One Minute Apology 3
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The first scientific clue that the universe was created was discovered by Edwin Hubble when he noticed through the telescope on Mount Wilson (north of Los Angeles) in 1931, that faint blotches of light were “red-shifted.” He realized that they were galaxies outside of our own Milky Way Galaxy which are flying away from each other. Because this proves the universe is expanding, it also proves (by extrapolating backwards in time) that it had a beginning out of nothing in a manner that Genesis 1:1 declares which says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Atheists have no possible way of explaining this beginning by scientific causes. Therefore the only rational cause is God.
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The first scientific clue that the universe was created was discovered by Edwin Hubble when he noticed through the telescope on Mount Wilson (north of Los Angeles) in 1931, that faint blotches of light were “red-shifted.” He realized that they were galaxies outside of our own Milky Way Galaxy which are flying away from each other. Because this proves the universe is expanding, it also proves (by extrapolating backwards in time) that it had a beginning out of nothing in a manner that Genesis 1:1 declares which says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Atheists have no possible way of explaining this beginning by scientific causes. Therefore the only rational cause is God.
One Minute Apology 4
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The strongest scientific evidence I mentioned in “Apology 3” last week which “proves” that the universe was created by God out of nothing (Genesis 1:1) is that all galaxies have been flying farther apart from each other ever since the “Big Bang” (just like “shot” exiting a shotgun barrel). For similar reasons, this expansion also began slowing down immediately, even as the universe has been cooling down ever since, just as astronomic instruments record. One might reasonably ask then, “If the case for God is so strong, why do so many scientists dismiss God’s existence?” I reply that their own books often dismiss these documentable facts altogether by instead speculating on theories that can never be proved.
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The strongest scientific evidence I mentioned in “Apology 3” last week which “proves” that the universe was created by God out of nothing (Genesis 1:1) is that all galaxies have been flying farther apart from each other ever since the “Big Bang” (just like “shot” exiting a shotgun barrel). For similar reasons, this expansion also began slowing down immediately, even as the universe has been cooling down ever since, just as astronomic instruments record. One might reasonably ask then, “If the case for God is so strong, why do so many scientists dismiss God’s existence?” I reply that their own books often dismiss these documentable facts altogether by instead speculating on theories that can never be proved.
One Minute Apology 5
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The scientific evidence which proves the universe is expanding (see last week) does not undermine the Bible. To the contrary, the prophet Isaiah in 40:22 speaks of God as the one “who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in.” Indeed five different Old Testament writers echoed this same declaration for a total of eleven times. These passages include Job 9:8, Psalm 104:2, Isaiah 40:22, 42:5, 44:24, 45:12, 48:13, 51:13, Jeremiah 10:12, 51:15, and Zechariah 12:1. This does not mean these writers in their own time understood the discoveries of modern astronomy. Since the Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), who alone understands cosmology even better than today’s greatest scientists (duh!), we have grounds to see the above statements as portions of God’s revelation.
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The scientific evidence which proves the universe is expanding (see last week) does not undermine the Bible. To the contrary, the prophet Isaiah in 40:22 speaks of God as the one “who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in.” Indeed five different Old Testament writers echoed this same declaration for a total of eleven times. These passages include Job 9:8, Psalm 104:2, Isaiah 40:22, 42:5, 44:24, 45:12, 48:13, 51:13, Jeremiah 10:12, 51:15, and Zechariah 12:1. This does not mean these writers in their own time understood the discoveries of modern astronomy. Since the Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), who alone understands cosmology even better than today’s greatest scientists (duh!), we have grounds to see the above statements as portions of God’s revelation.
One Minute Apology 6
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The New Testament (NT) never mentions the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. as an accomplished event. This astounding crisis, among other things, brought an absolute end to the Jewish system of sacrificing animals to atone for the sins of their people. Why then this omission of mention? This reality would have actually bolstered the Christian claim that the blood of Jesus, the “Lamb of God,” replaces the Jewish sacrificial system. So the NT is silent about that point because the Jewish “disaster” had not yet happened. This is a strong argument that virtually all the NT books were written before that date, that is, within 40 years of Jesus’ death and resurrection in 33 A.D. Since multitudes of eye-witnesses of Jesus’ passion circulated in that time, the popular charge that the Gospels are merely legend or myth, falls apart.
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
The New Testament (NT) never mentions the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. as an accomplished event. This astounding crisis, among other things, brought an absolute end to the Jewish system of sacrificing animals to atone for the sins of their people. Why then this omission of mention? This reality would have actually bolstered the Christian claim that the blood of Jesus, the “Lamb of God,” replaces the Jewish sacrificial system. So the NT is silent about that point because the Jewish “disaster” had not yet happened. This is a strong argument that virtually all the NT books were written before that date, that is, within 40 years of Jesus’ death and resurrection in 33 A.D. Since multitudes of eye-witnesses of Jesus’ passion circulated in that time, the popular charge that the Gospels are merely legend or myth, falls apart.
One Minute Apology 7
An apology is not an “I’m sorry, but a declaration!
