Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique

[church mouse guy]

I have a hard time believing that there was absolutely no death before the fall. I'm sure Adam accidentally stepped on an insect a time or two. Or an animal slipped next to a cliff. Or an insect got trapped in the sap of a tree.

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"It is not clear from Scripture whether insects receive the designation nephesh that people and most animals receive in Genesis. The Hebrew word nephesh basically means “breathing creature,” but Leviticus 17:11 states that “the life [nephesh] is in the blood,” so it is possible that nephesh life must have blood. Scripture never uses “blood” in reference to invertebrates and, in an everyday sense, in-vertebrates don’t actually have blood. It might be implied from this that insects may have died before the Fall. However, this is unlikely as God only gave “every green herb for food” to all animals, including “everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life” (Gene-sis 1:29–30). So it would appear that nothing ate insects in the pre-Fall world."

Did Adam Step on an Ant Before the Fall?

God said that creation was good and it would not be good if there were pitfalls.

 

[Sapper Woody]

To clarify, I do not advocate theistic evolution. I believe in a literal six day creation. And I believe that there was no human death before the fall.

But I believe that animal death was normal. I believe that plant death was also normal. At the very least, we know that constantly walking the same path will kill grass. And it doesn't take long.

So, whether plant or animals, I believe death existed pre-fall. Just not human death.

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[HankD]

To clarify, I do not advocate theistic evolution. I believe in a literal six day creation. And I believe that there was no human death before the fall.

But I believe that animal death was normal. I believe that plant death was also normal. At the very least, we know that constantly walking the same path will kill grass. And it doesn't take long.

So, whether plant or animals, I believe death existed pre-fall. Just not human death.

A definite possibility.

Perhaps this is why Elohim did not have to explain to Adam what death was all about when he warned him of the consequence of eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam saw it all around him in the animal kingdom.

HankD

 

[church mouse guy]

There was no death before Adam's sin. We are talking about both people and animals, having already dismissed plants as not living.

It is wrong to charge that the Triune God allowed death before Adam's sin. Death is a terrible thing and was never part of God's plan for the Garden of Eden. Although Adam was in the Garden of Eden, the conditions were the same as in Heaven until Adam sinned and was driven out into the world which we his children now live in. Scripture teaches that death is the last enemy. 1 Corinthians 15:26 (KJV) The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death.

Death entered the world at this point: Genesis 3:19 (KJV) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.

Romans 5:12 (KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 5:14 (KJV) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.