The Chicken Or The Egg?

How many times have people pondered the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

Before we answer this question with certainty, I would like you to consider another question: Why do people struggle with this question?

In general, people struggle to answer a question because they are not certain of the answer. But, we never struggle when we have an objective standard.

As plain as this sounds, consider a few examples.

How much is 2 + 2? (Answer along with me: "Four.")

No debate. No philosophy needed. The answer is clear.

Questions such as this, or "what time is it?", or "Is the light in the bathroom on?" are not debated. Why? Because there is an objective standard.

We can all do the mathematical proof (if we need to) to prove that 2 + 2 is four and only four. We can all agree on the time (though we may need to consult the Naval Observatory's DoD Standardized Clock). We can all agree when a light is turned on by looking at the standard, the light itself.

Why don't people apply the same standard to this age-old question?

The truth is, there is only one correct answer. (Can't we agree on that?)

The Bible says, "Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens." (Genesis 1:20)

God spoke this on the fifth day of creation. On the fourth day, there were no birds on the earth. On the fifth, birds filled the air. Perhaps later that day, or soon thereafter, the first egg was laid.

No birds on day four. Lots of birds on day five.

No eggs on day four.

The chicken came before the egg.

Interestingly, according to a story posted on FoxNews.com, British scientists have determined scientifically that the chicken came before the egg.

Take this story with a grain of salt, after all publishers update science textbooks every single year. Even if this story changes, we can rest assured that the Bible will never require an update (other than to keep up with the commonly spoken language).

When you realize that the Bible never changes, and that it's words are true, then you can use it as your standard.

Then, questions like "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" are no longer a mystery.

More important that discussion questions such as this one, the Bible also answers the most important questions: What is truth? What is our purpose in life? What do I need to do to be assured of eternal life in heaven?

If you have never read the Bible before, start now. Read the book of Genesis (in the Old Testament), then read the book of John (in the New Testament). Examine yourself by God's standards. Then, repent of your sin; trust in the one true Savior; find a good church; and do what the Bible says.

You will have a true standard to guide your life and the answers to life's most important questions.

New Survey Shows Most Self-Described Christians Ignore Biblical Truth

Shortly after Christ was captured by Roman soldiers, at the insistance of the Jewish leaders, He was brought before Pontius Pilate. As the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate could pass sentence on Christ, or free Him.

As Pilate considered the fate of the Savior, he asked Him, "What is truth?"

The Greek word that is translated "truth" is aletheia (pronounced al·ay·thi·a). This word means, essentially: that which is objective in any matter. Another definition is: certainty, fact.

Truth is a question mankind has wrestled with, and, according to a new survey from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public life, Christians today fail to recognize what is truth.

Before I jump to the results of the survey, let's cover a few Biblical definitions of truth:

• God is truth (Deut 32:4, Isa 65:16) and His truth is unchanging (Num 23:19, Titus 1:2)
• The Bible is God's Word (Isa 34:16, Rom 1:2)
• The Bible is True (Psalm 119:160)
• Christ is truth (John 1:17)
• The gospel is truth (Eph 1:13, 1 Thess 2:13)

From this we know that the Bible is the true Word of God, and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is part of that truth.

What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?

In John 14:6, Jesus answers Thomas about the only path to heaven when He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."

Further, as you read the Bible, you discover that the path to Christ is repentance from sin (Matt 4:17, 2 Cor 7:10, Rev 3:3), and surrendering your life to Christ (Rom 6:19, Col 4:1, 1 Cor 7:22).

The Bible also warns us that many people will miss the truth of the gospel. Read Matthew 7:13-14:

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."

It appears that most of America's self-reporting Christians are looking at a wide gate.

Note: The term Christian, as used by the survey, is self-reported. That is, a person is a "Christian" if they call themselves a Christian. This is an objective standard. For the balance of this article, you can assume that I am using the objective standard. However, my desire is that people turn to God's standard (as shown above) and become true Christians.

Consider the fact that this new study finds that most Christians in America believe that you need not be a repentant slave to Christ to obtain salvation.

