“To reverence the impersonal creation instead of the personal God who created us is a perversion designed for escaping moral accountability to the Creator. God indicts those who worship the creation instead of its Creator (Rom 1:18-23); and warns of the corruption of morals and behavior which results.”
– Dave Hunt
How interesting it is that a person could spend his entire life time and all the riches in the world studying creation and the philosophies surrounding him, and in the end still have absolutely nothing. Sadly, many have discovered this truth first hand.
Only when we realize the futility and deception of pursuing earthly wisdom, only when we understand the eternal weight of heavenly wisdom, will we finally begin to understand. As we follow the waters up stream to their source, we will not only find the fountain head, we will discover the throne.
Lest we forget, mankind was not created to simply attain knowledge and exercise wisdom. We were created to understand and know the all wise God through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Only when we bow our heart’s knees at Jesus’ throne, casting our handmade crowns at His feet, will we truly begin to see.
“Where shall [heavenly] wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knows not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth says, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
Where then comes wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
God understands the way thereof, and He knows the place thereof.
For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven; to make the weight for the winds; and He weighs the waters by measure. When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: then did He see it, and declare it; He prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:12-28
The new Pokémon app- Pokémon Go has truly captured the hearts and minds of millions across the globe. Launched in the US on July 6, 2016, the Pokémon Go app has quickly become a full-fledged phenomenon. In case you’re not familiar with Pokémon Go, you can click “HERE” to read Wikipedia’s explanation. Some news websites claim it is currently the most repeatedly frequented app throughout the day, more so than Facebook or Instagram. According to at least one site, Nintendo’s stock went up 30% upon its release. Many are already speculating as to its wild and rapid popularity. Some suggest nostalgia along with the general escapist mentality flooding today’s society have combined to make an almost perfect breeding ground for Nintendo’s first augmented reality game.
Although augmented reality is not a new concept for today’s culture, Pokémon Go has definitely captivated the imagination of the masses and undoubtedly opened the flood gates for many more games to come. Clearly, there’s a place for careful and biblical examination and discussion of the challenges of embracing technology which allows people to mentally and emotionally escape while still feeling somewhat physically connected to the real world. This article, however, will not be that platform. This post will mainly address a third area of escape; one I believe is even deeper than anything emotional or mental. This area is the spiritual component and it is this author’s conclusion that the spiritual component is truly the heart of the matter.
There are plenty of physical concerns already being reported as well. For example, two men died in Southern California Thursday by falling off a bluff while trying to capture digital Pokémon creatures. Two men were rescued the day before after falling 50-100 feet off a crumbling sandstone bluff. One of the men was found unconscious by the fire fighters who saved them. Other people have been robbed, found wandering into traffic and straying into dangerous locations, at least one person was stabbed, and the stories continue to roll in.
Most articles I found claim Pokémon Go is a good thing because it gets people outside and exercising (mostly walking). It also helps players explore some of their local and historic landmarks. There’s even been one recent report of someone playing the game who witnessed a child pass out from heat exhaustion after being bullied by two boys. The article concludes if it weren’t for playing the game, that child may have never been rescued. Understandably, there have been some practical benefits, but those of us who have been born again by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ are no longer pragmatic in our beliefs and practices. Pragmatism says if it works, then do it. But born again believers should not hold to this philosophy. We should exclusively cling to God’s Word and often God’s Word does not “work” in this dark and dying world. Even though we still fall to the flesh, we don’t run to the world and its vain ideas for the answers. Born again believers are being sanctified and growing day by day by the power and Word of God. No, we are not practically perfect or completely mature yet, but our desire should be nothing less. Our heart should always recognize that Jesus plus nothing equals everything. And when it comes to things like games, video games, movies, and entertainment, it should be no different.
Arguably, our world has undeniably and unashamedly become completely infatuated with pleasure and amusement, ever increasingly blurring the lines between what’s real and make believe. And arguably this same desire has infected much of today’s church. We all desperately need a strong, daily dose of God’s Word and self-denial, no matter how long we’ve been Christians. The lusts and pride of this world will always pull on the old man, causing us to lose sight of eternity. Sadly, many do not seem to notice how many are being caught up in the wake of this world’s folly.
Yes, Pokémon is just one of many of today’s entertainments vying for our attention and adoration, but hopefully by briefly examining its methods and message, readers might grow in their understanding and discernment, helping them correctly weigh out other avenues of today’s amusement as well.
The Heart of the Matter is Spiritual
Spiritually speaking, there are three dangerous deceptions specific to Pokémon and its underlying message briefly examined below. (Note: There are several other issues worth investigating, but for the sake of brevity, this article includes only a few of the main concerns.)
First, consider the pattern of Pokémon. The pattern is essentially for each trainer to catch as many Pokémon (which incidentally comes from two words: “Pocket” and “Monster”) as possible. “Gotta Catch Em All” is the slogan oft repeated in Pokémon. To catch the creatures which live in an alternate Pokémon universe/reality, the owner must have one of his monsters battle the monster he seeks to capture. If the monster he possesses defeats the “wild” one, the trainer gets to keep it. This makes the winning monster and trainer more powerful and eventually the trainer can become a master. This pattern is the same basic one practiced within much of the occult throughout time. In the occult, much time is devoted to capturing both spirits and knowledge to help one ascend to higher levels. Here some might argue that none of this was the intent of Pokémon’s inventor, Satoshi Tajiri. Frankly, it’s irrelevant what the inventor of Pokémon says was his inspiration. The spirit world has its own doctrines and is happy to disseminate its false teachings and practices through any and all means available, regardless of the spiritually-blinded human host’s intended inspiration.
Secondly, consider its message of evolution. Evolution was taught and embraced way before Charles Darwin or Charles Lyell attempted to sanitize and popularize it by falsely calling it science. Evolution has been the foundation for ALL spiritual mysticism and occultism since Satan introduced his lie to Adam and Eve in the Garden. After all, how can a human become a god without evolution? Pokémon undeniably depends on evolution. Each creature can evolve, making it more powerful than before. This, of course, is essential if the owner/trainer is to win more battles and collect more and more monsters. At one point, Wizards.com explained it this way, “But what is a Pokémon, you ask. ‘Pokémon are incredible creatures that share the world with humans,’ says Professor Oak, the leading authority on these monster. ‘There are currently 150 documented species of Pokémon. . . . Each Pokémon has its own special fighting abilities. . . . Some grow, or evolve, into even more powerful creatures.. . . Carry your Pokémon with you, and you’re ready for anything! You’ve got the power in your hands, so use it!’”
