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By William A. Powell
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October 26, 1996 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The following article is by the late William A. Powell, retired submarine commander, United States Navy --
If Adam and Eve were not the first human beings, the Bible cannot be trusted!
The first and primary source of information for answers to these questions is the Bible. Consider very specific teachings of the Bible.
"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." Genesis 1:27
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7
"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Genesis 2:18-23
"And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Genesis 3:20-21
"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was the keeper of the sheep, but Cain was the tiller of the ground." Genesis 4:1-2
"And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" Genesis 4:8-9
"And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, saith she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." Genesis 4:24-25
"This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him; male and female created He them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begot sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died." Genesis 5:1-5
Adam is mentioned by name at least 18 times in the first five chapters of the Bible. He is mentioned in at least four books of the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy 32:8; 1 Chronicles 1:1; and Job 31:33.
Adam is mentioned in five books of the New Testament: Luke 3:38; Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; I Corinthians 15:45; 1 Timothy 2:13-14; and Jude 14.
The Bible mentions Adam by name at least 30 times in nine different books. Therefore, no can who believes the Bible is infallible can doubt that Adam and Eve were created as the first human beings by a special act of God.
The Bible makes it very clear that Adam and Eve were the first human beings and that they gave birth to the firt human babies. Thus, if Adam and Eve were not the first human beings, the first five chapters of the Bible can not be trusted. In fact the Bible would be telling things that were absolutely not true if Adam and Eve were not the first human beings. If you read a secular history book that taught things in the first five chapters that were definitely not true, you would not have any reason to believe the other things the history book says in the other chapters.
Evolution denies that Adam and Eve were created by God as plainly taught in the Bible. There are very few persons other than Adam who are named 30 times in the Bible. Yet, evolution teaches mankind descended from some kind of an animal.
The third chapter of Luke lists the genealogy of Jesus beginning in verse 23. It traces Jesus through history to show that His humanity came from Adam. This genealogy covers 16 verses and goes back to Adam as seen in verse 38.
"And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the Son of Joseph... Heli... Matthat... Levi... Melchi...Janna... Joseph... Mattathias... Amos... Nahum... Esli... Nagge...Maath... Mattathias... Semei... Joseph... Judah... Joanna... Rhesa...Zorobabel... Salathiel... Neri... Melchi... Addi... Cosam... Elmodam...Er... Jose... Eliezer... Jorim... Matthat... Levi... Simeon... Judah...Joseph... Jonan... Eliakim... Melea... Menan... Mattatha... Nathan...David... Jesse... Obed... Booz... Salmon... Naasson... Aminadab... Aram...Esrom... Phares... Juda... Jacob... Isaac... Abraham... Thara... Nachor...Saruch... Ragau... Phalec... Heber... Sela... Cainan... Arphaxad... Sem...Noe... Lamech... Mathusala... Enoch... Jared... Maleleel... Cainan...Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." Luke 3:23-38.
The New Testament speaks of Jesus and Adam in a simple but very significant comparison. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Corinthians 15:22 Paul speaks of Adam, the first man, as being given a natural human body. And of Jesus being much more than Adam for He was a life-giving Spirit. "And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." 1 Corinthians 15:45
Therefore, if you believe the Bible is without any error, [in fact, if you believe the Bible at all] you must recognize that Adam and Eve were the first human beings and that they gave birth to the first human babies simply because the Bible clearly; and emphatically teaches it.
Evolutionists and others who deny parts of the Bible say that Genesis 5:5 says that Adam lived 930 years and then Adam died! If Adam only represented mankind, what happened to mankind after Adam died!
On the other hand, evolution emphatically denies the Bible teachings about Adam and Eve and their children. Evolutionists have many different theories and some of their theories are very weird. There's only one thing that all evolutionists agree upon and that is that the Bible is absolutely wrong about Adam and Eve and the way they were created, and therefore you cannot trust the Bible.
Thus, anyone who understands and believes the basic teachings of evolution and also knows what the Bible says cannot and will not believe the clear, simple teachings of the Bible. To accept evolution is to deny the Bible.
