Archive
A Tale of Twin Sisters
Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1 Peter 1:21
The believer in Christ has been graciously given faith and hope as a powerful gift to be used in this life. Faith and Hope works together as twin-sisters. Faith helps us in the moment, while Hope encourages us toward the future. Faith and Hope are never negligent in their duties for the believer. When sister Faith is struggling, sister Hope encourages the believer of the future promises of God found in Christ. When sister Hope is quiet, then sister Faith speaks up and reminds us of the promises that God has already kept for Christ’s sake.
The world speaks about a faith and hope that is worthless. It is a restless faith and an unsure hope. A restless faith is a self motivating faith that comes and goes with ones feelings when obstacles arise. An unsure hope is base upon uncertain knowledge of the future, which leads to a “hope so” kind of hope. Biblical faith does not look at the obstacles, but rather looks to God. Biblical hope is not a “hope so,” but rather a “know so” hope in the sure promises of God.
Many try to stir up faith and hope within themselves, by having faith in their faith and hope in their hope. Many try to convince themselves of faith and hope by striving to do better. This may be sincere, but it is in vain. Our faith and hope is only as good and strong as our object. Having faith, and hope in one’s self, or in another person, or even in a church organization is worthless. Once again, our faith and hope is only as good, and only as strong as our object, and at the end of our scripture it clearly teaches that the object of our faith and hope “might be in God.”
A dear elderly woman expressed such faith and hope in her life toward God that some one said to her, “I believe that if you thought the Lord told you to jump through a stone wall, you would jump.” The lady replied, “if the Lord told me to jump through a wall, it would be my business to jump, and it would be His business to make the hole.”
Although we do not understand every step that we must take in this world, we do know that sister Faith and sister Hope are there to help us persevere in this wicked world. These twin sister are held together by the common cord of LOVE, according to 1 Cor 13:13, and they work together to remind us that a “real faith” that works, is in the God who raised Christ from the dead, and a “real hope” is in the God who gave Christ glory, according to 1 Peter 1:21. – (Printed in the Marshall County Tribune)
David C. Hale, pastor
New Life Community Church
Lewisburg, TN
“Three-sixteen”
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:16
As Christian we all know John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Now how many of you know Revelation 3:16? What an interesting contrast! In one “three-sixteen” God is giving His only begotten Son so that we should not perish, while in another “three-sixteen” God is regurgitating a church out of His mouth for a lukewarm spirit.
As Christians we need to be aware of things that pull us away from following the LORD, and one of the most dangerous things in our Christian life is indifference. In Revelation 3:16 the word “lukewarm” is used. Being “lukewarm” or “indifferent” to the spiritual things of God comes from an apathetic spirit toward God’s sovereign love in John 3:16. Indifference is dangerous because it allows doubt and unbelief to grow and fester. Indifference is dangerous because it is hard to notice, it’s like a chameleon always changing colors. Indifference is dangerous because it whispers the lie, “oh, it’ll be okay.” A good illustration is Kris and his truck.
One day Kris saw an old pick-up truck in a field and thought it would be nice to have a work truck to haul his stuff. So Kris bought this old truck at a cheap price. All it needed was a few adjustments. Kris drove this truck around for a few weeks and one day his father rode with him. His father asked, “What is that awful smell – that stench?” Kris said, “I know it’s bad, but just roll your window down and it’ll be okay.” A couple weeks later Kris was driving down the road when to his surprise a fat, long snake came out from under the passengers seat and slithered upon the dash while he was driving. He immediately pulled over, grabbed a tire tool to get the snake out and killed it.
I fear that among God’s people that there are seasons of indifference, in which we apathetically go through the motions of praising, praying, and preaching without Christ’s leadership. All the while indifference is saying, “just roll your window down, it’ll be okay.” How long will we drive down life’s road with the horrible smell of sin and that Old Serpent called the Devil underneath our seat. Dear Christian do not slight the sin of indifference because it makes God nauseous. The good news is that the same sovereign God in Revelation 3:16 who would have every right to spit us out is also the same sovereign God of John 3:16 who loves us beyond explanation, and if you come to Him through Christ and confess your indifference He will renew your spirit. – (Printed in the Marshall County Tribune)
David C. Hale, pastor
New Life Community Church
Lewisburg, TN
Is Evolution a Scientific Fact?
