Was Creation Done in Six Days?

 There are huge debates that flare up in Christendom about Creation.  IF you believe that the Bible is the Word of God, it is very clear in what it says:  God created and populated our planet with life, ending with the crown of creation, Adam and Eve, in six literal days.  The very first words of the Bible, Genesis 1:1 says:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 

Then He says, at the end of the First day,

So the evening and the morning were the first day.

It uses the word ‘day,’ or 24-hours literally.  Then He repeats this exact phrase after each day of Creation: ….evening …morning …second day, and so on.  This repetition of 24-hour parameters supports the literal meaning of the word ‘day’ being 24-hour periods. In Exodus 20:11, at the time the Ten Commandments were given, it says this:  

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. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

It plainly says “six days.” It’s also true that the Sabbath day is, of course, one 24-hour period, in a week of 24-hour periods. Exodus 31:17 says the same thing, except it says that “on the 7^th day He (God) rested.”  Does it make sense to stretch the word ‘day’ to millions of years there?  Does it take millions of years for God to get up enough strength to continue on? There’s a rule in Bible hermeneutics that says, use the literal meaning if at all possible. So many theologians have violated that rule.  But  given God’s omnipotence, it’s certainly possible He created all this in 6 days.  He could have created the earth to look old. Or, the Flood (since it reached mountaintops in depth) unleashed in rapid fashion a gigantic compression of weight, and a layer-upon-layer of mud in a disaster that could explain what has been found—but we never hear about that.  In fact, science hasn’t seriously considered that idea; the experts evidently ignore those “wacko Christian scientists”--because their explanations are Biblical, not scientific, in origin. (Look up Institute for Creation Research, at ICR.org, or visit the narratives on the walls around Noah’s Ark in Kentucky for some real facts.  It's scientific, too). But given the “findings” of science, and their theories on evolution, we’re supposed to expand the word “day” in Genesis 1 to mean millions of years to allow their “science” of evolution to be assimilated into Scripture. Too many theologians and pastors bow to the world's science when the Bible has legitimate theories of explanation. Even  modern  commentaries of Scripture often cave, and say ‘Yes, the word “day” in Genesis 1 likely means millions of years.’ So here we have a translation of a simple Bible word, “day,” redefined simply because science says so.  Our pastors and theologians are intimidated.  Some pastors are even mind-lamed enough to accept evolution.

Dr. John MacArthur has some wise words on this.  As before, I will Cliff Notes them, changing several phrases so as to offer explanation--but I have changed nothing of his ideas.  Read with enjoyment: 

No one gets past the first verse of the Bible without facing the test of submission to Scripture.  Is the ‘day’ actually a day?  It isn’t unclear--it is crystal clear that it is a day.  But that’s hard to swallow.  So you never get past the first verse of Genesis without declaring whether you submit to Scripture being God’s Word.  You either accept it or reject it--but you don’t have the right to alter it by changing the meaning of "day" beyond what is clearly before you.  There are times when the literal meaning is not the meaning—such as hyperboles, anthropomorphisms, prophecies, poetry, idioms—but God wouldn’t start the Bible out in fuzzy words, and none of the examples I just gave are implied in Genesis.  So you must fall back on a literal day.

Flat out, there is no evolution in Genesis 1, 2, or 3—or anywhere else in the Bible. Our God is a God of truth, and of unbelievable power and knowledge.  In all the debates on inerrancy of original Scripture being passed down accurately or with multiple errors, the archeology over the centuries hasn’t dented one thing that has any real importance being in error—and no scholar has suggested that translations of Genesis 1-3 have been altered any over the millennia.  So, we’re faced with those words being the words God wanted to tell us. Do we believe that God created ex nihilo, out of nothing?  He did.  But evolution says something came out of nothing without God.  That requires more faith than belief in God.  Those that would argue that ‘God used evolution’ have no Scripture to stand on—only ‘science,’ so called.  Which would you choose?  The current word of science?  Or the Word from God?

Keep one important thing in mind as you consider:  “Creation science” is an oxymoron (i.e., words that have opposite meanings in a phase, and can’t go together).  Science is a study of natural law; but Creation is supernatural.  No scientific method has the tools to study Creation. Scientists are supposed to rely on observable repetition. But the only one who knows how Creation happened is the One Who was there—God.  So a critical proof of science—‘observation’—has nothing to say. So when people say, ‘Don’t we have to apply science to the Genesis account?’  The fact is, you can’t apply science to a miracle.  So, you Christians out there, you don’t have to apply scientific methodology to explain Creation.  You can’t.  Because all science is based on observation, and verification by repetition.  But Creation has no observers, can’t be verified and isn’t repeated.  It cannot be described by any predictable facts that science are used to.

So you can believe God, Who always tells the truth, or you can believe Charles Darwin.  He’s pretty convincing, apparently, because 99% of the universities are Darwinian in their "science" department.  Of the National Science Academy members who were self-described atheists, 100% of them believed in evolution.  It is our belief that they backed into atheism from how they interpreted biology to suit their own needs.

You should know that moving from Biblical Creation to Darwin is apostasy—a defection from God's Word, His truth, and the Christian faith. This means a bad eternal ending for its believers. Take a look at other people who move away from the Bible to teach other ‘acceptable’ doctrines--like Karl Marx (founder of socialism and communism), and John Dewey (founder of secular humanism).  Though Darwin was later than these other two men who did everything they could to shred Christianity, his theories were, like theirs, a way to explain the universe without God.  Apostate scientists looking for pseudo reasons to reject Christianity and God finally found an acceptable theory in Darwin. It’s what they want. (An unscientific predisposition). If God can be separated from origins, then we could be separated from God; and if we could be separated from God, then we don’t have to worry about sin, and guilt, and judgement—and we’re free to do whatever we want.  So evolution is not a logical door that you enter and accept it; no, you back into it amorally (or immorally) because you want to get rid of God, and do whatever sin you want.

That is the baggage you’re accepting with Darwin.  Here’s some more baggage:  He believed in eugenics and even genocide (Editor’s note: see my blog on Margaret Sanger). Historians say he was a sadist and took great enjoyment in torturing and killing animals as a child.  He loved to kill birds by pounding on their heads with a hammer. Grown up, he carried on one voyage several guns, and hoped that he might be able to ‘kill cannibals’ (his quote).  Reliable historians wrote that he, as an adult, suffered from depression, agoraphobia (fear of crowds), insomnia, vision alterations, hallucinations, malaise, vertigo, shaking tachycardia, fainting spells, shortness of breath, trembling, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle twitches, spasms, tremors, cramps, bloatings, headaches, nervous exhaustion, skin blisters, tinnitus, sensations of loss of consciousness, and fear of impending death!  So said his doctors. I suspect much of this might have been brought on by more than a little guilt.  For assaulting God!  Now if you want to pick Darwin for your hermeneutical genius to interpret Genesis, you just need to know that. And yet, his book has redefined the worldview. But those who believe in it are using faith—because no one has an explanation for the Very Beginning.
 But as I proved before, you can apply it here too:  Creation had no observable beginning; so choosing it is totally by faith. Why not believe the revelation of the Creator? He is the only one who was there. All that’s left for you is, are you going to believe Scripture, or are you not?  But don’t come and layer Charles Darwin in God’s Holy Word. “Well,” somebody says, “couldn’t God have used evolution?” That’s an irrelevant question; that’s an irritating question.  He didn’t, because He told you what He did. He said He made everything in six days.  If you really believe in the attributes of God, are you going to argue with Him?  

