As young people and young adults we often go to college in order to learn about the world around us and obtain a degree in a particular field that interests us. Even if we don’t major in science, we often are required to take science courses for our general education credits. In these classes we are exposed to evolution. We are told that a given fossil is 65 million years old, for example. If this is at a secular college such as Grand Valley State University or the University of Michigan, we can easily debunk such a theory as being a lie. It becomes much more difficult, however, when Christian colleges such as Calvin College are teaching this theory. This is because they try to use Scripture to their advantage. In Genesis 1 we read “and the evening and the morning were the first day.” This continues through the other five days of creation. The theistic evolutionist says that these evenings and mornings weren’t what we know them as today, but are rather millions of years of geological time. Thus the evening and the morning are the first million years, second million years etc. In other words they believe that God used evolution to create the world. This, however, runs contrary to what is taught in the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1,2). “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth…For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6,9). These passages show that God created the world we live in from absolutely nothing. Our concern here is not with evolutionists in the main colleges and universities of our land. Our concern is people who call themselves Christians who try to blend creationism and evolutionism into one fluid piece. Christian colleges are beneficial institutions where we may take classes and major in subjects that have something of a biblical perspective to them. However, we must not get caught up in theistic evolution as it is taught in these schools. Why are we to cling to young-earth creationism as taught in the Bible? We are to hold this view because of the faith God has wrought in our hearts “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3). When we by God’s grace and Holy Spirit have this assurance confirmed in our hearts. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Let us have a spirit of discernment so that we know what is true and what is false in our education (1 John 4:1). In doing this God will use our education to benefit us not only academically, but spiritually as well.
Kevin Rau
Young Calvinists 