Christians, I need your help explaining the Bible to an non-Christian friend. Can you help?

Question

I'm trying to share the Gospel to a non-Christian friend. I told him that the proof of God was in the Bible. We are reading right now in Genesis and theres a problem. In Genesis 1:11-12 God makes plants, herbs, fruit trees, and grass. Thats on the third day. But its then in verse 16 that God makes the sun, which is on the fourth day. So my friend who is an evolutionist has pointed out that plants can't survive without the sun. It has been proven through expiriments that without light plants don't survive because they can't make their energy using photosynthesis.


Please please help, how do I explain this? I'm afraid it just might not be the word of God, and I want to help the soul of my friend get saved by coming to Christ Jesus! Praise his name! but can't do it with this logic inconsistency. Please please help me I want to be true and trust his word Praise Jesus!

Answer 1

I sense some kind of sarcasm because I know you are agnostic but is alright.

Answer 2

Read vs 3-5 "Then God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light.
And God saw the light that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. So the evening and the morning were the FIRST day."
It seems that at first he just made light, maybe some other form than the sun, or maybe he just created a sun. Then in vs 14-16 He decides to create two seprate lights " the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night" as well as adding stars.
Whatever happened exactly I can't be sure, but it is definately stated that He created light (in what form who knows) and divided the light from the darkness on the first day. So, whether it was the sun or not, there was some form of light for which the plants could grow, and for God to see what He's doing no less, lol.

Besides, plants can't grow without light, but I'm sure they wouldn't die if they were in darkness for a few hours, or else all our plants would die every night.

Answer 3

That's why the "day" mentioned in Genesis is a 24-hour day and not a long period of time as is commonly taught. I am a scientist and previously an evolutionist too but if your friend were to take the bible as it is (it says night and day, night and day - stressing that it is a 24-hour day period), he will find no problems. I am sure he can accept that plants can survive one day without sunlight. Besides, light was present on the first day already. What sort of light it was, we are not sure but it could very well have supported the plants made on the third day too.

Answer 4

The bible is meant to show the teachings and how to live out our life for God. The New Testament teaches a lot about that. If you are not a scholar, you can not answer every little question about the bible. As far as your situation, God created the plants. Do you actually think he would have created them to just let them die. No. Through God all things are possible! So that means if he wants the plants to survive for a day without sun they will.God Bless.

Answer 5

Tell him its like a car factory. Once they're made, then dont essentially become a car until they are bought from the sales showroom and driven out. So God made the plants on the 3rd day, they started growing on the fourth.

If your friend thinks this is a load of poppycock logic, respond with the fact that evolution only explains the connection and not the creation of biology. That is God's domain. So as far as your friend's logic goes...it doesnt go far.
Good luck.

BTW, if your friend is "sold" to the idea of Christianity, then your friend shud know by now that "surrender" is a big part of it/the faith. If your friend cant surrender what the Bible says (to God, of course), then forever will your friend remain a skeptic.

and BTW#2, my beliefs go only so far as that there is a prophet Jesus.

Answer 6

Proof of God's existence is not in the Bible. Proof of God's existence is all around you. Creative intellingence etc.

The bible is the word (or message) of God.

Genisis is representative. It does not deny modern findings of evolution etc. Adam and Eve were not 2 people. This is also representative.

As a Christian I would concentrate on the Gospels and what Christ said about how we should live.

Faith will come from living this way (God's will), when your prayers are answered.

You cannot make someone believe.

First show by example. Unfortunately you may have made it hard for yourself by saying the proof was in the bible. It is if you live by its word (New Testament).

Don't put your faith at risk.

Take care,

God Bless.

Answer 7

I believe God creates the sun in Genesis 1:3, but He named it in verse 16. Verse 16 does not indicate that this is the exact moment when God created the sun. It only states that this is when God named the "great light" which He had created in verse 3.
If you can get your friend off this hang-up I encourage you to tell your friend to start reading the Gospel of John. It, more than any other single book of the Bible, best explains who Jesus Christ is, and what a relationship with Him is all about.
Your friend may want to to write off Jesus Christ as a "good man", "Great religious leader", or "Great moral teacher." Since Jesus Christ claimed to be God none of the above can be true of Him. A good man, great moral teacher, or great religious leader, would falsely claim to be God, and tell men that their eternal destiny depended upon believing in Him. Were he not God, such a man would not be good in any respect. He would ne nothing less than a demon.
We must decided who Jesus Christ is based on who He claimed to be---and nothing else. He said that He is God in human flesh. So He is either: Lord, liar, or lunatic. Based on Jesus' claims to Deity, and the fact that He possessed attributes that only God has, He proved He is who He claimed to be.
I hope my answer to your question helps you. The other stuff I put in here is at no extra charge. :) Contact me anytime, sister.

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Answer 8

I'm not saying this is the answer, but after some thought about what you asked I thought about how it is that we go about planting our own plants anyway. We have to plant the seed first. Then the sun will bring out the the plant and bare fruit. The sun ALWAYS comes as a second ingredient in growing/planting. God Bless.

Answer 9

I would agree that you may have started with the wrong book of the bible if you wish to share the "Gospel". The four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John are a much better place. You might also read "The Case for Faith" and "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel. Both are good reads for people that wish to have the gospel explained in a "logical" format.

Answer 10

Well,he may see that as an physical needed rule since he doesnt belive in God. But also remember that God is light,plants and trees,and herbs,and fruit can survive with the light that God gives. Remember the sun is not the only source that gives off light. Lightbulbs do as well.

Here's a site I'll give you that can help with scientific problems from creationism

http://www.answersingenesis.org/


I hope that helps

Answer 11

There was light, but I'm not sure where it came from. God created light on the first day. Besides, plants can survive for a day or more without sunlight. What about cloudy days?