The Danger of BioLogos
Blurring the Line Between Creation and Evolution
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Biblical Creation Vs. Evolution—Does It Really Matter?
Since it was founded in 2007, BioLogos has risen to international prominence as the leading advocate of theistic (“God-directed”) evolution. Its primary goal is to convince evangelical Christians to embrace evolution and an old earth, claiming that they have no impact on the gospel and can be harmonized with “the belief that the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God.” How do their claims hold up under scrutiny?
Theistic Evolution Undermines the Bible’s Authority
If God’s Word is “authoritative,” as BioLogos claims, it should be the foundation for understanding all truth. Jesus said to His heavenly Father, “Your Word is truth” (John 17:17), and He told His disciples that this truth would set them free (John 8:30–31). While the Bible never claims to be a scientific text, everything it says about living things and earth history is true.
The Bible is clear about our origins. Genesis 1–3 were written in a historical narrative style, like the rest of Genesis, depicting historical people and events. Moses later confirms that Genesis was a literal, historical account of God’s creation “in six days” (Exodus 20:11). Jesus Christ confirms that God made Adam and Eve “at the beginning of creation” (Mark 10:6). These passages exclude any possibility of evolution and an “old earth.”
Since evolution over millions of years contradicts the Bible’s history, BioLogos resolves this conflict by arguing that the early chapters of Genesis “are not meant to be interpreted as a step-by-step account of when or how God created the world.” The only way to reach this conclusion, however, is to ignore the basic rules of Bible interpretation (hermeneutics) and to reject the Bible’s supreme authority—inspired by the all-knowing God whose Word trumps humanity’s ever-changing ideas.
BioLogos gives priority to the claims of secular scientists. Their website says, “Overwhelming scientific evidence points to an old earth,” and “The data are clear that humans have been created through an evolutionary process and there was never a time when there was a single first couple.” But no evidence speaks for itself; all must be interpreted. By relying on fallible dating methods, which depend on unproven assumptions, rather than Scripture itself, BioLogos is guilty of exalting man’s fallible ideas above God’s Word.
Theistic Evolution Degrades the Gospel
In their effort to reconcile evolution with the Bible, proponents of theistic evolution also wipe away the cosmic impact of the Curse and of Christ’s full redemptive work. Romans 8:22 makes it clear that the whole creation groans as a result of Adam’s sin. Acts 3:21 and Colossians 1:15–20 teach that when Christ, the Creator of all things, comes again He will restore all things. At that time, the Curse of Genesis 3 will be removed, and a glorious new heavens and earth will exist (Revelation 22:3).
The denial of a “first couple” similarly attacks the gospel. “Jesus and the apostle Paul clearly consider Adam and Eve to be historical,” explains theologian Cal Beisner. “Paul makes our whole understanding of the relationship between the redeemed and Christ contingent on Adam’s being a historical individual just as Christ is (Romans 5:12–19; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 15:46–49). Take away Adam as a historical person, and the whole understanding of the federal (covenantal) relationship between Christ and believers collapses—and with it the gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone because of the federal (covenantal) imputation of His righteousness to believers.”
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v6/n4/blurring-the-line
Blurring the Line Between Creation and Evolution
...
Biblical Creation Vs. Evolution—Does It Really Matter?
Since it was founded in 2007, BioLogos has risen to international prominence as the leading advocate of theistic (“God-directed”) evolution. Its primary goal is to convince evangelical Christians to embrace evolution and an old earth, claiming that they have no impact on the gospel and can be harmonized with “the belief that the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God.” How do their claims hold up under scrutiny?
Theistic Evolution Undermines the Bible’s Authority
If God’s Word is “authoritative,” as BioLogos claims, it should be the foundation for understanding all truth. Jesus said to His heavenly Father, “Your Word is truth” (John 17:17), and He told His disciples that this truth would set them free (John 8:30–31). While the Bible never claims to be a scientific text, everything it says about living things and earth history is true.
The Bible is clear about our origins. Genesis 1–3 were written in a historical narrative style, like the rest of Genesis, depicting historical people and events. Moses later confirms that Genesis was a literal, historical account of God’s creation “in six days” (Exodus 20:11). Jesus Christ confirms that God made Adam and Eve “at the beginning of creation” (Mark 10:6). These passages exclude any possibility of evolution and an “old earth.”
Since evolution over millions of years contradicts the Bible’s history, BioLogos resolves this conflict by arguing that the early chapters of Genesis “are not meant to be interpreted as a step-by-step account of when or how God created the world.” The only way to reach this conclusion, however, is to ignore the basic rules of Bible interpretation (hermeneutics) and to reject the Bible’s supreme authority—inspired by the all-knowing God whose Word trumps humanity’s ever-changing ideas.
BioLogos gives priority to the claims of secular scientists. Their website says, “Overwhelming scientific evidence points to an old earth,” and “The data are clear that humans have been created through an evolutionary process and there was never a time when there was a single first couple.” But no evidence speaks for itself; all must be interpreted. By relying on fallible dating methods, which depend on unproven assumptions, rather than Scripture itself, BioLogos is guilty of exalting man’s fallible ideas above God’s Word.
Theistic Evolution Degrades the Gospel
In their effort to reconcile evolution with the Bible, proponents of theistic evolution also wipe away the cosmic impact of the Curse and of Christ’s full redemptive work. Romans 8:22 makes it clear that the whole creation groans as a result of Adam’s sin. Acts 3:21 and Colossians 1:15–20 teach that when Christ, the Creator of all things, comes again He will restore all things. At that time, the Curse of Genesis 3 will be removed, and a glorious new heavens and earth will exist (Revelation 22:3).
The denial of a “first couple” similarly attacks the gospel. “Jesus and the apostle Paul clearly consider Adam and Eve to be historical,” explains theologian Cal Beisner. “Paul makes our whole understanding of the relationship between the redeemed and Christ contingent on Adam’s being a historical individual just as Christ is (Romans 5:12–19; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 15:46–49). Take away Adam as a historical person, and the whole understanding of the federal (covenantal) relationship between Christ and believers collapses—and with it the gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone because of the federal (covenantal) imputation of His righteousness to believers.”
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v6/n4/blurring-the-line
