Also See   WorldViews and  Truth and The Christian Worldview

Introduction
What Is Man?
What Is The Meaning Of Life?
How Are We To Make Moral Choices?
Is It Possible To Know The Truth About Ourselves And The Universe?
What Is Love And Where Can It Be Found?
Why Is There Suffering And How Can We Live With It?
What Is Death And How Are We To Face It?
What Hope Is There For The Human Race?
What Is Real?
Can Evil Be Defeated?

An Introduction

Too many fail to appreciate the radical nature of New Testament Christianity. This is evidenced by the attitudes and conduct of a great many Christians. Currently, in too many instances, there is little real difference between the mind-set and behavior of secularists and many who claim to be Christians. The fact that the gospel of Christ is actually the “power of God” to radically change men and women seems to be denied by many who are doing nothing other than “playing church.”

Despite what one may observe in our churches and in the personal lives of many who claim to be Christians, the gospel of Christ is a dynamic force in the heart of the believer and its effect is totally radical. The transformation it causes is so revolutionary that the Christian is described as a “new creature” (II Corinthians 5:17) who has been “born again” by the “word of God” (I Peter 1:23). And one must never forget the power of this Word—namely, it caused the universe to come into existence and “light to shine out of darkness” (Genesis 1:3; II Corinthians 4:6). This Word, which in the beginning was with God and was God (John 1:1), became flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:14). It is “in Him” that we have eternal life (Romans 5:21), receive the remission of our sins (Ephesians 1:7), and experience all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).

True Christianity, which is described in the Bible as a “not conforming to this world,” is evidenced by a transformed and renewed mind that will “prove [to a lost world] what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1,2). The “new creature” of Christianity is dead to sin, but alive in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:7,8), and has been created “unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Unfortunately, many churches, basking in the twilight of the twentieth century, are like the church at Sardis, which basked in the twilight of the first century. The church of Christ at Sardis had a name it was living, but was, for all practical spiritual purposes, dead (Revelation 3:1). The church at Sardis ceased to exist, and churches of Christ that follow in its footsteps will cease to exist also.

This study is designed to aid the Christian in developing a Biblical mind-set or world view. By world view, we mean, the beliefs, attitudes, and values on which people act. Everyone has a world view! Everyone sees the world through a set of beliefs, attitudes, and values. (More will be said about this in the lecture.) A Biblical world view compels the Christian to be the discerning person the Lord created him to be. But, be warned, developing a Biblical world view is not without serious dangers.

Also See The Christian and Worldliness

Jesus Christ, who is “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named” (Ephesians 1:21) has been given “all authority” by His Father (Matthew 28:18). His teachings have always been on the “cutting edge.” In fact, they are nothing less than revolutionary. Furthermore, they are, by their very nature, counter-culture. As such, Jesus calls upon those who would follow Him to out-think, out-live, and out-die the pagans around about them. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines “pagan” as “a follower of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome),” or “one who has little or no religion and delights in sensual pleasures and material goods: an irreligious or hedonistic person.” The Lord knowingly built His church “smack dab” in the middle of a pagan culture and world. He warned His disciples that as the pagan world hated Him, it would also hate them (John 15:18-25; 17:14-18).

Unfortunately, we still live in a pagan world. Western culture, at one time significantly inspired by Biblical truths, has become almost thoroughly pagan once again. As our society slips further and further into the darkness of paganism, Christians, if they are not themselves enveloped by the darkness, will more and more find themselves the object of disdain. This is the clear teaching of God's Word. Christ's church, as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar or special people (I Peter 2:9), will be a constant irritation to a world dying in darkness. Why? Because the salt that preserves, when applied to an open wound, is extremely painful, and a light shining in darkness exposes the evil lurking there (Matthew 5:13-16).

The constant temptation for Christians is to blend in. We do not want to be different. The thought that living a godly life in America could cause us to be looked upon with disdain by our neighbors is totally unpalatable. Such thoughts make us feel strange, and although we know the Bible calls upon us to be strangers here (Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 11:13), we do not relish feeling like strangers. Satan, our ancient and crafty enemy, by reason of his experience with the human race, knows our weaknesses and is not slack in exploiting them. Realizing that he would probably fail in a full frontal assault, he attempts to convince us that Christianity is a sugar-coated, country-club, hot-tub religion. He tries to convince us that we no longer need to keep our minds razor- sharp (I Peter 1:13). He tries to convince us that the religion of Christ can be a relaxing, floppy, laid-back experience. Nothing could be further from the truth taught in God's Word! [See Section The Contemporary Church]

If our behavior is not radically different from the world's, then we can be certain that we are not pleasing our Lord. If we are conformed to this world instead of to the image of Christ, then we can be sure that our heavenly Father is displeased with us. If our minds have not been transformed from what they once were when we served our own lusts, then we are not proving to the world what that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is (Romans 12:2).

Two keys to developing a Biblical world view are repentance and revival. In II Corinthians 10:4,5, the Bible says that every philosophical stronghold and every argument that arrays itself against a knowledge of God, along with “every thought” must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Therefore, we must examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith (II Corinthians 13:5). If not, we must repent. Then, by way of revival, we must remember who we are and what we are. We must remember that we have been bought with a price so that we might demonstrate to a lost and dying world what is right. Let us heed the Biblical call for discernment. Let us develop a Biblical world view so that we can discern what is truth and what is error. Let us do everything within our abilities to out-live, out-think, and out-die those around about us. To do this we will have to examine the objective standard, the Bible. Let us open its pages and learn from the Garden of Eden, with its two trees (one allowed, one forbidden), all the way to man's future destiny (either in heaven or hell), that there are two (and only two) ways—namely, God's way and all others.

According to God's Word, people are either saved or lost; individuals either belong to God's house or the world; there is Gerizim, the mount of blessing, and Ebal, the mount of cursing; there is the narrow way leading to eternal life and the broad way leading to eternal destruction; there are those who are either with us or against us; there are those who are within or without; there is life and there is death, truth and falsehood, good and bad, light and darkness, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan. The Bible teaches us that there is love and hatred, spiritual wisdom and demonic wisdom, and many other things that are to be contrasted with each other. Without a Biblical world view, without discernment, we will miss the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

In this study, we will develop a Biblical world view by girding up or sharpening our minds with ten key questions about life. These questions are: What is man?; What is the real meaning of life?; How am I to make moral choices?; What is truth?; What is love and where can it be found?; Why is there suffering and how can we live with it?; What is death?; What hope is there for the human race?; What is real?; Is there any hope in fighting evil and injustice?

It is our prayer that you will begin this study with open minds and open Bibles, ready to think God's thought after Him. If you will do this, we are confident you will be blessed in your studies. {TOP OF PAGE}

What Is Man?

In Psalm 8:4 the psalmist asks, “What is man?” Unfortunately, modern man does not know what or who he is. Relativism, a reflection of evolutionary thought, has concluded there is no such thing as “human nature.” According to this “vain philosophy” (Colossians 2:8), there is no ideal pattern for humanness. There is no model after which man was made and for which he must strive. Everything is relative because what man is today will be different tomorrow. Man is in the process of evolving into something else. Just what that something else will be is not yet known, although there are a great many speculations. What is known, according to relativism, is that there are many variables that will influence the further development of man's evolution. Consequently, pseudo-science (the “science falsely so-called” of I Timothy 6:20), considers itself free to construct man as it pleases, while, at the same time, an individual is free to live any “life-style” he chooses. [See Section on Relativism]

The Christian rejects such vain reasoning. Instead, the Christian realizes there is indeed an ideal pattern for humanness, a model for which he is to strive. This pattern or model is centered in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the perfect man; consequently, walking in His footsteps, man will come the closest to being what he was created to be. But, we are jumping ahead of the story.

