Considering The Consequences
Glendol McClure
 

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. For every false doctrine, there are consequences that must be faced. Such consequences include, marking and avoiding the false teacher(s), even our own brethren who teach false doctrine. And sadly, the destruction and division of the Lord’s body and eternal doom in hell for all false teachers and disciples of error.

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, the apostle Paul declared the consequences the Corinthians would face if they believed the false doctrine of “no resurrection.” Paul’s conclusion was, “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 Cor. 15:17-20).

Likewise, as the Corinthians faced false doctrine and its consequences, we are faced with false teaching on every side and the consequences thereof. Of particular concern of late is the false teaching of some brethren that the “days” of Genesis Chapter 1 are not literal, consecutive, twenty-four 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 and 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 Four, he discusses “scientific currents” and the acceptance by some of the theory of evolution; and, “Christian college” professors who have accepted the ancient earth idea (four or five billion years old), having abandoned the literal interpretation of the biblical creation account. He correctly concludes, if a Christian accepts an ancient earth, then the “days” of Genesis 1 being literal, twenty-four hour days, must be rejected (Piloting The Strait, pp. 33, 34).

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

First, to reject the Genesis account of creation is to reject the Creator and other divine scripture as well. Since Christ created the world, then logically it follows that this is ultimately a rejection of Christ (Jn. 1:1-14; Col. 1:16, 17). When one argues that the “days” of Genesis 1 are not literal, consecutive, twenty-four hour days, as in our seven day week, how then can we be sure that “evening” means “evening,” that “morning” means “morning,” that “created” means “created,” that “light” means “light,” that “night” means “night,” and “waters” mean “waters,” if “day” does not mean “day”? With this “reasoning” every word of scripture could be questioned, generating doubt in the hearts of men. This is a “wile” the devil himself used when he said to Eve, “ye shall not surely die,” (Gen. 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” (Gen. 2:17). Consequently, Eve doubted the meaning of the word “not” in this case.

Second, to reject the Genesis account of creation is to reject David as being inspired of God. In Psalms 33:6-9, David declared God 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. Gen. 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, which will also have to be called into question and rejected (Acts 2:25-31). Even 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” (Mk. 12:36). Therefore, the rejection of David’s writings demands that the words of Peter and Christ, who testified of the inspiration of David, 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 a lie when they claimed David was inspired, if he was not! Are you ready to accept that?

Third, other Old Testament prophets taught the 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” (Isa. 45:12). Even Malachi testified of the special creation in Malachi 2:10 were 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!

Fourth, the writings of inspired New Testament apostles must be questioned. Paul taught the special creation when he was in Athens (Acts 17:24-29). John taught the special creation when he wrote, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11).

Fifth, to reject the Genesis account requires that the account of God creating Adam and Eve be rejected. Creation Evolutionists claim that God started the process but evolution took care of the rest. If this be 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” (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7, 18-24)? Also, the account of Luke must be rejected for Luke traces the genealogy of Christ back to Adam (Lk. 3:23-38). The words of Jude must be rejected for Jude refers to Adam in Jude 14. Paul’s writings must be rejected since Paul made reference to Adam (1 Tim. 2:13, 14; Rom. 5:14; 1 Cor. 15:22, 45). And, since Peter endorsed Paul’s writings, we are now back to a second rejection of Peter’s testimony (2 Pet. 3:15, 16).

Sixth, to reject the creation account calls for a rejection of the testimony of Christ. In Matthew 19:4, Jesus quotes from Genesis Chapter 2 and calls it 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 made on the sixth day (Gen. 1:26-31). The teaching of Jesus denies man evolved as the evolutionary theory asserts. But, if evolution be true, then Jesus’ claim is utterly false and how can it be said that Jesus 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 all the Bible. When the first chapter of the Bible is rejected, then a chain reaction of rejection must and will follow. To reject the Genesis account one must reject all the inspired Bible writers we mentioned. There is no escaping these logical consequences, with the ultimate consequence being “faith made shipwreck” and loss of souls. We must believe without question or rejection 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” (Gen. 1:1-2:2).