On Wikipedia’s Pokémon site, it says, “If a Pokémon fully defeats an opponent in battle so that the opponent is knocked out (i.e., “faints”), the winning Pokémon gains experience points and may level up. When leveling up, the Pokémon’s statistics (“stats”) of battling aptitude increase, such as Attack and Speed. From time to time the Pokémon may also learn new moves, which are techniques used in battle. In addition, many species of Pokémon can undergo a form of metamorphosis and transform into a similar but stronger species of Pokémon, a process called evolution.” [Emphasis added.]
Lastly, consider its message of witchcraft. Most of the monsters in Pokémon are essentially categorized into the same four basic elements embraced in witchcraft and the occult: Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire. Also consider this basic explanation from Wikipedia’s Pokémon site, “In most incarnations of the fictional Pokémon universe, a Trainer that encounters a wild Pokémon is able to capture that Pokémon by throwing a specially designed, mass-producible spherical tool called a Poké Ball at it. If the Pokémon is unable to escape the confines of the Poké Ball, it is officially considered to be under the ownership of that Trainer. Afterwards, it will obey whatever its new master commands, unless the Trainer demonstrates such a lack of experience that the Pokémon would rather act on its own accord.” [Emphasis added.] The same is readily understood in shamanism and new age/occult practices. In occultism, those seeking to tap into the “spirit world” are repeatedly warned not to take it lightly because spirits can recognize one’s power or lack thereof and choose whether or not they will be subject to that practitioner (at least for a time).
The ultimate focus is not merely on training and collecting pocket monsters with the intent of making them become more powerful. The major goal is to skillfully use your evolving monsters to assist in making you the most powerful person in the entire world/universe. Attaining power through subjected, spiritual monsters for the goal of ultimate ascension is the actual message of Pokémon. The intro song to the Pokémon show starts out with, “I will travel across the land, searching far and wide, Each Pokémon to understand the power that’s inside. Gotta catch them all!” Witchcraft/ occultism is essentially focused on using the physical world to assist in attaining spiritual power and so it is with Pokémon.
What does God’s Word say about witchcraft and practicing magic? “There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or observer of times, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all these things are an abomination unto the Lord…” Deuteronomy 18:10-14
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…” 1 Samuel 15:23a
This article is not meant to be extensive or exhaustive, but hopefully encourages the saints to keep from getting caught up in escapism, nostalgia, or blindly following steps that might lead to spiritual deception. I completely understand that most kids and adults, regardless of whether or not they’re Christian, are not playing Pokémon to intentionally practice sorcery or get in touch with demons. (Although some do.) But we must understand that our intentions do not negate the dangerous and deceptive inventions devised by the enemy of our souls. Even thistle seeds appear small and quite harmless until they take root and begin to grow. Satan knows this. His goal is to keep us shortsighted and completely fixated on our feelings and flesh.
***For more details on specific Pokémon creatures and some of their deceptive and dangerous Shintoist/Buddhist and mystical characteristics, go to this very well researched article:
Remember, to play Pokémon correctly, children need to not only know, but understand the “power” inside each Pocket Monster. (Note: After 20 years, there are now over 750 of these creatures!) What are some of the powers involved? How about the power of hypnosis, the power of catching and destroying dreams (eating dreams), casting evil spells (hexes), levitation, and incantations. Some of the other practices well recognized and understood in Pokémon culture – The power of the aura, spiritual evolution, eastern meditation, and even the practice of yoga. These are just a few of the spiritual philosophies and practices taught in this “game”.
Where will you “GO”?
Games like Pokémon are designed to take their followers somewhere. They have seeds, seeds which once allowed to take root in our hearts and minds, can potentially have long-lasting and very ill effects. If fed and watered, they will grow into weeds that can consistently rob us of the true Light and Food necessary for our spirit to grow closer to our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There is a very real danger of being led away from the Lord.
Perhaps you disagree. Or perhaps you believe this to be such a minor concern that it’s not worth examining any further. But before you simply dismiss this as unimportant or foolishness, please prayerfully go the Lord and search His Word to see if these things be so. I would also recommend the articles below. This world is only temporal, but while we’re here, we must recognize there are many things beyond this physical universe that seek to draw us away from our marvelous Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ!
May we sincerely seek the only One who bought us with His blood, loving and serving Jesus with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength each and every day! That’s where the Lord wants to take us! May we be willing to go His way, not our own!
“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:1-3, 5
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:11
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16-17
Jesus said, “Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in Me.” John 15:3-4
A Few Other Helpful Links:
An atheistic evolutionist would have us believe there is nothing more than matter, yet if matter is all there is, then how would an immaterial concept such as “THANKS” ever originate? “Thanks” has no color, no shape, no texture, and no taste. A rock, for example, is matter in a solid form, yet it cares nothing about being thankful. In fact, we could say a rock cannot even care, let alone be thankful. The same could be said for all solids, liquids, and gases. Thankfulness is a concept that goes way beyond the material. So if it didn’t come from matter, then where did thanks originate from?
Nonphysical concepts such as thankfulness cannot be derived from matter, but instead must come from something immaterial. And to say that thankfulness came from some sort of impersonal “higher power” energy or force would be foolish. Mindless energy and impersonal forces would be unable to produce such a personal concept as thanks.
Thanks is not simply a figment of our imagination found in the dictionary and it is not the mindless product of some impersonal force. It could only originate from One who is both personal and loving. In truth, thanksgiving must stem from a loving heart, one that is not self-seeking. The Bible describes this kind of love in 1 Corinthians 13, “Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up…” 1 Corinthians 13:4. This love comes from the personal God who is love (1 John 4:8,16), the God who demonstrated His love in sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be the Savior of the world. (John 3:16-17)
Jesus is not only the Savior, He is the Creator and coming King. (Colossians 1:11-20) He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He truly is the Son of God and God the Son. Without Jesus there would be no universe and no earth. There would be no salvation. There would be no love and without love there would be no thanks! Truly it can be said, “No Jesus, No Thanks!” During this season, let us not only be thankful, but be sure to give thanks to only One who truly deserves it all, the Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!
