A Polemic for the Church

“Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.” (Titus 3:9 NASB) It only hinders the Gospel to become entangled in such matters as non-essential Christian doctrine. At the same time, there are some non-essential Christian doctrines that, though truly non-essential, on examination emerge as so relevant to arriving at the knowledge of essential Christian doctrine, that they must necessarily be treated as though they were, in fact, essentials. The historicity of Genesis, particularly chapters 1-11, falls into this category.

Viewing Genesis 1-11 as allegory, legend, or myth is problematic on multiple fronts for the born-again Christian or anyone who wants to truly understand our faith. The historicity of Genesis is necessarily foundational to all other doctrines of Orthodox Christianity. Denial (or doubt) of the historicity of Genesis, or any portion thereof, is a slippery slope that can lead to theistic evolution and other serious theological problems.

Motivation

There seems to be an overwhelming majority of atheists, skeptics, and evolutionists in the “allegory camp”, and for good reason. For the atheist or skeptic to deny the existence of God, she must first deny the historicity of Genesis. If Genesis is not a historical account of creation, then we can all relax and enjoy the pleasures of our lusts. This holds true for the evolutionist as well. Consider Darwin’s own words:

I had gradually come, by this time, to see that the Old Testament from its manifestly false history of the world and from its attributing to God the feelings of a revengeful tyrant, was no more to be trusted than the sacred books of the Hindoos [sic], or the beliefs of any barbarian. [1]

Darwin could not accept his own theories on evolution without first dispensing with Genesis. Darwin elevated his novel view of the creation above that of God’s own revelation. Peter spoke directly to modern atheists and skeptics:

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:3-7 (NASB)

Peter chastised atheists and skeptics (mockers) for failing to give historical credence to the Genesis accounts of the creation and the flood. While we cannot know for certain what motivates every man with solid biblical training to hold an allegorical view of Genesis, unless he has expressed his motivation clearly, we can concern ourselves with the theological implications of an allegorical view for our students and legacy, and in doing so, manifest our own motivations.

Evolution

The Theory of Evolution rests on four principles: variation (mutation), inheritance, selection, and time. Evolution holds that organisms (cells, animals, any living thing) inevitably will produce mutations in their populations. Some mutations will improve the survival rate of the population and will be passed on through inheritance to descending generations. Natural Selection’s mechanism, the process by which nature strains out weaker traits in a population and replaces them with stronger traits, is known as the Survival of the Fittest. As these mutations cause populations to change over time, species divide and develop into new species, and evolution occurs. The problems with Evolution are obviously too numerous and complicated to list and address exhaustively in this format, but I will note ten for the sake of grounding in reason World Hope’s position that the Theory of Evolution is not a true or valid explanation of the origin of life or the diversity of species:

1. Evolution is a ”theory”.
2. Evolution cannot be proved through empirical evidence (observed), since no one was or can be there to observe it.
3. Evolution was proposed prior to modern knowledge of the cell and the discovery of DNA.
4. Unguided processes cannot explain the existence of DNA’s genetic code (biological software).
5. The absence of transitional life forms in the fossil record, which is affirmed by the Theory of Punctuated Equilibrium.
6. No “Missing Link” supporting human evolution.
7. The impracticality of natural selection, since organisms pursue short-term interests and ignore long-term population survival.
8. Diversity of strengths and weaknesses in human traits denies Natural Selection.
9. Natural Selection could not have produced systems and behaviors that protect the weak (ethics, morality, compassion, laws, prisons, etc.).
10. Complex traits (eyeballs, for example) cannot develop, since natural selection cleanses species of prerequisite mutations (the individual parts of the eye aren’t useful for survival of a species until formed into a seeing organ and, thus, die out before reaching cooperative functionality, which, then, destroys the species that requires eyesight for its existence and survival).

