HUGH ROSS AND A NON-WORLDWIDE FLOOD OF NOAH

Did Noah’s flood cover the entire planet earth and destroy all of the animal life in the process? Citing astrophysicist, Hugh Ross, Christian Post argues that the flood was not worldwide:

·       [Hugh] Ross, a proponent of old earth creationism, argued against the claims of young earth creationists that the flood covered the entire Earth. https://www.christianpost.com/news/did-the-flood-of-noah-cover-the-entire-earth-hugh-ross-on-what-the-bible-says.html

However, the Genesis account explicitly states that the flood was worldwide:

·       And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 6:13 ESV)

Not only would all flesh be destroyed but also the entire earth in order to accomplish God’s purpose of destroying all flesh except what was in the ark:

·       “For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” (Genesis 7:4)

The flood waters rose 15 cubits (22 feet) above the highest mountains. This meant that they covered the entire earth:

·       And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. (Genesis 7:19-20)

·       He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. (Genesis 7:23)

How then does Ross defend his notion that the flood wasn’t worldwide? He claims that it was only intended to destroy the ungodly:

·       if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly. (2 Peter 2:5)

Although the ungodly were the cause of the worldwide flood, this doesn’t mean that the flood was limited to the ungodly.

Ross also cites Psalm 104 in support, claiming that during the time of creation, God had pledged that He would NOT allow the waters to cover the earth again as they had prior to the six days of creation:

·       The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. (Psalm 104:8-9)

Ross explains:

·       "So there's an explicit statement, once we've got continents on the face of the earth, never again are we going to return to a water world."

However, this promise seems to pertain to God’s promise to Noah after the flood waters had receded and not to the creation account (Genesis 1:2):

·       “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth…I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Genesis 9:11-15)

It seems that Ross, with the help of the Christian Post, are straining, without Biblical license, to argue in favor of a non-worldwide flood, but why:

·       When non-Christians discover that the Bible does not teach that the floodwaters covered the whole earth they are more open to considering its claims as a serious, inerrant document, Ross explained.

Why would an argument in favor of a non-worldwide flood make it easier for unbelievers to believe the Bible? Simply because modern scholarship opposes the idea of a worldwide food!

However, if the Church is devoted to winning people to the faith by demonstrating “our agreement with the modern scholarly consensus,” then just about everything in the Bible has to be modified – the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, the Ascension, Hell…

This also raises the question, “Perhaps we are not leading people to believe in Jesus but in another Jesus, a popularized version of Jesus?”

Perhaps this strategy creates an even more serious problem. Loving God is the greatest Commandment, and this is a matter of keeping His Word (John 14:21-24), even when unpopular. We are therefore instructed not to conform His Word to the tastes of this world but to conform their philosophies to the unchanging Word of His Gospel:

·       Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

·       For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Instead of being the light to the world, we are allowing the darkness of this world to extinguish our light. Consequently, Ross’ strategy has a long and disastrous history in the Church.

A SOLUTION FOR OUR RACIAL TENSIONS

The secular world has offered many governmental solutions for our growing racial divide. However, these solutions have not stemmed this divide. Instead, it seems to be growing worse. What then must be done? Helen’s story makes it obvious that the change must begin on the inside (and also from Above) with each one of us:    

I grew up in the Lower East Side of New York City, going to church but not understanding what church or what God was all about. It was just a part of what my family did. Did I really believe? No. I thought it was just a wonderful fairy tale that I wish was really true. But my family and I continued to go to church. Was there a God, and who was this God? I didn’t know. It wasn’t until I got older and I start experiencing life and the FACT was that I was born another color, not white. This is my fact and society didn’t make me feel any better about myself. I grew up not wanting this color but every time I looked in the mirror that’s what I saw, me. Growing up, even as a little girl, I was judged, I was ostracized; I wasn’t chosen because of my color. For other people, if  you were French, Jewish or whatever  if you’re the right color you would fit in and be accepted. You could be transgender or whatever you chose to be and no one would know unless you maybe spoke out and said this is who you are. But I walked around with this color and I didn’t like myself. As a child I  wished  I could’ve  bleached this color and be  made  just like everybody else, then I would feel accepted. But this was me. I didn’t feel loved; nor did I really love myself.  As I got older my question was always, “God, who are You, where are You, what is this (life all about?”  I still hoped that there was a God. I began to believe as I began to read the Bible, even though I didn’t know anything about the Bible, nothing about the word of God. But as I looked into God’s word. He was the only one, the only Being that told me, no matter what I looked like or where I grew up, that I was loved by Him.  So I decided to venture more and find out about this God.

But you know what's weird, what made me believe more in this God, is that I started to understand that this God knew more than me and more than you. When He said in His Word that the earth was a circle, while everyone in the past said that the Earth is flat, I said to myself, “Who is this God who says the earth is a circle and it is?”

