Biblical Creation and Evangelism

Before we get into the main topic, I need to point out something. People tend to say that someone is honest or intelligent because that person is not antagonistic toward their point of view. Dr. Todd Wood has confused people about his stance on evolution , saying it has "gobs of evidence." Atheists said he is "honest" — implying the rest of us are not. Frankie the Rock (I mean, François de La Rochefoucauld) said, "We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us." Try admiring the intelligence of an opponent sometime. Be honest. Crowd of people, Pixabay / Keith Johnston (modified) Sometimes professing atheists will say good things about the Bible, Christianity, Christians, and so on. They are honestly expressing views that obstreperous atheists would find repugnant. C. Richard Dawkins made a rather startling statement that a Designer is a scientific hypothesis , yet remains an atheist. Also, he said that Christianity is " a bulwark ag...

The way someone views the world includes ethics and morality, origins, expectations for the future, and more are contained in their worldviews. Christians who have a biblical worldview believe that it is true from the first verse and are supposed to live accordingly. A materialistic worldview (all that matters is matter, no God exists) does not have a consistent standard of morality . Fish-to-fool evolution is actually a religion to people with these beliefs, so if they cheat and steal, they are being consistent with their worldview. Man thinking by a lake at sunset, Pixabay /  StockSnap Materialists cannot be consistent in their beliefs, because they use logic (which is not material), and use logic in science — but science would be impossible without God ! An evolutionary worldview is prominent in leftist ideologies, past and present. Adherence to a biblical worldview (beginning in Genesis) reduces the evil that is brought by materialism. To read the article that inspired this pos...

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  If someone says that becoming a Christian means life will be a happy road all the time, they are out of touch with reality. We have struggles like everybody else. (Christians who stand for the truth of God's Word often have additional problems.) There are times when inconveniences may actually be God at work on our behalf. There is a story circulating about a conversation between someone and God. Why did God allow such an annoying day to happen? Those annoyances were caused by him , but the person did not know it. Tires, Pixnio / Bicanski After suffering through the annoyance of a slow tire leak, I took the car to my wife's favorite service center. It took a while and cost over fifty  simoleons . Well, I am set up to go to an oral surgeon at Westchester Medical Center. It will be quick outpatient surgery, but under general anesthetic. That causes serious problems with transportation, but at least the leak problem is solved. It came back a few days later...

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Yes, it is a part of our job description, as found in 2 Corinthians 5:20. We are ambassadors for Christ, imploring others to be reconciled to God. As we can see, ambassador is an ancient title. Those people would represent the interests of their countries to rulers in other countries. Back in the old days, ambassadors were important dignitaries and accorded great respect. Although comedic, the Marx brothers Duck Soup  shows Rufus T. Firefly insulting the ambassador of Sylvania, which was considered an act of war. Ambassadors nowadays are less imposing, and numerous; there are many from and to the formerly United States. Cincinnatus Receiving the Ambassadors From Rome / Alexandre Cabanel, 1843 An ambassador can also be considered a representative. People are representatives of their employers, especially when in uniform. Two unfortunate examples come to mind. First, when I was hired into a job, the manager told me that someone committed a crime (possib...

There are two views on losing salvation: You can, or you cannot. The Arminian view generally affirms that loss of salvation is possible, but there are variations. Then the Reformed (Calvinist) view is that the doctrine of election settles it, the elect cannot lose their salvation. Some seem to believe that any unconfessed sin sends you to Hell (which is a very low view of the work of Jesus). That would cause fearful professing Christians. Another is that salvation can be lost by deliberate renunciation, but that downplays many verses to the contrary. Rail trail bridge, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen Opponents of what is called eternal security  (or somewhat disparagingly as "once saved, always saved") do indeed have some Bible verses that may at first glance appear to indicate loss of salvation is possible. Those are usually take out of context, whether immediate (surrounding verses) or a greater context. Having come from an Arminian tradition and now accept eternal security,...

