MIRACLES AND SCIENCE

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Origins science uses the principles of causality (everything that has a beginning has a cause) and analogy (e.g. we observe that intelligence is needed to generate complex coded information in the present, so we can reasonably assume the same for the past). And because there was no material intelligent designer for life, it is legitimate to invoke a non-material designer for life. Creationists invoke the miraculous only for origins science, and as shown, this does not mean they will invoke it for operational science.

Miracles are an addition to natural laws rather than a loophole within them. This is because natural laws are formulated in isolated systems. For example, Newton’s 1st Law of Motion states that objects will continue in a straight line at a constant speed — if no unbalanced force is acting. But there is nothing in the law to prohibit unbalanced forces acting—otherwise, nothing could ever change direction!

If God exists, there is no truly isolated system. Thus there is no basis for disallowing miracles unless you could prove that God doesn’t exist, but you can’t prove a universal negative. And if Jesus really were God Incarnate as I believe (see documentation), He could certainly bring other forces into play without violating science.

C.S. Lewis applied these concepts to the virginal conception of Christ: that is the zygote was made by the Holy Spirit’s action on Mary’s ovum, i.e. an addition to the system. But after that, the embryo developed in a normal manner.

Second, this comment treats natural laws as real entities. In reality, scientific laws are descriptive of what we observe happening regularly, just as the outline of a map describes the shape of a coastline. Treating scientific laws as prescriptive, i.e. the cause of the observed regularities, is like claiming that the drawing of the map is the cause of the shape of the coastline.

The Bible explains that: we are made in the image of a rational God (Genesis 1:26–27), God is a God of order not of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), God gave man dominion over creation (Genesis 1:28), and He commanded honesty (Exodus 20:16). Applying this, as well as a correct understanding of the nature of scientific laws as description, leads to a worldview that historically led to science without jettisoning miracles, as previously stated:

These [founders of modern science], like modern creationists, regarded ‘natural laws’ as descriptions of the way God upholds His creation in a regular and repeatable way (Col. 1:15–17), while miracles are God’s way of upholding His creation in a special way for special reasons. Because creation finished at the end of day 6 (Gen. 2:1–3), creationists following the Bible would expect that God has since mostly worked through ‘natural laws’ except where He has revealed in the Bible that He used a miracle. And since ‘natural laws’ are descriptive, they cannot prescribe what cannot happen, so they cannot rule out miracles. Scientific laws do not cause or forbid anything, any more than the outline of a map causes the shape of the coastline.

C.S. Lewis pointed out that arguing against miracles based on the alleged total uniformity of nature is actually circular reasoning (from Miracles):

No, of course we must agree with the empiricist, David Hume that if there is absolutely ‘uniform experience’ against miracles, in other words, they have never happened, why then they never have. Unfortunately, we know the experience against them to be uniform only if we know that all the reports of them are false. And we know all the reports are false only if we know already that miracles have never occurred. In fact, we are arguing in a circle.

Without a belief that the universe was made by a God of order and that we are made in the image of this God, the Logos, we have no basis for either an orderly universe or that our thoughts can be trusted. Atheists can treat these premises as axioms, i.e. accepted as true without proof, but they are theorems for Christians since they follow from the propositions of Scripture. Indeed, atheists can’t prove that the universe is orderly, because the proofs would have to suppose the order they are trying to prove. Similarly, they can’t prove that their thoughts are rational because the proofs would have to assume this very rationality. Yet evolution would select only for survival advantage, not rationality.

You cannot derive an orderly universe from the proposition ‘God does not exist’. Indeed, you need to accept an orderly universe as a ‘brute fact’, which ironically was actually plagiarized from the Christian world view.

This article has been adapted from an article by Jonathan Sarfati Miracles and Science on the website http://www.creation.com. First published 2/09/2006

GOD IS SOVEREIGN – YOU CAN BANK ON IT

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The arrogant ruler, King Nebuchadnezzar, the greatest king of the Chaldean dynasty of Babylonia (605 -561 BC) made a humbling discovery. God promised to take Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom from him for a time, and told him, “Your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules” (Daniel 4:26). That’s exactly what happened, and the truly humbled king afterward insisted that God “does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35).

“Dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28). Because God has absolute power, no one—including demons and humans who choose to violate His moral will—can thwart His ultimate purpose.

Paul wrote, “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). What does “everything” not include?

Even what appears random is not: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh” (Proverbs 16:33). If we believe this, our reaction to many of the difficulties we face will change. Problems will seem smaller, for although we can’t control them, we know God can—and that everything will work out for His glory and our good.

God is sovereign over evil and disaster.

Though evil had no part in God’s original creation, it was part of His original plan, because redemption from evil was part of His plan. Therefore, Scripture doesn’t distance God from disasters and secondary evils the way His children often do. Amos 3:6 says, “When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?” A description of natural disasters follows in Amos 4:6–12, where God says He intended these not only as punishment but also as a discipline designed to draw His people back to Himself. (These passages have specific contexts in which God is bringing judgment on His people; they do not prove that all disasters are God’s judgment.)

Satan may bring about a “natural” disaster, but the Book of Job makes clear that God continues to reign, even while selectively allowing Satan to do evil things. Evil never takes God by surprise, nor makes Him helpless.

God isn’t the author of evil, but He is the author of a story that includes evil. In His sovereignty, He intended from the beginning to permit evil, then to turn evil on its head and use it for a redemptive good. God didn’t devise His redemptive plan on the fly, simply making the best of events that spiraled out of His control.

God is sovereign in the outworking of historical events.

Jesus declared that some events “must” happen, in line with Scripture and God’s sovereign will, among them, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21).

Because of what the triune God knew and decided in eternity past, Jesus not only might or could go to the cross, but had to. God chose.

Peter, speaking to a Jerusalem crowd, said of Christ, “This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge” (Acts 2:23). God planned His redemptive work and did what was necessary to make it happen.

God is sovereign over disabilities and diseases.

Every day since 1985 I’ve had to deal with the implications of my insulin-dependent diabetes. As a result, I recognize my absolute dependence on God. This has drawn me closer to Him, and I’m deeply grateful.

Some Christians try to distance God from disabilities, arguing that if we attribute them to the sovereign hand of God, we’re making Him out to be a monster. This argument doesn’t change what Exodus 4:11 actually says with startling clarity, that God directly claims to give people their disabilities: “Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?’”

I may fail to understand it, but if the Bible is my authority, don’t I have to believe it? I’ve spoken with many disabled people who didn’t find comfort until they came to believe God made them as they are.

My brilliant friend David O’Brien lived with a severe form of cerebral palsy since birth, and yet he demonstrated joy that transcended his body’s bondage.

At a conference for the disabled, David commented, “If Christ had to suffer to be made complete, how can we expect not to have some form of suffering?” Then he said something unforgettable: “God tailors a package of suffering best suited for each of his own.”

David spoke the following, in words difficult to understand, yet prophetically clear: “Dare I question God’s wisdom in making me the way I am?”

Skeptics may say of disabled believers, “They’re denying reality and finding false comfort. If there’s a God who loves them, he wouldn’t treat them like this.”

David’s audience found better reasons to believe and worship the sovereign God who purchased their resurrection with His blood—and who offers them comfort and perspective—than to believe the skeptics who’ve purchased nothing for them and offer only hopelessness.

We can trust God’s loving sovereignty in every hardship.

Benjamin B. Warfield taught at Princeton Seminary for thirty-four years until his death in 1921. Students still read his books today yet few know his story. On their honeymoon, lightning struck his wife, Annie, permanently paralyzing her. Warfield cared for her until she died. Because of her extreme needs, Warfield seldom left his home for more than two hours at a time during thirty-nine years of marriage.

Warfield viewed his personal trials through the lens of Romans 8:28–29 and wrote this:

The fundamental thought is the universal government of God. …If He governs all, then nothing but good can befall those to whom He would do good.… And He will so govern all things that we shall reap only good from all that befalls us.

Really, Dr. Warfield? Only good from all that befalls us? Warfield spoke from the playing field of suffering, answering an emphatic yes to the loving sovereignty of God.

Our state of mind determines whether the doctrine of God’s sovereignty comforts or threatens us.

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of Divine Sovereignty.… On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings.”

