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EARTHGAP.TXT
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1991-02-20
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WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE GAP THEORY Creation Science Association
Christopher Chui P.O. Box 4325
Irvine, CA 92716-4325
The Gap Theory was proposed by Thomas Chalmers of Scotland in 1814 to
allow the Bible to accommodate the millions of years concept and the
geologic column. It was further promoted by the 1917 Scofield Reference
Bible. Since then, several prominent Bible scholars such as Bernard Ramm
and Arthur Custance and many fundamental Christians and pastors accept
it as fact.
Basically, those who accept the Gap Theory believe that Genesis 1:1
records the special creation of the original heavens and earth billions
of years ago. The original creation was not recorded in the Bible.
Prehistoric animals and man lived and died with Lucifer's rebellion
which resulted in a worldwide judgment know as "Lucifer's Flood", from
which there were no survivors.
Thus, the earth became without form and void
(Genesis 1:2) and remained in this desolate condition for billions
of years. Genesis 1:3 and following then records the re-creation of the
earth, the biosphere and man about 6000 years ago. These Christians
generally reject the Theory of Evolution.
By so doing, they invited many theological and scientific problems.
Since our geologic strata depict a series of cruel deaths: either sudden
catastrophes or destruction by predators, the Gap Theory suggests that
death came before sin.
Romans 5:12 declares that "by one man (i.e. Adam)
sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon
all men". Gen. 3:14-19 and Romans 8:19-22 state that the effects of
Adam's sin extended to the entire creation. Therefore, there was neither
sin nor death on the earth prior to Genesis 3.
Why would God suddenly terminate the evolutionary
process and then begin again with six days of special
creation?
Is God actually the author of evil and death? Why
would the Creator spend billions of years developing a world and
suddenly reduce it to chaos to start the creation week?
This pre-Adamic cataclysm has been postulated mainly as a means of
reconciling the Bible with geology, but there is not the slightest
evidence in the orthodox system of historical geology for such a
cataclysm.
In Exodus 20:11, it clearly indicates that the creation of
the heaven and the earth was included within the work of the six days.
Genesis 1:31 says "all that He had made" was "very good". The cataclysm
before Adam could hardly look "very good" to men, how could it be
pronounced "very good" by God? The Gap Theory does not stand firm upon
scrutiny.
Unger's Bible Handbook proposes the Pre-Genesis Gap Theory. It
postulates that our geologic strata were formed before Genesis 1:1 while
it holds to a six day creation week that happened about 6000 years ago.
This Theory is subject to the same kinds of problems as the Gap Theory.
The geologic column shows evidence of having been deposited quickly by
Noah's Flood by hydrologic sorting which has been demonstrated in the
Genesis Lab. If the geologic column indeed took millions of years to
form, then no well-defined boundaries could be discernible because of
erosions.
There are overwhelming evidences that suggest the age of the earth is
young, of the order of 6000 to 10000 years. Old ages for the earth can
be interpreted to be young. Once Christians realize that true science is
on our side, there is no need to kow-tow to long ages and the Gap Theory
will soon be recognized as superfluous. Christians need not defend the
straw-man of the Gap Theory.