I know this is a big topic, so sorry in advance for any cans it opens of the worm-kind.

Why does evolution have to be anti-Bible?  Even science's answer for how things got started doesn't take out the magic of God's hand.  I wanted to know if I can believe what science says and follow the Good Book without contradiction.  Or do I have to choose a side?  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Straddling The Fence

Dear Straddling The Fence,

The Bible isn’t anti-science, but it is anti-evolution.  Darwinian evolution teaches that all life came from non-life and that man evolved from single-cell organisms (sometimes referred to as “goo-to-you” evolution).  The Bible specifically says that this didn’t happen.  God handcrafted Adam and Eve in His image (Gen 1:26-27).  Darwinian evolution also states that it would require billions of years to occur; God says that He made everything in six days (Gen 2:1-3).

The Bible is in complete agreement with science though.  The Bible mentions the world being round before anyone knew it (Isa 40:22), and it described the water-vapor cycle hundreds of years before modern meteorologists got it figured out (Job 36:27-28).  The Bible is completely scientifically accurate.  What most of the textbooks won’t tell you is that many scientists believe in the creation story found in the Bible.  Darwinian evolution is under attack by many scientists because the more we learn, the less plausible it becomes.  Books like Case For A Creator, Darwin’s Black Box, and Icons Of Evolution along with groups of scientists like those at Answers In Genesis are beginning to point out the flaws in Darwin’s claims.  True science backs up the Biblical account of Creation all the time.

If my past sins are forgiven when I am baptized in water, and it is possible for me to "lose my salvation" and go to hell after being baptized, then wouldn't my best chance of going to heaven be to drown in the baptistry?!!  Before I had a chance to sin so as to be lost again?  If I wanted to be absolutely sure of heaven, isn't that my best opportunity?

Sincerely,
Lifetime Guarantee

Dear Lifetime Guarantee,

Using that logic, all children should be drowned at birth.  All children go to heaven (see “What About The Children?” for further details), so why not kill them before they have a chance to sin?  What a horrible way to live life!  If our goal is to die as soon as we receive salvation, then we have missed the point of being children of light (Eph 5:8).  Once God shows us His love by saving us, we are to spread that love to others (1 Jn 4:19).

Once we become christians, we have the chance to convert others (Matt 5:16), build up other christians, and support the weak (1 Thess 5:14).  When we are baptized, we are saved (1 Pet 3:21).  New christians are babes in Christ (1 Cor 3:1), and like all babies, their life is just beginning.  Baptism is just the beginning of our journey.

In Judges 11:29-40, Jephthah made a vow that he would sacrifice whatever came from his house when he arrived.  His daughter came out to greet him.  Did he actually sacrifice his daughter, or did he not?  I think that he could get out of the vow because it involved human sacrifice, and according to God, that would be an abomination to Him.  What say you?  I refer you to Lev 5:4-6.

Sincerely,
Back Away From The Torch

Dear Back Away From The Torch,

Your Lev 5:4-6 reference is spot on.  We will deal with whether or not Jephthah actually sacrificed his daughter in a moment, but first, we need to be clear that no matter what Jephthah did – God doesn’t condone human sacrifice (Deu 18:10).  God makes it quite apparent that human life is sacred, and murderers will not be tolerated (Num 35:31).  The Old Testament is full of people who made both good and bad decisions… the book of Judges is no exception.  Judges tells the history of what actually happened; it doesn’t necessarily condone it.

With that said, let’s look at the story of Jephthah.  Jephthah made a rash vow that he would sacrifice as a burnt offering whatever came out of his house first (Judg 11:30-31).  Jephthah was a faithful man and is even recorded in the New Testament for his faith (Heb 11:32).  However, in this circumstance, Jephthah made a very rash decision because the first thing to come out of his house was his daughter (Judg 11:34-35).  All but one verse points toward Jephthah sacrificing his daughter – especially the ominous tone of Judg 11:39.

There is only one argument that we know of that gives credence to her not being sacrificed.  In Judg 11:37, Jephthah’s daughter asks for time to mourn over the fact that she would always be a virgin.  The argument can be made that because she was mourning over the fact she would never marry, she was placed into temple service – similar to Samuel (1 Sam 1:11).

We believe (now we get into opinion) that the best explanation of that passage is that Jephthah did offer his daughter as a burnt offering… exactly as he had vowed.  The fact that Jephthah’s daughter mourned over never being able to marry doesn’t mean she wasn’t put to death.  Marriage is one of the greatest dreams a young woman has.  Her life being cut short destroyed that dream.  Jephthah was wrong to sacrifice her, but he did it nonetheless.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom