Was Adam a Real Person?

GEN. 1:26-28; ROM. 5:12-21; 1COR. 15:22, 45

SUBJECT: THE BIBLE VERSUS EVOLUTION

THEME: if our Christian foundation, specifically the biblical account of our origin, can be undermined by evolutionary teaching, then all other convictions, beliefs and doctrines stand suspect and are reduced to myths and mere fantasy.

INTRODUCTION:

So, was Adam a historical figure or an outdated spiritual symbol for humanity from a past era?

The theory of evolution has dominated our society for about a century, especially in our educational institutions. The media has been most influential in promoting the “fact” of organic evolution with some television programs and magazine editorial sections loyally devoted to the evolutionary viewpoint. Usually this indoctrination is obvious and insistent, but even when it is more subtle, it is nevertheless unmistakably effective.

Our current social and moral problems are largely a result of the humanistic philosophy which has been spawned by evolutionary thinking. The so-called “new morality” we are presently witnessing is actually “no morality,” the inevitable result of the atheistic, evolutionary philosophy. Indeed, there are virtually no areas of thought and life today which have remained untarnished by the effects of this popular viewpoint. (Cloud, D.)

Consider this thought from Huse,

Evolution has been universally accepted as fact while at the same time Biblical creationism has been generally discarded as an antiquated belief of a former age. Organized Christianity has spent the past century or so retreating and compromising before the onslaughts of the evolutionists. Consequently, the faith of many Bible-believing Christians has been seriously affected and countless sincere people have been deceived.—Scott M. Huse

My basic purpose in this article is three-fold:

        — First, to expose some of the fallacies of the theory of organic macro-evolution

        — Secondly, to present scientific evidence for Biblical creationism  

        — Thirdly, to prove that evolution and Biblical creationism are mutually exclusive and cannot be reconciled

LESSON:

I.  The Significance of a Historical Adam in The Bible

ADAM (red) is portrayed as the first man (Ge. 2-3). A number of New Testament references support this idea: Rom. 5:14; 1 Cor. 15:22, 45; 1 Tim. 2:13.

It is clear that the Apostles considered Adam to be a historical man, not merely a symbolic figure. “Adam is probably so called either from the red earth of which he was formed, or from the blush or flesh-tint of the human countenance” (Treasury).

A. TO DENY ADAM AND EVE AS HISTORICAL PERSONS IS TO DENY THE BIBLE.

   1.  Adam and Eve Are Mentioned 34 Times in the Bible.

   2.  Adam and Eve Are Mentioned in at Least Four Books of the Old Testament (Ge. 2- 4; De. 32:8; 1 Ch. 1:1; and Job 31:33).

   3.   Adam and Eve Are Mentioned in at Least five books of the New Testament (Lk. 3:38; Ro. 5:12, 14; 1 Co. 11:3; 15:22; 1 Co. 15:45; 1 Ti. 2:13-14; and Jude 14).

   4.  No One Who Believes the Bible Is the Infallible Word of God Can Doubt That Adam and Eve Were Created as the First Human Beings by a Special Act of God.

B. THE FIRST FIVE CHAPTERS OF THE BIBLE ARE WRITTEN AS HISTORY.  

   1.  THERE IS NOTHING IN THE RECORD TO INDICATE THAT IT IS TO BE INTERPRETED NON-LITERALLY, AS POETIC OR SYMBOLIC.

   2.  When the Bible uses symbolism, it plainly distinguishes that it is such, and it gives the keys for interpreting the symbols.

For example we can see this in Revelation. In chapter 17; John describes a woman sitting on a beast, and he plainly tells us that this is a mystery and he gives the interpretation of the symbolic language in the passage itself (vv. 7-18). The same is also apparent in the Kingdom Parables chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus gives us the parable in verses 3-9 and then He gives the keys to interpreting this parable and the others in verses 18-23 of the same chapter. 

   3.  Genesis Ch. 1-5, though, is written as history. Much like other historical passages it conveys some of the details of what actually transpired. Our faith is rooted in real history.

   4.  Gen. 5:5 says that Adam lived 930 years and then died! If Adam only represented mankind, what happened to “mankind” after Adam died! This is obviously a reference to a very real person who literally died.

C. IF ADAM AND EVE WERE NOT HISTORICAL PEOPLE, THE FALL IS A MYTH.

Therefore, Redemption Through the Cross of Christ Is Nonsense. See Romans 5:12-19, for the details and explanation. Paul clearly views Adams as a real person.