Turn to Job 38; Job and his friends are searching for an explanation of why God has made him sick and poor when he has served God all his life.  Here is part of God’s response to him:

 “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
³ Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.⁵ Who determined its measurements? Surely you know!

God goes on like this for 4 chapters. This is His sovereignty under attack. We of finite minds cannot question the infinite mind of God --his mind is not our mind.  We can't begin to understand some things. This is a beatdown; poor Job— this is the count of 10, it is over.  Finally Job says (Job 42),

I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. But now my eye sees You.⁶ Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”

This is what the evolutionists in this country need to do. Who do we think we are, rejecting God’s Word of what He has created?

Yes, God is sarcastic and seemingly unfeeling in Job.  But there are at least three truths we learn.  (1) God is omnipotent and His motivation is past understanding; (2) He does bless Job abundantly later in his life; and (3) Job, because of sin, is not beyond suffering in the world, as we all do.  This is supposed to motivate us to seek heaven beyond this troubled life. My point here is, questioning God is a serious situation to be in—because it shows a lack of faith in Him.  Consider Hebrews 11:3: 

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 

Evolution proposes that what you see was made from something else that you see.  But God’s Word says that what you see was made out of nothing.  But of course, they cannot make something from nothing.  

Some people say, “We have to accommodate science, go easy on it so we don't appear strange;” so they came up with Intelligent Design (ID) as a “safe” middle ground of moderation. Truth is, this is done so the “Christian” scientists who encourage this “cop out” don't have to name God to their peers. They avoid embarrassment. Truth is, they don’t have the faith that God will honor them someday for standing up for Him. And without faith, we cannot please Him, as Hebrews 11:6 says. Their refusal to name God as Creator is essentially a rejection of God. They are naming an impersonal force of intelligent design--but that’s not God; He is not impersonal.  They are denying His attributes.  For the Intelligent Design people, here is a word:  "lukewarm." Consider the moderation exercised by the “lukewarm” “believers” in Revelation 3:15-16:

 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 

What is the effect of Jesus vomiting them out of His Body?  Being out of His Body means your place for eternity is the only other location—Hell. Same place as the evolutionists, who are really trying to escape God, unless they repent. They want to avoid accountability, morality, and God’s judgment. Effectively, the ID people have the same witness as the evolutionists.  Please go all the way with Christ in standing up for Him.

Here's another weak testimony.  A president of an  international Christian denomination was sent a question on his organization beliefs on Creation.  His response:

 The organization takes no stand on creation, avoiding such secondary issues; our efforts are designed to bring people together, based on the historically essential doctrines of orthodoxy. Creation falls into the category of non-essentials like spiritual gifts, eternal security, and the rapture.

Amazing response…secondary issue?  So it doesn’t matter how life started (or how it ends, for these guys). These are not ‘secondary;’ they are primary.  Clearly by the ‘list of avoidable topics for taking a stand,’ this leader hates controversy. The next time I give to charity, I'll keep this quote in mind.   Here’s a simple test if you want to know who to donate to:  You want to know about whether a ministry truly stands up for the Bible?  Just call the head of the ministry PR and ask:  “Do you believe in a 6-day Creation as revealed in Genesis?”  If they say, “no,” then they don’t believe Scripture there, and they may also have other areas they feel like backing away from (or will in the future).  

Think about your stand on Genesis 1 and 2.  Our answer to Genesis 1 and 2 also reveals our attitude toward Scripture everywhere else.  But those who pick and choose "acceptable" subjects to discuss or take a stand, this amounts to judging God on what we like and what we don’t like in His Word. It's also to avoid seeming strange.  If we allow the culture to win over Christians on Genesis, then the culture can win over the Bible anywhere else.

A few years ago there was a report done by the Christian Coalition who had polled 105 “Christian” colleges on the subject of Creation, among others. Only 5 (five!) believed in the literal Genesis account! In God’s plan of events, Creation is a primary issue in the Gospel.  I Corinthians 15:22 tie Gospel and Creation together, when it says for the first man created (not evolved):

 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 

Adam and Christ—the first and the last—the created and the Creator--are also explained in Paul’s Gospel teachings in Romans as well as other New Testament Scriptures.  These comparisons of Adam and Christ are important salvation opposites.  Consider belief in Christ a "restart" button, creating a new life--since you are born again (John 3), and a new creation (II Corinthians 5:17), you get to start over, repenting from the old ties to the world, and live a righteous life.

What is the purpose of Creation—for us?  It glorifies God for His creation power.  The comparison of Adam and Christ points to God’s redemptive purpose; God is gathering a bride for His Son. God determined Redemption before the world began.  Then He performed Creation.  While we’re on earth, we know we are accountable to God.  We have forgiveness for our sins.  We are the Church, to display His grace and mercy, His compassion and kindness.  A redeemed humanity will glorify God and Jesus Christ forever, and will always stand up for His Word. 

Created in Christ Jesus for Good Works

 

Most true Christians in Ethiopia can worship freely and openly, but those who leave Islam or the traditional Ethiopian church (Orthodox) to follow Christ face opposition.  Multiple large-scale attacks during the last few years have devastated Christian communities.  Many church buildings have been destroyed.  Here is an example:  From Voice of the Martyrs, November 2021. 

Negasi grew up in a traditional Orthodox church in Ethiopia (northeast corner of Africa; it borders Sudan, just south of Egypt), but he also attended a special school to learn how to cast demons, curses, and cause people to lose their minds.  He became so proficient at witchcraft that he was honored with a title reserved for the best students.  Later, after moving to the spiritual capital of Ethiopia, he opened a pharmacy to supplement his income.  One day a customer asked him if he would heal his sister, who was seriously mentally ill—she had become a penti—a derogatory term for a biblical Christian.  Negasi could only cast his spell if she were present, but when the customer finally arrived with her. he had forgotten.  Since he had already been given half the money, the customer filed charges against him, and after a trial, he was sent to almost 4 years in prison.

As a police officer escorted Negasi to jail, they passed a group of young boys playing games with some strange coins.  Out of curiosity, Negasi asked the boys if he could have one of the coins.  When they obliged, he put their gift in his pocket.  He didn’t know it, but it would one day become a treasured keepsake. 

Negasi began to think God was punishing him for practicing witchcraft; he feared the consequences of his sins more than he feared death.  Too miserable even to eat, he went 20 days without food. Then one day he cried out to God with a broken spirit.  “I know that I am a sinner, and I don’t deserve to be in Your home with You in heaven; but if there is any place that is outside Your home for me, please allow me to go there.”

Burdened by the weight of his sins, Negasi confessed to an Ethiopian Orthodox priest at the prison, believing that confession to a priest was required for forgiveness. But he still didn’t feel any comfort. Seeking some kind of penance for his misdeeds, Negasi devoted himself to the central church teachings.  He celebrated a different saint each day, just as the church does, and checked out an Ethiopian Orthodox Bible, in the ancient language of Ge-ez.  Every time he tried to study one of its 81 books, he fell asleep—even when he wasn’t tired.  He also borrowed another Bible, with 66 books, that he found in the prison library.  That was in the native Tigrinya language, and it captivated him, and he soon noticed passages that contradicted many things that he had believed. 

