The Grapevine
Number
136
October 22, 2006
Study to
shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy
2:15
Lessons
Learned
by Jack Northart
The twenty-first century has come
upon us. The technology in this day and age is unprecedented to
any other time in the history of the world. To understand how we
got to this age with our current intellectual, cultural and
political beliefs, we can trace three lines in history; the
philosophical, the scientific and the religious. The philosophic
seeks intellectual answers to the basic questions of
life. Science will move in the direction that is set by the
philosophic world view of the scientists. People's religious
views also determine the direction of their individual lives and
of their society.
Most people's core beliefs come
from what they have learned from their family and their
surrounding society. However, their presuppositions should
really be chosen after careful consideration of what view is
actually true.
Man, who is finite, cannot explain
the infinite. Hence, for a natural man, who is a scientific man
to try and explain an infinite God is impossible. He would
rather explain away God and the things of God as foolish
superstitions. This should not shock anyone who believes in the
one true God, because God has exposed this characteristic about
natural man.
I Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
Moral or ethical progress
generally fails to keep pace with material and intellectual
progress. Thus, man is usually not morally or ethically good
enough for the task to which he is called because of his lack of
a true knowledge of the Word of God, or lack of desire to
believe God's Word.
Recently, The International
Astronomical Union voted to demote Pluto to the lowly status of
"dwarf planet" and leaving the solar system with its original
eight true planets plus countless other objects that must now be
called "small solar system bodies." Yet, the pretense that Pluto
was a planet has existed since 1930. The question that society
is left with after this alteration of a world view is, "does
this have any affect on our lives?" Probably not. Other
than school text books needing to be reprinted with the new
information, it made no major changes to how we live and
breathe.
However, when another
scientific field determines that man evolved into his current
make-up from one-celled organisms, then that could have a
serious affect on how society lives, believes and behaves. God
addresses this very thing in the first chapter of Romans.
Romans 1:20-21
For the invisible things of him [God] 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:
Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Charles Lyell, (1797-1875) stated in his book,
Principles of Geology, that there are no forces in the past except
those forces that are active now. This gave Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
some "bright" ideas about biological life forming through a process he
called, "survival of the fittest." The problem with these two concepts
is that there is a lot of trouble explaining how the processes that
they claim actually work. Both have tremendous inadequacies and lack a
great deal of logic. Yet, the majority of scientists today are basing
decisions and conclusions on some of the theories of these two men.
Billions of dollars are spent annually to try and find the origin of man
through science and exploration, when the answers to the origin of man
as we know him today, are in the Word of God.
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul.
Man's body was formed by
God from the dust of the ground, not the slime in the sea. If a majority
of scientists believed this one verse of scripture, it would alter the
course of how research is done and tests are conducted. The space
program would be completely changed. However, it is wishful thinking at
this point to consider such a thing. I am not trying to slam every
scientist in the world, because there are many scientists that believe
God's Word and are dedicating themselves to more profitable studies.
A man cannot be argued into
agreement on the Word of God. One person may appeal to and even convince
another by logical argumentation and reasoning so that the other feels
obligated to admit that the other is right, yet he may not do what is
right. If something is harmful to public morals, it should be prohibited
no matter what others consider to be its artistic value. Yet society
will ever follow what is popular rather than what is right. The greatest
hindrance to advancement towards any reform is that we do not have
enough good men and women to speak up and stand to effect change.
To be effective and make
changes in society takes courage, and an accurate knowledge of God's
Word. We have seen this principle work before.
Acts 2:14
But Peter, standing
up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of
Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and
hearken to my words.
What happened when the
twelve apostles stood and spoke? Major changes took place. After
speaking to the crowd on that day, we see the results in verses 40 & 41.
Verses 40,41
And with many other words did he testify
and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then
they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there
were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Time and again, throughout the book of Acts we see
tremendous deliverance and change happen when people stood and spoke the
Word of God. The same thing will happen when and if we stand, minister
and speak God's Word to others. Our society will begin to change
again when the majority of the people in our society believe and are
strong, good citizens that act on the truth of what they have learned.
II Timothy 2:1,2
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace
that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same
commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
