Young Earth Creation. Does it matter what you believe?

[Tintin]

Well, actually it is, since Adam lived to be something like 950 years old. Days are still days. Pregnancy still takes roughly nine months. They had a LOT of kids. lol

The only reason I'm not so sure about how old the earth is is because the NT account of Jesus' genealogy skipped some generations, so why can't the same thing be said of Adam's?

Adam's account is a chrono-genealogy. Jesus' is a genealogy. But you're right about them not being in the garden of Eden for long. 100,000 years is ridiculous, considering God told them to be fruitful and to multiply. So, at most, they were in the garden for several weeks. As for their ages. Adam and Eve's years began when God created them man and woman. Adam lived to ripe-old age of 930, not 930 + 100,000 years or whatever.

 

[RachelBibleStudent]

what do you think of the notion that YEC as a popular dogmatic belief came directly from Ellen G. White?

here's about 6 pages of reading explaining the connection:

Adventist Origins of Young Earth Creationism


​

not that the idea completely originated with her, because both literal and allegorical interpretations of the Genesis "days" can be found in church writings going all the way back to 1st century AD. but as a dogma that should separate believers from "imposters" -- that's a relatively new thing that can be traced to Adventism and in particular to Mme White's visions.

i know of very few credible young earth creationists who believe that young earth creationism is a 'dogma that should separate believers from imposters'...

maybe that particular 'straw man' can be traced to ellen white...but practically nobody actually teaches it...

 

[Joshua_Generation]

But no one knows how long the six yoms were in Genesis. They were God's 'days' not men's. When they began the length of a yom had not been determined. Thus we can believe that God took as long as He liked. It was after all His decision.

what's a few billion years to God

The point about the creation story was why He created. Not when and how long,

The YOM had been determined and is stated so in Exodus 20.11

[SUP]11 [/SUP]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.

 

[Joshua_Generation]

Personally I see that as making clear that GOD IS NOT TALKING ABOUT 24 HOUR DAYS. The morning begins the day, the evening ends it. It would be a strange way of indicating a 24 hour day. Indeed I doubt if a 24 hour day is spoken of in Scripture. In Scripture a day is a period of light AS GEN 1 DOGMATICALLY STATES

it is a period of light which has an evening and a morning. Not a 24 hour day. Nowhere else in Scripture does an evening and a morning make a day.

If it had meant 24 hour days it would have said 'a night and a day'.

The first day certainly did not open with an evening. That is for sure. It began with darkest night and there had never been an evening. So the phrase is clearly not to be taken literally.

Furthermore the day as we know it was not established until the fourth yom. That is specifically stated.

So to suggest that the six yoms (periods of time) days are 24 hour days goes against what Genesis 1 teaches, and is simply an unfounded opinion based on being very slack with the Hebrew and unwarranted dogmatism. It is wishful thinking.

Sorry Gen 1.14 states he put lesser lights in the sky so men would know the signs, seasons, days and years.

[SUP]14 [/SUP]Then God said, “Let there be [SUP][s][/SUP]lights in the [SUP][t][/SUP]expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;

 

[RachelBibleStudent]

People miss the obvious. Instead of arguing over the length of a day, which has not changed since God created everything, it should be how long were Adam and Eve in Eden for? Did they age in Eden? had they not been kicked out, could they have spent eternity in Eden? It is not that difficult to say they spent 100,000 years in Eden.

actually this particular 'gap theory lite' attempt at fitting long ages into the bible is easily refuted...

genesis 5:3..."When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth."

that means 130 years from the creation of adam to the birth of seth...there is no room for long ages in there...

 

[Joshua_Generation]

But He nowhere says how long those periods of light and darkness were. the light was God's light controlled by Him, and there is no reason at all why it should have been measured in earthy hours.

Here is one for you to chew on, When he created light and darkness, was it at that time he created Jesus and Lucifer?

