Most of us have gone through times in our lives where our faith in God and Scripture were shaken. Perhaps something was presented to us that sparked a question we had never considered—a question that we had no answer to, and which, we thought, possibly didn’t have a good answer. And yet, the question was so fundamental to the Christian worldview as presented in Scripture, that not having an answer to it kept us up at night, and kept us searching until we found an answer.

Many have yet to receive an answer to that question that plagued us. Perhaps over time other such questions were raised to them as well—slowly chipping away at their belief. Statistics indicate that 20% of the youth in the Church are becoming irreligious upon leaving home, in large part due to questions about the validity of biblical Creation—not having seen the evidences for Christianity that validate it.

How can I know that God exists when I cannot observe Him with any of my senses? Must I blindly believe in Him? If the Universe demands an ultimate Cause, why doesn’t the Cause also demand a Cause? What caused God? And even if a god exists, how can I know which God He (or she) is? Why is the Creator not Allah, Buddha, or some other supernatural Being? How can I know that the Bible, as opposed to the Qur’an or Book of Mormon, is from God? Does the Bible contradict solid science, as so many claim? Is the Bible merely a collection of ancient myths and fables, not intended to be taken literally (e.g., the “giants” of Genesis 6)? How can Creation be true in light of the evidence for Darwinian evolution? Can they both be right—does the Bible leave room for evolution? And what about the age of the Earth? Doesn’t the evidence from radiometric dating (e.g., carbon dating), ice cores, canyon erosion, sediment deposition, petrification, and dendrochronology indicate that the Earth is millions of years old? How can the Earth be as young as Scripture indicates? Is there evidence of a global Flood as taught in Genesis 6-9, or must Scripture be re-interpreted to accommodate a local Flood—or no Flood at all? How could the millions of species on the planet fit on the Ark? If there was a Flood, how did the animals get to Australia afterward? How does the evidence from geology (e.g., Pangea; plate tectonics; etc.) fit with the biblical claims? Doesn’t the fossil record support evolution rather than Creation? How does the evidence for an Ice Age fit with Scripture? How could dinosaurs fit on the Ark? And even if they could, why doesn’t the Bible mention them? In the discipline of archaeology, doesn’t the evidence indicate there were stone, bronze, and iron ages, with ancient documented civilizations that have an unbroken line that can be traced back to a time long before the Tower of Babel and even the Flood? Doesn’t that contradict the biblical timeframe? Is Creation scientific—able to make actual scientific predictions that have been verified? How can we see light from stars that are billions of light years away if it took billions of years to get here? Doesn’t that prove the Universe is billions of years old? How did all of the skin colors come from only two people?

This is a mere sampling of the questions many of us have had. Imagine never receiving answers to any of them. What would that do to your faith? Come to the “Christians Can Be Confident about Creation” seminar as we answer these questions and many others—and be sure to bring others who need answers.

-by Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

It has been said that the Bible and science disagree—they cannot both be true. Those Bible believers who accept such assertions comfort themselves by acknowledging that the Bible is not a “science textbook” and, therefore, would not be expected to speak with accuracy concerning scientific matters. In truth, regardless of whether or not the Bible is a science textbook, geography textbook, English textbook, or any other type of book, if the Bible is inspired by the omniscient Creator of the Universe, it should be accurate in anything it says. When it touches on scientific matters, it should be perfect in its descriptions—and it is.

In fact, according to the Bible, God, Himself, instituted the field of science. When God created human beings on day six and told them to “have dominion” over the Earth and “subdue” it (Genesis 1:28), He was commanding mankind to do something that would require extensive scientific investigation and experimentation. If God founded science, why would science be at odds with His Word? When God, through His servant Paul, said in Romans 1:20 that His existence and some of His attributes could be learned from His creation, He was putting His stamp of approval on the scientific study of creation—“the things that are made.” When He said in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to “[t]est all things; hold fast what is good,” He was essentially summarizing the scientific method. By encouraging humans to study “the works of the Lord,” He was endorsing science (Psalm 111:2). When God wanted Adam to name the animals, He instituted the field of biology (Genesis 2:19). When He highlighted to Job the natural laws that govern the Universe, He was encouraging the study of physics (Job 38:33). Job 12:8-10 emphasizes geology, while Psalm 19:1 and Genesis 15:5 encourage astronomy. Numbers 19 even delineates a basic recipe for antibacterial soap—chemistry in action. Solomon, in his inspired wisdom, endorsed the study of biological science, encouraging the study of eagles and serpents (Proverbs 30:18-19), as well as ants, badgers, locusts, and spiders (Proverbs 30:25-28). Jesus encouraged botany when drawing His audience’s attention to the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28), seeds (Matthew 13:1-9,24-30), trees and vines (Matthew 7:16-20), and grass (Matthew 6:30); ornithology by pointing to the birds of the air as an illustration (Matthew 6:26); entomology when mentioning moths (Matthew 6:19-20); and zoology when discussing sheep, dogs, and swine (Luke 15:3-7; Matthew 7:6). In God’s sermon to Job in chapters 38-41, He chose to humble Job and instruct him by giving him a science lesson covering geology, cosmology, astronomy, physics, oceanography, nomology, optics, meteorology, and biology, including zoology, ornithology, entomology, herpetology, botany, and marine biology. Bottom line: God founded, endorsed, and even commanded science. Science is not anti-Scripture.
So, why the confusion? Some confusion comes from the nature of observational science: we cannot taste, touch, smell, hear, or see God, Creation, or the Flood. So the conclusion some draw is that biblical Creation is unscientific. While it is true that several aspects of the biblical model cannot be empirically verified since we cannot observe them today, the same can be said of several crucial steps in any naturalistic theory (e.g., the “Big Bang,” origin of life, origin of species, etc.). Such is the nature of “historical science”: deductive reasoning from indirect evidence must be used to substantiate a theory that concerns unobservable historical events, in the same way forensic scientists use science to investigate events that they did not personally witness. The biblical model, similar to any historical model, must be substantiated by indirect evidence, rather than direct. As we will see during the “Christians Can Be Confident about Creation” seminar, the biblical model is supported—demanded—by the evidence.

