Major Christian Doctrines (On The Nature Of The Persons Of The One True God)

Major Christian Doctrines 

(On The Nature Of The Persons Of The One True God)

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 12, 2025 (Donate)

I’m surprised how many people fail to grasp who God is. When I speak to those who do not believe or follow God, I find they often have misconceptions about who He is. For instance, I once messaged back and forth to someone who said they wanted to believe but they wanted someone who was greater than the God of the Bible.

I had to point out that there is no one greater than the God of the Bible. Just consider the omni’s of God as an example. By the very definition of who God is, it is impossible for anyone to be greater.

God Reveals To Us His Nature

The 66 books of the Bible progressively reveal more and more about who God is and more about His wonderful nature and being. From the very first verse, we recognize that God is unique.

In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1, NKJV)

The Bible reveals many names of God, but the one used here in Hebrew is Elohim. The fascinating part ab out this, is that God here is plural, yet grammatically it is treated as s singular. This is often called a majestic plural or composite unity. It reveals something unique about God’s nature from the very first verse.

Dove; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22, NKJV)  

It shows that there is one God, but plurality in the Godhead. As the Bible reveals more, we find that the nature of God is three persons of the Godhead, who is one God. We denote this as the Trinity or Triune God. The Triune God is one God, not “three gods.”

The three persons of the Godhead are co-equal, co-eternal, and share co-majesty. The three persons reveals by God in His Word are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

·       The study of the doctrine of God the Father is called Theology (Theos in Greek is “God”.  

·       The study of the doctrine of God the Son is called Christology (Christos in Greek is Christ).  

·       The study of the doctrine of God the Holy Spirit is called Pneumatology (Pneuma is Greek for Spirit).  

·       The study of the doctrine of Triune God is called Triadology (Triada means trinity or united group of three in Greek).  

The Doctrine Of Theology

Theology is the systematic study of God and divine truth as revealed in Scripture. It comes from the Greek words Theos (God) and Logos (which means word or discourse). Theology encompasses the knowledge of God’s nature, attributes, works, and will. Though in a laymen’s understanding, it seems to cover any biblical topic nowadays.

Nevertheless, theology includes understanding His relationship to creation, His existence, providence, redemption, and final judgment. Theology is not mere speculation but is predicated on absolutes of the Bible. True theology must lead to reverence, obedience, and worship rather than intellectual pride.

Theology is often divided into categories, such as natural theology (what can be known of God through creation—consider Romans 1) and revealed theology (what God has made known through His Word). Revealed theology is essential because human reason alone (aka autonomous human reason) is insufficient to grasp the fullness of divine truth. This is why autonomous philosophy can never override biblical teaching, as this distorts the truth about God.

Theology is simply the foundational doctrine that informs every other branch of Christian doctrine, sin, law, history, philosophy, and science. Theology is often dubbed the “queen of sciences” because it deals directly with the Creator and His purposes for humanity.

The Doctrine Of Christology

Christology is the study of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It examines His divine and human natures, His role as Mediator, and His offices as Prophet, Priest, and King. The centrality of Christ to the entire message of Scripture is essential because He is the cornerstone of redemption.

The doctrine of the incarnation — that Christ is both fully God and fully man, united in one person comes straight out of the Bible. Christ is God who took on flesh and became a man. without confusion. The nature of Christ is vital to salvation—a false understanding of Christ means that one is placing their faith in a false Christ that has no power. For instance, if someone claims to follow Jesus and yet argues that Jesus is a created being and not God, then they have a false Christ.  

Christology also deals with His specific atoning work on the cross, His resurrection, ascension, and future return. Christ must be God in order to take the infinite and eternal punishment we deserve for sin from an infinite and eternal God the Father. Only God is in a position to endure that punishment to make salvation possible. Any form of a “created Christ” would not be equal in power to take the punishment from the all-powerful Creator God.

Cross and Thorns; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

A right understanding of Christology safeguards the biblical Christian faith against heresies, such as Arianism (denying Christ’s divinity) or Docetism (denying His humanity). Every doctrine of salvation flows from Christology, making it vital for personal faith and church teaching.

The Doctrine Of Pneumatology

Pneumatology is the study of the Holy Spirit (pneuma meaning “spirit” or “breath”). The Holy Spirit is a divine person, coequal with the Father and the Son. His role includes inspiring Scripture, saving sinners (e.g., 1 Corinthians 12:3), sanctifying believers (growing them in holiness), and while the gifts existed in apostolic age, He gave was responsible for tongues, prophecy, and healing.

