Elder's Corner: Words You Never Want To Hear

“It's terminal cancer.” “It's an inoperable brain tumor.” “It's Alzheimer’s.”  “It's your wife, or husband, or son, or daughter.” Sometimes we don't have a choice when the doctor lowers his voice and gives us the diagnosis.  But I want to talk about something in which you do have a choice. A question I have for you is what is the saddest verse or scripture in the Bible?  Here is one of my picks: Deuteronomy 32:48-52 (NASB). “That same day the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river, and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own possession. Then you will die there on the mountain and join your ancestors, just as Aaron, your brother, died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. For both of you broke faith with Me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate My holiness to the people of Israel there. So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

Moses had been chosen by God to lead His people, the Israelites, out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. God performed many miracles through Moses to get Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the Israelites leave. Moses had been disobedient to God in performing a miracle at Meribah (see Num. 20:6-13) So God chose Joshua to replace Moses and lead His people (Deut. 31:3).

A couple of observations from Deuteronomy 32.  First, Moses was 120 years old at the time and still able to climb mountains. — That's impressive.  Second, God told Moses to do something a certain way but Moses thought “his own way” was better.  Do you ever do that? Think your way is better or question why God wants us to follow His way.  His way will lead to holiness, when we let Him be in charge.  This story reminds me of the game show “Let's make a Deal.”  Moses passed up Door #1 (the Promised Land) for the “zonk” prize because he wanted to do it “his way.”  God told him to climb the mountain and see what he had missed.  God expects us to listen to Him—to be holy!  So I can choose that response to His love and expect this phrase from Him:  “Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord” (just like the servant in Matt. 25:21).  

--Alan

Man, The Image of God #7: Do All Babies Go to Heaven? (Part #3)

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Pro. 22:6)

This past month school started. Public education can be a wonderful thing. We have been blessed with many wonderful teachers and staff members here in Eugene and the surrounding areas. Yet educating our kids is not just something that is to take place in the classroom, we as parents have a huge responsibility.

Over the past 2 months we have considered how the doctrine of original sin (that mankind inherited sin from Adam and Eve) is not Biblical. A person cannot be held accountable for the sins of their parents or children (Ezek. 18:4, 20; Rom. 14:12). And Scripture confirms that originally all people are created morally upright just like Adam and Eve were (Ecc. 7:29).

Furthermore, the Apostle Paul spoke of a time in which he was alive spiritually but then when the law came, he says that he died spiritually (Rom. 7:8-9).  The only time then that a person could be alive spiritually in the absence of God’s law is prior to them understanding good from evil, right from wrong (Deut. 1:39; Jonah 4:11; Rom. 9:11).

From these passages we find the doctrine of original grace, every person who does not come to the point of understanding right from wrong yet perishes is assured of their salvation. This naturally leads to the doctrine of the age of accountability. When a child does understand right from wrong they are now accountable for their sins.

Unfortunately, Scripture tells us that at that point all sin, and thus, die spiritually just like Paul explained (Rom. 3:23; 7:9).   This places a huge responsibility upon us as parents. The Bible teaches that we are to raise up our kids in the ways of the Lord. Dr. James Dobson said, “There is nothing more important to most Christian parents than the salvation of their children.”

The Lord commands us to tell our kids about the Lord as we go through life (Deut. 6:6-7). So don’t just drop your kids off at the mall. Go with them. Talk to them about what they see. When they see the outfits that have necklines that meet the hemlines; it is an educational moment. Ask your kids what they think an outfit like that is trying to tell you about your bodies, and how you should think about yourself? What do you think that that kind of outfit will tell others when they see you in it? What do you think that boys will think when they see you in it? This should be the case in all of life. So while you are watching TV, use it as a teaching moment to discuss what is going on. Class is always in session, and dad and mom are the teachers. That is what Scripture commands us to do. Remember, this is about the salvation of your kids.

As parents we are to teach our kids about the Lord through our words and through our actions. If you want your kids to follow the Lord, do you follow Him? Sadly, there is not much difference between the majority of Christian parents and parents who are not Christians. So are you modeling what a Christian is supposed to look like?

Can they tell by your actions that your faith in Christ matters to you? Do you communicate with God on a daily basis through prayer, and reading the Bible? Are you actively a part of His body, the church? And are you taking part in the Great Commission through sharing your faith?

Remember, there is nothing more important than the salvation of your kids. Therefore, may we as parents teach our kids about the Lord and model what it means to be a genuine Christian to them.    

In His service,

     Matt

Worldview #12: Dangerous Assumptions

Have you ever assumed something only to later find out that you were completely wrong? Chances are, we all have. Maybe for you, you assumed that you had packed everything you needed for a vacation. Or maybe, it was assuming that a car behind you saw your brake-lights. Or maybe it was something else.

Yes, there is no getting around it, we all assume certain things. Most of us assume that our cars are going to start. We assume that we are going to reach our destination on our vacations. Often, we assume that our friends and family members are doing well, etc., etc. However, the less assumptions that a person can have the better. This is clearly the case concerning one’s worldview. Worldview assumptions can lead to Christ-less eternities and radically affect the way one lives here and now.

One area related to worldviews that people frequently make assumptions relates to the creation of the universe, its age, and the topic of dinosaurs. Frequently, as scientists study the universe and the fossil record, they make assumptions about the past by examining dinosaur fossils in the present. This is known as historical or origins science. “Origins science deals with the past, which is not accessible to direct experimentation, whereas operational science deals with how the world works in the here and now, which, of course, is open to repeatable experiments” (Ken Ham, The New Answers Book, p. 152).

A problem with studying fossils is that they do not have a label attached to them showing their date. R. L. Mauger of East Carolina University wrote about modern dating in Contributions To Geology: “In general, dates in the ‘correct ball park’ are assumed to be correct and are published, but those in disagreement with other data are seldom published nor are the discrepancies fully explained” (V.15 (1): 17).  In fact, Dr. Don Patton cited scientist Roger Lewin who examined a skull that was found. The tests provided “41 separate age determinations...which varied between 223 million and 0.91 million years...after the first determination they never again obtained 2.61 million from their experiments” (Bones of Contention, p. 194). Yet they published the 2.61 million, which was in disagreement with the 40 others. Thus, what they assumed beforehand was what was published.

There are multiple assumptions that evolutionary scientists make. First, the current rate is extrapolated into the past. Second, the starting value is assumed. And third, little or no allowance is made for contamination into the system beyond what we measure today.  Then based on these faulty assumptions, evolutionary scientists conclude incorrect ideas concerning dinosaurs, an old universe, that the Bible is inaccurate, and that God does not exist.

Thankfully, we do not have to make these dangerous assumptions because we have the testimony of the Creator of the universe in the Bible; and His testimony can be verified throughout creation, and history.

 In His service,

      Matt