Then one night, Negsi had a dream in which he was told that the salvation he was seeking is found in the Gospels.  And after a deeper study of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (which he had never read or heard anything about), he concluded that salvation is found in faith in Christ alone.  Overcome with joy, Negasi began to share this revelation with everyone he could.  During times when he was allowed to leave his cell, he walked cell to cell telling other prisoners about Christ.  He would explain as much as he could before the inmates or guards grew angry and forced him to move on.  (Note:  Ethiopia is 50% Muslim, 40% mostly Orthodox/Coptic, and 10% Animism.  “I couldn’t understand why this message was not being taught,” he said.  Negasi had no idea the Tigrinya Bible was the same one used by penti, from biblical churches in Ethiopia.  And he didn’t realize the gospel that had suddenly changed his life was the principal message of biblical churches worldwide. “I thought I was sharing something that was completely new to the world.  I became passionate about telling this message, even to the point that I forgot about my years in prison.“

Each month, some prisoners gathered to worship depictions of the angel Gabriel.  But after coming to understand the gospel, Negasi refused to join them, explaining that only God is worthy of worship.  As a result, many of the inmates threatened him, calling him a penti and a heretic.  When guards had learned that Negasi had been sharing the gospel, they ordered him to stop.  And when he refused, they transferred him to a maximum-security cell and placed shackles on his legs. 

Shortly after he was released from maximum, he met a fellow prisoner, Ephrem, who had the same religious upbringing that he had before.  But now Negasi led him to the Lord.  But when authorities learned that a second prisoner had begun sharing the gospel, they decided to take action. He was back in solitary confinement.  They sent another prisoner, named Dinaw, to check on him and bring his daily rations.  Dinaw was serving a three-year sentence for assaulting a neighbor. 

Fellow prisoners had warned Dinaw about the gospel message being shared by Negasi and Ephrem.  But as Dinaw brought his daily meals to solitary, he became friends with Negasi and Ephrem.  Although Dinaw wanted to follow Jesus, he feared the repercussions.  “When persecution comes, I will not stand with you; we are all suffering in prison, but you are suffering even more.”  Negasi encouraged Dinaw with passages from Romans 8 and John 16, explaining that trials, tribulation, and persecution are part of following Jesus Christ.  And after gaining a better understanding of what it means to be His disciple, Dinaw placed his faith in Him. 

Some of Dinaw’s relatives who worked as local police officers soon reported his “heretical” faith to his father, who decided to gather his brothers and friends and go have a talk with him.  “Did you become a penti?” they asked Dinaw.  He replied, “I have given my life to Jesus.”  His father was so angry that he wrote a letter to the police chief, urging him to keep his son behind bars beyond his eligibility for release.  When guards told Dinaw about his father’s letter, his response surprised them. “I like prison; I can read my Bible every day here, so don’t worry about that.” 

Some local biblical pastors came to visit, and opened Negasi’s eyes that his beliefs were biblical Christian, and there were many more believers like him.  The pastors discipled the three, and before long, 15 prisoners came to faith in Christ. 

After release, the three men soon found out that following Christ is more difficult outside prison than behind bars.  When Negasi’s wife learned of his faithfulness to God, she divorced him and took their daughter with her.  And Dinaw, from a small village, had no one to share his faith with, and couldn’t fit in.  He returned to his home village, where he faced continual threats.  They found out that as biblical Christians have shared the gospel and planted churches in the north of Ethiopia, some members of the Ethiopian Orthodox church carried out violent attacks against them.  And in some cases, traditional Orthodox have sided with Muslims against the biblical Christians, considering them a common enemy. 

About 18 months after Dinaw returned home, the threats turned to violent persecution against his family.  One night when he was sleeping in a field near his house, to care for one of his cows, a group of villagers came to his home.  They tied the door shut from the outside with rope, trapping Dinaw’s wife and children inside as they slept.  Dinaw awoke to the smell of smoke and the sight of his house burning a few hundred yards away.  After running home, he untied the rope, and got his family out just in time.  They lived in a wood wall and a tarp, with no money, until Voice of the Martyrs heard of them and arrived, and rebuilt their home two years ago. 

Despite the challenges, all three men have remained firm in faith.  And Dinaw, who once resisted following Christ, now accepts persecution as integral to the Christian faith.  As he says, “I knew the Lord led me to sleep next to my cows, to be able to save my family. As I watched my house burned, the story of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego came to my mind.  They were asked like me, to worship another god, and I said no.  So they tried to convince me with fire.  But our real home is in heaven. They burned my earthly house, but my heart is not full of hatred, and I pray for them.” When asked why he has stayed in his village, under continual threat of death, Dinaw explained that he has no fear of death.  “My life belongs to God, and I believe He put me here where He is working.  If He allows me to be killed, I am ready to die.” When Negasi reflects on the past few years, he, too, sees how God has worked in his life.  Upon his release from prison, the guards returned all of his original belongings.  And in the pocket of his clothing, he found the coin that the boys had given him on his way to jail.  On one side of the coin was printed “John 3:16,” and the words “Those who have the Lord Jesus have eternal life.”  On the other side of the coin was the question, “Where is your eternal home?”   He says, “I thank God that He put me in prison for a purpose.”  Negasi is at a Bible college and hopes to become a full-time pastor.  He has paid back all the money he owed the man who filed charges against him, and they are now good friends.  Negasi hopes that he will become a believer soon. “You are my everlasting good person because you put me in prison; I will not forget you, because you helped me find eternal life.”

No Follow Through, No Goal

 

One debate that still matters among Christians:  Are we saved by faith alone, or are works necessary to be saved?  There is no one better than Dr R.C. Sproul to discuss this.  Here are his thoughts to a small group of seminary students. I’m giving you pretty much word for word on the subject.  He begins with the battle between Catholics and Martin Luther.  Then, in seeming defense of Catholics, he quotes James 2:21-24:

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Here we have the explicit statement in sacred Scripture that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. You would think that that single verse would be the crushing blow to the article that Luther said was the article upon which the church stands or falls, as he believed it: faith alone.

So how do we reconcile what Paul teaches in Romans with what James teaches here?

(Let me interject God’s Word in Romans 4:1-5, so you can compare with James above, and get a clearer idea of this apparent problem): 

 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Note:  see Genesis 15:6) ⁴ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted ^[c]as grace but as debt. ⁵ But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness

Bank to Dr. Sproul:

Some people think that it (the reconciliation of these two verses, one vaunting works, the other relying on faith) is an impossible task, that they are simply irreconcilable.  Some feel that James wrote later, after he read Paul, in an attempt to refute him.  Or Paul was trying to refute James.  This is beneath the dignity of God’s perfect Word to even discuss this.  Classic orthodoxy would say that neither one of them was trying to refute the other, and that the two positions are not contradictory, though on the surface they seem to be.  The difficulty is further compounded by the fact that both James and Paul use the same Greek word here for justification.  The matter becomes even more severe when we see that both of them have the same person that they use as Exhibit A to prove their point: Abraham. 