The Spirit applies the work of Christ to individuals, convicting them of sin and leading them to salvation. The Spirit also gives spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ (e.g., love, joy, peace, patience, etc.).

Pneumatology also addresses the Spirit’s role in illumination—helping believers understand and apply God’s Word. One must be careful to neglect the Spirit or attributing His works to mere human works. Also keep in mind that rejecting Christ, is a rejection of the Holy Spirit and blasphemy against Him.  

Basically, pneumatology is the doctrinal study of how the Holy Spirit actively works in both the individual believer and the church, making redemption effective and advancing God’s kingdom.

The Doctrine Of The Trinity (Triadology)

The doctrine of the Triadology is that there is one God who exists eternally in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are of the same divine essence, coequal in power, glory, and eternity, yet are not three gods, but one.

This is a mystery that transcends a full human understanding, but it is clearly revealed in Scripture and necessary for true Christian faith. We can understand aspects of this (like the common use of an equilateral triangle which went back to Church fathers. Or more modern analogies like the triple point of water, where water, at a particular pressure and temperature, is a sold, liquid, and gas all at the same time. But no analogy is perfect.

The Godhead work in perfect unity. For example, in creation, redemption, and the sustaining of the world, the three persons act together, though their roles are distinct. The baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19 — “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” — is a key biblical witness to this truth.

When discussing the trinity, be there are some serious errors. The most common is:

1. Tritheism—falsely teaches there are three separate gods.
2. Unitarianism or Modalism—denies the personal distinctions and claims the Father, Son, and Spirit are just different modes or roles of one person.
3. Partialism—teaches the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each only one-third of God, combining to make a whole deity.

The Trinity is vital because it upholds the full divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. If Christ were not fully God, His atonement would not have infinite value to save sinners. If the Spirit were not fully God, His work in regeneration and sanctification would lack divine power.

Ultimately, the Trinity cannot be fully comprehended, though we can understand aspects and element of it. The Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, and the finally the Athanasian Creed each discuss the trine nature of God.

The Athanasian Creed has become the gold standard for its definition. Christians should return God’s love for us by obey Him and this means giving equal honor and glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—as Scripture commands and as the early church faithfully confessed.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council. 

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Our Sin-Cursed and Broken World

Our Sin-Cursed and Broken World

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 11, 2025 (Donate) 

Today is September 11. It is a day which lives in infamy in the United States as the date in 2001 that Muslims attacked the Twin Towers in New York City and killed thousands by hijacking jets and smashing into them. I remember watching the second plane hit on live TV. It was devasting. 

Pencil sketch of the Twin Tower during their attack; Image produced by Bodie Hodge

We also remember days like December 7—another day that “lives in infamy” when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and forced the United States into World War II against Japan. And then Hitler declared war on the United States. Many may remember when Martin Luther King was gunned down on April 4, 1968. 

Closer to home (September 10, 2025), we see the brutal assassination and martyrdom of Charlie Kirk, and we see a horrific stabbing of a sweet young Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, on a public transport train in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Pencil sketch of the Charlie Kirk; Image produced by Bodie Hodge

Videos of such events are very difficult to watch and my heart sinks to see needless death and anguish and hate. I keep hearing people ask why do these evil things happen?

Well, we live in a sin-cursed world since Genesis chapter 3. Death reigns in horrible ways; suffering reigns in horrible ways. Any yet, the pain of these events give us a small taste of evil down through the ages since sin first occurred.

But when we see all these terrible atrocities that occur like murders, attacks, false accusations, slanderous attacks, and thugs doing all sorts of horrible things you have to understand that the answer is more than “we are just living in a sin-curse world”. 

People have to be trained to partake in evil like this. Why did this shooter violate God’s law forbidding murder? Why did this stabber violate God’s laws about not murdering? Why did Islamic terrorists violate God’s laws about not murdering, and so on.

The simple fact is that these people have been trained to oppose God’s Word—the 66 books of the Bible. They don’t live it. And in doing so, they mock God and His Word. God’s Word exists, in part, to correct our sinful and broken minds to know what is sin and how to live godly lives.

But when people reject God’s Word…they do so by elevating their own thoughts to supersede God. This is what humanism is—using one's own thoughts (or appealing to other people’s thoughts) as an authority over what God says. It is a horrible way to live—thinking that you are greater than an all-knowing God of truth and is the very standard and definition of what is correct.

