Genesis: Historical or Mythological
By Edward C. Wharton – Excerpts from the book: “The theme of the Bible from front to finish is redemptive. . . . Either man actually fell through sin, or there can be no actual redemption. If the crucifixion of Christ was actually the redemptive act of God, then at some point in history man actually fell through sin. It is the early chapters of Genesis which record that fall. The rest of the biblical account from that point is God’s own revelation of the working out of that redemption in the framework of human history. If this historico-literal view of our origin and fall and redemption be rejected for the evolutionary view of man’s origin and development, it will consequently reflect upon the truth of the Bible, upon man’s moral nature (is he really a morally responsible person?), and ultimately upon his need for redemptive Christianity. . . . It makes a great deal of difference in our faith in Christ as to whether these Old Testament stories are literally true or not, for Jesus thought they were true. If he was NOT correct on these points, can he be totally relied on at all other points? . . . It is therefore conclusive that either Genesis records authentic history, or Jesus was wrong. This is the real issue. . . . Paul’s doctrine of universal condemnation and the consequent need for universal salvation is based on the historical truthfulness of the book of Genesis (Rom 5:12, 14; 1Cor 15:22; 2Cor 5:14). . . . If Genesis is not at all to be taken literally, neither is Paul! . . . If the Genesis account of the global flood is not historical fact, then Apostle Peter’s entire urgent argument to godly living is baseless (see 2Pet 3:3-14). . . . Jesus and Paul and Peter made doctrinal and morally implicit arguments based on their historical and literal view of the first eleven chapters of Genesis. Denial of the historical reality of these Genesis references will strip away from Christ and his apostles both the ground and the force of their doctrines.” [Staple-bound booklet, 19pp]