Imagining that God should let us run life our way sets us up to resent God and even “lose our faith” when our lives don’t go as we want. However, that’s a faith we should lose—to be replaced with faith in the God of sovereign grace who doesn’t keep us from all difficulties but promises to be with us in all difficulties.

God has a way of making what seems worst into the very best.

Nancy Guthrie writes of a speaker asking people to fold a paper in half. She then instructed them to write on the top half the worst things that had happened to them, and on the bottom half the best things.

Invariably, you’ll find things at the top of the page that are also at the bottom. Experiences labeled as the worst things that had ever happened, will, over time, give birth to some of the best things.

It’s the same with my own list. If enough time has passed since some of those “worst things” have happened, then almost certainly we’ll find an overlap.

Our lists provide persuasive proof that while evil and suffering are not good, God can use them to accomplish immeasurable good. Knowing this should give us great confidence that even when we don’t see any redemptive meaning in our present suffering, God can see it…and one day so will we.

Adapted from Randy’s book Hand in Hand: The Beauty of God’s Sovereignty and Meaningful Human Choice.

LOCATION OF SOLOMONS TEMPLE

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Many Christians now believe that Solomon’s Temple was located in the City of David, rather than in the traditional location on the Temple Mount. I have posted previously on Martin and Conuke’s findings supporting the old city of David site for Solomons’ temple.

Ernest Martin sparked the alternate temple site movement when he published The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot in 2000. Bob Cornuke published Temple in 2014 to promote the same idea, although with a much smaller temple and temple mount. Both authors claim to be following the Bible, historical sources, and archaeology to uncover truths that have been forgotten for centuries. However, when we compare their claims to the Bible, history, and archaeology, we find that Martin and Cornuke have been highly selective in their use of each of these sources. While a more detailed article is forthcoming from AIG that addresses many of the major arguments for this position, this brief article will highlight a few examples of where these alternate temple site proponents misuse Scripture, history, and archaeology. We will also see the impossibility of placing the temple in the city of David as Martin and Cornuke advocate.

Moreover, I believe that AIG debunked all of the myths that attempted to prove their claims, and I suggest you go to the AIG website to see the evidence.

“Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” 2 Chronicles 3:1

According to this verse, Solomon built the temple on Mount Moriah. Since this is so clearly stated in the text, one would expect Martin and Cornuke to discuss this fact, but they do not. Martin does not mention the verse in his nearly 500-page book. He even includes a chapter titled “Where Did Solomon Build the Temple?” in which he does not cite a single verse of Scripture. Instead, he wrote nine pages to debate the meaning of a passage from Josephus that is not even about the temple’s location.

PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS ESCALATING IN INDIA

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Viral video of Christian women paraded naked, raped searing Indian conscience

When the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, or “Indian People’s Party“) Vice President of the neighboring State of Mizoram resigned, he stated that in his opinion the BJP has become an anti-Christian party. This has brought clearer awareness throughout India, and throughout the world, that the rapes and murders of numerous women, and the burning of homes and churches, clearly represent targeted attacks against Kuki Christians. At this point, it is obvious to state that Kuki Christians are under full-scale attack by radicalized Hindu groups and that the police are ignoring this injustice. This is not to say that Meitei Christians haven’t suffered from ethnic violence as well. But there is no denying the destruction of hundreds of churches, the massive number of displaced Kuki Christians, and the brutal rape of their women. 

In the wake of the outrage, Prime Minister Modi has broken his 80-day silence on the Manipur violence and the breakdown of law and order. He condemned the violence against these innocent Kuki women. Yet his statement veered into politics by also mentioning violence against women in Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, which is ruled by the opposition party. 

The EU parliament in Strasbourg reported on the Indian government’s handling of the security crisis in Manipur. The language is scathing, and the criticisms are profound. Details of attacks on Christians sent to Premier Christian Radio in past days have put the number of burnings of church buildings, schools, seminaries, and the homes of ministers at 564, since 3 May.

These amount to 263 churches belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribe, 93 Kuki Christian buildings, and 238 churches belonging to Meitei Christians, which witnesses say were destroyed by Hindu nationalists.

