Plan of God! (To learn God’s ultimate purpose for you, I urge you to read my free book The Awesome Potential of Man.)

Genealogical Record

Many today enjoy studying their genealogy. The fun is often going back as far as you can. Lineage is also important to God. This is why numerous extensive genealogies appear throughout the Old Testament. Most do not dismiss them as analogy, myth or metaphor. This pattern of genealogy continues in the New Testament in Jesus’ lineage. Luke and Matthew paint a powerful picture, together revealing how Jesus’ line traces all the way back to Adam!

First comes Mary in Luke. Consider taking time to read it all. But first pick up with, “Jesus Himself began to be about 30 years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son [it should say “son in law”] of Eli, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi…Melchi…Janna… Joseph…Mattathias…Amos…Naum…Nathan, which was the son of David…[it goes on to include Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and eventually all the way back to] Shem, which was the son of Noah…Lamech…Methuselah…Enoch…Jared…Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God” (Luke 3:23-38).

Now Matthew’s record: “Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren” (1:2), and this eventually comes to another “Jacob [who] begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from…Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations…Joseph, you son of David, fear not to take unto you Mary your wife…” (vs. 16-17, 20).

Why can we believe Joseph descended from David—here called David’s son—but not that David descended from Adam?

Jesus—and giants of Scripture—including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Noah, Enoch and many, many others—are all described as descended from Adam. Christ’s genealogy is false if there was no Adam. All these men had to be either grossly deceived—or they knew better and misrepresented the truth. Worse, God installed these long lists into His Word as though they were true. Even the apostle Paul claimed his descent was from Jacob’s son Benjamin. When Darwin comes up in the resurrection of the dead, he will learn the true origin of his species.

Incidentally, Luke calls Adam “the son of God.” Are all other sons of God literal but not Adam? Jesus is a literal son, all Christians are, Job called angels the sons of God. Perhaps you see yourself as a son of God. Are all these literal—but not Adam?

Think. If Adam did not live, then neither did his son Seth. If Seth never lived, neither did his third-great-grandson Enoch—and neither did Enoch’s great-grandson Noah, and so on with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David. And maybe then Christ never lived—as millions claim!

My own genealogy appears to also trace to David, through both Nathan and Solomon, and thus to Adam. Should I doubt this? If Adam is fictional, why does the Bible record anyone descending from him? Atheists do not care about this matter, but Christians should.

No honest mind thinks God inspired Luke 3 to be recorded because it is merely interesting. Christ, as the God of the Old Testament, personally created Adam! If we are to believe the critics, Christ was terribly confused—He did not realize He formed a fictional character, not a real person. Yet the implications of Christ’s lineage to Adam are extremely important. To legally inherit David’s throne, His line must be provable! (Human kings know this.) If it is not provable, can we trust anything in the Bible? (I also urge you to read an important booklet, Bible Authority...Can It Be Proven?)

You must decide at what point the Word of God is just not true. If any part is false, which is what the devil and some ministers want you to believe, then you need not obey it. Satan’s ultimate goal is to get people to reject the Bible as having authority over their lives. He knows that undermining biblical accounts and biblical figures destroys faith.

Part 1 has by itself proven the Bible leaves no room to believe evolution. But you have only heard half the case. Part 2 will continue with more plain verses proving Christians are not permitted to believe evolution. In the meantime, watch my five-part World to Come series proving God exists at rcg.org/worldtocome.