On the list of adventures I could choose, driving across country with a 3-year old in the car would not appear in my top ten.  However, when God puts a path before you, it is a good idea to figure out ways to make the most of it.  …which is why, in planning our drive from Virginia to Southern California (and when I say S. California, I mean my cell phone thinks I’m in Mexico), we decided to make it an adventure, with interesting stops along the way.

After saying goodbye to my son and his family in Roanoke, the next stop on our journey was in Petersburg, Kentucky at the Creation Museum—an amazing, faith-confirming destination.  Now, with the Museum not so far distant in our rear-view mirror, news of the debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham intrigued me.  Honestly, I cannot say that the idea of a debate is one that I’m usually interested in, however, I couldn’t resist listening to a good portion of this one.

Anyone who reads my blog consistently, knows that I am a Bible-believing Christian, and I am not here to continue the debate, because frankly, I do not know as much about science as the authorities who carry on these discussions.  I am quite familiar with the Bible; however, I could learn much more from Biblical scholars.  With all of the fallout coming from this debate, I am also amazed that there are those who profess to believe the Bible and yet they reject the Genesis record of creation.  I am not quite sure how they separate the account of earth’s earliest history in Genesis apart from the rest of the historical record in the book, but then again, I do not have the educational background of many scholars.

Here is what I do know:  My mind is being renewed and transformed through a commitment to read God’s Word, the Bible—and I have His assurance, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).  I also recognize that there is a distinction between the natural wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God: “we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing….These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned….But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:6, 13-14, 16).

There are always going to be points where the wisdom and culture of this world collide with the wisdom and culture of heaven.  In the accounts of the ancient Israelites, God’s people proved repeatedly that the accepted beliefs and practices of the cultures surrounding them were never acceptable to God—things are no different now.

Here is something that I have noticed:  There are spiritual bullies who do all in their power to intimidate, belittle, threaten, and contradict those who put their faith in Jesus instead of the philosophies of this world, who accept the Bible as an amazing gift from the Creator of the universe, and refuse to compromise the principles of righteousness we are called, as followers of Christ, to live by.  Although our first inclination may be either to run and hide or respond in kind, we must remember who we are and who God has called us to be in the world.  “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience….But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus….For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:1-2, 4-6, 10).

God showed great mercy and love towards us even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, how can we treat those who do not know him any differently?  Of course that is an impossible prospect apart from the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and our surrender to the Lordship of Jesus.  Evidence of Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts shows up in our attitudes and presence in the world:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 6:22, 23).  Jesus taught us, “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:44, 45).

Although some Christians may not hold to the same tenets of our faith that you or I do, adopting accusatory attitudes towards them puts us on the enemy’s payroll by being an “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).  Instead, it would be best to follow Paul’s advice in his letter to the Colossians:  “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:12-14).

Scripture notes that friendship with the world means enmity with God (James 4:4), often the opposite is also true; friendship with God means enmity with the world—I encourage you to pursue your friendship with God anyway!