Has Noah’s Ark actually been found?
Well, according to recent headlines, it’s “100% confirmed” that the Durupinar formation in eastern Turkey is the remains of Noah’s Ark. Now, obviously, we would be thrilled here at AiG if someone discovered the Ark—it would be perhaps the greatest archaeological find of all time. But we also need to be careful not to fall for sensationalism or claims that aren’t grounded in careful observational science.
So what do we think of this site and the new claims? Well, over the years, we’ve published many articles on this particular supposed Ark site. In short, no, we don’t believe Noah’s Ark has been found at the Durupinar site. But our faith in God’s Word does not rest on finding the Ark (as exciting as that would be!)—it rests on the truth of Scripture.
There’s already more than enough evidence that there was a global Flood as described in Genesis (billions of fossils, rapidly deposited rock layers, soft tissue in fossils, flood legends in cultures around the world, etc.). Those who ignore the truth “deliberately overlook” it (2 Peter 3:5–6 ESV).
Maybe someday someone will find the Ark—it is a possibility. But regardless, our faith rests in Scripture, which was breathed out by God, not in any archaeological find.
Well, according to recent headlines, it’s “100% confirmed” that the Durupinar formation in eastern Turkey is the remains of Noah’s Ark. Now, obviously, we would be thrilled here at AiG if someone discovered the Ark—it would be perhaps the greatest archaeological find of all time. But we also need to be careful not to fall for sensationalism or claims that aren’t grounded in careful observational science.
So what do we think of this site and the new claims? Well, over the years, we’ve published many articles on this particular supposed Ark site. In short, no, we don’t believe Noah’s Ark has been found at the Durupinar site. But our faith in God’s Word does not rest on finding the Ark (as exciting as that would be!)—it rests on the truth of Scripture.
There’s already more than enough evidence that there was a global Flood as described in Genesis (billions of fossils, rapidly deposited rock layers, soft tissue in fossils, flood legends in cultures around the world, etc.). Those who ignore the truth “deliberately overlook” it (2 Peter 3:5–6 ESV).
Maybe someday someone will find the Ark—it is a possibility. But regardless, our faith rests in Scripture, which was breathed out by God, not in any archaeological find.
55
28
389
18,477
The Bible doesn’t deal with scientific details, but the Bible does give the big picture in geology, biology, and other sciences to enable people to have the right way of thinking about the universe.
21
22
230
3,736
Does culture make certain biblical truths obsolete?
Lifeway Research recently published a new study of American churchgoers (defined as those who attend church at least once a month), and the results were . . . puzzling.
For example, 84% were either somewhat or very confident that if someone came to them expressing doubts about the truthfulness of Scripture, they could directly address those doubts. That seems like a great thing—over 8 in 10 Christians feel equipped to defend the faith!
But at the same time, 28% agreed (and 6% were unsure) that “as culture changes, some biblical truths become obsolete” and 34% said, “I accept some truths from the Bible, but others just don’t fit what I believe.” (The younger the churchgoer, the more likely they were to agree with these two statements.)
So a large percentage believe they can defend the truth of Scripture . . . but a significant number believe the truths of Scripture can become obsolete and that not everything in the Bible fits with what they believe! Now the study doesn’t go into much detail about what these churchgoers mean, so it’s difficult to know exactly which biblical truths they believe have become obsolete (for example, it is possible these people are confusing specific Levitical laws that no longer apply to believers with the unchanging truths of Scripture, or it’s also possible these answers show they do not have as high a view of Scripture as they should!).
It’s worth noting that the study also found that 82% of churchgoers “believe the truth of God’s Word can mean different things to different people.” This makes me wonder what these churchgoers mean by being able to defend the truth of Scripture! Does that just mean creating a new, less offensive or less difficult meaning out of the passage? Does it mean just outright rejecting the truth because it’s not what we’d like to hear?
God’s Word is not a spiritual buffet for us to put what we want on our plate and reject what we don’t want. God’s Word—all of it—is the revelation of the one true God who has given us the key information we need to build the right worldview so we can understand God, His world, our sinful condition, and what He did to save us.