What Is Man Made Of?

In order to understand what man is, it will be necessary to understand what man is made of. In asking, “What is man made of?,” we will not be inquiring as to the various chemical elements that make up man. Neither will we be concerned with the various parts that make up man, such as muscles and bones. Rather, we are thinking in terms of two basic components: matter and spirit. With these two components in mind, we understand there are three different choices: (1) man is matter only, (2) man is spirit only, or (3) man is both matter (or body) and spirit. In terms of the various world views, there are those today who would defend all three positions. The secular humanists, personified in general evolutionists, would take the first position: man is matter only. Eastern mystics would take the second position: man is spirit only. Christians, of course, along with others, would take the third position: man is both body and spirit. As we are not trying to develop either a materialistic or pantheistic world view, we now turn our attention to what the Bible says about man.

Body
In the Bible, there are several different terms used to describe the physical or materialistic nature of man. Among these are sheath, outer man, body, and flesh. Before proceeding any further, something needs to be said about the word flesh. “Flesh” is an often misunderstood word that just as frequently leads to some serious consequences. The apostle Paul often used “flesh” to refer to the “old sinful self” or “sinful way of life” (Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 5:16-21). When used in this sense, “flesh” is not equivalent to “body,” although in other places this word does mean man's body (Romans 2:28; Galatians 4:13). The point we wish to make at this juncture is that man is body.

Spirit
In addition to the material outer man, there is a spiritual nature that makes up the inner man. Other terms used to express this spiritual nature are heart, spirit, and soul. Although “soul” can be used to refer to something other than man's spiritual nature (namely, the “whole of man” or “animal life”), when used to refer to man's spiritual nature, it is synonymous with man's “spirit” (I Samuel 18:1; Job 14:22; Matthew 10:28; Acts 2:25-31). Man, therefore, is spirit.

Body And Spirit
Actually, then, what man is (that is, the “real man”) is a combination of both material (body) and spiritual (soul) elements. In Daniel 7:15, the prophet said, “I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body [sheath], and the visions of my head bothered me.” In Ecclesiastes 12:7, speaking of physical death, it was said, “Then shall the dust [the body] return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” In developing a Biblical world view, it would be a serious mistake not to understand that man is both body and soul. Man is not a spirit that has a body; on the contrary, man is spirit and man is body. Both body and spirit are the “real man.” In other words, man is as genuinely body as he is spirit. Therefore, the body and spirit are not, as some think, natural enemies; instead, both body and spirit make up the unity that is man.

False Concepts About Man

Some have difficulty with the “real man” as he is presented in God's Word. In large part, this is due to the false teachings about the nature of man that have circulated for aeons. In fact, many are convinced, quite erroneously, that the picture of man painted in the New Testament is nothing other than a re-hashed composite of Platonic and Aristotelian dualism. This is a significant mistake, and although it is true that the New Testament was written mostly in the Greek language, it must never be interpreted in light of Greek philosophies. This is understood by Paul's defense directed against the philosophers of Athens recorded in Acts 17. The apostle demonstrated to these Greeks his familiarity with their poets. This is further demonstrated by his apparent quote of Menander (I Corinthians 15:33) and Epimenides (Titus 1:12).

The concept, “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28), as originally expressed by Aratus, the Stoic poet, and others, was pantheistic; but Paul expanded upon it to teach the real truth revealed by the one true Giver and Sustainer of life. All the learning of the Greeks had failed them in that they were unable to discover and adequately know the Supreme Intelligence of the Universe. The apostle identified all their philosophical efforts as “ignorance,” and called upon them all to repent toward the one and only true God. Thus, one can be confident that the truths taught in God's Word are not warmed over Platonism or any other man-made “ism.”  

Also See Did Christianity Evolve From Pagan Religions?

Nevertheless, too many have tried to make a connection between the dual nature of man and the pagan philosophical construct of dualism. In essence, the doctrine of dualism says that all that exists is to be divided into that which is good or bad. In pagan mythology, Greek philosophy, and Gnosticism, good and evil are usually either different manifestations of the same source, or they can be traced to some common source. For example, in Manichaeism, reported to be one of the most widely influential religions of the ancient world, creation begins with two coeternal, independent principles: Light and Darkness, Good and Evil, God and Matter. Within such a cosmology (that is, an explanation of the origin and general structure of the universe), that which is material is identified as being evil, and that which is spiritual is understood to be good. Unfortunately, it is this Manichaean cosmology, or one very similar, that is factored into many people's understanding of the Biblical teaching on the dual nature of man. Again, we repeat, this is a serious mistake!

Augustine, before his conversion to Catholicism, was an adherent of Manichaeism. As a matter of fact, some believe his false and ominous “doctrine of original sin” had it roots in Manichaean dualism. When material reality is, in itself, looked upon as something negative or evil, this has a profound influence upon all religion and morality. Within such a system, evil has a metaphysical footing rather than an ethical one. What this means is that with dualism evil is no longer a free will choice. Under such a system, sin is blamed on this finite, mortal, material existence (i.e., “I'm only human!”). Dualism distorts the picture of man's true nature, and one cannot help but see how this kind of think provides fertile soil for the Calvinistic doctrine that man is, by his very nature, born totally depraved and has no true free will. Is it any wonder then that the apostle Paul wrote: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8)?

See Section on Calvinism

Both Body And Soul Are Good

In Genesis 1:31 the Bible tells us, “And God saw every thing that He made, and, behold, it was very good.” We need to let the full implication of this passage sink in. The truth revealed in this passage thoroughly demolishes dualism. God, the Almighty Creator, views His creation, which consists of matter, and pronounces it good. But to be more precise, He doesn't just call His creation “good,” He calls it “very good.” Therefore, it is absolutely irrefutable that man's spiritual nature (his soul) and his material nature (his body) are good in the sight of God. Consequently, we know that when Adam and Eve sinned they sinned not because they had to (namely, their spirits were housed in sinful flesh) but because they chose to (namely, they exercised their God-given free wills).

Sin And Its Effect

Because man is as genuinely body as he is spirit, sin has an effect on the entire man, body and soul. We will expand on this in a moment, but first let us notice that the Lord told Adam, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). On the day that Adam and Eve sinned, they died spiritually (that is, they became estranged from God). In addition, the “wages of sin,” which Romans 6:23 says “is death,” began to be drawn on, and man the living creature became man the dying creature. No longer would man be allowed to partake of the tree of life and live forever (see Genesis 3:22-24). Instead, the Lord said, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19). Although many today, including some Christians, think otherwise, physical death is not “normal.” Many think it is because the Scriptures say that “in Adam all die” (I Corinthians 15:22) or “it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). This, of course, is the way things are today, but it is certainly not normal in that it is not the way God wanted things to be. (See Sin)

Many today believe that not only does man inherit Adam's original sin, but his depraved nature as well. Although this is not taught in the Bible, the Bible does teach that we do in fact inherit something from the father and mother of all living—namely, the consequences of their sins. Actually, there are many consequences of their sins, but there is only one that is of immediate concern to us in this study—namely, the discontinuation of man's access to the tree of life. Without access to the tree of life, man does not live forever; and if man does not live forever, he, by definition, must die.

What this all means is that little babies die not because they have inherited Adam's sin, as many incorrectly believe, but because they have inherited, along with the rest of the human race, the consequences of Adam's sin—namely, death due to the removal of the tree of life. Further, Jesus taught that one must become as a little child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:2-4). The Lord's teaching in this passage would be meaningless if children were, in fact, totally depraved. In this regard, it is important to consider the apostle Paul's statement, “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died” in Romans 7:9. We believe Paul was writing of the time when he was a child, having not reached the age of accountability, and was, therefore, spiritually alive apart from the law of Moses. In verses 10 and 11 we learn that he died spiritually because he did not keep the commandments.

