1. What scripture could you present that backs up evolutionary creation (God creating through the use of evolution as a tool)?
I describe myself as an evolutionary creationist, the “evolutionary” part being derived scientifically from nature and the “creationist” part being derived theologically from scripture. In other words, my creationist beliefs represent biblical doctrine so scriptures are relevant, but my evolutionary beliefs are the product of science; the theory of evolution is not an inference from scriptures, so pointing to scriptures would be improper.
To me, an evolutionary creationist is someone who seeks to understand the science of evolution from within a gospel-centered world-view. Others will have a different perspective. This one is mine. On this biblical world-view, there is a crucial difference between “natural history” and “redemptive history.” Natural history is the stage upon which the drama of redemptive history unfolds, and it is redemptive history which reveals the meaning and purpose of natural history, all things pointing to Jesus Christ for the glory of God. In other words, nearly 14 billion years of natural history had taken place by the time we reach the events of Genesis, marking the dawn of redemptive history roughly six thousand years ago when God entered into a covenant relationship with mankind through Adam as our federal head. I would point to science for the billions of years of natural history, and to scriptures for the thousands of years of redemptive history.
2. What sort of implications would evolutionary creation have on salvation? As far as, like, if God used evolution to create, especially humans, then what would’ve happened to the transitional forms before humans were fully-formed? Could they have been part of the plan of salvation?
On this view, the plan of salvation would have encompassed Adam and his contemporaries as they existed six thousand years ago. It would not have included anyone who had lived and died prior to that time because there was no covenant relationship between God and man until Adam and the garden. The plan of salvation presupposes that covenant relationship, with Adam pre-figuring the Christ to come.
In the context of redemptive history, those who are “in Adam” belong to the old humanity that experiences condemnation and death, while those “in Christ” belong to the new humanity that experiences salvation and life. Whatever can be learned about those who lived and died prior to Adam will not be found in sacred scriptures, which constrains itself to the narrative threads of redemptive history. That which is not connected to redemptive history and the people of God is not included. (Ever notice how Scripture doesn’t mention Gentile nations apart from their connection with the people of God? For example, not a single word about Japanese people exists anywhere in the Bible; it is not a coincidence that they also have no interaction with the people of God throughout canonical revelation.)
3. If evolutionary creation is correct, was there a historical Adam and Eve as the Bible says, or are we to take everything about Adam figuratively?
Yes, on this view Adam and Eve were real people in history, living roughly six thousand years ago. (However, it’s unlikely that those were their names, for they are Hebrew words and that language did not exist until somewhere in the middle of the second millennium BC.)