Not every Christian approves of apologetics. Their objection is that since the Bible is God’s Word, it is not appropriate to seek evidence to support our faith. Yet Surprisingly the Bible does not disapprove of evidence. To the contrary Psalm 19:1 says all of God’s creation gives evidence for His existence, while Romans 1:18-20 says it is sinful to suppress nature’s testimony. Also, in John 14:11 Jesus said, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works [miracles] themselves.” Even in John 20:26-29 He did not belittle evidence per se, but instead chided Thomas for not believing the eye-witness testimony of his brothers and sisters. My paper, “The Pervasive Employment of Apologetics,” highlights over 80 clear examples in the Bible where it highlights apologetic arguments in order to advance faith in God. You may request a copy through the office.
An apology is not an “I’m sorry, but a declaration!
Not every Christian approves of apologetics. Their objection is that since the Bible is God’s Word, it is not appropriate to seek evidence to support our faith. Yet Surprisingly the Bible does not disapprove of evidence. To the contrary Psalm 19:1 says all of God’s creation gives evidence for His existence, while Romans 1:18-20 says it is sinful to suppress nature’s testimony. Also, in John 14:11 Jesus said, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works [miracles] themselves.” Even in John 20:26-29 He did not belittle evidence per se, but instead chided Thomas for not believing the eye-witness testimony of his brothers and sisters. My paper, “The Pervasive Employment of Apologetics,” highlights over 80 clear examples in the Bible where it highlights apologetic arguments in order to advance faith in God. You may request a copy through the office.
One Minute Apology 8
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
If Christianity is so clearly true as Pastor Gary suggests it is, then why don’t more scientists believe in God? I am certain most of you have asked yourself this because it is, in fact, a very reasonable question. For the next four weeks I will offer different reasons why “educated” people reject or dismiss belief in God. Stated briefly in advance, (1) scientists, like the rest of us (John 3:19) resist the authority of God in their lives, (2) many assume, without proof, that science and Christianity can’t possibly be reconciled, (3) with respect to causation, many won’t consider any explanation for the existence of the universe except mechanistic forces, and (4) the previous prejudice accounts for why many scientists haven’t even investigated the evidence. But be assured that the evidence I lay out each week is rock solid. Stay tuned!
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a declaration!
If Christianity is so clearly true as Pastor Gary suggests it is, then why don’t more scientists believe in God? I am certain most of you have asked yourself this because it is, in fact, a very reasonable question. For the next four weeks I will offer different reasons why “educated” people reject or dismiss belief in God. Stated briefly in advance, (1) scientists, like the rest of us (John 3:19) resist the authority of God in their lives, (2) many assume, without proof, that science and Christianity can’t possibly be reconciled, (3) with respect to causation, many won’t consider any explanation for the existence of the universe except mechanistic forces, and (4) the previous prejudice accounts for why many scientists haven’t even investigated the evidence. But be assured that the evidence I lay out each week is rock solid. Stay tuned!
One Minute Apology 10
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
If Christianity is true as I argue it is, why don’t more scientists believe in God? The second reason I briefly listed in Apology 8 notes, “Many assume…that science and Christianity cannot possibly be reconciled.” But that position is false. While they may conflict in some cases, that does not mean they must always be in conflict. Indeed the same truth can often be expressed in both scientific and non-scientific language. For example, Genesis 1:1 harmonizes perfectly with the Big Bang. And it isn’t only Christians who have to be corrected in cases of conflict. While it is true that people in the Middle Ages, who believed the Sun revolved around the earth, were corrected by scientific calculations, the opposite happened in the 20th Century. For example, until the discovery of the Big Bang, scientists held that the cosmos always existed, while Genesis 1:1’s declaration of creation, was right all along.
An apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
If Christianity is true as I argue it is, why don’t more scientists believe in God? The second reason I briefly listed in Apology 8 notes, “Many assume…that science and Christianity cannot possibly be reconciled.” But that position is false. While they may conflict in some cases, that does not mean they must always be in conflict. Indeed the same truth can often be expressed in both scientific and non-scientific language. For example, Genesis 1:1 harmonizes perfectly with the Big Bang. And it isn’t only Christians who have to be corrected in cases of conflict. While it is true that people in the Middle Ages, who believed the Sun revolved around the earth, were corrected by scientific calculations, the opposite happened in the 20th Century. For example, until the discovery of the Big Bang, scientists held that the cosmos always existed, while Genesis 1:1’s declaration of creation, was right all along.
