During a "Lord, I Believe" seminar I always offer the audience an opportunity to ask any and all questions they desire. We offered that opportunity again at our recent seminar here in Huntsville in November. As you would have seen then, I don’t have answers to all your questions by any means. That Q&A session lasted almost four hours and touched on several points I will address today. However, in this shorter study today, I would like to turn the format around a bit. I’d like to ask you some of the questions I’m frequently asked as we attempt to find our common ground. Maybe I can remove (or possibly confirm) some of your concerns. Before that, let me lay out some limitations of my presentation for you today.

1.  I will not be presenting any evidences of the age of the universe or earth, either young or old.
          - Stipulate: alternative means exist for interpreting the various evidences.(1)

2.  I will not be discussing a view sometimes called appearance of age.
          - Stipulate: God could do whatever is consistent with being God.

3.  I will not be discussing the pros and cons of uniformitarianism v. catastrophism.
          - Stipulate: both have valid regimes for interpreting physical evidence.

Though I am not addressing these three points today, I am providing you with an essay discussing each of these three points in some detail (ref. Couchman). So on to the questions at hand. Most of this (very long) list of questions are those I’m usually asked by concerned brethren, so I thought these would be what an audience of preachers and elders might find most interesting. If you begin to find these tedious or even annoying, I understand completely. However, these will be simple questions. "Yes" or "no" will probably do for most of them.

Do you believe you exist?                                   So do I.

Do you believe I exist?                                       So do I.           JSome of you might wish I didn’t exist.

Do you believe the cosmos exists?                      So do I.           Some are agnostic about this.

Do you believe the cosmos had a beginning?       So do I.           Logically, an atheist cannot.

That is how far back to basics I must go sometimes to find a common ground with a skeptical audience. As you know, evangelism with such an audience starts at a much different place than Acts 2:38. I know within this audience we have much more common ground, such as Acts 2:38! So, let’s take a step forward into the believer’s world-view.

Concerning Genesis 1-2
Do you suspect you are more than just flesh and bone – that you are a Person? So do I.

Do you believe a super-natural, transcendent Person could exist? So do I.

Do you believe a super-natural, transcendent Person does exist? So do I.

Do you believe the God of the Bible is such a supernatural, transcendent, person? So do I.

Do you believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible word of God? So do I.      (2 Tim 3:16,17)

Do you believe "in the beginning God created the heavens and earth"? So do I.  (Gen 1:1ff)

Do you believe initially the earth was formless and void? So do I.

Do you believe on day one God said let there be light? And so there was light? So do I.
         (Ditto for all of God’s commands on days two, three, four, five and six)

Do you believe on day six God created man and woman in God’s image? So do I.

Do you believe "from the beginning he made them male and female" ? So do I. (Mt 19:4)

Do you believe God rested from his labors on the seventh day? So do I.

Do you believe Genesis is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth in the day God made the earth and heavens? I do. (Gen 2:4)

Do you believe on the day they ate of the tree, Adam and Eve surely died? (2) I do. (Gen 2:17)

Do you believe the reader should generally understand the term "day" (Heb: yomh) in these instances in the sense of an ordinary calendar day? I do (3). (except 2:4)

Do you believe that as God created the heavens and earth in six days and rested on the seventh, so the Israelites would labor for six days and rest on the seventh? Yes. (Ex 20:11)
 

Concerning Genesis 3-1
Do you believe man’s death (physical & spiritual) is the consequence of sin? I do. (4)   (Rom 5:12)

Do you believe the genealogies in Genesis 5, 10 & 11 indicate an age of mankind in the realm of thousands, not millions of years? I do.

Do you believe in the days of Noah, a flood was brought against sinful mankind so that only eight souls were saved in the ark? So do I. (Gen 6-9, 1 Pet 3:20)
 

Concerning Evolution and Various Time Scales
Do you believe man and all other life forms evolved from cosmic energy and inorganic matter (i.e., macro-evolution(5))? Nor do I.

Do you believe macro-evolution is possible in 10 billion years? Nor do I. (FYI: ICR does.(6))

Do you believe God used macro-evolution to make the life-forms of Genesis 1? No

If one rejects life’s macro-evolution entirely, could one be a "theistic evolutionist"? (7) No.
     Do you believe some natural things change with time? Almost certainly you do.
     Are you a theistic evolutionist? I doubt it.

Do you believe man (Homo sapiens) is millions of years old? Nor do I.     (nor does "science")

Do you believe the Bible states the date of creation is 4004 BC? Nor do I.

Do you believe the Bible states the date of creation at all? Nor do I.

Do you believe a recent creation would be consistent with the Bible? So do I.

Do you believe the Bible definitely limits the age of the cosmos to be at most only thousands of years old? I do not.
But I fully understand why some do.

