Why Do Christians Get So Emotional About How I Interpret “Day” in Genesis?

Well, I don't find such people getting so emotional about the way I interpret the word “day” anywhere else in Scripture. I only experience this reaction when it comes to issues involving the age of the earth and the days of creation in Genesis 1. Why?

I believe it comes down to the following:

1. People are in awe of science because of the technology we now have. Because of this “awe of science,” when the majority of scientists insist the earth is billions of years old, even many Christians think they can’t go against this. But they don’t understand that dealing with beliefs about the past (historical science) is not the same as dealing with the observational science of the present that builds technology.

2. For many Christian academics, there’s incredible peer pressure from secular scientists. Many of these academics don’t want to be called anti-academic, anti-scientific, etc.—and they know they probably won’t get published in mainstream scientific and theological journals (most of which are more supportive of liberal ideas) if they’re deemed to be literal biblical creationists like we are at AiG.

3. For many Christians and Christian leaders it becomes a pride issue. I’ve found that many pastors who have taught the gap theory or day-age theory all their life (both of which are compromise positions that add millions of years into the Bible) can’t swallow their pride to admit they are wrong (this does not apply to all pastors though—I’ve certainly seen some humble men of God who did admit they held to a wrong position and changed their views and their teaching).

4. Because of our sin nature, we are prone to accept the fallible words of man rather than take God at his Word (like Eve in Genesis 3:1–6). I see this all the time in the church where so many leaders would rather accept the beliefs of man concerning billions of years than the clear Word of God. We need to stop letting our sin nature master us.

5. It takes courage to stand against the majority of scientists in a world where men “loved the darkness rather than the light” (John 3:19). But remember, the majority didn’t survive the flood. Just because the majority believe something doesn’t mean it’s correct. Many examples of this can be illustrated from history.

6. There’s so much biblical illiteracy because so many leaders won’t teach Genesis as they should, and this is a major factor in why the younger generations are so secularized and are leaving the church.

   Many pastors don't want to cause division in their churches by taking a stand on a literal Genesis. Even some conservative pastors have told me they steer away from Genesis as it does create division. Yes, there will always be people who will be adamant that the earth is billions of years old and that the days of creation aren't ordinary days. But Genesis 1–11 is the foundation for all doctrine, our morality, our worldview, and the rest of the Bible. It’s a vitally important section of Scripture!

   There’s so much biblical illiteracy because so many leaders won’t teach Genesis as they should, and this is a major factor in why the younger generations are so secularized and are leaving the church. And when leaders are soft on Genesis, I find they often get soft on LGBTQ, abortion, etc.

   Actually, the right sort of division is a good thing and needed, “for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized” (1 Corinthians 11:19).

7. The devil knows if he can destroy the foundation, the structure will fall. Genesis 1–11 is the foundation for everything. That’s why there’s such an attack on it.

8. Secularists know if they don’t have the billions of years, they can’t even begin to propose their evolutionary ideas. Really, time is their “god”—that’s why they get so emotional about this and even try to intimidate people. They need the time; they must have the time. And, sadly, so many Christians give in to their billions of years beliefs, thus helping these secularists undermine God’s Word and attack the church.

9. Many people reinterpret Genesis because they start from outside of Scripture with man’s beliefs, instead of starting with God’s Word and using it to judge those beliefs!

But Why Do I Care So Much?

That’s why I believe so many Christians who have compromised on Genesis get emotional when it comes to this issue—but why do I care so much? After all, I’ve dedicated my life to defending the authority of God’s Word, beginning in Genesis, and that’s meant I have dealt with the issue of the days of creation many, many, many (I could add a few more!) times. Why do I care so much?

Because it’s a biblical authority issue—will we allow God to be the authority and the standard for truth? Or will we reinterpret God’s clear Word because of something that man says? That’s the heart of the issue!

Now, before I explain any further, let me remind everyone that I have never said that someone’s belief about the age of the earth is connected to salvation. To clarify this, please read this article: “Millions of Years—Are Souls at Stake?”

Here’s another reason why I care so much—the idea of millions of years is an attack on the character of God and ultimately on the gospel message.

The idea of millions of years is an attack on the character of God and ultimately on the gospel message.

Consider this: Does God say cancer is “very good”? Of course not, it’s a terrible disease in this fallen world because of our sin. But those who believe in millions of years are, in reality, saying God did say cancer and other diseases are “very good” as God called his whole creation “very good” after the sixth day of creation (Genesis 1:31). Yet we find examples of cancer, disease, and death in the fossil record (the supposed “proof” of millions of years). To say that God called death and disease “very good” is to imply he’s a bumbling, inept ogre of a Creator!

You see, the Bible teaches we live in a groaning world because of sin (Romans 8:22) and that death is a result of man’s sin (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12). Now some say that this death only applies to humans, but Romans 8 makes it clear the whole creation is groaning—sin affected everything!

One of the big issues many people struggle with today is understanding how a loving God can exist with all the death, disease, and suffering. Now, those Christians who accept millions of years are really—whether they realize it or not—blaming God for this! No wonder many people reject God!

But when we take Genesis as literal history, we understand it’s our sin that’s responsible for death and disease. It’s our fault, not God’s fault (God calls death an “enemy” in 1 Corinthians 15:26). That’s why Paul exclaimed, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). That’s why Jesus came to die and conquer death—because death is the penalty for sin.

One day, there will be a new heavens and new earth, a restoration (Acts 3:21). What will this look like? Continued death, disease, and suffering? Or a perfect creation where “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4)?

When I’ve confronted many theologians, Christian leaders, pastors, and others who believe in millions of years and asked them to tell me how they can accept death and diseases before sin, I have not yet had one be able to satisfactorily explain it. Usually, they try to avoid the question!

As you can see, we’ve defeated the whole idea of compromise positions, such as the gap theory or the day-age theory, just by looking at Scripture as a whole (Scripture always speaks with one voice).

As you can see, we’ve defeated the whole idea of compromise positions, such as the gap theory or the day-age theory, just by looking at Scripture as a whole (Scripture always speaks with one voice). But there are also more specific arguments dealing directly with the idea of there being, for example, a gap in the text of Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. I won’t get into those here—we have a host of articles dealing with the issue of millions of years, and actually the feature article in our upcoming issue of Answers magazine (which is hitting mailboxes very soon) is titled “What’s in the Gap? Gap theorists insert millions of years between the first two verses of Genesis. But what really lurks in that gap?”

If you aren’t already a subscriber to this popular biblical worldview magazine, I encourage you to subscribe today—you won’t regret it! Answers is an award-winning publication for good reason—it’s visually stimulating, filled with fascinating articles on a host of different biblical-worldview, theology, and science topics, and each magazine includes a 32-page kids magazine for free! Kids Answers is filled with activities, games, stories, animal facts, jokes, and, of course, biblical-worldview teaching.

I encourage you to subscribe today to enjoy the gap theory article, as well as articles on the engineering abilities of beavers, the efficacy of electric cars, the truth about the Holy Spirit, the poaching problem, and, as always, the latest in culture and science news through the lens of God’s Word. Subscribe today at AnswersMagazine.com.

Instead of compromising God’s clear Word with man’s ever-changing, fallible opinions, let’s start our thinking on God’s Word and be emotional about the right thing—the authority of God’s Word and the gospel message!

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

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