Paul says that Abraham was counted righteous before he had done any works.  So Paul has Abraham justified in Chapter 15 of Genesis. But James does not have Abraham justified until his quote from Genesis in Chapter 22, where he offers his son Isaac on the altar. A work.

This is one of the things that made Luther question the canonicity of James, calling it “an epistle of straw.”  But he later repented of that judgment.  Many scholars since have charged that Luther did not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture.  But he is quoted as saying “The Scripture never errs.” He was “simply” questioning if James should be included in the inerrant Bible.

By way of solution, as it turns out, there is more than one meaning for the term ‘justification.’ Recall Jesus saying that “wisdom is justified by her children.”  (Luke 7:35).  Obviously, in context, He did not mean that “wisdom” is a person, or that it was reconciled to a holy God with an imputed righteousness.  He is saying, if it is true wisdom, it is shown by its fruit.  Thus, the meaning of “justified” in this case is to demonstrate or to manifest the truth of something.  The term has a second meaning:  it can be used to prove the truth of a claim. 

It would help if you find out “what problem is the apostle trying to solve, and why?” What were the issues of Paul and James?  For James, we get an idea in James 2:14-17:

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can (some versions add “that”) faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James is dealing with the people who make a profession of faith, but do not manifest any fruit of it.  In our day and age, we have hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people in America who have made professions, but have never demonstrated the reality of the faith they claim to possess. That is James’ concern.

But that’s not the question Paul is asking: “How can an unjust person stand in the presence of a just and holy God?”  His concern for justification is before God, and that is where he says that we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law.  James is asking, “what about the person who professes faith, but has no evidence of it?”  If someone has faith but does not have works, can that faith save him? He concludes that faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  He is making a distinction between dead faith and faith that is alive. 

When Luther was challenged about the need for works, a question asked of him was, “Does that mean we can just believe and live however we want to?” Paul answers that question, “May God forbid!” (Romans 6:15).  Luther says, “Justification is by faith alone, but not by faith that is alone.”  The faith that justifies, he said, is a living faith.  And you know it is alive when it manifests itself in the fruit of obedience.  That’s the work aspect of it.  If we say, “I have faith,” how do you know?  Can anybody read my heart?  The only way you can evaluate the truth of my claim is to see if I manifest it in my life.  “By their fruits ye shall know them.”  (Matthew 7:20).  And even then we can fool people with rotten fruit that is phony fruit. But on the other hand, how long does God have to wait before He knows that my profession of faith is genuine?  He does not have to wait 7 chapters to see evidence.  He knows my heart is genuine or not.  And so I think it is critical in answering this problem of reconciling theses verses; we see that even though both James and Paul appealed to Abraham to make their case, they appealed to Abraham at different times in his life.  Paul makes his point that we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law by pointing to Chapter 15, when Abraham believed God, and God counted it to him for righteousness.  James makes his case that Abraham is justified by works by pointing to Chapter 22.  Is he talking about Abraham being justified in the sight of God?  Or is he saying that Abraham is being justified in the sight of men?  He says, “if a man says he has faith, but not works, can that faith save him?”  His answer is ‘No.’ The only faith that saves is not a dead faith, but a living faith.  If it is a living faith, it will certainly be made manifest by works.  So Abraham is authenticating his claim of faith in Chapter 22.  Just as we claim to have faith, we have to show forth that faith by our works. 

Thus Dr. Sproul does a great job of explaining the seeming irreconcilability of these two sections of verses.  But something else bugs me, and Dr. Sproul alluded to it. Those of you old enough, do you remember how, in the Billy Graham crusades, people got saved?  By listening to “Just As I Am,” and walking down the aisle.  What we don’t see on TV is, these folks got a brief connection, got a little handbook, and went home.  There was little follow-up to even figure out what church they ended up at, if any.  Hard data was done by others, however.  In one study, it shows that most of the people going forward were active churchgoers, and already Christian. They were mostly rededicating their lives.  In another case, Baptist churches did an intense survey after a California crusade.  This showed paltry numbers of people actually saved.

It is claimed that Graham’s methods follow those by Charles Finney, a 19^th century evangelist, who changed evangelism from “conversion” to “easy decisionism,” and, some say, wrecked it.  Ray Comfort, a lifelong evangelist, does follow up on people saved, does speak on the Ten Commandments to convince people of the depth of their sin, and talks about Judgment Day and repentance. He is convinced that, today, over 80% of those supposedly saved fail to follow up with any evidence of changed lives.

All this leads to a likely conclusion:  Among the non-Christian respondents who go forward are thousands of people who think that they are saved. But they did not change their lives, nor did Dr. Sproul’s follow-up works even get mentioned.  Thus, they were unconverted. This has an unfortunate opposite effect: it makes these multitudes of people extremely hard to evangelize again; they’ve convinced themselves that they’re already saved, and will shrug off any effort to unconvince them. Thus, they end up hardened against real conversion Their “insurance policy” is in. A one-off confession, a walk down front, did it.

Poll numbers echo the story of their certainty: While 72% of Americans believe in heaven as a place where people “who live a good life” go, and while the majority of Americans believe in hell, only 4% believe they will go there.  Thus, a great number of Americans hold this, shall we call it, smug conclusion that heaven is their endgame.  But Jesus said “few” would go to heaven (Matthew 7:13-14).  Maybe 6-10% of everybody is the definition of few.  You may question that, but I have proof below.  I suspect most Americans—yes, most—will be like Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7:20-23:

By their fruits you will know them ²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

What is my proof that Americans do not respect God’s rules, and are thus lawless?  Just to cite a few:  First, a majority of Americans believe that abortion is necessary.  (After all, we haven’t eliminated it, after 48 years).  From the Guttmacher Institute, 2014:  17% of abortion patients identified themselves as mainline Protestant, 13% as evangelical Protestant, and 24% as Catholic.  That’s 54%.  Secondly, only 47% of Americans belong to or are members of a church (that study was done before Covid). Thirdly, Americans’ ignorance of the Bible is astonishing: In a Pew Research study of 2019, a multiple-choice question was posed: “Who preached the Sermon on the Mount?”  Choices were:  John, Paul, Peter, and Jesus.  49% got the wrong answer! Fourthly, we allow ignorant pastors to preach to us: according to a Cultural Research Center 2020 study, 49% of pastors “do not have a Biblical worldview.” 

My point in all this is, Americans blindly speculate on the path to heaven, when the way is clearly pointed out in Scripture.  But they don’t want to read Scripture, because they would have to confront their sin and a holy God. They are comfortable with their lives in the world, and their sin. So they all make up their own mind about what gets them to heaven.  They also make God whatever their minds want to see in Him—usually, a forgiving, grandpa sort.  Some believe that their church works will get them to heaven, or they believe that their wealth proves that God loves them eternally, as long as they don’t do anything really bad.  Or they believe that their one-off confession, or their infant baptism, will do the job.  They have no idea of the nuances of Dr. Sproul about works—instead, they perceived from their pastors, perhaps, that assurance of heaven was an easy task. God will make my life easier if I believe in Jesus. They don’t know about the holiness or fear of God, and how they deserved hell.  The demons believe in Jesus, and where will they go? (James 2:19).

The Bible puts forth the plan of salvation quite differently than all this speculation: As Dr. Sproul suggested, we are saved by living faith, or faith that abides in Jesus Christ.  Ponder Jesus’ words in John 15:5-6:

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and a l they are burned.

