Why am I a young-earth creationist?

First of all, I believe in the biblical and reformational principle of Sola Scriptura (2 Timothy 3:13-4:4, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Peter 1:16-2:3, Psalm 19:7-12, Acts 20:20, 27).

I do not find the idea of long ages or evolution in the Bible, and instead I find clear refutations of them in the plain matter of fact account at the beginning of a book about history (Matthew 1:1, Genesis 2:4, 5:1, 6:9, 10:1, 11:10, 11:27, 25:12, 25:19, 36:1, 36:9, 37:2, 1 Timothy 1:4, 4:7, 6:3-4, 6:20, 2 Timothy 4:4, Titus 1:14, 2 Peter 1:16, Titus 3:9, Matthew 22:29-32, Mark 7:9-13, 12:24-27, Luke 16:27-31, 24:27, 44-46, John 5:45-47, etc) of a six-day, miraculous finished creation, timed according to evening and morning of the 24 hour rotations of the earth (Genesis 1:1-2:4), which is then used as a model for our six-day working week and sabbath (rest, Exodus 20:8-11), which then is placed perfectly at the beginning of meticulous chrono-genealogies by the ages of the ancients and their ages at the birth of their sons (Genesis 5, 11, 1 Chronicles 1-9, Luke 3:23-38) and the subsequent and direct chronologies of events dated by years of kings etc (see Genesis - 2Kings - Nehemiah / 1Chronicles - Nehemiah), and in the matter-of-fact account of one man and one woman being created from which this unbroken line of descendants arises, and more specifically, the descendant/seed: the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now see that all creatures were created in these specifically 24hr days (Genesis 1:20-2:1), to multiply according to their own kind (Genesis 1:21-22, 24-25, 2:19-20). Notice, first, created as separate kinds, as kinds of fish, kinds of beasts, and kinds of birds etc, and second, that they reproduce according to their own kind. Granted, there is variation within these kinds (not the human definition of species, mind you) due to the various pressures of environment and degeneration and degradation due to the curse and bondage to decay which came as a result of man (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:20-22, Isaiah 24:1-6), but God's decrees are more immovable than the universe.

Then couple that with the all theological arguments based on these simple historic facts, that by the sin of one man, Adam, all men, being his descendants, were born in sin, that death and suffering came about as a result of this Fall, and that also by the obedience of one man, the Lord Jesus, many will be saved (Romans 5:12-6:2, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 45-50), and that all peoples all over the earth are one blood (Acts 17:23-26, Genesis 3:20, 9:19), that Christ is then therefore our kinsman-redeemer (Hebrews 2:14-17, Leviticus 25:25), that women should not teach or be in authority over man because Adam was formed first and Eve was deceived (1 Timothy 2:11-14, Genesis 2:21-23, 3:4-17), and I could go on.

Also the treatment of these historical records by the biblical writers and the Lord Jesus who said, "From the beginning, God made them male and female." (Matthew 19:3-9, Genesis 2:21-24, Matthew 5:31-32, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:16-17, Romans 7:2-4). And so the basis for condemning all forms of homosexuality, bestiality, fornication, concupiscence, lust, adultery, divorce (though sufferable on account of fornication whereby the marriage is already defiled), remarriage (while the spouse is still alive) as perversions is laid down steadfast in the foundation of solid historical fact and again I could go on.

But this picture captures part of this issue very well for those who would confront God's word with the irreverent babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge (1 Timothy 6:20). Those who willingly deny the global Flood (2 Peter 3:1-7) look at the massive layers of sediment, filled with fossils depicting suffering, death and disease and blindly assert that these fossils are millions of years old. But when did the Fall happen? Before or after these "millions of years"? Is God unjust? When viewed in the light of Scripture this "long ages" or "deep time" view is nonsense and not only absent from, but entirely contradictory to, God's word.

In the light of God's word we look at these massive sediment layers, filled with gruesome fossils, and we see it as a terrifying testament to the wickedness of man and the righteous judgment of God, who looked upon the earth and saw that the thoughts of the hearts of men were only evil continually from birth (Genesis 6:5, 11-13). And so first in the garden of Eden, man and woman were cast out and condemned to die for their sin, and all of creation was cursed by their sin because they had dominion over it, and yet even in this God was abundantly merciful and gracious who caused Abel to present a pleasing sacrifice (Genesis 3:21-4:5) because its blood pointed towards the glory of the Son of God who poured out His blood to ransom a people from the curse from every tongue, tribe and nation (Revelation 5:9). And yet the seed of the serpent was and has always been in enmity against those to whom God sovereignly chooses to be gracious to (Genesis 3:14-15, Romans 8:28-39).

The curse was upon the earth and the wickedness of man waxed worse and worse as it does yet today until violence covered the whole earth and God in His righteous fury sent a Flood to destroy every living thing on the face of the earth except for those entirely undeserving ones whom He had graciously saved in the Ark covered by what pointed to the atoning sacrifice of Christ (Genesis 6:11-22, 7:16-24). And the LORD set up the rainbow in the cloud as sign of His everlasting unconditional covenant which He establishes for His people for the praise of His glorious grace (8:20-9:17).

So, we look at the layers of sediment and the fossils and we see brief time in which the devastating Flood happened upon the earth which laid up these massive sediments full of these creatures buried so rapidly that they became fossils, and we remember too that this earth is also currently being reserved for utter destruction with fire on the Last Day (2 Peter 3:5-15). Not "millions of years". Not evolution. The Creation, the Fall, the Curse, the Flood, the Ark, the Rainbow, the Covenant, the Redemption, the Christ.

As the rainbow is a sign of the covenant to His children, the ominous layers of sediment and fossils are a sign of the past and the coming judgment to the children of the devil. And yet, we who believe by the grace of God understand these things, yet they who have not received the love of the truth do not (2 Thessalonians 2:8-15, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11), lest they should repent and be healed (Matthew 13:10-17, John 8:42-47, Isaiah 29:10-20, Isaiah 44:1-25, Mark 4:10-13). All glory be to God who works wonders in the heavens and upon the earth, and is righteous and just and good and merciful and gracious in all His works and all His eternal decrees, whose love to His people, and whose hatred toward the wicked will endure forever (Psalm 9:1-20).

Thanks to Creation Ministries International for the picture!
http://creationontheweb.com/images/fp_articles/2008/6105death-suffering.jpg