In a statement to Premier, Bishop Joseph D’Souza of the Good Shepherd Church of India said: “A heart and conscience rending video of two Kuki Christian women forcibly taken from a police station, paraded naked, groped and manhandled, gang raped and then killed.  The India we knew is fast disappearing. Lord help us. This violent assault and murder of women in Manipur points to the possible India of the future if we fail to awaken the Indian conscience across religious and caste lines.”

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13

Christians should not be surprised as God has warned us in His Word of the events that would precede His second coming to Earth. Tribulation, even great tribulation are among the signs we can expect. Another major one is apostasy, a great falling away in the church from the truth of God’s Word. This is happening at an ever-increasing rate with institutional churches accepting gay marriage and homosexual pastors and leaders.

Fortunately, Jesus also told us:

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14

We need to get on with the great commission knowing Jesus is in control of all events on planet Earth.

 

WE ARE FIDDLING WITH TRIVIA AS THE WORLD BURNS

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This article by James Marriott in The Weekend Australian speaks heaps to the state of the world we live in. I doubt he is a Christian, speaking derogatorily of “po-faced” Puritans but he understands something is desperately wrong with society. Sadly, he cannot see that it has all to do with rejecting God and His commandments and what the dire consequences of doing that entail. It results in the prophesied coming wrath of God being poured out on an unrepentant world with the Trumpet (Revelation 8) and Bowl (Revelation 16) judgements.

“In La Serenissima, his masterly recent history of Venice, Jonathan Keates describes the fading republic’s “air of calculated triviality”, the ubiquitous “sense that serious initiatives and major political concerns had to all intents and purposes evaporated”.

Sound familiar? When I reviewed the book last year I noted the historical resonance. Since then, Keates’s account of a declining maritime empire in love with superficial distractions has returned to haunt me.

I thought of Venice as I watched the coronation of King Charles III, as BBC announcers consolingly explained that for all her travails Britain could still beat the world for marching bands, military spectacle and pomp. And I thought of Venice during this summer’s auto da fe of television personalities, as the country found itself transfixed by gossip about the alleged behaviour of Phillip Schofield and Huw Edwards.

Downwardly mobile nations tend to obsess over trifles and distractions because serious issues become too frightening to contemplate. Witness the cabarets of Weimar Berlin or the uneasy, teetering magnificence of Viennese culture in the decades before the Great War (the title of Frederic Morton’s classic book on that era, A Nervous Splendor, captures the mood well). I think something similar explains the strange, almost hysterical unseriousness abroad in British culture at the moment.

A bleak new essay by the economist Sam Bowman warns that Britain should get used to thinking of itself as “a developing country”.

But the national predilection for silliness is at present being over-indulged. A state that permits stand-up comedians such as Konstantin Kisin to set themselves up as public intellectuals and appear on Question Time is one that is afraid to hear anybody talk about its problems seriously. Our politicians suffer the same sickness. It is hard to feel you are living in a grown-up country when you have watched an ex-government minister eating a kangaroo’s gonads on national television (naturally, Matt Hancock’s disturbingly cheerful self-humiliation obsessed the public for weeks). A country in which MPs try to curry favour with the public by comically debasing themselves on social media is one that is losing faith in the idea that a politician might be impressive as a thinker or a leader rather than as a sort of second-rate comedian.

In such circumstances is it any wonder that Love Island is the cultural event of the summer? And I haven’t yet got into the really morbidly existential stuff. The fact that Europe is burning. Or that the World Economic Forum predicts artificial intelligence will destroy 83 million jobs globally in the next five years (even if it will also create a fair few). Or that American democracy looks an increasingly shaky proposition.

It doesn’t bear thinking about. And so the most talked about film of the week is about a plastic doll designed for six-year-olds. It is not that I object to Barbie. Or to Love Island. Or to the scrutiny of powerful men on TV. The problem is to do with priorities. Trivia has become the main event.

The Barbie movie has inspired celebrities to dress in full Barbiecore with the color pink being one of this year’s colors. The picture below shows Barbie girls in the Gay Pride Parade.

The world has dismissed it as myth, the last time God poured out His wrath upon the earth with the worldwide flood of Noah’s day, and yet millions of dead things buried all over the world including fossil fuels testify to its reality.