Some persons today say they believe in theistic evolution. This is the false teaching that God created mankind by some long drawn out process of evolution. In other words--evolution was the method God used to create mankind. [Editor's note: Remember the answer Mr. Joy of Serampore Seminary gave to my question regarding evolution? He said he did not doubt that God created, but he believed God used the process of evolution. This idea is called theistic evolution. See page 2 of this issue.] But the Bible says that God created Adam out of the dust of the earth. And that Eve was created from a rib taken out of Adam's side.
The Bible does not say how long it took God to create Adam, but it does not seem that it would take a long time to create him out of the dust of the earth. And it is an act of God's creation, not a process of evolution spread out over many thousands or millions of years.
The Bible clearly teaches that God, in a brief simple surgical procedure, removed a rib from Adam and created Eve. Surely, this surgical operation did not require many thousands or millions of years.
And we know that Eve gave birth to the first human baby. Her name was given "Eve" because she was the mother of all living. See Genesis 3:20.
The reason that it is so important to believe that Adam and Eve were the first parents is that the Bible clearly and emphatically teaches it. If you do not believe that, how can you know what else is false in the Bible?
Therefore, anyone who cannot believe that Adam and Eve were the first human beings and that they gave birth to the first human babies absolutely denies parts of the Bible. And if there are any errors in the Bible, who will know and how will they know what parts of the Bible are true and what parts are false? Every person who believes in evolution or in theistic evolution denies parts of the the Bible and makes a liar out of God and all those who do believe the Bible.
A large number of ministers and teachers in colleges and seminaries and writers of Christian literature believe in evolution or in theistic evolution and do not believe what the Bible says. These misinformed teachers and writers must be replaced by loyal Christians who believe that there are no errors in the Bible.
A fearful number of denominational leaders, pastors, and laymen deny the Bible teaching of creation and believe in some false theory of evolution.
Of course, not all leaders and pastors believe in some form of evolution.
But many of those who have gone through colleges and seminaries where this is taught and have read literature written by men who believe in theistic evolution have been brainwashed into believing there are errors in the Bible.
After I finished seminary, I became pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Chicago. Then I became the Superintendent of Missions for the Chicago Southern Baptist Association. I purchased Dr. W.A. Criswell's famous book titled Did Man Just Happen? and read it. Dr. Criswell's wonderful book kept calling me back to the Bible. And the more I studied the Bible, the more I realized the seminary had sold me a lie and caused me not to believe all of the Bible.
If you doubt that most of our seminary graduates believe in evolution and deny parts of the Bible, ask them. [Mr. Powell is speaking of the Southern Baptist Convention, of which he is a part, but the same can be said of the graduates of a great many seminaries today.] Show them these verses in the Bible. Ask them the first four questions at the beginning of this article. These first four questions are the most impor tant questions you will ever answer; even more important than the question, "Are you a Christian?" For if you cannot say that you completely believe all four questions are true without reservation, how can you know you are a Christian? If you cannot believe Genesis, how can you believe John, Luke, Romans, etc.? You will simply have to guess about Adam and Eve and also guess about your salvation!
One simple way to help find out if a person believes the Bible is to show him all of these Bible verses about the first family. Then ask if he believes in the Bible or in evolution or theistic evolution.
Anyone who says that he believes the Bible AND evolution or theistic evolution is either misinformed, uninformed, dishonest or attempting to conceal his lack of faith in the Bible with some good-sounding phrases such as theistic evolution. "I believe it, that settles it." That's a good phrase, but remember that if the Bible teaches it, that settles it. It does not make any difference whether you believe it or not! If the Bible says it, it is true, regardless what you think!
A much better saying is, "The Bible says it and that settles it!" Thus, it's a settled matter if the Bible says it, regardless of who believes it or denies it.
