1 The Importance of Genesis

2 Foundations are crucial  A weak foundation means that the structure built upon that foundation will fall.  Applies, not only to physical structures, but to philosophical and theological constructs.

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4 “Creation is a side issue.” “It’s divisive.”

5 Genesis is foundational to the gospel What is the gospel? In a nutshell, it is that Jesus Christ died for your sins and by personally accepting His sacrifice on your behalf you have reconciliation with God. What is sin? Where did sin originate?

6 Genesis is foundational to the gospel  Sin, man’s disobedience to God “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

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9 Genesis is foundational to the gospel  Sin, man’s disobedience to God  Death

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11 Genesis 3:21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

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14 Genesis is foundational to the gospel  Sin  Death  Heterosexual marriage

15 Which marriage is biblical?

16 Genesis is foundational to the gospel  Sin  Death  Heterosexual marriage  Man is made in God’s image

17 Genesis is foundational to the gospel  Sin  Death  Heterosexual marriage  Man is made in God’s image  Trinity

18 Different views of Genesis creation

19 Different views of Genesis creation  Gap theory

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21 Different views of Genesis  Gap theory  Theistic evolution

22 Genesis order of creationEvolutionary long-age theory Earth before the sun and starsSun and stars before Earth Earth covered with water at firstEarth a molten blob at first Oceans before dry landDry land before oceans Life first created on the land as plantsLife started in the oceans Plants created before the sunPlants formed after the sun Fish and birds created togetherFish formed long before birds Birds created before land animalsLand animals formed before birds Whales created before land animalsLand animals formed before whales Man and dinosaurs lived togetherDinosaurs died out long before man Creation completed in six daysEvolution going on into the future

23 Different views of Genesis  Gap theory  Theistic evolution  Progressive creationism

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25 Different views of Genesis  Gap theory  Theistic evolution  Progressive creationism  Framework hypothesis

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27 Different views of Genesis  Gap theory  Theistic evolution  Progressive creation  Framework hypothesis  Biblical six-day creation

28 Different views of Genesis  Gap theory  Theistic evolution  Progressive creation  Framework hypothesis  Biblical six-day creation Only one of the above can be true.

29 Is Genesis an allegory or poetry?

30 al  le  go  ry \ ‘al-Ə-,gōr-ē, -,gor\ n, pl –ries [ME allegorie, fr. L. allegoria, fr. Gk allegoria, fr. allegorien to speak figuratively, fr. allos other + -agorein to speak publicly, fr. agora assembly – more at ELSE, GREGARIOUS] (14c) 1: the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also: an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression 2: a symbolic representation: EMBLEM (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1991, Thomas Allen & Son Limited, Markham, ON)

31 Poetry? By suggesting that Genesis is poetry, it is implied that a non-literal interpretation is justified. However, this is a false premise. Form does not necessarily imply non-literal interpretation.

32  Psalms are poetry.  Poetry employs metaphors, similes, symbolism, cadence, parallelism, etc.  Psalm 1:6 “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”  Ps. 2:2 “And the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed…”  Ps. 3:5 “I lay down and slept.”  Ps. 4:1 “Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.”

33 Genesis is written as an historical narrative, not as an allegory or poetry.

34 Psalm 11:3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do? Unfortunately, the atheist better understands the issue than most churchgoers.

35 ‘Christianity has fought, still fights, and will continue to fight science to the desperate end over evolution, because evolution destroys utterly and finally the very reason Jesus’ earthly life was supposedly made necessary. Destroy Adam and Eve and the original sin, and in the rubble you will find the sorry remains of the Son of God. If Jesus was not the redeemer who died for our sins, and this is what evolution means, then Christianity is nothing.’ G. Richard Bozarth, ‘The Meaning of Evolution’, American Atheist, p September 1979

36  Can a person be saved and hold a non- literal/historical view of Genesis?  Yes, but they are being inconsistent.  What kind of foundation are they building?

37 War of the World 1

38 War of the World 2

39 War of the World 3

40 War of the World 4

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44 1 Peter 3:15 …but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense (answer, NIV) to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

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46 Acknowledgements  Creation Ministries International  Institute for Creation Research  Answers in Genesis

47 The End