My Point of View, Part II:
Challenging the Christian Worldview?
People who have experienced the ministry I do understand that part of my calling in life is challenging Christians (and anyone else who listens), in their worldview. I offer challenges for people to shake off the culturally influenced perspectives that cloud their vision of the Bible and its Truth. Those cultural clouds come from both church culture, society, their families and more.
However, unless the Lord opens our eyes to the truth of the Word, we’re all blind no matter how much research we do, knowledge we amass, degrees we achieve, and much we write or preach (Psalm 127:1).
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain.
All too often, to those of us tasked with being watchmen calling out, it often seems we do so in vain; crying to a Church that is more preoccupied with inner focus for itself, the selfishness of the individual members, or at least the short-sightedness of both. Western church culture truly is wealthy beyond their wildest dreams, yet blinded to it. I suppose us watchmen aren’t much different from our distant brethren of times past who also cried out to a people who had more doubt in their hearts, than faith.
Some of us try to reach out from different angles, perspectives. This but is one.
Care to take a little trip with me to LaLa Land? At least, that’s how some people will view it, probably those who don’t enjoy having their worldview quake.
Out of Place Archaeological Artifacts
What are they? They are items that prove historically that the Bible is True, from the story of Eden to the Temples in Jerusalem, and even the resurrection of Jesus. They are the very things that prove the real world exists. Biblical stories, such as that of The Flood of Noah, described in the Bible’s book of Genesis, Chapter 6 was a real event. Unfortunately, the story found in Genesis 6 doesn't go into much detail, but there are other sources for the information. One source is Archaeology. Out of Place Archaeological Artifacts are proof that much of the history of the world as you may know it is—well—fantasy.
If the Bible is real and the history recorded in it is also real, then everyone else in the world is living in “LaLa Land.” In other words, if you believe the Bible is 100% true, they think you are the one who has gone nuts! Ever read the New Testament Book of Hebrews, Chapter 11? If you think anything I’ve said so far is crazy (or what is to follow), now might be a good time for you to read that chapter! Did you also know that one can't really call oneself a Christian if you do not believe the Bible is 100% correct? (That would be what the Apostle Paul called, "solid meat
[1]" but I digress).
This may be an understatement, but news articles reporting O.O.P.A.ART’s (Out of Place Archaeological Artifacts), do not typically have the same perspective that we Bible-Believers do (sometimes we are Christians, but there are Jewish people out there who also believe those books of the Bible that are acceptable to them). For example, when reading a scientific article that puzzles over the lack of genetic variability about a particular biological study, Darwinian scientists like to ponder what missing link of Darwinian Theory they will someday find under the next an unknown stone. However, we Bible-believers, may look at the same data, wondering at the glory of God to have allowed such biological stability despite genetic breakdown caused by the First Adam’s sin. When uncovering an ancient O.O.P.A.AAR’s site we might ponder briefly the amazing things that must have happened in those days to cause the God's judgment to fall to harshly on that people and civilization.
I often see "Christian" media publications include articles by secularly influenced Darwinian scientists. Quite often these articles appear without editing or commentary, based on the assumption that we Christians would use their "Biblical" filters when reading such an article. Maybe such assumption is one of the Achilles Heals of modern Christianity? But I digress. The same thing happens from the pulpits of a great many churches. There is an assumption that those in the listening audience understand the foundational words, phrases and Biblical concepts that are being spoken about. Most Christians today are so influenced by a Darwinian worldview that Biblical concepts, phrases, context, terminology and general literacy are foreign. It is perpetuated in Religious academic circles where the “Trickle Down” assumption has remained the rule. “Trickle Down” assumes that the new findings and understandings related to the Bible will “Trickle Down” to the average person if they are taught in Seminaries, Bible Colleges, and reported in Scholastic Journals. These are fatal flaws, worthy of multiple standalone articles.
Christians who do have their "Biblical filters" working properly may find it interesting when the authors of scientific articles inadvertently come to conclusions based on secular religious models (read: Darwinian Theory), that support the Bible. Most often they do not, and I will discuss some of the reasons shortly. If a Christian has been trained up, and exercises discernment while being sensitive to the leading of God’s Spirit, we often come to conclusions that oppose those of the Darwinian worldview. There are certain things that should affect our perspective, such as our understanding of the Bible, God, creation and the flood. However, we need to take care to guard against a prideful arrogance when we see someone such as secular scientist
Stephen Jay Gould admit that Darwinian theory has a fatal flaw, “the lack of transitional fossils is the trade secret of paleontology.” It sounds and makes us feel good to be justified from "their side,” and admission is always good if there is true repentance (usually there isn’t), but we need to be careful about our own hearts as well. We must not “lord it over” those who do not have what we have, namely, God’s Spirit, and hopefully, His perspective.
