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Hey Church Family,
Have you ever wondered why we as Christians spend time discussing the earth's age—with everything else that's happening around us every day? Well, the answer boils down to a crucial truth: how old you believe the earth is directly influences how you view life's origin.
Simply put, evolutionary theory collapses unless the earth is billions of years old. But when we examine the evidence closely and honestly, the secular model doesn't hold up nearly as well as the biblical account does.
Let's briefly walk through the reasons why.
Secular scientists tell us the earth is about 4.5 billion years old, using radiometric dating and fossil records as their main arguments. But there's a significant problem here: their dating methods rely heavily on assumptions. For example, carbon dating measures decay rates that scientists assume have always stayed constant.
But these conditions aren't guaranteed to remain stable over history. A major interruption—such as the global flood we read about in Genesis—would dramatically alter atmospheric conditions, skewing carbon dating results significantly.
Mike Riddle from the Institute for Creation Research reminds us that the Flood would have buried massive amounts of carbon-rich plant and animal material, distorting carbon dating and giving results far older than reality.
Here's what else doesn't add up: the fossil record itself. Evolution depends on a gradual progression from simple organisms to complex creatures over billions of years. But what we actually discover are sudden, extensive fossil layers—mass graves where thousands of creatures are piled up together as if buried rapidly.
We find footprints of animals from upper layers preserved in lower, supposedly much older layers, strongly suggesting a global catastrophe rather than gradual layering over eons.
Most remarkably, fossils are frequently found in what scientists call "the death pose"—heads tilted dramatically back, exactly as you'd expect if the animals drowned suddenly, desperately grasping for their last breath.
Another glaring issue is the complete absence of transitional species in the fossil record. If evolution were genuinely true, the earth should contain abundant evidence of these intermediate creatures—countless "links" between species.
But in reality, these critical transitional forms are entirely missing, leaving enormous, inexplicable gaps that raise significant questions for evolutionary theory.
So, if secular views don't hold up, what aligns better with the evidence? Scripture provides a powerful, coherent account.
Genesis tells us clearly about a catastrophically rapid global flood, giving a direct explanation for the fossil layers. According to biblical timelines, our planet is roughly 6,000 to 10,000 years old—a fraction of the billions proposed by secular scientists. To me, the consistency and strength of this evidence makes the young earth position not just credible, but clearly convincing.
Ultimately, why does this matter? Because honest, logical explanations for life's origins help remove roadblocks for people spiritually. If a friend or loved one struggles to pick up the Bible because secular teaching has left them skeptical, presenting them thoughtfully with this evidence can open the path toward a saving relationship with Christ.
Remember, the Bible encourages us to use reason, logic, and evidence—and doing precisely that continues to lead me—and countless others—directly back to Him.
I love you all and look forward to sharing more foundations of our faith and we can defend them with you in the following weeks.
Pastor Justin Wyckoff |
