Who is the authority on what we believe? Some would say, “It depends on the topic given. On financial issues, I trust Mr. C______; scientifically, I listen to Mr. H_____; theologically, I always turn to Rev. M__________;” and the list goes on. There are others who blindly trust what they learned in school, or the church, giving no thought to questioning its teachings. Unfortunately, there are very few who turn to the Word of God as the authority in all matters. By whose or what authority do we respond to “science;” by what do we acknowledge “Truth”? If we doubt the authority of God’s Word, we are, in actuality, doubting God Himself.
“Truth” doesn’t become truth because the masses, scientists, or even the church say it is. Real Truth (God’s truth) doesn’t stop being Truth just because it’s rejected by these “authorities”. Whatever God says, THAT is truth. Let us take great care in guarding its treasure against all who would attempt to steal its authority.
How do we find truth? If we desire to know Truth, we must search for it, work for it, and be open to the Spirit’s teaching of it. Like one who desires to eat the meat of a nut, we must work to crack the shell open. One who would taste the sweet honey of God’s Truth must allow their faith to quench the stingers of Satan’s fiery darts, which are often flung at us from the world and the world infected church.
True science and the Bible needn’t be at odds with one another. In actuality, science eventually proves the Bible. Those who begin with the premise that God’s Word is true—and follow the Bible’s lead—often find themselves at an advantage in scientific discoveries. One such scientist is Matthew Fontaine Maury, known as “Patherfinder of the Sea.”
Here’s one example of a scientist who believed the Bible was inspired by God, and that it contained scientific truths revealed before man discovered them for himself:
“At one time, when Commodore Maury was very sick, he asked one of his daughters to get the Bible and read to him. She chose Psalm 8, the eighth verse of which speaks of ‘whatsoever walketh through the paths of the sea,’ he repeated ‘the paths of the sea, the paths of the sea, if God says the paths of the sea, they are there, and if I ever get out of this bed I will find them.’”
This account is not without controversy but there is no denial that Maury believed the Bible and worked from its authority. He was also responsible for other scientific discoveries and writings.
Science eventually catches up with the Bible. So when the church gives up ground—denying the authority of God’s Word—to avoid the slurs of pseudo-science, she ALWAYS makes the wrong choice. Let’s look at some examples of this. The order of information will be: what science used to believe—what the Bible says—what science believes today. (To purchase a gospel tract with this and more information click here.)
· Earth was a flat disk—Earth is a sphere (Is. 40:22)—Agrees with the Bible.
· Total stars 1,100 —Incalculable number of stars (Jer. 33:22)—Agrees with the Bible.
· Earth supported by large animal—Earth hangs freely in space (Job 26:7)—Agrees with the Bible.
· Air was weightless—Air has weight (Job 28:25)—Agrees with the Bible.
· Sick people must be bled—Blood is the source of life and health (Lev. 17:11)—Agrees with the Bible.
· Ocean fed only by rivers and rain—Ocean contains springs (Job 38:16)—Agrees with the Bible.
· Hands washed in still water—When dealing with disease, wash hands under running water (Lev. 15:13)—Agrees with the Bible.
The list could go on and on; true, objective science eventually supports what the Bible has said all along. Many would say, “Some of those things are just silly. We wouldn’t believe such fairy tales.” Man’s knowledge, in opposition to God’s knowledge, is nothing more than fairy tales. Men often stand willfully against God and even proudly against science, when it goes against his sinful desires—rejecting the authority of God’s Word, rejecting the truth. Let’s look at just two of these current examples.
First, regardless the lack of scientific proof, LGBT proponents continue to promote the false idea that they are born that way, they have no choice. This has been scientifically refuted over the years; here are just a few examples: 2016, 2014, and 2009. To read a recent article from Answers in Genesis on this topic click here.
It is likely, there will come a day when the LGBT activist will say with the pro-abortion crowd, “Yes, science has proven us wrong: it isn’t just a blob of tissue, it’s actually a baby; there is no gay gene, it’s my choice—SO WHAT!” Yes, man, in his sinful pride, arrogantly stands with his fist raised high against the Most High.
Second, although many reputable Christian scientists deny the possibility of evolution—and secular scientists can offer no proof—it has become so ingrained in our culture (movies, education, even accepted in the church), that many continue to cling to this theory as proven fact. We can be grateful that there are many organizations like ICRand Answers in Genesis that point to the authority of the Bible, especially in the scientific realm. For a couple of articles that show the lack of proof for evolution click hereand here.
You might be interested to know that the authority of God’s Word, regarding creation, had been in question long before the theory of evolution stood against the Creator. The problem was different back then. People of the church couldn’t understand why it would take God six days to create the earth. After all, surely He was capable of doing it all in only one day. To this attack on Biblical authority, Martin Luther stood and proclaimed:
“When Moses writes that God created heaven and earth and whatever is in them in six days, then let this period continue to have been six days, and do not venture to devise any comment according to which six days were one day. But if you cannot understand how this could have been done in six days, then grant the Holy Spirit the honor of being more learned than you are. For you are to deal with Scripture in such a way that you bear in mind that God Himself says what is written. But since God is speaking, it is not fitting for you wantonly to turn His Word in the direction you wish to go.” (emphasis mine)
In a recent NPR article entitled, For Some, Scientists Aren’t The Authority On Science, it was reported that “evangelicals with greater scientific knowledge reported lower levels of trust in university scientists.” We can only hope that it is because these people depend upon the authority of the Bible rather than the authority of men.
Science was always one of my favorite subjects in school; but it has no authority over the Bible and pales in importance to the sacred Word of God. Consider carefully the words of old-time holiness writer J.C. Ryle, as we close out this article.
A man "may have immense learning and yet never be saved." He may be master of half the languages spoken around the globe. He may be acquainted with the highest and deepest things in heaven and earth. He may have read books till he is like a walking encyclopedia. He may be familiar with the stars of heaven—the birds of the air—the beasts of the earth, and the fishes of the sea. He may be able, like Solomon, to "describe plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls, and also teach about animals and birds, reptiles and fish" (1 Kings 4:33). He may be able to lecture on all the secrets of fire, air, earth, and water. And yet, if he dies ignorant of Bible truths, he dies a destitute man! Chemistry never silenced a guilty conscience. Mathematics never healed a broken heart. All the sciences in the world never soothed a dying man. No earthly philosophy ever supplied hope in death. No natural theology ever gave peace in the prospect of meeting a holy God. All these things are of the earth and can never raise a man above the earth’s level. They may enable a man to strut and fret his little time here on earth with a more dignified manner of walking than his fellow-mortals, but they can never give him wings, and enable him to soar towards heaven. He that has the largest share of them, will find in time that without Bible knowledge he has no lasting possession. Death will make an end of all his attainments, and after death they will do him no good at all…
There is much talk in these days about science and "useful knowledge." But a knowledge of the Bible is the one knowledge that is needful and eternally useful. A man may get to heaven without money, learning, health, or friends, but without Bible knowledge he will never get there at all. A man may have the mightiest of minds, and a memory stored with all that strong mind can grasp—and yet, if he does not know the things of the Bible, his soul is damned forever. Woe! woe! woe to the man who dies in ignorance of the Bible! (emphasis mine)
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