Does 2 Peter 3:8 ("one day is as a thousand years") have reference to the days of creation? (8) No. (9) 
 

Thought Questions
Concerning the Bounding Events of Time
Do you believe anyone has perfect understanding of the Judgement – the end of time? No.

Do you believe anyone has perfect understanding of the Creation – the start of time? No.

Does the Bible provide complete understanding of Judgement and Creation? No.
 

Concerning Scripture:
Does the Bible sufficiently reveal God’s will, purpose and plans for man? Yes.

How would one learn whatever the Bible might have to reveal from God? Study it.

Must one be a "theologian" to be able to understand the Bible? No.

Could there be varying levels of skill at reading and understanding scripture? Yes.
 

Concerning Nature:
Do you believe nature has anything to reveal relative to God? Yes. (Most TE⁷ do not.)

Do you believe nature gives evidence of God’s existence, power and divine nature? Yes.

How would one learn to "read" nature’s revelation about God? Study it.

Do you believe one must be a scientist to be able to "read" nature? Nor do I.

Do you believe it is possible for a person to come to believe in God’s existence, divine character and power based solely upon nature? Yes. (Romans 1:19-20)

Could there be varying levels of skill at reading and understanding nature? Yes.

Concerning Alleged Contradictions of Nature and Scripture:
Do you believe different skill levels in understanding either scripture or nature could result in perceived contradictions between scripture and nature? Yes.

Do you believe perceived contradictions between scripture and nature could also be the result of one’s predisposition against one realm or the other? Yes.

Do you believe nature has anything to reveal contrary to God’s Word? No. (Skeptics do)

Do you believe God’s Word has anything to reveal contrary to nature? No. (Some believers do)
 

Concerning Mutually Supportive Roles of the Natural and Written Revelations: (10)
Can a person learn God’s will, purpose or plans from nature? No.

Do you believe you or anyone has complete or perfect understanding of nature? No.

Would perfect bible-study give one a complete understanding of nature? No.

Has scripture ever improved or corrected your understanding of nature? For me, yes.
Example: that nature has been designed for humanity – the "strong anthropic principle", as it is usually called in the science community.
We would call the idea "God".

Has information from nature (the realm outside the Bible) ever improved or corrected your understanding of the Bible? For me, yes.
Examples: History and Archeology, Greek and Hebrew languages, my view of God’s nature and power. (11) 
 

Concerning Religious Doctrines about the Age of Creation
Can old earth "doctrines" become a stumbling block to faith in Jesus? Yes. (12) 

Can young earth "doctrines" become a stumbling block to faith in Jesus? Yes. (13) 

Does the Bible connect one’s salvation to a doctrine of the age of the earth? No.

If nature happens to indicate the cosmos might be very old, what verse(s) of the Bible would that definitely contradict? (I know of none.)

If nature happens to very strongly indicate the cosmos might be very old (say as strongly indicated as a heliocentric solar system), how will Christians who require rejection of that be perceived by unbelievers who do accept such indications? They will probably have pity or disdain for such Christians, but Christians expect such.

How effectively will such Christians be able to evangelize among them? Greatly limits one’s credibility and probably will substantially limit one’s opportunities, but the good news of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who accepts it.

If you were to come to believe the cosmos was very old, do you believe that would logically require you to reject the Bible as God’s Word? No.
Or – reject belief in Jesus as the Christ, Son of God and our Lord? No.

[Post-presentation comment: I have asked this same question of many dozens of audiences of Christians over the years. Never, until making this presentation, have I ever gotten an answer in the affirmative: "Yes, an old earth would require me to reject the Bible." I was astounded to hear, in that audience of about 60 preachers and elders, several so affirm concerning their own faith in the Bible. I strongly suggest that such illustrates how belief in a young earth can be a serious stumblingblock to faith. To my brothers preaching God's word from this basis I implore you -- do not build a young person's faith on this basis. It is a recipe for theirs, and possibly your, spiritual disaster. Hill Roberts (note added to this page 5-1-00)  ]

If you came to believe everything was the result of mindless, purposeless accident, would that challenge your faith? Yes, it would almost certainly destroy Christian faith. (Hence, the real apologetic issue is not the age of the earth, but chance versus creation: God's existence.)

What would you do if you came to believe the cosmos and earth were very old? Seek a harmony with God’s written revelation, if one perceives it as an issue at all.