And as our culture becomes more and more secular (based in humanism), these evil atrocities are going to continue. Evil acts are the natural outcomes of a secular worldview because the heart of man is wicked (Genesis 8:21; Jeremiah 17:9-10) and left to that wickedness, sinful man invents all sort of evil devices (Romans 1:30). These consequences of a secular culture are going to continue to play out unless people repent or God decides it time for a serious judgment on our nation

Pencil sketch of the Iryna Zarutska; Image produced by Bodie Hodge

Sadly, people have to be trained to get this evil. They have been taught they are animals and that there is no God (the fruits of secular humanism) or they have been taught Islam (where they pay lip-service to the Bible but then deviate from it due to the teachings of a man—hence, the elements of humanism).

From schools, to museums, to textbooks, to politics, secular humanism has a strong grip on our society. And the humanistic mindset, when one rejects on God’s Word, destroys any absolute standard for morality. Thus, the secular mind, if it were consistent, must argue that life doesn’t matter; suffering doesn’t matter; nothing matters.

But I want to encourage readers. Christ, through His death, burial, and resurrection, has overcome death and suffering. Those who believe in Christ, though we will one day die and join Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska in the grave, will be resurrected. 

Forever, we will be with a loving God in heaven having His full hand of blessing and fellowship on us for eternity. One day, evil will no longer reign and as God promised to removed the curse (Revelation 22:3). What a day that will be! 

In the meantime, my thoughts and prayers to Christ go out to all those who are broken from these horrible atrocities. Please take some time to read "What does it mean to be saved?"

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council. 

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

The Rapture—September 23, 2025?

The Rapture—September 23, 2025?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 10, 2025 (Donate)

Well, some dispensationalists are at it again. There is a prediction from a Pastor in South Africa who said Jesus appeared to him and told him the date of the rapture would be September 23-24, 2025 (the two days are due to dateline issues). An article states,

“In a YouTube video viewed nearly 500,000 times, Pastor Joshua Mhlakela, a South African preacher, claimed Jesus appeared to him in a divine vision and said he would return during the Feast of Trumpets.

'The rapture is upon us, whether you are ready or not. I saw Jesus sitting on his throne, and I could hear him very loud and clear saying, I am coming soon,' Mhlakela said during the interview with CettwinzTV.

'He said to me on the 23rd and 24th of September 2025, I will come back to the Earth,' the pastor declared.”[1]

Of course, the media is abuzz and others chimed in with support. So now, between YouTube videos and news articles, the allegation for the rapture on this date has stretched to more than a million who have heard this claim.

Daily Mail article hits the the internet; Screen shot on September 10, 2025

First off, relax. This is not the first time people have predicted a “rapture”. Just so you know, all the ones before this have been wrong. 100% wrong.

And for the record, the post-millennialists, amillennialists, and historic pre-millennialists do not have the doctrine of a dispensational rapture event in their eschatology.[2] The only eschatological view that has a dispensational rapture is the dispensational pre-millennialists.

Dispensationalism And Its Origin?

Dispensationalism formed in the Brethren Church in the mid-1800s. John Nelson Darby, was the leading gent who brought dispensationalism as an interpretive theme as well as an eschatology when he founded the Plymouth Brethren denomination in the 1830s. Due to disputes, he then formed the Exclusive Brethren denomination.  

Dispensationalism is, therefore, the Brethren eschatology and interpretive theme. As the 1800s unfolded and the 1900s began, the dispensational view began to grow and its adoption in some other churches took place. Many who followed William Miller, like hosts of Adventists, took hold of it. When Pentecostalism began in 1902, they utilized it. And even many Baptists gave up their historical pre-millennialism (defended by leading Baptist pastor and commentator John Gill) and replaced it with Brethren teachings.  

A common way to spot dispensationalism is when they take Matthew 24 (which is in the context of the Temple’s destruction) and try to apply those passages to a dispensational rapture event.

False Predictions

There have been many false predictions of this dispensational rapture. I could put a long listed of failed predictors here but others have already done that, so there is no sense in reinventing the wheel.

Many others espousing the Brethren eschatology are very clever though—they “date tease” instead of “date set”. I know a dispensational gent, a friend of mine, who just keeps saying that the rapture is anytime as the politics and elections in the USA get rough. For over 20 years, he kept saying the end could be at any moment “because so and so is president” and they are destroying things. So, the rapture must be anytime now, he would say.

