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Donald S. Robertson, Ph.D. Chairman, Dept of Science,' Biola Bible College
S ome of the main arguments of the evolutionist in support of his theory are those from similarity. Where- ever there are found two forms that are similar in structure they are ex plained by descent through a com mon ancestor. He reasons that just as two cousins may look alike because they are re lated via a common grandparent so may similar groups of animals (or plants) share certain characteristics in common. He has interpreted the facts of nature as showing that all life today is descended from the first living thing and therefore all present day organism, plants and animals, must be related. In support of this position the evol utionist points to the fundamental similarities of all living things. For example the fact that plants and ani mals are composed of cells suggests to him a common ancestor. The chemical similarity of all plants and animals which have many organic compounds in common and also per form similar chemical reaction over almost identical pathways, have also tended to bolster his belief in descent through a common ancestor. The Christian looking at this evi dence from similarity fails to be im pressed, for he also expects this simi larity as evidence that one mind, God’s, was responsible for the crea tion pf all forms. He holds that it is unreasonable to assume that God had to make something entirely dif ferent each time He acted in crea tion. It is more reasonable to assume that He incorporated many old fea tures in each new creation. That this is a valid interpretation for the Christian is seen from the following scriptures. Ecclesiastes 3: 19, 20: “ For that which falleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. A ll go unto one
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place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.” Here we have the basic chemical similarity of man and beast emphasized, as symbolized by the terms breath and dust, with out any thought that this indicates a genetic relationship. A basic similarity between plants and animals is even hinted at by other writers in the Old and New Testament as in Isaiah 40:6 “ . . . All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:” (see also 3 Peter 1:24.) In this verse there is suggested a basic similarity to plant and animal life. The obvious resemblance here emphasized, of course, is the common fate to be ex perienced by grass and our flesh but in light of our present day knowledge concerning the similarity of all pro toplasm, whether plant or animal, more basic similarities might be im plied. Since these scriptures were written within a frame work which includes God as creator it would in dicate the writers felt that these simi larities did not conflict with this great Biblical concept. Although the scriptural writers ad mit the physical similarity between man and the animals they recognized at the same time that between the two there is a great gulf fixed. Man is described as a special creation of God who was given a soul not found in any other of the earth’s creatures and, therefore, could not have de scended from the animals. The difference between man and the animals is emphasized even more when it is realized that of all the created beings it was only for man that God sent His Son into the world to die in order that the penalty for sin might be met. This peculiar con cern of God for man emphasizes a basic difference between man and the animals that will not allow his ori gin from the lower animals. No! Al though man may be similar in many respects to the animals he is not re lated to them by direct descent, e n d .
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