The Age of the Earth
Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at Granby, MO

Understanding the Two Kinds of Science

For nearly two centuries, science has followed two divergent paths—operational science and historical science. Operational science, the kind used in laboratories and observed through repeatable experiments, has advanced technology, medicine, and engineering. Historical or origin science, on the other hand, tries to reconstruct the past—such as the origin of the universe and age of the earth—without the ability to test or observe these events. This sermon calls us to be discerning, because many claims about Earth's age rest not on repeatable evidence but on assumptions and philosophies rooted in unbelief.

The Bible Foretells Today’s Skepticism

Peter warned that scoffers would arise, denying God's role in creation and judgment (2 Peter 3:3–6). These skeptics reject the idea that a global flood ever occurred and insist the world has continued unchanged since the beginning—a philosophy known as uniformitarianism. But Scripture contradicts that assumption. The flood of Noah’s day fundamentally reshaped the earth and stands as historical proof that things have not “always continued as they were.”

The Assumptions Behind “Old Earth” Dating

All age-dating methods rest on assumptions—such as constant decay rates or initial conditions—which cannot be verified. If you find a clock but don’t know when it started ticking or if it has run at a constant speed, you cannot determine its age accurately. Yet this flawed logic is applied regularly to the earth’s supposed 4.5-billion-year age. Because no human has observed these processes from the beginning, claims of “deep time” are built on speculation, not science.

The Problem of Conflicting Dating Methods

Different radiometric dating techniques applied to the same rock often yield vastly different ages. Scientists simply select the result that aligns with their expectations and dismiss the rest as “anomalies.” This reveals a troubling bias: evidence is only accepted if it fits the pre-established belief in an ancient earth.

Scientific Evidences for a Young Earth

Rather than trusting assumptions, let’s consider real scientific evidence that suggests a young earth:

1. DNA in “Ancient” Fossils: DNA cannot survive for millions of years. Yet scientists have found it in dinosaur bones and other fossils allegedly over 100 million years old. To preserve their old-earth model, secular scientists are forced to invent theories about how DNA might last that long—despite no observable mechanism supporting that claim.
2. Living Fossils: Organisms like the coelacanth were thought extinct for millions of years until live specimens were discovered. These creatures have not changed significantly, which defies evolutionary expectations and points to a much younger timeline.
3. Polystrate Fossils: Tree trunks have been found fossilized standing upright through multiple layers of sediment that are supposedly millions of years apart. These clearly point to rapid burial—likely from catastrophic flooding—not gradual processes.
4. Rapid Formation of Coal and Oil: Under the right conditions, brown coal can form in weeks and black coal in months. Petroleum and even diamonds can also form quickly under natural conditions. These facts are ignored because they contradict the slow-and-gradual model of Earth’s history.
5. Soft Sediment Features in “Ancient” Rock: Raindrop imprints and ripple marks in sedimentary rock shouldn’t exist if the rock took millions of years to harden. Their presence shows these layers were laid down and solidified rapidly.
6. Mississippi River Delta & Niagara Falls: The sediment accumulation and erosion rates of these landmarks are consistent with only thousands—not millions—of years of history.
7. Radio Halos: These colored rings around radioactive inclusions in rocks indicate that the rock formed rapidly, not over millions of years. In one case, three major geological “periods” were shown to have formed within months, defying evolutionary timelines.
8. Lack of Fossil Evidence for 4 Billion Stone Age People: If humanity lived for tens of thousands of years before recorded history, there should be billions of Stone Age skeletons. But we have only found a handful. This supports the biblical timeline of a young humanity.
9. Erosion Rates: Some coastlines are eroding at such a rapid pace that, if the earth were billions of years old, entire continents would have disappeared. The observed rates point to a recent creation.
10. Salt and Sediment Levels in the Sea: The levels of salt and sediment in the oceans are too low for a billions-of-years-old earth. These point to a much younger age for the seas.

Why These Truths Are Rejected

Why don’t these findings make it into school textbooks or mainstream media? Because they conflict with the dominant worldview. Just as many religious people reject parts of the Bible that don’t suit them, secular scientists dismiss any evidence that contradicts evolution or deep time. But truth is not determined by majority opinion.

The Real Issue: Belief or Unbelief

Ultimately, this is not just a scientific debate—it’s a spiritual one. God’s Word must be taken in full. Just as some reject clear commands like baptism (Acts 2:38) or repentance (Luke 13:3), others reject what God says about the beginning. But Scripture warns: “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

Sermon Outline: What Science Really Says About the Age of the Earth

1. Two Types of Science
   • Operational vs. Historical science
   • How assumptions shape conclusions
2. Peter’s Warning (2 Peter 3:3–6)
   • Scoffers deny divine intervention
   • Uniformitarianism is not biblical
3. Faulty Assumptions in Age Dating
   • No observation of the beginning
   • Circular reasoning in choosing dating results
4. Scientific Evidence for a Young Earth
   • DNA in fossils
   • Living fossils like coelacanth
   • Polystrate trees
   • Rapid coal/oil/diamond formation
   • Sedimentary features: raindrops, ripple marks
   • Delta and canyon erosion rates
   • Radio halos in rock strata
   • Missing billions of Stone Age skeletons
   • Sea salt and sediment levels
5. Why Truth Is Suppressed
   • Contradiction to evolutionary worldview
   • Same pattern as rejecting Bible truths
6. Final Appeal
   • God’s Word is reliable in science and salvation
   • Rejecting the Bible’s authority is rebellion
   • Accept all of God’s truth—not just the comfortable parts

Call to Action:

God’s truth about creation confirms the Bible is trustworthy from beginning to end. If the first page is reliable, then so is the last. You must not pick and choose which parts to believe. If you’ve denied His Word, repent. If you’ve never obeyed the gospel, Jesus calls you to believe, repent, and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). Don’t delay. The same God who created the universe will one day judge it. Prepare to meet your Creator.

Scripture Reference List

1. 2 Peter 3:1–7
   Peter warns of scoffers in the last days who deny the flood and claim everything has always continued the same. Refutes uniformitarianism and supports biblical catastrophism.
2. Genesis 6–9
   The account of Noah’s flood—used by Peter as the example of divine intervention that changed the earth’s surface completely.
3. Hebrews 11:6
   “Without faith it is impossible to please Him…”—a reminder that accepting God’s word requires trust even when it challenges human reasoning.
4. Luke 13:3
   “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” This passage reminds us that rejecting truth—whether scientific or moral—has eternal consequences.
5. 1 Peter 3:21
   “Baptism doth also now save us…”—used to illustrate how some reject clear Bible teachings because they don’t align with personal beliefs.
6. Acts 2:38
   “Repent and be baptized… for the remission of sins…”—a salvation command often ignored or twisted by those unwilling to accept biblical authority.
7. Romans 3:4
   “Let God be true but every man a liar…”—underscores the need to trust Scripture above human speculation.
8. Mark 16:16
   “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved…”—a plain teaching about salvation that many reject despite its clarity.