Bible: Fiction or Nonfiction?

University is an amazing institution where the minds of the future can be shaped and moulded. As a university student, I was exposed to many different types of theories and philosophies. One of those philosophies was post modernism, which is the belief that there is no absolute truth, but there are actually many different truths which are socially constructed. As a student who did not believe in the teachings of the bible, I found this philosophy compelling as it seemed inclusive and tolerant, blowing ‘narrow minded Christians, Muslims, Modernists and so on, out of the water.

My post modernism shaken

Midway through my university studies, I started to question the philosophy of post modernism. My mind dabbled in the possibility of their existing absolute truth and meaning. So, naturally, I asked the question, ‘how can all belief systems (including atheism) be right’ if there is such a thing called absolute truth? Thus, I came across the bible, which teaches that:

• The world was created by one God, who loves us and wants to have a fulfilling relationship with us,
• However, we have all rejected him and now suffer the consequences of death and suffering.
• God became a man named Jesus, lived the perfect life, experienced the turmoils and trails we face, and died on the cross to pay for our rejection,
• Jesus was resurrected and now reigns as King of the universe, and will return to recreate everything, judge the world and save those who trust in him.

Learning these biblical teachings and becoming regenerated by the Holy Spirit, my post modern understandings were shaken and eventually made completely obsolete, as the teachings of the bible were clearly absolute in nature.

How can the world still neglect the bible?

So if the bible is absolute in its teachings, then what place does post modernism have in our society? Strangely, post modernism, and every other counter argument to the bible, continues to thrive even though it’s contradicted by the bible. A driving force against the bible is the notion that the scriptures cannot be trusted as it is an unreliable text, full of historical errors and contradictions. This was one of the hurdles I tackled on my path to Christianity, which I found in the end, a rather facetious counter argument.

The claim that the bible is unreliable text due to the amount of errors and contradictions in it, is a rather laughable counter argument. Biblical textual criticism is the field of study where scholars compare the many New Testament manuscripts dating back to the Early Church period. Most critical biblical scholars are in agreement, that the bible is a reliable historical document which holds absolutely no damaging contractions, as claimed by some. The contradictions that seem to be evident are possible minor changes in words, which have occurred over time.

 

An immensely helpful article was written about five years ago, titled Misanalyzing Text Criticism--Bart Ehrman's'Misquoting Jesus'. This article was authored by two of the world’s most leading textual and biblical scholars, Professor Ben Witherington III and Professor Daniel Wallace. The article is a response to another textual critic named Professor Bart Erhman, who has created a stir with some of his most recent publications, claiming that the bible is a fabrication, full of historical errors. Both Witherington and Wallace expertly dismantle Erhman’s arguements. I recommend you read the article as I will do this field of study a massive disservice if I try.

Where to from here?

After examining the evidence, I came to the conclusion that the bible is God’s word, in perfect agreement within itself and a reliable historical document, detailing the work of God in his creation. I endorse the endeavour of examining the historical and biblical evidence for yourself. To many of us, including myself, can be indifferent, ignorant or hold an incorrect bias to the field of biblical textual criticism, and as a result, completely miss the enormous claims of scripture. Please don’t fall into this trap, as there is a great and loving God who is communicating with us through his scriptures.

So I leave you with this question – are you listening to God? Or, have you closed your ears and minds to God because you are taking someone’s else’s word for it? 

Resource Review: The Prophecy of Isaiah

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This is an extremely comprehensive study on the book of Isaiah. Alec Motyer goes into depth explanation to understand this text. I recommend this book to those want an intimidate understanding of Isaiah – technical commentary.

After more than three decades studying and teaching Isaiah, Motyer presents a wealth of comment and perspective on this book. Writing with an interest in Isaiah's meaning for Christians today, and emphasising grammatical, historical, structural, literary and theological dimensions, Motyer highlights three central and recurring themes: the messianic hope, the motif of the city, and the theology of the Holy One of Israel.

Winner of a 1994 Christianity Today Critics' Choice Award, this volume is accessible, up-to-date and comprehensive. "Alec Motyer's commentary on Isaiah is nothing short of magnificent. It combines extremely thorough exegesis and stimulating theological insight with a style that positively glows with love for Christ.

Paperback, IVP Press 544 pages

Price: Approx. $18 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $20 (Amazon)

Resource Review: The New Bible Dictionary (3rd Edition)

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This book is easy to read, very thorough and extremely perceptive. I have found this book a handy addition to my library.

