Pet peeves. Everyone has at least one, maybe two. And, by the attitude displayed by some people, it would seem that everything is a pet peeve. You’ve got to love those folks.
I too have one thing that really bothers me. Well, two really. One is, people going the “wrong” way down the lanes in a parking lot. I mean, seriously, the parking spaces are angled a certain way on purpose. On top of that, there are usually arrows at the entrance to the lanes that indicate direction of travel! It’s really not that difficult folks! Ah, but that one is not really germane to this article.
A much more serious peeve, are Christians who take the Bible stories from Genesis as “myth” or as allegories illustrating Biblical, or moral, truths. To these Christians, the stories can’t be literal history. There is a real danger in doing that. Before we go there, however, let’s take a look at what Scripture says on the issue.
2Timothy 3:16 says that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Titus 1:2 states flatly, and other passages indicate the same truth, God cannot lie. If all of Scripture is literally God’s Word, and He cannot lie, it stands to reason that the entire Bible is true and won’t contradict itself. In fact, He often references one part of His Word to defend another part. If the referenced section is untrue and unreliable, the whole point being defended or explained is invalid. Worse, it makes God a liar!
Well, what are some examples? I’ll look at two dealing with Noah, his Ark, and the flood, and on dealing with the first humans, Adam and Eve.
In Genesis 7, God’s Word says that a man named Noah built an Ark to escape a coming judgment in the form of a world-wide, catastrophic flood. It’s easy to see in this passage, based on the details given, such as Noah’s age, what and how much he is to take on the ark, time durations, details of the flood, etc., that this is not an allegory. It’s interesting that at least three different writers in the New Testament refer back to this story in Genesis as an illustration.
The following passage from the book of Matthew, it’s important to note, is a direct quote from Jesus. Jesus, being fully God, would share the same attributes as the Father; specifically for this article, the verse from Titus stating that God cannot lie. Jesus, comparing the coming judgment on the world, refers back to the judgment of Noah’s time in Matthew 24:37, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Jesus’ word choice, as well as the authoritative tone and statement of fact, “As in the days of Noah”, indicates that this was literal history and not just some myth.
In 2Peter 3:5-6, the Apostle Peter refers back to Noah. Peter states flatly, “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.” If this wasn’t fact, what would it matter if people “forgot” the events? If they were just a nice story, they wouldn’t really matter in the first place. If this was an allegory or myth, would Peter state them as facts? That would be akin to me making a reference to some long ago event and beginning by saying, “When Hercules roamed the earth …” or “In the days of Paul Bunyan …” Automatically, credibility would be destroyed.
Finally, the writer of Hebrews 11 includes Noah and the flood events in a long list of other Biblical characters. Now, if Noah was not a true, historical person, and the flood was not a true historical event, no one in the list can be considered a true, historical person and none of the events listed can be considered true, historical events. Conversely, if any one of the other events or people is accepted as true and historical, all of them would have to be considered that way.
Our last example, this one pertaining to Adam and Eve, can be found in Genesis 2. God makes references to “the” man he had created, refers to this same man by name, Adam, creates “a” woman for “the” man, and refers to them as “the” man and his wife. All of these references are singular. In other words, it does not say God created “men” and “women,” or “husbands” and their “wives.” As the story continues in chapter 3, we continue to see references to “the” woman and her husband. Verse7 says that the eyes of “both” of them were opened. I could keep going, but the idea is obvious that there were two literal people, one man and one woman, in the Garden of Eden. Why that is important is related to what happens in verse 6 of chapter 3. In this verse, both man and woman rebel against God by eating from the tree they were forbidden by God to eat of.
Let’s forward to the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 5:19, “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.” Now, if Adam was not a real person, Paul’s words are untrue and completely undo the one man/one Man correlation. Again, it also makes God a liar if, after telling us Adam was a real man and Paul using Adam’s fall to show why Jesus’ obedience was necessary, it turns out the story of Adam and Eve is untrue.
So what are the dire consequences of not being able to take God at His word?