To put it bluntly, as the verses say, we are burned in hell unless we abide in Jesus.  What is “abiding in Jesus?” If it’s the key to avoiding hell, it’s rather important.  It’s not works, as we typically imagine them; it’s fruit.  Fruit will result in good works.  The Bible has a definition of fruit.  And obedience.  These are all required stuff.  It’s a long-term relationship, too.  That’s vitally important; none of these “one-off” ideas. 

It’s the subject of another paper, too. I have blogs on the subject.

I’m simply writing this to set you worried about whether you can be sure of heaven.  Do you speak, with your voice or with your mind, with Jesus daily?  Do you read His Word, His laws, for direction in your life daily?  You should be seeking Scripture on the whole subject, with an open heart.  As the Word says in II Corinthians 13:5:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves…unless indeed you are disqualified.

May God bless you as you seek more of Him.

It's About That Gallup Poll

 A recent Gallup survey (May 7, 2017) makes sad reading:  Only 24% of Americans believe the Bible is the “actual Word of God, to be taken literally.”  This compares to 37% in 1984.  This is the lowest number for this category in the 40-year history of Gallup polling.  Since the number is even lower for college grads (only 13%) and the young (only 12%), we will continue on this downward path, except for revival, for a very long time.

These miserable numbers are confirmed at the other end of the poll:  The skeptics.  Those who believe the Bible is “fables, history, moral precepts recorded by man” went from 15% in 2005 to 26% in 2017, in only a 12 year period.

But there is a third option that Gallup included—what some analysts are calling a “medium” view (and we all love to avoid the extremes, right?)  Those who believe the Bible is “inspired by God, but not all of which are to be taken literally” are recently 47%.  This has remained fairly stable through the years.  Gallup’s commentary puts a rosy image to all this data, by saying, when you combine 24% literal+47% medium, ”thus 71% continue to believe the Bible is a holy document.”

Well, I beg to differ.  Let's focus on the 47% “medium” folks.  When people say the Bible is “not all to be taken literally,” they’re really saying that they reserve the right to disbelieve the Bible when it suits them.  For instance, they believe the Lord’s Prayer is inspired, and may have memorized it, or sang it, or heard many sermons on it; but does Matthew 5:31-32 inspire them the same way?  It records Jesus saying:

 “Furthermore it has been said (Deut. 24:1), ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

This would stop most “Christian” divorce lawsuits cold—if Jesus’ command were believed. But this Scripture clearly doesn’t stop anybody from ignoring it, since divorce rates among those who call themselves “Christian” are as high as those who are of other faiths--or no faith.  This recent data is from Barna Group Research, a Christian poll-taker.  However, Barna takes great pains to point out that regular, more dedicated churchgoers have a lower rate of divorce than the “nominal” ones that just call themselves “Christian” and do not attend church regularly.

Well, that’s exactly my point.  There are lots of people who think they are Christians, tell people they’re Christians when it suits them, but they think they don’t have to obey Scriptural commands when it doesn’t suit them; they cherry-pick Bible verses for their moral structure.  The truth is, they are under serious deception. These “medium” believers are more than likely not Christians at all.

It’s fairly easy to prove my last audacious statement Scripturally.

Let’s start with Jesus, who claimed to be God.  John 10:30-33 says that:

 I and My Father are one.” ³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. ³² Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”³³ The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

Jesus, who indeed was God, believed the Bible was the literal word of God:  In John 10:35, He said “the Scripture cannot be broken.”  He asserted the literal inspiration of Genesis, despite the “fantastic” stories of God’s creation, and its opposition to evolution.  He spoke of Jonah as a real person--agreeing that Jonah was swallowed by a big fish and being vomited out alive three days later.  So, if the God-man, Jesus, believes every word, it’s obvious that we, His disciples--if we really fit the definition of "disciples"--should as well. If we "cherry pick" Scripture, we deny its rule over our lives.  Thus, we don't believe Jesus was telling the truth about it being the Word of God.  If you think you can deviate from God on something as important as divorce doctrine, you are not His follower.  So, you are not a Christian.  Unless you sincerely repent of considering divorce, or repent of doing whatever Scripture you "don't like."

So, you “medium” folks, if you say that not all Scriptures are literally inspired, aren’t you calling Jesus a liar?  Can you call God a liar?  Of course, the traditional escape that people do here, is to say that we don’t have the original inerrant Bible, and man has made copies of copies, and we all know what happens, right?—errors creep in.  Well, here’s the thing.  If you believe that God lovingly gave His gospel, showing the way to get to heaven, why on earth would He allow errors to distort the gospel, where people reading it-- carefully--because of "errors," miss out on the heaven-trip?  It makes no sense that He would allow that to happen.  So we have to conclude that the commandments of Christ, and the way to heaven, did not get distorted.  God loves us too much to allow the way to heaven to become ill-lit.

We also have to consider the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of portions of 37 of the 39 Old Testament books discovered in 1947.  They were written 1,000 years older than any scroll previously discovered--and we find, despite the passage of a millennium, they are identical in pretty much every sentence, to modern translation. Differences are mostly only a few unimportant prepositions, or a word that we have not seen before (Scriptural scholars have determined the exact meaning of all but about 50 Greek words, I read recently.  In almost all cases, the meaning of the word can be reliably guessed at, given the surrounding sentences.)

The original Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) was probably written only 100 years before the Dead Sea Scrolls were written; there have been no questions about definitions.  It's only the modern Bible commentators, would you believe, that play around with the word "day" in Genesis, or the word "big fish" in the Jonah story.  (Or the words "sons of God" in Genesis 6--read another blog, using DNA in the heading, for more on that intriguing story.)

Well, you may say, "We don't intentionally call Jesus a liar.  Some Scriptural doctrines are just old-culture. We have to modify Scripture slightly for current culture.  That should be safe; after all, He’s got your back by giving sincere seekers a pass; He knows their intentions to do good, right?”  Well, where does it say in Scripture that “good intentions,” when the results are evil, mean anything?  It doesn’t.  Does the traffic cop give you a pass?  No, your "good intentions" will come across as a whine. As I have written in several other blogs, the way to heaven is to form a relationship, an abiding with Jesus through (1) repentance of sin and (2) belief in Him and His reconciliation for our sin--then (3) daily, through reading Scripture and applying His commands, and asking the Holy Spirit to help me change.  True belief involves trust in His decisions for your life, which never change like sinful culture does.  After all, if you’re saved, He is the sovereign Lord of your life, who loves you, and His wisdom exceeds ours for what's best for our lives.

His commands, unlike what skeptics accuse, are not unclear.  The above command on divorce is crystal in what it expects.  (Frankly, there are other loopholes--if you, as a wife, are in genuine fear for your life, God will give you a pass.  But none of this "we do not agree" stuff.)  You don’t want to be one of those folks who “made a decision for Christ” simply as a “fire insurance from hell,” then live life making your own decisions about what is moral and acceptable, and what is not—that makes your decision to “follow Christ” meaningless.  Catch yourself before thinking, “This Scripture I like, that Scripture I don’t like.”  I would think that our God, who is jealous of idolatry, or letting anything get in the way of His being close to you—would have a problem of you setting yourself on His throne and pushing Him out so you can make final decisions on your own morality.