As an accessible, comprehensive A - Z of Bible terms, place names, books, people and doctrines, the NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY has stood the test of time. It has long been recognized as an essential reference work, now revised and improved for the Bible students of today.

Written by an international team of over 150 scholars, this Third Edition updates key articles, time charts and all bibliographies - revisions that reflect recent developments in biblical studies. Maps, family trees, line drawings, diagrams and charts clarify and expand the text. A vital tool freshly sharpened for contemporary use. 1323 pages, from IVP.

Endorsement:
John Stott says: "I doubt if there is any better value for money today than theNew Bible Dictionary and the New Bible Commentary. As basic books for every thinking Christian's library they are indispensable."

Hardback, IVP Press 1298 pages

Price: Approx. $40 (Koorong)

Price: Approx. $29 (Amazon)

The Book of Obadiah

You have to wonder sometimes, who really is in control with all the wars, tsunamis, earthquakes and corruption. The Old Testament book called Obadiah goes along way at addressing these issues.

Obadiah was probably written in the mid 500’s BC by the Prophet Obadiah. He wrote this book during great heartache and pain, as his country Judah (the southern section of Israel) was conquered by the Babylonian’s. Judah’s neighbouring country, the Edomities, simply rejoiced at the misfortune that had come Judah’s way and capitalized on the situation by taking much of Judah’s wealth.

This book has many implications for our lives, as we live in a world that seems to so much injustice in it. Obadiah calls us to look to God for security and answers, and not ourselves and our possessions. This is a gem of a book! On the blog, I will expound this book in a three post series, so stay posted.

Follow the link below to access the book of Obadiah:

The Book of Obadiah (ESV)

If you would like to download a FREE and complete bible, please check out E-Sword. Over 80% of the material is free, very useful and small in size. In addition, I can send you a FREE hardcopy of the bible (simply email vintagejc@hotmail.com).

I pray the Lord blesses your time and that your study may be fruitful in Jesus name.

Science and Jesus (8): The Great Confusion!

‘Irrational, infantile, idiotic and primitive’; this is how the New Atheists have described the Christian belief system. Man like Dawkins and Sam Harris claim that ‘following an ancient book called the bible is absolutely irrational’. Harris goes as far as to say that anybody espousing a faith in a irrational God should be murdered (see Why God won’t go away for more).

The massive stumbling block for the New Atheists like Richard Dawkins is the interpretation of Genesis 1. If God created the world 6 000 years ago, in six days like Genesis 1 appears to do, then how could anyone trust this document. The major problem with this view, in my humble opinion is that Genesis 1 is not articulating the mechanism and the fine details of the process by which God created the universe, as I have explained in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 of this series, but rather, that one all powerful and eternal being named God, created the world with a purpose and for relationship.

A huge problem arises when we try to make the bible say something that it is not. It creates great problems, which in the case of Genesis 1 and creation, leads to mistrust that is unwarranted. This is what leading Christian preacher, Phillip Jensen has to say about Genesis 1, creation and evolution:

This leads me to another issue, most people who discredit and scorn at the bible have never actually read it for themselves. I experienced this when chatting to a friend, who espouses an Atheistic worldview. He made a heap of claims that weren’t even true, like the bible clearly says that the world is 6 000 years old. “Okay”, I said to him, “where in the bible does it say this”? The answer is absolutely no where. My friend was going off inaccurate second hand information. So I say to you now, below is a link to Genesis chapter 1 to chapter 3:

These are the first three chapters of the Christian bible.
Genesis 1 – 3 (ESV)

I hope this helps answer a few of your questions pertaining to a faith in Jesus and science. I will continue with a few more post on Jesus and Science, then move onto Jesus and History. Stay posted and check out for yourself the real Jesus.

Science and Jesus (7): Is the Darwinian Axe at the Throat of Christianity?

Science and a faith in Jesus, according to the New Atheists, are absolutely incompatible. This is the bell that Professor’s Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett are slamming. The New Atheists, armed with a version of Darwinian Theory, aim at dismantling and destroying humanities belief in any sort of god!

Over the last six posts, I have endeavoured to demonstrate that the claims of the New Atheists are not only false, but the ways in which these men argue their case is misleading and unfaithful. Additionally, the evidence provided in the past six posts (see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and Part 6) has articulated the strong compatibility of Science and a faith in Jesus.

