Do you have a Christian Worldview?

[M45510G1C]

I would tend to desagree with the following:

All life on earth was created by God with a design and a purpose -- life did not evolve (Gen. 1:11,12,21,24,25; 1 Cor. 15:38,39).

God made man in His own image distinct from the animals -- man did not evolve (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7; 1 Cor. 11:7).

I beleive that life did evolve, and that science backs up this fact. The only alternative is an intentionally deceptive God, which is not in line with the God revealed to us in Scripture.

Government is ordained by God and is God's provision for order and safety in society (Rom. 13:1-7; John 19:11).

I believe this statement to be obviously contradictory and false. How can both Bush's and Heussein's governments be "God's provision for order and safety in society".

Otherwise an excellent post.

[ChadB]

And hey, I think the earth is flat and is also the center of the universe. Moreover, maggots arise spontaneously from decomposing material(s) and if you have a headache you should drill a hole in your head to release the evil spirits. Science supported that at one time too.

Where is the evidence that says life had to evolve?

PS I'm back and happy holidays.

[Bread_of_Life]

And hey, I think the earth is flat and is also the center of the universe.

These were religious viewpoints, and were disproved by science. The belief in a flat-earth was held by a few uneducated religious people who misinterpretted the Psalms, although never widely held. The belief in geo-centrism was Church dogma for hundreds of years until scientists (who were persecuted at the time for their discoveries) proved that it was not.

Moreover, maggots arise spontaneously from decomposing material(s)

This viewpoint was also disproved by science (although as far as I know, was not started by religion)

and if you have a headache you should drill a hole in your head to release the evil spirits.

This was also a common religious practice when Christianity ruled Europe in the dark ages, although it was never (as far as I know) used to cure the common headache.

Again, it was disproved by science.

Science supported that at one time too.

In fact, science supported none of these - however most of them were religious dogma. A little more research next time Chad might prevent you from shooting yourself in the foot.

[Guest shiloh357]

Man's Impotence

by Arthur Pink (an excerpt from the entire work)

It is of the utmost importance that people should clearly understand and be made thoroughly aware of their spiritual impotence, for thus alone is a foundation laid for bringing them to see and feel their imperative need of divine grace for salvation. So long as sinners think they have it in their own power to deliver themselves from their death in trespasses and sins, they will never come to Christ that they might have life, for "the whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." So long as people imagine they labor under no insuperable inability to comply with the call of the gospel, they never will be conscious of their entire dependence on Him alone who is able to work in them "all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2Th_1:11). So long as the creature is puffed up with a sense of his own ability to respond to God

[OneAccord]

One can sit around and muse about where sin comes from until the cows come home. It really is a non-issue.

On the contrary, I think it's a huge issue, as the entire Christian faith is built on the fact that we are all filthy sinners before God.

Where did it come from? Man did not create sin, therefore whoever did is responsible for it.

If sin is an accidental 'by-product' of creation, then God is responsible to do something about it, rather than punish everyone who is infected by it. If it is not an accident, which since God is perfect, He could not make an imperfect creation, then it must have some purpose or function. And therefore God is still responsible to us for creating sin.

If Satan created sin, then he is pretty powerful indeed, and God's creation has run amuck ever since. We know that God is more powerful than Satan, and will ultimately prevail, but meanwhile He could have just healed Eve and Adam instead of banishing them because He is an all powerful healer. Or He could have banished the serpent in the first place, since the serpent was sinning against God, or was he?

But apparently God had a different plan, far more wonderful than anything we can ever imagine, the mystery of the ages.

This matter of sin is far, far from a non-issue, but is a key issue in the faith.

[Guest shiloh357]

One can sit around and muse about where sin comes from until the cows come home. It really is a non-issue.

On the contrary, I think it's a huge issue, as the entire Christian faith is built on the fact that we are all filthy sinners before God.

Where did it come from? Man did not create sin, therefore whoever did is responsible for it.

