The Bible and age of the earth? | John Lennox at SMU

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[falcon]

"On this topic (age of the earth) the saddest thing is to see Christians fighting one another. That brings the Gospel into disrepute" John Lennox. Well said!!

[claudelebel]

Truth is not a question of belief. Beliefs often change. Truth does not. Believe what you want. Truth will wait for you to catch up.

[poolbob]

When the Bible says, "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day", I always felt, it was simply saying God's time, is not the same as our time. To be clear it doesn't say, one day is equal to 1000 years, but one day is "like" 1000 years. One day to God, who is eternal, is a long time to us.

[manofgod]

Claiming the Bible says something that it doesn’t actually say? How about Exodus 20:8-11? “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Sounds pretty clear to me!

[BlueNotaMaestro]

First time someone explains this the way I always understood it. Thank you professor! For almost 50 years I was doubting myself at times and listened to different interpretations but in the end always came back to Genesis 1:1

[answersingenesis]

"And God spoke all these words, saying, “I AM the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt... You shall have no other gods before me... in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." - Exodus 20

"Jesus said to them, “... from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” - Mark 10

[christvictoriouskingdomnow]

When we ask ourselves how much we really know with that little information we've been given, we'll quickly realize if honest, that some things are not worth fighting about.

[megalopolis]

How I Love John Lennox. Such a voice of reason and peace. As believers, we must remember that Jesus Christ Is Lord, the rest are details. May God continue to bless John and Veritas Forum.

[BATTY]

The thing old earthers don’t seem to understand is the debate isn’t really about the age of the earth. I agree that is pretty much irrelevant. The debate is about where you turn to for authority on the issue. I know old earthers who are faithful to the rest of scripture, but there are implications old earthers don’t realize.

For instance if “day” in this context doesn’t literally mean “24 hour period” then it is easy to see how people can read other passages about homosexuality or the deity of Christ and say it doesn’t mean what it clearly says. Not saying all old earthers do that, but it’s easier to justify it.

Secondly, the major problem old earthers have is accounting for death prior to sin. This is really where the issue lies that I don’t think too many old earthers think about. In order to accept the millions of years viewpoint, you would have to account for these millions of years to be occurring prior to the fall of man and introduction of original sin. It would also mean things died and decayed. If this is true, it means that death was originally part of God’s plan for creation, that it was “very good” despite including death, that Bible wrong to say “the wages of sin is death” and it ultimately undermines the Gospel and attacks the character of God. Why? Because if death was around before sin, what did Jesus have to die for? What was the point of him rising again? If death was around before sin, then death is good according to God and death is from God rather than sin and makes God wicked because you’re claiming He said something was “very good” which isn’t.

[brianoconnor]

This wonderful brother John Lennox has devoted much of his life to persuade unbelievers of the resurrection of Christ and the power of his word. I'm sure many atheists have gotten serious headaches from John's powerful logic and faith. Please pray for him and those that listen to his lectures that God will open the ears of the unbelievers and they would be saved. I think this is God's will that he continue, not many are able to do what he does and are as respected as he is. Thank God for this man and all others who have given their lives in the belief that Christ died to save sinners

[greggoodrich]

Dude! John Lennox is in front of you. Have someone else sort through the questions. Pay attention to him so others will also.

[dorrenes.missdthetruthtell]

John Lennox IS A MAGNIFICENT professor!
When life on life's terms delivers a PUNCH and I'm attempting to regain my ballance, then listen to John's CALMING lectures..
Thank you kind Sir 🙏

[dustinberes]

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; for that reason the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Exodus 20:11

[arthouston]

When I find a difference between scripture and science, I immediately know that I have a lack of understanding, and for me to have a greater understanding would require God’s intent for me to have that greater understanding, and at this point in eternity, I content myself with where God wants me to be and the understanding He wants me to have.

[ryleighloughty]

"The Earth does not move" is a red herring.
The Bible uses various literary methods, and the reader must discern which method is used and where.

[Christian]

In the beginning might not be day one but life only started with the announcement of the days. If the earch existed for billions of years before the announcement of days, it existed without death. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, we have the days counted...

[SonjaShindler]

Excellent. Our history has been lies manifested by people for uncountable years and timelines. Thank you.

[fezmancomments]

Glad that yet another uncertainty about what the Bible is trying to tell has been cleared up.

[robertortiz-wilson]

So well explained. God bless him. I pray others who need this find it.

[hakki]

Creation ministries (CMI) is an excellent resource, with multiple videos that tackle this question based on numerous scientific data.