Often the Bible is taught as a book of moral or spiritual things—something you add to your thinking, like a guidebook to life. But that’s not what the Bible is. Consider how Scripture refers to itself:
“Forever, O Yahweh,
Your word stands firm in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).
“The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17).
The Bible is eternal truth. It withstands the ever-changing whims of culture or personal opinion. God’s Word remains fixed forever, sufficient for every situation, culture, and time because it was written by the eternal God who sees the end from the beginning and has given us everything we need for life and godliness.
However, to be fair, some of the survey respondents may have had in mind specific passages from the law that teach about animal sacrifices or “clean” and “unclean” foods, for example, when they answered this question. In the context of the survey, they may have chosen “as culture changes, some biblical truths become obsolete” and even directly thought of this passage:
“When He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear” (Hebrews 8:13).
If that’s the case, they may indeed believe Scripture is eternally authoritative (though it’s worth noting that the Levitical law is no longer binding on Christians because of a change from the old covenant to the new covenant, not because of a change in culture!). Because of the word culture in the question though, I think the respondents could be referring to biblical teachings such as marriage and gender becoming obsolete as I’ve had people tell me that the Bible’s teachings on these things were only for the culture of biblical times!
This study is a reminder of what I’ve been saying for five decades now—we must raise up generations who start their thinking with the authority of Scripture, from the very first verse. That is the foundation for all our thinking.
We—sinful, fallible human beings who don’t know everything, haven’t always been there, and frequently make mistakes—are not the authority over the infallible, inerrant, perfect Word of the God who knows everything, who has always been there, and who has never made a mistake. He must be the authority in all areas.
God’s Word is not obsolete. Although certain passages from the Levitical law may not be directly applicable to us today, the principles still apply and are instructive for us, especially regarding God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. Every precious truth from Genesis to Revelation is as relevant now as it was when it was written because it’s the God-breathed Word of the Creator. Human pride and foolishness are saying we know better than God and can pick and choose what we want to believe or can decide our own meaning from the text. We need to allow God to be the authority and humbly submit ourselves to His perfect Word.
Lifeway Research recently published a new study of American churchgoers (defined as those who attend church at least once a month), and the results were . . . puzzling.
For example, 84% were either somewhat or very confident that if someone came to them expressing doubts about the truthfulness of Scripture, they could directly address those doubts. That seems like a great thing—over 8 in 10 Christians feel equipped to defend the faith!
But at the same time, 28% agreed (and 6% were unsure) that “as culture changes, some biblical truths become obsolete” and 34% said, “I accept some truths from the Bible, but others just don’t fit what I believe.” (The younger the churchgoer, the more likely they were to agree with these two statements.)
So a large percentage believe they can defend the truth of Scripture . . . but a significant number believe the truths of Scripture can become obsolete and that not everything in the Bible fits with what they believe! Now the study doesn’t go into much detail about what these churchgoers mean, so it’s difficult to know exactly which biblical truths they believe have become obsolete (for example, it is possible these people are confusing specific Levitical laws that no longer apply to believers with the unchanging truths of Scripture, or it’s also possible these answers show they do not have as high a view of Scripture as they should!).
It’s worth noting that the study also found that 82% of churchgoers “believe the truth of God’s Word can mean different things to different people.” This makes me wonder what these churchgoers mean by being able to defend the truth of Scripture! Does that just mean creating a new, less offensive or less difficult meaning out of the passage? Does it mean just outright rejecting the truth because it’s not what we’d like to hear?
God’s Word is not a spiritual buffet for us to put what we want on our plate and reject what we don’t want. God’s Word—all of it—is the revelation of the one true God who has given us the key information we need to build the right worldview so we can understand God, His world, our sinful condition, and what He did to save us.
Often the Bible is taught as a book of moral or spiritual things—something you add to your thinking, like a guidebook to life. But that’s not what the Bible is. Consider how Scripture refers to itself:
“Forever, O Yahweh,
Your word stands firm in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).
“The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17).
The Bible is eternal truth. It withstands the ever-changing whims of culture or personal opinion. God’s Word remains fixed forever, sufficient for every situation, culture, and time because it was written by the eternal God who sees the end from the beginning and has given us everything we need for life and godliness.