Concerning possible harmonies between the natural revelation and Genesis
How do I harmonize an ancient creation with Genesis? There are many possibilities.
See my online Genesis article for one possibility. http://lordibelieve.org/time/age8.PDF

Short Version (14):Genesis 1 is an elegant Hebrew account appropriate to the Israelites’ day revealing real events beyond human comprehension. It is not written to answer all our scientific questions about creation, but to answer the questions Israelites would have to face from pagan myths about their own origins. As such it is simplified and structured to help us focus on the main point: God transcends and is sovereign over all, because He made all that is. God pronounced His will on the six calendar days of creation to prepare the earth for man.(15) Speaking His Will is the fundamental divine action of ex nihilo creation itself (Ps 33:9, 2 Pet 3:5). Nature responds to each pronouncement in accord with the laws of nature inherently created by God via the pronouncement itself. The full result of nature’s response may have occurred over a period of time outside the bounds of His creative days.(16) The statements in Genesis 1 indicating completion of each day’s pronouncements can be plausibly understood as "parenthetical" from the perspective of Moses’ time (17, 18) when all these things were clearly seen to have been fully accomplished, in accord with God’s Spoken Will. Genesis thereby explains God’s unilateral legal right to establish His covenant (19) with the children of Israel at Mount Sinai, which is what immediately follows Genesis in the rest of the Pentateuch. There is no "re-translation" here, nothing "mythological" or "allegorical" in this interpretation of Genesis, nor does any particular view of the age of the universe or earth inform this interpretation.(20, 21) Whether it ultimately proves young or old does not alter this interpretation.

It is not my objective to convince believers this is the one correct interpretation of Genesis, but only that a plausible harmonization of nature and the text exists, countering skeptics’ charges of necessary contradiction. This is the view for which I have the most confidence at this point in my quest. My approach to the defense of my own faith, and my evangelistic apologetics among the skeptical, incorporates my beliefs derived from nature that the created universe is more probably ancient than young. This is not contrary to scripture. Scripture, and specifically the New Testament, does not require a Christian to take a doctrinal position on the age of the universe or earth at all. As a biblically conservative (22) Christian who is also a physicist, I believe the ancient earth view is more consistent with the totality of God’s revelation. In the adult class of "Lord, I Believe" workshops, we briefly present evidence for both old and young age to show that the question is arguable and complex. We acknowledge the old age evidence comes across as much stronger, however I believe such is reflective of the quality of evidence, more than a presentation bias. We do not promote as doctrine any age of the earth. We treat the age of the earth as a question for continuing inquiry. We explicitly state we do not know the age of the earth. (23) I know requiring of others any doctrinal position not clearly taught in scripture is spiritually dangerous, especially with respect to any doctrines of age of creation, old or young.

"What shall we say, then, about the age of the earth? We shall have to say that Scripture gives us no exact dates before the time of Abraham. It is impossible to give an exact date for Creation, and we cannot say on the basis of Scripture how old the earth is."  John Klotz, Genes, Genesis & Evolution, 1970.

"There is no statement in the Bible which indicates the age of the earth ... If the scientists, or the pseudo-scientists, want to ascribe to the earth the age of a million, a billion, or three hundred billion years, I will not pause to argue the question with them now… ‘In the beginning God’ is all the Bible affirms on the question." Foy E. Wallace, Jr., God’s Prophetic Word, 1946. (see full text of quote supplied at end of this article)

If one believes the creation is recent, that is certainly within the bounds of scripture.
     However, that may not prove to be within the bounds of nature. Time will tell.

If one believes the creation is ancient, that is also within the bounds of scripture.
    Likewise, that may not prove to be within the bounds of nature. Time will tell.

I believe –

* The age of creation is not a Bible doctrine, and should be separated from the creation/evolution issue.
     (That point is the fourth of five main LIB Tools, as presented in our LIB (24) workshops.) 

* The physical evidence is best interpreted as probable antiquity for the universe and earth.
     (Conversion to my opinion of antiquity is not an objective of any LIB presentation.)

* Harmony between Genesis and physical evidence of origins are ongoing studies for which one may never have fully satisfactory answers. However…

I have reminded us of one possibility which accepts an ancient view, preserves the ordinary understanding of Genesis days, supports believers’ faith in creation, and has strong apologetic value among unbelievers. Other harmonization approaches also merit ongoing study and discussion.

Approaches which reject any part of scripture or any part of nature as valid evidence on this question are suspect, in my judgement.

Some Final Questions For Your Private Meditation:
Should a Christian’s faith be in "ancient earth geology, or astrophysics"?
Should a Christian’s faith be in "young earth flood geology"?

What counsel would you give your son or daughter who tells you they have discovered the creation is definitely old (non-negotiable), and consequently they reject the Bible? (25) 

What counsel would you give other preachers, teachers and elders after such a situation?

Can we have the "same mind" of honor for the other with personal humility (as per Romans 12:16ff) toward both old- and young-earth brothers, as we continue to study the totality of God’s revelation concerning such questions?