So I’m saying, unlike Gallup, that it's not true that 71% of Americans regard the Bible as a “holy document,” if you consider the real meaning of “holy.”  No, I’m saying that only 24% truly consider following Scripture totally, and have faith that all its commands are good for them—because they were ALL given by a God who loves us more than our moms do.  The other 76% are more than likely not Christian, because they are not standing up for God when it's inconvenient, rejecting His word at critical decisions.  I’m saying that a huge number of people (maybe even close to 47% of the sentient population) who call themselves “Christian” are not really Christian--they have deceived themselves. Surprise in the judgment day awaits them.

What proof do I have for asserting that all this  self-deception is going on?  Well, in another blog, “Most Americans are Not Saved,” I prove, using Scripture, that it is a statistical impossibility that anywhere near all the people who claim to be Christian are truly Christians. I also prove it on the basis of the above-stated fact that those who call themselves “Christian” have the same rate of divorce as non-Christians. I also prove it on the basis that we haven’t rescinded Roe v. Wade after 48 years of its terrorizing innocent babies, causing 60 million—60 million!—deaths of human life in America.  It’s horrible to think of what God will do to our country.  This is ten times the Holocaust.  Science is clear—that baby is a separate human being—yet we allow this lethal disgusting belief that “I get the say over my own body.”  It’s convenient, but it’s totally non-Scripture—and non-scientific.  IF we actually had 71% Christians who truly respected the Bible, this overwhelming majority would be motivated to do something--there would be huge protests by Christians in outrage and fear of what God could do to us as a nation.  And judges would be moved to repeal Roe v. Wade.  If we’d saved most of those 60 million little ones, I can’t even imagine about how God would have blessed us.

I can also prove my assertion on the basis of our “Christian” teenagers, who indulge in pornography and premarital sex, otherwise known as fornication.  This is a raging problem, so youth ministers tell us.  They’re not respecting Scripture either.  They think that their “decision for Christ” will get them to heaven, but they seem to ignore the clear teaching of Scripture like I Corinthians 6:9b-10:

Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 

“Fornicators” includes 'way too many of our young people.  Verses in Ephesians 5:5-6, and Revelation 21:8, mentioning “sexually immoral,” echo the same end-result of being turned away from heaven.

The “escape from hell clause,” thank God, is that if you truly repent from these things, and cease indulging in them, and truly follow Christ as your Lord, you can be on the heaven-bound path again. But doing it, repenting, then doing it again—that’s not repentance, and that’s not following Christ.  You’ve deceived yourself again.

Finally, I can prove my assertion by referring to how Christ highlighted self-deception in Scripture.  Listen to His words in Matthew 7:21-23:

 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

These verses assert that 'doing church work' is not the key to heaven; too many use His name, and then, in secret, “practice lawlessness”—i.e., still form their moral structure on their own when the chips are down.  Yes, I 'have to' get an abortion; yes, I will get a divorce.  The Bible is not the best way for my life here; I do not have to follow it “literally.”  Not in this case, they say.  I’ll follow it most of my life.  Thus, some murder a baby, or some murder a marriage.  And they go to church!  And people pray for them, that “God will guide you in your crisis.”  Well, does any of these searching souls realize that God has already guided them in His Word?  If someone wants to be embarrassed out of a prayer group, all you have to do is quote Scripture and take away their deception.  I remember my “Young Marrieds” Sunday School group.  Teacher was really up on future events in Scripture.  Turned out that every single couple in that group—except my lovely wife and I—got divorces.  Their reasons were almost always off the Scriptural acceptance map.  They all felt that they were saved, but maybe they’d “lose a reward” when they go to heaven.  Well, they’re part of the pathetic 47% “medium” literalists.

What these people need is a hot seat, put there by a preacher who isn’t afraid to heat up the sanctuary with hot Scriptures—which nobody does anymore in the ‘burbs.  The Dangers of Hell is not a top-10 sermon, but using it on occasion, you can get more souls in heaven by some inoculations now and then.  All you folks with the gift of evangelism:  Preach it; don’t let those people get away still deceived!  If you’re a preacher and never gotten anybody really angry with you, you’re not preaching all the Word.  Jesus never did a thing wrong to anybody, yet He was killed after only 3-1/2 years of giving them the blunt truth—He spoke of both God’s love and God’s “other side” of wrath on those who formed their own moral structures, distorting His Word. The way things are now, if you want to be honest, we have to warn you: Are you ready to be treated the same as the Master?  Ready to suffer some persecution?    As goes the teacher, so goes the students, as Jesus said.

Pastors may say, “Well, I’m persecuted—my people ignore my sermon advice and fight over petty things.”  That’s not persecution—that means you have a bunch of baby "Christians," who are possibly not even saved at all.  Maybe you fed them milk, milk, milk.  Bland, bland, bland.  Make the sanctuary a boot camp.  Slap some sense with some "tough love" Scriptures; maybe they’ll eventually march together and accomplish things that the church should accomplish.  Such as living their lives for others, being humble and sacrificial.  You should be giving them meat.  Make them grow up.

I guess you can tell that I’m tired of “medium” Christians and medium pastors.  Oh, yeah, I can’t resist laying down one more Scripture: What Jesus said about people that are neither hot nor cold—i.e., “medium,” or lukewarm.  Revelation 3:15b-17:

I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

In truth, most of those “medium” believers, those who straddle heaven and the world—an untenable position—are there because they still had love for the world and still wanted to be called “Christian.”  In the world, maybe they accumulated comfortable assets.  But spiritually they are poorer than Bangladeshis living at the trash pits.  For the most part, they are not bound for heaven.  Maybe they thought that “God made me rich, so He must love me.” Sorry, no such rule in the New Testament.  A fantasy of your own brain.  Don’t listen to the prosperity preachers.  Follow Scripture.  God is perfectly clear there on how to get to heaven.  Only a minority of people get there.  Do you fear God enough to get out of the mediocre majority?  They’re headed down the broad path.  And you know where that goes, right (Matthew 7:13,14)?

The Bad News You Should Know

 

Some churches (fewer all the time) don't like the phrase “getting saved.”  Let’s look at that phrase.  First question:  What is it we want people saved from?  The answer to that question, per Scripture is:  We want people saved from eternal punishment, punishment that never ends.  We’re speaking of conscious life in a body,  but suited for everlasting punishment.  The Bible speaks of that as occurring in a place that we know is hell.  It comes from the Greek word “gehenna.”  The Book of Revelation calls this the Lake of Fire where people are punished and tormented forever. 

In all honesty, pastors are distancing themselves from the reality of hell.  And we do it too.  We don't want to think about it.  For most pastors in today’s sermons, such a negative topic is kryptonite—when the truth is, it ought to be the first thing we talk about when the subject is the Gospel, the good news of how to be saved from hell.  You should know that the doctrine of hell is still in the thinking of our culture, when the subject is raised.  A 2016 survey said that 64% of Americans believe in hell (down from 5 years before, when 75% believed in it).  Real Christianity teaches it, because it's brought up many times by Jesus in the Bible.  However, of those 64%, only 4% believe that there is any chance that THEY will go there. So, hell is for someone else, not me, brother. Well, that’s a problem.  Jesus said that the majority of people will go to hell.  He said only a few would experience life, eternal life.