Today, after a great deal of research, I will strive to tackle the issue of “Evolution”. I will confess that I am by no means an expert on this matter, both scientifically and theologically. However, I do believe that I have a fairly good grasp on both, enough to write an article on the matter (please correct me in the comment section if you feel I am incorrect in any way). Additionally, I will state, at the time of publishing, that I have not placed my foot in the Creationist, Intelligent Design or BioLogos camp (I will define these terms in this article). I guess, you could call this article an informal discussion.

Evolution by natural selection

Evolution by means of natural selection is a theory developed by the late Charles Darwin. It was and is considered a major breakthrough in the field of biology, due to the theories ability at defining the reasons for the rich diversity of life found on earth. This theory has been received with a mix reception. For most atheists see this theory as an end to the belief in God. Alternatively, some Christians see this theory as an attack on the teachings of the scriptures. However, not all Christians feel this way as some Christians subscribe to Darwinian Theory (see Part 1, Part 2 and Part 4).

For the sake of this argument, I will break evolution into two categories, microevolution and macroevolution. It has been proven that life on earth is evolving but to what extent. Basically all life has the ability to adapt to its environment. This is called microevolution. Additionally, the principles of microevolution are then applied to what’s called macroevolution, which is the understanding that over long periods of time, life can adapt and evolve into a new species (speciation). According to most leading Christian Scientists, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence for macroevolution.

Life, according to this theory began a couple of billions of years ago. It appeared as one replicating cell, which over a great deal of time, evolved into different forms of life. According to the biology experts, humans are related to modern day Chimpanzees, as we share a common ancestor with them, which is the result of thousands of years of evolution.

What about how the bible describes Creation in Genesis?

The first thing we need to ask ourselves when reading Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 is what are the main point / s of this text? Is this text detailing the mechanisms, processes and duration by which God created the world or is it addressing other issues? According to Longman and Dillard (2006), the text is not at all concerned with the process of creation, but rather, it is describing how God is the sole cause behind the creation of the universe and humankind. Additionally, they argue that Genesis 1 and 2 demonstrates how humanity is dependent on God and how God created everything from nothing, which the theologians term creation ex nihilo.

Both Longman and Dillard (2006) and Dickson (see Part 4) emphasis how we must read Genesis 1 and 2 in its historical context and further analysis of this will reveal the apologetic nature of the text (for more on Genesis’ interaction with Enuma Elish, see Part 4). This view is echoed by a great many Christian theologians!

How do Christians believe God created the life?

There are currently three schools of thought amongst Christians today about creation. These are the Creationists, Intelligent Designers and BioLogists. Simply put:

• Creationists view Genesis 1 as detailing the order, processes and duration God used to create the world. Some creationists would insist on a young earth theory, generally ranging between 6 000 to 10 000 years old (see Answers in Genesis for more).

• Intelligent Designers (not limited to Christianity) holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection (see Explaining the Science behind Intelligent Design for more).

• BioLogos, also known as Theistic Evolution (not limited to Christianity), holds that God used Evolution by natural selection as the mechanism to create life on earth. BioLogists will insist that natural selection is not unguided, but that God was behind this process (see The BioLogos Forum for more).

There seems at times, to me at least, to be a slight overlap between Intelligent Design and BioLogos. Check out the links for more information as these descriptions are very brief and simple.

What’s the verdict?

I think in light of the evidence, Evolution by natural selection does not pose a threat to Christianity or the Doctrine of Creation, as the New Atheists would put it. Scientists like Francis Collins and Alister McGrath, both BioLogists, are emphatic in pointing out that through this science, we can see the hand of God. Either way, God is sovereign over the world, his word will last forever and science will continue to show humanity the processes and mechanisms by which God achieved his creative works (Isaiah 40:8; Romans 1:19-21).

The absolute lynch pin for me and many others is the resurrection of Jesus. Professor Simon Conway Morris, a Christian, a Palaeontologist and a BioLogist, explains how his faith rests in the resurrection of his Lord Jesus (see Real Scientist Real Faith). The evidence pointing towards the resurrection is overwhelming and those who dare point to the contrary are left short.

Jesus, who is God the Son, came and lived a sinless life and died a sinner’s death on a Roman cross. He did this to offer those who put their trust in him, new and eternal life (John 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-10). I encourage you to not believe everything you hear but to investigate for yourself the truth. The evidence pointing to Jesus as the eternal God, resurrected Messiah and King of the Universe is overwhelming. As Jesus said, search and you will find (Luke 11:9).

Resource Review: An Introduction to the Old Testament

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Reading the Old Testament can be as tough as licking your big toe. It is a collection of different writings, which were written between 2500 to 3500 years ago, spanning many different cultures but addressing one main issue – God and his redemptive plan for humanity.