“You should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these, the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” 2 Peter 3:2-7

REPENT OR PERISH

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Great message from Luke 13:1-5. The only important truth not given by our Brother, Jeff in this video that I would add is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jeff does say that our lives must change to show our repentance but he does not add that Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to indwell our spirit in order to enable us to live a life showing the world our lives have changed due to our repentance. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is now evident in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, and self-control. The ministry gifts of the Holy Spirit are also being used to bring glory to God: Word of wisdom, Word of knowledge, Gift of faith, Gift of healing, Working of miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing between spirits, Speaking in tongues, and Interpreting tongues.

“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:1-5

DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD

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Where do I come from? Where am I going? What is the meaning of life?

Science takes things apart to see how they work. Religion puts them together to see what they mean.

I love listening to John Lennox. He is an evangelist extraordinaire. He makes it so simple and at the same time exciting as he reveals God’s truth about the universe He created. Christians will enjoy this video immensely and want to share it with others. Non-Christians will hate it as it challenges their faith to the core.

LATEST ON TORBEN SONDERGAAD

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Torben has been in jail for one year and twenty days without a charge being made. Lots of allegations: arms smuggling, illegal people trafficking, visa problems to name a few. However, Torben is convinced that his time in prison will shortly come to an end.

In the new video below, called BREAKTHROUGH OR BREAKDOWN, Torben shares some of the new things God is doing in jail concerning his personal life and the court case.

The same day he recorded the video he had a meeting in his dorm on discipleship. He reports: “Several people experienced healing, and they were amazed. You could see it in their eyes, the way they became warm all over their body, and the way they explained it was so beautiful. Afterward, Lucian (his story is given in the video) told me how he had a sciatic nerve problem, and when I prayed for another person, Lucian put his hand on himself and prayed, and there, he got healed by his own prayer! It was so beautiful because I had just spoken about doing discipleship that night.”

Torben continues: “Afterward, a man came to me and said that he feels he had an evil spirit or something, because he gets many evil thoughts, and he feels so heavy and oppressed. So, there I prayed for him, and the Holy Spirit came over him in a powerful way! The following morning, two of the three brothers I told about in the update, Lucian, now born again, paid the bond to get them set free. At the same time, I heard that the man who had the evil spirit is now completely free, every bad and evil thought and all the heaviness is just gone! It was so special!

Torben has and is transforming the lives of many people passing through the jail. The guards are seeing the positive impact Torben is having on these inmates so hopefully, it will influence the outcome of his court case.

A MUST-SEE FILM BEING RELEASED JULY 4th

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This Christian film, Sound of Freedom on “child trafficking” became the number-one film in America on its release day, July 4th. Its become a movement already blessed by God. Read this testimony of someone who went to view the film. The film is getting standing ovations in the theatres where it is being shown.

“My sister, my daughter, who is a marriage and family therapist, my 13 year old granddaughter, and I went to see it on July 4th. The theater was completely full. It was so powerful. After the commentary at the end that Jim Caviezel gave, 2 ladies stood up and asked anyone who wanted to stand up and pray an “Our Father” for all the children who are being sex trafficked. We prayed and it was so hard to hold back the tears. My daughter has had to do therapy with young kids who have had to live these horrible crimes. God save the innocent children under these evil people. Thank you Tim Ballard, Jim Caviezel, Mr Alejandro Monteverde, Mr Eduardo Verastegui and Angel Studios for bringing this out.“

Another testimony:

“Think about what it’s like to come home and look at your child’s empty bed…”. Sound of Freedom calls to the hearts of ALL of us. Young people, parents, believers, non-believers, all people of good will. It shows us a reality that does not happen only in Colombia but in all our cities and countries. Think of the agony of not knowing where your child is, in whose hands, in a fate worse than death because it is daily and continuous suffering. Hopefully, this testimony moves our hearts and inspires us to action. From Argentina, where we are informed it will be released in October, we are eagerly and gratefully waiting for it.”

https://www.youtube.com/live/6KPgn91rM5w?feature=share

“The movie was released in Canada on July 3. Went immediately and it might be odd to say but I actually left with an uplifted feeling… that this horrific crime is being brought out more into the light! This has been dear to my heart for years. I’ve been on many international mission trips… Guatemala, Peru, Mexico, Romania… saw so many vulnerable children and in one case blatantly child sex trafficking when a 12 year old was pimped out to approach our team selling herself! I’m so grateful there are people like Tim fighting this crime against God’s children!”