Will you promote, tolerate or oppose dividing the body of Christ over differing opinions concerning the age of the creation?
(see Doy Moyer in FocusMagazine, September, 99)
 

"If I have been allured into brashness by the wonderful beauty of thy works, or if I have loved my own glory among men, while advancing in work destined for thy glory, gently and mercifully pardon me: and finally, deign graciously to cause that these demonstrations may lead to thy glory and to the salvation of souls, and nowhere be an obstacle to that. Amen."       Johannes Kepler

(2) Do you feel a strong desire to qualify your answer? There is additional revelation concerning this “day” which indicates something other than the obvious “24 hr” meaning is required: e.g., Gen. 2:17, 3:4, 23-24, 5:5, Is. 59:2, Ezk. 18:4, Rom. 5:12. But what meaning would Adam and Eve have attached to what God said to them in 2:17? back

(3) Mine is not the typical "old earth creationist" view. Other approaches merit continuing study by all. back

(4) I am dubious concerning the causative role of man’s sin regarding the death of non-spiritual organisms. back

(5) Including both forms of macro-evolution: Neo-Darwinian Gradualism, and Punctuated Equilibrium back

(6) Institute for Creation Research, El Cajon CA. Henry & John Morris, D. Gish, H. Slusher, G. Parker et al. back

(7) TE: One who affirms God used organic evolution processes to produce all the major varieties explicitly mentioned in Genesis 1-2; in contrast to those varieties coming into being via ex nihilo creation – without ancestral stocks back

(8) Psalms 90:1-4 does encompass creation. Peter used the language of Ps 90:4 to illustrate God’s longsuffering. back

(9) Hence, LIB teachers have never so used 2 Pet 3:8 in any Lord, I Believe classes, even though it is widely, but mistakenly, reported that we do so use it in some of the children’s classes. (Sometimes children suggest the verse.) back

(10) See Addendum 1 for a discussion of the role of apologetics in relation to faith back

(11) See Addendum 2 for a specific example of such a correction concerning Biblical chronologies back

(12)   “Old Earth” doctrine can become a stumblingblock if it leads one to place man above God.  It is proper for secular knowledge to improve our understanding of the Word, but our understanding of Nature or the Word is never equal to the revelations of God themselves. God’s wisdom stands above all forms of human knowledge. It is easy to confuse one’s interpretation of Nature or the Word, with Nature or the Word itself. Such is pharisaic arrogance. back

(13) “Young Earth” doctrine becomes a stumblingblock if one believes the Bible requires a young earth view, but believes nature shows the earth to be very old. Or, if young earth doctrine is forced upon such a believer. back

(14) See my website for details. This harmonization is not a part of any “Lord, I Believe” presentation. It, as well as many other alternatives, young and old, may be discussed in the QA sessions, if asked for by the attendees. back

(15) 1:1-2 are taken sequential to the remaining account, occurring in some prior indefinite period  “in the beginning.” back

(16) Such as the pronouncements to “multiply and fill the earth” Gen 1:22, 28. These commands are likewise encompassed by the “it was so” observation for days five and six. Nothing in the text itself indicates these commands weren’t accomplished (“so”) at the same time or with the same speed, as any of the other pronouncements.  We infer these commands were not instantaneously accomplished based solely on our knowledge of reproduction. Someone not familiar with reproduction, such as a child, would have no textural basis to assume these commands are any different from any of the other commands in Genesis 1 issued by God. Instant accomplishment is not inherent in the language of Genesis 1. Certain accomplishment is inherent to the context. All of God’s creation commands were clearly “so” in Moses’ time, as in ours. When God speaks it happens! This is the consistent OT message. back

(17) This parenthetical view should not be confused with pictorial or revelatory days. These are six creation days.  back

(18) Such as the parenthetical statements concerning marriage in Genesis 2:24.  back

(19) With that covenant, God created the nation of Israel (Is 43:1f, Ex 6:6f), but that did not immediately result in a mature nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai. The idea of “creation” does not include any explicit instantaneity and could include time and process, as it did for the creation of the nation of Israel. Contextual usage may be determinative. back

(20) A similar approach was advocated even by Augustine (354-430) so it was not, and is not, motivated by attempts to accommodate macro-evolution, then or now. It does accommodate observations of any degree of age for nature.  back

(21) For some other interpretive possibilities see Archer, Blocher, Hayward, Newman, Ramm, Ross, Sailhammer, Schaffer, and Stoner. Blocher, Newman and Hayward have been the most instructive for me: Blocher for his exegetical insight to the text, Newman and Hayward for their harmonization concepts.  back

(22) Takes a strong view of inspiration, inerrancy and authority of Scripture in accord with 2 Timothy 3:16,17. back

(23) Since about 1995 Rod Summers, who is less passionate and more neutral than I on these matters, has presented this part of the lectures. Our sole point is that any believed age is not germane to the creation issue, which is good since it might prove yet to be either young or old. Pick an answer, but the Bible is silent on the age question. back

(24)  "Lord, I Believe"      back

(25) This happens all too frequently. See www.lordibelieve.org/tgreen.html for just such a real-life situation, and others. back
 

Because apologetics focuses primarily on giving reasons for beliefs, it is sometimes thought that the apologist is arguing for a belief system that obviates the primary role of faith in our relationship to God. This is not the case. Physical evidence does not replace faith, it encourages faith. That is the purpose of apologia. (1 Peter 3:15)