D. TO DENY THE HISTORY OF ADAM IS TO DENY JESUS CHRIST.

  1.  Christ’s Genealogy Is Traced from Adam (Lk. 3:23-38).

  2.  Further, the N.T. makes a direct comparison between Christ and Adam (Ro. 5:17; 1 Co. 15:22, 45). Adam was just as real as the Lord Jesus is.

II. Evolution and the Historical Account of Creation in The Bible (Gen. 1 – 3)

A.  THE MEANING OF EVOLUTION.

     — Evolution: The idea that the world and all existing things came into being through a process of gradual change and progression.

     — It has even been said that a person can believe the teaching of evolution and the teaching of the Bible without any serious contradiction. In other words, some say God used evolution as His means of making the world.

     — This, though, is impossible according to Hebrews 11:1-6!

B.  THE CHIEF MOTIVE FOR DENYING THE HISTORY OF ADAM . . . 

IS THE CHALLENGE OF SCIENCE AND THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION, BUT THE BIBLE AND EVOLUTION ARE IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION.

Let me list five of the plain Bible statements which directly contradict the theories of evolution.

         1. Genesis Says God Created the World and Everything in it in Six Literal "Morning and Evening" Days.

                — To read “eons” of time into the six days of creation is to turn language on its head and to make the Bible incapable of being dogmatically interpreted. This is clearly an accommodation of this misguided theory.

               — If the Bible does not mean what it says, there is no way to know what it does mean (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Creation unfolded over a period of six days and no other explanation appreciates what the Scripture undoubtedly states. (Cloud, D.)

         2. Genesis Says All Creation Was Made in a Mature State to Reproduce after its Kind.

              — The statement “after their kind” is found nine times in Genesis chapter one.

              — This is precisely what we observe in the world. Dogs reproduce dogs and frogs reproduce frogs and birds reproduce birds and peanuts reproduce peanuts.

              — This is biblical, but it is strictly contrary to what evolution requires.

         3. Genesis Says Man and Animals Were Distinctly Different Creations.  Gen. 1:24-28

               A.  The animals were made to reproduce after their kind, but man was made in the image of God and made a living soul.

               B.  Man has a spiritual aspect which no animal has. The animals were made to relate to man and to provide his enjoyment and needs.

               C.  Man was made to relate to God, to fellowship with, serve, worship, and glorify Him.

John Leslie wisely noted,

Now, if it has been found impossible—a question which I have put from time to time, but which still waits an answer—if it has been found impossible to change one species of bird into another species of bird, or one kind of animal into another kind of animal, how much more impossible would it have been to have changed an animal into a man? Or if, in other words, the blood or life of one species of animal is so radically different from the blood or life of another kind of animal, how much greater must the difference be between the blood of an animal and that of a man?—John Leslie

         4.  Genesis Says the World Was Created Perfect, Then Fell under Sin and God’s Curse (Gen. 3:11-24). This is consistent with everything we can observe. Everything is winding down. Everything is proceeding from order to chaos. Everything is corrupting. Evolution would require the exact opposite.

        5.   Genesis Says Everything Was Created to Fulfill God’s Purposes, the World and Everything in It, as Well as the Planetary Universe. 

             — Teleology is the study of final causes, of the purposes of nature.

             — It is a fascinating study, because regardless of how minutely one studies the creation, one is struck with a sense of wonder at the brilliant purpose behind every detail.

ILLUSTRATION:  Study the eye, the ear, the leaf, the atom, light, sound, air—everywhere you find purpose and design. That is what one would expect if God created the world precisely as the Bible says He did, but it is not what we would find if evolution were true.

             — If the latter were true we would find incredible chaos and happenstance and haphazardness. We would have a world filled with monsters and  unpredictable madness, part one thing and part another, a fish becoming a bird, a frog becoming a rat, a lizard becoming a bird, partially formed beaks which do not yet have a purpose, partially formed feet, partially formed wings, partially formed eyes, partially formed brains.

             — We would have no fixed absolutes from which and with which to work. We would have no atomic clock because the atom would not be stable. We would have no sure guide across the trackless oceans because the heavenly bodies would be in fluctuation. Praise the Lord that evolution is a lie and the Bible is true. (Cloud, D.)