If sin is an accidental 'by-product' of creation, then God is responsible to do something about it, rather than punish everyone who is infected by it. If it is not an accident, which since God is perfect, He could not make an imperfect creation, then it must have some purpose or function. And therefore God is still responsible to us for creating sin.

If Satan created sin, then he is pretty powerful indeed, and God's creation has run amuck ever since. We know that God is more powerful than Satan, and will ultimately prevail, but meanwhile He could have just healed Eve and Adam instead of banishing them because He is an all powerful healer. Or He could have banished the serpent in the first place, since the serpent was sinning against God, or was he?

But apparently God had a different plan, far more wonderful than anything we can ever imagine, the mystery of the ages.

This matter of sin is far, far from a non-issue, but is a key issue in the faith.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Even if we could pinpoint the exact origin of sin, it will not change the fact that it is real, and it is here.

As far as God's responsibility, God is not responsible for sin, and the Bible is clear on that point. God has never wronged man at any point. The Bible says in 2 Cor. 5, that "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself." God was not reconciling Himself to man, because He had done nothing wrong. Man could not reconcile himself to God. So God took on the roles of both the offender and the offended. God reconciled man to Himself God essentially judged Himself for man's sin. It would be the equivalent to being convicted of murder, and the judge sentencing HIMSELF to the electric chair.

Do you believe that God is somehow responsible for sin? If so, can you provide a scriptural defense of such? Is God's plan of salvation, somehow unsatisfactory?

[nebula]

If sin is an accidental

[Guest shiloh357]

I would tend to desagree with the following:

Government is ordained by God and is God's provision for order and safety in society (Rom. 13:1-7; John 19:11).

I believe this statement to be obviously contradictory and false.  How can both Bush's and Heussein's governments be "God's provision for order and safety in society".

Otherwise an excellent post.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nothing contradictory at all. It does not say "All governments are ordained by God." Rather, it is making a general affirmation about the concept of government.

Government is necessary to maintain order and safety. Without laws people would have nothing to keep them from imposing murder, theft, rape, etc. without due recompense. It is not a stamp of approval on all governments.

[Guest shiloh357]

I'd be careful telling atheists (or anyone) that all of these 25 points are essential to being a Christian. After all, many perfectly legitimate Christians don't believe in at least a few of these (for example, the text is clearly creationist, it believes that man did not evolve, many Christians disagree with this, at least, many Christians outside the US). Also, many Christians would be uncomfortable with some of the stuff about the running of the state - I do know secularist Christians, who believe that whilst Christian principles are important, that the state should not be used to police people into acting like CHristians, and should be run in a religiously neutral fashion. In other words, not all Christians believe in Theocracy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No one said that they were essential to being a Christian. All that is essential to being a Christian is saving faith in Jesus.

What I said was that they form a good basis for a Christian worldview. There are points of divergence at certain points among believers, and that is expected. However, most of these things are what the overhwhelming majority of Christians believe, or at least should believe. They are the basics, really.

Where is there anything in there about a theocracy? It simply states that government (NOT specific goverments) is ordained by God for our good and safety. It simply says Christians owe the government obedience to the laws of the land when those laws are not contrary to the Word of God. Nothing in what I posted says that the church should run the state. So, I don't know where you got the whole "theocracy" thing.

[ChadB]

Scientific Atheist

No, actually you are incorrect. If you would take a close look at the time periods when such ideas were held as factual you WILL see that science and religion were so closely linked it was hard to distinguish between the two. What was regarded as science was also held as a religious view. Moreover, science did disprove these ideas but it was scientists(who were generally religious men) that came up with them. The scientists of the day often times were also the bible boys of the time.

By the way these ideas were not held by a few uneducated people. To say that is crazy. Times change, ideas change. Science disproves many theories time and time again. But the Christian Faith pushes onward.

Neither myself with my simple christian mind or you in your infinite and complete wisdom can prove their points beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Gregor Mendel

Robert Hooke

Louis Pasteur

All men of faith but also scientists.