Over these last 20+ years, there hasn’t been a rapture. This was a date tease though. Many think they keep themselves safe by teasing as opposed to setting, but both are wrong.

The bigger problem is that there is no dispensational rapture at all according to all three of the classical eschatological positions held by church people for since the New Testament was completed in the first century. Dispensationalism is the new kid on the block.

The fact is that Christ will return like a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10)—just as He said He would. Christ will come back, when Christ comes back.

Be careful getting caught in predictions that comes from people who claim Jesus spoke to them and told them a date. This actually denies the doctrine of sufficiency by the way. And the fact that prophecy is closed.

So, relax.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council. 

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

 

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[1] Chris Malore, Pastors convinced Jesus will return in just days as 'ancient Biblical promise hints at imminent rapture', Daily Mail, September 9, 2025, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15077269/Jesus-return-just-Biblical-promise-rapture.html.

[2] The understanding of rapture prior to Darby was simply seen as the second coming of Christ, but not a dispensational rapture event with people disappearing and Jesus coming half way back and then going back to heaven for 3.5-7 years. 

“Ape-Men” Missing Links

“Ape-Men” Missing Links

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 9, 2025 (Donate)

Evolutionists have proposed many fossil discoveries as “missing links” in the supposed transition from ape-like creatures to humans. These claims are based on an evolutionary worldview rather than a biblical worldview. When examined carefully, these fossils fall into one of two categories: fully ape (or other creature like a lemur) or fully human, with no true intermediate forms between kinds.

Why The Need For “Ape-Men”?

“Ape-men” are vital to the evolutionary worldview because they provide the illusion of a bridge between humans and animals. Evolutionists teach that humans are the product of countless gradual changes from ape-like ancestors. Without convincing transitional forms, the idea of human evolution collapses.

Fossils labeled as “ape-men” or “apemen” are often used as iconic proof (primarily with their respective artist reconstructions) to persuade the public that the religion of evolution (e.g., naturalism, materialism, secular humanism) is true. Textbooks, museums, and media outlets often showcase these reconstructions to give evolution a sense of credibility. In reality, these fossils fall into one of two categories: fully human or fully ape, with no real transitions or intermediate forms between the ape kind and the human kind.

By promoting ape-men, it is an attempt to undermine the truth that humans were made uniquely (Adam from dust and Eve from Adam) and created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27). Without these supposed links, the evolutionary story loses one of its most persuasive arguments.

Invented “Ape-Men”

Evolutionists often claim to have discovered “ape-men,” fossil evidence allegedly indicating a transition from ape-like creatures to humans. These claims are not based on objective evidence but on interpreting fossils through an evolutionary worldview. There are three basic ways to construct an “ape-man”.

1. Combine Human And Ape Fossils

One common method is to mix ape bones with human bones and present them as a single transitional creature. A famous example is Piltdown Man (1912), which combined a human skull with an orangutan jaw. For over 40 years, it was celebrated as proof of human evolution until it was exposed as a deliberate hoax in 1953. This approach relies on misinterpretation and sometimes blatant deception, but not real intermediate fossils.

Another example is Homo habilis. This species supposedly represents a step toward the genus Homo, showing increased brain size and tool use. However, the fossils labeled Homo habilis are a mixture of fully ape-like remains (likely australopithecines) and fully human remains.

When properly sorted, the ape fossils belong with Australopithecus, while the human fossils belong to early true humans such as Homo erectus. The category itself is artificial and misleading (i.e., “a junk category”).

Other cases, such as Nebraska Man (based on a single pig tooth), show how evolutionary bias can lead to false claims when evidence is incomplete. This wasn’t even using human or ape fossils.

2. Add Ape-Like Features To Human Fossils

Another method is to take fully human fossils and highlight or add certain features that appear primate-like (primitive) or ape-like. For example, Neanderthals were once portrayed as stooped, brutish “cave men”.

Later studies of their DNA and skeletons revealed they were fully human, with posture and intelligence equal to modern humans. Their differences, such as large ridge brow or robust bones, simply reflect normal human variation. In their case, it was likely due to genetics and environmental factors after the Flood.

Detailed studies of Neanderthal DNA and skeletons show they were fully human. They buried their dead, made tools, musical instruments, and displayed culture and intelligence.

Another example is Homo erectus. The evolutionary claim is that they were a more advanced ancestor, still somewhat primitive, leading eventually to modern humans.