There are two basic kinds of science in the whole spectrum of the study of science. They are “operational science” and “historical science.” Defining which of the two sciences one is discussing can prevent much confusion and conflict. Operational science involves observation and experimentation, while historical science is the study of past events. Yet, the conflict between science and religion occurs in historical science, not in operational science. When it comes to working out what happened in the past,
historical science is limited because experiments on past events and history cannot be repeated. Experiments done in the present that relate to the past require a great deal of guesswork. Therefore, the theory of evolution is based upon belief, NOT SCIENCE! Belief, like faith and hope, is not a scientific term but a religious one. For example, there are many varieties of dogs and cats, but there is no physical evidence of an animal intermediate between a dog and a cat. Once we get past the “artist’s” interpretation of pictures, charts, and graphs of supposed evidence that we are bombarded with, there is no physical evidence of whale evolution either. No, not even between an ape and a man! Similarities, yes, but that does not constitute evolution. A pick-up truck and a farm tractor both are made with four wheel, an engine, gears, drive shaft, and a steering wheel, but they are not the same even though they both may be found on a farm. That is what all evolutionary propagandists do. They twist the similarities to make them out to be the same. To believe there is an intermediate between apes and humans is a matter of “faith,” not scientific fact based on observation and experimentation! If evolution were really true, it would be impossible for biologists to develop any kind of classification system because all the divisions of species would run together. The Bible clearly teaches in the books of Genesis and 1 Corinthians that there are differences!
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:21,24,25) KJV
All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:39-41) KJV
One needs to be aware that what may be presented as science, regarding the past, may be the scientist’s own personal world view. Understand that evolution is a man-centered world-view, or philosophy, attempting to explain the world apart from a Holy God and His Christ.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8) KJV
Could the “days” of creation be long periods of time?
Many sincere Christians claim that, “science proves that our earth and universe are billions of years old.” Therefore the ‘days’ of creation must be long periods of time. This is called the “day-age theory.”
If you are a Christian holding dogmatically to this “day-age theory” be very careful because you are standing on shaky ground. Simply, because it is using human reason to scientifically give God an excuse for the words that He chose. Understand that if the first chapter in the Bible needs a “scientific explanation” to defend God’s inability to express His meanings what other teachings in the Bible needs a humanistic intellectual explanation?
All evangelical Christians (even the “day-age theory” Christian) believes by faith the Biblical teaching that “ye must be born again” (John 3:7), but in this passage of scripture they cannot explain the “scientific” process of being “born again.” The Gospel of John chapter 3 simply compares the Spirit of God to the wind and we do not understand nor see the wind but we only see the effects to know its there. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” John 3:7. So why is the simple meaning of John 3 accepted by faith, as well as other scriptures, but the first chapter of the Bible must be manipulated by so-called scientific “day-age” humanistic reasoning before it is to be accepted Christians?
A Christian must understand what is at stake when holding to the “day-age theory” position. The underlying issue is not if the earth is “old” or “young.” This issue is, accepting God’s word by faith or allowing human reason to excuse God by providing a mystical theory of what He has simply said in His word, the Bible.
Let’s look into what God has simply said in the original text. One must first ask, “what does the Bible tell us about the meaning of the word ‘day’ in Genesis”? In order to understand the meaning of “day” in Genesis chapter 1, we need to determine how the Hebrew word for “day,” [yom] is used. A bible dictionary or concordance explains that [yom] can have a range of meanings such as: time between sunrise and sunset, a 24-hour period, a specific point of time, or a year. Since this Hebrew word for day has more than one meaning, the context of scripture by which this word [yom] is used will determine the meaning. In Genesis chapter 1, the six days of creation are mentioned with a specific number, and the phrase “evening and morning.” These numbers and phrases were clearly attached to determine the plain meaning of the Hebrew word [yom] (Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31). In fact, professors of both the Old Testament and of the Hebrew language believe that when a number or phrase, such as “evening and morning,” is associated with the Hebrew word [yom], the intended meaning is literal. Even our Lord Jesus clearly taught that there are twelve hours of daylight in the Gospel of John. So when did this “day” thing change?
