How Should Christians View the Creation Account?

How old is the earth? Are the days of Creation literal twenty-four hour days? These questions have plagued mankind for centuries and the debate over them continues to rage, with pseudoscience and atheistic bias leading the charge for an old earth and a dismantling of God’s Word. According to the evolutionists the earth itself is about 4.5 billion years old. It is not my purpose in this article to expose the faulty science used to extrapolate this number. However, I do intend to show that we can place our faith unequivocally in what the Bible says about these things.

One, it is argued that the days of creation are not literal twenty-four hour days. But a few basic truths easily answer this question. For instance, if the days of creation were long periods of time (hundreds, thousands, millions of years), God’s creation has a problem in that He created plant life on day three but didn’t create sunlight till day four. How would plant life survive for long periods of time without necessary sunlight? Some argue that God could have acted supernaturally to keep them alive. The problem with that is God was setting in order a natural process supernaturally. It simply is not consistent with the process for God to create something naturally and then use supernatural processes to sustain it. Also, what would be the purpose of God doing this?

We also can look at the language to see that each day was a literal twenty-four hour day. Yes, the Hebrew word for translated “day” (Mwøy) can be understood figuratively as in “a space of time.” But it can also be (and is) used specifically and especially (and always) does when the frame of time is associated with it. Genesis 1.5 states, “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Moses considered these to be literal days and the Sabbath “Day” was set up as a figure of the “week” God spent creating all things and the “day” He rested (Exodus 20.11; 31.17; 23.12).

Secondly, according to the biblical genealogies the earth is about 6000 years. How can we know this? One, Adam lived to be 930 years old. The days of creation cannot be thousand+ years! Adam only lives 930. Starting there to Christ is approximately 4004 years.

Finally consider that if we accept the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible we have to accept that the very “words” that were spoken were inspired (2 Timothy 3.16-17; 1 Corinthians 2.13; 2 Peter 1.20-21). God cannot lie (Titus 1.2; Hebrews 6.18)! We have no right to add to it or take away from it (Deuteronomy 4.2; Proverbs 30.6; Revelation 22.18-19). We have one of two choices, either believe what the Bible says in its totality and authority, or reject it entirely. We cannot pick and choose what we want to believe and or hold to. Either the Bible “says what it means and means what it says” or it doesn’t.

The Christian can be confident in both the relatively young earth and the literal twenty-four hour days of creation. We do not need to be great academics or understand the problems associated with scientific methods of dating and every infinitesimal, erroneous aspect of evolution to know how old the earth is or how long the days of Creation were. All we need is a little common sense, faith, and Bible knowledge. Be faithful!

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An Ancient Earth? … Well, Not Exactly

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive when I am speaking in a public setting is, “How do you get around the scientific evidence that proves this Earth is billions of years old?” When I probe to find out exactly what “evidence” the querist has in mind, and how it was interpreted, I normally receive nothing that even remotely resembles “scientific evidence.” The most common responses could be labeled simply
as speculation—speculation that continues to be perpetuated by the media.  Unfortunately, for many individuals, if the Discovery channel or National Geographic magazine makes the claim for an ancient Earth, then it becomes fact. As such, many people, including Christians, find themselves trying to accept ancient ages for the Earth. While this brief article is not meant to provide all the supporting evidence that demonstrates a young Earth, I do want to reveal yet another occasion in which evolutionary dating interpretations have been found in error.

According to a Website hosted by the Museum of Paleontology at the University of California at Berkeley:

If you were able to travel back to visit the Earth during the Archaean, you would likely not recognize it is the same planet we inhabit today. The atmosphere was very different from what we breathe today; at that time, it was likely a reducing atmosphere of methane, ammonia, and other gases which would be toxic to most life on our planet today. Also during this time, the Earth’s crust cooled enough that rocks and continental plates began to form. It was early in the Archaean that life first appeared on Earth. Our oldest fossils date to roughly 3.5 billion years ago… (see “Introduction to the Archaean”).