But Homo erectus skeletons are completely human, with only minor variations in skull shape and size—similar to the differences among modern human groups today. Features like heavy brow ridges or a slightly smaller cranial capacity are simply variations within mankind, not evidence of an evolutionary transition.

3. Add Human-Like Features To Ape Fossils

The third method is to take ape fossils and give them human characteristics through artistic reconstructions or biased interpretations. This often happens with fossils like Australopithecus afarensis (“Lucy”). Lucy and similar australopithecines are viewed by evolutionists as key links showing ape-like creatures evolving toward humans (some caveat that perhaps Lucy was in a line that didn’t lead to man but was parallel).

While the skeletal evidence clearly shows ape-like features—artists reconstruct Lucy with human-like eyes, skin tone, and upright posture, misleading the public into thinking it’s a true intermediate form.

Lucy and other australopiths had curved finger and toe bones suited for climbing trees. They also had a hip and knee structure designed for knuckle-walking, which was not efficient for upright walking. Lucy et al also had a small brain size consistent with modern apes.

Australopithecus afarensis in the Natural History Museum in Stockholm Sweden; Notice the human-like hands and feet, erect posture, and other human-like features; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Evolutionary artists often “humanize” Lucy with facial reconstructions, but the fossils themselves show nothing truly transitional. Lucy was a member of a now-extinct ape group and not a missing link at all.

Another example that falls into this category takes the same tact but goes farther back. This is the case of Ardipithecus ramidus (“Ardi”). Ardi’s fossil remains are highly fragmentary and were reconstructed using evolutionary assumptions.

Many features, such as its grasping big toe, are typical of tree-dwelling creatures, not humans. There is no conclusive evidence that Ardi walked habitually upright. It represents an extinct creature but not a human ancestor.

Another curious creature is Homo naledi. Homo naledi is the name given to a collection of fossilized bones discovered in 2013 in the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa. Evolutionary scientists claimed these bones represented a new species of ancient human, suggesting they were a “missing link” between ape-like ancestors and modern humans.

The fossils were unusual because they showed a mixture of traits: some features similar to modern humans, like certain skull and leg bones, and others more ape-like, such as a small braincase and curved fingers. But remember this might be a case of category 1 (a mix of human and animal fossils). Based on the main fossils though, it should be a category 3 (animal being incorrectly labelled with human characteristics).

Dr. David Menton—known for curating the Creation Museum’s “Lucy” exhibit and world renown anatomist—reviewed the published fossil evidence and concluded that Homo naledi does not deserve to be classified as Homo. He explicitly stated:

“I am not convinced that H. naledi is human, and I don’t recognize the status of ‘near human.’ From what I can see from the fossils and skull reconstruction, H. naledi had a sloped lower face and a very robust mandible that bears little resemblance to humans. It also has a small cranium. The proximal and medial phalanges of the hand are even more curved than Australopithecus afarensis, suggesting an ape-like creature.”[1]

In his assessment, Menton emphasizes that the combination of a sloping ape-like face, robust jaw, small braincase, and highly curved finger bones point to an ape-like anatomy, not human or even “near human.”

Dr. Menton’s position is that Homo naledi is best interpreted as a non-human ape, not a transitional or human variation. In line with this, was Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell’s assessment.

Mitchell reviews the fossil assemblage discovered by Lee Berger—which includes over 1,500 bone fragments from at least 15 individuals in the Dinaledi chamber of South Africa’s Rising Star Cave.[2]

Berger classified them as a new species, Homo naledi, thought to combine humanlike and australopithecine traits. Mitchell highlights that the fossils display a mosaic of features[3]:

1. Braincases of only 560 cc and 465 cc—within the size range of australopithecines, and much smaller than typical archaic or modern humans.
2. Skull characteristics like a sloped lower face and lack of protruding nasal bones—more similar to apes than humans.
3. Towards the upper body, shoulder joints and curved finger bones align with those of tree-swinging apes.
4. Hip and ribcage anatomy also resemble australopithecine apes. While certain foot and ankle features may superficially resemble human structure, they diverge in orientation and form.

Mitchell does not accept Berger’s Homo designation. She interprets the evidence as indicating that Homo naledi is not human or a human ancestor but rather reflects ape-like anatomy—consistent instead with a variant within the ape “kind,” not an evolutionary transition.[4]

Drs. Elizabeth Mitchell and David Menton argue that Homo naledi exhibits traits that are clearly ape-like—particularly in skull, hand, hip, and rib anatomy—and thus should not be considered a human species or a “missing link.”