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. (John 11:9) KJV
Interestingly, outside of Genesis chapter 1, [yom] is used with a number over 400 times, and each time the meaning is an ordinary 24-hour day. Why would Genesis chapter 1 be the exception?
Many Christians hold on to unproven assumptions by “evolutionary scientists” who claim that the earth has been proven to be billions of years old. 2 Peter 3:8, which reads “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years” is often quoted. Their conclusion is that God’s days are not like our days and that the days of creation were most likely long periods of time. Sincere Christians adopt this “day-age theory” as an intellectual position that they say does not contradict the Bible. As honorable as this may seem, there are many problems. One is that the context of 2 Peter chapter 3 is that of judgment and the second coming of Christ. There is no reference to the creation. Also, 2 Peter 3:8 uses the comparative article, “as.” Peter is comparing a literal 24-hour day to a literal thousand years. This passage is clearly teaching that time is nothing to God, because He is outside of time. Therefore, “one day is with the Lord AS a thousand years and a thousand years AS one day.” Also notice, that the last part of that verse states, “and a thousand years AS one day.” Those who want to equate a day with a thousand years must be consistent and admit that the second part of the verse cancels out the first. We are then back to where one literal day equals one literal day!
Secondly, if one is going to use other parts of the scriptures to establish an equation for time, then what about Psalm 90:4? In Psalm 90:4 it states that, “a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday.” Just as in 2 Peter 3:8, this passage of scripture is teaching that a thousand years is nothing to the eternal God. It is not a time equation! “Day-age” Christians rarely consider Exodus 20:8-11. Here God used the pattern of the days of creation in the giving of the fourth commandment. Israel was command by God to work for six days and rest for one. Obviously, our literal seven-day week is patterned after this biblical principle. How reasonable is it to believe that God would be conveying the idea to a generation of people to work for six thousand years and rest for another thousand? The seven-day week has no basis outside of scripture.
Thirdly, the “day-age” theorist never considers how “scientific” it is to believe that in the creation account God created all the vegetation on day three and…”thousands of years later” He created the sun, moon, and stars on day four. Huh…it appears that it takes more faith to believe that than just believing that there were twelve hours of night-time and twelve hours of day-time to make one full day. Simply, all the vegetation would have easily survived the “evening and morning.” You tell me, is this “day-age theory” as scientifically intellectual as it appears?
Lastly, the Christian must consider that God created all things in a state of maturity and fully functioning! For example “God created man” (Genesis 1:27), not infants! Adam and Eve were created as mature adults with the appearance of age. So it was with the rest of creation. God did not plant seeds for trees and vegetations. Clearly, God created a mature creation with the appearance of age.
If one still doubts the Biblical record to be historically reliable and literally true, and accepts the “day-age theory”, then one must believe that the Garden of Eden was created on top of a fossil record full of death and disease. If it were, that would mean there was death and bloodshed before sin. The Bible clearly states that the sin of one man, Adam, brought death and suffering into the world, which affected the whole of creation (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 5:12; 8:22). The Bible makes it crystal clear that thorns, suffering, bloodshed, disease, and death are a consequence of sin. A Christian must be honest with the evidence! Do not be influenced by intellectual pressure to accept unproven “scientific” methods for the age of the earth. Let the words of the Bible be defined according to the context, without being influenced by extra-biblical ideas. Billions of years for the age of the earth are being used to force an interpretation on the language of the Bible. In short, man’s fallible theories are allowed to interpret the Bible. The Biblical evidence is reasonable! The word for “day” in Genesis chapter 1 is not a thousand years, it is not a long period of time, nor is it an age of time. The meaning of the word “day” in Genesis chapter 1 is obviously an ordinary 24-hour day, as we know it.
