It is not the purpose of this answer to present a scientific argument in the creation vs. evolution debate. The purpose of this article is to explain why, according to the Bible, the creation vs. evolution debate even exists in its present form. Romans 1:25 declares, “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.”
A key factor in the state of the creation vs. evolution debate is that the majority of scientists who believe in evolution are also atheists or agnostics. There are some who hold a form of theistic evolution. Others take a deistic view of God, believing He exists but is not involved in the world, and everything proceeds along an uninterrupted, natural course. Many genuinely and honestly look at the data and arrive at the conclusion that evolution better fits the data. However, the dominant narrative in this discussion is that evolution is, somehow, incompatible with both the Bible and faith in God.
It’s important to realize that some scientists who hold to belief in evolution also believe in God and the Bible without seeing one or the other as contradictory. However, the vast majority of evolutionary scientists hold that life evolved entirely without any intervention of a higher being. Modern theories of evolution, in practice, are almost entirely a naturalistic science.
There are spiritual drivers behind some of these positions. For atheism to be true, there must be an alternate explanation—other than a Creator—for how the universe and life came into existence. Although belief in some form of evolution predates Charles Darwin, he was the first to develop a plausible, natural source for the process of evolution: natural selection. Darwin once identified himself as a Christian, but, as a result of some tragedies that took place in his life, he later renounced the Christian faith and the existence of God.
Darwin’s goal was not to disprove God’s existence, nor did he see his theory as doing so. Unfortunately, that is how his ideas have been promoted by those looking to enable atheism. One reason many believers today resist modern evolutionary theory is that it so often comes packaged with a forced, atheistic worldview. Evolutionary scientists likely would not admit that their goal is to give an alternate explanation of the origins of life and thereby to give a foundation for atheism. And yet, according to the Bible, that is one reason the theory of evolution is approached in the way we see today.
The Bible tells us, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). The Bible also proclaims that people are without excuse for not believing in a Creator God. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). According to the Bible, anyone who denies the existence of God is a fool. Foolishness does not imply a lack of intelligence. By necessity, evolutionary scientists are brilliant intellectually. Foolishness indicates an inability to properly apply knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Atheists who support evolution frequently mock creation and/or intelligent design as unscientific and not worthy of scientific examination. In order for something to be considered a “science,” they argue, it must be “naturalistic.” Creation, by definition, is beyond the rules of the natural world. Since God cannot be tested, so the argument goes, creation and/or intelligent design cannot be considered science.
Strictly speaking, evolution cannot be observed or tested any more or less than intelligent design, but that does not seem to be an issue with non-believing evolutionists. As a result, all data is filtered through the preconceived, presupposed, and pre-accepted worldview of naturalism, without alternate explanations being considered.
Neither the origin of the universe nor the origin of life can be directly tested or observed. Both creation and evolution require a level of faith to be accepted. We cannot go back in time to observe the origin of the universe or of life in the universe. Those who adamantly reject creation do so on grounds that would logically force them to reject evolution as well.
If creation is true, then there is a Creator to whom we are accountable. Evolution, as often presented today, is an enabler for atheism. Evolution gives atheists a basis for explaining how life developed apart from a Creator God. As such, modern theories of evolution serve as a substitute “creation story” for the religion of atheism.
The Bible is clear: God is the Creator. Any interpretation of science that attempts to remove God from involvement with origins is incompatible with Scripture.