As a scientist, the idea of a 6-day creation can be a real stumbling block (it certainly was for me, and probably is for many others). In a world where evolution is taught as fact, there is little space for creation or supernatural events.
So, can a rational, logical scientist believe in creation? The obvious answer is ‘yes’ to this question, but the general public would probably be surprised to hear this!
Of course, if you can’t believe the first chapter of the Bible, why would you want to read, or believe, the rest of it?
Table Of Contents
What Exactly Is Biblical Creation?Does The Bible Itself Affirm Creation?But Is Creation Actually Possible?
What Exactly Is Biblical Creation?
Genesis 1 and 2 cover the account of a 6-day creation. God basically creates the universe and everything in it.
He created space, time and matter instantaneously. In fact, this is explained in the very first line of the Bible, “In the beginning (time), God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter).”
God then takes 6 literal 24 hour days to create everything in the universe, culminating in Mankind.
This is completely incompatible with the theory of evolution, which is a process reliant upon deep time. This means that evolution is built more upon history than science. And if we are going to look to history, where better to look than to an eyewitness?
The biblical account of creation is an eyewitness account, given by God to Moses. He was there in the beginning when no-one else was!
Biblical creation was a one off supernatural event. God basically spoke everything into existence. He created everything out of nothing which is a very difficult concept for our minds to sometimes grasp. However, isn’t it easier to believe that an all-powerful, eternal God created everything, as opposed to a big bang that nobody can explain came from nothing, and exploded into everything? And what explosion ever created order? It just doesn’t make logical sense when you really think about it.
Other religions do believe in creation and a creator, but their versions of the creator are always less powerful than the Biblical Creator. It was necessary for other creators to use pre-existing content, which they simply rearranged, whereas the Biblical Creator started with nothing.
Does The Bible Itself Affirm Creation?
The simple answer is ‘yes, it does.’ Obviously, Genesis teaches creation, but it is found in many other parts of scripture, in both Old and New Testament.
Here are some examples:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.Isaiah 45:18 For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited),“I am the Lord, and there is none else.Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was madePsalm 33:6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch, but it gives you an idea of how much creation is referenced throughout the Bible.
And Jesus himself affirmed the truth of the biblical account of creation, as you can see in the list above (Mark 10:6), and He was there so perhaps we should take Him at His word!
But Is Creation Actually Possible?
Of course it is, or we wouldn’t be here would we? Biblical creation is just as possible as evolution, or old earth creation.
You have to understand that the idea of creation (both young and old), and evolution are based upon certain assumptions that we arrive at when examining the evidence in the world around us.
All scientists have the same evidence, whether that be fossils, geological formations etc. Where they differ is in the interpretation of the evidence, and this is as much a philosophical interpretation as a scientific one.
If you are determined to explain everything by natural causes, that is a philosophical assumption that dictates your worldview and will bias your interpretation of any evidence you examine.
This is completely unavoidable and your worldview will dictate how you view everything around you. It is incredibly powerful and many people aren’t even aware that they have one, but we all do.
I had this problem myself, where I was completely entrenched in an evolutionary mindset built upon billions of years. If the earth was billions of years old, how could creation be true?
I was very blinkered, and it was only when I was willing to follow the evidence with an open mind, that I was able to see the evidence in a completely different light. This is the power of worldview; it will give you serious tunnel vision if you let it.
Science is the pursuit of knowledge. Science itself doesn’t say anything. It is the interpretation of scientists that we all read about and see on television, and if they have a worldview based upon certain presuppositions, their results will always be biased towards a result that supports that worldview.
The scientific evidence that supposedly confirms evolution actually makes much more sense if interpreted through a biblical creation lens, and my challenge to those sceptics reading this is to pursue the evidence wherever it leads you. Stop presupposing that it will lead you to a certain natural cause and you may just be surprised where the trail ends up.