“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, talk you of all His wondrous works. Glory in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD and His strength, seek His face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:8-11
![eagle-nebula[1]](https://unityinthetruth.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/eagle-nebula1.jpg)
The closer we get to Jesus’ return, the more the discussion continues migrating to outer space. The more errors that continue being exposed from evolutionary philosophies focused on planet earth, i.e. geology, genetics, etc., the more the argument gets launched deep into space.
In all the arguments and discussions involving the so-called final frontier, aliens seem to be the new missing link. The problem, however, is that even if aliens were real, they could never bring salvation to the sinful soul. They could never solve the issue of evil. They would simply serve as one more missionary field to be evangelized.
“You are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no Savior.” Isaiah 43:10-11
Below is an insightful and biblical Q&A regarding extraterrestrials from Dave Hunt (The Berean Call).
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Question: What’s your view of extraterrestrials?
Answer: “There are many biblical reasons for not accepting the idea of intelligent life beyond earth other than angels and demons.”
“First of all, it would be impossible for morally responsible humanoids anywhere in the universe to keep from sin. If they had the genuine right of choice, it must inevitably have been used to disobey God. Thus they would require salvation.”
“Secondly, Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and His death is the one and only perfect sacrifice for sins ever offered in the universe (Hb 9:23-28;10:12-14). If there are morally free agents on other planets, they would have to believe in Christ for salvation.”
“Thirdly, God has gone to great lengths to give us an historically verifiable record of His Son’s death and resurrection at the hands of eyewitnesses and this message is contained in a Bible which can be verified in many ways by the inhabitants of earth (geographically, archaeologically, etc.) and which would not be available to ETIs. It would seem both unfair and a violation of God’s way of dealing with mankind for beings elsewhere in space to be required to believe in a Savior who was crucified on a distant planet.”
“Fourthly, the Bible seems to indicate that this earth is the only such place in the universe. When Satan is cast out of heaven, he comes to earth; it is on this planet that the battle will be fought resulting in Satan’s defeat and imprisonment in the abyss; it is on this earth that Christ will reign for 1,000 years while Satan is locked up; it is to this planet that Satan will return when he is released; and it is on this planet that Satan will meet his final defeat and his eternal doom will be sealed.”
“Finally, if life happened by chance on this earth and evolved upward, then it could seemingly happen elsewhere in the universe. But if, as we believe, human life resulted from a purposeful act of God, and if sin is inevitable for such beings, and if the human soul is the prize for which Satan and God do battle, then it hardly makes sense to have this same process repeated on countless other planets throughout the cosmos.” ~Dave Hunt
Additional Resources:
In part 1 of Creation Navigation, the goal was to expose the root of what men call “Scientific Evolutionism”. Knowing that the philosophy of evolution was birthed as a doctrine of devils and incubated in the hearts and minds of sinful men should be enough to keep its sales pitch locked outside of any reasonable man’s consideration. However, since there’s been such a massive propaganda movement over the last 300 years to give evolution a scientific veneer, it’s worth examining a few of its biggest scientific errors. Part 2 will not explore every minute detail of evolution for one simple reason – it is not necessary. It’s this author’s conviction that if someone does not have an adequate answer for the big picture pillars of their belief system, attempting to refute all the tiny details is irrelevant.
Take, for example, a cake. What if two people come across a cake and one believes the cake was made by a secret factory run by ants? The same person then desires to discuss his belief about the frosting being mixed and applied by an invisible herd of elephants. If the man cannot provide adequate evidence for his primary belief regarding a secret factory, there’s really no point taking time discussing the probability of an invisible herd of elephants that manufactures frosting. Forgive the simple (and silly) analogy, but I believe it makes the point.
Part 2 of this post will focus on the following three key scientific pillars or legs necessary for evolution to be a reality: time, chance, and mutations. If even one of these legs can be shown to be contrary, then evolution cannot scientifically stand. It is the goal of this post, however, to demonstrate that not only one, but all three legs are in direct opposition to “scientific evolutionism” and its underlying ideas. Before starting, please consider carefully the following quotes:
Dr. Colin Patterson, who was senior paleontologist of the British Museum of Natural History, delivered a speech at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on November 5, 1981. He began by saying:
“I’m speaking on two subjects, evolutionism and creationism, and I believe it’s true to say that I know nothing whatever about either.
For over twenty years I had thought that I was working on evolution in some way. One morning I woke up, and something had happened in the night, and it struck me that I had been working on this stuff for twenty years, and there was not one thing I knew about it.
I tried that question on the geology staff in the Field Museum of Natural History [Chicago], and the only answer I got was silence. I tried it on the members of the Evolutionary Morphology Seminar in the University of Chicago, a very prestigious body of evolutionists, and all I got there was silence for a long time, and then eventually one person said: “Yes, I do know one thing. It ought not to be taught in high school.”
In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul, through the inspiration of God, wrote,
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.”
“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” Romans 1:18-25
Three Legs of “Scientific Evolutionism”
Leg 1 – Time: In an evolutionary sense, time is really the glue that holds everything else together. Unfortunately, the darkened heart can be so easily fooled into believing anything is possible given enough time. There are many time issues with evolution, however one of the the main ones is connected to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. In a basic sense this law states that matter/energy in a contained state becomes more wild and less stable over time. In other words, over time things wear out. This is a simplification, however true nonetheless. Energy is slowly wearing out. For evolution to be true, time would have to work in its favor, however according to the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, it’s one of evolution’s greatest enemies.
Leg 2 – Chance: For evolution to be a viable process, no intelligence could be possible. Those who originally embraced and promoted the philosophy of evolution as a science were mainly looking for a process that would be able to naturalistically explain the origins of the universe. If naturalism is the actual answer to this universe, then, strictly speaking, there would be no need for a intelligent Creator, and if there’s no intelligent Creator, then there would be no intelligence behind the process of evolution. Blind chance is the strict evolutionist’s replacement for anything intelligent, namely a Creator God. The problem here is that there are way too many things that mathematically and scientifically cannot function if chance is a main factor in the equation. The odds of everything in this world working properly to sustain life, let alone produce life are so astronomically high that they are simply impossible. Sir Fred Hoyle calculated the odds of getting just the correct enzymes necessary for life (mind you, not life, just the enzymes necessary for life) by random chance to be 1 chance in 10 with 40,000 zeros after it. Christian author and researcher, Dave Hunt, wrote,
“The astronomical odds make evolution mathematically impossible. Hoyle calculated that the odds of producing just the basic enzymes of life by chance are 1 over 1 with 40,000 zeros after it. By comparison, the odds of plucking a particular atom out of the universe is 1 over 1 with 80 zeros. Even if each atom became another universe, the odds of plucking a particular atom out of all those universes by chance are 1 over 1 with 160 zeros. One chance in 1 with 40,000 zeros after it just to produce the basic enzymes! But enzymes perform incredible feats, which fact further compounds the already impossible odds.” (http://www.thebereancall.org/content/evolution-or-gods-word)
Putting aside all the supposed fossil and biological evidence for evolution, if the math doesn’t add up, evolution just cannot stand. Random, mindless chance has absolutely no room in the explanation of the complex and symbiotic relationships that help maintain this universe. Ironically, any scientist seeking to prove that life came through random chance must do so using his intelligence. No successful research scientist begins a complex project deciding that random chance will govern his direction.