However, to be fair, some of the survey respondents may have had in mind specific passages from the law that teach about animal sacrifices or “clean” and “unclean” foods, for example, when they answered this question. In the context of the survey, they may have chosen “as culture changes, some biblical truths become obsolete” and even directly thought of this passage:
“When He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear” (Hebrews 8:13).
If that’s the case, they may indeed believe Scripture is eternally authoritative (though it’s worth noting that the Levitical law is no longer binding on Christians because of a change from the old covenant to the new covenant, not because of a change in culture!). Because of the word culture in the question though, I think the respondents could be referring to biblical teachings such as marriage and gender becoming obsolete as I’ve had people tell me that the Bible’s teachings on these things were only for the culture of biblical times!
This study is a reminder of what I’ve been saying for five decades now—we must raise up generations who start their thinking with the authority of Scripture, from the very first verse. That is the foundation for all our thinking.
We—sinful, fallible human beings who don’t know everything, haven’t always been there, and frequently make mistakes—are not the authority over the infallible, inerrant, perfect Word of the God who knows everything, who has always been there, and who has never made a mistake. He must be the authority in all areas.
God’s Word is not obsolete. Although certain passages from the Levitical law may not be directly applicable to us today, the principles still apply and are instructive for us, especially regarding God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. Every precious truth from Genesis to Revelation is as relevant now as it was when it was written because it’s the God-breathed Word of the Creator. Human pride and foolishness are saying we know better than God and can pick and choose what we want to believe or can decide our own meaning from the text. We need to allow God to be the authority and humbly submit ourselves to His perfect Word.
12
14
107
3,943
After my recent video in which I shared some concerns about the popular Christian speaker Frank Turek, he created a response video. Today, I’m joined by Dr. Terry Mortenson to evaluate his claims.
46
97
545
44,398
The Bible deals with astronomy. God made the sun, moon, and stars on day four for signs and for seasons.
60
39
465
7,739
We read one of the saddest passages in the Bible in Judges about when Joshua died, and then all that generation with Joshua died.
“And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know Yahweh or even the work which He had done for Israel. Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh and served the Baals, and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked Yahweh to anger” (Judges 2:10–12).
The children who were to ask about the meaning of the 12 memorial stones rebelled and they worshipped false gods! What happened? When we read Scripture, we find the fathers did not pass on the spiritual legacy to the next generation.
This should be a warning to us today.
Psalm 78 instructs fathers to train their children to know the true God.
“For He established a testimony in Jacob
And set a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers
That they should teach them to their children,
That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,
That they may arise and recount them to their children,
That they should set their confidence in God
And not forget the deeds of God,
But observe His commandment” (Psalms 78:5–7).
And then we read:
“And not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not prepare its heart
And whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Psalms 78:8).
It’s obvious these fathers of old did not obey the Lord and did not train up their children to fear the Lord as they should have. As a result, they lost the next generation after Joshua.
Fathers, what are you doing to invest spiritually in your children?
“And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know Yahweh or even the work which He had done for Israel. Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh and served the Baals, and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked Yahweh to anger” (Judges 2:10–12).
The children who were to ask about the meaning of the 12 memorial stones rebelled and they worshipped false gods! What happened? When we read Scripture, we find the fathers did not pass on the spiritual legacy to the next generation.
This should be a warning to us today.
Psalm 78 instructs fathers to train their children to know the true God.
“For He established a testimony in Jacob
And set a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers
That they should teach them to their children,
That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,
That they may arise and recount them to their children,
That they should set their confidence in God
And not forget the deeds of God,
But observe His commandment” (Psalms 78:5–7).
And then we read:
“And not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not prepare its heart
And whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Psalms 78:8).
It’s obvious these fathers of old did not obey the Lord and did not train up their children to fear the Lord as they should have. As a result, they lost the next generation after Joshua.
Fathers, what are you doing to invest spiritually in your children?
13
60
271
6,862
Who invented clothes?
Evolutionists have written papers about when humans supposedly invented clothing. For instance, on April 25, 2023, a paper was published in the Smithsonian Magazine titled, “When Did Clothing Originate.” The author used the evolution story (yes, it’s a fairy tale), discussing archaeological evidence based on man’s fallible dating methods to suggest clothing was invented hundreds of thousands of years ago by humans dealing with the cold.
