Biblical Creation and Evangelism

Once again, people in the Western world get wrapped up their traditions and habits to supposedly celebrate Christmas. If you study on it, God is probably not glorified by people being frantic and going into debt buying presents out of obligation. I reckon that the coddling of miscreant waifs is not pleasing to him, either —  especially since both adults and children are probably unable to give more than a thirty-second answer as to what Christmas means. We all need to learn about and focus on what is truly important. Nativity scene, Unsplash / Debby Hudson People are likely to know of the virgin birth, but more precisely, it's the virgin conception that is a miracle. That was a big part of God's perfect timing, which was prophesied back in Genesis 3:15 and in many other places of the Bible (I like how the birthplace of Jesus was foretold in Micah 5:2, as Micah was not a "major" prophet, nor was Bethlehem a big, important city.) Jesus had to be  a descendant of Adam s...

It is consistently baffling that many professing Christians put the authority of science above Scripture, especially regarding the age of the earth. These owlhoots are grossly inconsistent — they think science is right about long ages, but then believe the Bible about the unscientific Resurrection of Jesus. When asked why it is so important to them to elevate the ever-changing pronouncements of scientific philosophies over the word of God, they do not provide satisfactory answers. The same may be wondered about John Nelson Darby and Cyrus Ingerson Scofield. First page of Genesis, RGBStock / Billy Frank Alexander The Gap Theory is a way of inserting billions of years between the first two verses of the Bible. It is handily refuted by biblical creation ministries ( here is one example ). What is interesting is how the Scofield Reference Bible, Darby, and others were influential in promoting old Earth creation while not accommodating evolution.  On a personal note, regular reade...

It has been rightly pointed out that when someone or something is given more importance in the lives of people than God, those become idols. Essentially, false gods. They get money, attention, study, adoration — there are people who know sports teams inside out. Others understand politics so well, they could run countries. Although there are no overt and formal acts of worship, we are effectively a polytheistic society. No wonder the real God is judging us! Ancient Israel was monotheistic at first, but one jasper thinks they were polytheistic before they believed in Yahweh. Prayer of Moses after the Israelites go through the Red Sea , Ivan Kramskoy, 1861 Yes, the neighboring nations of Israel were polytheistic. We know that. For a supposed scholar of biblical archaeology to disregard the biblical text and agree with some scholars who reject biblical authority is baffling. The Bible is known for being historically accurate, and it clearly attests to ancient Israel knowing the true God. ...

In some ways, liberal  implies being generous and having a kind heart. Politically, liberalism has changed its meaning over the years, so classical liberalism is very different from leftist modern liberalism. Theologically, liberalism does not hold to the inerrancy and authority of the Bible. Liberalism can emphasize dialogue, which may seem reasonable on the surface. Dialogue is important for clarifying points and determining viewpoints. However, the dialogue of liberalism also involves compromise and change in areas where these things do not belong — often in the name of being "progressive". With liberalism, to be progressive may seem like a worthy goal, but it "progresses" away from the Word of God. (Indeed, I did a web search on apologetics resources which yielded items "you can trust" that include theistic evolutionists and other untrustworthy sources. Biblical creationists were conspicuously absent.) Notice that theological liberals believe few if a...

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  In the formerly United States, many people are getting ready for Thanksgiving. Some of this article be useful to people in other countries as well. Preparations to be made, such as hosting families go shopping for food, get out the table extensions, decorate, lots of cooking, and so on. We may think about how the same things happen every year, and maybe how to avoid arguments. Then there are the offbeat relatives that do annoying things. But we need to elevate our own thinking — even if only for ourselves. Turkey at Thanksgiving, Pexels / Monstera Production Something I hope for is that my own knowledge, observations, and experiences will be useful to others. As some readers know, my wife died unexpectedly on September 20, 2023. This post is very  difficult to write because I keep stopping to cry. (Yes, grown men weep. Accept it.) I see her two slow cookers that she used, plus the stove and oven... Same old thing every year? I'll miss that, and he...