One Minute Apology 11
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
If Christianity is true as I argue it is, why then don’t more scientists believe in God? In Apology 8, I list as a third reason, namely that many (not all) scientists will not consider any cause for the beginning of creation except mechanistic forces. Is that a fair demand? No! The problem with that insistence is that, prior to the universe, there was absolutely nothing material at all. There was neither matter, nor energy, nor space, nor time, through which scientific processes could even conceivably work to bring the cosmos into being. Consequently the only rational answer to the question, where did the universe come from is, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
If Christianity is true as I argue it is, why then don’t more scientists believe in God? In Apology 8, I list as a third reason, namely that many (not all) scientists will not consider any cause for the beginning of creation except mechanistic forces. Is that a fair demand? No! The problem with that insistence is that, prior to the universe, there was absolutely nothing material at all. There was neither matter, nor energy, nor space, nor time, through which scientific processes could even conceivably work to bring the cosmos into being. Consequently the only rational answer to the question, where did the universe come from is, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
One Minute Apology 12
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
Ken Ham (answersingenesis.org) charges that the Big Bang (B.B.) is atheistic and anti-biblical. Yet Genesis 1:1 to the contrary teaches five truths which harmonize with the B.B., while they challenge Ham’s “young-earth” views. (1) The creation of the entire universe happened even before Day One. (2) It was all created out of nothing. (3) The sun, as part of “the heavens” in 1:1, existed prior to Days One and Four. (4) No duration of time is mentioned regarding the events in 1:1, and so it could entail billions of our years. (5), Since our eternal God (Deuteronomy 33:27) stands outside of time so that it does not limit His power, even eons of time are nothing to Him (Psalm 90:4); but only to us. Except for item number 3, Mr. Ham never mentions these truths.
Request from the office my paper, “How Genesis 1:1, 2 Easily Accommodates the Big Bang.”
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
Ken Ham (answersingenesis.org) charges that the Big Bang (B.B.) is atheistic and anti-biblical. Yet Genesis 1:1 to the contrary teaches five truths which harmonize with the B.B., while they challenge Ham’s “young-earth” views. (1) The creation of the entire universe happened even before Day One. (2) It was all created out of nothing. (3) The sun, as part of “the heavens” in 1:1, existed prior to Days One and Four. (4) No duration of time is mentioned regarding the events in 1:1, and so it could entail billions of our years. (5), Since our eternal God (Deuteronomy 33:27) stands outside of time so that it does not limit His power, even eons of time are nothing to Him (Psalm 90:4); but only to us. Except for item number 3, Mr. Ham never mentions these truths.
Request from the office my paper, “How Genesis 1:1, 2 Easily Accommodates the Big Bang.”
One Minute Apology 13
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
Over recent weeks I have considered the question, “If Christianity is true, as I claim it is, why don’t more scientists believe in God?” Surveys indeed show that while 95% of our population believes in God, only 51% of “scientists” do (https://www.pewforum.org /2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/). In OMA # 8, my 4th point concerned the power of prejudice to shut down one’s intellectual curiosity. Just like the rest of us, it is impossible for scientists to know about subjects they won’t bother to even look at (creation). For that reason, their refusal to consider certain kinds of evidence results not only in judging without knowledge (called prejudice), that posture also exhibits a profoundly anti-scientific attitude.
Ask the office for copies of my two papers, “How Genesis 1:1, 2 Easily Accommodates the Big Bang,” and “16 Clues in the Text of Genesis 1 Indicate that Creation is Ancient.”
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but an official declaration!
Over recent weeks I have considered the question, “If Christianity is true, as I claim it is, why don’t more scientists believe in God?” Surveys indeed show that while 95% of our population believes in God, only 51% of “scientists” do (https://www.pewforum.org /2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/). In OMA # 8, my 4th point concerned the power of prejudice to shut down one’s intellectual curiosity. Just like the rest of us, it is impossible for scientists to know about subjects they won’t bother to even look at (creation). For that reason, their refusal to consider certain kinds of evidence results not only in judging without knowledge (called prejudice), that posture also exhibits a profoundly anti-scientific attitude.
Ask the office for copies of my two papers, “How Genesis 1:1, 2 Easily Accommodates the Big Bang,” and “16 Clues in the Text of Genesis 1 Indicate that Creation is Ancient.”
One Minute Apology 14
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a legal declaration of truth!
How does the Bible regard science? Both skeptics and certain believers (for different reasons) suspect that it is opposed to scientific study because its outcome would likely undermine belief in God. I say to the contrary that the scientific case for God’s existence is stronger than ever! But my point here is to clarify what God’s Word really says about this matter. Psalm 19:1 says that both the sky above and the natural world around us declare God’s creative work. To this day science cannot answer either how the universe came into existence out of nothing, or how the glorious variety of living creatures is so abundant. The Bible never warns us to distrust proven science. To the contrary Romans 1:18-20 warns us to not suppress the witness of nature, but instead notice that it reconciles with God’s revealed Word.
An Apology is not an “I’m sorry,” but a legal declaration of truth!
How does the Bible regard science? Both skeptics and certain believers (for different reasons) suspect that it is opposed to scientific study because its outcome would likely undermine belief in God. I say to the contrary that the scientific case for God’s existence is stronger than ever! But my point here is to clarify what God’s Word really says about this matter. Psalm 19:1 says that both the sky above and the natural world around us declare God’s creative work. To this day science cannot answer either how the universe came into existence out of nothing, or how the glorious variety of living creatures is so abundant. The Bible never warns us to distrust proven science. To the contrary Romans 1:18-20 warns us to not suppress the witness of nature, but instead notice that it reconciles with God’s revealed Word.