III. Why We Should Hate Evolution as Lovers of Truth

Popular opinion says the Christian is not supposed to hate anything. The Bible, though, says differently. In Psalm 119:128, we are impressed with these words, “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; AND I HATE EVERY FALSE WAY.”

The godly Psalmist hated those things which were contrary to the inspired Scriptures. A Christian that does not hate sin and error is a Christian who does not love truth and righteousness. One of the things I hate as a Christian is evolution. Why?

    A.  FIRST, WE SHOULD HATE EVOLUTION BECAUSE IT DENIES THE BIBLE.

         — Some make silly statements that there is no proof of contrast between the Bible and evolution, that they can be reconciled.

         — Kitty Ferguson, in The Fire in the Equations published in 1995 by Eerdmans, claims that "one is free to believe that God invented the process of evolution in order to create."

         — That is nonsense. Evolution denies the plain and literal statements of the Bible.

         — Let me list seven of these plain Bible statements which directly contradict the theories of evolution.

How Evolution Differs from the Bible:

         1. The Bible Says God Made the World and All Things Therein in Six Days.

              A.  That these were six normal days by man's reasoning—24-hour days rather than 1,000-year or million-year days—is proven in Genesis chapter one by the repeated use of the phrase “the evening and the morning were the first day.” God would not have chosen this expression if He had not desired to communicate the idea of a normal day.

              B.  Also, in Exodus, the Lord revealed that the days of creation were the same kind of days as those kept by the Israelites for Sabbaths (Ex. 20:8-11; 31:16-17). Genesis and Exodus were written by the same person. He understood what he wrote in each book.

             C.  Evolution, on the other hand, says the present world is the product of millions of years of evolutionary process.

         2. The Bible Says God Made Plants and Animals in Such a Way That They Are Divided into Distinct Categories.

              A.  The dividing lines between “kinds” of animals cannot be crossed.

                   — One kind cannot be successfully interbred with another.

                   — Fish cannot become birds; bats cannot become eagles; dogs cannot become cats.

                   — It is true that there can be crossing over and interbreeding within kinds--one type of dog can be bred with another type of dog. But the major kinds of animals cannot cross over into other kinds (Ge. 1:21, 24, 25).

                   — Evolution teaches that all animals grew from some type of common stock. One kind produced another kind. Fish became land animals; lands animals became birds; and animal became a man.

                

              B.  This is directly opposed to the Bible. It is also contrary to the impassable gulf we observe existing today between animal species.

         3. The Bible Teaches That Man Is Not an Animal. Man Is the Only Creature on Earth Made in God's Image in Order to Have Direct Fellowship with God.

            A.  Man did not grow out of the animal kingdom.

                  — He was created directly by God to rule over the creation and to walk and talk with God (Ge. 1:19-31).

                  — Man was man the very hour he was made by God (Ge. 2:7; 5:1-2).

           

            B.  As soon as man was created, he had the ability to name all the animals of the world (Ge. 2:18-20).

            C.  Man was never an unintelligent animal.

            D.  Evolution, though, teaches that man arose from the animal kingdom, gradually becoming more and more intelligent, civilized, and self-conscious.

         4. The Bible Teaches That Mankind Was Made Perfect and Rebelled Against God.

           A.  Ever since that day, the human race has been growing increasingly more perverse and corrupt.                          

           B.  According to the Bible, man is not evolving, he is devolving (Ge. 1:26-31; 6:5-7; Ec. 7:29; 2 Ti. 3:13).

           C.  Evolution teaches that the human race began as dumb animals and has been growing increasingly better and higher. Please do not confuse clever technological advances and inventions with the improvement of humanities essential nature and behavior.

         5. The Bible Teaches That Man Was Created Intelligent and Inventive.

            A.  Adam’s children, in the very first centuries after creation, knew how to make music, keep cattle, farm, and work with brass and iron (Ge. 4:1-4, 16-22).

            B.  Evolution says it took men thousands or millions of years to learn these things. Also see Gen. 1:26-28, for more evidence of this.

         6. The Bible Teaches That the Origin of the World Must Be Understood by Faith Because the Process Is No Longer Visible (He. 11:3).  Heb. 11:3, says, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”

Evolutionists, though, are attempting to learn the process or origins through observing present conditions. The process is no longer evident; it cannot be studied because of this. It is possible to make observations about the visible world and its nature, but how it came into existence cannot be observed today.

