Page 249 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

EVOLUTION - EXACT

Evolution says it took men thousands or millions of forget even the tiny sparrow. Second, though, we see
years to learn these things. that man is infinitely greater in value than the animals
6. The Bible teaches that the origin of the world must because man has an eternal soul. Man will be held
be understood by faith because the process is no longer accountable for his actions. Without a Saviour, sinful
visible (He. 11:3). Evolutionists, though, are attempting man will spend eternity in hell.
to learn the process of origins through observing present 3. Animals were made for man’s pleasure. Even the
conditions. stars of the universe were made for man (Ps. 8:4-8). The
7. The Bible says divine interventions have altered the Psalmist sees the animal kingdom under man’s feet. This
state of the world since creation (2 Pe. 3:3-4). Evolution does not mean that man has a right to be cruel toward
assumes a process unaltered from without—a closed animals; it means man has a divine right to rule over
system. the creation and to use it for his purposes and needs.
8. The Bible says everything was created to fulfill God’s The Bible enjoins kindness even toward the dumb
purposes, the world and everything in it, as well as the creatures of this world (Pr. 12:10).
planetary universe. Teleology is the study of final causes, 4. Animals are for man’s food. From the time of Noah
of the purposes of nature. It is a fascinating study, until today God has ordained that man can eat animal
because regardless of how minutely one studies the flesh (Ge. 9:3). (Before Noah, men ate only plants.) The
creation, one is struck with a sense of wonder at the nation Israel ate meat. The Lord Jesus Christ ate meat.
brilliant purpose behind every detail. Study the eye, the The Passover meal was lamb (Ex. 12:5-10), and Christ
ear, the leaf, the atom, light, sound, air—everywhere ate the Passover (Mt. 26:17-19). What about Christians?
you find purpose and design. That is what one would The Apostle Peter was certainly a Christian, and in a
expect if God created the world precisely as the Bible vision from God he was commanded to eat meat (Ac.
says He did, but it is not what we would find if 10:10-13). The vision was to impress Peter that Gentile
evolution were true. If the latter were true, we would believers were not unclean, but the fact remains that
find incredible chaos, happenstance, and God commanded Peter to eat of the various meats. God
haphazardness. We would have a world filled with would not have done that if He abhorred meat eating.
monsters and unpredictable madness, part one thing The vision in Ac. 10 also shows that God has removed
and part another, a fish becoming a bird, a frog the O.T. dietary restrictions. Some would have us believe
becoming a rat, a lizard becoming a bird, partially that restrictions against pork and other meats were for
formed beaks which do not yet have a purpose, partially medical purposes. That’s not the case. Those restrictions
formed feet, partially formed wings, partially formed were for the purpose of making Israel separate from the
eyes, partially formed brains. We would have no fixed nations and for teaching her the difference between
absolutes from which and with which to work. We holy and unholy. God has removed all such dietary
would have no atomic clock because the atom would restrictions. In fact, the Bible warns against those who
not be stable. We would have no sure guide across the would promote vegetarianism. In 1 Timothy 4:1-5 we
trackless oceans because the heavenly bodies would be read of those who “command to abstain from meats,”
in fluctuation. Praise the Lord that evolution is a lie and and we are told that this is a doctrine of devils! The
the Bible is true. Bible clearly says that God created animals to be eaten.
How Do We Know That Man Is Not Merely an Animal? It is not cruel to kill an animal in hunting or fishing, and
1. Man was created distinctly in the image of God (Ge. to eat it. It is not cruel to slaughter animals for food.
That is one of the reasons God made animals. Christians
1:24-28). Animals were not made in the image of God. are free to eat meats or not to eat meats. This is the
Animals do not have a living soul. They are not eternal teaching of Romans 14:2-3,6. Away with those dietary
beings; man is (Ge. 2:7). laws which purport to be Christian. If a Christian wants
2. Man is infinitely higher than and different from the to eat a certain kind of food—only vegetables, for
animal kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ referred to this example—that is fine. If he wants to avoid something
fact in Lk. 12:5-7. “But I forewarn you whom ye shall such as sugar or pork, fine. Let him eat what he feels
fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to God would have him eat, and what he feels will best
cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five benefit him. But let that one be careful that he not make
sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is his own conscience a law for others. The N.T. forbids
forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your dietary laws for religious purposes. [See Adam, Bible,
head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of Brass, Fable, False Teaching, Foolish Questions,
more value than many sparrows.” There are two Inspiration, Iron, Separation.]
important truths in this passage about animals and man. EXACT, EXACTION. The act of demanding with
First, we see that God does care for animals; he does not
authority, and compelling to pay or yield; authoritative

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 249