This week we are starting a new series called “A Case for Creation 101.” Along with this series we will be studying through Genesis with some questions to help you do that at the end of each week’s session. Before we start I want to review the purpose of this ministry and why it is important for all Christians to be adequately trained in what we believe and why we believe it:
Ministry Statement
The purpose of this ministry is to provide participants with the information and tools needed to address the questions asked of Christians in our culture today (1 Peter 3:15). This includes an emphasis on developing our Christian walk through:
- Prayer – Modeling Jesus (Matthew 6:9-13; John 17)
- Proper Biblical interpretation through the use of hermeneutics – studying the Bible in context (Matthew 22:37; 2 Timothy 2:15)
- Using apologetics – defense of the historicity, inerrancy and inspiration of the Christian Bible and the teachings therein (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
- Discipleship – sharing our faith with others and doing life together (Matthew 28:18-20; Hebrews 10:23-25)
This ministry believes that it is the responsibility of every person to invest serious time looking into the claims of Christianity because what we believe to be true about God, human purpose, and destiny defines us in this life and more importantly in the next. (John 14)
This ministry is committed to providing Biblical truths based on the entirety of Scripture—both Old and New Testaments. (Matthew 5:17-18; 2 Peter 1:16-19)
This ministry believes that the most important question we must answer in this life is the one Jesus asked of his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:27-29; John 14:6-7)
WHY DO WE NEED TO MAKE A CASE FOR CREATION?
Christians often feel unequipped to answer when questions of human origin, or even the existence of God, come up. How should we respond? When we are part of a conversation that includes these kinds of questions, are we confident in answering or do we simply defer to others?
What comes to mind when you hear the following kinds of questions being discussed? Do you have people in your world that ask these kinds of questions? Do you feel confident in answering them, or do believe science and faith are not compatible therefore answering them is not important?
| Does God exist, or has science ruled Him out? |
| Creation or evolution, how did we get here? |
| What is my purpose in life, or does my life even matter? |
| What happens after we die? |
Whether you’ve thought much about them or not people are asking, and they are being addressed at the highest levels of academia. If you are a Christian it is critical to know that the Biblical worldview is, and has been, under attack and the answers to these questions are not being giving from a Biblical perspective at all, even though the evidence is there. Science vs God is at the top of the list when it comes to reasons people leave their faith – why?
Some of the top reasons cited by religious “nones” that lead to a lack of belief are as follows: (“nones” are those who check the box “none” when asked about their religious affiliation – they are currently the third largest religious category worldwide behind Christianity and Islam)
- Learning about evolution in college (actually begins in grade school)
- Lack of scientific evidence for a creator
- Religion is not based on rational thinking
- Religion is the opiate of the people
- Too many Christians doing un-Christian things
What has happened in our public school system that has lead to this departure?
A war of the worldviews:
Christianity vs. Secular Humanism
- 1962-63 The U.S. educational system replaced prayer and Biblical foundations with the foundational beliefs of Secular Humanism (which is based on “Naturalism” and the “preaching” of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution)
- Humanism rejects any belief in a supernatural cause as the basis for human origin, morality, or decision making—all success and knowledge will come from human discovery and innovation
- Humanism posits that humans are a part of nature (Naturalism), the same as a tree or an ant and function on a physical basis only (Physicalism)
- This dominant view now permeates not only the educational system but politics, medicine, law, and even many churches
- Since the 1960’s we have watched the U.S. drop from number one in the world to the bottom twentieth percentile in education, and suicide rates have risen dramatically – why?
Some alarming statistics
Of Americans citizens born from…
1927 to 1945: 65% attend a Christian church
These people graduated from high school before the removal of Biblical Creation, and before the official teaching of Darwinian evolution in the public schools.
1946 to 1964: 35% attend a Christian church
These people were partway through the public education system when the official indoctrination of the secular humanistic worldview and Darwinian education began. Most of their teachers had been educated with a Biblical worldview, but these students would soon be the leaders in higher education…
1965 to 1983: 16% attend a Christian church
This was the first group of American children fully indoctrinated by secular humanism and Darwinian evolution, with little to no emphasis on a Biblical worldview. Most of their teachers are now completely educated (indoctrinated) in secular humanism and Darwinian evolutionary teaching.
1984 to 2002: 4% attend a Christian church
These victims are fully indoctrinated in secular humanism’s teachings by teachers who are also fully indoctrinated in secular humanism and Darwinian evolution.
“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 (NASB)
What are some of the foundations of Christianity that are under attack?
- Jesus’ Deity
- The Resurrection
- Salvation through Jesus Christ alone
- The Trinity
- The Bible as the inspired Word of God
- Humans created in God’s image (vs. having been evolved from lower life forms)
- God’s original creation (vs. evolution and abiogenesis)
- Every teaching in Genesis 1-11
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:26-31 (NASB)
If the foundation of Genesis is destroyed, it calls into question all of the other foundations of Christianity.
Where is the real battle? Spiritual Warfare
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17 (NASB)
We need to know our foundation:
- If we understand the foundational beginning, everything else will fall into place
- If we understand God’s ultimate purpose, life takes on meaning
Getting Ready to Study the Bible:
Before you begin an in-depth study of the book of Genesis, make sure you have a good study Bible (or two or three). It is important to study the Bible for yourself without any preconceived ideas. Using the hermeneutical method will be important, we will go over that next week. Here is a chart that might help you with Bible version selections:
Study Bibles: Major Versions and Translations
| Literal Translation | Dynamic Equivalent | Paraphrases |
| -New American Standard Bible (NASB)
-King James Version (KJV)) -New King James Version (NKJV) -Revised Standard Version (RSV) -New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) -English Standard Version (ESV) |
-New International Version (NIV)
-Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) -New Living Translation (NLT) -New English Version (NEV) -Revised English Version (REV) -New Jerusalem (Catholic Bible) |
-Message Bible
-Good News Bible -Living Bible -Phillips -New Century Version
|
| Word for word translations. Most difficult reading, but works closest to the original Hebrew/Greek. Best for going deeper in your studies. | Thought for thought translations. Clearer reading with closest meaning possible. Finds equivalent concepts in English. Can be used for study purposes. |
Easiest to read, with story like qualities. Not recommended for study purposes.
|
My top recommendation is the Life Application Bible in the NASB, NIV, or NLT. It will give you great background, culture, and profile information along with maps and life application commentary that you can use instead of doing devotionals! Read a chapter or two every day along with the life application commentary as a daily devotional. If you want to go deeper there are word study Bibles and other resources that will help you with the original languages, but a good study can be done with Bibles in the first two categories: Literal and dynamic.
This week’s homework:
- Decide on a Bible that you would like to use. Get some highlighters and pens that you can use to mark in your Bible (yes it is OK to mark up your Bible!)
- Get familiar with the features of you Bible and how you might use them during your studies.
- Read through Genesis 1-11 without any preconceived ideas or expectations. Do not read the study notes in your Bible or use any commentaries or books besides the actual text of the Bible. Read it like a novel and get to know the storyline before you begin to study it next week. If you have time read it through at least three times so that you really know the story.
Going deeper video recommendations:
Watch Sean McDowell’s insightful presentation on “the reliability of the Bible:”
Join us next week as we continue our case for the Creation and our study in Genesis!
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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15
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