The other huge contradiction to the concept of chance is the scientific Law of Biogenesis. This law basically states that life CANNOT come from non-life. We could roll the dice for eternity and still not see the little plastic cubes grow legs and walk off. No amount of chance can produce something that is scientifically impossible.
The “Chance” leg of evolution is neither mathematically nor scientifically possible!
Leg 3 – Mutations: This is arguably the most confusing, popular, and mystical legs in the philosophy of evolution. One popular, Sci-Fi movie starts out with this opening quote,
“Mutation: it is the key to our evolution. It has enabled us to evolve from a single-celled organism into the dominant species on the planet. This process is slow, and normally taking thousands and thousands of years. But every few hundred millennia, evolution leaps forward.” (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/X-Men_(film)
The most popular and mystical idea regarding evolution is wrapped in a mythical understanding of mutations. You can have trillions of year, but without some sort of vehicle or engine causing matter to change from the “simple” to the more complex, there would be no point to the story. The pop concept of mutations teaches that new information can be and is readily added to organisms causing them to evolve over unimaginably long periods of time. In reality, this understanding of mutations is simply that, a popular sci-fi story. Scientifically, mutations cannot cause an increase of information. Instead, mutations are scientifically defined as either a loss of or rearrangement of the information already present. Yes, some mutations might be beneficial to a local region, however, mutations never introduce new information to a creature’s DNA. This popular idea of mutations is necessary for evolution to be a credible belief system, however it is neither observable nor biblical.
A quick reading through Genesis 1 makes it clear that God has set a permanent wall between each of the created kinds: plant, animal, and human. The Bible uses the phrase “after their kind” ten times in Genesis 1. (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24-25) Creatures were not created to eventually change from one kind into another. If the perfect God is the one who created, then why wouldn’t He create everything perfectly in the first place? Most of man’s inventions evolve because men are not perfect. Interestingly, even when considering man’s inventions, additions are almost never intended to change a product from one category to another. No car designer hopes that his invention will be eventually changed into anything other than a “better” automobile.
Mutations never cause a gain of information within an organism, NEVER! Over the last several years there’s been a new field of study called Information Sciences. Through their study there has been an observable and repeatable process defined by the following law- The Law of Information. This law states that information, such as that which makes up a creature’s DNA, always comes from something or someone who has a great amount of information. Take, for example a DVD. A DVD is packed full of information, but is produced by a machine that has a greater amount of information than the DVD. That machine was designed and produced by a man that has even a greater amount of information. A book is also a simple, yet proper example. A book is filled with information, but is originally written by a person with even more information. Information always comes from something or someone with a greater amount of information. This directly contradicts the belief system of evolution. In order for evolution to be true at any level, new information must be introduced from somewhere, yet this has never been observed. And based on Genesis 1, it is this writer’s conviction that it never will.
Based on the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the Law of Biogenesis, and the Law of Information, not to mention the mathematical and statistical laws mentioned above, evolution is not nor ever will be viable at any level. It is nothing more than a metaphysical philosophy adorned in scientific jargon designed to intimidate and confuse the average listener.
Truly “Scientific Evolutionism” does not have even one leg to stand on!
One Final Question: Even though evolution is clearly not an accurate belief system or explanation of the origin of the universe, what makes the Bible the reliable source?
There are many reasons to trust the Bible as God’s Word, but taking into consideration the parameters of this article, the laws mentioned above are a great place to start. Simply said, we have no reason not to believe God’s Word because all of the laws mentioned above are consistent with, not contradictory to the Bible. Consider each law in light of the Bible.
1. The Second Law of Thermodynamics: Matter in a contained state becomes more wild and less stable. Although science has no satisfactory answer for the reason matter and energy are wearing out, the Bible addresses the issue and supplies a completely credible origin for corruption. “And unto Adam [God] said, Because you have hearkened unto the voice of your wife, and has eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake…” Genesis 3:17. “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Romans 8:21-23.
2. The Law of Biogenesis: Life cannot come from non-life. Although there is no evolutionary or scientific answer for the origin of life, the Bible clearly explains that the Living God is the Creator of life, creating living creatures. (See Genesis 1) “For as the Father has life in Himself; so has He given to the Son to have life in Himself…” John 5:26. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
3. The Law of Information: Information always comes from a greater amount of information. Neither science nor evolution can answer where information originated from. Logic would dictate that if information comes from a greater amount of information, then if one goes back to the origin we would find the Originator as the One infinite in information, that is to say the all knowing One. The Bible is clear that God is the exclusive, all knowing Creator. “You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.” Psalm 139:2-4
4: Mutations: Mutations cannot cause a gain of information, but rather produce a rearrangement or loss of information. Observable science proves that mutations cannot cause a gain of information. Yes, some mutations are locally beneficial, however none cause a gain of new information. No plant or living creature has ever been observed to be anything other than that which it was designed to be. This “wall of separation” has been clearly designed by God Himself. One such example is from Genesis 1:24. “Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.” (Also consider: Genesis 1:11,12, 21, and 25)
God’s Word has been tested and God’s Word can be trusted!
THE TRUTH
Regardless of the physical facts of science, there is something much more pressing at stake, namely the destiny of men’s souls. The True and Living God is not only the Creator of physical life, but also the One who created Adam and Eve in the image of God, giving each a living spirit that would last forever housed in perfect bodies. Sadly, they stole their responsibility and privilege in hopes of reflecting their own glory. They sinned against their Almighty Creator, rejecting His Word in favor of their own foolish thoughts, introducing sin and death into God’s perfect creation, eternally separating themselves from God.