This ancient Archaean age is alleged to be an index of an old Earth. It is discussed like one might discuss the Middle Ages—a “standard” in the evolutionary dating scheme. Or so scientists once thought. Stanford researcher Donald Lowe, and geologist Gary Byerly from Louisiana State University, studied some South African ironstone pods that “have been interpreted as deposits of Archean seafloor hydrothermal vents and have provided what are arguably key observations about surface environments on early Earth” (2003, 31:909). Lowe and Byerly noted that, until now, these deposits “yielded what are putatively the oldest known complex organic compounds and have been used to estimate Archean surface temperature, ocean depth and volume, and seawater composition and to deduce relationships between hydrothermal activity and seafloor sedimentation.” This definitely would appear to support the Berkeley Web site and its argument for an ancient Earth.

But Lowe and Byerly’s observations caused them to question why the beds were so un-deformed if they were really more than three billion years old—especially considering that they were found in the vicinity of deformed rocks of much younger age. The researchers also wondered how the material in question, a thermally unstable hydrated form of iron oxide, could have survived intact for so long. In their report, they
discussed the presence of cavities filled with dripstone that seem to have formed around the same time. Major inconsistencies began to surface as they collected data from this region. As such, Lowe and Byerly felt a need to help “explain away” these obvious discrepancies.

Thus, they now contend that these rocks are, in fact, Quaternary deposits “formed as spring and shallow subsurface deposits of young (Quaternary) groundwater and/or low-temperature hydrothermal systems” (The Quaternary Period is the most recent in the geologic column—BH). They went on to summarize by noting: “The presence of a well-preserved modern iron oxide spring terrace confirms that these are deposits of young subaerial springs and contain no record of Archean life or environments” 2003,
31:909). There, buried in the title of the article itself, is the truth of the matter: “Earth’s Oldest Seafloor Hydrothermal Vents Reinterpreted as Quaternary Subaerial Springs.” Evolutionists will not concede that their theory is in error, or that the scientific evidence points towards a young Earth. They simply will continue to “reinterpret” the data to make them conform to their ancient-Earth ideals. How tragic but how true.

REFERENCES
“Introduction to the Archaean” (no date), [On-line], URL: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/precambrian/archaean.html.
Lowe, Donald R. and Gary R. Byerly (2003), “Ironstone Pods in the Archean Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa:
Earth’s Oldest Seafloor Hydrothermal Vents Reinterpreted as Quaternary Subaerial Springs,” Geology, 31:909-912.

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Public Sin

Does any sin merit a public confession?

The scriptures tell that we are to confess our sins to whomever we have sinned against (Matt. 18:15). We know that the scriptures speak that any sin always involves God and if it is only known by God, then we should confess only to him. For, Matt. 18:15-20 teaches us that we are to keep these issues (sin) as confined as possible.

However, once the church knows, it becomes different. When one has brought reproach upon the church, there becomes a need to publically repent and make a correction because we are to “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:” (1 Cor. 10:32). But how do we know which sin becomes deemed as public knowledge? All should know that each Christian is responsible for his brother or sister and the entire church is responsible for each member. An example of the kind of sin that becomes public knowledge is as follows: “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Eph. 5:3-5) This means that those that fall as a Christian is not living up to the demands of a Christian life and would need to be corrected.

The Christian life is an open book for when one sins against another, who have they told and who has the other person told? Whom have those that the two have involved told? In the case of fornication and preaching false doctrine (there are other examples, etc.) there are doctors, friends, and family that are involved and the list continues to grow. This makes these types of sin well known and public. Therefore, if sin separates one from God then it can also separate a Christian from the church unless repented of and mended. This is needed because those that are guilty of sin are guilty of sinful conduct, but if that person is brought to repentance, there will be no punishment from either the church or God concerning this matter. One sin that comes to mind on this issue is that of fornication. When one becomes impregnated by another, it can never be contained between two people. Everyone with eyes to see become witnesses of the pregnancy and to what has happened (even though they may not know all the specific details).  Therefore, if one does not come forward and ask not only God, but the church in which reproach is brought upon, rebuking publically is necessary because the sin has been committed in either a public setting or is known publically. This causes a great problem for the purity of the church.

