The Paradox of the Term

The term Theistic Evolution is in fact a paradox in itself, because the two words do not support each other. They are rather incongruent in meaning. Alexander Hardie, a churchman who lived in the 1930s wrote, “Theistic Evolution is a contradiction of term. ...if it is Theistic, it is not Evolution; if it is Evolution, it is not Theistic. Why is that so? Can they be joined together to become a new ‘theological term’? or perhaps give more insight about how God created the world?  The answer is God forbid! Because Evolution in itself is based on the presupposition of a purposeless \'accident’ with regard to the origin of life, whereas Creation means a purposeful and a special act of God who acted as the designer and the creator of this world.” Moreover, Theistic Evolutionists say that God ‘once used’ Evolution and now does not, is another contradiction. The reason is that we know from the Bible that God ceased the work of Creation on the seventh day, but both an atheistic and a theistic Evolutionist do not think so. Higley L Allen said, “(theistic Evolutionists)… saying that Evolution is not occurring today is to destroy Evolutionary Theory as you have no basis for saying it ever happened in the past.”

In fact, this term has given rise to much contention between Evolutionists and Creationists, because the two words just cannot be placed together. Putting the two words together is like saying a \'square-circle\', it is simply an \'oxymoron\'.  In fact, many \'devoted\' Evolutionists find this term uncomfortable, \'unscholarly\' and \'unscientific\', whereas, many compromised Christians are zealous advocates of both the term and its view. A well-known Creationist, Henry Morris, said, “There are various forms of theistic Evolution, and different terms that have been used. These include “ortho-genesis,” “nomo-genesis,” “emergent Evolution,” and others. None of these concepts are accepted among modern leaders of Evolutionary thought.” Why is that so? Because it is not even an acceptable theory, neither a term which will be tolerated by the ‘true’ Evolutionists scientists and professors. The true Evolutionist will not accept this, neither a true Creationist. Allen said, “Theistic Evolution is thus made the foundation upon which opposition to organic Evolution is based. This only adds confusion to confusion”.

The Theology of Theistic Evolution

Theistic Evolutionists generally believe that both Evolution and Creationism contain some elements of truth, but the truth is somewhere in the middle for they believe that Evolution and Creationism can co-exist. However, those who defend theistic Evolution often come to believe more in Evolution and less in Creationism as time passes. The \'theology\' of theistic Evolution can be quite complex and difficult to define due to different adherents to suit the particular situation. For example, some would suggest that God created the initial building blocks of matters, then later allowed the Evolutionary process to take over, including the spontaneous generation of life. Others would suggest that God created not only the initial blocks of matters, but also life itself and then placed them into operation with natural laws and Evolution operated over time. Some others would argue that God not only created the building blocks, but also actually intervened from time to time although Evolution was the mode of operation. Generally, the advocates of the last view prefer to be called progressive Creationists. However, theistic Evolution (which comprises all theories and beliefs by combining God and Evolution) and progressive Evolution are basically the same thing.

The theistic Evolutionists who argue that God only created initial blocks of matters and left them for the Evolutionary process to take over (as mentioned above), are suggesting that God has not ended His creative works but is still creating. This view is however absurd and contradictory to the extreme. For the Scriptures in Genesis 2:2-3 say, "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day…And he blessed the seventh day…because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Other passages in the Bible (Exodus 20:11, 31:17; Hebrews 4:4) also clearly state that God rested on the seventh day and all His creative work had therefore been completed and nothing more has ever been created since the end of the seventh day. If theistic Evolutionists were right, it would mean God is still creating \'now\' and that makes God a liar and Evolution true. That is of course another foolish assumption. “Let God be true and every man a liar.” (Romans 3:4a)

The belief that God handed His created "primitive" lives to the natural laws which eventually brought about Evolution is also not a valid option. Willard Young, an advocate of this view suggests, "…God did not create the world (in its present form) supernaturally. Rather, he used natural processes as His \'method of Creation.\' And guided Evolution to the final realization of man. In this view, Adam\'s body was produced as a result of the process of Evolution, and God then completed His \'Creationism\' of man by giving him an eternal soul…"  Young is suggesting that God used natural processes and the laws of nature to cause Evolution to be in operation, and it is Evolution which eventually brought all the creatures including man into existence. Robert Camp, another Theistic Evolutionist wrote, "Believers in God generally take the position that God made the universe, including the laws of nature, so that the universe moves along in response to these laws…When a natural effect occurs for which there was not a totally adequate natural cause, then supernatural intervention has occurred. Theistic Evolution postulates that such intervention accounts for some action in Evolution." Both creationists and theistic evolutionists have no problem accepting that God has created the laws of nature. However, saying that God must have allowed Evolution to happen based on the observation of existing laws of nature is a senseless conclusion. For, surely the natural laws can be observed, but the Evolutionary process cannot and will never be observed, because it simply has never happened.

In fact, when observing all the natural laws in the world, they (theistic Evolutionists) should all the more be convinced that there is a sovereign and almighty Creator. For the Scriptures in Romans 1:20 say, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Therefore, the above conclusion made by the theistic Evolutionists are totally unbiblical. They are deceiving others by making a mockery of themselves in abandoning the authority of the Bible and in their illogical reasoning. Thus, the \'theological\' conclusion made by the above two groups of theistic Evolutionists are unbiblical and illogical.

Conclusion

The Scriptures clearly say that God created heaven and earth and all that is in them in six literal days with morning and evening cycles. However, theistic Evolutionists are attempting to twist and modify the interpretation of Genesis so as to support their presuppositional and subjective view about the origin. This cannot be tolerated for they are going against the truths that are considered to be the foundation of all other doctrines in the Bible. Every Christian has to take a stand in defending what he believes in based on the Scriptures. It is the duty of Christians (2 Pet. 3:15) to re-examine the falsehood in theistic Evolution for it attacks not only the doctrine of Creation, but it also perverts God\'s plan for salvation, and the nature of God. May each and every Christian be alert and learn how to discern the truth from falsehood in the last days, especially in doctrines such as theistic Evolution. May the Lord bless those who are faithful to Him in defending his own faith by preparing his heart to give an answer based on the truths found in the Bible!


Pastor David Weng

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