In fact, an astounding 65% of Christians say that many religions can lead to salvation! Before you dismiss this number and think, "well, there are Episcopal's and Baptists and Lutherans..." that is NOT what the survey respondents meant by "many religions". Upon further questioning, the Pew Forum discovered,

• More than 8 in 10 say that at least one non-Christian religion can provide Salvation.
• 69% say that Judaism provides salvation
• 52% say that salvation can be found in Islam
• 53% say Hinduism can provide salvation
• An astonishing 56% say that people with "no religious faith" can still obtain salvation, and
  
• Most amazingly, 42% say that atheists can obtain salvation.
  

How? Well, according to the survey respondents, all of these people can achieve salvation by what they believe or by their actions. What Bible verse is that?

If these self-reported Christians do not understand how others can achieve eternal life, what does that say about their own walk with the Lord?

Please, if your views conflict with the scripture above about the gospel, consider the following passage from Matthew 7:21-23,

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"

The only way we can know the truth... the only way we can share the truth... the only way to obtain salvation is to search out the truth of the gospel in the Bible.

The Bible is truth. The gospel is truth. Surveys are not. Beliefs are not. Feelings are not.

Know the truth, and share it with others... even those who sit in church with you.

Three More Popular World Religions...

Last time we looked at three of the world's most popular religions. Each had in common one key theme: people determine ultimate moral truth.

You, like me, might wonder: Suppose they're wrong? People are wrong about all sorts of things all the time. People frequently can't agree with each other, so they come to different conclusions. What if they're wrong about eternity? And, if people don't determine ultimate moral truth, then who, or what, does?

The three major religions we're about to discuss all agree that these humanistic philosophies are wrong. Moral truth, they argue, can only come from a supreme being. Let's take a quick look at these religions. They are: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

Islam teaches that after death your destination is either Paradise, or Hell. Allah is the name of their god. The only guaranteed way to Paradise is martyrdom. Everyone else must work their way into Paradise by complying with a series of rules known as Pillars.

Judaism is based on the teachings of the Jewish Bible (known as the Old Testament to Christians). The Old Testament teaches that there are two eternal destinations: Heaven, or Hell. To enter Heaven, you must have faith in God, named Yahweh, and follow His Laws. Failure to follow His law requires sacrificial atonement for that sin.

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament Bible, who became human and lived among us. They believe that the New Testament, together with the Old, is the true and accurate Word of God (Yahweh) and that this one God is also three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As with Jews, they believe in only two eternal destinations: Heaven or Hell. However, they believe that the only way to enter Heaven is to repent (turn from your sinful ways) and place all of your faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

As with other faiths, there are cultural Muslims (another name for those who follow Islam), cultural Jews, and cultural Christians. By 'cultural' I mean people who loosely follow the religion but have no firm conviction or belief. Some can even be classified as agnostic or atheist, even though they attend church functions and self-identify with one of these religions.

If you spend any amount of time learning about Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, you'll quickly realize that their beliefs in eternity, and how to enter Heaven (or Paradise) are each unique. If truth is knowable (and it is), and if truth is unchanging (it is) then only one can be correct.

Is there a God? If so, which of these religions, if any, follows the truth about this Him? Is God even a "Him"?

We'll explore these questions, and more, next time.

One From Column A, Two From Column B

First, let me say that I'm very happy you're still vertical (see my previous post). About 150,000 others, unfortunately, won't be joining us today.

Now, on to today's topic.

I remember going to Chinese restaurants as a child. I was amazed by the number of selections on the menu. It seemed like you could order something different every time you visited, and never run out of selections.

I also recall how they sold combination plates. You could choose a main entree from Column A, then one, two, or three items from Column B, depending on the price. Using this method, you could personalize what appeared on your plate in endless ways.

That's fine for marketing and customer satisfaction, but it simply doesn't work for determining truth.

For example, on a math exam I can't choose a number from Column A, then from Column B choose my favorite operator, a second number, and then my personal choice for the answer to create my own personal answer-plate. Unless I choose the numbers carefully, I'll get the answer wrong.

I don't want to get the answer wrong on a math exam, and I certainly don't want to get the answer wrong if it matters for all of eternity.

Unfortunately, we're bombarded with beliefs about life after death that can look a lot like that Chinese restaurant menu. The number of choices from Column A is long, and limited only by man's imagination. The number of ways you can pick and choose components of a faith from the Column B of doctrine, philosophies, and rules allows us endless possibilities to create a lifestyle-plate to suit our personal desires.

