____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ May 21, 2000 ____________________________________________________ Dealing With the Days of Creation by Bob Waldron Introduction There is a controversy going on today concerning the days of creation described in Genesis 1: Are they literal days? Are they literal consecutive days, or are there periods of many thousands, or even millions, of years between them? The arguments rage, and they are often very, very technical, especially for people who have no technical background to speak of. I. Two very different approaches to this subject. A. One is called by some ``presuppositional,'' and the other is ``evidential.'' B. These two terms immediately purport to place people who hold differing positions into proper cubbyholes. 1. Those who are presuppositional go on assumptions that they have and fit the evidence wherever it will go. 2. Those who are evidentialists look at the evidence objectively and rationally, and interpret the Bible accordingly. C. In connection with the creation, evidentialism means that scientists look at the rocks and other physical evidence and conclude that the earth and the universe is billions of years old. They then go to the Bible and seek an interpretation that fits their own findings. 1. Thus, the primary factor relied upon is the physical earth and what it says. 2. Thus, the book of nature is given primary significance, because it determines what the revelation means. D. On the other hand, presuppositionalists merely accept the assumption that the Bible is God's word, and interpret all world phenomena so as to fit what the Bible says. E. One of the favorite examples an evidentialist would use of presuppositionalism is the Catholic Church's position on the nature of the solar system. 1. The position of the medieval church was that the earth was the center of the solar system. 2. However, Galileo saw through his telescope that this was not the case. 3. Gradually, the observations of Galileo and others forced the church to change its view of the nature of the world. F. Let me show another contrast or two that comes to mind. One concerns the date for the Exodus. Is the date of the Exodus 1290 or 1450? The late date or the early date? 1. Probably, the bulk of scholars hold to the late date of 1290, and the reasons are primarily archaeological. 2. But the Bible says in 1 Kings 6:1, that the fourth year of Solomon was the 480th year since Israel came out of Egypt. 3. There are statements such as Jephthah's (Judges 11:26), that Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its towns, etc., for three hundred years. 4. Many of the positions of modern day archaeologists are held with antagonism for the Bible and no respect at all for its accuracy. 5. Thus we have a rejection of the Bible version of the Exodus, and the belief that there were various Hebrew tribes at various times that invaded the land, and these are all amalgamated into one account late in Israelite history. 6. These archaeologists would argue exactly the same as brother Roberts, that they must accept the evidence as they see it. 7. The problem is that they are giving much greater weight to their own thinking and observations than to the scriptures. They do not have enough respect for the Bible to say, ``What are alternatives that we might consider to reconcile what we have found with the Bible?'' 8. Some have said, ``If it were not for the statement in 1 Kings 6:1, I would be compelled to accept the late date.'' 9. With others, the statement in 1 Kings 6:1 carries no weight whatever. G. Sometimes the Bible uses figurative language that has been taken literally, and reality has had to help us understand that the language in question is figurative. The case of Galileo illustrates. 1. The Bible uses language, as we do, that the sun rises and sets, and it is more convenient for us to do so, because, on a practical basis, that is the appearance of things. 2. But it is one thing to use reality, science, and discovery to correct an erroneous application of figurative language, or indefinite language. It is another to use such things to contradict very plain, straightforward statements of scripture. II. The contrast looked at from a different standpoint. A. The presuppositionalist. 1. I object to the term presuppositionalism because it implies two things that are not true: a. First it implies that I, as one who accepts the Bible record as inspired, have no reasons for my position, only assumptions. b. Second it implies that the scientist proceeds on no assumptions, yet the history of science is littered with assumptions that were later proven wrong. B. Presuppositions? 1. Is it a presupposition with me that the Bible is inspired? No, it is a claim made by the scriptures throughout the Bible (Exod. 4:15-16; 2 Sam. 23:2; Jer. 1:7, 9; Gal. 1:11-12; Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:16- 17; 2 Pet. 1:21). 2. The evidence of the Bible itself has convinced me that the Bible is inspired. a. Its unity. b. Its view of God in distinction to the prevailing ideas of God in the world at the time. c. Its absence of idolatry. d. Its prophecies and promises and their fulfillment. 3. This conviction is basic to everything that I do, and everything that I see, but it is not a presupposition. It is a principle established by the evidence. C. The point in this controversy is not that so-called presuppositionalists believe that physical evidence should be accommodated to scripture no matter what the results to logic and truth. 