Evolution Is True, But Darwinism Is Not

Before I became a Christian I held deep convictions about evolution. I firmly believed in biological evolution as the mechanism to explain all diversity in life. I even did what most atheists (who are typically evolutionists) do not do – that is take Darwinian evolution to it’s logical conclusion – and that is to lift up the State as the sovereign. I idolized Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. My thoughts were that the people did not always know best, but the government always did, assuming their priority was survival. This is the danger of the atheist worldview, even though most atheists do not live consistently with their own worldview. Actually, within the atheist worldview standards became arbitrary opinions, since we would differ (when I was atheist) as to what was best for survival, while avoiding the concept of slavery even though we had no basis to do so. It was all arbitrary; selfishness.

A lot of Christians do not understand what the evolutionist believes. The evolutionist doesn’t believe that we came from monkeys. The evolutionists believes that mankind has a common ancestor with modern monkeys. We can joke and mock the ridiculous belief that they believe, but they don’t believe that we came from modern monkeys. At one time they may have believed that idea, but because their standard is a constant struggle for knowledge that changes according to scientific discovery, they don’t believe it now.

When I first began talking to skeptics, atheists, and anyone that used evolution as a weapon against the Bible, the definition of “evolution” became a major point of the discussion. The atheist would tell me, “I believe in evolution because it’s true; it’s been proven. Don’t you?” and I would reply, “No.”. However, their understanding of evolution, since they impose a philosophy upon biology, is different from the actual definition of evolution.

The word “evolution” generally means “change”. Now, if that is what the word means, aside from the atheist imposing a worldview onto it, then we Christians must agree – the Bible demands it. The creation was once sinless, yet now it is not. Man was once free from sin, yet we are now slaves to sin without Christ. I was once a child, but now I am a man. My mother and father look a certain way, and now I look similar to both (genetic change). Things change – we all agree. In this way, evolution is a fact.

However, the atheist goes beyond the definition by imposing a worldview. It’s dishonest to redefine terms, demand that others use their definition, and then outcast them from the conversation (discredit them) if they refuse to acknowledge those definitions. This is how the evolutionist attempts to escape the discussion and discredit the Christian. But, the term can also be used within a cultural context. When an atheist says, “I believe in evolution”, we pretty much know, given the climate, that he means that he believes all of life started from amino acids, and then over millions of years, through death, turmoil, geologic catastrophe, and simple natural processes, we evolved from that. They believe that we are a product of determined natural causes.

Evolution, if defined as “change”, is a Christian belief. However, Darwinian evolution, evolution that accounts for life’s origin, is not. The debate over evolution, even between liberals and Christians, is an authority issue. The issue is whether or not Scripture is the ultimate authority.

So now, I would agree with the atheist that I believe in evolution, yet the real issue is a worldview issue. How far do natural processes go to give an account for life, not just it’s diversity. The argument that diversity comes from natural processes is completely different in arguing for life’s origin. The processes can only deal with what already exists. Origin implies that it once did not exist. Atheists cannot account for origin, except by assuming natural processes, thus revealing where the atheist’s faith (trust) really is. They trust in their own understanding, not in God. They refuse to believe God’s Word, under the banner of “Reason, and Logic”, while not being able to account for either of those. The atheists assume reason and logic, based on their perceived reality (which is yet again another assumption).

This is why we Christians need to begin attacking the worldview issue, from a Scriptural standard, not from a evidential standard. Evidence clearly points to God, but to the lost it is ignored. Jesus Christ preached the gospel of the kingdom, not based on evidence and reason, but on the words of Scripture. Look at how many times Jesus used the word ‘Scripture” as His basis of authority.

“Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;” Mark 2:10

“And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”” Luke 4:21

“For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”” Luke 22:37

“When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” John 2:22

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'”” John 7:38

“Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”” John 7:42

“If he called them gods to whom the word of God came–and Scripture cannot be broken–” John 10:35

“I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'” John 13:18

This is just a portion of the New Testament. Jesus spoke of the Scriptures as the law of God. Paul’s authority was also the law, not the New Testament as we usually imagine. Click here for the entire list.

We as Christians need to go back to the example Jesus set. The Scripture is sufficient enough to give us a way to live, affecting all areas of life. The reason that America is the way it is today is due to the abandonment of God’s ways, and the pursuit of our own ways using His name as justification.

“Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” 2 Kings 22:13