Was my salvation unimportant to you?
Driving back from a meeting with Carl Wieland recently, I explained how the ‘lights went on’ for me about creation when my cousin gave me one of the books on the ‘relevance of creation’ promoted by CMI. I said to Carl, ‘Before I read the book, I didn’t even know I had questions about the creation/evolution issue.’ Carl asked me to share my story with you.
‘It’s not very important’.
People who reject the Bible and Christianity, or hold them at arm’s length, don’t necessarily consciously do so on the basis of evolution. They may just have a vague feeling that somehow Christianity/the Bible doesn’t ‘fit’ with reality. Start answering questions about Cain’s wife, and how dinosaurs fit and so on, and it frequently becomes obvious to them that this is a really big issue for them.
In my case, it has taken me many years to realize the things that happened to me once I began absorbing the information CMI produces.
A very confused young man
I was not taught ‘evolution/long ages’ formally at school, but the implication was there and of course in the media etc. Although brought up in the church, the ‘culture’ in a small country church community was one where God wasn’t treated as though He was ‘real’—but it was the done thing to attend church, which, sadly, ‘disconnected’ Christianity and the Bible from reality to me. Combine that with the subtle but powerful influence of evolution/long ages belief bombarding us from every angle in our society, and you have the recipe for a very confused young man.
Trying to make sense of Christianity
I couldn’t accept that there was no God, as I knew that without Him there could be no ultimate meaning. As a logical thinker, I was trying to make sense of the Gospel by building it (unconsciously) on top of an evolutionary premise. I wanted to know absolute truth (irrespective of what others believed). The church just talked about the New Testament Gospel (ignoring the truth of the Old Testament historical events upon which the Gospel is built). But it made no sense to me, so I assumed the fault was with me; there was no point looking elsewhere for answers. I became very frustrated. But I told nobody, as I thought I’d be seen as stupid. (I realize now that many others are playing the same game—not really understanding what they believe, but putting on the ‘spiritual act’ to save face).
The reality was, I was so confused that I didn’t even know what questions to ask! Combine that with a brave face and a ‘nice Christian manner’ and I looked just fine to others, including the pastor. (Actually, I was so depressed about other issues in my life that I wanted to die—but nobody knew except me.) However, the Lord knew my heart. He knew I was seeking truth and understanding—and through Creation Ministries International, He provided the answers I needed, concerning issues that the ‘church’ seemed unable or unwilling to deal with.
We need to listen carefully to what is on people’s hearts. Many who have learnt to understand this whole origins issue soon realize that the seekers are indeed asking the questions, but in ways we did not hear before. I wanted understanding and logic so as to make sense of Christianity. When I got the answers and was shown that the Bible could be trusted in every way, the lights came on in my head and I gave my life to the Lord, unreservedly. Why couldn’t the church do this for me before? I was 26 years old when this happened and had gone to church all my life!!
Shout from the mountains
Much of the western Church continues to say, ‘This issue is not important’; then wonders why the culture sees the church as ‘irrelevant’.
I am just one of many who would be willing to shout from the mountain tops: ‘It was very important to me—was my salvation unimportant to you?’
Please consider whether you can help CMI reach more and more folk worldwide, with practical support in addition to your ongoing prayers. I am proof of the effectiveness of this method.
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