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IMPORTANT THEOLOGICAL ISSUES |
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This section of our site covers important topics that are crucial in the life of the church and its community today. As current events change or we receive additional requests, we will add more topics for consideration.
Evolution IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR POSITION ON ANOTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE NOT YET LISTED BELOW, PLEASE EMAIL US WITH YOUR REQUEST AT biblecommentator@aol.com. |
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Is Evolution fact or fiction? And what bearing does it have on the Bible anyhow? The answer to both these questions is of crucial importance to Christians. It is first important to clearly define my use of the terms species, speciation, macroevolution and microevolution so we are clear on all points of this discussion. Here are my definitions below: species - a separate, distinct group of living organisms that can interbreed within their group and produce offspring also capable of producing offspring, but are unable to produce the same results with any other group of living organisms. speciation - the division of one species into two or more other species. macroevolution - the theory that all life forms and all species have evolved from one living organism through the process of speciation. microevolution - the theory that living organisms evolve and change within their designated species. Having clarified my use of the terms in this discourse, I can now proceed to answer the questions above. Microevolution is most certainly a fact as can be seen by the variety in birds, cats, dogs, or other species. Yet, when we examine Macroevolution, this scientific theory (in science the term "theory" is for something that is considered a fact) must be called into serious question. It is almost foolishness to proclaim that macroevolution is an established fact rather than a mere hypothesis. In one of my science classes in college many years ago, I remember reading the phrase "speciation is rarely witnessed," and was surprised at how misleading our science textbooks are. The reality of the situation is that real speciation is never witnessed and never has been. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, claiming that they have accomplished this as the microscopic level, etc., for even if this were the case, it most certainly is not real speciation. Science cannot and has never been able to create a real new species from any insect or animal that can really mate and produce fertile offspring. And the longer we watch the large amount of species on the earth while awaiting the first real witness of speciation, the more their claim of innumerable random mutations over varying periods of thousands of years that resulted in all the different species seems to fall short of probability. If you really look at their claims, it almost gets rather ridiculous, and seems quite obvious they are begging for our belief in the poverty of their claims. As Christianity falls or stands on the real bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, so does evolution fall or stand on the speciation of biological life. Another important fact for Christians to consider is that even if science were able to someday somehow prove that speciation did and does take place, this in itself would never provide the evidence that man evolved from a lower life species. It is of course possible that God may have created a certain number of what I would term archetypes from which other species evolved, but with each species falling under one or another of the original archetypes. Man would be an archetype of himself, having never evolved from a lower life form. When one takes this into consideration and realizes that this would not be inconsistent with the biblical account, then their task of proving man evolved from a lower life form becomes even more difficult. Proving that animals evolve and speciation takes places does not in itself demand that man evolved from a lower life form--it would only prove that animals evolve and speciation takes place, nothing more, nothing less. When one examines the fossil record, it is quite obvious that to this day they have nothing whatsoever to substantiate the claim of man's evolution from lower life forms other than a poor pasting together of animal bones with those of humans in order to fabricate their delusional missing links. Though it is most certainly possible that God could have created man through an evolutionary process, this is not what the Bible claims. The biblical account of creation in Genesis is not a figurative description, but rather a literal explanation of how mankind was created. To accept the claim that man evolved from a lower life form would not only contradict the claim of our creation in Genesis, but also call into question the truth of the entire theological framework of Christianity. For if we evolved from lower life forms, then a lot of uncertainty would arise in the very concept of sin and accountability, as well as in the understanding of the souls of men and animals. What would be the difference between men and animals in sin and the future of their souls? When does accountability begin? Do the animals have eternal souls as well since we came from them? Are they held accountable when they murder another animal? A human? Are we guilty of murder if we kill an animal? If one thinks this out, it is quite obvious that insurmountable problems exist that simply cannot be reconciled with the theological concepts of Christianity. Any logical examination of the facts makes it quite clear that God created men as distinct from the animals. This can be easily supported by 1) the literal account in Genesis that claims this is so; 2) that God never even implies that the souls of men and animals are equal, but instead often implies quite the opposite; and 3) there is absolutely no real evidence to date that substantiates the scientific claim the men evolved from lower life forms.