If “day-age theory” Christians do not accept what God has plainly said by child-like faith in the very first chapter of the Bible, but rather insert a scientific theory what other doctrine or simple Bible teaching will be changed next? Loving your neighbor? Marriage and divorce? Salvation? Sanctification? Heaven and Hell? What will be next? This is a dangerous theory because it is using human reason to scientifically give God an excuse for the words that He chose, as if God could not convey the meaning and import of His words to man.
Once again, the issue is not “old earth” verses “young earth.” Rather, are Christians going to accepting God’s word to be inerrant and fully inspired by faith, or give into human reasoning no matter how appealing it may seem? Christian! Who gets the glory, because it is either “child-like faith” in what God has said, or “theoretical reasoning” in what man has said about what God said?
THANKSGIVING – What does it really mean?
Many across our nation will celebrate Thanksgiving Day. If we can slow down before we are rushed into the commercial Christmas season, we still hear a few people say, “Happy Thanksgiving.” Most of us know something about the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims and Indians and how both worked together to help one another to survive. Some of us know about how the date of Thanksgiving was decided by each state on various dates up until about the time of Lincoln. The first Thanksgiving celebrated on the same date by all states was in 1863 by presidential proclamation and later it became a national holiday. Not until December 1941 was there federal legislation to make the fourth Thursday in November the official date for the celebration of Thanksgiving. Digging into all the history can be very rich but it does not fully answer our question.
THANKSGIVING – What does it really mean? First understand that one GIVES-THANKS for something, someone, circumstances, or situations. We call these blessings. So what does that mean? If one GIVES-THANKS there must of necessity mean that there is a GIVER and a RECEIVER. So many people say “Happy Thanksgiving” and do not realize the import of what they are saying. In a new age tolerant world people say things without thinking of what they are saying – and people accept it since we should be tolerant. They say “Happy Thanksgiving” like one shoots off the words “good luck.” One cannot just arbitrarily say “Happy Thanksgiving” because once again the import has to do with a GIVER and a RECEIVER relationship. This GIVER-RECEIVER relationship implies that in the end the Greater blesses a lesser. Yes, God (the Greater) is the One who gives to the lesser (mankind).
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 107:1
The next time someone says “Happy Thanksgiving” ask that person who are they giving thanks to? Expect deer in the headlights look, simply because no one ever stops to think. For those who may be agnostic or atheistic, this question causes major problems, simply because one cannot arbitrarily say “Happy Thanksgiving” without having a meaning. If this saying has no meaning to them and they just shoot this saying off in the air then in truth they are not really thankful, because once again the import has to do with a GIVER and a RECEIVER relationship, which implies that in the end the Greater blesses a lesser. Yes, God (the Greater) is the One who gives to the lesser (mankind). Technically, if one is atheistic in their belief system, then they should be consistent and not celebrate during this time of year, because it is set aside for acknowledging and thanking God for the blessings of life.
“Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.” Psalm 18:49
This brings us back to the first Thanksgiving. These Pilgrims were thankful to the LORD God who providentially brought them through disease, famine, horrible weather, and many other troubles. They recognized and celebrated that the Greater blessed and provided for the lesser. This should be our desire and our motive in this and every Thanksgiving holiday. Without doing so one becomes an unthankful glutton, better yet a fat leach feeding off the bounty of the land that God has given and becomes a sluggish zombie zoning out in front of the HDTV watching football games. This should not be so! Not that we can’t enjoy the food, our family, and some football, but stop and take the time to recognize and give thanks unto God for providing for us as individuals, as families, and as a nation for this is His will for us to do so!
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thess 5:18
What makes Jesus different from any other religious leader?
