The Impact Of False Choices On The Church
Comments(7) I finally got around to checking my box here at the KCC office. I didn’t check last week because I didn’t know I had one! Just part of the joy of being the new guy!
Anyway, in my box was a survey from AZOSA – Arizona Origin Science Association. I took the survey and am going to mail it back to them. I appreciate their work and vision as I do not believe in evolution as it’s currently understood and taught, and think that we ought to be able to present the Intelligent Design Theory in public schools along side the Theory of Evolution.
But this isn’t a post about evolution.
One of the questions on the survey gave me only two ways to answer a question that in fact has at least three viable answers. The question asked if I believed life on earth was a result of God’s creating it in 6 24 hours days, or as a result of evolution.
That’s a false choice. There is a third option that is both biblically and scientifically sound, and happens to be the one I hold as I await further information. That option is that life on earth is a result of God creating it, and that it probably occur ed over a long period of time. Many Bible believing Christians, and conservative Jews for that matter, do not interpret the days in Genesis chapter one as 24 hour days.
There’s nothing in the context of chapter one that leads me to believe you need too do that, and in spite of some very interesting information produced by the Young Earth advocates, science still seems to point us towards a much, much older earth.
The term day is used both in the Bible and in our common speech to mean more than a 24 hour period of time. Take for example the current popular phrase, “back in the day.” Does anyone out there think someone saying that is referring to a particular 24 hour period of time?
Of course not. It’s reference to an undetermined period of time in the past. What really bothers me about that question is not so much the question itself, but the larger issue it raises. That issue is:
How often in our attempts to communicate does the church try and force false choices on people?
I don’t know, but suspect it’s a much larger percent than most of us would care to admit or own up to. This is disturbing because in the end it’s a bad witness and a denial of the very essence of Jesus and the life He calls us to live. Jesus said that He was the truth, and all Christ followers are called to live lives of truth.
Promulgating false choices is the opposite of truth, and therefore violates who and what our Lord is and what He’s calling us to be.
Perhaps it time for people involved in this, or fighting on any other front in the culture wars, to pause for a moment and reflect on not only what they are doing, but how they are doing it. Falsehood in the Name of Jesus is ultimately self defeating, as the church’s decline in this culture so painfully shows.
Let’s carefully stand up for truth, making sure our defense of truth is actually true!
As a communicator I know that’s not easy, but it is essential!
Wow, that’s an interesting view. I just disagree, strongly disagree.
Wait! What follows is my opinion, as I have studied this subject for some time, I do have strong feelings about this argument. Please forgive me if this is out of line.
“One of the questions on the survey gave me only two ways to answer a question that in fact has at least three viable answers. The question asked if I believed life on earth was a result of God’s creating it in 6 24 hours days, or as a result of evolution.
That’s a false choice. There is a third option that is both biblically and scientifically sound, and happens to be the one I hold as I await further information. That option is that life on earth is a result of God creating it, and that it probably occured over a long period of time. Many Bible believing Christians, and conservative Jews for that matter, do not interpret the days in Genesis chapter one as 24 hour days.
There’s nothing in the context of chapter one that leads me to believe you need too do that, and in spite of some very interesting information produced by the Young Earth advocates, science still seems to point us towards a much, much older earth.”
I could quote a lot of rebuttal just from Gen 1:1, but for me that isn’t the death nail of the argument. When faced with this view point something jumps out at me in Exodus 20…
1And God spoke all these words, saying:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
God Spoke. This isn’t someones opinion, this is not a story, as some may describe Gen one. This is God himself, a direct quote. Recorded for us in His Holy book.
11″For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.”
Now I have only two choices when faced with these verses. Either I believe that the Bible has recorded the actual words of God, which it claims time and time again, or it doesn’t. I believe in a six day creation not only because of Gen 1, but because God himself says so.
“Let’s carefully stand up for truth, making sure our defense of truth is actually true!” I do not want to offend. But what I have written, I believe is a defense of truth. If I am mistaken, I will humbly admit I am wrong.
Hey Jason,
You aren’t out of line at all – this is an issue that many sincere, committed Christians have disagreed on for years now, and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.
No offense given or taken friend, just a different way of looking at Scripture.
That’s one of the things I actually love about being a Christ follower – Jesus gives us the freedom to disagree on the non-essentials without hurting or hating each other. No division, just different points of view, and great opportunities to learn and grow for all of us.
Thanks for your thoughts. Like I said, I’m fairly open on this issue. Right now I still lean towards the day=long periods of time view. But I understand the day = 24 hour one, and have no trouble at all believing God could have created everything that is in 6 literal days.
It doesn’t seem to me that that is the way He did it, but He sure could have. He’s the Almighty, so He can do whatever He chooses to do with no problems at all.
Although I know God is capable of creating the world in 6, 24-hour days, I personally no longer believe in the 24-hour day because God says that to him a day is like a 1,000 years and a 1,000 years like a day and because I believe the Bible and science agree and are not in conflict with one another. There are an infinite number of things that are WAY BEYOND our understanding, like the concept of the Universe (does it have a beginning or an end and if so, how does it begin or end?) and the concept of God, Himself. Although we have an incredible mind, our understanding is still limited. How many days it took God to create the world is NOT important, only that he DID create it! If it WERE important, He would have given us the answer to that mystery in His Word. There are certain mysteries that we will never understand, at least not in this life.
Wow, I\’m in awe at the response! I was prepared to be blasted, labeled as an out of touch fundamentalist. I\’m shocked, and also agree that it is a non-important issue. Although in the beginning of my walk I really had an issue reconciling what the Bible claimed verses what science claimed. It really is a stumbling block for a lot of people. The two really are at odds. For the most part those in the science fields are there to prove against religion. But thank you very much for your responses.
Hey Bro,
Glad you’ve been blessed. Our churches have a saying that I try and live by: “In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, in all things love.”
If only more churches and believers would hold to this, we’d all be better off. I’m enjoying the discussion and look forward to more.
“In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, in all things love.”
I LOVE THAT! Do you mind if I use it
LOL – not at all. It’s been variously attributed to Augustine and a friend of Luther’s among others – so feel free to use it – I don’t think it’s copyrighted or trademarked!!