One who has sinned must be willing to see how a public sin can affect the church. While we may be individual Christians leading individual lives, Christians share a unique joy to be interconnected with every other Christian. So when one is joyous, others are joyous and when one hurts because of sin other Christians hurt with them. Therefore, if a public sin is not repented of and that individual continues not to be sorrowful in a public manner, this brings shame upon the church and the Lord who purchased the church with his own blood. Furthermore, it sends an added message to others indicating to others that their actions are tolerable or favorable in the church and that the purity of the Bride of Christ can be tainted. But, this is not so. In Acts 5, we read of the public practice of discipline upon Ananias and Saphphira. They thought that things were done secretly, but the congregation knew and since they were deceptive with their sin, judgment was cast upon them by God. As a result, “great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. (Acts 5:11)

Discipline is not easy, but the individual Christian cannot think about only himself in these matters. Instead, he or she must be willing to think of the church as a whole. Therefore, the purity of the church must continue to remain pure. For, discipline (only according to the Holy Scriptures) helps the weaker members to be strong lest they too should follow in the same course of shame and ignore the beautiful Bride of Christ.

Another example can be read about in Acts 8:12-24. Simon, then a recent convert offered the apostles money to receive the power of granting spiritual gifts to others. But, we can see that this notion was rejected and Simon was told to repent which he did in front of those who were there. Again in 1 Corinthians 5:1ff, there was a fornicator among them whom Paul had heard about (which happens when a sin is public knowledge: it spreads). Paul told the church to deliver this person from the grasps of Satan. Furthermore, he told the church at Corinth not to keep company (associate) with those that fornicate because they are considered wicked people unless they repent. So, when sin has become public, forgiveness must be asked for publically.

Therefore, when one does come and ask for forgiveness, Christians are then able to forgive him and encourage his faith. (2 Cor. 2:5-10). This makes it imperative that the one who commits such sins comes forward making things right not only with God, but with the church which has become shamed and attacked by this event. And if the impenitent sinner continues in a course of public sin or has not asked to be forgiven by those whom he or she has sinned against, the unfortunate time will come when he or she needs to be rebuked before all. For, “them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” (1 Tim. 5:20) Therefore, since not only the sin is public, but the rebuke is also made public, the confession & correction must be in public as well to purify the sadness and shame of sin within the church.

The church in Colossae, in regards to making corrections to those in the Lord’s church was told to, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (Col. 3:5). To mortify means to separate or to make dead those who do these things mentioned. Therefore, if one has sinned publically in a manner such as this or in other public ways which are not according to the words of God, they have not only sinned “against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.” (1 Cor. 8:12) Therefore, the church is to warn or rebuke the unruly (1 Thess. 5:14) and reprove the ones who are doing evil work (Eph. 5:11). For the apostle Paul told the church at Ephesus, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” (Eph. 5:11, 12)

Now, how did the church or the apostle Paul ever hear about the things that were thought to be done in secret? It is because certain sins such as those mentioned above cannot be contained. For example, idolatry cannot be hidden because of the practices of idolatry. Again, covetousness cannot be hidden because it is seen in work ethics and a greedy drive from within oneself. Therefore, these things cannot be hidden and must be repented of as well as any other sins which would be done in a public manner and brings disgrace upon the church. Therefore, repentance is not just sorrow alone nor is it from the thoughts that makes one feel bad just because he or she was caught and the the sin has now presented itself to others. When sin is recognized, it cannot just be stopped and never again performed. It must be repented of sincerely “For the wages of sin is death;” (Rom. 6:23). This means that sin condemns the soul. Therefore, true repentance involves acknowledging that you have sinned (2 Sam. 12:13). It is by saying that you are sincerely sorry (2 Cor. 7:10). It means that you are willing to put off that sin and are now determined to live right (Acts. 26:20) and that you make a request to be forgiven. (Psa. 51:1-3) Repentance is all motivated because of the goodness of God (Rom. 2:4), the willingness to humble yourself before God, and the fear of everlasting punishment (Lk. 13:1-5). Therefore, by repenting you are saying that you are turning from sinful actions (Matt. 12:41), that you are putting off the old man of sin (Col. 3:5-9), that you are putting on the new godly man (Col. 3:10) and that you are ready to continue to walk in the light (1 Jn. 1:7, 8) so one day you will inherit all the joys of Heaven (Lk. 15:9).

