

The gap theory tucks them between Genesis 1:1 (“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”) and Genesis 1:2 (“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. Defining the Gap TheoryĬhristians who want to maintain some level of belief in the Bible’s history while adding millions of years to the creation account have to insert those years somewhere. It even destroys the scarlet thread of the gospel that runs throughout the Bible’s interwoven narrative.
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The gap theory not only adds to Scripture, it also contradicts what God says elsewhere in his Word. But when we look at what is in the gap, it becomes clear why we must avoid this compromising view. The gap theory is often offered as an idea that would build a bridge between the historical record of Scripture and the evolutionary timeframe of billions of years by inserting millions of years in the creation account.Īt first glance, it might not seem significant to add a gap allowing for a secular timescale. Sometimes, however, Christians gravitate toward a seeming compromise that allows them to believe the Bible and what they perceive as the scientific view of origins. We are called to live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet that unity is to be based upon the solid foundation of biblical truth. Often when encountering two conflicting views, our first instinct is to find middle ground. And though she would not have described herself as a scientist or theologian, when I tried to explain the biblical timeline, she tried to find room for millions of years. Couldn’t the billions of years be from before Adam?” The sweet older lady I was speaking with at church had been a Christian for over 50 years.