Have you ever heard this religious statement? “It really doesn’t matter what you believe just as long as you are sincere in what you believe”. Somehow the majority of people believe that all the religions of the world are all kissing cousins and we all just need to get along and be tolerant. Of coarse, “we’re all just trying to get to the same place.” Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Mormonism, and the Watch Tower Society are sincere and committed religions. But when their own teachings are compared with the Holy Bible, it becomes evident they are victims of deception when it comes to God, salvation, and the person of Jesus Christ. One may say, why use the Bible to examine these other religions? Good question, but these other religions are the ones who incorporate or pull out Biblical principles and apply it to their religion. Therefore lest us use the Bible properly, as the objective standard, and honestly answer our question beyond the religious façade of these major religions and be consistent with the scriptures.
First, understand that the Holy Bible clearly teaches that Jesus IS NOT just a religious leader, but rather He is God our Savior who came in the flesh to be the sacrifice for mans sin. For example read the witness of Jesus being God.
John 10:32-33
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
John 20:26-29
26 …then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Jude 25
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Understand that the Christian faith holds to the historical and Biblical fact that the literal body of Jesus was crucified, rose from the dead, and that He is now alive (Revelation 1:18; Acts 1:1-3). All other “religious leaders” are dead and in their grave, but their teachings are not! These religious teachings deny either the person of Jesus Christ or the work of Jesus Christ. For example read how the Jews deny the literal resurrection of the body of Jesus.
“…behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. 12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 14 And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. 15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.” Matt 28:11-15
Even though the Jews, the enemies of Jesus, denied His resurrection, they accept His crucifixion as a historical fact. Yet, Islam cannot have Jesus to be crucified or resurrected. The reason is because that implies divinity, trinity, substitution, sacrifice for sin, victory over sin, and therefore that results into worship for Jesus alone as the Messiah (or Christ). Read for example what the Muslims teach about this historical event in the Koran.
“And because of their disbelief and of their speaking against Mary a great slander; (156) And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah’s messenger – they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain. (157)” Sura 4:156,157 (Koran)
These religions also deny that Jesus is the ETERNAL “Son of God.” Instead, they believe that Jesus was either a messenger or that He was a created being and then called to be a Son of God, and not “the Word” of God that “was made flesh” John 1:14. For example, compare the Koran and the Book of Mormon.
“O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not “Three” – Cease! (it is) better for you! – Allah is only One God. Far is it removed from His transcendent majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender. (171)” Sura 4:171 (Koran)
“And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son.” Mosiah 15:2 (Book of Mormon)
The Mormon passage is very subtle, but deceptive. Jesus is not called the Son of God because He dwelt in the flesh, He was already the Son of God made flesh, which teaches is eternality. Read the claims of the Holy Bible.
Isaiah 9:6
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…”
John 1:1,2,14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1 Timothy 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Titus 2:13
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Most of these religions recognize and “honor” Jesus simply as a prophet and/or a messenger, but if Jesus were a prophet, he would be “faithful” and not “lie” (Proverbs 14:5). If Jesus were a messenger he would be a “true witness” who “delivers souls” (Proverbs 14:25). Who did Jesus say that He was? “I and my Father are ONE.” (John 10:30).
In short, all other “religious leaders” will show you a way, teach some truth, and point you to life, but Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, is the only ONE who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6). Other religious leaders instruct you about eternal life, but Jesus Christ is the only ONE who said, “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25). In fact, all the religions of the world believe that salvation from sin (or suffering) can be obtained and maintained only by the good works we do. The Christian faith is the only “religion” that believes salvation is not in what we do or don’t do, but rather what God through His Son Jesus Christ has done for us. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Who is Jesus Christ? John wrote: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). Be reasonable! Come to the Lord Jesus Christ and you will find “rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28,29).
How Do We Explain the Different Races?
From the beginning of creation it was God’s will for man to populate the whole earth, but in Genesis chapter 11 we read the historic account that human society was of one language and determined with one mind to stay together (Genesis 11:4). Due to their disobedience to the LORD, He confused (or confounded) their language, so that they could not understand one another. In doing so, the Lord “scattered them upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:5-9). As a result of the different languages, people married those whose language they could understand. This arrangement produced separate INBREEDING groups.