Some beliefs I accept solely by faith in the testimony of God’s word are:

• God is the Creator
• God is a Spiritual Person, not some naturalistic force
• God is the only god
• God is the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit
• Jesus is the Son of God
• Jesus the Savior now sits at the right hand of the Father on His throne
• I am made in the image of God
• God knows me, and hears my prayers through the work of Jesus and the Spirit
• I am forgiven of my sins by the blood of Jesus
• The church is the hosts of individuals in the kingdom of God and the body of Jesus
• Jesus is the head of that church
• There is a Heaven and there is a Hell
• Salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus unto righteousness
• In Jesus alone I have hope of eternal life in Heaven with Him

Because apologetics^* frequently deals with evidences external to the Bible, it is also sometimes perceived that such external evidences are elevated by the apologist above the Word. There is that danger. If that happens, one is no longer an apologist for the Bible. All sincere apologists seek truth. As such, the study of external evidences may aide in correcting erroneous human interpretations of scripture. Likewise scripture corrects humanistic interpretations of nature. Such corrective studies are usually confrontational, and frequently persist over many generations. The quest for truth is worth the pain of confrontation.

Apologetics seldom converts the skeptic – such remains the power of the gospel. Apologetics can help remove stumbling blocks to potential faith as it is being called forth by the gospel. For many believers their faith has grown to a point where apologetics is no longer a needed support for their faith. At that point, some may even begin to view apologetics as an evil pursuit that questions the role of faith or the integrity of God’s Word. This is especially so in believers who perceive a direct personal testimony of the Spirit of God as the basis of their faith. Apologetics generally has less value with such as these. For other believers, apologetics can help to build up faith in times of doubt, or in preparation for the doubts that may come due to the refining trials of life.

Frequently the skeptic first needs some external evidence to open the way to hearing the word of God. God has provided ample evidence from all realms of existence to demonstrate that He exists, that He loves us, and that His Word is faithful and true. Jesus loved Thomas by showing him the nail prints!

My apologetic work seeks to understand the evidence provided by God and use it to convert the unbeliever to faith in Jesus Christ, the hope within us! If I can be of any service in your evangelism of the unbelievers and skeptics, please feel free to contact me. God speed in your ministry. Hill Roberts

"If I have been allured into brashness by the wonderful beauty of thy works, or if I have loved my own glory among men, while advancing in work destined for thy glory, gently and mercifully pardon me: and finally, deign graciously to cause that these demonstrations may lead to thy glory and to the salvation of souls, and nowhere be an obstacle to that. Amen." Johannes Kepler    Back

* See Roberts on "Presuppositionalism and Evidentialism" at the LIB website for a discussion of the two main approaches to apologetics.

In 1970 while studying fulfilled prophecy for its apologetic value, I first came to appreciate the significance of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the coming seventy years of Babylonian captivity for Judah.

It is now understood that these dates, though approximately correct, are in minor error. The dates for these two events (deportment and return) have been corrected to 605 and 539 BC for a total captivity of about 66 years. According to the literal fulfillment interpretation, Jeremiah got it wrong. Such a conclusion is intolerable within a strong view of inspiration, causing us to reconsider the literal interpretive approach for this text. (Such reinterpretation is not a repudiation of the strong view of inspiration.)

The fundamental index for both these dates is from Assyrian records (the Eponym Canon) of a solar eclipse observed in Ninevah during the reigns of Ashurbanipal, Uzziah and Jereboam II. (See Thiele for more information.) Using the current orbital paramenters of the earth and moon and orbital mechanics (developed by Isaac Newton) it is found that there was just such an eclipse, only one, observable in that region and time domain as recorded by the Assyrian records. It occurred June 15, 763 BC. (Interestingly, this would have been during the time of Amos and observable in Israel. See Amos 8:9.) This then connects the detailed Assyrian records to a physical event easily dated according to current calendars. From this information the dates of the deportations and return under the Cyrus decree are easily determined from the Biblical account of the events in comparison to the detailed secular history available through archeology concerning the Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian dynasties. So the application of the sciences of astronomy and archeology have illuminated our Biblical knowledge with some precision concerning the length of the Babylonian captivity. It was closer to 66 years instead of an exact 70.

