The theory of evolution (still just a theory) has been widely taught as accepted science for decades. It is presented as universally accepted by scientists and scholars. The reality is there is a large contingent of scientific experts who disagree with the theory. The science on this is anything but ‘settled’, as many would have us believe.
There are numerous scientific holes and flaws in the theory, but this article will look at the danger of this theory from a different perspective. This perspective is significantly important to Christians as it examines the impact on the message of the gospel.
At the core of all Christian belief is Christ. Who He is and what He did is the foundation of all that we believe. It is at the center of the entire story of the Bible; everything else in the Bible points to and/or is built upon Christ. So, how does the theory of evolution impact the message of the gospel?
First, let’s examine what Christ did for us and why. Consider this a basic outline of the gospel message. We are all sinners; “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;” – Romans 3:23. Sin brings death to us all; “For the wages of sin is death” – Romans 6:23a. The only hope we have to escape this penalty of death is Christ; “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus” and “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” – Romans 6:23b and John 14:6.
So, we are all sinners, having a broken relationship with God which results in death and the only answer, the only hope for this is Christ. Without Him we experience death. The Bible makes it clear that this ‘death’ is not just a ‘spiritual death’ but ‘physical death’ as well. In other words, if sin had not entered the world through humankind’s disobedience, we would not know physical death as well as spiritual death. In Genesis 2:17, along with Genesis chapter 3 we see that the result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience was that death entered the world. Before this, there was no death, of anything, period.
Where does the theory of evolution come into this? Death. A primary component of the theory of evolution is death and reproduction over many generations. Things mutate and adapt, even cross-species, evolving over many cycles of birth, life and death. But if death came into the world through man’s disobedience, how could things evolve in this manner? If death is a necessity of evolution how could death have entered the world by the disobedience of an already evolved creature known as humans?
For the Christian this really breaks down when we consider the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ – that which is absolutely essential to our Christian gospel. In order to accept the theory of evolution we must discard the idea that death is a result of sin, which the Bible clearly teaches. If death is not the result of sin, then how is Jesus delivering us from death unto life? If Jesus is not delivering us from death unto life, then why did He die (take on death to pay for our sin and give us life)?
The theory of evolution dilutes and makes of no value the sacrifice of Jesus. But some may say, “Jesus did not die to address our physical life, only our spiritual. We still die physically” 1 Corinthians 15 says differently. Jesus rose from the dead physically. Paul teaches us that we too shall rise from the dead and we will take on new bodies in His presence.
The problem with the theory of evolution for Christians is not just the scientific holes in the theory but the breaking down of the gospel truth that gives us our only hope.