Over a few generations these inbreeding groups produced specific characteristics, including different eyes, ears, noses, and shades of skin color. Despite different characteristics and different languages, nevertheless, we all have blood flowing through our bodies, we all are given a soul, and we all are created in the image of God according to (Genesis 1:27).
As foreign as this may seem to this generation, “racial barriers” are broken down by the preaching of the gospel, and not by political correctness. In fact, there are many Biblical examples of racial barriers being broken by the simple preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Acts chapter 2, Jews from every “nation” believed. In Acts chapter 8, there is the bringing in of the Samaritans and the Ethiopian eunuch into Christianity. Acts chapter 10 records the preaching of the gospel to many Italians in the house of Cornelius. While in Acts 17:16-34, the gospel is preached to the Greeks in Athens. Therefore, if any racial barriers are to broken down it will come through the church of Christ being BIBLICALLY CORRECT. The truth is that, the original manuscripts of the Bible do not use the word “race” to describe different people. Rather, God uses the words “NATIONS, TRIBES, KINDRED, TONGUE, and PEOPLE.” The concept of “race” was purely invented for convenience in biological and anthropological studies. Such concepts led to the pseudo-scientific belief that one race is superior to others. Evolutionary scientists may not all be racist in their personal philosophies but, like it or not, this humanistic philosophy can be traced throughout history as promoting racism. The Bible teaches that there is only “one blood” or one race of men upon the face of the earth – the human race (Acts 17:26).
“And (GOD) hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;” Acts 17:26
Can a Christian believe in Evolution?
This question is often debated. If evolution were defined simply as a change, or variation within a kind – (for example, the growth of a tadpole into a frog) – everyone would agree with evolution. However, the theory of evolution is that all life forms come from the same origin and the basic principle of life is a continual development from simpler elements into living organisms (for example: mud, molecules, monkey, to man). Therefore, evolution is actually a complete world-view (or philosophy) that explains the origin and the meaning of life without the necessity of a personal God who created and upholds all things. For a professing Christian to hold on to the complete and whole framework of evolution means bringing their faith and their understanding of the word of God into serious doubt! Christians may differ with another regarding the understanding of the Bible, but so do evolutionary scientists in the area of evolution. Why is it that the authority of the Bible must come into question and not evolution? Evolution is so widely taught and accepted as “fact,” Christians are often tempted to accept the compromised position of “theistic evolution.” Theistic evolution, views God as using the method of evolution as the means of creation. Is it possible for a Christian to believe in some aspects of evolution? The answer is, yes! The Bible teaches in Romans 10:13 that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” NOT “whosoever does not believe in evolution.” Nevertheless, the real question is: SHOULD A CHRISTIAN BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION? The answer is, NO! A Christian’s desire is to be taught of the Lord (Psalm 119:26-28; John 6:45). This means that the Christian is to take God’s word by faith whether or not it agrees with his preconceived ideas and regardless of what the Christian has been taught in the past. Let it be understood that no one has all the answers. Every Christian may disagree on certain minor teachings in the Bible. This has resulted into many different Christian denominations. Even so, certain central or foundational teachings in the Scriptures are essential to the Christian faith. To modify the creation account of the Bible weakens these essential teachings. These essential teachings are the Holiness of God, the origin of sin, mans need for a Savior, the person of Jesus Christ, and the hope of the resurrection. The Christian should be ready, at all times, to compare scripture with scripture (Isaiah 28:9-13), and to interpret the meaning of life according to the Holy Bible. It is very dangerous to accept or attempt to harmonize any form of evolution with God’s infallible word. God is the God of order and purpose. To believe that He used the means of “survival of the fittest,” which involves death, bloodshed, confusion and cruelty, is inconsistent with the other attributes of His character as presented in the Bible. To accept the theory of evolution as a means of creation is to be inconsistent with the plain teaching of God’s Word (Genesis 1; Exodus 20:11; Psalm 33:6-9; Isaiah 45:18).
REASONS 4 BELIEVING 