 

[RachelBibleStudent]

do you mind if put my views too, so anyone who also believes like i do doesn't feel like they're "not a Christian" on account of accepting some of the evidence of their own eyes?

well actually what you insinuate here is nearly as bad as what you are claiming young earth creationists do...

namely you insinuate here that people who don't believe as you do are not 'accepting the evidence of their own eyes'...you are basically asserting that anyone who doesn't believe in an old earth is a science denialist...

 

[Tankman131]

DC, I am not directing this towards you, just so you know. It would seem you have a strong opinion on everything, but not this?

What you do believe about creation does affect your eternal salvation in Christ.

I believe many Christians who support the GAP Theory and Theistic Evolution are taking the broad road and if they believe these things are not really saved.

The modern day false prophets wear lab coats.

Thank you for proving my point.

Absolutely. Part of why i eventually started leaning OEC was because of how i saw every debate between OEC and YEC going.
OEC would say "i believe... And this goes along with science this way... But in the end it doesn't really matter because i can ask God in heaven."
YEC would say "i know... Science is full of crap... It matters to your salvation and you arent a christian if you arent YEC."

that attitude pushed me towards OEC, because it has an arrogance and anger in it as well as an anti-evangelical bent to it. The belief of an old Earth or young Earth does not affect someone's salvation in the least bit, especially since the arguments are understandable on both sides both biblically (and leaning more towards OEC) scientifically. In the end most YECs ive spoken to make it into a wall that unbelievers have to unnecessarily cross in order to believe in God.

 

[Joshua_Generation]

i know of very few credible young earth creationists who believe that young earth creationism is a 'dogma that should separate believers from imposters'...

maybe that particular 'straw man' can be traced to ellen white...but practically nobody actually teaches it...

Rachel,
What is your opinion on Ken Ham?

 

[Sirk]

Here is one for you to chew on, When he created light and darkness, was it at that time he created Jesus and Lucifer?

This sort of contradicts "in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.

 

[Joshua_Generation]

Thank you for proving my point.

There is more than enough evidence to show a young earth, and I hope we can discuss without your usual display of youthful disrespect.

 

[Joshua_Generation]

This sort of contradicts "in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.

Totally agree Sirk, I Did not say I believed it, just throwing out stuff.

 

[RachelBibleStudent]

Yes.

It matters.

Anything that keeps seekers from investigating the truth claims of Christianity definitely matters to Salvation.

i agree...which is why i think it is a problem when old earth creationists promote theories that include so many both blatant and hidden but nearly always ignored inconsistencies with scripture and science and even internal contradictions that they are at serious risk of being accused of egregious intellectual dishonesty...

it is like the sales pitch for old earth creationism seems to be...'if you think a 6,000 year old earth is just too out there...but you are willing to buy into theories that flagrantly don't make sense...then old earth creationism is for you!'

 

[GodIsSalvation]

Here is one for you to chew on, When he created light and darkness, was it at that time he created Jesus and Lucifer?

In the beginning the Word was with God and through him everything was made.

In Genesis: And God said.... and it was so.

 

[RachelBibleStudent]

Here is one for you to chew on, When he created light and darkness, was it at that time he created Jesus and Lucifer?

jesus was not created...

but i do believe that the first day is the most likely day for God to have created the angels...

 

[Joshua_Generation]

In the beginning the Word was with God and through him everything was made.

In Genesis: And God said.... and it was so.

I Totally agree, there is a reason I asked this of the poster.

 

[RachelBibleStudent]

Rachel,
What is your opinion on Ken Ham?

he is not my -favorite- young earth creation apologist...i think he views his 'presuppositionalist' approach as being a lot stronger than it really is...

but i do like him and his ministry...

 

[Joshua_Generation]

jesus was not created...

but i do believe that the first day is the most likely day for God to have created the angels...

Again I totally agree folks, I am not saying God created Jesus, there is a reason why this was asked.

 

[Joshua_Generation]

he is not my -favorite- young earth creation apologist...but i like him...

Who do you follow? I like Ken Ham as well.

 

[Tintin]

he is not my -favorite- young earth creation apologist...i think he views his 'presuppositionalist' approach as being a lot stronger than it really is...

but i do like him and his ministry...

Same here. My favourite ministry is Creation Ministries International.