This second edition of An Introduction to the Old Testament integrates and interacts with recent developments in Old Testament scholarship. Several distinctives set it apart from other introductions to the Old Testament:

It is thoroughly evangelical in its perspective. It emphasizes "special introduction"----the study of individual books. It interacts in an irenic spirit with the historical-critical method. It features points of research history and representative scholars rather than an exhaustive treatment of past scholarship. It deals with the meaning of each book, not in isolation but in a canonical context. It probes the meaning of each book in the setting of its culture.

Including callouts, charts, and graphs, this text is written with an eye on understanding the nature of Old Testament historiography. This upper-level introduction to the Old Testament offers students a solid understanding of three key issues: historical background, literary analysis, and theological message.

DVD Format
Price: Approx. $39.95 (Koorong)
Price: Approx. $29 (Amazon)

Who was Jesus (6): Christmas and Eager Expectation!

Christmas for me all those years ago was a very exciting time. I can clearly remember when the Christmas holidays came around (about December 15th - Australia), my brothers and I would wait in eager expectation for ten days to pass and our Christmas presents arrive under the tree. I want to emphasise the words “eager expectation” as this will be the theme for this article!

I will once again postpone my article on Jesus’ resurrection for a later time (as I am reading a fantastic book on this event) and focus closer to the life of Jesus. If you have missed the five previous articles in this series please click on the following links (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5).

Returning to our introduction, can you remember back to those younger days when Christmas drew closer? I want you now to put on the shoes of a Jewish person living in the Middle East, about 2000 years ago. The Jewish people of this time were waiting for a king who would come and rescue them from terrible rule of the Roman Empire. This king would bring about eternal peace between God and the human race (see Christians Believe Part 1 and Part 2 for more information). Finally, on the first Christmas, the king arrived and he was named Jesus.

Like an eager young child at Christmas, the Jews were eagerly awaiting this king. As Christmas is almost here, today, I am going to give you the criteria, from the Old Testament ( firest section of the bible before Jesus arrived) for this global conquering Christmas king. Beside each criterion is a bible reference about this king and how it is fulfilled in Jesus from the New Testament (second section of the bible during Jesus life and after), which is linked to RefTagger – simply scroll over the top of the reference and the bible passage will pop-up. All references are from Mark Driscoll’s Vintage Jesus – Chapter 3, which I strongly recommend you check out – he is a gifted Pastor and author!

The Strict Criteria for the Christmas King

* The King would come from the family of Abraham, the Patriarch from the Old Testament (Genesis 12:3, 17:19, 49:10; Numbers 24:17). At the beginning of Matthew, Jesus family tree is detailed showing that he descended from the family of Abraham (Matthew 1:1-2).

* The King would be born of a virgin and he would be named Immanuel, which means God with us (Isaiah 7:14). The Gospel of Matthew explains that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, to a virgin woman named Mary (Matthew 1:18-23).

* The King would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). As you may know, Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7).

* The King’s family would escape to Egypt to save his life when he was young (Hosea 11:1). Jesus parents, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to evade King Herod (Matthew 2:13-15).

* The King would never rebel (sin) against God (Isaiah 53:9). Jesus, Peter explains never sinned once – he was perfect (1 Peter 2:21-22).

* The King would enter the Jewish temple (Malachi 3:1). This is an important fact to the argument as the temple was destroyed in 70AD, and Jesus entered this very temple (Luke 2:25-27).

* The King would have a messenger who would prepare the way for him (Isaiah 40:3). John the Baptist, Jesus cousin, prepared the people for the arrival of Jesus (Matthew 3:1-3).

* The King would do amazing miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6). Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, the lame and the mute. He even raised people from the dead (Matthew 11:2-5).

* The King would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). Jesus, days before his death, rode into Jerusalem as a donkey and people greeted him as a king (Luke 19:28, 35-38).

* The King would be betrayed by a friend for exactly thirty pieces silver (Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12-13). Jesus was betrayed by his friend and disciple, Judas Iscariot for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:49-50, 14-15, 27:5-7).

* The King would be beaten up and mocked by crowds (Isaiah 50:6). Jesus was beaten and mocked by crowds of people and soldiers (Matthew 26:67).

* People would gamble for the Kings clothing (Psalm 22:18). During Jesus execution, soldiers gambled for his garments (John 19:23-24).

* The King would eventually be hated and rejected and he would defend himself (Isaiah 53:3, 7). Jesus was most definitely hated and rejected (Matthew 27:39-44, 12).