All men since then have been born in separation, embedded with this same disillusionment of grandeur in the very fiber of their hearts and minds. Men have desperately desired to be their own gods, seeking to destroy the very thought of the One True God. Regardless of men’s continued predilection for perversity, God, in His great kindness and love, sent His only begotten Son to this darkened planet, a planet groaning from centuries of rebellion. He became a man and never stopped being God, all to provide the opportunity for those seeking souls to be liberated from the shackles of darkness and death. True light and life are offered in only One. He is Jesus Christ. “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12.
“Nor is there salvation in any other [than Jesus], for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
A Few Helpful Articles:
When driving through a big city, it’s easy to get distracted, redirected, and even lost. We can find our eyes quickly wandering from the road, pulled away by the bright lights and tall buildings. Street signs are literally piled one upon another with arrows pointing in every direction, not to mention all the chaos of car horns and sirens. Sometimes the same thing can be said when trying to navigate our Christian walk.
It’s easy to get pulled in a lot of different doctrinal directions, misled by the opinions of men, especially as a young believer. God’s Word instructs us to “Be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive…” Ephesians 4:14. Sadly, there are too many teachers willing to offer their confusing and often times contaminated philosophies to unsuspecting seekers stopping to ask directions, sending them the wrong way down bumpy avenues and dark alleys.
As a born again believer in Jesus Christ, it’s essential to diligently navigate using God’s Word, not man’s opinions or doctrines of devils. One thing that seems to get many Christians misguided in their doctrinal direction is the false notion of evolution. If a young believer begins reading Genesis at face value it won’t be long before it occurs to him that the Genesis account of creation is in direct contrast to evolutionary teachings. Now this young believer has a choice. He can either ignore the first several chapters of Genesis, assuming they are mythological, he can read it as it’s written, or try to blend the evolution and literal creation accounts together.
The goal for the rest of this blog is to provide the first two of five key “sign posts” to help navigate through the concerns and confusion of the evolution vs. creation debate in hopes of keeping born again believers headed in the right direction.
Sign Post 1: The literal intent of Genesis. Too often people decide to deal with the creation/evolution debate by categorizing Genesis as allegory or mythology. The problem with this is threefold. First, the text itself is written as a historical not an allegorical account. Most Hebrew scholars agree that the Genesis creation account is meant to be understood historically, not simply as some metaphoric storyline. (Note: Mentioning scholars here isn’t to lift up men, but rather to make the simple point that those studying the Hebrew text as a career do have sound input for this point of the argument.) Of course this doesn’t mean these same scholars have chosen to believe the creation account, but they do at least agree that the text itself is intended to be taken literally, not allegorically.
Dr. James Barr (Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford University), who himself does not believe Genesis is true history, nonetheless admitted as far as the language of Genesis is concerned that-
“So far as I know, there is no professor of Hebrew or Old Testament at any world-class university who does not believe that the writer(s) of Gen. 1–11 intended to convey to their readers the ideas that (a) creation took place in a series of six days which were the same as the days of 24 hours we now experience (b) the figures contained in the Genesis genealogies provided by simple addition a chronology from the beginning of the world up to later stages in the biblical story (c) Noah’s Flood was understood to be worldwide and extinguish all human and animal life except for those in the ark.” 1.
Making the Genesis creation account allegorical would be akin to believing your car’s navigation system was not meant to be taken literally. This would not only add confusion, but would inevitably and continually get everyone in the car lost, rendering the navigation device useless.
Secondly, Jesus Himself quoted from Genesis as a literal text. For example, when asked about divorce, referring to Genesis 1 and 2, He said, Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female? And said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Matthew 19:4. Also consider that every writer from the Bible referencing people from Genesis 1-11, i.e. Satan, Adam, Eve, Enoch, Noah, etc. always did so in a literal way. None of the men moved by the Holy Spirit to pen God’s Word ever gave even a slight indication that Genesis was anything but a true historical record.
The third issue with allegorizing the beginning chapters of Genesis is simply this: If the beginning is not historical, then where does the allegory end? Genesis means book of beginnings. It’s the record of the how the universe, earth, and mankind began. It’s also the account of the origin of God’s appointed nation, Israel. There are no grammatical differences indicating chapters 12-50 are to be understood any differently than the first eleven chapters. Therefore if the first eleven are intended to be allegorical, then why wouldn’t the rest of the book follow suit? Ironically, those professing Christians claiming the beginning of Genesis is mythological usually don’t ascribe the same interpretive philosophy for the remainder of the book. This is inconsistent and contradictory at best. Genesis is meant to be read as the text is written. Just as it is in any other book, if there are analogies or allegories, it will be clear from the text.
Sign Post 2: Evolution is not a science, but a religion. Although we exist in a post-modern society, we are still heavily influenced by the philosophies of the early to mid 20th Century. That is to say we are still quickly beguiled by whatever calls itself science. There was a time when men believed science was going to be the answer to all the world’s problems. The issue here is most of mankind’s real problems are caused from his own corrupted, sinful heart and science has no ability to reach the spirit of man. So in order to supplement the innate lack within science itself and in hopes of making a total departure from the True God of the Bible, men have chosen to ascribe scientific terminology and credentials to spiritual notions. If you put a robe on a man and place him behind a pulpit he appears religious, however if you put a lab coat on the same man and place him behind a lectern, he appears knowledgeable and scientific regardless of how existential his teachings are. This is probably the most important sign post of all. So many people have been duped into believing that evolution is scientific when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. (Note: Due to the overview nature of this article, I will not delve too deeply into this sign post, but because of its importance, several links are provided below for further study.) Considering the following quotes by two non-Christians:
“In fact, evolution became in a sense a scientific religion; almost all scientists have accepted it and many are prepared to ‘bend’ their observations to fit in with it.” (British physicist, H.S. Lipson)2.
“Evolution is promoted by its practitioners as more than mere science. Evolution is promulgated as an ideology, a secular religion—a full-fledged alternative to Christianity, with meaning and morality. I am an ardent evolutionist and an ex-Christian, but I must admit in this one complaint. . . the literalists [i.e., creationists] are absolutely right. Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today.” (Michael Ruse, History and Philosophy Professor, Author of The Darwinian Revolution (1979),Darwinism Defended (1982), and Taking Darwin Seriously (1986). 3.
