Considering the Consequences
By Glendol McClure

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. For every false doctrine, there are consequences that must be faced by those who espouse the false doctrine. Such consequences include being marked and avoided as a false teacher(s). This includes even our own brethren who teach false doctrine. Sadly, there is destruction and division of the Lord's body and eternal doom in hell for all false teachers and their disciples.

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, the apostle Paul declared the consequences the Corinthians would face if they believed those who were teaching the false doctrine that there would be no resurrection. Paul concluded, "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." (1 Corinthians 15:17-20)

Just as the Corinthians faced false doctrine and its consequences, we are faced on every side with false teaching and its consequences. Of particular concern recently is the false teaching by some brethren who say that the "days" of Genesis 1 are not literal, consecutive, 24-hour solar days.

Brother Maurice Barnett wrote in a recent article regarding this error, "The present errors on creation are but a symptom of the disease that abounds. We are plagued with an unscriptural unity-in-diversity doctrine, a repudiation of how we understand the Bible, accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, love everyone, overlook error, and peace at any price. The 'new hermeneutic' has a real foothold among brethren, and change agents have been at work for a long time. The more liberal preachers of the new hermeneutic have attacked Bible authority through the person of Christ; preach the man and not the plan! Now we are seeing an attack through science: we must interpret the Bible record through the speculations of physical nature. Time will make this even more apparent." Response to "The 29th Question and Beyond...," Watchman Magazine (www.watchmanmag.com) September 2000.

Brother Dave Miller, in his book, Piloting the Strait, also bemoans the danger of the "change agents" and their detriment to the Lord's church. In Chapter 4, he discusses:

He correctly concludes, "If a Christian accepts this ancient-earth theory, then he must also reject the days of Genesis 1 as being literal, 24-hour days." (Piloting The Strait, pp. 33, 34)

Some contend there is no danger in believing this error. Others have said that we should not draw lines of fellowship and divide over this issue. Many argue that we should be willing to tolerate differing views and should not be dogmatic about our beliefs regarding this controversy. But, what are some possible consequences of rejecting the Genesis account of the creation?

  1. To reject the Genesis creation account is to reject the Creator, as well as other divine Scripture. Since Christ created the world, then it logically follows that ultimately, this is a rejection of Christ (John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:16,17). If we argue that the days of Genesis 1 are not literal, consecutive, 24-hour days, as in our seven-day week, how can we be certain that "evening" means "evening," that "morning" means "morning," that "created" means "created," that "light" means "light," that "night" means "night," and "waters" means "waters," if "day" does not mean "day"? If we follow this "reasoning," every word of Scripture could be questioned, generating doubt in men's hearts.

    This is a "wile" the devil himself used when he said to Eve, "ye shall not surely die," (Genesis 3:4), AFTER God said, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2: 17) Consequently, Eve doubted the meaning of the word "shalt" in this case.

  2. To reject the Genesis creation account is to reject David as being inspired of God. In Psalms 33:6-9, David declared God to be the Creator Who spoke the world into existence. He wrote, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." Compare David's declaration with the Genesis account where repeatedly the text says, "And God said,..." (cf. Genesis 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26,29). Concerning God the Creator, David also wrote in verse 9, "For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast."

    Further, the apostle Peter claimed David was inspired when he said, "Men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus." (Acts 1:16)

    Peter, in his sermon on Pentecost, spoke of David's prophecy concerning Christ. This prophecy will also have to be called into question and rejected (Acts 2:25-31).

    Christ Himself claimed that David was inspired when He said, "For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." (Mark 12:36)

    Therefore, rejection of David's writings demands that the words of Peter and Christ, who testified of David's inspiration, be rejected as well. If the Genesis account is wrong, then David was wrong; and Peter and Christ were both wrong for claiming that David was inspired. To put it bluntly, the consequences would be that Peter and Christ spoke lies when they claimed David was inspired, if he was not. Are you ready to accept that?

  3. Other Old Testament prophets spoke of miraculous creation by God. Isaiah wrote, "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded." (Isaiah 45:12)

    Even Malachi testified of the special creation in Malachi 2:10 where he wrote, "Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" Thus, the testimony of Isaiah and Malachi must be called into question and rejected.

  4. The writings of inspired New Testament apostles must be questioned. Paul taught the special creation in Athens (Acts 17:24-29). John taught the special creation when he wrote, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." (Revelation 4:11)

  5. Rejecting the Genesis creation account requires rejection of the account of God's creation of Adam and Eve. Creation evolutionists claim that God started the process, but evolution took care of the rest. If this were true, how could Adam and Eve be actual people who were created "in the image of God" and formed by God "of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7, 18-24)?

    Also, we must reject Luke's account, for Luke traced the genealogy of Christ back to Adam (Luke 1:23-38).

    We must reject Jude's words, for Jude referred to Adam in Jude 14.

    We must reject Paul's writings, since Paul referred to Adam (1 Timothy 2:13,14; Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22,45).

    And, since Peter endorsed Paul's writings, we now have a second rejection of Peter's testimony (2 Peter 3:15,16).

  6. To reject the creation account calls for rejection of Christ's testimony. In Matthew 19:4, Jesus quoted from Genesis 2 and referred to it as the "beginning." Jesus said, "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female." If the "days" of Genesis 1 were ages, or vast eons of time, then "beginning" does not mean "beginning" here as Jesus claimed, since man was created on the sixth day (Genesis 1:26-31). Jesus' teaching denied that man evolved, as the evolutionary theory asserts. But, if evolution is true, then Jesus' claim is utterly false, and if so, how can we say He is omniscient if He was wrong on this matter? This then makes Jesus a false teacher and a liar. Are you ready to accept that? You must if you reject the Genesis account of the special creation!

Conclusion: To reject the Genesis account of creation is to reject the entire Bible. If we reject the first chapter of the Bible, a chain reaction of rejection must and will follow. To reject the Genesis account, one must reject all the inspired Bible writers we've mentioned. There is no escaping these logical consequences, with the ultimate consequence being "shipwrecked faith" and lost souls. We must believe without question, or reject the words of inspired Scripture, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth...Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day, God ended his work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made." (Genesis 1:1-2:2)

During the past few years, I've read many articles concerning the controversy over the "days of creation." A few years ago, I attended a lecture where a respected brother explained, "there is room for differences on this subject." I believe it is a grave mistake to seek "common ground" with those who deny the Bible creation account. People who accept the Biblical creation account have absolutely nothing in common with those who accept the scientific approach to creation. On one hand, those who hold to the evolution explanation believe creation occurred "naturally." Bible believers accept God's teaching that everything was "intelligently designed" by an Almighty Creator.

When there's controversy, I prefer to look for the easiest way to show the differences. How can a Christian believe or accept any understanding that denies the plain teaching of God's word as shown in this article? Why don't we just believe and accept that God spoke this world into existence in six days and stop attempting to explain what we, because of our limited knowledge, cannot understand. Does anyone believe that God needed six days for the creation? He could have done it in six seconds!(KMG)


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