When you ask your pastor, denominational leader, Bible college or seminary professor, or the person teaching your youth in the church or classroom the first four questions on page one, don't be surprised if they try to evade the question or beat around the bush. If they do not answer these first four questions with a solid "Yes," you better watch out!
In just about every case, those who believe the Bible will be quick to say that they believe these first four questions about the creation of Adam and Eve as taught in the Bible. And in most cases, those who do not believe the Bible may want to engage in a long drawn out discussion about everything except the real question.
Try it! It's amazing the way some people will try to avoid a direct answer to these first four questions. Just one error in the Bible is too many.
For, if there is one error, there may be many errors. Then who will decide where the errors are? I made more than 500 dives on my submarine while I was in the Navy. But I'll never forget one dive! No one on that dive will ever forget it! It was December 3, 1945, in the freezing North Atlantic on the USS Pomodon (SS-486). We had watched and examined as they built the submarine. We especially watched for a leak. The day came for us to "take her down." We went down very slowly, constantly looking for a leak! It was a very tense day, for our lives were at stake. We didn't think there were any leaks, but we could not be sure. We went deeper and stayed longer than any dive I ever made. Finally the Captain made a decision and got the microphone. He said, "This sub is okay; not one leak; let's surface!"
I have never known a submarine sailor who would go down on a submarine that had just "one leak." You see, just one leak is too many for a submarine. [And just one error is too many for the Bible, God's holy infallible Word!]
Some young boys had been stealing watermellons from the farmer's field.
And one night when they got in the farmer's field, the sign said, "One watermellon is poison." That ruined their party that night! But the next morning when the farmer got to his field, another sign said, "Now three of these watermellons are poison!"
All true science has adequate positive evidence to prove scientific state ments. Science is based on empirical facts that can be demonstrated.
Theories will always remain only theories until they can be proven without doubt. Any theory is only an only ideas until they can be proven by demonstration. My degree from the University of Alabama was a Bachelor of Science. I did my graduate work in science at Butler University. The most basic foundation of science is that a theory will continue to be a theory until it can be demonstrated empirically.
Therefore, evolution and all of the theories about evolution will remain only as ideas and theories until they are proven facts. And no reputable scientist has ever demonstrated or proven evolution. Every person who believes the Bible is without error must reject any and all ideas and theories about evolution. And every sincere Bible-believing person will openly choose the easy to understand statements of the Bible rather than any theory about evolution.
Only God knows the destruction resulting from Darwin's ideas of the origin of man. When Karl Marx learned of Darwin's evolution theories, he said, "Great! Now we have a religion for our communism." The satanic views of Darwin's ideas of the origin of man began a long downhill slide for humanity and civilization.
Some have said the greatest tragedy of humanity was when Satan persuaded Eve and Adam that they could not believe all that God said, and that the next greatest tragedy was when Satan caused Darwin (and many others) to believe evolution. Satan used Eve to cause the first downfall of humanity.
And Satan used Darwin to cause the second downfall of humanity, and we are now reaping Darwin's tragic mistake!
No individual who knows what the Bible says about Adam and Eve and their descendants and also knows the theories of evolution can believe all of the Bible and accept any theory of evolution. The Bible and the evolution theories are more opposite than day and night. Every sincere Christian who knows what the Bible says about Adam and Eve and their descendants will reject any and all theories of evolution.
There is some hope taking place about the evolution tragedy. More and more of the best scientists are beginning to take another look at the evolution theories, and they admit they are only theories. If this trend continues, the day will come when most of the outstanding scientists will refute the theories of evolution and accept the Bible's teachings of creation.
However, more and more of our teachers in seminaries, universities, and colleges are turning completely to the evolutionary theories and rejecting the clear teachings of the Bible. You will have to go a long way to find very many teachers and writers of our literature who will reject evolution and accept what God says about Adam and Eve and their descendants.
Any teacher or writer who accepts Darwin's ideas and rejects what God says in the Bible is an enemy of our faith, our churches and our children.
These people should be replaced with loyal Christians who believe and openly teach what the Bible says about Adam and Eve and their descendants.