Divine Design: Examining if the Creator Utilized Evolution in Christian Theology

Did the Creator Use Evolution?

There are three main views regarding how human life began: special creation by Almighty God, atheistic evolution from non-living elements, and theistic evolution—a combination of creation and evolution. In this article, we will explore the theistic evolution view and identify some of the challenges it presents.

1. The Challenge of Biblical Interpretation

Theistic evolutionists who accept the scriptural account of man's creation often have to interpret it in a way that stretches its original meaning. For example, they might suggest that man's creation from dust actually took millions of years through a series of transforming life-forms. However, this interpretation raises questions about why God would not have simply stated it as such in the Bible.

The Bible teaches that death entered the world through one man, Adam. This presents a challenge for theistic evolution because many creatures would have already died in the evolutionary process. The death that came through Adam was both physical and spiritual separation from God. If Adam was part ape-like creature, he would have been destined to die anyway, making God's warning to Adam about eating from the tree of knowledge seem unnecessary.

2. The Problem of Relationships and Identity

If Adam was descended from ape-like creatures but also a creation of God, what about Eve? If Adam had ape-like relatives, why couldn't he have married one of them? The Bible states that when God brought all the animals before Adam, there was no suitable mate found among them. But did this include his relatives?

Additionally, if Adam was transformed into a new kind of creature, what happened to his memories and identity as an ape-like being? Did God erase his past from his mind? And why did Cain, Adam and Eve's son, find a wife outside of their immediate family if there were other apemen around?

3. The Challenge of Human Origins

The theistic evolution view raises questions about the origins of humanity. If only one family became the proto-man type, what happened to other similar creatures? Surely there would have been others well up in the evolutionary tree who were close enough to be considered potential mates for Adam. Yet, if Adam was a new creation, different from his ape-like relatives, why couldn't God have started from scratch instead of modifying an existing creature?

The Bible clearly states that Eve was made from Adam's side. If theistic evolution is true, why did God have to create Eve separately? And if Adam and Eve were a special creation on the sixth day of Creation Week, why is there no trace of their ancestry revealed in historical records?

4. Theological Implications

Theistic evolution also raises theological implications. If God used evolution to create man, it implies that death and suffering existed long before Adam's sin. Yet, Scripture teaches that death came through Adam's disobedience. If Adam was not the first human but simply part of an evolving line, then thousands of evolving men must have already died, and death did not come through Adam.

Furthermore, if the first Adam was a real person as the second Adam (Christ) was, then at some point, God must have declared him to be a new creation. This raises questions about the timing and nature of this transformation.

Why This Matters:

Understanding the different perspectives on how human life began is essential for Christians. It influences our understanding of Scripture, theology, and the nature of humanity itself. Theistic evolution presents challenges in interpreting the Bible's account of creation and raises questions about relationships, identity, human origins, and theological implications.

Think About It:

As believers in God's Word, we must carefully consider the implications of various views on human origins. By examining these challenges, we can better understand and defend our faith in a biblical account of creation. Ultimately, it is our faith in God, the One who does not lie, that should guide our understanding of how He created humanity.