Understanding the Biblical Creation account as literal versus non-literal.

[Amethyst]

Because if you have a gap, you can pretty much fill it with whatever you like.

 

[Amethyst]

@Margery @mattfivefour appreciate your studied wisdom in these matters

 

[Set Free]

I think there may be Bible believing Christians who do believe Gap, but keep quiet about it for fear of rejection by their churches or other fellow Christians.

 

[Margery]

I think there may be Bible believing Christians who do believe Gap, but keep quiet about it for fear of rejection by their churches or other fellow Christians.

There absolutely are. Just as there are those who believe in evolution yet still maintain belief in Jesus death burial and resurrection- Dr Hugh Ross for example. The pastor of the Baptist church I used to go to for another example.

I just don't agree with them. For the reasons I shared, and many others that I didn't explain. @mattfivefour brings up death and that is another reason. There are more.

You asked what people thought of the Genesis Gap theory. I explained what I believe and some of why. The logical inconsistency of needing a literal Adam and Eve, a literal fall that occurred before Eve was pregnant in order to need a Saviour, in order for God to supply His own Son, born of a Virgin. Very God and very man.

People don't think logically. Most people think emotionally and they understand their need for a Saviour on a deep level without realizing that makes no sense in a world that just evolved even if it evolved under benign neglect and occasional intervention by God as a lot of liberal minded Christians think.

They are still saved if they look to Christ's one and only sacrifice on the cross for God's payment of their debt.

They just don't understand the framework of that salvation or why Christ needed to be born of a virgin.

Sadly when kids grow up in these homes and go to university their professors are all too eager to point out logical inconsistencies and without understanding the faith on which they stand some crumble and fall away while others hold out their hope in Christ and grab onto the Gap theories.

 

[mattfivefour]

I think there may be Bible believing Christians who do believe Gap, but keep quiet about it for fear of rejection by their churches or other fellow Christians.

This is true of many important doctrines. And, sadly, a lot of pastors will not deal with these issues because they are afraid of creating division. My view is the division already exists and it needs to be exposed and dealt with by the piercing series of the Word of God. That is what we are called to do as pastors. And it is not a duty we may shirk: we WILL answer to God.

 

[Matthew6:33]

The gap theory is bad exegesis. It tries to fit naturalism (old Earth) in with 6 day creation. Even the 'young Earth variant' argues that there was a pre 6 day creation that was destroyed by Satan over an unknown period of time (old Earth naturalism) and remade in a 2nd creation (6 days?). What am I trying to fit into the text here? Unnecessary and bad exegesis with the purpose of reading modern ideas into the text. Bad habit.