We shouldn't compare?

Recently, while I was speaking, a man in the audience made the assertion that, "We shouldn't make comparisons with other religions, we should just preach the Gospel"

While, I understand his sentiment, I disagree. Why?

Comparison is a powerful teaching tool!!!

When I attended college, one of my professors used the approach of "compare and contrast" on many of the tests. This was very effective because you had to think and understand more deeply in order to explain what was the same and what was different.

Often people think they understand the Gospel or passages in the Bible, but when pressed by other ideas, they are unsure of how to defend or explain their belief. If you don't know the difference between how Christians and Muslims understand 'mercy', you may be led astray by fine sounding arguments. (see Colossians 2:2-4)

Much of the New Testament consists of Paul and others defending Christianity and the Gospel against other ideas and religions. Christianity and other religions, as a whole, are mutually exclusive, despite some similarities.

What about marriage?

I have a couple thoughts on the whole marriage issue and civil union debate. I think there are fundamental questions that need to be addressed or determined. I put my disclaimer on this for lack of time to fully research or document, it's just a thought.

Origin of Marriage (religion or government?)

The Biblical picture would indicate that marriage is a religious institution or origin. Marriage is a religious union between man and woman as ordained and joined by God. (see Mark 10:7-9), also referring back to Genesis where God made them male and female in his image. This also refers to the married couple becoming ONE. This also points a bit to Ephesians 5 where it compares (maybe equivalent) husband and wife to Jesus and church.

In some quick searches on the Internet (google/wikipedia/others) most attribute the origin of marriage to human invention and politely pass off or ignore the "recorded history" of the Bible in Genesis indicating prior institution than what they indicate by 'man'.

If this is truly the case (that marriage origin is religious, and not a human/civil invention) then I would get the picture that God originated marriage, then humans (civil government) recognized the value chose to encourage it through civil recognition, and granting additional civil rights and benefits.

Who has the right to re-define marriage?

If that is the picture, then civil government, really has no right to re-define a religious institution, such as marriage. The church really has no right to re-define it either, since it was clearly instituted by God (not religious leaders such as Pharisees, Elders, Apostles, etc...) They do not own it, but must either define their own, or try to hijack this wonderful religious institution.

There are all sorts of implications and options that one could take from verifying and understanding this. If you have thoughts about what this would mean (positive or negative implications), please comment.

Dr Robert Carter of visits Pella, IA

Plans are in progress to bring Dr. Robert Carter from Creation Minstries International to speak in the Pella and Des Moines area. Dr. Carter's background is in genetics and marine biology. Here are some of the events that will be taking place while he is in town April 6-13.

Here is a map of the events.

KCWN and WHO Radio interviews

Sunday, April 6:

• Tracy CRC
• Covenant Reformed Church, Pella: 11:00 Sunday School presentation
• Third Church, 708 E 13th Pella, IA: 6:00-7:15 "Jesus, Genesis, Evolution, and the Gospel"

Monday, April 7:

• Oskaloosa Christian, Oskaloosa: 8:30: brief student address
• Pella Community Center, 712 Unition, Pella: 7:00-8:30 "What Darwin Didn't Know"

Tuesday, April 8:

• PEACE Homeschool, Liberty E-Free Church: 10:00-11:30
• Central College Intervarsity Fellowship: 4:30-6:00 "Q&A with Dr. C"
• Pella Community Center, 712 Unition, Pella: 7:00-8:30 "Genetics and Genesis"

Saturday, April 12:

• Pastors Breakfast (other ministry leaders welcome), Pella Excit-A-Bowl: 7:30, "Q&A with Dr. C"

Sunday, April 13:

• Grimes United Methodist Church, Grimes, IA: 8:00, 9:15, 10:30

All events sponosred by the Pella Creation Task Force. For more information contact, CreationTaskForce@gmail.com or 641-780-4839.

Please check back to this page for updates as the events get closer.

Creation\Evolution: The Key Issue

The key issue that causes concern for me and many other Christians is not over how animals change or the geological or astronomical forces in effect, it is the authority of man over God and the key basis that the Bible gives for our salvation. The scriptures point out that death was the result of sin, Adam sinned and passed that sin and death to all his descendants, thus we all deserve death. But God gave us a way to escape eternal death by sending his Son to pay the penalty of death for us on the cross and giving us His gift of grace and eternal life. Any system of thought, or interpretation of data, that puts physical death before physical sin undermines this message and puts the Gospel message in the realm of fairy tale. Likewise, anything that takes away Jesus’ real death and real resurrection undermines this same message. So far, everything that I’ve seen from evolution puts death before Adam and before sin.

Praying to Jesus?

Some Christians pray to Jesus, since some Bible verses indicate that Jesus intercedes for us.

Hebrews 7:25, "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God
through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

or to the Spirit

Romans 8:26-27, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not
know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with
groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind
of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with
God's will."

Yet, Jesus tells us that we should pray to "our Father"

Matthew 6:9"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, "

But, what I find very assuring about this is that Jesus tells us that we don't have to go through him, but because of him we may ask directly from the Father, because He loves us.

John 16:26-27, "In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God."

No other faith gives such a personal picture of our Creator, that knows and loves us personally, that we may speak with Him. What a Wonderful Creator and Father we have!!!