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Evolution vs. Creation…Is it Really that Important?

17 Dec

OrbitTalk about a controversial subject.  Why should we even bother discussing it?  The debate over Creationism only gets people mad, and makes them think that Christians are backward thinking hicks.  Is our view on this issue important to our walk with God?  I want to take a few posts to weigh in on the subject.  I think you’ll be surprised by some of the truths involved.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Hebrews 11:3

A little while ago I did a series of posts on the subject of True Faith.  I came to the conclusion that faith is a walk of discovery and response.  That is, discovering God’s truth and how we respond to it.

What do we discover in this verse?  Actually, we see the foundation of our walk with God.  So often we discount the importance of this truth.  We get wishy-washy because it’s so controversial in our society.  In our desire to sound modern and relevant, we end up denying the very core of who we are as believers.

The hot topic in question is intelligent design vs. evolution.  We seem to think it’s only a peripheral debate.

If that’s the case, then why does the enemy think it’s so important to attack?  Why is it such a main area of discussion when atheists try to show how “foolish” Christianity is?

The reason is crystal clear.  Faith understands that there’s a Creator.  That concept is foundational to our walk with the Lord.  If there’s no Creator, then there’s no purpose to life.  We would also have no responsibility for our actions.  There would be no such thing as sin and no need for forgiveness.  In that case, there would be no final judgment.  Following that logic, there would be no need for a Savior, the cross, or the resurrection.

Everything we believe rests upon the truth that there is a Creator-God, and that we were created by Him and for Him.  That’s why the subject is so important to those who oppose Christianity.  The Creation account is the bedrock upon which everything else we believe is built.

If my faith in God as Creator is shaky, then anything else I believe will be subject to doubt.  I must get the foundation solid in order to stand secure in my faith.

This is such an important subject.  Let me suggest that you subscribe for these posts to come to you via e-mail so that you don’t miss any.

Question: How important do you feel it is to believe in Creation?

 
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Posted by on December 17, 2012 in Creation, Faith

 

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How to be a Good Witness

05 Nov

I am hoping to wrap up my talk about faith with this post.  I hope that by now it’s obvious that faith is an on-going process of discovery and response.  It’s how we continue to grow in our walk with Christ.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for.
Hebrews 11:1-2

Actually, even though I usually like the NIV, it’s not really a good translation of verse 2.  The KJV is a little closer in saying that the ancients “obtained a good report.”  Literally, the verse says that in faith, the elders witnessed.

We must go from being a discoverer to a witness.  Let’s talk about our good friend Christopher Columbus again.  In my last post I talked about him coming to the New World and discovering America.  At some point he returned home.

At that point he has become a witness of what no one else in Europe has ever seen.  He tells anyone who would listen, “I’ve seen a New World.  I’ve discovered a land that no European has ever been to before.”

In the same way, faith is your witness.  Every time you see something new about Christ, you choose to respond to it.  You believe this new truth and embrace it.  As you begin to put your confidence in it, you become a witness to this truth.

In the last post I used the example of hearing for the first time that Christ is the Healer.  The Holy Spirit makes it real to you through the discovery of faith.  You then go out and begin to share with others that Christ is the healer, even if you’ve never been healed.

It’s not a matter of, “Well, the pastor preached about it so I guess it’s true.”  On the contrary – it’s on the inside of you.  Then, when you need it, it’s there to heal you.

If you lay hold of each new truth, you will continue to trust Christ even if the enemy tries to knock your faith out of your hand.  That’s why it’s so important that we see faith as a walk and not just an event.

The fact is, “we walk by faith and not by sight.”  It’s time for believers to pick up their shields and move forward.  Then, we must never back down, but respond in faith to each new discovery of the Word of God.

Question: How has your faith in Christ brought you through in your hard times?

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

 
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Posted by on November 5, 2012 in Faith

 

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What is True Biblical Faith?

29 Oct

Many people talk about faith.  Few live it out to its full potential.  It all comes down to how you perceive it.

Is faith a single response to Scriptural teaching, or is it more than that?  The next four posts will deal with this important concept.  If you haven’t yet done so, take the time to subscribe to this blog via e-mail so that you won’t miss any of these life-changing installments.

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
Hebrews 10:39

Whether we want to admit it or not, faith is an on-going process.  In our society we like to “set it and forget it.”  That’s not the case with Biblical faith.

Faith is a walk.  It’s the path God leads us on from godlessness to perfection.  We start out our lives with no knowledge of Christ or His Word.  God takes us from where we are to as far as we’re willing to travel with Him.

What we find in this walk is that along the way there are always choices. These choices come at regular intervals – usually when we least expect them.  These points are like forks in the road ahead.

It’s then up to us whether we accept or reject truth when we see it.  Each new piece of knowledge comes with a choice.  Do I trust God and His Word, or do I continue in the old direction I was headed?

It may sound like a “no-brainer” as to which path we take, but based upon my experience, it’s a little more complicated than that.  We sometimes tend to stick with what we’re comfortable with, even though it’s wrong.

Choosing to trust God in a new way is a big step.  There are those who come to a hard decision and simply stall out.  There are others who start out trusting the Lord, but then when the going gets rough, they “shrink back.”  Why do we find it so hard to totally surrender to God’s will?

This is the problem – faith is an uphill climb on an icy slope.  When we come to a new choice and decide to stop, we begin to slide backwards, whether we intended to or not.  In the above verse, the word destroyed means ruin or loss.  Just standing still causes us to lose the ground we’ve already gained.

In our Christian walk, you have to put effort into it just to stand still.  If you want the power of God’s salvation working in you, then you have to keep moving forward.

Where are you in your walk with Christ?  What choices are you wrestling with?  If you find yourself at standstill – where did you stop, and why?  Most Christians don’t deal with these questions because think that faith is a one-time event.

Make it your goal to make the tough choices and then keep moving forward in Christ Jesus.

Question: What’s the hardest decision that you’ve ever had to trust God for?

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

 
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Posted by on October 29, 2012 in Faith

 

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