* Before crucifixion was even invented, it was predicted that the King would be crucified (Psalm 22:16). Jesus was executed by mode of crucifixion (Luke 23:33).

* The King would be killed with sinners (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus was crucified between two criminals (Matthew 27:38).

* By two different prophets, it was predicted that during the execution, none of the kings bones would be broken (Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20). None of Jesus bones were broken during his execution (John 19:32-36).

* The King would die (Isaiah 53:8). Jesus most definitely died (Luke 23:46).

* The King would be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9). Jesus, a poor man, was buried in the tomb that belonged to a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-60).

* Again predicted by two different prophets, the King would resurrect from the dead (Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10-11). Jesus was resurrected from the dead three days after his crucifixion (Acts 2:25-32).

* The King would ascend to heaven with the souls of dead Christians (Psalm 68:18). Jesus ascended into heaven with the souls of dead Christians (Ephesians 4:7-10).

* The King would sit at the right hand of God ruling the Universe (Psalm 110:1). Jesus, to this very day is sitting at the right hand of the Father ruling (Hebrews 1:3).

Our Eternal Christmas Gift

Jesus clearly and emphatically meets the job description of the King. We all live in a broken world in desperate need of a good king. Therefore, Jesus fits the description for this very king, for whom the Jews were long waiting for. My plead through all of this is today is that you might come to live for Jesus. Christmas is truly and solely about Jesus the king. Why not make this Christmas about Jesus? I’ve given you the facts so please digest them and consider making him your king!

Resource Review: The Message of Creation

I have been reading this fascinating book, which I recommend to those who are interested in the overlap of science and theology. It is a heavy book; essentially this book is a commentary thick with bible references and theological jargon. However, it is understandable if you are willing to learn. Personally, I find this book a gem, as David Wilkinson holds degrees in both theology and cosmology (study of the Universe in its totality).

With the eyes of a theologian and a cosmologist, David Wilkinson explores the message of creation in God's Word. Focusing on the beginning, the songs, the fulfilment, the lessons, and the Lord of creation, he brings the texts into lively conversation with contemporary concerns.

Paperback, 304 pages
Price: Approx. $16.95

Resource Review: For the Love of God Volume 2

"For the Love of God" Volume 2 is a fantastic read. I found this book easy to read and it accompanied my bible reading well. I strongly recommend this book to those who would like to enrich their reading with some short but easily accessible devolution's by Don Carson. Below is a short blurb about the book:

As with Volume 1, Volume 2 of Don Carson's reworking of McCheyne's Bible reading system includes reflections on each day's scripture passages. Read through the New Testament and Psalms twice and Old Testament once in a year.

Here is a brief summary about the author:

• D. A. Carson (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and he has also served as a pastor. His areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil.
• Dr. Carson has written or edited more than 45 books, including The Sermon on the Mount; Exegetical Fallacies; Matthew (Revised Expistor's Bible Commentary), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed.
• His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award. Recent works include Christ and Culture Revisited; The Intolerance of Tolerance; Galatians and Revelation (Pillar New Testament Commentary); Hebrews (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) and 1-3 John (New International Greek Testament Commentary)

416 pages
Price: Approx. $19.95

Resource Review: For the Love of God Volume 1

Don Carson has reworked the classic Robert Murray McCheyne Bible reading system (schedule for reading the bible in one year) for easier use, guiding you through the New Testament and Psalms twice, and the Old Testament once in the course of 365 days. This is an invaluable resource, which includes a one-page explanation of the text and devotional comments for each day.

Here is a brief summary about the author:

• D. A. Carson (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and he has also served as a pastor. His areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil.
• Dr. Carson has written or edited more than 45 books, including The Sermon on the Mount; Exegetical Fallacies; Matthew (Revised Expistor's Bible Commentary), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed.
• His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award. Recent works include Christ and Culture Revisited; The Intolerance of Tolerance; Galatians and Revelation (Pillar New Testament Commentary); Hebrews (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) and 1-3 John (New International Greek Testament Commentary)

400 pages
Price: Approx. $19.95

Who was Jesus (3): The Man on the Cross

How cool are action heroes? Superhuman people doing amazing things like jumping out of speeding trains or flying planes, rescuing the poor damsel in distress. Without doubt, Predator is my favourite action movie starring the Govenator Arnie who heads up a team of Special Forces soldiers. They travel into the South American jungle in search of a missing platoon, only to find that they had been ripped to shreds by some unknown force, which you soon discover is an alien from another planet (A must if you have never seen the movie). Arnie defies the odds by using his intellect and physical strength to defeat the alien, which mind you is far superior in intellect and strength then he is. We leave the movie thinking “Is there anyone that can stop Arnie”?