Two Kinds, Not Transitions

Humans were created separately in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27) and did not evolve from apes. Fossils do not show a gradual transition but rather fit into two distinct groups:

• Apes: Extinct varieties like australopithecines and modern species.
• Humans: Neanderthals, Homo erectus, and all other members of the human race.

Claims of “missing links” stem from evolutionary storytelling rather than observable evidence. When examined without evolutionary assumptions, these fossils confirm the biblical truth that man is a unique creation, separate from animals.

Every supposed “ape-man” falls into one of these three categories: a mix of ape and human bones, a fully human skeleton portrayed ape features, or an ape fossil depicted with human features. The Bible teaches that humans were created separately in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27), and the fossil record supports this, showing two distinct groups—apes and humans—with no true transitional forms from one kind to another.

Many articles often give the scientific name of fossil finds. This is often confusing for people who are trying to determine if it really is a missing link or something else. To sum up, this chart gives a few popular alleged missing link names and what they are simplistically. 

Name	What is it?[5]
Australopithecus afarensis such as “Lucy”	Extinct ape
Australopithecus africanus	Extinct ape
Australopithecus boisei	Extinct ape
Australopithecus robustus	Extinct ape
Australopithecus ramidus	Extinct ape
Homo Naledi	Extinct ape
Pan troglodytes and Pan paniscus (Chimpanzee)	Living ape
Gorilla gorilla and Gorilla beringei (Gorilla)	Living ape
Pongo pygmaeus and Pongo abelii (Orangutan)	Living ape
Ramapithecus	Extinct ape (extinct orangutan)
Homo habilis	Junk category mixing some human and some ape fossils
Homo floresiensis	Human (dwarf, pygmy)
Homo ergaster	Human
Homo erectus such as “Peking man” and “Java man”	Human[6]
Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthals)	Human
Archaic Homo sapiens	Human
Modern Homo sapiens	Human

 Chart developed by Bodie Hodge

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council. 

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children. 

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[1] David Menton, Naledi Nailed Down as a Human-Like Species?, Answers in Genesis, September 11, 2015, https://answersingenesis.org/about/press/naledi-nailed-down-as-human-like-species/.

[2] Elizabeth Mitchell, Is Homo naledi a New Species of Human Ancestor?, Answers in Depth, September 12, 2015, https://answersingenesis.org/human-evolution/homo-naledi-new-species-human-ancestor/.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] This always depends on an accurate classification whether afarensis, neanderthalensis, etc.  Most fossils would be this type but of course there are always some exceptions classified as something when it shouldn’t be. With the human ones (Archaic Homo sapiens, Homo erectus, etc.), it shows there is indeed variation within the created kind. This would be the same with the different ape kinds, showing great variation as we would expect biblically.   

[6] For the most part they are anatomically human. This legitimate homo category more, than most others, have some finds classified as Homo erectus that are not human but rather ape-like but put in this category due to evolutionary beliefs. Really, they should be classified as something else.  

Does Scripture Allow For A Gap Theory?

Does Scripture Allow For A Gap Theory?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, September 8, 2025 (Donate)

Image from Presentation Library

Letter, unedited:

Wanted to make sure you knew that Genesis 1:2 says, “2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

The first word for “was” is the word for “BECAME.” (The second word for was is not in the text.) Just wanted to make you you knew this as it allows for all the prior life forms. Thanks.

So, in Genesis 1:2 they would have been destroyed along with other life forms such as the cave man. When God created man in His own image that would have been Homo Sapiens with unique dna.

S.C.

USA

Response:

Thanks for contacting us. This common argument proposed by Gap theorists in the past 200 years has major problems. Let’s analyze it together with an iron sharpening iron fashion.

Wanted to make sure you knew that Genesis 1:2 says, “2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

The first word for “was” is the word for “BECAME.” (The second word for was is not in the text.)

Actually, recognized grammarians, lexicographers, and linguists have almost uniformly rejected the translations “became” and “had become.” It is a basic exegetical fallacy to claim that because Strong’s Concordance lists “became” as one of the meanings of haya, it is legitimate to translate it this way in the particular context of Genesis 1:2.

It is simply grammatically impossible when the verb haya is combined with a waw disjunctive—in the rest of the Old Testament, Waw + a noun + haya (qal perfect, 3rd person) is always translated, “was” or “came,” but never “became.”

