CD - A Straw House - John 20:30-31

We are living in a post-modern, post-Christian world. This means that Christianity and the Bible are back on a level playing field with other academic disciplines. Science is no longer something that can be proven; it must be accepted by faith. Evolution is not a provable fact. Of course as Bible-believing Christians we would resoundly answer, “duh!” But let us go back for a moment. When the age of enlightenment began, the discipline of religion was seen as suspect. The age of enlightenment brought intelligence, facts and provability to the forefront of the scholastic world. We could prove that the earth was round, that the earth revolved around the sun, and other scientific facts. Or at least it appeared that all these things could be proven.

With the proposal of the theory of evolution it appeared as if God were no longer needed. Who needs a god when we can explain creation in an educated, scholastic, scientific way? Scientists began to talk like Job and his friends. Remember how that story ended. God confronted Job and his friends with the question, “Where were you when the world was created? Tell me if you can, how the world came into existence?” (Job 38:4ff). The same questions might be asked of those who “believe” the theory of evolution. The only One at creation, the only One qualified to speak of what happened at creation is the Creator, God Himself and He does tell us what happened. It us unfortunate that many do not believe.

Give scientists credit. They are discovering that not all their theories are fact, nor are they provable, but many must be accepted on faith. They have built many straw houses that are based on many more straws of foundations based on faith. If the foundational presuppositions are not true, their whole theory falls. And that is just what happens. Thanks be to God that there is a more sure foundation, the foundation of God’s Word. The reason we begin with God’s Word and the reason we are determined that God’s Word is without error is because it is provable fact. If you do not believe it, just ask God and He will confirm it. Many stories can be told of people who read the Bible to try to disprove it, yet ended up believing it.

We begin with God’s Word because His Word is the foundation for all of life. God is the Creator of all. He is the source of all. He is the One who comes to us through His Word to give us all His good gifts and blessings. John tells it like it is, we have God’s Word which was given to us so that we might believe in Jesus and by believing we might have eternal life in His name (John 20:30-31). We live, not under a straw house, but in a house designed, built, and preserved by God Himself.

Almighty Lord, forgive me when I have doubts. Turn me and direct me to Your Holy Word through which You come to remove all my doubts and fears. Strengthen me through the same, in faith toward You and in fervent love toward my fellow human beings, through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.