The first is obvious. If you can’t ever tell when God is telling the truth and when He is lying, why would you believe any of it? The complete authority of His ordinances, commands, admonitions, doctrines, etc., are completely undermined. If the reason we were trying to live moral lives is a fraud, why should we try to live moral lives? Why should we obey any authority, if there is no reason for that authority to exist in the first place? What does it say to the unbelieving world if Jesus’ own followers don’t believe that the words he spoke are true and accurate?
All of that, and all of the other conclusions you can reach, pale in comparison to the ultimate conclusion. Many of the miracles in Scripture are just that – supernatural miracles. They can’t be explained by human means. The virgin birth is a good example. Science says it can’t happen in humans. God says it did happen. Who will you believe? The same goes for those raised from the dead throughout scripture. That goes for Jesus’ own death, burial and resurrection. If we can’t trust God to tell the truth here, on this fundamental truth, than the Apostle Paul is correct and our faith is empty and futile; sadly, we would still be in our sins and have no hope of ever being, one day, with our Father in Heaven.
I don’t know about you, but I choose to believe that the Author of life and the Creator of the universe can get His facts straight and is a dependable witness!
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38 - 42
I love walking through the woods on our hikes these days. This time of year it's so quiet and peaceful out on the trails. The leaves have changed color and are beginning to fall. The leaves make for a soft rustling sound as you walk through them and add some color to the ground. Through the bare trees, you can see quite far back into the woods and pick out the squirrels and chipmunks playing in the leaves. You can see (occasionally) grouse on the downed logs and, theoretically (because we typically don't, to our disappointment), deer and bears. You can hear the sound of the rivers and the falls for good distances because of the stillness. It's absolutely peaceful and easy to worship God in the peacefulness.
Meanwhile, those same leaves that make the hikes up in the Shenandoah National Park so stress relieving and meaningful are also piling up in my front and back yards. They are a relentless assault on my yard requiring more time and effort than I really want to give. But, I have to. Left unraked, bagged or burned, they completely overwhelm my poor yard. They call for attention, and for awhile, mock my efforts to stay on top of them. For the last few weeks of October and first few weeks of November, those leaves crave my attention!
The leaves remind me of all the "pressing" needs of my life. You have them, too. The things that really need attention NOW! It's easy to get lost in the busy-ness and let it take complete control of our time. But, as the story of Mary and Martha reminds us, and as my weekly hikes remind me, it is absolutely necessary to not let busy-ness rule our lives. There is no substitute to being alone with God and just taking time to be still and know He is God.
Every week, I have to decide to take time out, put things aside, and go out into God's Great OutDoors. I mean, do I really have time to go hiking when things are piling up (literally) around me? Like Mary (Mary has chosen that good part), we have to make that choice. There are so many things to do, many of them "good" in their own right, but they are not the "main" thing. Our time with Jesus is irreplaceable. That time, the part where Scripture says "one thing is needed," is like the air we breathe and the food and water we consume. It is life to our souls. Jesus Himself says that He is the Source of Living Water (John 4:14) and Bread of Life (John 6:35). Looked at that way, I really don't have time not to! As with any relationship, the more attention you pay it and the more work you put into it, the closer and stronger it will be.
This week, do yourself a favor, choose to - - - SLOW DOWN! Choose to spend time with your Maker. Choose to seek the One Who gives life - and joy - and peace. In abundance (John 10:10) and beyond all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
If you need some help getting there, you're more than welcome to join us out in "creation." Psalm 19 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." There is NO better place to find, and meet with, God than in the place where His glory is declared and His handiwork is on display. It's soooo easy to worship Him when you are in the midst of Him. Romans 1:20 says, "His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead." Amen! I couldn't agree more. And you will too if you join us. Come Meet Your Maker with a Great OutDoor Endeavor!
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)
Have you ever thought of your vote that way? We rarely think of such things as something God would care about, at least I don't, but He does. As the above verse from Corinthians states, we should do everything in our lives so that God is glorified - even voting.
So, what kind of vote would glorify and please God? I'm glad you asked! I won't reveal who I will be voting for, but I'm guessing you'll be able to tell by the end of this blog. I will also not tell you who you should vote for. Hopefully you are praying about that and becoming as informed as possible to make the best possible choice. Your choice is a matter between you and God. In the end, no authority is given to anyone that isn't given by God Himself (Romans 13:1).
