Ken Ham1

Is Full of Hog

I. Ham's Damning Lie ("damnable heresies" 2 Pet. 2:1 KJV)

In Ken Ham's article, “Does the Gospel Depend on a Young Earth?”2 he proves himself to be a hypocritical liar. In his article Ham asks,

Does it really matter how old the earth is, especially in light of the church’s need to share the gospel?3

And,

Can a person believe in an old earth and an old universe (millions or billions of years in age) and be a Christian?

Ham's answer? After quoting 1 Corinthians 15:17; John 3:3 and Romans 10:9 he writes,

Numerous other passages could be cited but not one of them states in any way that a person has to believe in a young earth or universe to be saved.

And the list of those who cannot enter God’s kingdom, as recorded in passages like Revelation 21:8, certainly does not include “old earthers.”

What is found in the list in Revelation 21:8?

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Rev. 21:8)

If the Bible teaches a young earth, are not “old earthers” “unbelieving”? And, if God's Word declares the universe, the earth, and all that is in it to be created in literally 6 days (Genesis 1; Exodus 20:11; 31:17), are not those who deny this and teach otherwise all “liars”?

Well, Ken Ham doesn't think so. In this same article Ham declares,

Many great men of God who are now with the Lord have believed in an old earth. Some of these explained away the Bible’s clear teaching about a young earth by adopting the classic gap theory.4 Others accepted a day-age theory5 or positions such as theistic evolution,6 the framework hypothesis,7 and progressive creation.8

When Ham claims these “great men” are supposedly “now with the Lord,” he denies the “unbelieving” and “all liars” will “have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.”

Furthermore, in his article Ham writes,

Scripture plainly teaches that salvation is conditioned upon faith in Christ, with no requirement for what one believes about the age of the earth or universe.

In this statement Ham clearly reveals he does not know the Christ of the Bible. Because, “faith in Christ” equals “faith in the Word of God,” for Christ is the Word (John 1:1; Revelation 19:13). Thus, Ham's statement denies “the Lord who bought him” (2 Peter 2:1), as it is written,

They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. (Titus 1:16)

II. Ham's Hypocrisy

In this same article immediately after the above Ham writes,

Now when I say this, people sometimes assume then that it does not matter what a Christian believes concerning the supposed millions of years age for the earth and universe.

Of course it doesn't matter. After all, salvation is secured even in such unbelief (according to Ham). Nonetheless, Ham hypocritically argues it does matter. He writes,

Even though it is not a salvation issue, the belief that earth history spans millions of years has very severe consequences.

What are some of these “severe consequences”? Ham continues,

To attempt to “fit” millions of years into the Bible, you have to invent a gap of time that almost all Bible scholars agree the text does not allow—at least from a hermeneutical perspective. Or you have to reinterpret the “days” of creation as long periods of time (even though they are obviously ordinary days in the context of Genesis 1). In other words, you have to add a concept (millions of years) from outside Scripture, into God’s Word. This approach puts man’s fallible ideas in authority over God’s Word.

As soon as you surrender the Bible’s authority in one area, you “unlock a door” to do the same thing in other areas. Once the door of compromise is open, even if ajar just a little, subsequent generations push the door open wider. Ultimately, this compromise has been a major contributing factor in the loss of biblical authority in our Western world.

The church should heed the warning of Proverbs 30:6, “Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”

Did Ken Ham even read Revelation 21:8 before He wrote all this? Doesn't it say, “all liars”? Ham argues one of the “severe consequences” in believing in an old earth is that you may be “found a liar.” That is a “salvation issue” and indeed a severe consequence.

Ham continues,

A Christian’s belief in millions of years totally contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture.

Didn't Jesus say,

If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)?

Clearly, according to Ham, abiding in His Word, the Truth (John 14:6), and it making “you free” is not a “salvation issue.”

Nevertheless, Jesus makes it clear it is, as He further explains,

Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:34-36; see also Romans 6:15-22 “having been set free from sin . . . everlasting life”)

Ham's hog continues as he writes,

By dying on a cross and being raised from the dead, Jesus conquered death and paid the penalty for sin. Although millions of years of death before sin is not a salvation issue per se, I personally believe that it is really an attack on Jesus’ work on the cross.

Recognizing that Christ’s work on the cross defeated our enemy, death, is crucial to understanding the “good news” of the gospel:

Therefore according to Ham, those who believe in and teach in “millions of years of death before sin” (theistic evolution), not only attack “Jesus’ work on the cross,” but don't even understand the gospel themselves; yet they supposedly believe it.

Isn't the “gospel of Christ, . . . the power of God to salvation” (Romans 1:16)? How can one who attacks “Jesus’ work on the cross” and doesn't understand the gospel, how can such a one even preach the gospel?

Finally, Ham argues,

All biblical doctrines, including the gospel itself, are ultimately rooted in the first book of the Bible.

“Old earthers” deny the very first chapter of the first book of the Bible. They encourage others to be “unbelieving” (Rev. 21:8) at the very outset of Scripture.

According to Ham's own words this unbelief then effects “All biblical doctrines, including the gospel itself.” Indeed, there are severe consequences to believing in theistic evolution. God remarks on these ever so severe consequences and warns “their part” will be,

in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8)

What do those who get thrown into this lake of fire experience?

they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev. 20:10)

Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:48).

. . . shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2)

but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-- indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil (Romans 2:8-9).

Believing in evolution is not obeying the truth. It is obeying unrighteousness. Evolution is the unrighteous “wisdom”9 of the world in which the “haters of God” (Romans 1:30) promote their hate, their “rebellion” (Proverbs 17:4), and their rejection of Him (Romans 1:18-22, 28).

Fools, like Ken Ham, are deceived by them (2 Timothy 3:13), because they claim to believe in Christ. But, both Ham and they fail to acknowledge that believing in Christ is believing in the Bible.

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)

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