1. As pointed out earlier, I realize that scripture sometimes uses figurative or accommodative language. I am perfectly willing to correct my understanding or interpretation of a passage if my observations compel me to do so. 2. But I dare not take a passage in the Bible which all contextual evidence points to a literal interpretation and be willing to make radical alterations in my interpretations, when there are perfectly rational alternatives in interpreting the evidence. D. The point is primary commitment to the integrity of the scriptures and faith in a God who can do what the scriptures said He did. (concluded next week) ___________________________________________ Letters to Our Children Our Child Is Dead (Third Letter) Tom M. Roberts ``As I closed my last letter to you, I mentioned that we would discuss some things that were painful to us. I speak especially of myself. Writing to you like this does open some memories that were better buried. Up until now I have mentioned the pride that I felt in you, the joy you brought your mother and me and the anticipation that you would continue to do the same as you grew older. I don't know how you feel about some of the things I will mention but as I put them into words, I wonder at how life changed for us. ``As you know, my father is not a Christian. As far back as I can know, none of my people on my father's side were Christians. So when I learned the truth and determined to live right, I hoped to establish a new order of things from myself into the future with this family. Being right with God is so good! It explains so many things in this world and lifts our eyes to life everlasting. It is such a joy to be a Christian that it destroys me to know you don't have this conviction. If I fail to pass along this faith in Christ to you and to your sons and daughters after you, I will have failed miserably in the most important thing in this life. Can you imagine the intensity of this feeling in me? Can you realize how it saddens me to see you unconcerned about eternal life? Do you understand how much I feel a failure if you do not see the beauty of Christ and His truth? ``When I first learned that you drank beer, I cried. Oh, you denied it but we both knew you were lying. You had been slipping around for some time and smoking. And you had friends that you would not bring home with you. I'm sure that it was because you knew they would not fit into your lifestyle and would be uncomfortable. Remember the discussions we had about how late you could stay out at night? Even now I cringe when I think of the bitter words that have been exchanged between us. I felt that you had rebelled against our values and you felt that we were being too strict. We still stand somewhere at odds on this issue. ``I find a great deal of resentment in me against modern music and the role it has played in alienating the youth in this country from good morals. I feel that this one thing, immoral and rebellion-instilling music, became the encouragement you needed to overcome the values you were taught as a child. In the lyrics of the music, as well as the all-pervading beat of the unrestricted license it preaches, you found an ally that did not restrict, did not hold back. In fact, it actually encouraged you to `do your own thing,' to `let yourself go.' ``It was during this time that you almost did not finish school and did so only because we forced you to go. It was during this time that I became aware of the fact that you expressed resentment against `going to church.' It was during this time that I became aware of the fact that you resented me and any restrictions placed on your actions: what you did, where you went, and who you were with. Long hair became a symbol of your frustration and identified you with the crowd. Drugs became a constant fear to parents around the country. I don't know to this day how much they figured in your alienation from us and I don't care to know. That all of this formed a pattern of rejection of God is evident. Of course, some children went too far and were killed. Some ruined their minds. We are thankful that such was never true with you. But these things, all added together, created a life-style so different from that in which you were raised that it still makes me dizzy to think about it. How could such have happened? What could I have done differently to help you avoid being caught in this ungodly environment? How much of it do you see in its true light even now? ``The Bible teaches that there is a way that is right and cannot be wrong. This way is the way of truth and holiness. Look around you at the marriages that are ruined by divorce, lives that are destroyed by alcohol and drugs, hopes that are destroyed by sin and souls that are turned away from God. Is this the way you have been taught? Is this the way you have been brought up? Isn't there a better life than that which you see about you in the world and among the friends you have chosen? ``You have told us that people in the church have insulted you and that some of them are hypocrites and that some of them are a little abnormal about the world we live in. I won't argue that point. I have known some of this in my life too. I have been insulted, have known hypocrites and have seen some abnormal people -- even a little weird, maybe. But I find these at the supermarket (and have been insulted there) and I find these everywhere I shop. But I have also learned that there are good people in the church. Honest, God-fearing, loving, hard-working people who love one another unselfishly. I know a bunch of Christians who make mistakes. I am one of them. But look at the alternative. What if everyone drank, smoked pot, had no morals and did only what brought them physical pleasure? What kind of world would this be? ``I've been true to my word. I've talked of things that are painful. But in doing so, I wanted to try to picture two lifestyles. Both of them are filled with error. The difference between the man in the world and the man in the church is that we who are trying to be Christians are trying to learn from our mistakes, to get forgiveness for them, and to do better in the future. One lifestyle has pleasure in this world as its only goal. The lifestyle of the Christian has heaven as its goal. This is not to say that Christians have no pleasure here, but that our pleasure brings no regrets and no hang-overs. ``One final word before closing this letter. No hypocrite in the church is going to keep me away from Jesus. After all, He wasn't a hypocrite and He is the one I serve. And the one I hope you will start to serve again.'' ``With all my love, Dad'' -- Via Watchman, July 1999 ___________________________________________ Free Bible Courses Are Available Upon Request. Why not ask for one today? ________________________________________ Avondale CHURCH OF CHRIST P.O. Box 421 1606 Glen Willow Rd., Avondale, PA 19311 (610) 268-2088 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 11:00 A.M. Worship 6:00 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:00 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (610) 925-3567 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________