Category Archives: Theology

Science Changes (again) on Neanderthals

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It’s amazing how often “science” changes.  Back in June 2015, there was a news article which stated that scientists had shown that Neanderthals and homo sapiens had interbred 50,000-60,000 years ago, which effectively meant that Neanderthals are human.  Now they’re saying the interbreeding happened more like 100,000 years ago.

Based on the Bible, I would say that there is no meaningful difference between Neanderthals and homo sapiens.  If they can breed, then they’re the same “kind”.  Humans were created on day 6 of the Creation Week (Genesis 1:27).  I think the differences from Neanderthals and other humans are just genetic traits which began to take shape after the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), when humans were grouped by language, effectively narrowing the gene pool for those groups and giving them common physical traits.  But what do I know?

Charles Caldwell Ryrie Goes Home

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Today a giant of the faith and a humble servant of the Lord went home.  Charles Ryrie was a gifted theologian, teacher, and writer.  His ministry shaped the lives of many—both those who came in direct contact with him and those, like me, who were impacted by his books.

The Ryrie Study Bible taught a generation how to read and understand the Scriptures.  Dispensationalism Today (later republished as just Dispensationalism) helped many comprehend a vital, yet sometimes difficult topic.  So Great Salvation revealed the simple truth that Jesus saves and broadened that theme to help our understanding of what we have in Christ.  Dr. Ryrie authored more than 50 books which uphold the authority of the Bible, teach Its truths, and honor Christ.  They will be influential for generations to come.

In seminary, I was taught by one of Dr. Ryrie’s students.  He told me that when he was a struggling student at Dallas Theological Seminary and needed a place to live, Dr. Ryrie welcomed him into his home and gave him a room to use.  He spoke highly of Dr. Ryrie as a teacher, a mentor, and a brother in Christ.  He will be missed, but Dr. Ryrie lives today with the One he devoted his life to.

God Made Everything Very Good

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Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made , and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Everything that God made is described as “very good”.  This indicates the perfect nature of God’s creation.  Sin had not entered the universe at this point.  Adam and Eve are best thought of as “innocent”—they had the ability to sin, but had not done so yet.

There are some logical conclusions to this sinless state.  First, physical death was not a possibility.  Sin brought sickness, pain, suffering, and death as is seen in Genesis 3 and numerous other passages in the Bible. Continue reading →

Food in Eden

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Eating in the Garden of Eden was meatless as is explained in the verses below.

Genesis 1:29-30  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.  30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

In Eden, food came from plants.  This was true for the land animals too.  Some may scoff that some animals cannot survive without meat.  That may be true in our fallen world, but not in Eden.  Even in a fallen state, some animals which normally eat meat sometimes choose not to.  (See No Taste for Meat and Unexpectedly Vegetarian Animals – What Does It Mean?)  The prohibition against eating meat ended after the Flood of Noah.  (Genesis 9:3)  So there is no biblical reason to practice vegetarianism in our current dispensation.

In the Beginning

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I’m starting a Bible study on the book of Genesis, so I’m going to post some thoughts as I make my way through the book.

Genesis 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

First, there was a beginning to everything.  Scientists are still debating this, although it appears that most are leaning toward there being a beginning.  Regardless, the One who was there provides a detailed record of what happened.  There was a beginning. Continue reading →