Such a creation might make us comfortable for a time, but what if we create the wrong collection? How would we know it's wrong? Does it matter? Of course it does!

It matters because of something that many readers will find very hard to accept, and that is: Truth exists. In addition, truth is knowable.

But how do we determine what truth is? How can we know truth with regard to faith, life, death, and eternity?

Before we tackle that, let's take a look at a few of the choices from Column A, the world's major religions and philosophies.

Hinduism is a man-created set of beliefs. The beliefs that make up Hinduism are quite diverse. So diverse that you will find both agnostics (uncertain of the existence of God) and atheists (who dismiss the concept of God) who call themselves Hindu.

Hinduism is the world's third largest religion, and the oldest. Its beliefs have evolved over time, with many of them captured in various documents. There is no single god in Hinduism. There is no final creed or doctrine, and no single truth.

Even one of the most recognized followers of Hinduism recognized these limitations. Mahatma Ghandi said, "It is a constant torture to me that I am still so far from Him whom I know to be my very life and being." Why might Ghandi feel that he was so far from this supreme being that he sought, if he was in possession of the truth?

With little effort you can find a wealth of information on Hinduism. However, for our purposes this brief overview will do.

Closely related to Hinduism is Buddhism, the fourth largest of the world's religions. It too is based on man-created rules and teachings. The widely recognized founder of Buddhism, Budda Shakyamuni (usually referred to simply as "Buddha") saw himself as a teacher of self-discovered "truths".

Over the years, these truths have been augmented and modified. There is no central document or church. Because of this, you can also find agnostics and atheists who identify themselves as Buddhist and feel right at home. This is because the concept of God is not part of the core set of beliefs. Rather than pursue a god , they strive to live like their founder, known simply as the Buddha or the Enlightened One.

I think a fair summary of the core beliefs would be something like this: Life is filled with suffering. Suffering is caused by selfish desires. Suffering will end when all desires end. If you live like Buddha, desires and suffering will end. In the meantime, you are endlessly reincarnated to try, try again.

The other set of beliefs we'll look at today is what has become known as the New Age Movement.

New Age is harder to define. My wife would use the word "hodge-podge" to discuss its set of beliefs. It's sort of like the old saying, "Too many cooks spoil the broth." You sort of know what it is, but it's full of so many things it's hard to define with specificity.

In general, the New Age movement is a philosophy that is self-defined and regulated. It's filled with people who have pulled beliefs from a range of other religions, world-views, and philosophies, especially those of the East. Those who consider themselves New Agers believe that people can figure out what is ultimately true and what is ultimately right. In addition, what is ultimately true and right for you, might be different from what is true and right for everyone else. That, according to the New Ager, is perfectly O.K.

But, then again, New Agers can change their mind at any time, so by the time you read this, ultimate truth may be the same for everyone.

I can't ignore the fact that, if true, having everone define individual truths and right will always lead to complete chaos. New Agers seem to ignore this fact, though history proves it repeatedly.

I also can't ingore the fact that New Ager beliefs about life and eternity are sort of like the weather. If you don't like it right now, just wait a little while and it will change.

Let's have a summary for today.

New Age can't be true. If nothing is absolutely right, and nothing is absolutely wrong then nothing can be true either. Any set of beliefs that refuse to take a firm stand (other than insisting that everyone can take their own stand) is contradictory, and can't be true since truth is knowable and unchanging. New Age-ism might help people who wish to avoid conflict, but at most it's a philosophy that lasts only until a bigger, meaner New Ager comes along and tells you what his truth is. It also won't help you 1000 years from now.

What of Hinduism and Buddhism? I would argue, though others might disagree, that any philosophy based on rules, policies, and morals that are created by men, is fatally flawed. A quick look at the despots of history is all that is needed to show how evil mankind can be when given power and the authority to impose personal beliefs on those around him (or her).

You may not find my logic conclusive. That's O.K. for now. Even more important is the earlier statement: Truth exists and is knowable. If I can prove that Buddhism and Hinduism, and any other world religion, is in conflict with truth, then there is not need to argue further.

Next time we'll review a few more of the popular world religions. After that, we'll take a closer look at truth.