It seems clear then that from Adam man inherits a consequence (physical death), not a depraved nature (spiritual death). It seems just as clear that physical death is not “normal.” Death is, in fact, identified in the Bible as an enemy (I Corinthians 15:26) that causes the “unity” that is man to be divided (James 2:26).

Made In The Image Of God

As Bible believers, we understand ourselves to be unique with regard to all creation in that we are made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26,27). But what does this mean? Well, we know that God is a spirit being (John 4:24), and that we are His offspring (Acts 17:28,29). Consequently, our uniqueness does not seem to relate directly to our physical bodies, but to our spiritual natures. In other words, man possesses the divine imprint in his spirit, not in his flesh. Is there more to this than we have sometimes thought? In his interesting little book, His Truth, Jack Cottrell notes: “Personhood is the essence of spiritual existence. Spiritual beings are personal beings. This is what makes us like God. God is spirit; we are spirit. God is personal; we are personal.” He goes on to point out: “As persons we have the capacity for interpersonal relationships not only with one another but with God himself. This is God's supreme design for man; this is why God made us in His image. Only when we are in a right personal relationship with God are we fulfilling our purpose as human beings.” In other words, the whole duty of man is to love God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). When we do this, we are not only in a proper relationship with God, but we are also in a right relationship with our fellow man (Matthew 22:36-40).

What Are The Implications?

What are the ramifications of such a doctrine? Because every man and woman is made in the image of God, every man and woman possesses inherent dignity, meaning, and worth. Any self-respect or self-esteem that a man or woman possesses, in order to be correct, must be firmly grounded in this truth.

Furthermore, this doctrine teaches us that we must have a unique respect for human life. Human life, created in the image of God, is of more value that animal life. Only human life is protected by God's prohibition against murder (Exodus 20:13; Matthew 19:18; I John 3:15). The fact that man is made in God's image makes murder wrong and capital punishment right (Genesis 9:6).

This doctrine teaches us that we must have a genuine yearning to reach the lost for Christ. When someone dies unsaved, it means another person made in the image of God is going to spend an eternity in hell. Is there any greater tragedy? [Also See Section on Hell]

Summary

Let's spend the rest of our time summing up some of the things we have learned. Man is both body and spirit. Body and spirit are not natural enemies as some have believed, both make up the “real man.” A man dies spiritually (i.e., is separated from God) when he sins; man sins when he violates the law of God (I John 3:4); he violates the law by exercising a choice God has given him; “Choice” implies a God-given free moral agency; and lastly, free moral agency makes a man personally responsible for his own sinfulness. Those who seek to blame their sinful situation on heredity are like those recorded in Ezekiel 18:1, who said: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.” Although Calvinists will deny it, this passage addresses itself to anyone who places the responsibility for his sin anywhere except squarely on the shoulders of the one doing the sinning. Although Adam's sin set in motion circumstances that apparently make sin easier, and although satan and his agents are actively engaged in trying to destroy man spiritually, the truth of the matter is this: Each man bears his own guilt. Now, it is true that this guilt may involve another and influence another, but it is still personal guilt!

InPlainSite.org Note: Ezekiel 18:1-4. "The word of the Lord came to me: 'What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son - both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.'"

Sin has had an effect on the whole man, both body and soul. Although spiritual death is experienced when one becomes alienated from God by sinful conduct, physical death is experienced by every person because ever since Adam's sin, man has not had access to the tree of life. Romans 5:12 teaches that physical death entered into the world and spread to all men as a result of the sin of one man, Adam. Physical death is a consequence of Adam's sin that has passed to all his posterity. According to the Bible, death is the “last enemy” to be defeated by Christ through the final resurrection (I Corinthians 15:26,27).

Finally, salvation involves the whole man, both body and soul (Romans 8:23).

“Behold I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:51-58). {TOP OF PAGE}
 

What Is The Meaning Of Life?

The Bible says, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Ted Turner, playboy, T.V. mogul, and entrepreneur extraordinary, says, “Christianity is a religion for losers. I don't want anybody to die for me. I've had a few drinks and a few girl friends, and if that's gonna put me in hell, then so be it” (quoted in World, November 11, 1989, page 4). Actually, Ted Turner, the consummate humanist, does not even believe in God. If he did, he would believe in Jesus Christ (cf. John 8:42-47). Furthermore, Ted Turner does not believe in hell. If he did, he would not think a few drinks and a few girl friends to be worth spending an eternity there. [Also See Section on Hell]

What we have here are two points of view, two mind-sets, two world views: One speaks of duty, the other speaks of license; one says that man is amenable to God and, therefore, obligated to keep His commandments, the other says man is completely autonomous and free to do exactly as he wishes; one is predicated on the truth that there is more to living than man's physical existence (i.e., “And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” Hebrews 9:27), the other on the basis that man's physical existence is all there is (i.e., “If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die,’” I Corinthians 15:32); one point of view represents a theistic or Biblical world view, and the other exemplifies an atheistic or humanistic world view.

Which world view is right? Is there really a God, a Supreme Being, a Creator? Is man just physical, or does he have a spiritual dimension? Is there life beyond the grave? Are heaven and hell factual, or are they simply the figments of deluded minds? Does life have meaning and purpose, or is man a chance collocation of atoms with no reason for being? How you answer these questions determines what you think about the point of man's existence and the meaning of life.

The Biblical world view pictures time (history) as the arena in which God and His judgments meet the obedience or rebellion of man. Consequently, history (time) is important or meaningful. Traditionally, in Western culture, with its Biblical underpinnings, events in time (history) have always been highly valued. It is only recently, as Western civilization continues to move further away from the truths taught in the Bible, that the value of time has been perverted. Modern evolutionary thought (namely, The General Theory of Evolution) is to blame for such a perversion. To the evolutionists, time, like matter, is eternal. Consequently, the atheistic, humanistic mind-set does not see time as the arena in which God and His judgments meet the obedience or rebellion of man. Instead, time becomes the vehicle of salvation. In other words, evolutionists, like humanists, Marxists, and other of similar ilk, view history as “the whole show.”

Such relativistic views of time always define history as a “closed system.” Dutch philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd expressed it like so:

“History has no windows looking out into eternity. Man is completely enclosed in it and cannot elevate himself to a supra-historical level of contemplation. History is the be-all and end-all of man's existence and of his faculty of experience. And it is ruled by destiny, the inescapable fate.”

As we said previously, one with a Biblical world view knows that history is important, but it is not a god to be bowed down to and worshiped. Unfortunately, history has become an idol in the mind of humanistic man. Values, according to this way of thinking, are nothing more than “historical facts” that chart a course of the development of human reason. Whatever the human sentiments are at any given time become the laws which govern that situation. Rejecting, as they do, the “Law above the law” concept, humanists have bowed themselves in worshipful obeisance to history. History, as the only true absolute, has been enthroned as Lord of the Universe. Accordingly, Oswald Spengler, in his monumental interpretation of Western civilization, The Decline Of The West, closed his two volume book of doom and gloom with this statement: “We have not the freedom to reach to this or to that, but the freedom to do the necessary or to do nothing. And a task that historic necessity has set will be accomplished with the individual or against him.”