Real science, the science that builds rocket ships, makes satellites, etc. is not the same as “molecules to man” evolution. Operational science cares nothing about the meaning of life. If interviewed, most would readily admit that the meaning of life is a spiritual, not scientific pursuit. Yet, in the ultimate sense, evolution attempts to serve as a framework with which all knowledge must be weighed against; a framework that is supposed to explain what life really is all about. Evolution is, in fact, not just a story about where all things originated from, but a story about where we are and where we’re headed. It actually serves as the overarching historical record of everything related to this universe and mankind. The big picture of evolution really does attempt to be the answer for the origin and meaning of all life. When all its scientific garb is stripped away, evolution is a spiritual philosophy attempting to replace God’s Word and sadly even God Himself!
Many may also not realize that evolution, the idea that one creature has the ability to shift into a totally separate and distinct creature, is the basis for every occultic, shamanistic, and polytheistic belief system. Consider the following quote from occult researcher and Bible apologist, Dave Hunt:
“Evolution plays a key role in the occult. Theodore Roszak pointed out that mysticism is ‘the parent stock from which the theory of biological evolution springs.’ Anthropologist Michael Harner reminds us that ‘millennia before Charles Darwin, people in shamanic cultures were convinced that humans and animals were related.’ Evolution, as the core belief of Hinduism and witchcraft,is at least as old as the theories of reincarnation and karma, in which it is a key element.” (Dave Hunt, Occult Invasion, p. 20.)
In fact, the natural (or better stated, spiritual) progression of evolution follows that man only has one final step in his ascension. That step — godhood. Sadly, this is the very lie that Satan himself was self-deceived by and later fed to the entire human race. (Genesis 3:5; Isaiah 14:14.) Robert Jastrow, the founder and director for many years of the Goddard Space Institute that sent Pioneer and Voyager said, “Evolution could have been going on in some planets 10 billion years longer than on this planet, and those beings would be as far beyond man on the evolutionary scale as man is beyond a worm. And when we see them, they would seem like gods to us.” 4.
W. L. Wilmer is one of the leading authorities on masonry. In his book, The Meaning of Masonry, he says: “The evolution of man into superman—(see, we’re not just talking about evolving in the human beings, but evolving upward to godhood.)—the evolution of man into superman was always the purpose of the ancient mysteries. Man who has sprung from the earth and developed through the lower kingdoms of nature to his present rational state has yet to complete his evolution by becoming a godlike being, and unifying his conscience with the omniscient.” 5.
It is this writer’s biblical conviction that the philosophy of evolution will never be abandoned in the minds and hearts of men, not because it’s so essential for scientific advancement, but because evolution is utterly crucial as THE framework for spiritual deception. Evolution is, in reality, the ultimate framework deluding billions of hearts and minds into believing they might actually have a chance to become their own gods. Evolution is as the Bible calls it, a “science falsely so called” (1 Timothy 6:20) and stands in direct and complete opposition to God’s Word. It leads many to destruction and many believers into an ineffective walk, doubting their faith in God’s Word, fearing men instead of God.
As we choose to faithfully follow God’s Word, may we carefully consider the sign posts placed along the way. God has lovingly given us His true and perfect Word to keep us from getting lost and from misdirecting others from the truth that is found in Jesus Christ alone.
“Evolution is really at the heart of [the occult]. This is how we become gods, and evolution of course, causes you to believe in some kind of a force innate within the universe that is moving us in the direction of godhood. Therefore, if you can tap into this force through yoga or some other spiritual technique, and you can accelerate your progress towards godhood and gain this power. So evolution plays a really important role and also plays an important role, it has cost an awful young people their faith. Of course you can’t destroy real faith, but an awful lot of young people who were in Christian homes, who believed in God, who believed in the Bible, when they are confronted by some bright professor in a university or even in high school who says, look, Genesis is a myth, that’s not the way it happened, it happened through evolution. And because this is science speaking they believe it, well then they’ve had the rug pulled out from under them, and an awful lot of young people have turned away from God from Christianity because of evolution.” ~Dave Hunt, Audio Discussion of The Occult Invasion, Pt. 3)
“Your Word is true from the beginning.” Psalm 119:160a (KJV)
“Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.” Proverbs 30:5
“Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Psalm 40:4
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16
(Part 2: Posted Soon)
Helpful Articles for Further Study: (Please note that although all the articles below provide excellent insight to the necessity of believing a literal, 6 day creation as taught plainly in God’s Word, this blog does not necessarily support every teaching found on other websites, especially those dealing with the promotion of Calvinistic doctrines, i.e. T.U.L.I.P. and Replacement Theology.)
Footnotes:
Recently there was a biblical discussion between several men from two totally opposite camps of belief. Both claim to hold to God’s Word and both claim to desire the truth above all else, however both cannot be correct. When dealing with the subject of whether or not God created the universe, there is really no division among professing Christians. All those claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ would join arms here, yet the separation occurs as soon as the discussion moves beyond this point. This recent panel conversation was no exception.
Some in the group expressed their belief in a literal six-day creation around six thousand years ago. The others clung tightly to a long-earth view, stating that the Bible leaves plenty of room for the common evolutionary belief of billions of years along with death and suffering as the major agent used by God. What was most interesting was not how quickly some abandoned the Word of God to make their points, nor how much the long-age spokesmen thought they were honoring God. What was most amazing was how blindly those who purported the old universe doctrine claimed to be neither evolutionary, nor hold to any teachings majorly different than those who aligned themselves with a literal reading of Genesis 1-11.
It Does Matter: Hugh Ross, an astrophysicist and self-proclaimed day-age Christian, was one such guest. He is either ignorant in his assertions or disingenuous when stating that he is not an evolutionist at any level. He also said he really believes no differently than Ken Ham, who was also on the panel and unashamedly holds to a literal interpretation of Genesis 1. If it weren’t so sad, it would almost be funny. Although Hugh Ross claimed no major differences in belief, there are actually about 10 billion of them. After Dr. Ross’ proclamations, two others from the panel joined in, making similar statements. After pitching his tent on the same side as Hugh Ross, Sean McDowell, son of Josh McDowell, smiled and boldly proclaimed that it really doesn’t matter how God made the universe as long as we believe that He did. Sean said he chooses instead to focus on how much God loves us and has a purpose and plan for our lives. Even though Sean and others say it doesn’t matter, there could be nothing further from the truth. It really does matter when and how God created the universe.