Here's His quote, in Matthew 7:13-14. "Destruction" speaks of hell, "life" speaks of heaven.

 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Was Jesus lying?  No. Was He exaggerating, to scare us into thinking about it?  No, that would be deception.  He is The Truth, as John 14:6 says.  The fact that most people don't personally consider this is our self-deception, not His.  Jeremiah 17:9 says:

“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

Consider Isa. 55::8-9

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

 So, we’ve gotten one point across (people still believe there is a hell), but we haven’t gotten the most important point across that most people are headed there and need to take steps to avoid it. 

Here’s another reason why most of us don’t think about hell, the punishment for sin:  We live in a world where sin is freely done.  Sin is so much a part of our culture that most sins are accepted in society.  For instance, I just read an article in a reputable newspaper that a feminist author was ostracized by other feminists, largely because she spoke against legalizing prostitution nationwide.  Also, we don’t seem to have any real problem with fornication (premarital sex); it's on major TV shows regularly, and I haven't even heard my conservative Christian friends complain about it.  Adultery is even expected among the upper classes; and nobody is showing much shock against homosexuality being normalized on TV--you know that it's socially acceptable when advertisers will allow it to run.  We are not often frowned upon if we perjure in court--it's for "racial benefit"--nor will any student complain if a fellow student asks them for their paper to copy, so high school and college cheating is OK, for most.  And robbery, such as on taxes—we rationalize it by saying, "I don't like what the government is spending it on."  Or, if we’re poor, “we’re oppressed, and we deserve it.”  And government supports gambling, which is the downfall of more people every year—and which hurts the poor the most.  Nobody complains about that.  And let’s not forget the elephant in the room--murder of the innocents, or abortion.  Most of us “Christians” don't get overexcited about legalized murder.  We are under a gullible assumption that if we elect the right politician, he will get it straightened out.  Counting on a politician?  That'll go well with Jesus on judgement day.  The problem is, we don't believe the Bible.  The Bible clearly shows that lives are sacred from the moment of conception.  But 44% of Protestants believe (April 2021 poll by Pew) abortion should be legal in all or most cases.  And a majority of Catholics don't follow the Pope; 55% of Catholics feel it should be legal.  So here we are, killing where convenient and ignoring God.  

Yes, the Bible is very much against all these sins.  So we’re not only used to sinning, but we’re very comfortable with sin—society has very few consequences that it places on people for sin.  So, there is now evidently a warped sense of good and evil, and a distorted understanding of justice.  Consider Isaiah 5:20:

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness…

 Please do not appeal to favorite items in the New Testament, such as how Jesus was merciful to the adulterous woman (John 8).  Let us not forget--He said to her, “Go, and sin no more,” since He saw in her a repentance of her sin.  That repentance, or turn-around, was acceptable—not her adultery. And try reading the rest of the New Testament, to get the whole picture.

Our new definition of sin is, only if it “harms someone else.”  That’s a definition most often used by teens engaging in fornication.  It seems to be a fine definition that most people are guided by.  But that is applied with bias—in an abortion, you’re still doing murder of a life—who is, after all, “someone else” as all science acknowledges. 

A parent who talks with their child on (sexual) protection has already given up on their morality.  And the child knows it.  To say, “Well, I’ve got to tell her she must only have sex with someone she loves” is totally ignoring God’s parameters about sex. And do they know what real love is?  To say, “Well, he/she’s already doing it, so I have to teach her this” is to again give up on their morality.  You’re teaching them that the culture wins, God loses.  Does that sound like an acceptable article of faith, if they profess to be a Christian?    

Consider these cold facts:  First of all, today’s young females will have, on average, three or so sexual partners before marriage, so say surveys.  Secondly, there is a distinct correlation between, shall we call it, the “promiscuity rates” and the rates of later divorce.  As the National Survey of Family Growth points out in 2013, women with 10 or more sexual partners were more likely to later divorce; women with 3-9 partners were less likely, and women with 0-1 partners were the least likely to later divorce.  Thus, data proves that fornication is bad—at least if you consider that the later divorce is bad. 

I guess I can’t assume even that anymore. More men's groups, and this is grudgingly acceptable by more women, are following some form of Darwin's "we are animal," hypothesis, so they are openly refusing monogamy--"we're not made that way."   Also, some people with too many horoscope readings, perhaps, actually say, “I thought my husband was my soulmate—but I was wrong. I must divorce him and continue my quest; only one person can make me happy.”  Or they say, “I’m different now compared to when I married.  He isn’t.  We have to part.”  Or, the worst, “I can’t even imagine one person for 40 years—it’s gotta be boring.  Divorce makes variety in life.  It makes sense.”  Even grown up, much of the population has no idea of real love. The Bible’s Greek term is for truly loving is “agape”—which means “God-love.”  Sacrifice and submission is demanded before true love can take root.  Most divorces are for selfish reasons, such as the above.

Actually, that sex survey is beside the point:  if you want souls saved (a much more important idea than current “needs,” since it’s for eternity), consider that anyone committing fornication or adultery (and that latter term includes second marriage) is in danger of heading to hell, according to I Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:19, Revelation 21:8 and 22:15.  Just follow the term "sexual immorality" in Scripture.  BUT sincere repentance, belief in everything Jesus did for reconciliation, and a changed life under God’s Scriptural loving commands will change that horrible penalty that you might be under right now. 

In summary, culture is going the wrong way. We must learn to follow God's rules instead of listening to culture. When we grow up, we should learn to reject “peer pressure,” right?  Don't look for society for what's "right;"  society doesn’t have any real spiritual guidance.  Of course, if you get saved and learn about appealing to the Holy Spirit for guidance, you learn what's true, what the consequences are to stray--and you are strengthened against co-opting to cultural norms. 

If you are an evangelical Christian and are actually moved to talking to people about the consequences of sin, be prepared:  if you introduce the (Scriptural) idea that the offenders will pay in full—forever--for every sin not under the blood of Christ (another term that pastors hate to use), that idea is simply alien to most people, and that’s why we get the ridiculous 4% who feel deserving of hell (see above).  “No, God couldn’t do that to me.  I’m better than most.”  But most are ignorant of His standard for salvation, and should be high-tailing to learn it, since He is the judge, not you.  He does have wrath for sin, and He has warned us so. We haven’t bothered to read all of New Testament Scripture, which lays it all out--the frighteningly real consequences of dithering around and how important this is.  Jesus does talk a lot about the eternal consequences of sin, despite too many pastors avoiding the subject. Convincing people that there are such horrible consequences is a hard sell—especially when they believe the Bible is God’s “suggestions.”   Consider Romans 2:5—does this sound like “suggestions?”

…in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God

 God will not have those around Him who still have unclean hands--who still carry their sin. But it is impossible to go through life with no sin--no sin in behavior, no sin with the lips, no sin with the mind (Jesus added that feature to sin), no (self) deception—you’re just accumulating iniquities, all of which will be confronted and judged.  You’re storing up wrath.  And you don’t wipe it all away by deliberate ignorance, by insincere repentance, or by repeating Hail Marys, or by penance.  But there is a way out—but the way out does not end with a one-time action. (I have other blogs on what salvation is, and, most importantly, not losing it, by keeping an ongoing relationship with Christ). 