It is this philosophy or world view that is currently causing our Constitution to be interpreted by jurists who believe law to be nothing more than the sentiments of the moment. For example, back in June 1972, one hundred and eighty-one years after the adoption of the Bill of Rights, in Furman vs. Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court “discovered” that capital punishment was unconstitutional. According to the court, capital punishment was a violation of the “cruel and unusual punishment” prohibition of the Eighth Amendment. Fortunately, the Supreme Court has since reversed itself, but that such an interpretation is clearly erroneous can be seen when one considers that the Sixth Amendment, which was adopted at the same time as the Eighth, mentions “capital, or otherwise infamous crime.” Furthermore, by such jurists, a “right” to abortion has somehow been found in that same Constitution. Both liberal and conservative constitutional scholars agree that such a right is nothing more than the sentiments of the judges who “discovered” it. The truth is that abortion is no more a constitutional right than was the unthinkable thought among the Founding Fathers that a mother should be allowed to abort her unborn child. In reality, the Constitution has not changed, only the sentiments of those who interpret it. [See Section on Abortion]

Likewise, homosexuality, traditionally thought to be a perversity in Western society, is now being touted as a “viable alternate lifestyle.” The growing sentiment in favor of homosexuality is already being translated into law. Soon, if present trends continue, homosexuality will be perfectly legal, a “right” to be protected by the Constitution. Time has evolved public sentiment toward acceptance of homosexuality; therefore, history, the Lord of the universe, now demands that law reflect that sentiment. This ought not to be! [See Section on Homosexuality]

Each day our society enforces some new sentiment. Even the family, the very backbone of our society, is currently being redefined. The traditional family, we are being told by the social engineers, is a relic of the past and must be eliminated in favor of something more modern. In their book, The Feminization Of America, which is subtitled, How Women's Values Are Changing Our Public And Private Lives, Elinor Lenz and Barbara Myerhoff make their ideas on this subject very clear. Writing about the “blended” or “mine, yours, and ours” families of modern America, they said:

 “Although it will be some years before research on these new family constellations can yield definitive information, some child psychologists and family therapists are making educated guesses that the children growing up in these families, because of their experience with diffuse affectional ties, will have an easier time with personal relationships in their adult lives than the children of nuclear families.” They go on to say: “The family today is in an unstable, transitional phase as it struggles in a time of flux to break out of the ancient tribal system of clannish, binding kinship ties, an arrangement based on physical and psychological dependency and a narrowing down of the social group—the ‘restricted family,’ as anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss terms it. But as the rigid and arbitrary forms of the past are rejected in favor of more open, balanced, and creative styles of living together, the family's redefinition and reshaping reflect our changing lives and our everlasting need for nourishing, supportive relationships.”

These trends are disturbing to the Bible believer, and you may be asking yourself, “Can we really do anything about them?” When we start asking this question, our enemy is very close to winning the battle. He's about to win because he has cunningly seduced us. Let me explain. When we mention traditional values or speak of the way things used to be, we frequently hear someone say, “You can't turn back the clock,” or “You're just going to have to learn to adapt to the times.” People who think this way view history as a closed system that's moving in an inevitable direction. To them, the values of the past represent archaic (out-dated) thinking, while current trends are identified as modern (inevitable) thinking. To these who bow at the totem of history, historical trends must not be challenged. This “Que Sera, Sera” or “What will be, will be” syndrome uses time as a very seductive metaphor, and if we are not careful, those of us who would not ever think of bowing to history as the Lord of the universe can be trapped into believing a shrewdly devised deception. Remember, the devil is quite cunning (II Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11).

When we speak of the destruction of traditional values and declining morality, instead of allowing the enemy to trick us into using a time metaphor, we should be insisting on the use of a space metaphor. For example, if one were attempting to follow a road to a desired destination and came to a detour in the road, and upon taking the detour found himself up to his neck in muck and mire, but because he believed “One can't turn back the clock,” he continued on until he disappeared under the ooze and slime, we would certainly think that person a fool.

What is my point? America has taken a detour and has become bogged down in the muck and mire of Hedonism, Materialism, and Humanism. America does not need to be trying to return to some past that never really existed anyway. What America needs to be doing is getting on the right road again. We must understand the spiritual and religious aspects of the current problem. Americans must once again learn to think of time (history) as the arena in which God and His judgments meet the obedience or rebellion of man. [Also See Section Our Country Our Children]

“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).

The Bible believers' responsibility is to out-think, out-live, and out-die the pagans. Consequently, Christians are obligated to demolish every argument and pretentious thought process that arrays itself against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:5). If our thinking is sloppy and shallow, our actions in life will display the same character. If our minds are fragmented and disjointed, our life will probably be the same. If our thinking is full of errors, then many of our actions are going to be wrong! In other words, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).

Man, like time, is not God. He did not create himself, nor did he write the laws of his being. Nevertheless, men and women do make themselves. And as we seriously take ourselves in hand, we begin to discover who we are and what we may become. There is real meaning to life. Man is not, as the materialists tell us, simply the product of random chance. There is more to life than the gratification of the flesh. Man is spiritual, a creation of the Almighty God. How we exercise our free will in regard to God's grace in this time/space continuum determines where we will spend eternity.

Honoring God and keeping His commandments—this is the point of it all! This is the meaning of life! Consequently, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8). {TOP OF PAGE}
 

How Are We To Make Moral Choices?

In his book, The Death of Ethics in America, Cal Thomas wrote:

“The lack of any personal accountability to a moral code has made immorality respectable in our nation. There is at times little in the press, in the entertainment industry, or in our institutions of higher (lower?) learning that can lift us up or cause us to realize that we have fallen. All of the voices are coming from below, rather than from above.”

Thomas is right, but there is more. Immorality, which says, “Certain things are right and wrong, but I don't care!,” has now given way to amorality, which says, “There is no such thing as right or wrong!” According to the humanists' world view, morality is situational and autonomous. This means that what is right or wrong depends solely on the situation and what an individual thinks is appropriate in that situation. Consequently, personal pleasure has become the final arbiter of morality. Although we continue to act and talk like there are commonly accepted standards of right behavior, of fair play, of truth and honesty, of right and wrong, such is simply no longer the case in our culture.

For some time now, righteousness has been under attack! It has been under concerted, conscious systematic attack in our creative arts, in our popular literature and music, on our TV screens, in our educational institutions, and even in our churches. But, what do I mean by “righteousness”? Well, it is not without significance that in past generations such an explanation would not be necessary.  However, today, it is often necessary to explain that what the philosopher calls ethics, the theologian calls morals, the educator calls values, and the man on the street calls goodness, the Bible calls “righteousness.” [Also See The War Against Christianity]

This attack on righteousness or morality has produced the very worse results. Statistics prove there is more crime, more juvenile delinquency, more suicide, more adultery, more divorces, more homosexuality with each passing year. But then someone says, “What do you mean ‘worse’?” You see, when there are no standards, one can ask a question like this and many people will even think the questioner is smart. But, when one replies to the pseudo-intellectual's question with the remark, “By worse, I mean more immoral,” one had better brace for an indignant, “Don't you try to impose your narrow, moralizing views on me.” You see, in today's society, if one wants to convince Americans about the “rightness” or “wrongness” of something, one must not talk about morality. Instead, one must talk the language of a New Age. In other words, talk about health; talk about scientific facts; talk about self-esteem; talk about economic considerations; but don't ever talk about morality!

For example, consider the problem of AIDS. Watching the news some nights, we might imagine that the AIDS epidemic is a threat to all Americans—indeed, all humans. But keep watching. On another night, the same reporters emphasize that actually AIDS is nearly impossible to contract: we get it mainly from shared needles or from highly intimate sexual contact, we are told. One night we are meant to be extremely alarmed at the worst health problem in modern history. The next night we are reassured that we could hardly catch it if we tried. One night we are berated for not caring. The next night we are scolded for reacting hysterically. And although it has been empirically demonstrated that those who engage in homosexual acts and share needles serve as the primary breeding ground for AIDS, one of the things you never hear discussed—unless it is to condemn—is the morality of this issue. As a matter of fact, according to Dr. Walter R. Dowdle of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta: “This is not a question of morality. It's just a biological fact.”