-by Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

Terms and Conditions May Apply

We live in a time when the world is more interconnected than ever. We hear news and share ideas instantly with people around the world; technology has enabled us to have a more universal scope than bygone generations. Thankfully, the same Gospel of Jesus Christ that has been preached for generations is universal in scope as well. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9). Jesus did not die only for people of a particular class, gender, race, or region; He died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). God’s love for the entire world motivated Him to give His only Son (John 3:16). He invites all to come to Him to find rest for their souls (Matthew 11:28-30). His commission for His church is universal: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19), “preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations” (Luke 24:47). As the bride of Christ, the church invites whosoever will to come (Revelation 22:17).

While the Gospel has a universal appeal, it has an exclusive effect. Only those who believe Jesus is the Son of God and obey the terms of pardon which He has set out in His last will and testament will be saved. God wants all to be saved, but requires them to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). It is not the Lord’s will that any perish in hell, but He requires repentance to escape that menacing destination (2 Peter 3:9). Repentance has never been a popular doctrine, but it is especially repugnant to the masses who pursue permissiveness and lax lifestyles today; yet, God requires all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).  There is a strait gate opening a narrow way that leads to life, filtering out the droves who will not do God’s will (Matthew 7:13-14).

Let us use the universal appeal of the Gospel to break the barriers of a divided world, imploring people to obey God’s will, to be united under His lordship. Overwhelming joy comes when one responds to the Gospel invitation through faith and immersion, being born into the family of God (Mark 16:16; John 3:5). However, let us never try to tamper with the exclusivity of God’s terms of salvation. Many will flatly reject Christ’s universal appeal; many others will say they accept His invitation, but, in reality, refuse to conform their wills to His (Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus desires to provide rest for us under the shadow of His wing, but many are not willing to come to Him (Luke 13:34). It gets discouraging when so many try to secure salvation on their own terms, but we must always remember that the Lord sets the terms.

We can sometimes feel like Noah, when only eight in the whole world were willing to board the ark to be saved (1 Peter 3:20-21). But even if all the world refuses God’s terms, I must still obey them to be saved. This is the exclusivity of truth: the alternatives are false. As the church, we are the pillar and the ground of the truth, holding it up for the world to see (1 Timothy 3:15). If everyone else rejects it and I’m the only one, what will I say?  I pray I have the determination to live as the old song says, “though none go with me, I still will follow.”

 

-Mark Day

 

When a paralytic was brought to Jesus on a bed, instead of commanding him to stand and walk, Jesus said, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” (Matthew 9:2). While the scribes thought this was blasphemy, putting oneself in the place of God (Matthew 9:3), Jesus exposed their evil thoughts of Him to show that He is in the place of God (Matthew 9:4-6). Jesus, as Deity, had authority on earth to forgive sins.

The Greek verb that is translated “be forgiven” in verses 2 and 5 is in a tense that indicates the forgiveness took place the moment Jesus spoke the words. When Jesus said it, it was completed. He initiated and performed the act of forgiving the man of sins. Only God can do this. Jesus stated in Matthew 9:6 the desired conclusion His audience should reach is that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. This power is “the right to command, authority, absolute power, warrant.”[1]

Jesus’ question of verse 5 —“For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?”—would on the surface be answered that “Thy sins be forgiven thee” is easier. There is no empirical verification that sins are forgiven as there would be in whether a man can “Arise, and walk.” The bystanders could not with their senses verify nor disprove that the man’s sins were forgiven, but anybody could see whether or not he could walk. But Jesus means to show that He is not merely a prophet who could work healing miracles, He is the Son of God who can acknowledge His rightful place as equal with God and still have the miraculous confirmation accompany His statements. A mere healer could say he forgives sins, but would no longer have God’s miraculous attestation to his claims (Hebrews 2:3-4).

However, Jesus does not announce which of the two statements is easier. He has already forgiven the sins of the paralytic brought to Him. He then turns to the paralytic and uses the latter of the two statements, commanding, “Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house” (Matthew 9:6). Verse 7 reveals the fact that the man did just that; thus, there is no doubt that God assents to Jesus, the Son of Man, forgiving sins. While the scribes may have been angered at this, the crowds, who were neutral in this dispute, could see the clear significance: “But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men” (Matthew 9:8).

Jesus has all power/authority (Matthew 28:18). He has commissioned us to go into all the world to preach the good news about Him; we are to baptize those who believe this message and repent of their sins (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47). Those who thus submit to Christ’s authority are forgiven of their sins. We must first submit to Jesus’ authority as our Lord, then He will be our savior and forgive us of our sins.

-Mark Day

 

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