Additionally, the gap theory has many other problems such as death for millions of years before sin, Satan in a sinful state and sin being very good (Genesis 1:31).^[1] There will be more on this in a moment.

Just wanted to make you you knew this as it allows for all the prior life forms.

Actually, it doesn’t, because the Hebrew words that Moses (guided by the Holy Spirit) used in Genesis 1:2 make it very clear that there was no extended (“millions of years”) gap of time that happened between the events described on these verses. Further, Moses also makes it very clear (e.g., Exodus 20:11) that all things were created in six actual days—which is the basis for our work week. Additionally, the idea that there were life forms that lived and died prior to the creation of Adam and the subsequent entrance of sin into the world undermines the gospel and denigrates the character of God.

You see, when He was finished creating, God looked at His completed creation and called it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Accepting “millions of years” of prior life forms living and dying (and suffering from terrible diseases such as cancer or brain tumors) means that God labeled this process good. But can we honestly think death (and disease, pain and suffering) is good? Paul calls it an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26), and John tells us that it has no place in the new heavens and earth (Revelation 21:4).

Image from Presentation Library

In fact, death was Adam’s punishment for disobeying God (Genesis 2:17, Genesis 3:19, Romans 5:12). If Adam’s punishment was very good, then why didn’t he eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil right away? And why would Jesus Christ come and die in our place to save us from death if death were a “very good” process that had been occurring for billions of years?^[2]

Thanks.

So, in Genesis 1:1 the dinasaurs would have existed

That would mean dinosaurs weren’t land animals. It seems pretty clear to me they were (with the exception of those sea and flying dinosaur-like creatures which were created on Day 5); and God said He created land animals on Day 6, not Day 1. Even Job described one in Job 40 and numerous times dragons are mentioned in Scripture, the old name for dinosaurs prior to 1841.^[3]

and then by the time Genesis 1:2 they would have been destroyed along with other life forms such as the cave man.

Elijah was a cave man! Some people today are cavemen. They make great shelters! Did you know that “cave men” like Neanderthals and Homo erectus have associated evidence with them of burying their dead, making and using elegant tools, religious ceremonies, and knowing how to manage fire (indicating they were human)?

Accepting that cave men lived hundreds of thousands of years before Adam entered the scene means that Paul (and thus God, since Paul was being guided by the Holy Spirit to record the things that he did) was being deceitful in saying that Adam was the first man:

So it is written:

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45, NKJV).

Furthermore, when it comes to men, even cave men, they are simply that – men and caves are a great place to live when scattering form babel to many places around the world.  Cave men are not ape, as that would be cave-apes! And there is no such thing as a half human and half ape…just imaginary images.^[4]

When God created man in His own image that would have been Homo Sapiens with unique dna.

S.C.
USA

All animals and plants have unique DNA. Being made in the image of God is what sets us apart from the plants and animals. I also recall Jesus’ words in Mark 10:6 when asked about marriage and divorce. Jesus responded:

“But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’” NKJV

If the world really were billions of years old and man just showed up recently, then Jesus would be wrong—He should have said “near the end of creation.” But since the world was only about 4,000 years old when Jesus said this, and He had created man and woman on Day 6 (only five days after “the beginning”), then Jesus was correct. Jesus believed in a young earth and not the “gap theory,” so there is no reason for us to accept this unbiblical idea.^[5]

I encourage you to read these.

Kind regards,

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council. 

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Originally at Answers in Genesis; Edited; Republished by permission.

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[1] New Answers Book 1, Ken Ham, Gen Ed., chapter by Ken Ham entitled: What about gap and ruin-reconstruction theories?, Master Books, Green Forest, AK, 2006. 

[2] The Fall of Satan, Bodie Hodge, chapter entitled Biblically, could death have existed before sin?, Master Books, Green Forest, AK, 2011. 

[3] For more on this see: Dragons: Legends and Lore of Dinosaurs, Bodie Hodge and Laura Welch, Master Books, Green Forest, AK, 2011. 

[4] For more see New Answers Book 2, Ken Ham, Gen. Ed., chapter by Dr. David Mention entitled: Did humans really evolve from ape-like creatures?, Master Books, Green Forest, AK, 2008.

[5] An entire book on the subject is Unformed and Unfilled, by Weston Fields, Burgener Enterprises, Collinsville, IL, 1976.