         7. The Bible Says Divine Interventions Have Altered the State of the World since Creation—Noah’s Flood (2 Pet. 3:3-4). Evolution assumes a process unaltered from without—a closed system. Yet, the Scriptures repeatedly claim marvelous and extraordinary interventions and even judgments from God.

2 Pet 3:3-7, Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  5, For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6, Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7, But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Simply put the world we live in today is vastly different from the original creation because of catastrophic events and divine judgments. We cannot assume the world we live in came about merely by long slow processes of change. Without this kind of insight we assume such ridiculous notions as the Colorado River creating the Grand Canyon over long periods of time.

B.  SECONDLY, WE SHOULD HATE EVOLUTION BECAUSE IT DENIES GOD.

   1.  The God of Evolution Is Certainly NOT the God of the Bible.

The God of the Bible is intimately involved with His creation. He did not make some primordial soup and then invent some strange evolutionary process and stand back and wait for pre-man to slither out of it.  If that is your idea of God, you do not know the God of the Bible.

   2.  The God of the Bible Lovingly Formed Man from the Dust of the Ground and Breathed into Him the Breath of Life So That He Became a Living Soul (Gen. 1-3). The God of the Bible walked and talked with that man from the beginning, and He lovingly and patiently prepared the way for man's salvation after his fall (having prepared it in eternity).

   3.  The God of the Bible Not Only Created the World, He Intimately Sustains the World.

“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17).

       A.  The God of the Bible is involved with every detail of creation. He says, “I know all the fowls of the mountains” (Psalm 50:11).

       B.  It is God who “visiteth the earth, and waterest it” (Psalm 65:9).

       C.  Jesus said not even a sparrow falls without His knowledge.

       D.  Every detail of creation was designed to bring glory to God. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1). This, friends, is not the strange god of evolution. This is clearly the work of a Creator and Sustainer!

C.  THIRDLY, WE SHOULD HATE EVOLUTION BECAUSE IT DENIES SALVATION.

    1.  If Genesis 1-3 is Not Literal History, the Rest of the Bible, the Doctrine of Christ and Salvation are Fairy Tales—because these are based on a supposition that these were real historical events.

    2.  The Lord Jesus Christ Referred to the Creation of Woman and the Institution of Marriage (Matthew 19:8). He views these as real history. He spoke of them as real events and activities that truly took place. Adam and Eve were real people to the Lord Jesus and they should be perceived as such by us today.

    3.  Paul Said That Sin Entered the World Through One Man, Adam (Romans 5:12-14). Paul said Adam was first formed, then Eve, and Eve was deceived (1 Timothy 2:13, 14).

    4.  There Is Not a Hint Anywhere in the Bible That Genesis 1-3 Is Not Literal History.

    5.  Man Was Created in God’s Image on the Sixth Day of Creation and Placed in the Garden of Eden as the Master of the World. Man was given a commandment not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The man and the woman disobeyed; they sinned; they fell. They were judged by God and evicted from the Garden and condemned to toil and to suffer and to die. But they were also given the offer of salvation through the Atonement which would be provided for them by God’s own Son. If Genesis 1-3 is not literal history, there was no fall. If there was no fall, salvation is a myth. Yet, the Lord Jesus died for our sins precisely as the Scriptures predicted He would!

    6.  I Hate Evolution, but I Love the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION:

If our Christian foundation, specifically the biblical account of our origin, can be undermined by evolutionary teaching, then all other convictions, beliefs and doctrines stand suspect and are reduced to myths and mere fantasy.

The irony of this whole situation is that the very concept of organic macro-evolution is completely absurd and impossible. It is absolutely astonishing that an idea which is so devoid of any legitimate scientific evidence could have attained a position of such prestige in the name of science.

Biblical creationism, however, has recently been revived and is gathering impressive momentum. Literally thousands of distinguished scientists are rejecting evolution in favor of creationism. Many states are considering including creationism in the science curricula, and numerous lectures and debates have been hosted on university campuses to clarify these matters.

Yes, Adam was a real man, and when we get to Heaven we will meet Him there. Our Bible is absolutely true in every degree. Trust it, believe it, walk in its precepts, and build your life on this solid foundation. Yes, we (every single one of us) are accountable to a Living God of Creation! As a fellow creature, I know He will hold us accountable for the life and opportunities He gave to each of us.