Does creation really matter?
Restoring Confidence in the Bible and its Author1
Photo sxc.hu
by Philip Bell
Published: 11 February 2010 (GMT+10)
The idea that the Bible is a revelation from the One Creator of all things is increasingly
seen as irrelevant in our ‘enlightened’ twenty-first century. So, how
may Christian people restore confidence in the Scriptures and in God Himself, not
merely in society as a whole but particularly among the men, women and children
who attend a local church?
First, let us consider why this confidence has been eroded:
- We have become a feelings-led culture—this has extended to very many in our
churches too.
- Related to this is the growing number of people (especially the young) who no longer
believe in absolutes.
- Undoubtedly a major reason for the above is that the teachings of the Christian
faith have been largely disconnected from their historical basis, especially the
early chapters of Genesis.
- If the foundations of Christianity are ignored (deemed myth), undermined (by compromise)
or destroyed (by all-out attacks by anti-Christians) how can the Christian hope
to defend his/her faith in a world that is hostile to the message?
Morality is relative?
It is entirely logical, for anyone who fits the above description (Christians included),
to think about morality in relative terms—“I don’t see how my
actions are really hurting anybody”; “Well most reasonable people seem
to think this behaviour is ok”; “But surely, in this day and age to
insist on that is old-fashioned”; “That teaching belongs to
another time—in this enlightened age, we now know things that our forebears
didn’t”. We are all too familiar with these attitudes. In other words,
people think that it’s quite reasonable to do what is right in their own eyes—including
many religious people, regular church-attendees.
… errant, modernist thinking is nothing new. Moses told the Israelites: ‘You
shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is
right in his own eyes’ (Deuteronomy 12:8).
Of course, such errant, modernist thinking is nothing new. Moses told the Israelites:
“You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man
doing whatever is right in his own eyes” (Deuteronomy 12:8). We are familiar, too, with the explanation
of the wanton behaviour of the days of the Judges, that “In those days there
was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6 & 21:25). Solomon warns that such an attitude
is “the way of a fool” (Proverbs 12:15) because it is the Lord God who
“weighs the hearts” (21:2). Moreover, says Isaiah, “Woe to those
[who are] prudent in their own sight” (Isaiah 5:21). Solomon’s proverbial challenge has a
very contemporary ring about it: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the
LORD and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7). In my preaching, I often highlight the sadly
apt words of Agur (in Proverbs 30:12) to our culture today: ‘There is a
generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness.’
Why the increasing apathy towards the Christian message? Why this post-modern approach
to right and wrong? Surely, a major factor is that people no longer respect the
absolutes on which societies like ours were once established. And, surely, this
has a great deal to do with the way in which the foundational teaching for the Christian
Gospel and Christian morality have been systematically attacked in the generations
since Darwin’s dangerous idea took root in the nineteenth century. “If
the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).
Shoring up the Foundations
There really is a crying need for Christians to get back to the authority
of the Word of God
Making the diagnosis is the easy part, but let us consider what positive steps we
might take to reverse this trend. We need to re-establish the fundamentals of Christian
faith from the foundational level upwards. Here is a biblical imperative: “Those
from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations
of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
the Restorer of Streets to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:12; emphasis added). The present-day situation
in the UK, the country in which I live, has a clear parallel with the days of the
young Samuel as he ministered in the temple with the priest Eli. We read these fascinating
words: ‘And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was
no widespread revelation’ (1 Samuel 3:1). The tragedy is that the Church does have
God’s supreme revelation but many of her leaders have blocked its true brilliance
from the view of the people of our nation. How so? Doubtless, many answers might
be proffered, but one reason is surely the endemic tolerance of compromise of the
timeless truths of Genesis, the book of beginnings. There really is a crying need
for Christians to get back to the authority of the Word of God.
It all goes back to Genesis
The conviction of those involved in what might broadly be termed “creation
ministry” is that nothing less than a return to Biblical Authority will “stop
the rot”. The stark truth is that human beings stand condemned before the
burning righteousness of a Holy God (John 3:18)—sin’s penalty is death. That the
majority think their lives are alright in their own eyes does not alter their predicament
from God’s perspective one iota. The very self-righteousness of many unbelievers—e.g.
“I’m not so bad; I’ve never murdered anyone, I pay my taxes”,
etc.—is an offence to the God who has provided the sacrifice of His own precious
Son as the only way by which a person can be cleansed from sin and made acceptable
in His sight. Everybody has broken God’s law and the very purpose of the law
is to act as a mirror (Romans 6:7–13)—a mirror to sinful people which the
Holy Spirit uses to convict them “of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”
(John 16:8). In these postmodern days, it is increasingly
necessary to hold this mirror up to people so that they recognise their true condition
and status before their Judge and Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22)—after all, to know Him as their King
and their Saviour is conditional upon their repentance. But, how will they necessarily
accept those laws if they have no confidence in the Bible or the God of the Bible?
The logical basis of all those laws and standards is found in Genesis and nowhere
else. And this is precisely why Christian believers must seek to destroy all proud
obstacles and arguments to the knowledge of God in our culture. We all have a part
to play in shoring up those foundations of faith in Genesis. And since the doctrine
of evolution has, for a century and a half, been one of the devil’s main tactical
weapons against Christ’s Church (undermining the very foundation of Christian
morality and the Gospel), evangelical Christians should not be counted among those
who are squeamish about taking a stand against it!
Seeking foot soldiers—what about you?
Recognising where the battle is at, how can you and I play our part effectively?