Until I have time to work on this section further, I would like to clearly state the biblical position for any readers. The Bible is very clear on this issue and the only way anybody can read something different into the text is 1) they are taught it by somebody else, or 2) they refuse to accept what it says because they want to do what they want to do. Women should not be pastors or teach theology in any manner where they are in a position of authority over men. The older women are instructed to teach the younger women to be good wives and husbands. This clear biblical teaching is not based on cultural conditions, but is an eternal truth for all time and all conditions on this present earth. Paul makes this very clear when he bases his command on two permanent truths regarding the male and female relationship. These are 1) the creation of the man before the woman, and 2) the deception of the woman at the fall. It is amazing to me how many churches will twist the scriptures around just to appease the demands of others. For example, the claim that a woman can be a pastor as long as she is under the authority of the senior pastor who is a man is utter nonsense. Also, the claim by woman pastors that they just want to serve God is simply a farce, for if they really want to serve God they would do what he says and focus on the much more difficult task of being a good wife and mother which often produces little visible reward or praise in the here and now. They may really want to serve God, but they want to serve God their way, not His. Also, the measurement of results of a ministry is not the basis of truth and following God, for even Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons have produced good fruits in the lives of others, and their literature has even been the means by which some people are really led to Christ to become genuine Christians. One of the things I noticed about the larger denominations that begin to allow women pastors is that the next step that usually follows is that they eventually begin to move to the left and it isn't too long before they begin to struggle with the debate over allowing homosexual pastors. My suggestion to anyone reading this who questions my interpretation is this: read the significant passages in their pure simplicity without listening to what anyone tells you it says and pray for God to give you insight. Then ask yourself, what does it appear God is really saying here? You will come to the correct conclusion if you are seeking the truth in sincerity without any bias or ulterior motives. As for those desiring to be female pastors, I suggest you abandon this quest since it is not from the Lord. God simply would not command one thing in the Bible and then tell you to do something that contradicts His teaching. Instead, you should long first to be a good wife and mother, and then, when your family life is stable and you feel you have extra time, you can always lead a bible study of women that focuses on teaching them to be good wives and mothers by following biblical teaching. Homosexuality With the current focus on homosexuality and its impact on society, culture and religion, it is crucial that we as Christians examine this issue in some depth. What does the Bible say about it? Is it sin? Or is it just a misunderstood factor in human sexuality that requires a change in how we look at it now that we understand it better? Does one develop into a homosexual based on external events or is one born a homosexual? Should Christians be tolerant of homosexual marriage and homosexual clergy? I hope to answer all these questions with the grace of God. Is homosexuality sin? As Christians, the first and most crucial question we must ask is whether or not homosexuality is sin. Before we answer this, it must be clearly understood that whether or not someone was born with homosexual tendencies or not is irrelevant in answering this question. The question being asked does not have anything whatsoever to do with the disposition of the homosexual, but rather on the act of homosexuality itself. The disposition of the homosexual is another matter which I will discuss in the next section. Is the homosexual act sin? That is the question. Of course, the only place from which we as Christians can get this answer is the Bible. The Bible makes it quite clear that homosexuality is sin. God says that a man having sex with another man in any form is a sin, mentioning it in the same context with incest, adultery, human sacrifice, and bestiality (Lev. 18). God even goes further and calls homosexuality an "abomination" (Lev. 18:22; 20:13). There is no soft context here in the passage, no distinction between love and lust. For God, all homosexuality is sin. Homosexuality was a sin punishable by death in Old Testament times (Lev. 20:13). "But I was born this way" When a homosexual is faced with the concept of homosexuality as sin, they often dismiss this with the claim that they were born with homosexual tendencies. How could a just God condemn them when it was in their genes? Though on the surface this argument may seem valid, it really is insignificant when examined in the light of biblical truth. The debate as to whether or not a homosexual is born that way or not can rage on, but that argument is missing the point we have already discussed. There is no doubt that homosexual acts are sin. Let us examine the claim for justification based on the supposition of being born with homosexual tendencies. If we accept this premise, then where do we stop? Are pedophiles born that way? If one is to claim that one can be born with sexual attraction to the same sex but not to children, then they are not being honest with their conclusions. And if one can be born with child molestation tendencies in their genes, then what is the difference between the claim of the homosexual and the possible claim of the pedophile? Pedophiles can use all the same arguments as the homosexual to prove they were born that way. Of course, homosexuality is less offensive and may not harm innocent children, but that is not the point of this argument. I am not arguing which may be more morally acceptable. I am just trying to point out that homosexuality cannot justify itself on the claim that they were born that way even if admitted that this is true. In one sense, all Christians must agree with the homosexual claim of being born that way, though there may be disagreement on exactly what that means. There can be no doubt that the homosexual is born with a sinful nature like other men, which is the real source of homosexuality. All men and women are born with a sinful nature and are compelled toward sin in some manner or form, so whether or not one can be born with homosexual tendencies is somewhat irrelevant in their argument of sin and fairness. Is being born with a sinful nature a justification for the sins of mankind? Can the adulterous man argue that he was born with a natural desire to bed many women to dismiss the fact that this is sin? For there is no doubt that many men are driven by a natural impulse in their fallen sinful state to mate with beautiful women. The sinful state of a heterosexual male is not to be content with one woman as a lifetime mate; that is the result of social, cultural and religious conviction and conditioning rather than the sinful impulse with which they were born. The fact that someone is born with sinful inclinations does not provide justification for those sins, whether it be