Will Biblical Creation Be Dead in 20 Years?

With millions watching this live debate on February 4, 2014, Bill Nye "the Science Guy” squared off with Answers in Genesis founder and president Ken Ham in a historic debate. Go behind the scenes and beyond the event with this book to get even more details on the topics discussed!

Earlier this month, Bill Nye (TV’s famous “Science Guy”) appeared on Global News’s The Morning Show on October 1, 2014 and, speaking about people who believe in biblical creation, boldly predicted that “In another 20 years those guys will be just about out of business.” Other secularists (I recall some back in the 1970s) have made similar claims, like this one: “Atheism is the philosophy, both moral and ethical, most perfectly suited for a scientific civilization . . . Atheism will be ready to fill the void of Christianity’s demise when science and evolution triumph.”* Will biblical creation be dead in 20 years? Will secularists be successful in stamping out the message of the true history of the world and replacing it with atheism? In a word—no. Biblical creation is going to outlive Bill Nye and others like him.

The attacks of secularists in the 21st century are nothing new to the Christian church. As Ecclesiastes says, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Over the centuries many have tried to destroy belief in God, His Word, and His followers, but they have not succeeded. Here are just a few examples that our research staff has shared with me:

Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, was a Christian who, according to tradition, was a pupil of the Apostle John. He is remembered as one of the early church fathers and was active in disputing gnostic heresies. In AD 155 (or 156) he was searched out, arrested, and dragged into a stadium in Rome. There he was given a choice: he could swear by Caesar, deny Christ, and live, or he could refuse and die. Polycarp replied, “Eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” Polycarp was tied to a stake and burned to death for his refusal to deny Christ.

William Tyndale of England is remembered for his passion to use the Hebrew and Greek texts to produce the Bible in English. However, in Tyndale’s day it was illegal to possess even a fragment of the Scriptures in English. The penalty for ignoring this law was death. Tyndale chose to ignore the king’s law and is recorded as boldly declaring to a priest, “If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause the boy that drives the plow to know more of the scriptures than you!” Tyndale was eventually betrayed and imprisoned in horrible conditions before being strangled and burnt at the stake. His last words were, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” God answered this prayer and, less than three years after Tyndale’s death, much of his work was used in the Great Bible, an English translation authorized for use in public by King Henry VIII—the very same king who had sought out and killed Tyndale.

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah was commanded by the Lord to write down his prophecies “against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations.” This scroll was read by Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch, in the hearing of the people and eventually it made its way into the court of the king, Jehoiakim. Jeremiah’s pronouncements of judgment and call to repentance infuriated the king and as each part was read he cut it off and burned it until the entire scroll was destroyed (Jeremiah 36). Despite the king’s attempts to destroy God’s words through Jeremiah, we still read those words today.

Christians were martyred and yet the Christian church is thriving around the world. Bibles were burned, but the Bible remains the best-selling and most-translated book in history. All these things were done in an attempt to stamp out and destroy Christianity and the Scriptures, but biblical manuscripts have stood the test of time—and they aren’t going anywhere. God has promised that His Word will remain forever (Psalm 119:89–91; Isaiah 40:8) and God always keeps His promises (Psalm 145:13).

Just as Christianity and God’s Word aren’t going anywhere, neither is biblical creation. Biblical creation is how God said that He created, and God does not lie or deny Himself (Titus 1:2). The only way to destroy or kill biblical creation is to get rid of Christianity, but as history plainly shows, that’s not going to happen. Eventually, by God’s grace, truth will prevail. Some people will always claim that Scripture—and biblical creation—aren’t true and will seek to destroy them, and yet God’s Word will stand unchanged and true.

Now, secularists think that “science” (by which they really mean unobservable, untestable, unrepeatable historical science) is on their side and that that’s why biblical creation will eventually die. But, this simply isn’t true, as we have shown again and again. I encourage you to check out our newest resource, a book I have co-authored with  Bodie Hodge, Inside the Nye Ham Debate. This book respectfully dissects the arguments that Bill Nye gave against biblical creation and for evolution in his well-publicized debate with me in February. If you are a Christian, this book will equip you to answer the skeptical questions of this age. If you are a skeptic, this book will challenge your assumptions and point you toward the truth of God’s Word. You can order a copy of this valuable resource.

Me receiving the book in Legacy Hall in front of those who were at the Creation Museum

We certainly do pray that Bill Nye and other secularists will turn from their worship of naturalism and put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe, as their Lord and Savior.

Regardless, even though Bill Nye has stated that ”in another 20 years . . . [creationists] will be just about out of business,” the truth of the matter is that one day, as God said, “Every knee [including Bill Nye’s] shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:1).

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken

* G. Richard Bozarth, “The Meaning of Evolution,” American Atheist, (February 1978), 30.

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.