Secular evolutionists, of course, must explain everything in the light of their atheistic worldview of millions of years and slow and gradual evolution, concluding that, at some point, humans evolved the intelligence to fashion clothes from animal skins and other available materials.
Now, humans making clothing is not a problem to explain from a biblical worldview. In fact, God’s Word gives us the true account of the origin of clothing going back about 6,000 years.
The first clothes humans (Adam and Eve) wore were made from fig leaves.
“[The woman] took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings” (Genesis 3:6–7).
But God gave Adam and Eve different clothes.
“Then Yahweh God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).
Clothing was invented not because we were cold, as evolutionists suggest, but because of sin and shame. Mankind was originally created naked and unashamed, but after their sin, they tried to cover over that sin and shame with fig leaves.
But God himself made them clothes when he killed an animal—the first animal death in God’s “very good” creation. These clothes and the sacrifice and spilled blood of that animal (or animals) covered over their sin and shame.
God taught Adam and Eve that they couldn’t cover their sin. Only God could do that.
When God made clothes from coats of skins, he was setting up the sacrificial system. He killed animals and clothed Adam and Eve. The first blood sacrifice as a covering for their sin, a picture of what was to come in Jesus Christ, the lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world.
A sinner can’t pay the penalty for sin. So God stepped into human history in the person of his Son, to be born of a virgin, the sinless perfect Son of God. He became a man as God, the God-man. He lived a sinless life and died on a cross. But He rose from the dead. That means he has ultimate power, the power over death. He suffered the penalty for our sin and paid our debt on that cross. He offers a free gift of salvation to those who will repent of the sin and receive this free gift.
Evolutionists have written papers about when humans supposedly invented clothing. For instance, on April 25, 2023, a paper was published in the Smithsonian Magazine titled, “When Did Clothing Originate.” The author used the evolution story (yes, it’s a fairy tale), discussing archaeological evidence based on man’s fallible dating methods to suggest clothing was invented hundreds of thousands of years ago by humans dealing with the cold.
Secular evolutionists, of course, must explain everything in the light of their atheistic worldview of millions of years and slow and gradual evolution, concluding that, at some point, humans evolved the intelligence to fashion clothes from animal skins and other available materials.
Now, humans making clothing is not a problem to explain from a biblical worldview. In fact, God’s Word gives us the true account of the origin of clothing going back about 6,000 years.
The first clothes humans (Adam and Eve) wore were made from fig leaves.
“[The woman] took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings” (Genesis 3:6–7).
But God gave Adam and Eve different clothes.
“Then Yahweh God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).
Clothing was invented not because we were cold, as evolutionists suggest, but because of sin and shame. Mankind was originally created naked and unashamed, but after their sin, they tried to cover over that sin and shame with fig leaves.
But God himself made them clothes when he killed an animal—the first animal death in God’s “very good” creation. These clothes and the sacrifice and spilled blood of that animal (or animals) covered over their sin and shame.
God taught Adam and Eve that they couldn’t cover their sin. Only God could do that.
When God made clothes from coats of skins, he was setting up the sacrificial system. He killed animals and clothed Adam and Eve. The first blood sacrifice as a covering for their sin, a picture of what was to come in Jesus Christ, the lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world.
A sinner can’t pay the penalty for sin. So God stepped into human history in the person of his Son, to be born of a virgin, the sinless perfect Son of God. He became a man as God, the God-man. He lived a sinless life and died on a cross. But He rose from the dead. That means he has ultimate power, the power over death. He suffered the penalty for our sin and paid our debt on that cross. He offers a free gift of salvation to those who will repent of the sin and receive this free gift.
19
42
235
5,019
We often hear news media discussing the top reasons for death. They list cancer, heart attacks, etc., as some of the top reasons people die.
But they miss the fact, the most important fact, that the top reason (the only reason) for death is sin! People don’t want to admit they’re sinners as that means to need to be reconciled to God.
