From the geologist Dr Andrew Snelling: (5 minutes)
The Flood
What do Christians think of this all or nothing thinking?
Hi JohnClay,
Let me start by defining the word 'christian'. Christian is a word used to describe those who are striving to follow after the example of Jesus. Just as 'Israel' describes an entire nation of people, many of whom don't really believe all that God has told them; so too, does 'christian' describe an entire body of people, some of whom don't really believe all that God has told them.
So from 'christians' you will likely get all sorts of answers. However, there is a distinction within the body of christians and the body of Judaism. It's called being 'born again'. Born of God's Spirit. The Spirit that leads the children of God into all truth and righteousness.
If you've read the Scriptures, you may recall Jesus speaking to Nicodemus about it. Nicodemus was a Jew. Not just any Jew. He was a Jew in high standing among the leaders of Judaism. Yet he seems to have not understood this idea that Jesus was explaining to him that followers of God
must be.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
Notice that Jesus thrice mentions the importance of our being born again and he is explaining this to someone who should have understood it, according to Jesus' words telling Nicodemus that he should not be surprised at this teaching.
For those 'christians' who are born again, I think this idea of 'all or nothing' is pretty clearly accepted and understood.
I agree with
@Carl Emerson above. If we are going to use what science deems as possible or impossible in believing the reality of any event described in the Scriptures, then the birth of Jesus is the first to be thrown out. Friend, God performs miracles!!!! By the very definition of a miracle, despite its not being necessarily so today, it is something unexplainable by any earthly wisdom.
An even greater miracle than a simple world wide flood is the creation of the heavens and the earth. The Scriptures declare that God merely commanded that this realm exist and suddenly it was so. If we follow the chronology of the first generations, the Scriptures declare that this event of creation happened about 6,000 years ago. So all those scientific studies proclaiming to us that the earth is so many billions of years old and coalesced from matter floating around in space that came from...well, uh,...something. As I understand the Scriptures, just aren't true.
Now, scientists don't go out trying to prove that God's word isn't true, but the very core of science is that there are no such things as miracles. Everything has come about by some natural explanation of matter and the laws that govern such things. So they stretch time out with some fairly believable explanations, based on those natural laws that govern such things. But God's word says that He merely spoke, and things became. For those who believe God's word, that's really the only explanation that we need. The explanation of the one who did make it all.
Trust me,...or not. There was a flood and that flood covered the entire earth. All nature of living things died except for those few in the huge ark that God built with the help of Noah.
God bless,
Ted