WHY YOU NEED TO SUPPORT C.M.I.

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In many ways, we live in a culture whose thinking is similar to those first century Greeks. Claiming to be wise, our society has become foolish (Romans 1:22); we have, by and large, traded belief in the Creator for the worship of evolution (and this has infiltrated the Church too). This is why Creation Ministries International (CMI), http://www.creation.com exists.

CMI’s ultimate goal is not to turn evolutionists into creationists (although that is part of it). Our vision is to see the Lord Jesus Christ honoured as Creator and Saviour of the world, yes, outside of the churches, but first inside the churches. How will others come to enquire about faith, if Christians in the churches do not believe their own book?

Once upon a time, many Western countries had at least some basic knowledge of the Bible. Our societies used to be predominantly Judeo-Christian. That is no longer so. With the advent of evolutionary ‘preaching’ at all levels of society and the ongoing suppression of biblical doctrine, all the heritage that was built upon Christendom is being eroded. Our countries have now turned into secular societies.

Just as we like to think we are enlightened here in the West, so the Greeks thought themselves wise. However, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). The Greeks, for all their interest in learning about new things, were blissfully unaware of who the Lord was, as we learn from the Apostle Paul’s trip to southern Greece (Acts 17:16–21).

Paul introduced Christ as the Creator and taught that all people stem from one man, Adam. Referring to statements by local poets, Paul demonstrated that all people are God’s direct offspring (Acts 17:28); not the most recent descendants from some evolutionary chain of being (compare Genesis 2:7)

Paul had to start by laying a biblical foundation for the people in Athens. They lacked the Genesis knowledge that was second nature for the Jews, Peter’s audience. Modern Christians often forget this critically important difference, so when they compare the results of Peter in Acts 2:41 (3,000 converts) with those of Paul in Acts 17:34 (“some … believed”), they wrongly think that Paul’s method and message were practically useless compared to Peter’s sermon. On the contrary. At CMI we realise that Paul’s accomplishment was an astounding result, miraculous even! Peter was sowing the seeds of the Gospel in good soil, but Paul had a huge challenge before him. He had to prepare the ground first, because, metaphorically speaking, it was hard (the Greeks had no Old Testament knowledge), overgrown with weeds, and littered with stumbling blocks (false knowledge, 1 Timothy 6:20)

Creation Ministries International is a missional Christian organisation. Their calling is to support the effective proclamation of the Gospel by providing credible answers that affirm the reliability of the Bible, in particular its Genesis history. Their magazines, website, and newsletters teach (make known) that other side. Our culture is biased when it comes to origins; everything must bow to evolution. CMI exists to try to balance the scales. You can help—by subscribing to, reading, and passing on Creation magazine.

This low-key form of (pre-)evangelism will help prepare people to be ready to receive—and understand—the Gospel. You could think of it as removing the weeds of evolutionary biology and the rocks of evolutionary geology! People need to realise that evolution and its millions of years are strongholds of false thinking that must be demolished (2 Corinthians 10:4–5). People will not readily understand the Gospel if they don’t know (and have confidence) that there is a Creator. He made a perfect world, but the universe was cursed because of Adam’s disobedience—it wasn’t full of carnivory and death millions of years before Adam’s existence. If people remain in ignorance (like the Greeks), they won’t grasp the key teachings of the origin of death and atonement for sin like the Jews did. They miss that biblical knowledge, so it’s ‘all Greek to them’!

Usually, it takes time for a firmly established (but false) evolutionary worldview to erode. It’s no good building the Gospel on top of the rubble of someone’s confused ideas—a solid foundation needs to be laid first.

Surprisingly, there are even some people who know and understand the foundation in Genesis, and believe it, but they have not surrendered their lives to Christ to be born again. They accept creation, but have not (yet) knelt at the foot of the Cross in repentance. It’s a spiritual matter. The last chapter in the Creation Answers Book explains how one can be saved. However, as the saying goes: “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink”. We can and should earnestly pray for the lost. Why not pray for someone you care about right now?