Sin is part of life, but it can be overcome. It is tragic to think of the publicity that sin brings with it, but it does not have to overwhelm anyone. However, people who publically sin and do not or will not repent publically, must sadly be rebuked to desire the results to: save that one soul eternally by converting that person who errs from the truth (Jam. 5:19, 20). But this is to not be done out of hatred toward that person. Those who are rebuking are to show love toward the one who stumbled. (Rev. 3:19). Therefore, the one that sinned can easily hear them and change from evil (Matt. 18:15-17) and to snatch that person from the everlasting fire of sadness and torment (Jude 23). Paul admonished the church to withdraw its fellowship from every brother who sins or walks in a disorderly fashion (2 Thess. 3:6). The church is to note the person who allows sin to reign in his life and who is unwilling to repent and change. (2 Thess. 3:14, 15). However, if withdrawal of fellowship (which is a last resort) is deemed necessary, it is not to be done in hatred or in an enemy way, but to admonish him as a brother or sister to restore that person at fault (Gal. 6:1). Therefore, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn. 1:9) Turning from sin can become difficult, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 Jn. 1:7)

It can be a terrible situation to sin publically. But, it is an eternal mistake to force these things into privacy and refuse to remove a public stain of sin against God, Christ, and the Bride of Christ (which is composed of several members) just because one did not see the need to come forward and remove the dishonor that he or she has brought upon the church. Sins that become public knowledge must be dealt with in a public manner so the one that sinned can be restored to the church and draw strength and encouragement from the congregation. Furthermore, by making it right publically, it removes the disgrace from the person and the church. And by doing Bible things by Bible ways and restoring the purity of the Gospel of Christ within the church and the individual, all will be able to continue in the glorious fellowship with one another in brotherly love.

One who has sinned must be willing to see how a public sin can affect the church.

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Neglecting the Assembly of the Saints

As I was recently doing some research, I ran across this quote from the infamous movie star, Jimmy Stewart (of “It’s a Wonderful Life” fame). Years ago, one asked him, “What has been your greatest failure in life?” He responded, “My greatest failure in life is not getting my wife and children to go to church. This has been very painful to me. I feel this has been one of my most important responsibilities, and I feel that I have failed in this on all counts” (Saturday Evening Post, April 1, 1977). Certainly, many people feel that neglecting the assembly of the saints is of little consequence. Yet, when David lusted after Bathsheba in Second Samuel 11, one sin (not being where he ought to have been) became many sins. Usually, that is the progression of sin—it is difficult to pinpoint one sin, but usually affects other areas of life and spreads to at least factor other sins. Such is also the case with neglecting the assembly of the saints.

Neglecting the assembly of the saints associates itself with idolatry. One will worship in two ways—either one will worship God acceptably, or one will worship in an idolatrous fashion. One who wishes to worship God acceptably will have Him as his object. Yet, one who chooses to worship otherwise will begin to worship anything else other than God. One may begin to worship work, recreational activities (trips and so forth), sleep, laziness and such like. Whatever one supplants in the place of worshipping God with the assembly of the saints has become his idol. John said, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

Neglecting the assembly of the saints associates itself with adultery. As Christians in the church of our Lord, we are the bride of Christ (Rev. 19:7; 21:2; 22:17). God said through Paul, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). Whenever one chooses to neglect the assembly of the saints, he is flirting with the world instead of spending the necessary and required time with God (cf. Jas. 4:4). Thus, one who neglects the assembly of the saints is committing spiritual adultery.