Suffering is a result of living in this groaning creation affected by sin and the curse. We know suffering arose because of human sin—we have all sinned in Adam. Suffering is not God’s fault; it’s mankind’s fault!
It’s a sad reminder of how bad sin is and what it’s done to the world. And we can grieve as we see the results of our sin. We can also be reminded that because we are responsible for the groaning creation, we have a responsibility to do whatever we can to help others who suffer.
We can sometimes see specific ways God uses someone’s suffering. How they cope with pain can be a witness to others who then listen to the gospel and receive the free gift of salvation.
Sometimes, God uses someone’s suffering in their own life to bring them to Christ.
People sometimes look back over their lives and realize that, though they did not understand while they were suffering, they can now see the mighty hand of God working in marvelous ways through their suffering. Many times, we just don’t understand why someone suffers, but there’s no doubt that God has purposes that are beyond our understanding on this earth.
As hard as it is and it’s awfully hard sometimes, we all need to step back and let God be God. But we have to understand the consequences of our sin. God as a righteous God had to judge sin. But in doing so, he himself paid the penalty for our sin even though we deserved nothing. Wow.
Our life on this earth is so short compared to eternity. Really, you can’t compare it to eternity. Yet it’s true that we struggle through this life, and our hearts go out to those who struggle more than others.
We know that those who have trusted Christ have a beautiful future to look forward to when one day “[God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
What a day that will be!
But they miss the fact, the most important fact, that the top reason (the only reason) for death is sin! People don’t want to admit they’re sinners as that means to need to be reconciled to God.
Suffering is a result of living in this groaning creation affected by sin and the curse. We know suffering arose because of human sin—we have all sinned in Adam. Suffering is not God’s fault; it’s mankind’s fault!
It’s a sad reminder of how bad sin is and what it’s done to the world. And we can grieve as we see the results of our sin. We can also be reminded that because we are responsible for the groaning creation, we have a responsibility to do whatever we can to help others who suffer.
We can sometimes see specific ways God uses someone’s suffering. How they cope with pain can be a witness to others who then listen to the gospel and receive the free gift of salvation.
Sometimes, God uses someone’s suffering in their own life to bring them to Christ.
People sometimes look back over their lives and realize that, though they did not understand while they were suffering, they can now see the mighty hand of God working in marvelous ways through their suffering. Many times, we just don’t understand why someone suffers, but there’s no doubt that God has purposes that are beyond our understanding on this earth.
As hard as it is and it’s awfully hard sometimes, we all need to step back and let God be God. But we have to understand the consequences of our sin. God as a righteous God had to judge sin. But in doing so, he himself paid the penalty for our sin even though we deserved nothing. Wow.
Our life on this earth is so short compared to eternity. Really, you can’t compare it to eternity. Yet it’s true that we struggle through this life, and our hearts go out to those who struggle more than others.
We know that those who have trusted Christ have a beautiful future to look forward to when one day “[God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
What a day that will be!
16
44
271
5,605
The Bible is the ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice and everything it touches upon.
74
110
983
13,801
Some people hurt more than others physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in this fallen world. Does that necessarily mean their suffering is a direct result of a specific sin?
Of course not!
In Luke 13, Jesus spoke about 18 people who were killed when a tower fell on them. “Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse offenders than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4–5).
Those 18 weren’t killed because they were worse sinners; it was their time to die. Jesus uses this to remind us that we are all under the judgment of death because of sin, and so all will face death.
This is a stark reminder to make sure we have done what Jesus said: “Repent.”
In other words, that was their time to die, so make sure you have received the free gift of salvation so you know with certainty that when you die, you will go to be present with the Lord for eternity.
“But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
I’ll share some final thoughts on this tomorrow.
Of course not!
In Luke 13, Jesus spoke about 18 people who were killed when a tower fell on them. “Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse offenders than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4–5).
Those 18 weren’t killed because they were worse sinners; it was their time to die. Jesus uses this to remind us that we are all under the judgment of death because of sin, and so all will face death.
This is a stark reminder to make sure we have done what Jesus said: “Repent.”
In other words, that was their time to die, so make sure you have received the free gift of salvation so you know with certainty that when you die, you will go to be present with the Lord for eternity.