For centuries, people took the Bible as written. This includes a literal six-day recent creation. For some reason, many decided to give secular science views preeminence over Scripture. Some rejected the Bible outright, others had a pretense of belief with a modified view. Something I cannot understand is why such people essentially tell God what he says and means about creation week. Do they prefer the applause of atheists for their compromises on recent creation? Some are essentially Deists, adding not only billions of years, but evolution to their pusillanimous religion. Ten Commandments section of Bible image, Unsplash  Tim Wildsmith (modified) To be blunt, sometimes when professing Christians are particularly enamored with a faulty belief, they reason like atheists. F'rinstance, the Hebrew word yom  does not always mean a literal day. Although it is used with what I call qualifiers in creation week that clearly indicate that those are literal days, some folks find when t...

Misotheists often level a complaint about Christianity that there is no free will, sometimes indicating that God is a marionettist pulling our strings. When we sin, he punishes us even though it is not our fault. Admittedly, questions about free will have been debated by Christians for centuries. When such shallow attempts at theology are made by atheists, they conveniently ignore the fact that in their worldview , free will is impossible. Materialists reject the existence of God, so everything — even morality — does not make sense. Modified from image of train tracks merging, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen Some believers in fish-to-fool evolution admit that the logical conclusion of their worldview is that we are all dancing to our chemicals in the pale moonlight. There are some who presuppose evolution believe it provides free will. Debate in their camp ensues. A big problem here is that people do not understand the meaning of free will. We can make choices that are only consiste...

It is both annoying and baffling how some folks do not want to take the Bible at face value, instead elevating their opinions or secular science views above Scripture. If you study on it a spell, false religions do something similar: We  will tell you what the passages mean, do not think you  can understand it. When someone cites William Lane Craig, I am on guard. While he can dismantle atheism, he has compromised in key areas of Christian doctrine . One of these is original sin. The Garden of Eden with the Fall of Man , Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens,1615 I'll allow that the words  original sin  do not appear in the Bible, but other essential Christian doctrines, such as the Trinity, are not found under the names we know. That does not make them any less real. Although Craig mocks original sin (Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit, and we inherit the sin nature), it is clearly evident from a plain reading of Scripture. This heresy is serious, and people...

People often use the word demon  metaphorically to describe recurring tormets, such as dealing with the demons in their lives. Many also believe that demons are literal beings who were cast out of Heaven during the rebellion of Satan. What do they look like? While people may think those scary nightmare-fuel being depicted in modern art, comic books, movies, and such, the reality can be far different. Satan and his minions can take whatever appearance suits them so they can influence and affect people. Tamara and Demon by Konstantin Makovsky, 1889 Perhaps the extreme portrayals of the devil and demons are one reason people disbelieve in their existence (similar to  toy boat depictions of Noah's Ark contribute to rejections of the real thing). Strangely enough, people try to not only disbelieve but also believe at the same time — including atheists . If demons want to be glowing-eyed scary, they will. Or fleeting shadows. Or space aliens. Or preachers in nice suits (consider 2...

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Go down the short hallway, past the bathroom, through the open door of the bedroom. Look behind the door. You see several things such as mostly unused crutches from my knee surgery, a clothes drying rack, two 3-drawer plastic storage units, and more. On top of a storage unit are a pair of pants, a shirt, and shoes. Unpretentious clothes. Charlene had efficiently laid them out so she could use them when she returned from her surgery. She is not coming back for them. Ever. This is being posted four weeks from the day she passed away. My beloved wife's clothes are waiting in vain for her return Most everyone has heard it said that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. In her case, she did not finish "today," the day of her surgery, when she was stricken. In the midst of my bitter tears, I know that she was a child of the living God. When the angel came to escort her to Jesus, Charlene must have been thrilled to be free of a life that had so much physical an...

Gardens. Many people make gardening a major hobby, spending hours in them, weeding, pruning, planting, and doing all sorts of things to gussie them up. The results can be quite impressive. Then some folks do just enough to keep their small patch going. People who read classic (in this case, old) literature, they have probably noticed gardens being mentioned or even playing significant parts in the stories. If you study on it, you should remember that gardens were in the Bible. The first was Genesis 2:8 when God planted a garden in  Eden. Church garden, RGBStock / Adrian van Leen Biblical creationists talk about the dominion mandate , which is when God told mankind to subdue and rule over the earth as stewards. That means we take care of it for its benefit , not exploit or run roughshod over it. Environmental extremists have an evolutionary view that makes Earth more important than humanity. One approach is rewilding , which is essentially to just l et everything go and have nature ...