Even beyond 2009’s ‘Year of Darwin’ celebrations, there continue
to be opportunities aplenty as scientists and the media continue with their adulation
and promotion of this godless belief system. Prayer is paramount of course but let
our prayers have legs! We must ensure that we and our children are truly
familiar with the actual words of Genesis 1-11, those much-disputed early chapters of God’s
Word. Far too many believers have only scanty knowledge of the accounts of Creation,
the Fall, the Flood and Babel. In addition, it is wise to invest in some resources
that will equip you and your family to understand how the true history of the world
(Genesis) connects with the real world of the twenty-first century. Take advantage
of some of the wealth of resources that God has provided through creationist organisations
like CMI. Consider a gift subscription to someone who does not yet receive Creation
magazine and take advantage of the many topical articles on our website by reputable
creationists2—in
this way, you will be better equipped to share and defend your faith in a relevant
and effective manner. Find out what is being taught in your local school and, where
appropriate, provide young people and teachers with materials that correct some
of the errors being propagated in the classroom. Raise awareness of these vitally
important foundational issues by organising a meeting in your area—perhaps
show a thought-provoking DVD or arrange for a CMI speaker to come. Encourage Christian
bookshops and libraries (including school libraries) to stock good books and DVDs
on the topic. By these, and other, means, we can all play our part in helping to
influence churches and the culture at large. As many Christians can readily testify,
a little time spent in any of these directions has the potential to bear wonderful
fruit for the Kingdom of God. The words of this lady, who e-mailed our UK office
in May, bear striking testimony to this fact: “I … would again love
to tell you just how useful all the wonderful articles and especially many of the
dvds have been that I bought from CMI…..it has made such a huge and noticeable
difference to the confidence of our sons. My friend’s son especially; he has,
since I have been using the material from CMI, become a Christian … ”
Creation matters to the gospel
We may lament the existing rejection of the fundamentals of the Christian faith
in the Church but that should propel us into action. We should appeal to people
to return to a faithful stand on Genesis—perhaps copy this article and give
it to a select few and pray for God to work! Unless people see Christians acting as
believers should—believing their Holy Book—how will God’s
people be able to effect change? Non-Christians often reject Christ’s teaching
because “it comes from that book that science (aka evolution) has
proved to be riddled with errors!” Let us teach that the Bible gives us the
big picture to understand geology, biology, anthropology and astronomy—and
of course morality and the Gospel! We are called to be “the salt of the earth”
(Matthew 5:13). Christians are to savour society by our Christ-like
influence, speaking the truth of God’s Word in love and demonstrating that
love by actions that are consistent with our words. The Bible says, “Salt
is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt
in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50).
If someone rejects the Word of God in one area,
what authority do they have to point out that others are guilty of rejecting the
Bible and the God of the Bible in another area? Will they be able to season the
pot or will they just be seen as stirring things up? On what basis can they pick
and choose which parts of the Bible they believe and which parts they should reinterpret?
“It seems to me an odd proposition that we should adhere to some parts of
the Bible story but not to others. After all, when it comes to important moral questions,
by what standards do we cherry-pick the Bible? Why bother with the Bible at all
if we have the ability to pick and choose from it, what is right and what is wrong?”—the
words of atheist and biologist Richard Dawkins in one of his now infamous attacks
on the Christian faith.3
And in this, he is absolutely correct.
Daring to be different
True wisdom is not proportional to the number of college degrees I possess, the
eloquence of my speech, my mastery of debate or the number of acclaimed books I
may have published. It is found in those—however insignificant in this world’s
estimation—who ‘fear the Lord’ and embrace, rather than reject,
His Word.
Worldly people are going about their business and pleasure activities, doing what
is right in their own eyes. Can Christians seriously expect to have a positive influence
for Christ if they are not prepared to believe all that He believed and
taught?4 Jesus expressly
warned his followers that salt which loses its flavour “is then good for
nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13). These are very sobering words indeed—if
we take them seriously, that is. How desperately we need a return to the attitude
that God desires for His people, one of humble submission to His revealed Word,
in every area, including the foundational teaching about Creation: “‘For
all those things my hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the LORD.
‘But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
and who trembles at My word’” (Isaiah 66:2). Frankly, those whose beliefs contradict the
plain teachings of Moses, Christ and the apostles, will be found in open rebellion
against the One to whom they have pledged allegiance. Jeremiah took up a lament
in his own day, overwhelmed as he was by the tragic spiritual adultery of God’s
own people: “Why has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return” (Jeremiah 18:5). “How can you say, ‘We are wise,
and the law of the LORD is with us?’ … The wise men are ashamed, they
are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD;
so what wisdom do they have?” (18:8,9; emphasis added). True wisdom is not
proportional to the number of college degrees I possess, the eloquence of my speech,
my mastery of debate or the number of acclaimed books I may have published. It is
found in those—however insignificant in this world’s estimation—who
“fear the Lord” and embrace, rather than reject, His Word. This was
the earnest desire of the apostle Paul, that all believers should shun the “persuasive
words of human wisdom … that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men
but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4,5).
References
- This article was adapted from one which appeared in CMI’s
Update in August 2009, modified from one which appeared in the May 2009 edition
of Evangelical Times. Return to text.
- Creation.com now has over 7,000 fully-searchable, peer-reviewed
articles. Return to text.
- The Root of all Evil, Channel 4, broadcast 16 January,
2006. Return to text.
- An excellent short book to read
in this vein is: Batten, D. & Sarfati, J., 15 Reasons to take Genesis as history, 2006.
Return to text.
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