With this corrected information it now requires that a somewhat different interpretation of Jeremiah’s prophecy be developed in commitment to inerrancy. No longer can it be seen as a literal, exact seventy years. Rather, the prophecy must now be understood as an approximate value with more figurative implications. This is a very important interpretive correction as it leads to a better understanding of how to interpret other time prophecies; in particular the seventy sevens (490 years) in Daniel’s prophecy concerning the Messiah and the end of the Jewish kingdom, 9:24. (Notice that Daniel was aware of Jeremiah’s 70 years prophecy, 9:2.) Phil Roberts has provided a comprehensive study of how to better understand the Daniel prophecy as a figurative, though proximate, timeframe (FC Annual Lectures, The Prophets, 1989.) Such improved interpretations are important because the time from Daniel to Jesus cannot be fitted to 490 years. The return from Babylon came in 539 BC and the messianic kingdom did not come until about 30 AD. Even allowing for counting from later phases of the return, it is still not possible to fit the fulfillment into exactly 490 years. Some suggest the prophecy includes the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, which only exacerbates the problem for a literal time frame. Understanding this interpretive approach for one of Daniel’s prophecies likewise improves understanding of the others.

The chronology in Daniel has no bearing on the chronology of creation. The only point of this example is to show where the findings of science help not only to illuminate understanding of scripture, but provide a basis for corrective interpretations in light of that evidence. Historically, there are many other such cases, especially from the early seventeenth century. Then new findings in astronomy began to challenge the Catholic church’s ability to correctly interpret certain scriptures. Almost no one today would argue for a geocentric view. Though the scriptures didn't change, we did. We stand corrected and humbled for that.  Back

For more apologetics information:

"Lord, I Believe" website ( www.lordibelieve.org )
      See the Featured Articles,     Links (with old, young, neutral sites) &      Materials.
      All these point to many other non-LIB sources of information.
      The Events page will give you information on upcoming LIB workshops.

Roberts, "Apologetics: Evidentialism and Presuppositionalism" (www.lordibelieve.org/apologetics.pdf) , 2000.
 

For more information on why many believer’s interpret the creation as ancient:

Tom Couchman, "The Age of The Earth—Ruminations Of A Reluctant OEC" www.lordibelieve.org/time/AgeEarth.PDF , 1999.

Allan Hayward, "Creation and Evolution" Bethany House, 1985.

David Mathews, "Biblical Geology"     www.geocities.com/dmathew1/weekly/weekly51.htm 1999.

Hill Roberts, "Evidences That Have Led Many Scientists To Accept An Ancient Creation Of The Earth And Universe" www.lordibelieve.org/page15.html, 1996.

Hugh Ross, "Creation and Time" NavPress, 1994.

Don Stoner, "A New Look At An Old Earth" Baker Book House, 1997.
 

Recommended aides to interpreting Genesis:

Gleason Archer, "Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties" Zondervan, 1982.

Gleason Archer, "A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, Revised Ed. " Moody, 1996.

Henri Blocher, "In the Beginning" InterVarsity, 1984.

Steven B. Cowen, "Five Views on Apologetics Zondervan, 2000.

W. H. Green, "Primeval Chronology" Bibliotheca Sacra, 1890. www.lordibelieve.org/time/WHGreen.PDF

R.L. Harris, Archer, Walke, "Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament" Moody, 1980.

Ferrell Jenkins, "Making Sense of the Days of Genesis" Florida College Lectures, Feb. 8, 2000.

Robert Newman, Eckelmann, "Genesis One and the Origin of the Earth" InterVarsity, 1977.

James Boyce Montgomery, "Genesis" Zondervan, 1985.

J.P. Moreland, Reynolds, ed., "Three Views on Creation and Evolution" Zondervan, 1999.

John Sailhammer, "Genesis Unbound" Multnomah, 1996.

Francis Schaffer, "Genesis in Space and Time" InterVarsity, 1972.

Bernard Ramm, "The Christian View of Science and Scripture" Paternoster, 1955.

Hill Roberts, "Genealogy and Chronology" 1994. www.lordibelieve.org/time/Genalogy.PDF

Edwin Thiele, "The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings"  Kregel Pubs, 1995.

E. J. Young, "Studies in Genesis One" Baker, 1964. (FYI: father of Davis Young)

E. J. Young, "An Introduction to the Old Testament" Eerdmans, 1958.

Steve Wolfgang, "Science and Religion in the Restoration" Florida College Lectures, Feb. 9 & 10, 2000.
            (also see Wolfgang in "A Tribute to Melvin Curry, Jr." Florida College, 1997.)

For a discussion of the age-of-the-earth issue among brethren and believers:

Allan Turner’s re:thinking discussion http://server5.ezboard.com/brethinkingsbulletinboard
       Or, http://lordibelieve.org/page25.html for a more printer-friendly archive of same.

See Moreland, for a more thorough and up-to-date discussion of the YEC, OEC and TE positions of believers. This is a discussion by some of the best proponents of each view (Reynolds, Newman, van Till), with insightful counterpoints offered to each by several apologists representing a broad spectrum of disciplines and viewpoints. All contributors demonstrate an admirable respect for each other, which all of us could well learn to emulate.
 

