Questions and Answers

If Christians display aversion to evolution, it is because it contradicts the revelation of Scripture, which is the basis of Christian beliefs. Genesis does tell us how God formed Adam and Eve, and it clearly does not explain it in evolutionary terms.

In recent times some have tried to harmonize the biblical account of creation with evolution, theorizing that God used evolution as the means to bring about life, including human life. This perspective, called theistic evolution, is attractive
to some because it supposedly allows one to believe in both God and evolution. In reality, however, evolution cannot be harmonized with the biblical account of creation.

Jesus reinforced the Genesis account when He stated in Matthew 19:4, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female' . . . ?" Jesus clearly taught His followers that the Old Testament writings were true, and He is obviously referring to the account as
it is written in Genesis 1.

The apostle Paul also affirms a nonevolutionary description when he writes in 1 Timothy 2:13, "For Adam was formed first, then Eve." Evolution does not claim that a man first evolved, then a woman. In the Bible, God reveals that He made Adam and then made Eve (Genesis 1-2). He did not just put an evolutionary process in motion.

The reality is that the "fossil, geological and biological records" are anything but clear in supporting evolution, regardless of what many would say. In Vertical Thought we regularly present some of the scientific evidence that not only contradicts evolution, but shows its impossibility.

Of course, in addition to all the scientific evidence that the evolution of the various species found on earth, including mankind, could not have taken place, we reject this theory because it is in direct contradiction to the revelation of God.

Much more could be said about this entire subject, and we recommend you look at our archives on the Vertical Thought Web site. A couple of articles you might find interesting can be found at www.verticalthought.org/issues/vt03/evolutionfaith.htm, and www.verticalthought.org/vt/vt01/evolution.htm . The United Church of God has also published a free booklet that addresses this subject, Creation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You Believe? It shows how the scientific evidence doesn't really fit with Darwinian evolution and contains many startling admissions from evolutionists demonstrating the flaws in their viewpoint. You can download or request a copy at www.gnmagazine.org/booklets.

Answer: The word "gentiles" means "nations"—a term used by the Israelites to denote all foreign (non-Israelite) peoples. Thus, the term gentile would typically designate anyone who is not a descendant of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob.

Most today term someone a gentile who is not a Jew. But Judah, the father of the Jews, was only one of 12 brothers from whom the 12 tribes of Israel originated. Joseph, Benjamin, Simeon, Reuben, Dan, etc., were also sons of Jacob and their descendants would not be considered gentiles.

Later, when the locations and identities of the other family members of the northern 10 tribes (called the House of Israel) were lost when they were taken into captivity, the term "Jew" came to be used for all of Jacob's known family.

When the Bible refers to the Jews first, then the gentiles, it means that the descendents of Jacob, called Jews, were the ones who first heard the gospel message brought by Jesus. After that it went to the gentiles who lived outside Judea and Galilee.

Since circumcision was a sign of the covenant God made with the children of Abraham, it is a term often used to indicate a Jew as opposed to a gentile. Those "of the circumcision" would be a reference to Israelites. Although there are physical benefits to male circumcision, God does not require this today for Christian conversion. Romans 2:28-29 says that what God really wants is spiritual circumcision of the heart—a repentant, godly attitude.