what does the bible say?
The biblical text nowhere supports the first earth age concept. When pressed, proponents often cite special understanding of specific Hebrew and Greek words. Scholarly understanding of those languages does not support such translation. According to first age ideas, thousands or millions of years ago, God created earth, but it was corrupted by the fall of Satan, they say. Those beings, or souls, who decided to stay loyal to God became the "elect" and were promised eternal life. This is based on misunderstandings and misrepresentations of Genesis 1:1, Jeremiah 4:18, and 2 Peter 3. These texts do not support first age ideas. First age ideas are rooted in the unproven gap theory. The gap theory has neither Biblical support nor scientific support. First age beliefs that people existed first as spiritual beings contradicts 1 Corinthians 15:42-47.