In keeping with the post from yesterday, I couldn’t believe what I heard from a pastor.
Recently while hiking in the Grand Canyon with Jackson Hole Bible College students, I heard one of the students talking with a gentleman on the trail.
I heard the gentleman say “I am an evolutionist.” That got my attention!
In talking with him, he said that he is a pastor of a church. We tried reasoning with him that Evolution and Genesis don’t fit – and he agreed with that, but disagreed about how to read Genesis. He said that as Christians, we can believe different things, but the main point is that we love and care for others.
We tried to describe that if people get the first chapters of the Bible wrong, it could affect everything else…it didn’t seem like our words were making an impact, until the student next to me asked a question that I didn’t even consider asking. He said:
“Well, what about the Resurrection of Jesus? How do we understand that?”
I thought to myself, ‘well, that’s kind of a silly question to ask. He’s a pastor, of course he will believe that the resurrection of Jesus matters.’
What he answered…SHOCKED ME!!
This pastor said: “Oh, the resurrection! I preached a sermon on that yesterday at my church. You know, different people have different beliefs about what is true and everyone has their own spiritual path. I work with Imams and Rabbis and as long as we all love and care for people, God has different paths for different people.”
What?!?! So basically, he just said that Jesus’ death and the resurrection don’t matter!!
A Pastor…with a congregation following his teaching…believes that it doesn’t matter what you believe about Jesus!!
We responded with: “Well what do we do with John 14:6 where Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”? And another student added 1 John 5:12 that says “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
This pastor said “Well, some things in Scripture can be difficult to understand and there can be many ways to…”
That is where I interrupted him (politely yet boldly) and said “Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” And I had the other student repeat 1 John 5:12 that says “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
He had a hard time with that. This Pastor didn’t actually want to believe the Bible!!
For the sake of time and circumstance, we soon agreed to end the conversation and move on with our hikes…But reader, let me be clear: We have to stand up boldly for the Word of God – even Genesis, because if the Bible is not completely Reliable in any part…then why did Jesus die? Does He even matter?
Reader, let me be clear: Yes! The Bible is True. It is Trustworthy. It is Reliable. There is evidence for that! Jesus died for my sins and for yours and He rose from the dead – conquering sin and death. Belief and a trust (relationship) with Jesus is the only way for the forgiveness of sins.
Repent and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:32)
Picture from: https://pixabay.com/vectors/reading-studying-lawyer-pastor-297450/ accessed 1/6/23.
2 Comments
I appreciate your Biblical replies to this pastor. Now, I have a question for you: Why do you go to church on Sunday? The Bible is clear that the 7th day is the Sabbath: Gen 2, Exodus 20, Deut 5; Is 58 & 63, Matt 12:8 & 28:1; Mark 2:27,28?
Thank you Donna! That is a good question to consider. Some people believe in coming together on Saturday and some on Sunday. At AOI, we want to encourage all to pray about what’s best and to ultimately worship and follow Christ each and every day!