The opening chapters of Genesis provide us, in summary form, the story of the beginning of all things: our universe, our earth, animal and human life, sin, vocation, language and national identity.
I do believe in evolution. I do believe that things change over time. What I do not believe is that evolution is the explanation for the origin our world. Evolution, as a theory of origins, teaches that matter simply sprang, randomly, accidently and on its own, into being from nothing. It teaches that life came, on its own, randomly and accidently into being from that which never had life. It teaches that consciousness came into being, randomly and accidently, from that which never had consciousness. These teachings are philosophically untenable, scientifically unprovable, and morally and ethically bankrupt.
The Bible’s presentation is that we, and all we know, came into being by the purposeful plan of God.
Does it make a difference which we believe?
It does, for at least two reasons: If God really exists and really brought the world into being as He says, to attribute it to an “accident” is to rob God of the honor due Him. But second, if you and I are but accidental evolution from rock and dirt, then we are, at heart, just rock and dirt – and we will never be anything more. Furthermore, our behavior can be neither “right” or “wrong,” and no matter how much we might aspire to be better than we are, the whole notion of being “better” is but an illusion and hope itself dies.
But if mankind was “created,” and created in the image of a intelligent and purposeful God, we all have intrinsic worth beyond that of rocks and dirt, and how we behave and treat one another can be guided by and measured against the supreme one who made us to be like Him.