Responding to Biblical Authority

There is something I think I need to say, but it may seem like self-praise. When I write posts and articles, I pray for several things, including that they glorify God, edify the saints, and encourage them to stand on the authority of God's Word. The authority of the Bible is overlooked or waved off far too often.

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The Bible is the foundation for the Christian's life and thinking in every area. It is unchanging. Cultural whims, governments, trends, opinions, and more come and go. Sometimes these change quite rapidly. Atheists have no consistent standard for logic and morality, but God's Word is our ultimate source for those things. If you study on it a mite, you'll see that Genesis is the source of all major Christian doctrines, and that is what secularists are attacking the most — beginning with creation. It is imperative that we respond properly to biblical authority.

The linked article is written in an interview format where the author responds to several written questions on the subject. I hope you'll take the time to read it (my estimate is about six minutes) or download the audio. For your edification, kindly click on "The Battle for Biblical Authority".

Frequent Mistakes about Creation

Anti-creationists frequently misrepresent what we teach and believe as a matter of course, but there are simple errors that can be corrected with a little bit of investigation. Unfortunately, some of it is our own fault because professing creationists have wrong notions that they pass around.

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It is a great time to be a biblical creationists. We have the inerrant Word of God and the scientific evidence to verify recent creation. There are numerous sites and ministries that supply us with theological and scientific information, so there is no real excuse for being uninformed on basic things. It's not difficult, and can be interesting as well as fun. Here are some basic corrections to errors.

Have you ever heard that men have fewer ribs than women? Or that it never rained before the flood? What about the increasingly popular argument that the earth is flat? These and many other common misconceptions are often based on inaccurate historical data, unsupported scientific models, misinterpretation of Scripture, or mere speculation.

As Christians, we must be careful to discern sound ideas from falsehoods so that we may honor Christ and proclaim the truth of his Word—starting in Genesis. Whether responding to a misguided fellow believer or a hostile skeptic, we must address these misconceptions by using good judgment and appealing to reason, to observable science, and ultimately to God’s Word.

You can finish reading the article or download the excerpt at "Common Misconceptions About Creation".

Effective Use of Social Media and Technology

We are closing in on Question Evolution Day, and even though the information in the article linked below applies to that event, it is important for any other time. Technology has many important benefits, but it also has a dark side by its very nature. We must have the right priorities and balance.

Background image credit: Pixabay / Iván Tamás

We are receiving all sorts of information pretty much constantly. Unfortunately, it is dominated by harmful messages and untruthful material about anthropogenic climate change, evolution, adulterous relationships. false views of the Bible, and more. However, we also have a voice and opportunities to make an impact. Smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and other computers connect us to the world. I have people I care about that I've never met and an online creation science ministry. Much of my preparation comes from technology, including podcasts, sermons (I don't want to get "tunnel vision" and not learn other areas of the Christian life), sending articles to my ebook reader, converting articles to MP3s by using text-to-speech, and the ubiquitous email. Technology is there, we can use it effectively.

We have the tools, often literally in our hands. We can use them to take a stand for Question Evolution Day (even at the most basic level, sharing and posting items on social media with a #questionevolutionday hashtag) and we can empower ourselves with good information. There are several biblical creation science sites to help you learn about how evolution is incompatible with the gospel message, the proper use of theology, sciences that refute biological and other kinds of evolution, and more.

In this digital age, one of the quickest, cheapest and most effective ways to reach people is through social media. In order to make sure that we fulfil our mandate to “always be ready to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15) and to “destroy arguments … raised against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5) we must see to it that the millions of people who form their opinions with information from the digital world have at least some exposure to content that will affirm and uphold a biblical worldview. In many ways, reaching a culture that inhabits the digital world, by providing biblical creation resources through this world, is a front-line battleground for passing on the knowledge of God to the next generation. We take the message to where the people who need it are found.

To read the article in its entirety, click on "Smart faith in a digital age".

Questions for Confrontations on the Bible

Some people get on the prod and want to attack God, the Bible, creation, and Christians. It seems they just want to watch the Bible burn — and to shake our faith. Others, however, have serious inquiries and we can help remove stumbling blocks. What follows is helpful for Question Evolution Day.

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It is not uncommon for an unbeliever to come roaring with accusations against God and the Bible, and some say, "Prove to me scientifically that God exists". That one is the logical fallacy known as the category error, and is irrational. In other cases, use your discernment and use the principle of Proverbs 26:4-5. That is, do not allow the unbeliever to put you on the defensive and make the rules, but show how his or her views are erroneous.

As we have seen before, we need to ask questions. This can be a mite disconcerting for someone who is looking for a fight, but it also shows that you are listening and can be a possible bridge to a discussions. I'll allow that it is more difficult on social media and more effective in person, but sometimes it is still effective. This also clarifies; it's not helpful to try to answer a question or comment that was not what the other person meant! Also, you may learn some things about the person and it can help in future encounters. It's happened to me.

Always remember it is not about winning arguments. Our goal is to glorify God and to prompt the other person to think. We cannot expect instant repentance, but to use a term I learned long ago, we can "plant seeds". God is the one who does the salvation, not us.

Some contend that science proves the Bible wrong. They may ask how the Bible’s supposedly good God could allow so much pain and evil in the world. And who hasn’t heard that science has proved humans evolved over eons?

Does a Bible believer need a bunch of college degrees to answer these claims? Education helps, but even non-expert Christians can use one basic tactic to address such attacks.

To read the rest, click on "How Can I Answer Attacks on the Bible?" For related material, see "Evidence and Asking Questions" and "Asking Questions to Reveal Answers".