What about our national sporting hero’s like Steve Waugh or Cathy Freeman or Michael Jordan? They have risen to a new level in our eyes by achieving great results in the midst of huge adversaries. Children and adults alike follow them like gods. We all have our heroes; people that we aspire to be like. Only yesterday, I noticed a sign on the side of a bus promoting the English Premier League, which read “Most religions have one god, we have many”.

Heroes Forever?

We all have our heroes, those people we look up to. But when it all comes down to it, they are regular people just like you and I. They eat, sleep, get tired, feel down and in need, and ultimately, will sadly die. They go through highs and lows, make huge mistakes like we do, and when their sporting or movie prowess comes to close, they basically fall off the map of fame. Our heroes in the end are just like you and I.

The Superhero

There is however, one hero who stands out above all others. A man who lived a perfect life, faced all the challenges that we face and now lives as king of the universe. He died a brutal death to rescue his people from eternal hell, the God-man Jesus. In my last two posts, we explored who Jesus was (see Who was Jesus Part 1 & Part 2) and there we established that he is the one and only living God, who came down from heaven as a man. He lived perfect life and yet died a rebel’s death.

Today I would like to examine the reason why Jesus stepped off his throne in heaven and came down to earth. Firstly, it is important to point out that we have all disobeyed God and live our own lives independent from him, this is called sin (see Christians Believe 2). Our purpose in life and biological design is to live in relationship with God and each other, yet as a result of sin, these relationships have been severed. We only need to look at the world around us and our lives to see evidence of this. God would be justified to leave us to suffer the consequences of our rebellion, but out of his great mercy and love, he decided to step into history in human form to pay the fine for our rebellion. Have you ever heard what it would be like to be crucified on a cross? Check out the movie below:

Blood, guts and core

Why did he do this?

As I explained earlier, we have all fallen out of relationship with God. God, because he loves us, set in motion a plan to fix the problem that we have created through our sin. This plan commenced in the Old Testament of the bible, by God making a contract with a group of people called Israel (Genesis 9:9). Through this contract God established the law by which these people were to live by and worship him (The 10 Commandments; Deuteronomy 17:19). If the people of Israel broke one these laws, they were to offer a sacrifice in their place to make atonement (pay the fine) for their sin. This was a practice established by God to demonstrate that justice must be made for those who break a perfect and holy God's laws.

If you take what the bible says literally concerning the state of humanity, then you will conclude that the human condition is marred by sin (John 8:34; Romans 3:11-12). Am I suggesting that we re-establish a sacrificial system as we have all broken God's laws? Absolutely not, as God, lovingly, has offered a complete and perfect sacrifice for us; this is the Good News- the Gospel. Jesus message brings Good News, which is that he (God in the flesh) has offered himself as the sacrifice for us. This good news, which may not sound like good news (a man being brutally murdered), is that we are forgiven through Jesus suffering and death on a cross and therefore offered freedom from this slavery to sin:

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)!

Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus, a perfect man who never sinned, took all of our sin on himself and offered his body as a sacrifice. Think of all the actions and deeds that you have committed or that you should have done; Jesus accepts these things and dies for them, then he gives you his perfection. This is what the bible calls grace (Psalm 86:6; Zechariah 12:10; John 1:16-17; Romans 3:24- there are so many more references but I will cut it short for for sake of brevity). He now offers forgiveness to those who accept this free gift and cleansing from all their sin as he absorbed the wrath that God has towards your sin (Romans 1:17; John 3:14-16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3: 21-25).

Heroes are everywhere but there is one eternal hero and that is Jesus. He died a brutal death to die for those who were against him. So, what does Jesus death accomplish? His death offers accomplishes everything- for us freedom from ourselves and a new life driven by purpose with the God who created us. My prayer is that this will touch your heart and therefore I plead with you now to turn to Jesus now. It is written in the bible:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Why not turn to Jesus with a simple prayer and confess to him that you have lived in opposition to him. Ask for forgiveness and he will forgive you (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9). Check out his bible and why not check out a church (see Christians Believe 5). Jesus loves you and he is waiting.

Science and Jesus (4): Did God Create the World in Six Days?

In my previous post, I made the comment that we must read the bible biblically and theologically. I would like to examine this further in this article.