“But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
I’ll share some final thoughts on this tomorrow.
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40
178
4,449
From defunding the police to promising all Americans $5,000 to eliminating prisons to drastically reducing criminal penalties, it seems there’s always a new movement promising to solve society’s problems. Today, I explain the one issue these ideas share according to the Bible.
1
17
74
2,870
It’s heartbreaking to see children suffer, and our minds can wander to the inevitable question, “Why is someone so innocent suffering so badly?”
Only God’s Word can give us answers about suffering—and offer comfort.
When we allow God’s Word to inform our thoughts, however, we see a different picture. All children—in fact, all people—suffer to one degree or another while living on this earth because humanity is under the curse of sin (Romans 5:12). And no one is innocent, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Because we in Adam committed high treason against the God of creation (when Adam took the fruit and disobeyed God’s command), we deserve nothing. We don’t even deserve to exist. But God, in his mercy, provided a way for us to be redeemed, to be brought back to a right relationship with God.
That’s why God’s Word emphasizes that all humans face the judgment of death. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
It’s also important to understand that the whole creation suffers because of our sin in Adam. “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Romans 8:22).
By placing upon us the judgment of death, God then provided the way for his Son to become a man (the God-man) and pay the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross. He rose from the dead, conquering death, and provides a free gift of salvation for those who will receive it.
I’ll share more on this tomorrow.
Only God’s Word can give us answers about suffering—and offer comfort.
When we allow God’s Word to inform our thoughts, however, we see a different picture. All children—in fact, all people—suffer to one degree or another while living on this earth because humanity is under the curse of sin (Romans 5:12). And no one is innocent, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Because we in Adam committed high treason against the God of creation (when Adam took the fruit and disobeyed God’s command), we deserve nothing. We don’t even deserve to exist. But God, in his mercy, provided a way for us to be redeemed, to be brought back to a right relationship with God.
That’s why God’s Word emphasizes that all humans face the judgment of death. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
It’s also important to understand that the whole creation suffers because of our sin in Adam. “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Romans 8:22).
By placing upon us the judgment of death, God then provided the way for his Son to become a man (the God-man) and pay the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross. He rose from the dead, conquering death, and provides a free gift of salvation for those who will receive it.
I’ll share more on this tomorrow.
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The issues of morality and salvation are dependent upon the history in the Bible being true.
23
18
191
3,828
The Bible uses strong language to describe any form of compromise with worldly thinking. And it doesn’t just apply to the ancient Israelites.
Hosea 4:12 says, “My people ask their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand declares to them; for a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, and they have played the harlot, departing from their God.”
Hosea used strong language against his fellow Israelites, calling them harlots because they had violated their vows to remain faithful to the one true God by adopting the false gods of the pagan nations into their own system of worship. In essence, they compromised God’s Word.
Is it possible that Christians today, and particularly Christian leaders—in their zeal to make Christianity more enticing—are actually “playing the harlot” too? Here is what I mean.
“And there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
You see, ever since Adam sinned, man’s sin-cursed nature hasn’t changed. Certainly, those who are born again, as the Bible defines this, know that their sins are forgiven and that they will spend eternity with the Lord. Nonetheless, such Christians still have to deal with their sin nature daily while in these sin-cursed bodies.
Even the great Apostle Paul had this battle: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (Romans 7:18–19).
The same situation as in ancient Israel, albeit portrayed in a different way and using different terminology, is happening today. I suggest much of the church today is really no different when we consider this sin of harlotry.
Sadly, many Christians, including many Christian leaders (pastors, seminary and Bible college professors, Christian college professors, and so on), have adopted evolutionary geology, biology, astronomy, and anthropology, along with belief in millions of years, and they have mixed such beliefs with God’s Word. Because such beliefs are founded on an antibiblical, anti-God worldview, I do humbly submit that such is harlotry no different than that of the Israelites.
So I challenge those who do compromise God’s Word in Genesis by adding man’s ideas to contemplate these things. And I end with this challenge that God gave to the Israelites: “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Return to Me,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘that I may return to you,’ says Yahweh of hosts” (Zechariah 1:3).