Sean McDowell’s Log Cabin: As an intro after a commercial break, TBN (the host channel of the creation discussion) played a clip of Sean McDowell talking to the camera as he stands inside a beautifully decorated log cabin. The point of the video is to reveal how obvious it is that the universe has a designer, but Sean makes an unfortunate mistake. Paraphrasing his video monologue, Sean asks the viewer to pretend he stumbles upon a cabin after walking through the woods. The door is unlocked and the viewer chooses to enter. Looking around, the hiker notices his favorite foods are on the dinner table and everything inside is perfectly prepared for his tastes. Sean then moves to strike, pulling the analogy together by asking, “What can we deduce from the cabin being filled with everything that suits us?” He then explains that we should conclude that the cabin must be designed for the hiker. And just as the cabin is intentionally built for him, so it is with the universe. Everything in this world and universe fit perfectly to provide all that we need in a way that reveals a master designer. While this might be an adequate intelligent design argument, there are a few things Sean has left out. More will be said about this in a little bit.
Analogies: Just as it is with other analogies, Sean has a starting point or belief system and his starting point is what dictates the analogy. Although analogies are good tools for making points, they often times also reveal the speaker’s own presupposed philosophies. It’s also worth noting that no analogy can completely cover all tenants of a person’s belief system.
Ray Comfort’s Airplane and Parachute: Another analogy given by Ray Comfort unfortunately also missed the mark even though he is someone who has consistently held to a literal reading of Genesis 1 and believes the earth to be around six thousand years old. Ray routinely uses an airplane flight to show the importance of the Gospel of God. Although a good analogy in demonstrating the necessity of putting on Christ (like a parachute) for the right reasons, the story falls short when used in conjunction with the importance of whether or not creation happened just as Genesis 1 plainly spells it out.
An Unnecessary Contrast: Ray began his wrap-up of the two hour panel discussion by saying that although the conversation of how God created is an important one, if you were on a plane that was broken and ready to crash, you would not turn to the stewardess handing you a parachute to ask her the age of the plane. Instead you would gladly put on the parachute to save your life. Again, while on the surface this might sound reasonable, the decision to contrast creation and the Gospel actually does more harm than good.
Here’s why: Ray’s comments separate the method of creation and the method of salvation, yet fail to consider that both reveal the character of the same God. In actuality, neither the Gospel nor creation are the center of the Christian life. Granted, the Gospel is the good, rather the great news of God’s amazing act to buy back all who will come to Him, and without it we would have no hope of eternal life. But in reality, God Himself is the center; God Himself, revealed in Jesus Christ, is our life. His character is what matters most, and His character is demonstrated and revealed in all He says and does.
An Old Plane and an Old Parachute: Since much of this post is filled with other people’s analogies, I’d like to use a couple of my own. Let’s say the stewardess tells the passenger the plane is old, really old and that’s why it’s going down. What if the parachute and the plane are the same age? What if, as you’re free falling with your chute carefully strapped to your body, then pull the rip cord only to see moths fly out along with dust and only scraps of silk cloth remaining? In your mind you’re thinking, “I guess the age of the plane really does matter.”
The Incompetent Maker: What if the plane isn’t in disrepair due to its age? Perhaps the maker and maintainer of the plane are at fault. Maybe this person, although very intelligent, wasn’t quite smart enough to make and maintain the vehicle to last very long in the sky. What if the person was basically incompetent? Then what if the one who made and maintained the plane was also the one who supplied the parachute? (This is probably the most closely related analogy to the God who created the universe and also is the Savior of mankind.) If the plane is going down, then one who made and maintained it did not do as good of a job as he could have. If this is the case, then if he also packed and supplied the parachute, would there perhaps be a little trepidation in putting it on? Let’s say you’re tumbling through the sky, pull the cord, and the cord breaks off. You then reach for the backup cord and there is none. Finally, with only seconds before impact, you try to manually open the chute only to discover it is not packed correctly by the maker of the plane.
You see, there are serious implications connecting the plane’s age, the method and competence of the plane’s construction and maintenance, and the parachute inside. The Maker’s character is the heart of matter. If the plane goes down, then one must ask why did it fall in the first place. The answer will inevitably lead back to the maker of the aircraft. There is perhaps one more basic answer to the failure of the plane.
The Disturbed Designer: There is also one more thing to consider. Perhaps the designer of the plane is not incompetent at all. Maybe he is simply disturbed. Maybe he purposely designed the plane to crash. This has definite implications when strapping on the parachute. If this is true, then most likely the chute itself would be sabotaged for all unsuspecting passengers.
The Cabin’s Creator: Analogies can also be used to reveal the errors in Sean McDowell’s cabin. If, as Sean says, it doesn’t matter how God made the universe and if God is the builder in his cabin story, then it actually does matter. Although this planet is amazing, there are all kinds of dangerous things that seem to raise questions. We have natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, etc. as well as poisonous creatures and plants, and the list goes on. So saying that there is a wonderful cabin filled with all your favorite foods is less than an accurate view of the world around us. To make it more fair, let’s say the hiker walks into the cabin and begins eating the food only to get food poisoning. He then goes into the bathroom and trips on a broken tile. Then washing up, the traveler discovers there is only ice cold water and the towels are inundated with lice. If this were the case, the person might begin wondering about the competence and intentions of the one who made and prepared the cabin.
IT REALLY DOES MATTER HOW THE CABIN WAS MADE.
The Creation/ Salvation Connection: Interestingly, regardless of an old earth or young earth, many from both camps would agree that Jesus died and raised in three literal days and is the only way to Heaven. Yet those that cling to billions of years fail to see that the character of God is inextricably entwined with both creation and salvation. They are eternally linked. Why? Because God is responsible for both. To say it doesn’t matter how God created is like saying it doesn’t matter how God provided salvation. It matters. His character is revealed in both. The Living God created life by His Word, not through death, and the God of love chose to die for sinners because sin, not God, brought death. God brings life. If a business builds its success by murdering people, does it really matter whether or not it gives money to orphans and widows? No matter how you spin it, if God’s character is directly connected with death as the ultimate agent of life, He is the author of death. Yet according to His own Word, death is said to be the last enemy of God. 1 Corinthians 15:26.