The philosophy du jour  is postmodernism , which is very nihilistic. Previously, modernism  held to the belief that truth could be found, but postmodernism essentially holds to the claim that there is no ultimate truth. Biblical creationists as well as all Christians are to be ready to share the gospel to anyone, but a person having a philosophy of hopelessness makes it a mite difficult. One reason is that the "no absolute truth" aspect is self-refuting, but people who hold to it do not grasp the absurdity. Postmodern (because I said so) photo taken by Cowboy Bob Sorensen and modified at PhotoSketcher Some people may think that postmodernism fits with atheism, but that is not exactly right. While postmodernism complements the skepticism that is so common in society, but atheism disqualifies itself because they believe they have ultimate truths. Effective evangelism with postmodernism as well as atheism and others needs the examination of a worldview for internal consistency. ...

When Bible-believing Christians say that faith in Jesus is the only way to salvation, some people become indignant. They believe, without reason, that there are many roads. Such a thing is not possible. The Crucifixion of Jesus proves it. Reading one of the four Gospels, one may get the notion that circumstances and also the blunt words of Jesus came together to get him nailed to a cross. Those things and people who hated him were a part of it. However, the greater context takes us back to Genesis. Red and white neon cross, Unsplash / Rod Long Adam and Eve sinned against God, who is holy. He had no reason to do anything other than let us go on our self-destructive path. However, humanity earned  death because of sin, but God loved us even then, and offered the gift of life (Rom. 6:23, Gal. 2:28, John 1:12). There was only one way possible for all this to come together. It was a mystery, and if Satan understood, he and his minions would not have crucified Jesus (1 Cor. 2:7-8). Frida...

It takes a lifetime to master some parts of the Bible, but no human can fully understand all of it. In my own life, there are parts that I find desperately dull and have even asked the Lord why he preserved them. Sometimes a teacher will come along and make certain areas interesting. The main reason we wear clothing (aside from cold weather) is found in Genesis after Adam and Eve sinned. An area that is difficult to understand is the minute detail given to garments, especially in the Old Testament. These actually build on the themes of sin, covering, and eventual atonement. Clothes hanging, Pexels / mali maeder Intertwined with the passages on clothing you will often read about blood. Priestly garments had to be pure and unsoiled by blood, yet the blood of sacrifice makes them pure. Jump ahead to the New Testament, and see that we are told to "put on Christ" (Rom. 3:14) like a garment. There are many references to whiteness of clothing, because the blood of Christ purifies. T...

Recently on X, the service formerly known  as Twitter, I had to deal with vituperation from angry atheists for some of my posts that pointed out flaws in evolution and supported creation science. Such things are expected and common, but seem to be increasing lately. Misotheists seem to have limited original thought, instead using rhetoric and attacks that are common to their group. Instead of dealing with the subject matter, they attack the person who posted it or the authors of the linked material. Then they fustigate the Bible while demanding proof of God's existence. Hedge bindweed photo by Cowboy Bob Sorensen, modified at PhotoFunia There are honest inquirers and there are mockers, and I'll allow that sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference. My guideline is that if someone is blasphemous from the get-go, there's no need to waste time on evidence; evidence is for believers . When I realize I'm being played, I move on. More importantly, evidence for God an...

There are different kinds of soil which are suited to different kinds of plants. A person does not simply dig it up from the yard and expect a plant to flourish, it may be a persnickety plant. Soil has unique compositions that can be detected with special analysis. People who watch detective shows set in modern times have probably seen lab work where certain soil on shoes, tires, carpet, or whatever is found. Forensic science is historical science (so is the study of origins), using what is observed in the present in an effort to reconstruct the past. Planting in the soil, Freeimages / Dieter Joel Jagnow In Mark 4:13, Jesus indicates that the Parable of the Sower is important to understanding all of the parables. It does not matter what kind of seed is sown, nor is the good soil identified. Of the four kinds of soil, one was right for the seed. On a spiritual level, professing Christians may seem enthusiastic and pretend to care about important things related to the Kingdom of God, but...