As Bible believing Christians, most of us do not believe that universe is billions of years old, while admitting we don't really know just how old it really is. Of course, there are some notable expectations, such as those who staunchly adhere to the concept of a literal seven day creation. I could poke a few theological holes in that story, but the old saying from Proverbs must be considered, “Answer a fool according to his folly…” (Proverbs 26:4).
This is what we Christians can agree on: We do know WHO made the Universe and everything in it—or do we?
Most Christians would say that "God" did the creating, but exactly which member of the God-Head (for those not in the know, read: Trinity), did the work is a mystery. Most of us do not know where Jesus begins and His Father ends. We forget that he only said, “You must be born again” one time, but made statements about his mission of introducing us to His Father—whom no man had ever seen
[2]—many times. Most of us don’t know who did the creating part, was it Jesus or was it his Father? Sorry, digression regarding the modern ignorance of 21
st Century Christianity. I guess you’ll have to read my upcoming book to learn more, “The Book of God, Volume 1.”
Most Christians do not believe in pre-Adamite races, some do. Those who do believe in civilizations during a pre-Adam world even have some justification for their beliefs given in the writings of ancient schools of Jewish theology. Some of those Jewish scholars discuss as many as 974
[3] “creations” prior to Adam! I guess these are discussions for another time, but why those on the Protestant side of the divide can’t seem to muster the courage to even discuss such subjects is beyond the understanding of a great many people. Those who broach these issues are automatically assumed to be “crazy.” Maybe it is a matter of Jesus’ discussion of “motes
[4]” in eyes? It probably has something to do with the “throwing the baby out with the bathwater
[5]” that occurred in the separation from Catholicism, known as the
Protestant Reformation. There are other discussions those of us who fall into the “Protestant” camp should probably have concerning some serious issues of Doctrine that were “cast out bath water” such as these few examples:
· Doctrines of Confession prior to Communion (1 Corinthians 11): Maybe the answer to why Christians are just as physically sick and afflicted as non-believers?
· Doctrines regarding The Great Cloud of Witnesses (Hebrews 12): No we shouldn’t pray to Saints or seek them out, but God does allow us at times of His Choosing to converse with those who are in the Lord, yet have died before us.
· The Doctrine of Foot Washing (Luke 22; John 13; 1 Chronicles 16:23; Psalm 96:2; Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15; 2 Sam 15:10; 1 Kgs 1:11, 13, 18; 2 Kgs 9:13; Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:16-17): Maybe the “church” could be stronger with proper preparation for proclaiming the Gospel of Peace?
Maybe we can at least agree that there’s a lot we do not understand, or have lost?
Back to topic: Many who have considered these and other such issues do believe there were advanced civilizations prior to the Flood of Noah, but most Christians haven't thought through the issue thoroughly enough to come to such a conclusion.
Here’s a seemingly unrelated subject: Did you know that most Christians do not believe in space aliens? Most of us who have diligently considered this subject understand how to compare and contrast ancient traditions and modern stories of demonic activity, and see this modern UFO phenomenon for what it is--a continuation of the same thing with a new name. In other words, they are real, just not from Outer Space.
I didn't digress on that last point. Solid meat is very much appropriate to this O.O.P.A.ART’s discussion. If you are not living on the solid food of the Word of God, then this subject could potentially derail your tenuous walk with Jesus. You need to have a firm foundation in order to avoid being taken down un-Biblical roads that contradict the 100% correct Word of God. For that reason, you might want to take a close look at yourself prior to jumping any further into O.O.P.A.ART’s.
Next Time...
[2] John 6:46, John 1:18,
[3] Talmud: Rabbi Shimon the Pious said: These are the nine hundred and seventy four generations who pressed themselves forward to be created before the world was created, but were not created. The Holy One, blessed be He, arose and planted them in every generation, and it is they who are the insolent of each generation. (Chagiga 13b-14a); See also the following: Between Jerusalem and Benares: comparative studies in Judaism and Hinduism, By Hananya Goodman; Mysteries of the Creation: a cosmology derived from Torah, Nevi'im, C'suvim, By Dovid Brown; "Immortality, Resurrection, and the Age of the Universe", by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (Copyright 1993, Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists, ISBN 0-88125-345-6)
[5] …being stuck in "Jesus is my boyfriend" Mega-Church an inch deep in knowledge and a centimeter shallow of discernment mocha-latte Frappuccino bigmac iphone worldview?
Looking for my links concering Prophetic things in the News? Want to Test your Discernment to see the hand of God (and His Enemy)?
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