Hey brother. Yes, most of what you have posted I do agree with. The problem is that not all here, see it happening in six literal days, as God tells us in Genesis. They think that it took billions of years to take place. Have a blessed day.
Hi commander,
Right! As I understand it, that allows for two possible problems with such people. First, it does rob God of some of His glory. A god who just somehow starts everything and then stands back and says, "Well, let's see what it becomes", is not quite as awesome as the God who creates everything just as it needs to be. All perfect and complete in its construction and design to exist forever and ever. Now, those who hear this claim deny that it's true, but...the one who takes papier-mache and rolls it up into a ball is not quite as awesome as the guy who takes that same papier-mache and sculpts a work of art such as the Michelangelo.
Second, if the account as allowed in the Scriptures is true as described in its plain and simple form; that each day consisted of an evening and a morning just as every day has now for some 6,000 years; that God did mean to confirm to us in the law that He created everything that is in this realm in six days, then is the one who doesn't believe that faithful to God?
God declared Abraham righteous because he believed God. What if that's the way God will always measure a person's faithfulness?
The Scriptures speak of a great delusion sent by God upon the people. I honestly can't think of anything, at this point in time, that would qualify as such a great delusion than the long ages that science tells us is the 'true' age of things and the idea of evolution. Of course, the basis of evolution is the long ages of the creation. So, ultimately the age of the creation is the stumbling block that causes men to fall. The age of the creation that we are told by scientists comes through the study of all that God has made. So, ultimately God is the source of this great delusion.
Now, I can't support that idea with any verifiable or testable methodology, but...
I'm just taking what is found in the Scriptures and asking myself, "What could this mean?"
They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
So that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth. What is 'the truth' that the Scriptures are referring to here. Just that Jesus died for our sin? Or that Jesus was the Son of God? That all those who call upon the name of Jesus will be saved? Or is it all of it? Jesus said 'thy word is truth'. If he was referring to the Scriptures and calling them 'truth', then would it not be fairly logical that believing all that we are told in the Scriptures is believing 'the truth'.
Where do we draw the line? Under what circumstances do we allow that we can believe this but not that and still be one of those who is not condemned as those who have not believed the truth? Must we believe the 'truth' about the creation? Must we believe the 'truth' about the flood? Must we believe the 'truth' about the opening of the sea to accomplish the exodus out of Egypt? Or, is it really just, "Hey, you believe it's true that Jesus died for sin. You're in!" Somehow, when I read Jesus' words to his disciples concerning the day of his Father's judgment and his sending away 'many' christians, I don't think that's the case.
Finally, there's the matter of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that once we are born again that the Holy Spirit's job was to reveal to us 'all truth'. Why, if the same Holy Spirit is revealing the same truth to you and to me are we not in agreement?
God bless you.
In Christ, Ted