For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8).
In 2010, one of the most-watched national TV programs in my homeland of Australia featured a panel that included atheist Richard Dawkins and a member of the Australian parliament who is a Christian. As the Christian was interviewed about creation and Genesis, this member of Parliament wouldn’t take a stand on what he believed. Frankly, he acted like the majority of Christians in our churches today: he did not speak authoritatively.
I certainly don’t question this man’s salvation. But he did not take a bold position in front of a large TV audience on what God’s Word clearly teaches in Genesis. On the other hand, atheist Richard Dawkins did speak with authority (albeit a false authority). Viewers had no doubt where Dawkins stood in regard to his worldview beliefs concerning how the universe and life came about.
At one stage during the TV discussion, the host asked the Christian parliamentarian, “So where did human beings come from?” The Christian, Steve Fielding, responded by gently placing both of his hands on Richard Dawkins’s arm and stated, “Well, you may well ask this guy. He’s got firm views on that perspective.”
To me, that short TV discussion summed up the (very sad) difference between how the secular world boldly preaches its message and how much of the church does! I still groan every time I see that video clip (which I now often use in my presentations as a warning to the church).
Is the Church Presenting a Unified Message?
If you ask the Richard Dawkinses of the world what they believe about the origin of the universe and life, if you read the signs at secular natural history museums across the country, or if you read public school science text books, they all give the same basic unified message. Their totally unified message goes something like this:
The universe came into existence as a result of the big bang about 15 billion years ago. Over time the solar system began to form and the sun formed 5 billion years ago; then the earth took shape as a hot molten blob 4.5 billion years ago; the earth cooled and water formed 3.8 billion years ago and the first life evolved in the oceans; then by natural selection and mutations, various kinds of life appeared over millions of years; eventually ape-like creatures evolved into human beings.
Although evolutionists can disagree on some of the details, the big picture is the same for all of them. The secularists are proclaiming their own “certain sound” to the world. Their unified message is taught in public schools, through the media (e.g., on TV with the Discovery Channel), and inside most of the secular museums across the world. There’s no doubt, the secularists know what their message is—and they deliver it with authority and unity, with the backing of billions of dollars (most of it taxpayer money). But just ask the average Christian, Christian academic, and pastor what they believe about the universe and the origin of life, and then you will hear something broad like this:
Well, God may have used evolution to form Adam and Eve. The Flood was just a local event; well, maybe the Flood was worldwide. Adam and Eve were not literal people. God evolved animals, but specially made Adam and Eve. Genesis is metaphor or allegory. Billions of years and dinosaurs fit into the first verse of Scripture.
The six days of creation are really an account of the Promised Land. Or maybe the six days of Creation Week are really an account of the creation of the “cosmic temple.” There was no literal Fall of Adam. The six days were six days of revelation, not six days of history. But, maybe the six days of creation were literal 24 hour days. Millions of years fit into a gap between the first two verses of Scripture . . .
But regardless, just trust Jesus for salvation!
The church by and large is not giving a certain sound or unified message. Why do so many believers in the church and our Christian institutions have various views of Genesis? The answer is that they are all trying to fit the supposed millions and billions of years, accepted by the secular world, into the Bible. But there should be only one view: what God has clearly revealed to us in His written revelation, beginning with Genesis.
No wonder the church is not influencing the culture as it used to! No wonder generations are leaving the church. Whereas most of the church once gave a unified message because it stood on God’s authoritative Word in Genesis, today much of the church has compromised the Bible with the secular beliefs of millions of years and evolutionary ideas. As a result, the message is no longer unified or certain.
The Authority of God’s Word Is Our Certain Sound
I believe the Lord has raised up the ministry of AiG, the Creation Museum, and the future Ark Encounter to call the church back to the authority of God’s Word. We are equipping the church with powerful, biblical answers so that Christians can boldly speak with authority as they preach biblical truths.
I’m reminded of what we read about Jesus, the
God-man: “And they were astonished
at His teaching, for He taught them as one having
authority, and not as the scribes
” (Mark
1:22). Yes, that is the authority we
as Christians can speak with, because God has given us
His authoritative Word!
Do you know what’s wrong with much of the church? Because so many Christians and their leaders have compromised God’s Word with the pagan religion of evolution, millions of years, or both, Christians no longer speak with authority. From a biblical perspective, they have an uncertain sound. Yet in another sense, they do have a certain sound—declaring that the pagan beliefs of the world can be believed!
What a sad state it is today when much of the church is giving the false “certain” sound of the world! No wonder so many people today don’t trust God’s Word as authoritative. You see, if the Bible’s history can’t be trusted, how can we trust its message of the gospel that is based in that history? Once people are led to doubt God’s Word at the beginning, it places them on a slippery slide of unbelief about the rest of the Bible.
While many church leaders want unity around man’s fallible word, we at Answers in Genesis want unity around God’s infallible Word. Now, that’s the unified message Christians need to be boldly proclaiming to the church and the world!
Dragons and Bugs at the Creation Museum
So, back to my first line. What do bugs and dragons have to do with this problem? Well, at the Creation Museum, the Lord has enabled us to install a world-class insect collection. It was donated to us by a generous AiG supporter, who has been an avid insect collector. This is a high-tech exhibit that uses some incredible insects to teach the truth of God’s Word and the gospel. It’s stunning. The museum has also opened a spectacular dragon exhibit to challenge people’s thinking about “millions of years” and dinosaurs, and help them trust God’s Word.
We are working hard at AiG and the Creation Museum (and the coming Ark Encounter) to give a certain sound to the world: that God’s Word is true and its history is true. That’s why the gospel based in that history is true. As we continue to proclaim this message, we are very grateful the ongoing prayers and financial support of our ministry friends!
Additionally this summer, we are thrilled about the top-quality zip lines and sky bridges that are being installed by a supporter of AiG. He wanted to help draw even more people to the evangelistic Creation Museum. When construction is completed, the zip line course will literally be the “biggest and best in the Midwest” featuring over 20 zip lines and ten sky bridges. And some lines are well over 900 feet long! Plus, there’s even a “kids zip” for children as young as four years old!
Even if you’ve been to the Creation Museum, I encourage you to make another trip to see the wonderful new dragon-dinosaur exhibit and the striking, high-tech insect display. And please bring the children in your life to experience this one-of-a-kind museum. It’s not only fun and engaging, but the museum will equip young and old with biblical truths.
I think you can hear a certain sound coming from me: a burden to reach the current and next generation with a certain sound that proclaims God’s Word—and the gospel most of all.