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I am inundated by questions about the age of the earth and universe; and, why is a Young Earth Creationist (YEC) position so important to the Christian faith. Many people ask, why does CWM stress the importance of believing in a young creation? After all, many people seem to want to take the Rodney King approach to the issue: “Please, we can get along here.”

So why is the acceptance of a young creation, based upon the Bible’s account of creation about 6,000 years ago, so important to the Christian faith? Why should Christians care whether or not the earth and universe are young or old? Does the acceptance of an old or young earth and universe really have any bearing on the Gospel?

In one word, the answer is yes, it does matter. It matters a great deal. CWM is unequivocal in its support for, and belief in, a young creation. The reasons are based, as they should always be, in the character of the God of the Bible, the inerrancy of the Bible and in the scientific support for a young creation.

Yes, it matters, because it is important to God:

“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” John 5:45-47 [Emphasis added]

I want to stipulate that a Christian who believes in an old creation may go to Heaven. Their acceptance of an old creation is not the salvation issue. They do not believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, and they may be ignorant of the overwhelming scientific evidence for a young creation (270+ Geochronometers supporting a young creation), but these are not salvation issues.

Even if we were to push the scientific evidence for a young creation to one side and not take it into account; there are five major theological reasons that Christians should believe in, and adamantly support belief in, a young creation.

ONE: If anyone, especially a Christian, believes in an old creation they are saying that the God of the Bible is not omniscient; that He is not smart enough to create it all whole and complete to begin with. They would believe that God does not know everything to start with; that He has to learn over time. Such a position would mean that God supposedly had to turn a wrench here, turn a screwdriver there, over a long period of time in order to arrive at the final product that we now see - the universe.

BUT: The God of the Bible is an omniscient God.

“For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” Job 28:24

“Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.” Ps. 147:5

TWO: If anyone believes in an old creation they are saying that the God of the Bible is not omnipotent; that He is not strong enough to create it all whole and complete to begin with. They would believe that God is a weak God; that He is incapable of creating things whole and complete all at one time. Such a position would mean that God supposedly could not speak things into existence; that He is not totally sovereign in His powers and knowledge.

BUT: The God of the Bible is an omnipotent God.

“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You” Jer. 32:17

“Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.” Ps. 135:6

“And looking at them Jesus said to them, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Mt. 19:26

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Lk. 1:37

THREE: If anyone believes in an old creation they are saying that the God of the Bible is a liar; that He is incapable of clearly, accurately and adequately expressing Himself to us with an eyewitness account of the original creation. They would believe that God does not know how to communicate with the only creatures in the universe that are made in His own image; an oxymoron if there ever was one. Such a position would mean that God supposedly could not tell the truth and that He had to make up some tall tale; a fairy tale, an analogy, a myth; about the creation, because we could not understand a straight forward description of the actual creation account.

BUT: The God of the Bible cannot lie.

“God is not a man, that He should lie ...” Num. 23:19

“... in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie ...” Ti. 1:2

“Also the Glory of Israel will not lie ...” 1 Sam. 15:29

FOUR: If anyone believes in an old creation they are saying that the God of the Bible does not always have a witness and that He cannot save a remnant; that He existed for millions and billions of years during which time He did not have a reliable witness on earth, and that He is incapable of saving anyone, even though He had a plan for salvation in place prior to bringing the earth and universe into being. Such a position would mean that God supposedly lies, deceives and misleads people; that He is cruel, capricious and untrustworthy.

BUT: The God of the Bible always has a witness and He always saves a remnant.

From Day Six of the Creation Week, man has been a continuous historical witness of the works of God. The Chosen People have been witnesses for God throughout history. Jesus said that if people would not speak out the stones would. God always has a witness.

God saved a remnant of eight in the Ark of Noah; and, God saved a remnant of 70 in Egypt. If there were a time before Adam and Eve, and during that time things became so evil that God had to destroy the first creation and start over with a second creation, then He is not strong enough to keep things from getting out of control. If there were a time that He was not able to save a remnant, then how can we be sure that He can save us?

FIVE: If anyone believes in an old creation they are saying that the death of a nephesh organism (an organism possessing a soul) occurred prior to human sin; that death is common, that death is not special, and that human sin is not the causative agent of death coming into the universe. They would believe that life and death have been going on for millions and billions of supposed years; that sin is not especially important to God. It would mean that the death of Christ on the Cross is meaningless! Such a position would mean that God is not absolutely righteous, but only relatively righteous.

BUT: The God of the Bible tells us that no higher animal or human died before human sin.

See: Gen. 1:31, Gen. 3:17, Ex. 20:11, Ex. 31:17-18

“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 - for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 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.” Rom. 5:12

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” Rom. 8:20-22

“For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Cor. 15:21

We cannot expect the world around us to take Christianity seriously, if we do not first take it seriously ourselves. Unless we take the doctrine of a recent creation seriously, grounded in the first eleven chapters of Genesis, how can we expect the world around us to believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior for sinful human beings? The acceptance of a recent creation is the entire foundation of the Christian faith! The entire Eternal Gospel is based upon the acceptance of the doctrine of a recent creation.

“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; WORSHIP HIM WHO MADE the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” Rev. 14:6-7