There are 66 books of the bible; the bible is broken into two major sections, the Old and New Testaments. There is great diversity in literary style- ranging from poetry to historical narrative to apocalyptic literature. Reading the bible does take some understanding of these literary styles. Additionally, the bible was written from two thousand to four thousand years ago. Therefore, an understanding of the historical situations of the authors is very much needed as we are quite detached from the lives of these people. Here is a great video discussing these issues:

The book of Genesis is the first book in the bible. It holds a fascinating account of creation in Genesis 1. However, these first few segments of Genesis have come under great dispute by New Atheist Richard Dawkins and many of the Atheist community. They claim that science has clearly disproven the accuracy of the bible if you take Genesis 1 literalistically. Dr John Dickson, the man interviewed in the video states that we must read the Genesis account literally. A full copy of the interview is available on the God Science Dvd.

Dr Dickson goes onto to explain that a document named Enuma Elish was found in the mid 19th century. This document originated from the old Babylonian Empire and it details an account of creation by many of their gods. Scholars believe that the Enuman Elish document predates Genesis 1, making the account readily available for the early Jewish hearers of the Moses (the author of Genesis) time. Enuma Elish makes the claim that these gods created the world in several days, including life, which is similar to Genesis 1.

There are some close parallels between Enuma Elish and the Genesis account, however, there are also many profound distinctions in Genesis 1. These are:
• Genesis- One God created the world; Enuma Elish- many gods
• Genesis- God gives human great importance in his creation, where as Enuma Elish claims that we were created to do the work of the gods.
• Genesis claims that God made the world good; Enuma Elish claims the world was evil
• Genesis- God was purposeful and ordered in creating the world; Enuma Elish’s gods were erratic and chaotic
For more information, check out wikiChristian.

Therefore, what is the overall point of Genesis 1 in light of Enuma Elish? What was Moses aim in writing this text? If you were a Jewish person living around 1500BC and were to pick up the Genesis 1 account you would notice straight away that the one and only God whom they worship created everything good and with purpose. You would understand that the world was created good by God and that we were made to be in relationship with God. At no point would you come to the assumption that this account was detailing the exact processes and mechanisms God used to create the world. All you would want to know is that a loving God achieved it. We too must read the Genesis account in this fashion. Reading it, and any other book of the bible, literalistically will make it hard to interpret and understand. Furthermore, the overall push of the bible is to lead you to Jesus, the creator of the world and saviour of his children. Jesus died on a roman cross for our sins so we can be reunited with our creator and enjoy eternal life.

There are many brilliant resources out there for those who are interested in researching into this topic. Below are some links to a few recommended sites and resources:
• Centre for Public Christianity  – This is a fantastic site lead by Dr John Dickson and Dr Greg Clark who are responsible for producing The Life of Jesus, The Christ Files and God Science.
• Answers in Genesis 
• God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God
• Professor John Lennox’s website
• God Science: Creation, Darwin and the End of Faith
• The Case for a Creator
• Best Bible Science

If you have any comments to make, please feel free to add them to this post.



Resource Review: God Science: Creation, Darwin And The End Of Faith

Do Science and Christianity match up? Are they at odds with each other? Is there any proof for a creator God? John Dickson, Greg Clarke, and Simon Smart present a fresh investigation into Science and Christianity. A great DVD that will change the way you think about Jesus. If you are interested in Jesus and Science, please check out Science (1): Has Science Buried God and Science (2): Do the Bible and Science Correlate?

Can you believe in God in an age when science is arguably the dominant form of knowledge that people trust? Is there any way that you can hold together a scientific worldview and one that includes belief in a supernatural reality?

Recently this debate has been reignited by a new wave of sceptical writers, some of them eminent scientists. Insisting that rational thought has no room for religious belief, these modern sceptics argue that science holds all the keys to progress, meaning and understanding. Religion, they say, is a force for evil, and a primitive superstition that should be rejected.

Are they right? The Centre For Public Christianity has gathered a host of prominent scientists, historians, and philosophers to consider the place of faith in an age of science.