Although it is an old word and often used when movie studios mock Christians who are the villains shout it, heresy is useful. Heresies about Jesus abound. Perhaps it is a heresy when an atheist claims there is no God (or the absurdity that he never existed), but we will focus on heresies among professing Christians. Unfortunately, people believe at least three of the most common false teachings. Why do they believe them? Because they are easily deceived. Bluntly, this usually comes from spiritual laziness and biblical illiteracy. The Good Shepherd , Public Domain Pictures / Bernard Plockhorst, mid-1800s As mentioned before, I was raised in a theologically liberal denomination. When I went to a conservative Christian school for my last three years, I had no understanding of the Trinity or that Jesus is God the Son. Yes, the Trinity cannot be fully understood and must be taken by faith, but we can learn basic teachings in the Bible. Some teachings are not heresies but are heterodox, oft...

We admire things in nature such as a sunset, galloping horses, gorgeous fishes, and much more. Many things inspire a sense of awe  — which is something animals are incapable of having. Some folks find beauty in the orderliness and intricacies of mathematics. There are several reasons that we appreciate beauty. One is that it is a gift of our Creator, who gave us many things to help us survive and thrive. Not only survive, but to make our journeys more peasant. Creation itself testifies of God (Rom. 1:18). Forest Morning, RGBStock / Alex Bruda It may surprise some people, but this is a wrecked world! That's right, it's beauty before the Genesis Flood is probably beyond imagining. Even so, God made it so that even after the devastation of the Flood, the world would still be filled with tremendous beauty. Such splendor is a part of God's own nature, and we are created in his image, so we appreciate it as well. Have you ever wondered why a sunset on a beach is captivating, sno...

Professing atheists and others who reject the authority of the Bible look for excuses to say it contains errors and contradictions. When given serious attention, charges of contradictions are quickly refuted . It seems that atheists and other scoffers pass along talking points, no matter how vacuous, instead of thinking. At first glance, the first two chapters of Genesis may give someone a reason to pause. An honest reading shows that they are not contradictory. Indeed, they were written to be read one after the other. Fall of Adam and Eve via Hippopx It may seem that the second chapter of Genesis contradicts the first chapter in the order of creation, but take a closer look. Notice that other aspects of creation are not discussed. Indeed, it becomes clear that the sections are complementary , not contradictory. The second chapter spells out details about the creation of man. Also, the original language and grammar give us important clues. Between the creation of Adam and the creation ...

An interesting expression is that some concept is not a hill to die on . This implies that the speaker does not consider the idea to be all that important, or that it is something a bit interesting but he does not have enough information or motivation to argue it. Similarly, some people say that the age of the earth is a side issue; it is not a hill to die on. While informed creationists say that belief in recent creation or the age of the earth are not requirements for salvation, they are still important  issues. Edinburgh Castle on Castle Rock, Wikimedia Commons / Scglossop1 ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ) In settlements and the military, people would want to fortify the higher ground because it was easier to defend. It could be costly for opposing forces to lead a charge up that hill. Conversely, those making the defense should be aware that they are defending the correct hill and not ignoring the importance of another hill nearby. It may be surprising, but defending the hill of the young ear...

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  When using the word nurse , context is very important because of the variety of possible meanings. For many people, it is the noble field dominated by females who provide medical services. Many are usually under the authority of doctors or nurses with higher training and education levels.  My recent surprise hospital admission caused me to think on a number of things, sometimes helping me complete thoughts from those thrilling days of yesteryear. This time it is about personal modesty. Nurses and IV pole, Pexels / Anna Shvets Nurses in hospitals, clinics, and so on have pretty much "seen it all." This is something that I discussed with various nurses. People are often at their most vulnerable and are dependent on medical folks on many levels. Many actually care about patients. I have had my private parts exposed and touched (the Foley catheter hurt me plenty, especially since they couldn't get it right until the fourth attempt .) Worse, it is impo...

There are professing Christians that seem somehow compelled to malign biblical creation, finding excuses to deny the plain reading of Genesis — despite the rest of biblical context. Why do they need to insert long ages into the Bible? This was unknown until the nineteenth century. Some of those who compromise with atheistic interpretations of science have denied the history of understanding six-day recent creation, and even make false accusations regarding the Church Fathers. As usual, claiming special insight that has been missed for thousands of years should be a red flag. Creation, Pixabay / Beate Bachmann One can often find an outlier or crackpot that agrees with strange views, which is an appeal to dubious authority. Almost all of the Church Fathers of note believed in recent creation in six days, the Genesis Flood (which is usually rejected or changed to suit the views of old earthers), and so on. They also held to other major Christian doctrines. Some critics of biblical (‘y...

