The Foundation of Genesis

[Michael V. Frazier]

(Originally published 5 Feb 2009 on EA. Updated 25 March 2009.)

The Bible firmly declares, "be ready always to give an answer (Grk. apologia, a defense) to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meakness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15). I do not expect every laymen or minister to articulate a defense against evolutionary ideologies, but I do want to warn the Church against the lies that Satan is currently using to invade the Church—the same lies he told Eve in the Garden.

Genesis 1-11 provides the foundation for the rest of Scripture. In those few chapters alone, all major Doctrines are directly or indirectly based.

1) God created man and gave him dominion over His creation (Gen. 1:28).
2) God placed Adam within the Garden to tend it, but later, because of sin, man is forced to struggle in tiresome work to live (Gen. 2:15; 3:17-19).
3) God created Eve from Adam and brought her to him, establishing the Biblical pattern of marriage between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:21-24).
4) God created all things in six days and rested on the seventh, establishing the pattern of man's seven-day workweek (Gen. 1:31-2:3; Ex. 20:11).
5) Adam, disobeying God, causes sin and death to enter the world, thereby passing to all his descendants (Gen. 2:16; Rom. 5:12,ff).
6) God cursed His creation because of Adam's sin (Gen. 3:14-19; Rom. 8:22).
7) God killed an animal to provide the first clothing for Adam and Eve after their disobedience (Gen. 3:21).
8) The death of the animal was the first blood shed because of sin (in penalty for sin)—a "type" of the future death of Christ (Heb. 9:22).
9) Jesus Christ (the Last Adam) came into the world to pay the penalty for Adam's sin, taking all our sin upon Himself and dying on a cross at Golgotha (Gen. 3:15).
10) God will create a new heaven and Earth one day, removing the Curse forever (Rev. 21:4; 22:3; Gen. 3).

Marriage, clothing, work, seven-day week, sin, death, and the atonement—all these elements are based on Genesis 1-11. Understanding, preaching, and defending Genesis 1-11 enables us to answer the questions of those who come to us asking, "Why did this happen?" "Why so much suffering?" We preach against homosexuality, pornography, abortion, etc., but these all are justified within an evolutionary framework. We fight racism, family breakups, adultery, etc., but these all are justified within an evolutionary paradigm.

Faith is undermined when it is poisoned with evolutionary thinking. The Word of God asks us "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). Therefore, we must strive to ensure the integrity of Scripture is upheld within our church congregations. Preach the Gospel! But we must not lay down the foundation of Genesis 1-11 in the process, otherwise there won't be a gospel to preach (Psalm 11:3; Isaiah 58:12).