Well, let's see if we can make the application Dr. Dowdle seeks to impose on AIDS anywhere else. Imagine, if you will, the following hypothetical situation:

The mayor of Big City, U.S.A. announces a major thrust to reduce the assault rate. He is at pains to emphasize that he is not questioning anyone's moral integrity. “We realize that some people are disposed to assault others, and we have no intention of harassing them in any way. This is not a question of morality. It's just a biological fact that muggers live under tremendous stress. They are a high-risk group in terms of heart failure, liver disease, and concussion. Also, property values fall in their neighborhoods. We're asking them to be good to themselves—to make an investment in their own health and economic success by not mugging, or at least by reducing the frequency of their mugging.” One mugger publicly thanks the mayor for his explanation. “When he talked about property values, hey, the light went on. I said to myself, ‘This guy's talking sense. From now on I'm keeping my gun in my pocket.’”

If things continue going the way they are, then this hypothetical situation might not be so hypothetical!

Just fifty years ago, hardly anyone ever really questioned Biblical ethics or morality. Most people looked upon divorce as disgraceful. They thought pregnancy outside marriage was a disaster; that chastity was a good thing; that an honest day's work was the responsibility of any respectable and dependable man; that honesty was the best policy; etc. But not today! Our culture's present inability to make strong statements in the public arena about premarital sex, homosexuality, adultery, and the breakdown of the family derives from this moral void. Although some in our society may still be trying to teach their children how to act, this can never take the place of teaching them how to live. The Bible, of course, is the only thing that can effectively do this!

God And Ethics

We have been using the terms ethics and morality synonymously. This, we think, is correct, but there is a more formal usage of these two terms. It is to this usage that we now turn our attention. Ethics comes from the Greek and morals comes from the Latin. The roots of both mean “custom” or “habitual mode of conduct.” In formal English usage, morality has kept its original meaning of custom or habit. In other words, morality has to do with conduct as it is commonly practiced in the everyday affairs of life. On the other hand, ethics has come to mean the formal, philosophical pursuit of general, systematic standards for evaluating human conduct in general. What this all means is that ethics is “What should I do?” and “Why should I do it?” and morality is “This is what I actually do!”

As we have already indicated, the two basic questions associated with ethics are, “What should I do?,” which has to do with the norm, and “Why should I do it?,” which has to do with the obligation. Furthermore—and here is the real crux of the matter—apart from Creation there are no real ethical obligations; no such things as absolute norms for conduct—no real moral absolutes.

Jehovah says, “You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you” (Deuteronomy 6:17). God, the Father, says, “Obey my voice” (Jeremiah 11:7). God, the Son, says, “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). In fact, in Isaiah 33:22, God claims that He is king, lawgiver, and judge. In other words, in an ethical sense, all three branches of government reside in Him—the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial. We see, then, that God is commanding us to do what He thinks ought to be done. He is setting up His statutes as the ethical norm. Therefore, the next logical question is, “Why should we have to do what God tells us?” The answer, of course, is, “Because Jehovah is the Sovereign of the universe; He is the Creator, we are the creatures; He is the potter, we are the clay!” Because Jehovah is the Creator, we are obligated to do exactly as He says. The whole duty of man is to properly venerate God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Consequently, one does not have to be a member of the church of Christ to be morally responsible before God, the Creator—all he has to be is a member of the human race. Every single human being is obligated to do God's will because such is the obligation of the creature to the Creator. Apart from any other consideration, the Creator-creature relationship forms the basic context for the ethical life of all men.

The Creator, realizing that it is not within man's ability to direct his own steps (Jeremiah 10:23), has provided His creation with a special revelation. In this special revelation, which is called “the Scriptures,” He has given us those things that are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16,17). God-centered ethics is built on the nature of God, the will of God, the way of God, and the Word of God. A Biblical world view believes that God has identified in the Bible certain things that are inherently right or wrong. This world view says that there are ethical absolutes and that eternal consequences are attached to the decisions men make in regard to these ethical absolutes. Furthermore, the truths taught in the Bible are designed to live within human skin, to be seen and read by unbelievers, as God's people bring to bear His mind, His will, and His purposes in the everyday decisions of their lives. [See Section A Remarkable Book Called The Bible]

How are we to make moral choices? By knowing God and His Word. {TOP OF PAGE}
 

Is It Possible To Know The Truth About Ourselves And The Universe?

It is God's own eternal and unchanging nature to be true. This means that if every man is found to be a liar, God will still be true (Romans 3:4). Jesus is referred to as “the truth” (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13). Consequently, when God speaks, His word is truth (John 17:17). Truth and truthfulness are essential to our understanding of who we are as human beings. Truth and truthfulness are the very core of right relations with God and with our fellow men. On the other hand, Satan is the father of lies and liars. Jesus said, “When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). Lying and falsehood are contrary to the very nature of things. They distort man's true relationship with God and his fellow human beings. It should not surprise us then that ungodly and unrighteous men are doing everything within their power to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). In the rest of this article, we will spend our time thinking about what is true and what is not.

According to Ecclesiastes 12:13, the whole duty of man is to fear the Creator of the Universe and keep His commandments. This is not something just for those who are in covenant relationship with God through Christ, but for all mankind. The Creator has natural dominion over us even before He has authority over us by consent when we are converted. Why? Because, quite frankly, He is the Creator/Sovereign of the Universe: He's the Creator and we are the creature; He's the Potter and we are the clay! Consequently, He has the authority to make demands upon us and we are under obligation to obey His commands. Apart from this understanding there are no real ethical norms (i.e., What should I do?) or obligations (i.e., Why should I do it?); no such things as absolute norms of conduct—no such things as moral absolutes! This, we learn in Romans 1:18-32, is why those who wanted to satisfy their own lusts chose not to retain in their minds the proper concept of God as Creator/Sovereign. According to the Scriptures, they “exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25).

True religion (man made in the image of God, Genesis 1:26,27) and false religion (God created in the image of man, Romans 1:22,23) are completely opposites of one another. The antagonism between these two is constant. Consequently, the apostle Paul warned, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). In this passage we can see the antagonism between the “tradition of men” and “basic principles of this world” and the teaching of Christ. As Jesus said elsewhere, there are only two sources for religion—God or man (Matthew 21:23-27).

In II Corinthians 10:4,5, Paul wrote: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Making use of military metaphors, the apostle is contrasting vain philosophy (man-made religion) with the truth revealed in the Bible (God-breathed or inspired religion). He is contrasting the secular world view with the Biblical world view. Our weapons, he tells us, are not carnal. In other words, they are not “according to the tradition of men” nor are they “according to the basic principles of the world.” Nevertheless, they are mighty “in God” for the pulling down of “strongholds.” These “strongholds,” according to Paul, are philosophies, arguments, reasonings, concepts, ideas, and every man-made ism (i.e., “every high thing”) that exalts themselves against the “knowledge of God.” Primarily, this knowledge of God is derived from just one source, namely, the Bible.

In the very first verse of the Bible, we are told: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In this simple and uncomplicated sentence are concepts with the most profound implications. If one believes this sentence to be divinely inspired truth, then it completely destroys the “strongholds” of atheism, polytheism, materialism, and pantheism. Genesis 1:1 says the atheist is definitely wrong when he says there is no God, because Elohim (the name used to identify God in this verse and one that suggests His triune nature) identifies Himself as the Creator. This one true God (viz., the one and only state of being divine, which the Bible tells us is shared by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is contrasted with all the false gods of polytheism. Furthermore, materialism, a theory that says physical matter is the only fundamental reality and that all being, processes, and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter, is thoroughly defeated by the divinely revealed truth of Creation. The heavens and the earth, with all the matter contained therein, were simply spoken into existence by Almighty God. Finally, the transcendent God identified in Genesis 1:1, the One who had, and continues to have, an existence apart from His Creation, is contrasted with the pantheistic concept that teaches God consists of the forces and laws of the Universe. In other words, instead of the Biblical concept of a God who is different from His Creation, the pantheist sees God and the Creation as being One. Specifically, such a pantheistic belief is identified as “Monism” (viz., “All is One”).