But death brought life in Christ, didn’t it? Yes and no. Yes, Jesus chose to die for the sins of the world. “For He has made [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. But if Jesus would have stayed dead, we would have no hope at all, so it’s not merely His death, but His resurrection that brings men life. In the same chapter of 1 Corinthians, the Holy Spirit, through Paul, writes, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:14. Yes, Jesus laid down His life and this led to eternal life to all those who turn to Him, but His death would not have been necessary if sin had never been allowed to intrude into God’s perfect creation.
If death would have been God’s original “thumb print” on creation, then why use death as Adam and Eve’s judgment? After all, creatures would have been dying and evolving for millions of years before Adam and Eve sinned. So Adam and Eve were seeing creatures killing each other and dying of cancer, etc. Then God tells them if they eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that they’ll die just like everything else is already dying??? Then later Jesus comes to die for the sins of the world, the sins that brought death upon mankind; the same death that God had already used for millions of years in all other creatures to help them evolve. This makes no sense! Sadly, confusion, at best, is all we are left with when man’s ideas are mingled with the Word of God.
The Whole Counsel of God: It’s clear the Lord has given the saints different giftings and areas of ministry that serve the whole Body of Christ, but one thing is certain. We are all to grow in the complete understanding of the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13). This growth takes the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of the truth, and the humble, wholehearted study of God’s Word. We all must be careful not to let the focus of any ministry overshadow the whole of Scripture. We must proclaim more than a message. May we never forget to declare the whole counsel of God!
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:23,27 and 28.
“MIRROR, MIRROR, ON THE WALL…”
Most would readily recognize a queen talking to herself in a mirror about her own beauty as prideful and foolish. So why is it that so many have been duped by the popular psychological doctrine of self-esteem which in essence teaches the same prideful notions of self-adoration?
Possibly part of the reason is because of the psychotherapeutic community’s stellar job of making their field appear more scientific than it really is. Another could be the lack of discernment in many who trust almost any teaching as long as it’s called “scientific”. Interestingly, in the minds of many, once a belief receives the stamp of approval from “science”, it somehow moves out from the realm of fiction (or hypothesis) and into the world of facts and, it seems, is no longer open to scrutiny. As the adage goes, “Perception is reality.”
But what if the real research and observational science contradict the popular belief of something? To go a step further, what if the Bible contradicts the idea? Arguably, two of the most popular and influential ideas in today’s world; two that use “science” as their shield and cleverly rule over our self-centered, post-modern society are evolution and clinical psychotherapy. When dealing with either, the Christian is unconditionally obligated without pause to examine them under the scrutiny of God’s sufficient Scriptures. As we stand on His Word, we need not fear. The truth of God’s creation will always confirm, never contradict the Bible. The problem occurs when someone gives himself permission to use God’s Word in conjunction with man’s ideas. Here is where the road splits. Also, here is where a clever debater will raise up a straw man hoping to cause as many as possible to make a sharp left turn when we should stay straight on the narrow way.
“You see,” an orator might argue, “we don’t use the Bible for fixing a car or building a skyscraper, so clearly there are writings and teachings by men that require us to go outside the Bible. ” This is foolish at best, and detrimental at worst. No one would say that we don’t find some of man’s discoveries and teaching useful as they pertain to our day-to-day lives on planet earth. The problem comes when we make the unnecessary leap of holding to those that lay claim to answers exclusive to the Word of God. The Bible clearly states that it is sufficient for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), so if any doctrine in these areas contradicts the 66 books of the Bible, a born-again believer must throw them out. We do not first and foremost need men, rather the Holy Spirit and His Word in these matters. However, this attack to turn a person from trusting God’s Word is not always easy to detect. Most often they are subtle and unannounced, claiming all the while to be benevolent in intent.
Why not announce your full intentions? Why such subtly? Simply stated, it’s not always advantageous to attack your opponent head on. A good strategist will come at his enemy in a variety of covert ways, but the goal is always the same- overtake and destroy. If I were to stand in front of a Bible-believing congregation and plainly teach that we don’t need God’s Word for all areas of life, many would hopefully correct me on the spot, asking me to step down. However, if I begin to teach a contrary view to the Bible concerning the history of this universe (evolution) or the nature of man (pop-psychology, self-esteem), all the while invoking “science” to make my claims, many might feel ill-equipped to disagree. Why? Because they feel “scientifically” under equipped to do so. This reason alone reveals that, at some level, they have been convinced that the “science” in these historical and sociological areas is superior to God’s Word. Once a person has been convinced of the insufficiency of God’s Word, he will undoubtedly be susceptible to even more science fiction, much of which is only covered in a thin veneer of so-called facts. Once a person has bowed the knee to the superiority of man’s ideas to life and godliness in any area, the battle and even perhaps much of the war has been won. Once the door is unlocked, allowing in man’s vain philosophies, a person has, in essence, given permission for any and all foolish ideas to enter his heart and mind.
Anytime anyone says that we can add false doctrines to God’s Word, whether claiming to be spiritual or scientific, we are in actuality moving ourselves off the bedrock of the Bible onto the sinking sands of sinful men. The question is simple. Do we really want the Rock or are we satisfied with the sand?
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker…” 2 Timothy 2:15-17a
Below is a current article providing one of the many examples where the facts diverge from one of today’s most popular teachings.
“Dark Side of Self-Esteem“
“The media recently reported “new” research findings to the effect that rewards often backfire and self-esteem is not the wonderful, uplifting personal attribute once thought. As a result, schools are rethinking their teaching and classroom management philosophies…
“For almost two decades, research done by people like Roy Baumeister of Florida State University has shown, as conclusively as social science research is capable of showing, that high self-esteem is associated with anti-social behavior. Think, for example, bullying. It appears that the higher one’s self-regard, the lower his regard for others. People with high self-regard believe themselves to be entitled. What they want, they believe they deserve to have. Because they deserve what they want, they believe they deserve to have. Because they deserve what they want, the ends justify the means. Think, for example, Bernie Madoff. They are never wrong; therefore, they are right to act on whatever idea they have. Think, for example, Adolph Hitler.” (excerpted from http://www.onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=1545284).
“The wonders of the universe are untold. To this day science is mystified by the underlying forces and natural phenomenon that are so basic to our existence: gravity, electromagnetism, nuclear forces, and even light. Although certain observed laws of classical Newtonian physics are able to accurately predict various characteristics of each, physicists still do not fully understand any of them.” ~Desmond P. Allen
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