Most people I talk to mention one or two specific reasons, often times both, they are voting for, or against, a certain candidate. Those reasons are the economy and the War in Iraq. Don't get me wrong, both of these are important, and both impact this country, but they shouldn't guide your vote. God probably will not speak audibly to you and tell you who you should vote for, but He has left some principles in the Bible that will help guide you.
The overriding principle is found in the book of Matthew, chapter 6. It says, "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Stated another way it means, "seek out and do the things that honor and please God and He will take care of the things that you need, like food, clothing, IRA's, 401K's, etc..."
Another principle at work is this: Scripture says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." Psalm 33:12 (NKJV) How do we show that God is the Lord of our nation? I mean, beyond our just saying He is. It works the same for a nation as it does for an individual. The Bible says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21 NKJV) and, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15 NKJV) If we don't put a candidate in office who is willing to keep God's commandments or to do His will, how can our country be "blessed?" The answer is, "It won't be."
In a candidate, what are the things to look for that show he will honor God and show that He is the Lord of our nation? Here are three:
1. Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13) This is one of the 10 Commandments. Coupled with God's desire for us to help those who can't help themselves (Isaiah 1:16-17; 58:6-7; Matthew 25:36, James 1:27), and the fact that He formed us in the womb and knew us before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5), we should look for the candidate that defends the life of the unborn. Some may say that wars and capital punishment are killing and ask why that should be any different. The answer is simple, they fall in a different category. God has given the state a responsibility and permission to punish for certain crimes and war is certainly allowable, for the state, in certain cases. In no instance is any individual, working outside the dictates of the state and as a representative of the state, to kill. Period. In the case of unborn children, the state has no reason to impose the death penalty. One candidate has promised that the first thing he'd do is to sign the Freedom of Choice Act - not exactly being a defender of the defenseless.
2. God says that He will bless those who are a blessing to Israel and He will curse those who curse Israel. Which candidate is going to bless Israel and which will be a curse to them? That doesn't mean backing them even when they are clearly in the wrong, but it does mean being an ally to them when they are threatened, supporting them on the world stage, and, well, being a blessing to them whenever and however we can.
3. This will sound like I'm singling one group out for condemnation, but I only mention them because they are a focal point this election. One candidate has stated that he'd repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. If you are not familiar with DOMA, it protects marriage as being between one man and one woman; in other words, the way God meant it from the beginning (Genesis 2:24). While we all are sinners, and homosexuals are no more condemned then say - adulterers - God is clear that the behavior is abhorrent to Him, so we should not condone the practice. In fact, God says of those who would like to make immoral (by God's standards) behavior acceptable, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20, NKJV) Which candidate will honor God by defending His original blueprint for marriage and not calling wrong "right"?
"Change," on it's own is neither "good" nor "bad." It's the direction of the change that's important. Change can take one of two forms, for the better or for the worse. Change for the sake of change is not the issue. It's which candidate will implement change that is more God honoring? Remember, God looks at the heart of the man, not at the "stature" of the man. If you'd like to read examples of "good" change, the stories of King Manasseh (2Kings 21 & 2Chronicles 33) and King Josiah (2Kings 22-23 & 2Chronicles 34-35) are good places to start.
I know the answer I've arrived at. I pray as you seek God, He will reveal the best choice to you - mine! ;-) Relax, I'm just kidding about that. I know He will reveal who He would have you choose, if you diligently seek the answer.
After the election, let's remember that this is still the greatest nation on earth, we are still one people, tribe and tongue, God is in control and he only allows to happen what He allows to happen. Let's be unified and subject to whomever He allows to rule over us.
OK, so I have a question. Hopefully, you to help me understand something.
Why is it that when someone one the evolution side wants to argue against Creationism, they never argue against the merits of Creation models. Rather, they will bring up everything from the Supreme Court (a legal body, not a science body) ruling against the teaching of Creationism, on the grounds of "separation" of Church and state (even though the Intelligent Design movement, generally, does not advocate a specific creator or religious point of view), to the simplistic argument that "virtually all" scientists believe in evolution.
I actually had someone respond to a letter to the editor I had written with those, exact words. Whether they were spoken in ignorance or in a deliberate attempt to mislead, I don't know. Either way, the argument is ridiculous.