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Centuries ago, I was talking with someone and offered to present the gospel message. He declined, adding something to the effect of being glad I found something that works for me. Nowadays he might have said that I have my  truth but he had to find his  truth. A few months ago, I was hit with a surprise triple-bypass open-heart surgery. Then my beloved Charlene suddenly died a month later. This led to me having telephone counseling with several people. Some have said that "the universe" sends me signals or watches out for me and some made comments that resemble "your truth," which they did not seem to share. Witches Sabbath , Francisco Goya, 1789 You see what people mean by those statements, don't you? That there is no absolute truth, only what someone wants to accept. There are some ways individual truth exists on a lower level. I have to do laundry or have supper in whatever way is best for me. Not many truths to consider, just personal...

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...

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...

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...

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...

There can be no denying that the idea of someone changing sexes has gone from a rare aberration into acceptance in recent years, and the rest of us are being coerced into being enthusiastic about it. We are called hateful and phobic for not accepting the the reality they are attempting to create and foist upon the world . Even more so for Christians and biblical creationists who believe what God's Word says about the created order. It is not  "hateful" for speaking the truth and trying to turn people from their flawed beliefs; they deny the Bible and science . Distorted woods, original image by Cowboy Bob Sorensen Amazingly, people try to put evolution into Genesis and pull out transgenderism! People who do this reject the Bible and denigrate those of us who believe it. They ignore creation science evidence (and some, albeit inadvertent, secular evidence) supporting how we all came from Adam and Eve. Evolutionists believe humanity had multiple first ancestors, and because...

It may seem fair and reasonable for mainstream evangelicals to ask biblical creationists to compromise on literal six-day creation. Indeed, sometimes we are seen as a niche group in an offshoot of the Fundamentalist movement. It is ironic that the Fundamentalists were not exactly biblical creationists . Again, belief in recent six-day creation is not required for salvation. Accepting theistic evolution (TE) is not a disqualifier, nor is acceptance of billions of years. Those beliefs do show, however, that people are not understanding or have a low view of Scripture. Silhouette of group at sunset, Pexels / Min An Some do not understand Scripture or the failings of secular science, and many do not believe Scripture. (I believe that knowledgeable TEs are actually Deists because they reject the inerrancy and authority of God's Word.) Joining in with a group hug and affirming the "Why can't we all just get along?" sentiment involves degrading the Bible. Evolution is not co...

Although professing atheists like to say that if God is loving and powerful, he should be able to stop evil in the world. Even Christians ask these kinds of questions (albeit without the sneering). After all, God created a perfect world. It is natural to question and even argue from our own perspective, but we tend to forget about trying to see things from the point of view of someone else. What is God's side of the matter? If people will allow him to speak, he tells us in the Bible. Living and dead trees in the woods via Cowboy Bob Sorensen, modified at PhotoFunia People, plants, animals get sick. Everything that is born, dies. Evolutionists depend  on death because that supposedly gives rise to new life forms that are more equipped to survive. Yet they still resent it instead of celebrating that the aged and sick are out of the way. That's because they know that God is real. Deep inside, we know that death is the enemy, just like the Bible says. This enemy has been defeated b...

As many know, the bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is vitally important to Christianity. While others reject the truth, many Christians have only a superficial knowledge of the Resurrection. There is depth to it that can be traced throughout Scripture. An old expression often found in found in Western stories is  cutting sign . It is used today as well. Basically, it means to look for evidence of an animal or a person and follow their trail. Christians can cut sign beginning in Genesis. Empty tomb,  Free Christian Illustrations The Bible is such that much of it can be understood by us reg'lar folk, but we can keep learning throughout our lives. It certainly keeps theologians busy mining truths. An important procedure is to interpret Scripture with Scripture. We can follow the trail in the Old Testament for the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Working backward, the New Testament tells us that he is our Creator (Col. 1:16, John 1:1-3, Heb. 1:2-3). God the Son ca...