____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ August 30, 1992 ____________________________________________________ Exploding the "Big Bang" Theory (1) by Joe R. Price Scientists believe they have discovered relics of the ``Big Bang'' which they say created the universe 15 billion years ago. These celestial fossils are ``massive wisps of gas more than 500 million light years long'' and are the ``oldest structures ever observed'' according to astrophysicist George Smoot (Salt Lake Tribune, A1, 4/24/92). The discovery of these gaseous masses is now being described as ``one of the major discoveries of science.'' It seems incredible that upon discovering these ``structures,'' many continue to believe that they were ``built,'' not by an intelligent builder, but by such lifeless, thoughtless things as ``gravitational forces,'' ``space'' and ``time.'' If you are unfamiliar with the ``Big Bang'' theory, here is a brief summary of it: The Big Bang is perhaps one of the most difficult physics concepts for laymen to accept. Its chief assumption is that 15 billion years ago all matter in the universe was compressed into an unimaginably dense sphere smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. The ball exploded at a temperature of trillions of degrees, launching all the matter on the expansionary course it continues to follow today. Within the first millionth of a second after the explosion, quarks and other exotic particles combined to form protons and neutrons, most of which were just as rapidly annihilated by collisions with antiprotons and antineutrons, releasing their energy in the form of light waves (Salt Lake Tribune, A1, 4/24/92). What an amazing theory! But before you believe it, we offer a few questions with which to test it. First, where did ``all matter'' which was in the form of an ``unimaginably dense sphere'' come from (matter is not eternal)? And, what tremendous power compressed all that matter into such an amazingly small size (``Honey, I shrunk the universe!''). Also, what generated a temperature of ``trillions of degrees''? Truly, the ``Big Bang'' theory of the origin of the universe is an ``assumption''! The presence of gaseous structures of such massive size (500 million light years) provides greater evidence that some power, which is infinitely superior to man, constructed them. It remains true that design demands a designer. This Master Builder would have the ability to create matter and put it under the control of such forces as gravity, space and time. This Master Designer is God, who has revealed his power and divinity through his creation (Rom. 1:20), and his mind through the inspired Scriptures (1 Cor. 2:10-13,16; 2 Tim. 3:16,17). When will man learn to look at the incredible evidence in the universe for the creative power and presence of God (Psa. 19:1-6)? Like the ancient skeptics, the so-called wise men of today are ``ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth'' (2 Tim. 3:7). The evidence in the universe explodes the ``Big Bang'' theory! ___________________________________________ UNIVERSAL SALVATION by J. F. Dancer This question has raged for ages: Will all be saved? Will only the ``select'' be saved? And I don't think I will stop all controversy about it. However, I think I can present some thoughts worthwhile. A trend is developing in the modern religious world that in some manner everyone will eventually be made right with God. In an article in CHRISTIANITY TODAY, Mr. J. I. Packer presents it this way: ''...The belief that everyone, sooner or later, will be reconciled to God and saved by him--has in this century quietly become part of the orthodoxy of many Christian thinkers and groups.'' Has it entered your thinking? Do you believe that sooner or later, in some way (apart from obeying the gospel), all people will be saved? If one is a believer of the Bible then they cannot think this way! I might be one who wishes this could come to pass, but if I believe the Bible I must accept the fact that most of each generation will be lost. If we are going to be saved, then why call upon people to believe in Jesus as Christ? Jesus told those in His day that unless they believed in Him they would die in their sins (John 8:24). This doesn't look like they would be saved whether they believed or not! Then in giving the great commission He said, ''...He that believeth not shall be damned'' (Mark 16:16). If it is a fact that one must believe in Jesus as the Christ in order to be saved, then all those who do not believe in Him will be lost. Is not this logical? Faith is not the only condition of one's being saved. Repentance and baptism are commanded in Acts 2:38. Other things are given in other passages. I simply used faith as an example to show that the idea of universal salvation cannot be accepted by those who believe the Bible is God's inspired word. Why preach to the pagans, the infidels, the misled, the deceived, etc. if they will eventually be saved without any changes? Why did Paul and others plead with the Jews to become Christians if they could be saved in either state? Why did the Lord tell His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature if it didn't make any difference whether people heard, believed and obeyed or not? The truth is that it did make a difference. They were lost and He was presenting them the way to be saved! They could accept it and be saved or remain in their lost condition. The choice was theirs. No, Bible believers cannot accept the idea that all will eventually be saved whether they obey the gospel or not. This is wistful thinking and a departure from the teaching of Jesus. It is of the devil! Most of our generation will eventually be lost (Matthew 7:13,14) because they will not surrender their will to God (Matthew 7:21-23) and obey the gospel (Romans 1:16,17). Sad, but true! ___________________________________________ Is God An Evolutionist? (2) by Joe R. Price Scientists recently announced the discovery of gaseous residue in far off outer space which they believe is evidence supporting the ``Big-Bang'' theory of the origin of the universe (a primeval explosion which they conjecture created the universe 15 billion years ago). Now, theologians are heralding the harmony between the Big-Bang theory and the biblical theme of creation. ...Frederic B. Burnham, a science historian and director of the Trinity Institute said, ``Christian cosmology and the Big Bang are very compatible understandings of the arrow of time...there was a beginning and there will be an end'' (The Salt Lake Tribune, April 25, 1992, A-1). A 1991 Gallup poll of Americans showed that 47 percent believe that mankind was created by God in the last 10,000 years. Only 9 percent polled said they believed mankind evolved without God, while 40 percent stated a belief that mankind has evolved during millions of years, but that God guided this process (Ibid.). This last figure is interesting. Many people are convinced they can harmonize the theory of organic evolution with the biblical record of divine creation. It cannot be done. One must either deny the inspired record of creation or give up the humanistic philosophy of general evolution. The question is: ``Will we believe in the Bible or not?'' The Bible says that God created the universe, including man, in six days (Gen. 1; Exod. 20:8-11). In attempting to harmonize his faith with scientific theory, the religious evolutionist changes the meaning of ``day'' in Genesis 1 to ``eons'' or ``ages.'' This is presumptuous handling of the word of God without grammatical support (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15). Organic evolution says man is an animal who arrived here by chance. The Bible says man is the result of the deliberate, creative planning of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Theistic evolution cannot make these points agree. Organic evolution asserts that man evolved from a one-celled creature to the fully developed organism he is today. The Bible says exactly the opposite. It reveals the creation of a man mature in body and intellect. The evolutionary theologians don't like to discuss this! No, God is not an evolutionist! God did not use organic evolution and natural selection to create and develop humanity. Divine command produced the heavens and the earth: By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth'' (Psa. 33:6). Let there be no mistake: Theistic evolutionists are infidels who deny the biblical record of creation! Male and female were made ``from the beginning of the creation'' (Mk. 10:6). So said Jesus. ___________________________________________ INFLUENCE A little girl strolled into Bible class on Sunday morning. Her hands were dirty, her dress soiled, and there was a curious ring around her mouth. She explained that on her way to Bible class a neighbor boy asked her to blow up his wading pool. She blew and blew until she had enough air in the pool to make its sides stand up. The boy then picked up the water hose and started to fill the pool. The little girl then asked the boy to come to Bible class with her. He told her ``No, I want to play in my pool.'' Then with her pretty blue eyes looking straight into the teacher's eyes, the little girl said, ``I pulled the stopper out of the air hole and let the pool go down because if that boy didn't come to Bible class, I didn't want God to blame me for it.'' As you consider the influence that your life has on others, could God ever blame you for their conduct? Influence can become a heavy burden. -- Selected ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________