"Much argument has been made as to whether the record of Genesis is scientifically correct and historically accurate. Some men in the realm of science complain that the Bible teaches that the earth is only six thousand years of age. But science claims for it a much higher antiquity than that. I recently called upon a man of science for proof that the Bible teaches that the earth is a mere six thousand years old. "Well," he said, "I just assumed it. I thought that is what religious folks claim." That is the trouble with some men in the scientific world. They assume too many things. They assume just about everything they say on matters of religion, and they assume some things they say when they are not talking on matters of religion."

"There is no statement in the Bible which indicates the age of the earth. "In the beginning God" is a phrase that defines a period of remote antiquity, hidden in the depths of eternal ages. If the scientists, or the pseudo-scientists, want to ascribe to the earth the age of a million, a billion, or three hundred billion years, I will not pause to argue the question with them now. Let their imagination play on, and their fancy with it, but when they get back to the beginning, it will be the beginning of the first sentence in the Bible, "In the beginning God." That is all that the Bible affirms on the question."

"I am making no charges against science. There is no conflict between the Bible and science. The word "science" means "to know," and there is not anything any man can prove that he knows that contradicts the Bible. I want to avoid leaving the impression that I am speaking in any derogatory manner against science. The Bible and science go hand in hand. They are halves of the same sphere. Properly considered, they illumine one another. They are co-servants; they support each other."

"But the man of science is not always scientific, and the man in religion is not always biblical. It is when the man of science gets unscientific or the man in religion gets unbiblical, that the clash comes."

"Some pseudo-scientists have much to say about the discords, disagreements and divisions among those who believe the Bible. But various groups of scientific men, or unscientific men, if you please, tell us that the earth is a million years of age, and then ten million; then a billion, and then ten billion. And now its age has been raised to three hundred billion. If the scientists cannot get any closer together among themselves than the distance between a million and three hundred billion years as to the age of the earth, what right have they to talk of disagreements between others? You may have your billion, your ten billion, or your three hundred billion, but I will take the first sentence in the Bible, "In the beginning, God." "  back

Background on Wallace's Statements (HR):
Wallace’s original material was somewhat revised in the 1960 edition. The 1960 edition condenses these ideas on pages 16-17, 27, although the 1960 edition is 50% longer overall.  Some of Wallace’s statements here are derived from early writings of Alexander Campbell, in his Supernatural Facts. Wallace’s book was a rebuttal of the premillennialism emerging in churches of Christ during the 30s and 40s. The premillennial doctrine was intimately associated with early 20th century fundamentalism, dispensationalism, and Seventh Day Adventism.  Wallace devotes an entire chapter to SDA. However, he makes no mention of the fact that SDA dispensational premillenialism was based on E.G. Whites’ vision of the Creation by which she claimed the seven 24-hour days of creation typified seven millennial dispensations in II Pet.3:8 style. Hence dispensational premillennialism was directly connected to a doctrine of a six-thousand year earth in accord with Ussherian chronology. Since about six thousand years had passed, the seventh millennium was imminent – the advent was upon us! This thinking is yet popular at the end of the 20th century. The premillennial connection was more about the timing of judgement rather than any creation/evolution issue. Wallace doesn’t even touch on evolution, but he clearly refutes the notion that the Bible requires a young earth doctrine. SDA also claimed that the Sabbath covenant was not established at Mt. Sinai, but at creation based on the six 24-hour days she observed in her vision followed by a 24-hour Sabbath. White suggested that the flood was responsible for apparent geological antiquity, again as the result of her visions. Wallace, while taking no comfort from science, explicitly rejected that either geology or the Bible addressed the antiquity of the creation. Rather he stressed that the Bible emphasized the source of creation – God (pg 27, 1960). In the late fifties and early sixties the topic of the age of creation was becoming a renewed point of contention among both conservative and fundamentalist theologians. This was reflected by the conflicting views of the conservative Bernard Ramm (Protestant Christian Evidences, 1953) and the dispensational millennialists Whitcomb and Morris (The Genesis Flood, 1961) who followed E.G. White’s SDA vision of creation as developed by self-styled geologist George McCready-Price. Such remains an issue among churches of Christ in the nineties as a heritage from those premillennial influences, although somewhere along the way the connection to dispensationalism was obscured. Today young earth doctrine in churches of Christ is typically connected only to the doctrines of creation and the flood, most being none the wiser that the doctrines’ roots are in visionary dispensationalism. Numbers(92), Wolfgang(97) and Harrell (00) provide fascinating insight into various portions of this history.

2 Tim 3:16,17
 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Gen 1:1-31
1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
 2 And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
 3 ¶ Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
 5 And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
 6 ¶ Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."
 7 And God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.
 8 And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
 9 ¶ Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.
 10 And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.
 11 Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, [and] fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth"; and it was so.
 12 And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.
 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
 14 ¶ Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;
 15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so.
 16 And God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; [He made] the stars also.
 17 And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,
 18 and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.
 19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
 20 ¶ Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."
 21 And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
 22 And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
 24 ¶ Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so.
 25 And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
 26 ¶ Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
 28 And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
 29 ¶ Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;
 30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, [I have given] every green plant for food"; and it was so.
 31 ¶ And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
(NASB)

Mt 19:4
And He answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created [them] from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE

Gen 2:4
And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Gen 2:17
but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said to the woman, "You surely shall not die!