The Christian must not ignore Paul's warning about the doctrines of men or vain philosophy. According to Paul, vain philosophy is a brigand that, if we are not careful, will take us captive and steal from us our spiritual possessions. Deception, long the technique of those who would cheat us and steal our physical possessions, is the major device of all man-made philosophy. Promising everything, it delivers nothing; and claiming to be one thing, it turns out to be something else entirely!

Unfortunately, many Christians, living in the twilight of the twentieth century, have either forgotten Paul's warning or no longer believe it. For whatever reasons, Christians, because of their ignorance, have been seduced into thinking that man-made philosophies are religiously neutral. Therefore, they have become enchanted by the smorgasbord of secular thought that obscures the way, perverts the truth, and totally wrecks one's spiritual life. These must be reminded that it was Jesus who said: “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). What this means is that apart from the way, there is no going; apart from the truth, there is no knowing; and apart from the life, there is no spiritual living. This, quite frankly, is why the apostle Paul said that “every thought” must be brought “into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

(See Sections  Religious Pluralism and Relativism)

In Colossians 3:17, Paul wrote that everything one does in “word or deed” is to be done “in the name of the Lord” (i.e., by the Lord's authority). But how can one's actions be correct if one is not thinking properly? And how can one be thinking properly if one has not brought “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”? It is clear, then, the Lord calls upon His disciples to out-think, out-live, and out-die the polytheistic pagans and atheistic humanists around about them.

All man-made philosophies are destined for total defeat. Consequently, it is ludicrous that Christians, who have been “called out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9), would want to return again to the “weak and beggarly elements” of this world, symbolized in the Bible as spiritual darkness (cf. Galatians 4:9; Ephesians 4:17-20; Colossians 1:9-14).

Divine revelation is divided into two categories: natural and special revelation. Natural revelation is directly associated with God as the Creator. This is what the apostle Paul was writing about when he wrote: “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). Natural revelation is very important, but it is often misinterpreted and flawed by man (see Romans 1). This is particularly true when the Creator is divorced, via Naturalism, Darwinism, Humanism, etc., from the very nature He created. The powerful implications of natural revelation are often overlooked in our modern world because of religion's retreat from the aforementioned isms. In other words, natural revelation should not be, but often is, separated from the God who actually gave it. Today, modern man is paying the price for his ignorance of the divine implications of natural revelation.

On the other hand, special revelation (namely, the Bible) cannot possibly be separated from the God who gave it. The classic affirmation of this is II Timothy 3:16, which says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The Greek word theopneustos (theopneustos), translated in the King James Version as “inspired by God,” literally means “God-breathed.” If scripture is “God-breathed,” then any attempt to divorce it from the God who breathed it is not just irreligious, but downright heretical as well.

Unfortunately, the modern-day theologians are attempting to do to special revelation what the worshippers of “Scientism” have done to natural revelation (namely, to remove the supernatural). This attempt must be refuted. We will now examine the Bible's claim of being inspired and inerrant (that is, without error, mistake, contradiction, or falsehood).

Inspired Message And Messenger

In II Peter 1:20,21, we learn that not only was the message inspired, but the messengers were too: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” In John 14:26 and 16:12-15, the Lord promised the apostles they would be guided by the Holy Spirit in their presentation of the gospel. In I Peter 1:12, the apostle wrote that he had “preached the gospel...with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven.” Paul, in I Corinthians 7:40 and I Timothy 4:1, claimed to have been led by the Holy Spirit in his writings. Furthermore, Paul maintained that the gospel he preached was a revelation from Jesus Christ Himself (Galatians 1:11,12). Consequently, a good working definition of inspiration would be: “The special supernatural supervision exercised by God over His messengers to make sure they communicate His message accurately” (Jack Cottrell, The Authority of the Bible, page 23).

Not Just Ideas, But The Very Words Themselves

Paul wrote:

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (I Corinthians 2:11-13).

We can, therefore, take great consolation in the fact that God not only inspired the message and messengers, but He inspired the very words that were used in communicating His message to man. The Lord said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Observe that He did not say just the ideas were inspired, but every word. This is depicted by the words of the apostle Paul in Galatians 3:16. Referring to the promise made in Genesis 22:18, Paul wrote: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.” In other words, God said “seed” not “seeds.” The very words God uses are inspired. In this connection, it is worthwhile to note that the Lord emphasized that “one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). What this means is that orthodoxy (that which conforms to Biblical teaching) demands that we defend plenary (full or complete) inspiration of the Bible.

What Does The Bible Say About Inerrancy?

Intrinsic in the Biblical doctrine of inspiration is the concept of inerrancy. As has already been pointed out, inerrant means “without error, mistake, contradiction or falsehood.” Some have the idea that the doctrine of inerrancy is a theory or philosophical concept foreign to the Bible. This is a serious mistake. Actually, the doctrine is inescapable when one considers plain Bible passages and the necessary conclusions that may be drawn from them. For example, the Bible teaches:

Major Premise: Every word of God is true (John 17:17; II Corinthians 6:7; Colossians 1:5; II Timothy 2:15; James 1:18). This may also be inferred from the nature of God, in that it is impossible for Him to lie (Titus 1:2).

Minor Premise: The Bible is God's Word (Matthew 15:6; Mark 7:13; Romans 9:6; Psalm 119:105; Romans 3:2; Hebrews 5:12). This may also be inferred from the fact of inspiration (II Timothy 3:16).

Conclusion: The Bible is true, that is, inerrant (John 10:35). Jesus' statement is the solid foundation on which the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy rests. Notwithstanding, this conclusion follows by logical necessity the major and minor premises as stated above.

It is correct, then, to conclude: Every Word of God is true; the Bible is the Word of God; therefore, the Bible is inerrant. Of course, it must be understood that all such claims refer to the original autographs or manuscripts. No one should think that it is somehow impossible for scribes or translators to make mistakes. They can and have done so! It is important to realize, though, that when such mistakes are made, they can be identified as mistakes. This is possible because so many copies of the Bible were made that it can be determined what was actually contained in the original manuscripts. Apart from minor variations, such as those found in spelling and word order, it can be estimated that we can be sure of ninety-nine and nine-tenths percent of the original New Testament. The remaining one-tenth of a percent contributes nothing harmful to the integrity of the Bible. In other words, the reconstructed text (taken from early copies) is nearly perfect. Consequently, when we read a good translation of the Bible, we are reading what was in the originals.

See Are Biblical Documents Reliable?

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Although the original manuscripts have been lost (perhaps to prevent them from being idolized), one can trust that with a good “word for word” translation of the Bible (such as the King James Version, New King James Version, American Standard Version, etc.) one has the accurate communication of God's Will to man. The Bible is, therefore, “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Timothy 3:16,17).

Let us all be resolved to give ourselves diligently to a study of God's Divine Revelation (II Timothy 2:15). Let us determine to let the Word of God dwell in us richly in all wisdom, so that we can teach and admonish one another (Colossians 3:16). Let us decide that whatsoever we do in word or deed, that we do all of it by the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17). Finally, when we speak, let us be resolved to speak as the Oracles of God (I Peter 4:11).

Reason Alone Vs. The Bible

Rationalism (i.e., human reason uninformed by special revelation) is a conscious effort on the part of those who constructed it to eliminate God and His revelation from man's rational faculty. Instead of seeing the ability to reason as a gift from God, men have misused this blessing to construct an idol that, like all idols, corrupts man's concept of not just God, but of himself as well. To use a Bible expression:

 to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who changed the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:22.23).