Origins/Cosmology
Prof John Lennox: Creator or Multiverse?
Dr David Cohen: The age of the Earth
Dr Stephen Barker: The origins of lice
Prof Michael Drinkwater: The big bang and cosmic wonders

Darwin, the Bible and God
Dr John Dickson: Reading the Genesis creation accounts
Prof Simon Conway-Morris: Science and an unlikely God
Prof Tom Frame: Charles Darwin and Australia

History and the philosophy of science
Prof Alvin Plantinga: Reasons for God
Prof Michael Ruse: Darwinism, the 'bastard child of Christianity'
Prof Edwin Judge: Christianity and the scientific revolution
Prof Peter Harrison: Religious challenges to science

Intersections between science and faith
Prof Bill McKibben: De-creating the planet
Dr Graeme Findlay: A hard cell - science and theology
Dr Olivera Petrovich: A natural belief?
Prof Ross McKenzie: 'Emergence' and a reasonable God

DVD Approx. $19.95

Resource Review: How to Read the Bible Book by Book

How to Read the Bible Book by Book helps people read the Bible as a whole; and even when the whole is narrowed to whole books, helps readers to see how each book fits into the grand Story of the Bible.

To order this product:
Click Here A Guided Tour from Genesis through Revelation



Reading the Bible need not be a haphazard journey through strange and bewildering territory. Like an experienced tour guide, How to Read the Bible Book by Book takes you by the hand and walks you through the Scriptures. For each book of the Bible, the authors start with a quick snapshot, then expand the view to help you better understand its key elements and how it fits into the grand narrative of the Bible. Written by two top evangelical scholars, this survey is designed to get you actually reading the Bible knowledgeably and understanding it accurately.

In an engaging, conversational style, Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart take you through a given book of the Bible using their unique, progressive approach:

Orienting Data - Concise info bytes that form a thumbnail of the book
Overview - A brief panorama that introduces key concepts and themes and important landmarks in the book
Specific Advice for Reading - Pointers for accurately understanding the details and message of the book in context with the circumstances surrounding its writing
A Walk Through - The actual section-by-section tour that helps you see both the larger landscape of the book and how its various parts work together to form the whole. Here you are taken by the hand and told, "Look at this!"

432 pages
Price: Approx. $19.95

Resource Review: Life of Jesus

Have you ever considered the historical and real Jesus? Do you believe that Christianity is a myth with no historical proof? The Life of Jesus is a fantastic resource that aims at examining the tangible evidence of the existence of Jesus, his death and resurrection. This is a must!

What really happened back in the first century, in Jerusalem and around the lake of Galilee, that changed the shape of world history? Who is this figure that emerges from history to have a profound impact on culture, ethics, politics and philosophy? Come with historian John Dickson on this six-episode journey through the life of Jesus, from birth to his reported resurrection. Shot on location in Israel, the Life of Jesus documentary includes 25 bonus conversations between John Dickson and Greg Clarke about the philosophical and personal issues arising from Jesus' life and teaching.

Price: Approx. $24.95
There is also a book available by John Dickson on the “Life of Jesus”

Resource Review: Vintage Jesus

To order this product:

Click Here

This is a brilliant book for those investigating Jesus and Christianity. Easy to read and funny throughout, Vintage Jesus tackles the myths and false views created through two thousand years of religion. I strongly recommend this book as we head into the ‘Who was Jesus’ series.

Some two thousand years after he walked the earth, Jesus Christ is still a hot topic. And for all the ridiculous, twisted, Da Vinci Code-esque- conspiracy theories and lies about Jesus that have permeated popular culture and even the academy over the years, the truth about his character, nature, and work has not changed. So what exactly is the truth about Jesus Christ?

That's the question the authors of Vintage Jesus seek to answer by breaking it down into a number of sub-questions about Jesus, including
• Is Jesus the only God?
• Why did Jesus come to earth?
• Did Jesus rise from death?
• Why should we worship Jesus?

Nonbelievers and new Christians looking to sit down and delve into the topic of Jesus, asking the toughest, most confounding questions they can think of, will find solid, biblical answers presented in a relevant, accessible way.

176 pages from Re: Lit
Price: Approx. $21.95

Resource Review: God’s Big Picture

If you have been stirred by Christians Believe (6), why not have a read of God’s Big Picture. Very easy to read outlining the basic points of Christianity.

Sixty-six books written by forty people over nearly 2,000 years, in two languages and several different genres. A worldwide bestseller published in countless sizes and bindings, translations and languages. It has been sworn by in court, fought over by religious people, quoted in arguments. The Bible is clearly no ordinary book. How can we begin to read and understand it as a whole?

In his excellent overview, Vaughan Roberts gives the big picture - showing how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of the kingdom of God. He gives us both the encouragement and the tools to read it with confidence and understanding. He points us to the Bible's supreme subject, Jesus Christ, and the salvation God offers through him.

160 pages
Price: Approx. $16.95