Overview Notes From The Presentation

How do we know the Bible is the Word of God?  Part 7 continued…

Creation vs. Evolution

MAPS-S

The acronym MAPS-S give us a snapshot of the evidence for the inspiration, inerrancy and reliability of the Bible.

M = Manuscript evidence

A = Archeological evidence

P = Evidence from Prophecy fulfillment

S = Evidence based on Scientific authenticity

S = Evidence from Saved Lives over the centuries

Evidence based on Scientific Authenticity

Creation vs. Evolution

It has been said that many intelligent people believe in evolution as a means for the origin of life because other intelligent people believe in evolution as a means for the origin of life. Is this intelligence or blind faith? Maybe the “Emperor of evolution” will finally be told that he is not wearing any clothes!

Young people today often cite science as the main reason for their disbelief or disinterest in Christianity and the Bible. When pressed most will say that science has disproven the Bible and that evolution has been shown to be the mechanism for the origin and existence of life. In public education this is taught as fact and any other argument could be grounds for ridicule and sometimes even worse, dismissal.

Keep in mind that our public educational system is controlled by the “philosophies” of secular humanism. Secular humanistic reasoning does not allow for anything pointing to a “Divine Footprint” under the guise of separation of church and state. However, real science should follow the evidence to wherever it leads, and if we do we will find more support for the existence of a Creator, and the truths of the Christianity, than for the evolutionary theories that have been indoctrinated today.

A few things to keep in mind when considering theories about the origin of life:

1. Presuppositions:

• The assumptions scientists make based on current paradigms (if the evidence does not fit the models in place it is thrown out)
• The preconceived ideas scientist hold can affect their research methods (atheism, agnosticism, theism etc.)

2. The role and limits of science:

• Science studies and reports on how things observably work
• The laws of nature are descriptive (we can observe how things work), not prescriptive (we cannot observe how things began to work a particular way)
• Science does not (will not) give metaphysical answers even if the evidence points in that direction

3. We must understand the word Evolution:

• Evolution is a misleading term because it is overarching and broad in its scope and definition
• When we discuss and debate the origin of life issue keep in mind the difference between microevolution (observable changes within species that we can see) and macroevolution (the assumption by evolutionists that species evolve from one completely different kind into another kind)

Microevolution:

• All scientists, including Christians, agree on observable microevolution
• Microevolution is better referred to as adaption or natural selection—this is observed when species alter their characteristics based on environmental conditions, food source needs, or disease—but we never see any of these factors resulting in a change of one kind into another
• Microevolution is evidenced in the diversity of life that is measurable and observable
• Humans can manipulate changes within certain species by selective breeding, but again there is no change of kind (like cat to dog, or horse to elephant)
• Taxonomists are in disagreement on where certain organisms fall and cross-breading can occur in the taxonomic hierarchy, but kind would probably fall somewhere between Genus and Order

Does microevolution’s observable evidence lead to this next assumption? 

Macroevolution:

• Evolutionary scientists take the observable evidence of microevolution and infer that the diversity of life we see today has evolved through a gradual series of changes over time, creating new and better life-forms, for example: Humans and monkeys have evolved and branched from extinct ape-like creatures, or amphibians evolved from fish-like creatures, or birds from reptiles
• Evolutionists teach that you can take this “philosophical assumption” (because it cannot be observed) back to where all life began as single cell bacteria-like organisms in a primordial fluid (although admittedly they do not know where this primordial fluid came from), and this fluid is said to bethe foundation by which random chance conditions were able to produce the first building blocks of life called amino acids
• The truth: Macroevolution is unobservable and untestable, it is not a conclusion using the scientific method, and contrary to popular belief it does not have the required evidence in the areas that it claims to – such as the highly regarded fossil record and genetics

To summarize:

Microevolution: Changes within species (or kinds) better known as adaptation, and this is true based on observation.

vs.

Macroevolution: A change from one “kind” of living thing into a new “kind” of living thing, and this is false because it cannot be, and has never been, observed.

In addition, evolutionists must answer the genesis question: Where did the first of anything come from?

Going Deeper

“Cross Examining Evolution,” by Dr. Sean McDowell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7KcWrt_p4k

“Evolution vs. God,” Documentary by Living Waters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0u3-2CGOMQ&t=42s

Reflection

If you only had one minute for each question, to the best of your ability, give a quick answer in your own words, (note – these are building from the presentation notes each week – focus mainly on #10 through 17)

1. What are the four important areas for Christian growth?
2. What are the twelve points that will help you tell the Bible’s Big Picture?
3. What are the two most important questions you can ask when someone makes a claim about Christianity, or a belief that they hold to be true that is in conflict with the Christian Worldview?
4. What is the Moral Law argument for the existence of God? Give an example.
5. How is evil defined from a Christian Worldview? Give an example.
6. What are the three factors in identifying sources of evil?
7. What three characteristics does Satan possess that he wants to bring out in us?
8. What does it mean for a Christian to have a proper perspective of eternity?
9. What is a miracle, and how is it different from natural occurrences?
10. What does the acronym MAPS-S stand for, and how does it help us confirm the Bible’s reliability?
11. There are seven lines of evidence for the “M” in MAP-S. What are they?
12. What does the “A” stand for? Give a few examples from the Old Testament.
13. What is the significance of New Testament archeology? Give a few examples from the New Testament
14. What does the “P” stand for, and why is it important?
15. Give a few examples from “general prophecy” and a few examples from “Messianic Prophecy.”
16. What does the “S” stand for, why is it important, and what are one or two examples where the Bible makes scientifically authentic statements?
17. What is the difference between microevolution and macroevolution, and why is it important to know?

Bible Study

Note: Basic answers will be posted mid-week for your review, and to make a leader’s guide for future studies!

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Note: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for Discussion or Going Deeper questions. If you use these kinds of sources share them with your group.

1.  Review of Class Topic:

With your table group, discuss today’s presentation by summarizing what you learned, commenting or asking any questions.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 with your group then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions:

2.  What does Paul say we can expect about “the day of the Lord?” Why is it important for us (Christians) to understand what is being said here (1-11)?

3.  On Christian conduct (12-22): What things did Paul tell the Thessalonians that they should be doing within their “Church Community” (make a list from this passage)?

4.  Discuss: What are some of the things you have learned from Paul’s 1st letter to the Thessalonians that we as a Christian community today should be doing (or getting better at)?

5.  Memory verses: Recite – Acts 17:11 (having Biblical discernment and truth); 1 Peter 3:15 (the call to give an answer for our faith – Christian Apologetics); Acts 17:30-31 (through the work of Jesus, a call to repentance and eternal life vs. judgment); 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (the hope of the Resurrection); and add 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (God has destined Christians for salvation not wrath)

Join us next week as we continue our study in Christian Apologetics with more conversations on the topic of the Bible!

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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