Whether it be rationalism, humanism, materialism, empiricism, existentialism, or scientism, the mantle under which all these isms are nourished is the idol of SELF. The question is, and always has been: Will man worship his Creator or will he insist on worshiping himself?

Echoing the atheism or anti-theism of her rationalism, Madalyn Murray O'Hair, in her book What On Earth Is An Atheist, wrote:

“There are no supernatural forces, no supernatural entities such as gods, or heavens, or hells, or life after death. There are no supernatural forces, nor can there be. We atheists believe nature simply exists. Matter is. Material is” (page 43).

In other words, as was said in Humanist Manifesto I, “Humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created.”

This goes hand-in-hand with what astronomer Carl Sagan believes when he says the cosmos is all there is.

It is reflected in the teachings of behaviorist B.F. Skinner, who says human beings are made up solely of matter and that we think with our bodies (viz., brains) rather than our minds (viz., spirits) because bodies are all we are.

Of course, when the O'Hairs, Sagans, and Skinners tell us they know what they know, the question they ought to be asked is, “How do you know what you know?” We say this because there is nothing Ms. O'Hair has learned that proves “there is no supernatural, nor can there be.” There is nothing Carl Sagan has discovered by peering through his telescope that proves “the cosmos is all there is.” There is nothing B.F. Skinner has discovered in his studies that proves man is “totally matter.” Actually, none of these statements have any thing at all to do with science. These are, in fact, presuppositions. They are nothing more than dogmas that are being presented as if they were discoveries of science. Whether consciously or unconsciously, these people have started with a view of the universe, a philosophy of life or world view—whether they call it that or not—and have superimposed that view onto their findings.

(See Section on Atheism)

Such a bias is sometimes admitted by scientists. For instance, the popular physicist Fritjof Capra, in his very popular book, The Turning Point, wrote:

My presentation of modern physics...has been influenced by my personal beliefs and allegiances. I have emphasized certain concepts and theories that are not yet accepted by the majority of physicists, but that I consider significant philosophically, of great importance for the other sciences and for our culture as a whole.”

In other words, a godless, humanistic world view, with all its presuppositions, and not science nor reason, has brought these rationalists to the conclusions they have reached. And although they would certainly deny it, the there-is-no-supernatural, the-cosmos-is-all-there-is, man-is-only-matter people know what they know not by reason, as they would like for us to believe, but by a so-called reason alone system that actually depends on faith, albeit an anti-God faith. This is clearly confirmed by the history of philosophy which testifies to the fact that the classic atheistic belief systems were developed by men who already, for various personal reasons, rejected God.

Consequently, the materialistic rationalist, who claims that all knowledge must be restricted to what the senses can perceive, cannot really have anything to say about the origin of the universe because no human being was there to perceive it. In truth, when they speak of origins, they have entered the realm of religion and metaphysics. They have yet to adequately explain their presuppositions concerning the origin of the universe and life. For instance, as Robert A. Morey pointed out in his book, The New Atheism and the Erosion of Freedom, the materialistic rationalists would have us believe 1) everything came from nothing, 2) order came from chaos, 3) harmony came from discord, 4) life came from non-life, 5) reason came from irrationality, 6) personality came from non-personality, and 7) morality came from amorality. Morey made it clear that believing these things takes a far greater faith than believing that a personal, rational God created the universe. But, what many have failed to realize is that the faith positions of these atheistic, materialistic rationalists, who foolishly bow to the totem of SELF, have combined to become the dominant motif of our present society. In fact, with the sanction of the United States Supreme Court, the only metaphysical or religious presuppositions permitted in our public schools today are the godless, humanistic kind. Consequently, any concept of the true God and any allegiance to His divine revelation has been effectively expunged from the public educational process. Although many Americans still believe it to be untrue, the battle for the minds of our children is now being waged in an arena that permits one side to use any and every means available to destroy the other side, while restricting the other side from using any battle implements at all. Not only is this situation ungodly, it is clearly not the fair play we have traditionally associated with the “American way.”

See Section  Our Country Our Children

Maybe some will think that all we have written up to this point is simply “sour grapes.” Some may think we are just “anti-intellectual.” Some may think we are somehow against “reason.” Others may believe that we are against “science.” We assure you that we are against none of these things. The religion we practice will not allow us to engage in “sour grapes.” Man's intellectual pursuits are only possible because of the God-given faculty of reason. The Christian, we believe, is under the Biblical imperative to out-think, out-live, and out-die the pagans around about him. Therefore, the use of reason in the exercise of one's intellectual capacity for the ultimate glorification of God is not wrong but required. And although the Christian opposes “scientism” because all idolatry must be opposed by those who worship the one and only true God, the Christian does not oppose true science. In fact, the Bible believer ought to be the most passionate scientist of all because he should be open to the truth wherever it is found. Knowing, as he does, that all truth is God's truth, the Christian is not afraid that some new discovery will destroy his faith. To the contrary, the Christian believes that if his basis for truth is really true, then all other truth can only support and enhance it. In truth, the cynical skepticism of our age cries for talented, God-fearing scientists who see the scientific inquiry as a true vocation that ultimately glorifies God.

Also See Scientific Facts In The Bible

Modern science actually owes its existence to those who believed in the God of the Bible and respected His revelation, be it special (viz., the God-breathed word) or general (viz., God's revelation of Himself in nature). When we do physics (i.e., the scientific study of the creation) it should be done ultimately for a metaphysical purpose. In other words, we should engage in physics or any other scientific endeavor so that we might ultimately understand the big or total picture of all reality. Sir Isaac Newton, undoubtedly the greatest scientist of his day, who said that what he was ultimately trying to do in his scientific investigations was to think God's thoughts after Him, is a fine example of this attitude.

Science, then, is a legitimate pursuit for man. It can provide some of the information that man needs to know about himself and the world he lives in. There is nothing wrong with the scientific method per se; but it is limited in what it can actually do for us (cf. Romans 1:20). To extrapolate from that which is empirically observable to everything that is, involves one in what can only be described as a non sequitur (i.e., “it does not follow”). This limitation is recognized and acknowledged by true scientists; but it is not always understood by scientific laymen. Suffice it to say, to understand ultimate truth (i.e., “the big picture”), man needs special, divine revelation (cf. I Corinthians 2:9-16). Indeed, based upon what we know, both from experience and divine revelation, we know that it is not within the capacity of man, apart from divine revelation, to direct his own steps (cf. Jeremiah 10:23).

According to the psalmist, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psalm 111:10). This truth has been lost on all the agnostics, atheists, materialists, rationalists, and humanists who make up our society today. Unfortunately, this truth is sometimes lost on those who call themselves after Christ. Being products of our secular educations, the isms of men have crept almost imperceptibly into our intellectual repertoires. As a result, we have been slow to respond to the threat of secular humanism. Slow, because we did not see it as a threat. We did not see it as a threat because we wondered how a way of thinking that had become so commonplace in our minds could be so wrong. Unfortunately, many have already grown weary of sermons on the subject, never having realized just how much they, personally, have been affected by it.

What is the remedy? God's Word, of course! But, it must be remembered that God's Word, apart from our willingness to know it in our minds, stow it in our hearts, and show it in our lives, will produce in us nothing but condemnation. We are under obligation “not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind[s], that [we] may prove what is that acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). In other words, “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). We must “no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them” (Ephesians 4:17,18). We must “put off, concerning [our] former conduct...and be renewed in the spirit of [our] mind[s]...and...put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). We must “gird up the loins of [our] minds” (I Peter 1:13). We must, as we have already said, out-think, out-live, and out-die the pagans. We must, “Beware lest anyone cheat [us] through philosophy, and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). We must take God's Word, “the sword of the Spirit,” and pull down “strong-holds,...arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:4,5).

