Did God Use Evolution? What is Theistic Evolution?

Did God use evolution to create life on earth? Did it take millions or billions of years for God to create life, humanity and the universe? Is the belief that God made the world in 6 literal days unscientific?

Theistic evolution is the belief that God or a god(s) exists, but that it did not take 6 literal days for life and the universe to be created. Theistic evolutionists believe that God (or gods) used evolution to create all of life and that the entire process of creation was done over millions or billions of years.

Problems with Theistic Evolution

Theistic evolution presents many problems and contradictions when compared with the Biblical account of creation in the following ways:

1. Evolution is a theory and not fact.
There is no scientific observable evidence that evolution is true or that it is currently happening. So it still remains a scientific theory or hypothesis at best. As evidence that evolution is mere theory and hypothesis, scientists (many who are atheists) cannot provide evidence related to the origin of life and many perceived evolutionary processes. For example newscientist.com states that their “best guess” for the beginning of life on Earth is 3.8 billion years ago and that “it is distinctly possible that this date will change as more evidence comes to light.”
Evolution and its perceived processes is therefore still a theory based on the hypothesis of flawed men and not a fact that is based on observable evidence.

2. Evolution assumes that humans were once a different species.
Evolutionists presume that humans and animals originally came from a single common ancestor that gradually evolved over millions of years to produce various kinds of species.
Evolutionists hypothesize that within the timeline beginning 3.8 billion years ago, humans together with the animals evolved or mutated from one kind of animal species into another kind until he became the homo sapien that he is today. For example there are evolutionary theories that believe that mankind and other mammals originally descended from fish.
However the Bible gives a totally different account of creation (Genesis 1:1-31). The scriptures reveal that man, animals, the fish and even plants were created by God and they were created separately and independently from one another and on different days.
The Bible does not reflect that an animal can change from one kind of species into another type of species. The Bible repeatedly reveals that the plants and animals were created “according to their kinds” or according to their species (Genesis 1:11,12,21,24,25). This also means that both man and animals did not come from a single common ancestor.
So the Scriptures reveal that the plants, the fish, the birds and animals were separately created by God before the creation of human beings, thereby opposing theistic evolution or Darwinism in general.
Furthermore, the theory that human beings were a different kind of species exposes theistic evolution as a concept which denies that man was originally created in God’s image instead of being a mammal that mutated or evolved (Genesis 1:26-27).

3. Theistic evolution denies the literal 6 day creation account as revealed in the Bible.
In Genesis 1:1-31, the word “day” is translated in Hebrew as {yom} which in context refers to sunrise to sunset. Therefore {yom} is a literal 24 hour day and does not refer to a million / billion year timeline.
Furthermore, repeatedly during the 6 day account of creation, the Bible emphasizes the phrase “there was evening, and then there was morning…” to reflect sunset and sunrise (Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31).
Theistic evolution denies the practical evidence that everyday we experience a 24 hour timeline from sunrise to sunset, and each week consists of 7 days which is a testimony to the Bible’s Genesis account of the creation week right from the beginning.
So theistic evolution introduces the concept that the Bible is not authoritative and inerrant. Instead an atheistic account of science and creation takes a predominant view instead of the Biblical 6 day account of creation.

4. Theistic evolution denies an all-powerful and miracle-working God.
The belief in theistic evolution requires belief in a God or god(s) who has limited power and abilities. It gives an inconsistent perception of God’s true nature, character and power. Theistic evolution denies the belief that with God, nothing is impossible (Matthew 19:26, Luke 1:37).
For example, with theistic evolution, God cannot create the universe in 6 days – but yet He can raise a dead person back to life; God cannot create the universe in 6 days – but yet He can wither a fig tree in 24 hours; God cannot create the universe in 6 days – but yet He can heal people of every disease and sickness; God cannot create the universe in 6 days – but yet He can multiply loaves and fish within seconds to feed a crowd; God cannot create the universe in 6 days – but yet He can control the weather.
Therefore theistic evolution limits what God can and cannot do because it attempts to merge atheistic scientific beliefs with the scriptures. The result becomes a compromised and tainted belief concerning the supernatural traits and characteristics of God.

5. Theistic evolution ignores or distorts God’s original purpose for creation and the problem of sin, death and suffering.
Death, sin and suffering exist because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-19, Romans 5:12).
Death, sickness, disease and a life that includes the concept of “survival of the fittest” was never God’s original intent for creating life. Within the 6 day creation account, the Bible reveals that everything God made was originally good and perfect. However everything on Earth went wrong when Adam sinned.
If theistic evolution is true, then we should discard the Biblical origins of death, sin, disease and suffering.
However theistic evolution or billions-of-years creation timeline cannot truthfully or accurately reconcile the Biblical events in the garden of Eden whilst holding onto Darwinism or the theory of evolution.

Conclusion

So did God use evolution? The Scriptures disagree. God’s word does not support the theory of evolution or the concept that it took billions of years for God to create life or the universe.