A common red flag occurs when someone claims to have special insight or revelation, that everyone else is wrong, should make people suspicious. How about how the Koran was mistranslated, and it is not 72 virgins as a reward, but 72 raisins ? That did not get much traction, did it? Indeed, many cults claim that their founders received a new revelation so they are the One True Church™. People have been "correcting" the Bible about the Genesis Flood and Creation to comport with atheistic views of science. Something similar has been going on regarding the location of Solomon's Temple. Model of Solomon's Temple, WikiComm / Thomas Newberry , Metropolitan Museum of Art ( CC0 1.0 ) While there is nothing wrong with challenging the consensus (biblical creationists have been doing that for decades), such confrontations need to be backed up with evidence (biblical creationists have been doing that for decades as well). People were satisfied with what the Bible said about the Te...

Some time ago, I sat up pondering where the sun went after it set, and then it dawned on me. There are many Christians who are unwilling to believe that day  in Genesis 1 is a literal day. They try to scheme ways of obscuring the plain reading of the text. When I was young, I read the creation account and had no reason to think day was anything unusual. That is the way people have treated it for a very long time, with few exceptions. Sun obscured by tree, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen With the advent of belief in deep time in the past couple of hundred years, Christians compromised and tried to find ways to force long ages into the Bible. For them, does day still mean day? Allegories, mythologizing, compromising and other shenanigans do violence to the text. Opinions of secular science cannot tell us what Scripture means. Why do those Christians insist on this? Is it to look good to atheists as well as other Christian compromisers? Do they seek the approval of men over that of th...

There are several literary terms that apply to the historical events in the Bible, such as foreshadowing. In stories (including movies), people are given hints as to what will happen later. There are also types  involving events and people (e.g., 1 Cor. 10:11, Rom. 5:14). It is interesting that in the Bible, historical events actually happened and people really lived who were paralleling what was to come. (Indeed, there are startling similarities between the sacrifices of Isaac and Jesus .) Strong links between Noah, Moses, and Jesus can be seen. Public domain images of Noah, Moses, and Jesus via Breadsite People who read their Bibles and pay attention to good teaching know that the Scripture has a large number of prophecies. Many have been fulfilled (especially surrounding the birth, death, and Resurrection of Jesus) and others are yet to be filled. Perhaps the parallels between Noah, Moses, and Jesus can be considered somewhat prophetic, since prophecy is not difficult for God. T...

With the right combination of water in the air and the angle of light from the sun, a rainbow or double rainbow can be seen. People like to admire the beauty and often quip about gold at its end. Rainbows are popular in artwork and are frequently seen on toys for children. The first mention of a rainbow is in Genesis 9:8-17 where God established it as a covenant sign that the world would never again be completely flooded. God did not do an extra act of creation, but instead assigned special meaning to it. Rainbow at Niagara Falls, Unsplash / Jason Forrest Nowadays, the rainbow has been hijacked. It's bad enough that the word gay  has been changed to mean male homosexual (and those people do not display the original meaning), but the rainbow is a far more serious affront. It has been reworked to have a certain number of stripes that have meanings to the LGBTQ folks. Strange to take unhealthy pride in a sexual preference, and even to seek one's identity in it! This group is happ...

When I was a small buckaroo, my father was a pastor in a liberal denomination. (As a general guideline, be wary of denominations with the word "united" in the name. They tend to have poor theology.) Being raised in the United Methodist Church, it was a challenge for me to attend a Christian school that was operated by Fundamentalists. There were so many things that I did not know about the Bible in my mid-teens despite being a pastor's kid. What was this stuff about the Bible being  the Word of God? Bible and pathway, Unsplash / Aaron Burden Churches with liberal theology compromise on many biblical teachings, and that seems to start by rejecting the infallibility of Scripture . It has errors but contains  the Word of God. So how do they know what to believe? Although my father rejected evolution, he seemed to accept deep time. Liberal theologians compromise on those details as well. When the Bible is a flawed guidebook, it can mean all sorts of things whenever convenient...