A High View of Scripture

A high view of Scripture is necessary for understanding proper Christian doctrine, as it is the source of doctrine. One aspect of a high view is its reliance upon veracity, integration, and consistency. The Bible is a true, integrated, and self-consistent document. Unlike a hologram, it is possible to remove certain parts of the Bible and defeat it entirely. Thus, we have a stake in denying the proposition that God gave us allegory to veil His work of creation rather than trust us with the facts. According to passages such as John 1:3 [i] and Colossians 1:16-17 [ii], preincarnate Jesus was the agent of creation. As the One who performed the act of Creation, Jesus was in a position to know whether the Genesis account of creation was allegory or history. In Matthew 19:3-5, Jesus quoted Genesis as history:

Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?” And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (NASB)

In John 8:44, Jesus makes reference to the fact of Satan’s temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) to expose the spiritual heritage of those who oppose Him. In doing so, Jesus affirms the account of Eve’s temptation, the introduction of death into the creation, the sin nature, and the origins of deceit and untruth.

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (NASB)

In Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus makes reference to the events surrounding the flood and compares their mundane, routine realities with those of the Parousia. In doing so, He assumes the knowledge of Genesis 6 – 9, and He asserts the historical reality of Noah, the period of his life, his ark, and the flood.

For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (NASB)

Without a historical Adam, Paul’s theological explanation of federal and seminal headship in Romans 5:12-21 has no basis in reality, and for us, no meaning or implication. If the sin of Adam did not occur in reality, then it was not passed on to us, and we are not, thus, born in sin and sinful by nature. If we are not sinners, we have no need of a Savior. Yet, we do have a sin nature, which is evidenced by our sin. As fallen human beings, we do not require the schemes of a tempter, since we volitionally, freely, and routinely sin from our own nature. We need a Savior, and He is Christ.

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (NASB)

Adam was the type (a person, place or thing that stands in representation of another person, place, or thing); Jesus was the anti-type (that of which Adam stood in representation). Adam cannot be both a type (a person representing Christ) and an allegory (the source of a hidden moral meaning), as the two are as mutually exclusive as the genres of poetry and prose. Adam, and the fall through which he introduced sin and death into the world, are cornerstones of our faith.

Each of the Gospels makes use of Christ’s pedigree. Mathew wrote to the Jews to demonstrate that Jesus was their King. His genealogy begins with the first Jew, Abraham. Mark’s blatant omission of a pedigree is calculated, as he presents Jesus to the Romans as a suffering servant, for whom no pedigree is required. John wrote to the Church to demonstrate that Jesus was God. John declares the pre-existent and eternal nature of true deity and ascribes it to Jesus. Finally, Luke, a physician, wrote to the Greeks to show Jesus in His humanity. Luke’s genealogy begins with the first man, Adam. As inspired historical accounts of the life of Jesus, the Gospels present the fourfold Christ: God-Man, Servant-King. For the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, genealogies are key supportive factors in their narratives. If Adam is not a historical figure, their respective genealogies fail, and their narratives become rooted in allegory. How does one discern where along the line that the Gospel narratives move from allegory to history, if Jesus, Himself, is to be viewed as a historical figure?

Each of the first eleven chapters of Genesis is referenced in the New Testament, and all of the New Testament’s authors refer to Genesis 1-11. There are more than 100 quotations or direct references to Genesis 1-11 in the New Testament, and there are many New Testament passages whose underpinnings are the historical accounts in Genesis 1-11. Even the Old Testament cannot stand without a historical Genesis. Adam is mentioned in Deuteronomy, Job, and 1 Chronicles, and Noah is mentioned in 1 Chronicles, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. The Bible disintegrates under the weight of an allegorical Genesis. 

[1] Darwin, Charles, The Autobiography of Charles Darwin 1809 – 1885, Barlow, Nora Editor (1958) W W Norton & Co Ltd, London, Fourth Edition (April 1, 1969), pp. 85-86.

[i] John 1: 3 “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (NASB)

[ii] Colossians 3:16-17 “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (NASB)