Hosea 4:12 says, “My people ask their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand declares to them; for a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, and they have played the harlot, departing from their God.”
Hosea used strong language against his fellow Israelites, calling them harlots because they had violated their vows to remain faithful to the one true God by adopting the false gods of the pagan nations into their own system of worship. In essence, they compromised God’s Word.
Is it possible that Christians today, and particularly Christian leaders—in their zeal to make Christianity more enticing—are actually “playing the harlot” too? Here is what I mean.
“And there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
You see, ever since Adam sinned, man’s sin-cursed nature hasn’t changed. Certainly, those who are born again, as the Bible defines this, know that their sins are forgiven and that they will spend eternity with the Lord. Nonetheless, such Christians still have to deal with their sin nature daily while in these sin-cursed bodies.
Even the great Apostle Paul had this battle: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (Romans 7:18–19).
The same situation as in ancient Israel, albeit portrayed in a different way and using different terminology, is happening today. I suggest much of the church today is really no different when we consider this sin of harlotry.
Sadly, many Christians, including many Christian leaders (pastors, seminary and Bible college professors, Christian college professors, and so on), have adopted evolutionary geology, biology, astronomy, and anthropology, along with belief in millions of years, and they have mixed such beliefs with God’s Word. Because such beliefs are founded on an antibiblical, anti-God worldview, I do humbly submit that such is harlotry no different than that of the Israelites.
So I challenge those who do compromise God’s Word in Genesis by adding man’s ideas to contemplate these things. And I end with this challenge that God gave to the Israelites: “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Return to Me,’ declares Yahweh of hosts, ‘that I may return to you,’ says Yahweh of hosts” (Zechariah 1:3).
29
42
235
5,472
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
23
60
553
6,606
It’s amazing how many Christians, including pastors and Christian college professors, think Genesis 1 and 2 are contradictory accounts of creation.
No, they are complementary accounts with Genesis 1 as a summary in chronological order and Genesis 2 focusing in on the details of how God created the first man and woman. This then sets the stage for the fall of man in Genesis 3.
And this is confirmed in Matthew 19 where Jesus was asked about marriage.
“And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4–5).
Jesus is referring back to the history in Genesis as the foundation for marriage (in fact, every single biblical doctrine of theology is ultimately founded in Genesis 1–11). Jesus is referring to the text of Genesis 1:27 where he made male and female and the text of Genesis 2:24, the creation of marriage, referring to one flesh as the woman was made from the man.
In other words, Jesus is referring to the same one man and one woman as recorded in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24. Jesus obviously quoted the text in Genesis 1 and 2 as complementary accounts—not different accounts.
Isn’t it amazing how so many Christians and Christian leaders will question just about every aspect of Genesis 1–11 but don’t do this with most of the rest of Scripture!
The devil knows that Genesis 1–11 is the foundation for everything, so he will do whatever he can to get the church to reject or question the history in Genesis 1–11. This has been one of the greatest attacks on God’s Word in our time, and sadly, many Christians have succumbed to this attack.
No, they are complementary accounts with Genesis 1 as a summary in chronological order and Genesis 2 focusing in on the details of how God created the first man and woman. This then sets the stage for the fall of man in Genesis 3.
And this is confirmed in Matthew 19 where Jesus was asked about marriage.
“And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4–5).
Jesus is referring back to the history in Genesis as the foundation for marriage (in fact, every single biblical doctrine of theology is ultimately founded in Genesis 1–11). Jesus is referring to the text of Genesis 1:27 where he made male and female and the text of Genesis 2:24, the creation of marriage, referring to one flesh as the woman was made from the man.
In other words, Jesus is referring to the same one man and one woman as recorded in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24. Jesus obviously quoted the text in Genesis 1 and 2 as complementary accounts—not different accounts.
Isn’t it amazing how so many Christians and Christian leaders will question just about every aspect of Genesis 1–11 but don’t do this with most of the rest of Scripture!
The devil knows that Genesis 1–11 is the foundation for everything, so he will do whatever he can to get the church to reject or question the history in Genesis 1–11. This has been one of the greatest attacks on God’s Word in our time, and sadly, many Christians have succumbed to this attack.
48
101
620
11,800