Genesis 3:23-24
therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 5:5
So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.

Ex 20:11
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

Is. 59:2
But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden [His] face from you, so that He does not hear.

Ezk. 18:4
Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

Rom 5:12
 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

Genesis 5
1 ¶ This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.
 2 He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created.
 3 When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of [a son] in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.
 4 Then the days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.
 6 ¶ And Seth lived one hundred and five years, and became the father of Enosh.
 7 Then Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 8 So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.
 9 And Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
 10 Then Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 11 So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.
 12 And Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel.
 13 Then Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 14 So all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.
 15 And Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared.
 16 Then Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Jared, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 17 So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.
 18 And Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch.
 19 Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.
 21 ¶ And Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.
 22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.
 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
 25 ¶ And Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech.
 26 Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.
 28 ¶ And Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son.
 29 Now he called his name Noah, saying, "This one shall give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands [arising] from the ground which the LORD has cursed."
 30 Then Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after he became the father of Noah, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.
 32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
(NASB)

Genesis 10
1 ¶ Now these are [the records of] the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood.
 2 The sons of Japheth [were] Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras.
 3 And the sons of Gomer [were] Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah.
 4 And the sons of Javan [were] Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim.
 5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
 6 ¶ And the sons of Ham [were] Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan.
 7 And the sons of Cush [were] Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah [were] Sheba and Dedan.
 8 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth.
 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD."
 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
 11 From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah,
 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
 13 And Mizraim became the father of Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim
 14 and Pathrusim and Casluhim (from which came the Philistines) and Caphtorim.
 15 ¶ And Canaan became the father of Sidon, his first-born, and Heth
 16 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite
 17 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite
 18 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad.
 19 And the territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
 20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations.
 21 ¶ And also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, [and] the older brother of Japheth, children were born.
 22 The sons of Shem [were] Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram.
 23 And the sons of Aram [were] Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash.
 24 And Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber.
 25 And two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one [was] Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name [was] Joktan.
 26 And Joktan became the father of Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah
 27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah
 28 and Obal and Abimael and Sheba
 29 and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.
 30 Now their settlement extended from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east.
 31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations.
 32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.
(NASB)

Genesis 11
1 ¶ Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words.
 2 And it came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
 3 And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn [them] thoroughly." And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
 4 And they said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top [will reach] into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
 5 ¶ And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
 6 And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.
 7 "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."
 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.
 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.
 10 ¶ These are [the records of] the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood;
 11 and Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 12 And Arpachshad lived thirty-five years, and became the father of Shelah;
 13 and Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years after he became the father of Shelah, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 14 And Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber;
 15 and Shelah lived four hundred and three years after he became the father of Eber, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 16 And Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg;
 17 and Eber lived four hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu;
 19 and Peleg lived two hundred and nine years after he became the father of Reu, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 20 And Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug;
 21 and Reu lived two hundred and seven years after he became the father of Serug, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 22 And Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor;
 23 and Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 24 And Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah;
 25 and Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and he had [other] sons and daughters.
 26 And Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.
 27 ¶ Now these are [the records of] the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran; and Haran became the father of Lot.
 28 And Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans.
 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah.
 30 And Sarai was barren; she had no child.
 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife; and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran, and settled there.
 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.
(NASB)

Gen 6-9 (chapter 6 only included here)
 1 ¶ Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
 3 ¶ Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
 4 ¶ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore [children] to them. Those were the mighty men who [were] of old, men of renown.
 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
 6 ¶ And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
 7 And the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."
 8 ¶ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
 9 These are [the records of] the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
 10 And Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
 11 ¶ Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.
 12 And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
 13 ¶ Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.
 14 "Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.
 15 "And this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
 16 "You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.
 17 "And behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish.
 18 "But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
 19 "And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every [kind] into the ark, to keep [them] alive with you; they shall be male and female.
 20 "Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every [kind] shall come to you to keep [them] alive.
 21 "And as for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather [it] to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them."
 22 ¶ Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.
(NASB)

1 Pet 3:20
who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through [the] water.

2 Peter 3:8
But do not let this one [fact] escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Psalms 90:1-4
1 (A Prayer of Moses the man of God.) Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born, Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.
3 Thou dost turn man back into dust, And dost say, "Return, O children of men."
4 For a thousand years in Thy sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or [as] a watch in the night.

Romans 1:19-20
because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Psalms 33:9
For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

2 Peter 3:5
For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God [the] heavens existed long ago and [the] earth was formed out of water and by water,
 

Genesis 2:24
For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

Is 43:1
But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!

Ex 6:6-8
Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you [for] a possession; I am the LORD.

Romans 12:16-7
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.

1 Peter 3:15
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always [being] ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence