Creation Worldviews Part 3. The Gap Theory

Creation Worldviews Part 3. Gap Theory by Larry Kisner, M.S. Physics

The Gap Theory

The gap theory is an attempt by Christian theologians to reconcile the time scale of world history found in Genesis with the popular belief that geologists provide “undeniable” evidence that the world is exceedingly old. The gap theory is described as follows:

“In the far distant dateless past, God created a perfect heaven and perfect earth. Satan was ruler of the earth, which was peopled by a race of “men” without any souls. Satan, rebelled by desiring to become like God. Because of Satan’s fall, sin entered the universe and brought on the earth God’s judgment in the form of a flood. All the plant, animal, and human fossils upon the earth today date from this “Lucifer’s flood” and do not bear any relationship with the plants, animals, and fossils living upon the earth today. Some versions of the gap theory state that the fossil record (geologic column) formed over millions of years, then God destroyed the earth with a catastrophe that left it “without form and void.“ This all happened between Gen 1:1-1:2.

Some of the inconsistencies in the gap theory are as follows:

God says He created everything in 6 days and that it was good. No gap is mentioned in the Bible.

The gap theory puts sin, death, and disease before the fall of man. The Bible says that sin, death, and disease are the result of the fall of Adam.
The gap theory accepts the geologic column with the long ages of earth, extinction of the dinosaurs, etc. A literal interpretation of creation in the Bible is inconsistent with a literal interpretation of the geologic column.

The gap theory replaces Noah’s flood with a “satanic” catastrophe. Some even deny Noah’s flood was global for fear of ridicule by geologists who believe in a global flood on Mars but not on Earth!

Gap theory proponents say Gen 3:3 and Rom 5:12 refers to spiritual death, but this
Contradicts Gen 3:22-23 and 1 Cor 15. In placing on man the curse of physical death, God provided a way to redeem man through the person of His Son Jesus Christ.