Genesis: where the universe starts, humans appear, and the great drama gets underway. But the real headline? Jesus, the eternal Word, was already on the scene, orchestrating it all! He is the director of the whole story and you, my friend, get a front-row seat!
Genesis reveals not only the beginning of creation but the identity of its Creator. The New Testament teaches that Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, was active in creation from the beginning, and that all things were made through Him. Reading Genesis in light of Christ shows that creation and redemption are inseparably connected, flowing from the same divine Son who both formed the world and later entered it to redeem it.
For this reason, my method of interpreting the whole Bible is to endeavor to follow the same criteria Jesus did. With that in mind, Jesus consistently describes Genesis as literal history, not as myth or allegory. He grounded human identity in creation itself (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Matthew 19:4–6; Mark 10:6–8), cited Abel as a real historical person whose blood cried out for justice (Genesis 4:8–10; Matthew 23:35), and pointed to Noah and the Flood as an actual divine judgment that prefigures the final judgment (Genesis 6–9; Matthew 24:37–39). He likewise referenced Lot and the destruction of Sodom as a historical warning (Genesis 19; Luke 17:28–32).
For Jesus, Genesis establishes God’s original design, explains humanity’s fall, and provides the foundation for His moral teaching and eschatological warnings. Therefore, taking Jesus seriously requires taking Genesis seriously as history and Scripture. As we reflect on Genesis through the lens of Jesus’ teaching, certain non-negotiable truths must guide our faith and engagement with the world:
- Creation was purposeful and intentional – Jesus affirms that God created humanity and the world with design and order (Matthew 19:4–6; Mark 10:6–8).
- Adam and Eve were real, historical individuals – Jesus references them directly, grounding human identity in their creation (Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6).
- Humanity is fallen and morally accountable – Jesus cites Abel and Noah to teach about sin, judgment, and the need for righteousness (Matthew 23:35; Matthew 24:37–39).
- Redemption flows from Christ – The same Word who was active in creation entered history to redeem humanity (John 1:1–3, 14; Colossians 1:16–17).
Faith, Science, and the Christian Inheritance
It is often forgotten that the scientific method itself emerged in medieval Christian Europe. Many of history’s greatest scientists were Bible believers who saw no conflict at all between studying nature and worshiping God. In fact, Johannes Kepler famously described scientific inquiry as “thinking God’s thoughts after Him.” Furthermore, here is a statement signed by over eight hundred British scientists, and is recorded at the Bodelian Library in Oxford, England:
We, the undersigned, Students of the Natural Sciences, desire to express our sincere regret that researchers into scientific truth are perverted by some in our own times into occasion for casting doubt upon the truth and authenticity of the Holy Scriptures. We conceive that it is impossible for the Word of God written in the book of nature, and God’s Word written in Holy Scripture, to contradict one another…physical science is not complete, but is only a condition of progress ¹.
Of course, that does not mean the church has never made mistakes. Christians have sometimes tied biblical authority too tightly to particular scientific models, leading to conflict. A well-known example is Galileo, whose support of heliocentrism met resistance from church authorities more for philosophical than scriptural reasons. Similarly, Georges Cuvier, the founder of modern paleontology, faced suspicion from some religious interpreters because his work on extinction challenged prevailing assumptions about God’s creation. These cases remind us to interpret Scripture confidently while holding scientific models with humility.
Bereshit: In the Beginning
The Hebrew word Bereshit (“In the beginning”) invites us not merely into a timeline, but into a relationship. Scripture opens with the majestic declaration: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Everything else flows from that sentence. From the telescope to the microscope, scientific discovery has only increased humanity’s accountability before God. As Paul writes in Romans 1, we are now “without excuse” more than ever. The created order continually bears witness to its Creator. Of course, that leads us to the proverbial “elephant in the room,” the creation/evolution debate.
Creation vs Evolution: Fact and Fiction
This is an issue that has been broadly misunderstood and propagandized. First, a necessary clarification: Evolution does not teach that humans “evolved from monkeys.” When Christians repeat that claim, they unintentionally reveal that they have not understood the theory they are criticizing. Even evolutionary theory does not teach direct descent from modern monkeys, but from a proposed common ancestor. From a Christian perspective, the deeper issue is that Scripture presents humans as uniquely created in the image of God, morally accountable to Him. Serious engagement, whether agreement or disagreement, requires the utmost accuracy, humility and integrity.
There is nothing inherently sinister about the word “evolution.” To evolve simply means to change over time. For example, the fact that we have different skin colors reflects the fact that our ancestors adapted to their respective climates. Similarly, at some point in the dateless past, God created the first canine. Yet today, we have Chihuahuas, St Bernards and everything in between!
Of course, these examples refer to microevolution, which is adaptation within species. Most creationists would have no problem with this. Rather, the controversy centers around macroevolution, or the transition from one species to another. Yet even then, much of the tension comes from trying to interpret Scripture through a modern taxonomy system which would not be developed for thousands of years.
Still, Genesis devotes only eleven chapters to creation and early human history. Other passages, such as Job 38, Psalm 104, and Romans 1 offer theological commentary, but even together they leave room for endless possibilities. So it might be helpful to think of the Genesis account as a “highlight reel” rather than an exhaustive rendering, which it never claims to be in the first place. Ultimately, the question is this: When God said “Let there be…” what kinds of processes did that set into motion?
Four Common Christian Views of Creation
Faithful Christians have held a variety of perspectives on this topic throughout the centuries, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few examples:
- Young Earth Creationism –This is the stereotypical Evangelical position. As the name implies, creation occurred in six literal, 24-hour days, roughly 6,000–10,000 years ago. This is the view of ministries such as Answers In Genesis and the Institute For Creation Research.
- Old Earth or Progressive Creationism – The “days” of Genesis represent longer periods of time. Variations of this idea were promoted by luminaries such as Augustine and Aquinas. More contemporary advocates would include Hugh Ross and Norman Geisler.
- Gap Theory – According to this view, there is an undefined time gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Consequently, the phrase “the earth was without form and void” may also be translated “the earth became without form and void. ” This was possibly due to a catastrophic event most commonly believed to be the fall of Lucifer described in Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-18. Well known proponents include C.I. Schofield, Arthur Custance, Finis Dake and A.W. Pink.
- Theistic Evolution – God created through a divinely guided evolutionary process. This is the position of organizations such as BioLogos and Peaceful Science. While these groups have done some helpful research, I cannot endorse them outright because they do sometimes tend to blur the non-negotiable factors listed above.
Christians may debate these views vigorously, but this must be said clearly: The Bible does not stand or fall based on the age of the earth. The central question is not how long creation took, but who created and why.
Genesis Is Not the Enemy of Science
Christians do not honor Scripture by forcing it to answer questions it was never intended to address. Genesis tells us who created, that creation is purposeful, and why humanity matters. Science investigates the mechanisms and processes through which God’s world operates.
When Christians have erred, it has often been by confusing biblical authority with particular scientific models. History reminds us to hold our interpretations humbly while holding Scripture confidently. And no one ever held Scripture with more confidence than Jesus did.
So the story of creation, just like all of the Bible, points us to Jesus, the Word through whom all things were made and who came to redeem them. He calls each of us to turn from sin, embrace His forgiveness, and live in the light of His purposes. Today, you can respond to the Creator and Redeemer, worship Him, trust Him, and receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ’s death and resurrection. If you have never done this, why not today?
Keep It Real,
James
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Declaration of Students of the Natural Sciences. 1864. Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, Oxford, England. Manuscript.
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