homosexuality, adultery, alcoholism, or any other practice condemned by God as sin. Homosexual Marriage As we get closer and closer to the end of the world, we will see more and more of a push for acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle, including the insistence that the established norms of marriage in society be redefined to accommodate homosexuals as we supposedly come more into a better understanding of homosexuality as a normal alternative to the heterosexual lifestyle. This is already happening in some countries and is on its way to acceptance here in the United States as well as other countries throughout the world. This is to be expected, for the Bible speaks of the end times being as the days of Sodom and Gomorrah and as in the days of Noah. The real issue of importance here is how we, as Christians, need to respond. Let me strongly emphasize that this issue for genuine Christians is not about what one considers as fair, tolerant, etc., but instead whether or not all this is acceptable to God. We already know that God finds homosexuality an abomination of the established order. Jesus further clarifies this for us while speaking about the practice of men divorcing their wife, when he says:
This is the very foundation of marriage as conveyed in the very beginning of the creation, for we find in Genesis, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). The very foundation of this ideal is that the first woman came from the first man as part of his flesh and so marriage is a man and a woman again reuniting as one flesh. It is a harmonious balance designed by God who first made woman from man and then designated man and woman to be one even as Adam and Eve were one. There is no logical argument here for two males or two females. Two individuals of the same sex entering into a sexual union is an abomination of this ideal, and two individuals of the same sex choosing to enter into marriage vows is a horrible desecration of the holy matrimony designed by God, and it is a direct attack on the very foundations of the sanctity of marriage. In addition, even the natural form of man and woman clearly conveys that we cannot accept homosexuality as a normal alternative to heterosexual relationships. Nature itself bears witness that it is a deviation rather than an acceptable alternative. Marriage is clearly for a man and a woman and will receive a blessing from God only under the ideal He designed. Those of the same sex who choose to marry and mock God with their total disregard and desecration of his sacred institution will find a curse and misery rather than a blessing, and they will be in danger of hellfire unless they repent of their wickedness. Any Christian who can give their approval to homosexuality does not really know God. They may have deceived themselves into believing that they do, but they cannot know the Almighty Living God and approve the practice of such an abomination and deviation of God's most sacred union designated for a man and a woman. Homosexual Clergy Now, to move on further to probably the most serious offence at all. For a practicing homosexual to be active in the clergy, teaching approval of homosexuality, and spreading their wicked leaven into the minds of others as if homosexuality was a practice blessed by God, is to bring the wrath of God down upon their own heads. They are deceived and deceiving others, the blind leading the blind. I assure you, beyond any shadow of a doubt, if they do not repent, they will be cast into the outer darkness. The Lord will tell them, "I never knew you, depart from me you that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:23). There is absolutely no way that these men know the real living God. They are the tools of Satan, used to desecrate the community of God with their unholy and abominable teaching. Christians who find themselves in a church with clergy who claim that homosexuality should be accepted in the church need to flee as quickly as possible from that congregation of the Devil and find a balanced church that maintains adherence to a true biblical perspective and a genuine desire to serve and obey God. Do not give them your attendance, service or money, but plug up your ears from their heretical teaching, reject them and rebuke them, then pray for them in the hope that they will repent from their sin and find God before its too late. We are to seek to be united as Christians, but on an issue like this, we need to divide, clearly and without hesitation. Those who teach and/or practice the approval of homosexuality as something blessed by God are not in a real relationship with the living God and so are not our brothers and sisters. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. And what fellowship does light have with darkness, or holiness with sin? Christians need to take a stand for God and cast out all that defiles the sanctuary of God. If anyone doubts this advise, I suggest you get down on your knees and earnestly pray, asking God to give you direction. Don't just listen to me, ask Him.
I once heard a voter-drive advertisement on a Christian radio station declare that failing to vote was a sin, drawing upon the words "Give unto Caesar what is Caesars" once uttered by Jesus as support of their claim. Not only is this an awful interpretation of that passage, but an erroneous declaration of legalism that attempts to elevate the faulty opinions of mere men to the status of divine command. Let me clarify very clearly that failing to vote is not a sin. On the other hand, it should be the duty of every Christian to vote in order to be instrumental in maintaining and changing the laws of the land to conform as much as possible to the ideals and morals of our God. Having said this, it is the responsibility of every Christian to vote for the candidates and laws that will be in compliance with the laws and commands of God, and not for those candidates or laws which will selfishly benefit themselves. Any Christian who can vote for a candidate or law supporting abortion, gay marriage, or other obvious sins against God is not walking closely with God but instead is working directly against God in furthering the work of Satan upon the earth. Think twice before you vote and consider what you are about to do. Are you voting because you feel the candidate or law will somehow benefit you, your family, or your ethnic group, finding that more important than the evil objective of that candidate or law to destroy God's laws and commands? Those of you who vote this way, with no regard for God's laws and commands, are partakers in the sins they help facilitate, such as abortion and homosexuality, for you are the ones who helped them do it. Don't pray "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" and then turn around and vote against God. There may be times when a Christian should not vote for any candidate. If all the candidates running for the presidency were pro-choice or proponents of gay marriage, I personally would not vote for either, maintaining a clear conscious before God. It does not matter what good they may do in other areas, I will have no part in their sins. I would still go to the polls and vote for other candidates and propositions, but leave my choice for the presidency blank. When it comes to voting, I believe God wants us to vote, but seek God's will in prayer before you vote and long for his will to be done in the earth when you consider your choices. |
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