First of all, the statement is simply not true. There are Creationists, whether Christian Biblical "young earthers" or from the I.D. movement, everywhere. These are not just some quack, no-one-takes-seriously fringe types, but solid, quite rational people with PhD's in their fields. What they have done, is to re-examine the evidence and assumptions and found better explanations for the data observed. If you search, you can even find folks on the secular side offering praise for the same Creationists secular work, then turn around and attack them for their Creationists views. If you'd like an example of this, do a search on Dr. Andrew A. Snelling. Dr. Snelling has a B.Sc. with first class honors in Applied Geology from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Sydney. I'll even give you a starting point for you search: noanswersingenesis.org. On the one hand, Dr. Snelling is praised for his credentials and work, then blasted for his creationists views. If you'd like a rebuttal to Dr. Ritchie's ("noanwersingenesis") criticisms, may I recommend the recent movie Expelled? You'll see why Creationists aren't published in mainstream journals, for example. But again, it's always the "messenger," not the model that is attacked and criticized. If the evolution model is so superior, compare the models and let them speak for themselves. What is the evolution side afraid of?
Secondly, even if the statement was true, does that make it "right?" Seriously, back in the day when "virtually all scientists" thought the world was flat, did that make it "true?" Of course not! And when you examine the "evidences" and assumptions of the evolution side (with an open mind), you'll see, like the aforementioned PhD's, that the "proof" they offer does not make for quite such a solid argument as they would have you believe.
Here are two other links if you'd like to see what the Creationist side is doing: icr.org and answersingenesis.org. Do a search on RATE and FAST at either, or both, sites to see some of the problems with evolutionist assumptions and to see some of the latest Creation models. Remember, though, they are just models, and like the evolutionist side, they are subject to change as new data and interpretations arise. The only "assumption" not open to change on the Creation side is "In the beginning, God created..." At least the Creation side is intellectually honest enough to make that statement, and not try to push their views as absolutely proven fact "this-is-definitely-the-way-it-happened."
I promised to write about "science" and "religion" in the same blog last time, but I after a little more thought, I had two more ideas to add. So, here they are ...
The first thought is this: everyone dies. I don't mean to sound morbid or uncaring; it is a fact though, everyone dies. They may be young, they may be old, they may be somewhere in between, but everyone dies. The Bible says that "it is appointed for men to die once" (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV). Do you happen to know anyone of whom this is/was not true? If so, you can make big money by contacting the National Enquirer. It only seems unfair from our perspective when someone passes at a "young" age.
The second thought is this: The Bible teaches that sin entered this world through one man, Adam, and through his sin death entered the world and extended to all mankind (Romans 5:12). It also teaches that all of mankind is sinful and that there is not one single person who, on their own, is "righteous" before God (Romans 3:10, 23). God also says in His Word that the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
Now, again, not wanting to sound uncaring, but if you follow the logic, if we are all "sinners", and the penalty for being sinners is death, why are we surprised when the penalty is enacted.
The real question isn't, "Why would God allow innocent people to die?" What we should ask is this: "Why is God so generous to allow some of us to live and breathe for any length of time?" "Why, if we are condemned to death, would He allow us to carry on even one second?" Remember, no one is "innocent;" we are all guilty.
The answer is easy - He is a merciful judge and it's only through His kindness and mercy that we live.
I hear you out there - "But, I thought God is a God of love! How can anyone be condemned to death?"
While it's true God IS love (1John 4:8), not just a God of love, He is also completely HOLY and cannot tolerate the slightest hint of imperfection in His presence.
Two last thoughts -
1. This life is but a brief span compared to the life we will have in eternity. And rest assured, you will live forever after your life here on Earth is done. The only question is, will it be with God in Paradise, or will it be spent in a place of misery, "weeping (or, "wailing") and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30), separated from God for eternity.
2. If you prefer the former over the latter, remember He made a way of escape for you. You simply have to choose the "lifeboat" called Jesus. The Bible is quite clear that "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved" (Romans 10:13; NKJV).
Alright, so next week we mix "science" and "religion." Hopefully, I will surprise you. Come with an open mind ...
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