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What would life be like without creation ministries?

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(First appeared in a CMI newsletter)

It’s great to take heart from the Scriptures when reading about biblical characters such as Noah, Moses, Elijah and Jeremiah. Great men of God as they were, I’m sure that there must have been times when they wondered if they’d heard God correctly. In their own understanding they probably viewed the challenges they faced as almost insurmountable. They had to stand up and confront the popular and distasteful culture of the day, enduring trials along the way. However, they trusted God. They believed and took Him at his Word.

Today, there is so much contention about what God is supposed to be saying in His written Word. However, I can’t help being reminded that casting such doubts originally began with the evil one when he tempted Eve with those words, “Did God really say … ?” (Gen. 3:1).

Today, there is so much contention about what God is supposed to be saying in His written Word.

What if Moses, even though he was standing as a lone soldier, had failed to stand up to Pharaoh? What about Noah? The long arduous trial of building a giant ship and his preaching of a coming judgment certainly wouldn’t have made him the most popular guy around. What if these men had doubted what God had said? Fortunately they trusted God’s Word, and God used them to bring salvation to many. We are proof of that today. Their individual efforts made a big difference.

It got me thinking about the times we are tempted to take the soft option in our own lives or ministries. Are we frightened to talk about our faith for fear of ridicule or rejection? Do we feel inadequate or somehow powerless to bring change against what seems like an insurmountable tide? Be encouraged because one thing is for certain. Whether as a ministry or as individuals, making a stand polarizes thought and, thus, causes people to consider the arguments. This is one way we can start to effect change.

Where do morals come from?

One example is moral decay in our society. Immoral behaviour is rampant and most feel powerless to do anything about it. Of course, the root problem is sin but, as CMI has always pointed out, the idea that nobody owns us, and therefore we can do what we like, is symptomatic of the lack of accountability to the Creator—the One the Bible describes in Genesis. This situation is made much worse by a compromising church that, for example, ordains homosexual priests or endorses same-sex unions. (If the Bible can’t be trusted in Genesis, where does it start to be reliable?) If we can all do what we want anyway, what’s the purpose of the church’s existence, particularly if it does not uphold the Words of the very One it is supposed to represent? The church’s loss of relevance in the eyes of the world at large is as a result of its abandonment of God’s Word. After all, how can the church hold up its hand on moral issues without relating it to the big picture of the Bible? Because,

▼ Christian morality comes from ►

▼ Christianity, which is based on the Gospel found in ►

▼ God’s Word, whose doctrines are founded by the Creator as described in ►

▼ Genesis

Imposing Christian morality without properly understanding its foundation is unlikely to be successful.

Making a difference

Anyone involved in ministry will tell you that there are times when you wonder if you are making a difference. Sometimes I’ve had those doubts. But then I consider how much worse it would be if there were no ministries at all like CMI and others showing the error of humanistic thinking. In reality, creation ministries are making a huge difference and are worth supporting. Consider, as the title of this letter says, ‘What would life be like without creation ministries?’ Although we often come in for criticism for highlighting the compromise, a stand has the effect of polarizing thought, as mentioned. It causes people to think about the issues by making them realize that there is an issue to think about in the first place. If we don’t do this the enemy achieves his goal—blinding people to the issues through ignorance—so that they don’t even consider that the Bible might really be God’s Word after all.

Make this the year of Creation without Confusion

what’s the purpose of the church’s existence, particularly if it does not uphold the Words of the very One it is supposed to represent?

Andrew A wrote: ‘There are so many of God’s people that are teetering on the brink of disaster and we have the power to change this. Thank you for your unwavering strength and direction. … The call to arms has been sound, and we must take it up with fervour. We must tell friends, tell family, not get flustered, read a lot in preparing ourselves to answer’ [but do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15—GB].

That’s why CMI in partnership with supporters like you, seeks to equip the church. There is no need to compromise, and with so many of you now personally equipped, and seeking to equip others, we are seeing lives changed and souls won for the kingdom. Because of this partnership the question of biblical authority has become the major issue facing the church. Isn’t it a great joy when we can let people know that they really can trust the Bible? Then hopefully, like Moses, Noah and so many of those we read about in the Scriptures, they will really take Him and trust Him at His Word.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Published: 19 October 2011

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