Welcome Back. In this final segment of our series, we will investigate the reasons naturalism survives today and what can be done to circumvent its influence in our lives. Enjoy!
Why Naturalism Survives
Despite massive amounts of scientific and philosophical arguments against it, the worldview of naturalism and the idea of evolution persist. Today there is a huge cloud of doubt hanging over the science of evolution. As Christians, we must pursue this information and honestly explore and openly criticize it when we see it for what it is.
It is all part of defending what we believe and know to be true. Disclosing such faulty ideas helps us make the case for the authenticity of the biblical account of the origin of life (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Evolution and naturalism as a belief about the origin and development of life is being shown by scientists to be no explanation for the origin of life at all. How then do we account for its persistence as the only explanation for the origin and diversification of life in the textbooks our students must read in our public schools?
The first reason is that those promoting evolution and naturalism are in control. They currently control the debate on the issues and they control what goes into the textbooks. They do not include any other explanations for life because they don't want to. This intellectual dishonesty has been enabled by those of us who believe in God and creation, as we have abdicated our responsibility long ago for intellectual rigor on the major issues of our times. Basically, we walked away; they took over, and now we find it a stronghold in the educational process that is very difficult to deal with. Also, many of us have succumbed to the false idea of neutrality and thus backed off on defending the Christian position - only to allow these secularists to now be able to impose their religion on the education system and thus generations of our children.
The second reason evolution persists is because it is absolutely necessary for the philosophical worldview of naturalism. The real battle about evolution is not one of operational science, but of philosophy. The belief in evolution as an explanation for the origin of life is religious - it is man's attempt to explain life without God. The religion of naturalism (or atheism) that is being taught to generations of students is the philosophy that attempts to totally remove God from all aspects of our lives. For the naturalist, there is no God, no supernatural, and no life beyond death. That is their philosophical starting point - one, they are not prepared to question, regardless of the evidence that conflicts with it.
As Dr. Carl Sagan said:
"The Cosmos is all there ever was or ever will be."
This is the naturalistic mantra. And it becomes very circular in its reasoning. People believe in evolution because of the naturalistic worldview (naturalism is the focal point for their starting point but in reality, man being the ultimate authority is the underlying starting point). But the same people who believe in the naturalist worldview say they do so because of evolution. In reality, because they won't question their naturalistic starting point, they won't question evolution. See the problem? Why is it important? Why should anyone care?
1. The growing issues of concern in our culture have as their foundational cause the transition from a Christian worldview to principles now based on naturalism. The question about life's origin is used to justify this wrong foundation. Lose the battle here and you lost that battle in its entirety.
2. The philosophical assumptions of those who teach your children have the power, if left unchecked, to determine their eternal destiny. This might scare you. It should! Those who control the textbooks and curriculum of our public education system have capitulated to naturalistic thinking and God has been removed, and we are paying the price.
Currently, we are losing the battle. By and large, we send or children away each morning to government (public) schools, or have sent them to secular colleges or universities, to be inculcated with the subtle but pervasive ideas about naturalism and any other number of godless philosophies.
Lately, however, the subtlety of those who promote naturalism as the philosophy behind public education has been replaced by militancy - and our students and parents are increasingly feeling it. The goal of the current educational philosophy is certainly not neutral as is claimed (Matthew 12:30).
We can see that more clearly as militancy emerges. The new goal is to convince students there is no such thing as transcendent or supernatural truths. The only source of truth is man, and God doesn't exist.
Of course, students are told that "science" confirms this naturalistic position. However, students are not being taught the distinction between historical science (beliefs about the past) and operational science (knowledge based on observation, repeatability, and experimentation that builds technology). Students have been led to believe that if they don't believe in naturalism, they are giving up the science that built our technology. Sadly, this brainwashing in false ideas has had a devastating effect on these students. They, in essence, have been thoroughly indoctrinated in a secular worldview and convinced that this is a neutral position that is supported by unbiased scientists who are merely seeking the truth.
So, what can we do about this? By systematically training our children from a Biblical starting point, we can instill in them the necessary components of a Biblical worldview. We must also consider that none of these arguments matter if our children are not followers of Jesus Christ. Preaching the Gospel to them and helping them understand the true nature of repentance and faith in Christ alone for salvation is a crucial starting point. As we teach them apologetics and help them learn how to study the Bible to feed their own souls, we will be fostering a faith that will withstand the attacks from the world. We can help them understand the philosophies that have set themselves up against Christ and that through the empowering of the Holy Spirit they can successfully fight these battles. Firmly grounding their worldview in the Scriptures offers them the blessed hope and assurance that they can conquer the challenges from the world.
Assurance of the Blessed Hope
When a person lives in the blessed hope, it gives him the assurance of eternal life with the Lord Jesus. It also gives him the assurance of returning with the Lord Jesus Christ as one on the clouds of heaven. According to the Bible, this assurance is obtained by realizing that God loves you and that He wants you to have eternal life with Him. God personally cares about you and desires that you have eternal life with Him.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
The way of believing in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is to repent of sin and to trust Him completely as your Lord and Savior. When you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, all your sin is forgiven by God, for Jesus paid the penalty on the cross for your sins. Without repentance of sin and the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, it is impossible to have eternal life with God.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)
When you confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are now to live with the expectation of His second coming in your heart. This is the blessed hope; the expectation of the second coming of the Lord Jesus and being with Him forever. It is the evidence that you will be with the Lord Jesus when He returns with the clouds of heaven.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)
The Lord Jesus has paid the penalty for your sin by His blood shed on the cross. God has provided a way for you to have eternal life with Him. The Christian faith is about a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, not a religious system of works or unreasonable requirements that no one could possibly live up to. Right now you can turn to God by prayer through faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Please do not put this off, because now is the day of salvation and time is running out...
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings on your success!
Shane <><
Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)
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