The problem is, people are just so used to getting away with sin in this life that their hearts become, over time, seared of conscience and often permanently hardened. That makes it easy to self-deceive, and assume things about God’s love and eternal forgiveness; but these assumptions are based on what people imagine, what they hope, not based on God’s revelation of Himself. So cultural “truisms” about sin like “sowing the wild oats” or “let them go through a rebellious phase; they’re young” only increase the likely destination of hell. That likelihood is higher if people become well off.  They see no need for “being saved” (I have my bank account), no need for redemption, and all of what that word means.  God must love them; He let them become rich.  The Bible talks of redemption as buying someone out of the slave market.  But this is over-the-top to a cynical public.  “Buy me out of the slave market of sin?  I’m a slave?  What are you talking about?”

Now let’s talk to the nominal complacent quiet-about-my-faith Christian again--maybe this speaks of you. Imagine this metaphor:  If a man sees someone he loves walking straight at a house fire, they’re ignoring everything else, they're in some kind of foggy hallucination--tell me what that loving person will do to stop them from entering the flaming house.  Everything, I hope--especially if they are his family.  He will first get into the doomed walker's face and explain bluntly and loudly what is about to happen, in the most fervent of tones. If that doesn’t succeed in waking him, and he is still walking, he will make whatever physical obstacle he can to slow them down, or even tackling them. Is that helper crazy for extreme behavior?  No, he loves them.  He is a hero if he succeeds. But try to do anything “extreme” to rescue someone from hell (like actually talk to them fervently about hell, like you really believe it).  You’re not a hero afterwards, are you? No, people turn you off.  Nowadays, you'll be branded a kook.  But real Christians get persecuted, and we should bear that as a badge of honor, so we don’t care what they think. God talked to Ezekiel (2:3-7; 3:18-21), and made him a “watchman,” as every real Christian is today.  He told him that if he truly evangelized, and if the person didn’t change and went to hell, the blood would not be on the evangelizer’s hands.  BUT if the watchman didn’t warn him, and he went to hell, the blood would be on the evangelizer’s hands.  Did you get that?

So let me ask you, if you maintain that you are a true Christian:  What are we doing now for our loved, but unsaved family members?  Most people who actually “witness” approach someone with a light touch (you don't want to appear strange or intolerant of his non-belief), and when they get brushed off, then he/she just gives up and goes to prayer.  Such a weak witness, considering where the other party is headed. Too many of these "evangelizers" (a) assume God will let the unsaved live longer so as to accept the gospel later (no guarantee of that); or (b) assume God is grandpa-like and forgives all sin, despite our spitting in His face in rebellion; (c) assumes maybe because the lost person went to church and said he “believes” in Jesus, he’s saved—but not if there is almost no evidence of a changed life--which is a requirement for ultimate salvation; or, finally, (d) doesn’t want to connect the dots of Scripture, doesn’t want to think about it. Basically, all these excuses are because few people really truly believe in how close we are to hell, or we don’t really believe that God will actually send people to such a horrible place forever. Scripture is crystal clear otherwise.

Someday, God will brush all those assumptions aside at His seat of judgement. Once a person dies (and we don’t know when that will be, right?), there is no changing their ultimate destination. So if we know them well and do nothing, I maintain that we don’t really believe Scripture.  That is a dangerous place for you to be in, since you’re also saying you don’t believe in what God is clearly saying to us in His Word. Jesus, since He loved us, He warned us. But His love will NOT stop Him from His promise to carry out wrath to all those who reuse to have a relationship with Him. And that’s the majority of society.  Yes, even including in the U.S.  Jesus did an extreme act to make a way to save us. Now, He gives a free will choice—if a person is determined to ignore warnings, he ends up in the fire. IF we want to see friends and family saved, if we believe His Word, a real Christian’s actions in evangelism would not be reticent as it is today.  We might actually talk more frequently about hell—and in convincing tones.  I realize that's not popular, but, hey, has the lighter approach worked?  Look at society; that will tell you. 

Speaking to the nominal Christians again:  Parents should start seriously teaching their children when they are young—studies show that our moral structures are mostly formed by the time we are 11.  But parents today are convinced by the worldly-wise telling them not to be negative with kids about hell being the consequence of sin and being unsaved.  And they tell us not to make a choice about "pushing" the child to attend church or pray to Christ for guidance.  Let the child make his own choice, they say.  But Scripture says children are naturally selfish--they have to be taught to grow out of that. We think too much of ourselves already—we tend to give our kids an open path to selfishness.  To slow down the child's ego’s appetite, parents must administer significant consequences for the sins of their children.  That means spanking too—as Scripture commands it.  We’re very close to the day that if you spank your child and they are worldly-wise and call Family Services, you could be deprived of your children!  If your child is hooked on bad friends, video games, or the cell phone (now why did you give them that?), it may be a good time to pick up and move to a rural community and take away the cell phone, certain TV watching, and most video games.  "Vet" the child's friends.  Parents also substitute pets for them to take care of, and chores to do.  Choose their after-school activities carefully; tell them you want them to attend your non-judgmental family dinner most nights.  Don’t interrogate them, unless you have evidence that things are going bad; but be honest about your feelings and encourage them to express their feelings. Pray with them, not always just at bedtime. 

Be active in the school system; actually visit school a few times and ask many questions of the principal; thus pick up the moral tone.  If it’s bad, and another school is not an option, you should actively consider home schooling. Mom or dad staying home is a good thing.  Sure, you will wail about the huge loss in family income, and you may cry about the ridiculous sacrificial family budget.  But, hey, remind yourselves—how extreme will you go to get them saved?  Remember my fire illustration.  How much do you love your children?  Look to the future, which is eternal:  Treasures in heaven, not treasures on earth, right?  Were you on the rat-race saving up for their college?  Well, first, colleges, by every study you can imagine, are festering swamps of immorality and will destroy their faith. There are plenty of places to go for apprenticing for a good-paying vocation. 

Did you think to send your child to a Christian college?  Did you know that some professors in most “Christian” colleges are not trustworthy; they are skeptics on Biblical creation and inerrancy of Scripture, and will lodge questions in your child's mind about their faith. Oh, you say, my kid is smart and will avoid that.  Maybe smart, but maybe not a moral super(wo)man.  Kids, even grown kids, lie, and parents don’t ask intrusive questions—so maybe you don’t know how smart they are on the moral scale.  Well, you say, they must socialize.  You mean “acclimate,” in its dire meaning, to the immoral culture?  Try reading the Old Testament—it’s ¾ of the Bible, so God must have put it there for a reason.  He strenuously objected to the Jews mixing with the corrupt cultures surrounding them.  

Seriously, do you want to reject my radicalism, and go on like the past, and hope for different results? I’m talking of freedom, love, and connection with God.  Tell me, does the present world made you happy?  You know what the revised definition of insanity is,  don’t you?  Repeatedly living with and believing the “wisdom” coming from the same tragic culture and lack of love--and expecting different results.    

 Oh, of course.  I haven’t explained what “saved” is.  Read the New Testament a few times.  Try another blog, like my “Getting to Heaven:  Initial Salvation etc.” Actually, this paper, long as it is, has only given you the bad news.  For the Good news, see those references.  May God bless you.