Neglecting the assembly of the saints associates itself with stealing. “Let him that stole steal no more” (Eph. 4:28). Peter says, “But let none of you suffer…as a thief” (1 Pet. 4:15). The fact is that God has made us stewards of our blessings. Paul said, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20). When we choose to neglect the assembly of the saints, we are stealing God’s time, opportunity, effort and such like. Rather, we are to seek “first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33). By not doing so, one is guilty of stealing from God. In addition, one steals the mutual edification he or she should be giving to his brethren (cf. Heb. 10:24-25).

Neglecting the assembly of the saints associates itself with suicide. One who neglects the assembly of the saints is like a banana—every time one leaves the bunch, someone skins it. One who neglects the assembly of the saints is like a leafy branch of a tree—if one carefully lays it aside, the color slowly fades until the leaves go limp, curl up and die. One who neglects the assembly of the saints is like a fish out of water—if one carefully lays it on the sand, it struggles, weakens, quivers and dies. Therefore, from a spiritual perspective, one who chooses not to assemble with the saints is no different than Ahithophel (2 Sam. 17:23) and Judas Iscariot (Matt. 27:5; Acts 1:18) who took their own lives needlessly.

Therefore, when one chooses to neglect the assembly of the saints, one must understand that he is also involving the sins of idolatry, spiritual adultery, stealing and spiritual suicide. Dear reader, do not risk your soul in such a manner!

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Evangelizing

Why Try to Change Other People’s Religion?

Those of us that make up the church of Christ honestly and sincerely believe that we are God’s people. We believe that we are God’s people because of our understanding of the Bible’s teaching. We believe that the method of interpretation that we accept is precisely what the Bible teaches about all things that pertain to man’s relationship to God and his eternal destiny. We therefore are convinced that we are Christians in the strictest sense of the use of the word in the New Testament – we are disciples that follow God’s instructions.

OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVANGELISTIC PROCESS

The instructions of our Lord regarding evangelizing of the world’s population states “And Jesus came to them and spoke unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (ASV) – Matthew 28:18-20.

From the instruction of Christ and the example set by His apostles after the church began (cf. Acts 2:1-47); we can see a continuous pattern by the early Christians of going everywhere attempting to change the sinner and those that possessed other religious beliefs. The early disciples of Jesus Christ attempted to convert the Jews of their day, they attempted to convert those that followed idolatry (i.e. worshippers of images), they sought to convert those that were irreligious both men and women, they attempted to convert sorcerers and those that practiced the occult; they sought to convert those that worshipped Caesar. The Christians of the 1 Century understood that their mission was to convert everyone to religion of Jesus Christ. We know that 3,000 Jews were converted from Judaism (i.e. the Law of Moses) on the birthday of the church of Christ – please observe the following reading found in Acts 2:36-42, “36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified. 37 Now when they heard (this,) they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? 38 And Peter (said) unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, (even) as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. 40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. 41 They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added (unto them) in that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (ASV)

NOTE:  From these verses of scripture we understand that even though the Jews of the first century wanted to hold on to their old religion (i.e. the Law of Moses), the disciples of Christ insisted that they needed to break from that dead law and turn to Jesus Christ and his church in order to be saved from sin because the Lord’s church had replaced the Old Covenant (i.e. the Law of Moses) – therefore they we told to turn to Christ for salvation from sin – cf. Romans 7:1-4, “1 Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth? 2 For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of the husband. 3 So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, (even) to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.” (ASV)

The evangelizing process is a process of converting all people in the world to the religion of Jesus Christ; this concept is exemplified (i.e. undertaken in the world today) by Christians that make up the churches of Christ (i.e. Rom 16:16). Therefore those of us that constitute the church of Christ are to go into all the world and actively work at converting everyone that is not yet a member. The churches of Christ are simply carrying out the instruction of its head; Jesus Christ. Indeed we are obligated to God to work at converting all of the lost in our sphere of influence – to do any less is fail as we have been instructed – cf.

Mark 16:15-16, “15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.” (ASV)

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