Is it possible to know the truth about ourselves and the universe? Yes, but only through God's divine revelation in nature and His special revelation, the Bible. {TOP OF PAGE}
 

What Is Love And Where Can It Be Found?

The Bible tells us that God is love (I John 4:8). It tells us His love is great (Ephesians 2:4), infinite (Ephesians 3:18-19), eternal (Jeremiah 31:3; Ephesians 1:4,5), and dependable (Romans 8:35). If the theme of the Bible is man's redemption, then the central word of the Bible is love. In fact, the Bible tells us that God loved mankind so much that He was willing to give His only begotten Son so fallen man could be redeemed (John 3:16; I John 4:9). But, what kind of love would do such a thing? To understand this, we must realize that God's love for mankind is a distinctive kind of love that the New Testament calls agape (pronounced ah-gah-pay). What is agape? Primarily, agape is good will toward others. It is deep, tender, and warm concern for the happiness and well-being of another; it is charity toward those who are in need. When the Bible says, “God loves us,” it means that He really cares about us and always does what is best for us. Agape is different from other kinds of love in that it seeks to give and not to get. It seeks to satisfy not some need of the lover, but rather the need of the one who is loved.
 

[InPlainSite.org Note: We tend to assume at once that "love" means what it does to us in modern times -- in this case, a mushy sentimentality that never says a harsh word and never steps on the toes of others. but conceptually, it is certainly possible to love one's enemies, and yet also attack them; and the same for one's disciples or allies. See What is "Agape" and How Did It Work?
 

Agape is unique in that it is universal. Going back to Genesis 1, we learn that ever since the creation of the first man and woman, the objects of God's love have been the entire human race. God loves mankind because man, His creature, is made in His image, and although it is true that God hates sinners as sinners, nevertheless, He loves them as His creatures. Actually, the fatherhood of God is grounded in the creation (Malachi 2:10), “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?” Consequently, the Father's “goodness” or “lovingkindness” has abounded toward His creatures from the very beginning (Psalm 33:5). (In this connection, notice how verses 6-9 are a summary of God's creative work.)

Agape is unique in that it is unconditional. God's love is not a respecter of persons; it does not favor some above others. The Bible says, “He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). At Lystra the apostle Paul told pagan idol-worshipers that God had not left Himself without witness, “in that He did good, gave [them] rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling [your] hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). In James 1:17, we are informed that every good and perfect gift comes down from the “Father of lights.” Therefore, God's love is not based upon some condition or quality in the one being loved. It has nothing to do with attractiveness or loveliness. It is, instead, a genuine concern for all people, even the unloveliest and meanest. God does not love us because we have done what He has commanded us to do; instead, He loves us in spite of our rebellion: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This sacrifice was not just for “the elect,” as our Calvinist friends believe, but for the “whole world” (I John 2:2).

Agape is unique in that it is more than feelings. It is more than an internal concern for the well-being of another; it is the externalization of that concern into action. God's love is active. He loved sinful mankind so much that He “gave” His only begotten Son, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Consequently, the cross of Christ is the ultimate in self-giving action. It has been said, “Only at the cross does God show His love fully and without ambiguity.” Actually, it is difficult to find a verse in the New Testament that mentions God's love that does not also mention Christ's death on the cross. That God loves us and delivered Himself for us just seem to naturally go together (Galatians 2:20). Almost two thousand years ago the cross of Christ demonstrated the full meaning of agape, and today it continues to teach us what true love really is. [Also See The Meaning of The Cross]

Love And Law

According to the Bible, the greatest commandment of God is, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Love, then, is a commandment. Better yet, love is the law. Not only are we commanded to love God, but verse 31 says, “And the second like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Love, then, is a duty. In fact, it is man's only duty: “Fear [venerate/love] God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Concerning the keeping of these commandments, the apostle Paul wrote, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14), and in another place, “He who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). Love, then, is the essence of the law. The commandments of the law are the instructions we need to put love into action. The law tells us how a loving person acts. What this all means is that love is simply the summary of all God's laws. In other words, there has never been a law against “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23).

Without love there would be no fulfilling of the law. Oh, there might be some insignificant keeping of the lesser aspects of the law, but the real important things, like faithfulness, justice, and mercy, would be neglected without true love (cf. Matthew 23:23). New Testament Christianity is truly a “heart-felt” religion. It is a religion that is “obeyed from the heart” (Romans 6:17), and is manifested by keeping the commandments. If we love God and our neighbor, there will be no “evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, evil eye, blasphemy, pride, [or] foolishness” (Mark 7:20-23).

Unfortunately, the notion seems widespread that love and law are mutually exclusive. According to this view, love is gentle, pliable, unconstrained by rules, and completely unconcerned with law; on the other hand, law is, by nature, rigid, harsh, inflexible, and unloving. Those who hold this position believe justice (law) and mercy (love) are incompatible, and that God must choose either one or the other. If He chooses to be just, then He must be unloving; if He chooses to be merciful, then He must be unjust. Therefore, God is caught in a “Catch-22.” Nevertheless, those who hold this position would view God's choice of mercy over justice not as a failure or inconsistency, but as a triumph of love over law.

The Biblical truth that “God is love” has been distorted into a humanistic theology that says, “Love is god.” According to this philosophy, represented by such thinkers as Joseph Fletcher et al., a warm, gentle, flexible, unconstrained by the rules, and totally divorced from law “feeling” has replaced the commandments of God. In fact, Fletcher, in his book, Situation Ethics: The New Morality, states unequivocally that Jesus and Paul replaced the precepts of law with the living principle of love (page 69). All such activity should be seen for the idolatry it really is—the making of God in man's own image (cf. Romans 1:23).

See  What is "Agape" and How Did It Work?

Our Love Is A Response

Our love is always a response to God's love. “We love [God and, in turn, our fellowman] because He first loved us” (I John 4:19). Paganism creates many gods who are admired and feared, but nowhere is there a God to be loved because He first loved us. This is why pagans in India and other places around the world are excited about hearing and obeying the gospel. The fact that the Almighty God of the universe loves them and has proved it by sending His only begotten Son to die in their stead is an absolutely overwhelming realization. What we Westerners seem to nonchalantly take for granted totally enthralls those in the east. In all their many gods there are none like Jehovah. Praise God for His great and magnificent love!

Because our love of God and our fellowman is a response to God's love for us, it does not war against God's law, but delights in being molded by it (Psalm 119:97; cf. Psalm 19:7-11). Our unconditional love for our fellowman, even our enemies, is but a loving response to God's unconditional love for us: “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:35,36). Yes, God's commandment to love Him and our fellowman is a law. As we have already said, it is actually the summary of all God's laws. But, and this is very important, God's love for us is the motivation for keeping His commandments. We love Him because He first loved us (I John 4:19), and because we love Him, we keep His commandments (John 14:15; I John 5:3).

There must be no mistake about it, the New Testament speaks of being under “law to Christ” (I Corinthians 9:21), as well as mentioning the “law of faith” (Romans 3:27-31), the “law of the Spirit” (Romans 8:2), the “law of liberty” (James 1:25), and the “royal law” (James 2:8,9). Anyone who thinks that law has been eliminated in the Christian system is totally ignorant of the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles. Far from being mutually exclusive, both love and law are necessary to true religion, i.e., “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10).

God's Love Does Not Exclude His Wrath

Because He is love, some are inclined to think that God does not, and will not, become involved with punishment. Punishment, it is believed, is somehow inconsistent with love. We are told that if God were to inflict punishment, He would no longer be a God of love. Those who take this position exhibit their ignorance of both the character of God and the nature of punishment.

The God of the Bible identifies Himself as a God of love (I John 4:8) and a God of wrath, vengeance and punishment (Romans 1:18; II Thessalonians 1:6-9). Now, if God identifies Himself as be