When I started to read that this God said, thousands of years ago, to a tribe of people who knew nothing, didn't understand science, and knew nothing about real medical doctors, not to circumcise a child until the 8th day, I began to wonder why would this God had said, “on the eight day.”  Later on I found out that scientists are now saying that the eighth day is when Vitamin K (needed for blood clotting) goes up to a the highest level, and a child can be circumcised, but after that, it starts to drop. When I started to investigate those things it made me wonder who could have known these things. They didn’t have doctors or scientist at that time so it impacted me. So that's why my faith in this God, which I read about, is very important and it’s very real.

So I know today that no matter what I am, I am loved. No matter what what people see me as or think of me, no matter what anyone says, I am loved by God and that’s all that matters. And so what I understand now is that I can love because my God loves me and has taught me and continues to show me how to really love anyone and everyone no matter who or what they are.  There were times that I too would lie. I would lie to cover my skin if necessary. But I came to a time, after my encounter with God, when I understood how wrong lying was, even a “white lie.”  I understood it was wrong because it would either hurt my husband, my family, other people, and it would hurt me. You know why? Because it would stay inside me and it would keep reminding me that there was something that I did that was not truthful, whether God told me in my heart or not. When I began to understand a little more about God, this lesson was reinforced in me.

So that’s my faith, I know there is a God. I know there has to be a Creator who named all the stars, as written in the Book of Job. God names the stars, constellations, etc. Then ask yourself, “Who is this God?”

It is worth finding out; it is worth investigating. Yes, I guess I used to be an agnostic because I went to a church, and I didn’t know anything about God, I didn’t believe anything. I wasn’t sure but as I got older and continued to search, it has become evident inside of me. But that is my faith, what I've come to believe.

As Helen’s teacher, I can readily see that the Lord has brought her a long way. I have been so impressed by her vision and vitality that I just wanted to share her story.

CANDY-COATED INTOLERANCE

Intolerance towards Christianity can come in many packages. Sometimes the packaging is candy-coated. On social media, one manager of a mental health group wrote me to remove my essay:

·       Please just post articles that are about mental health. I will ask you to remove this post. If you don't then I will have to. Faith can be a beautiful thing, but it cannot be forced upon others. There are people here with different beliefs and that's fine. What we have in common is our mental illness. I hope you understand.

I responded:

“I guess I don't understand. We all have different beliefs. That shouldn't stop us from communicating. Besides, I'm not trying to FORCE RELIGION on anyone. I am just offering what I think is a needful perspective.

Meanwhile, the mental health profession has been trying to influence others in favor of their own religion, which promotes the belief of self-trust, that we have the ability within ourselves to change ourselves. What then is the matter of presenting the opposing perspective – that we don’t have this ability, but that God does! Even if they reject this latter option, at least they will become aware of their own biases. This will help them see more clearly what they do believe in.

By suggesting that we have the ability to make ourselves healthy is like telling someone that he can fly. While this might temporarily make someone feel good, it is just placing an extra burden upon them. This burden will eventually make them feel doubly a failure once they discover that they cannot fly despite their best efforts.

Mental health should be about the awareness of the options and not shielding them from one of the two options.

If you want to remove the post, you are certainly free to do so.”

REAL CHANGE

In Thoughts without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective, Mark Epstein, M.D. correctly argues that suffering serves to force us to confront ourselves:

·       According to Buddhism, it is our fear at experiencing ourselves directly that creates suffering. This has always seemed very much in keeping with Freud’s views. As Freud put it, “the patient must find the courage to direct his attention to the phenomena of his illness. His illness itself must no longer seem to him contemptible, but must become an enemy worthy of his mettle, a piece of his personality, which has solid ground for its existence and out of which things of value for his future life have to be derived. The way is thus paved for the reconciliation with the repressed material which is coming to expression in his symptoms, while at the same time place is found for a certain tolerance for the state of being ill.”

I think that Epstein is correct about fearing to face ourselves, but why is this correct? Epstein, Buddhism, and modern psychology understand our denial of the true self as psychopathology, while the Bible understands it as a flight from God due to our moral culpability. Along with our sins is the intuitive sense that we deserve punishment (Romans 1:32). This is so threatening we cannot simply think, “I don’t believe in any of this stuff. I will just laugh at any accusations and live the way I want.” Therefore, we ordinarily hate any disapproval, especially that of God and avoid Him, if we have not been reconciled to Him through Jesus. This contradicts Freud’s expectation that once we become aware of what has been suppressed, the “way is thus paved for the reconciliation” of our discordant parts.

From the Biblical point of view, we cannot completely suppress what we have denied (Romans 1:18-20; 2:14-16). As a result, we spend the rest of our lives struggling painfully to prove to ourselves and the world that we are good and worthy. This struggle to establish our self-worth or our self-righteousness is life consuming. We will even kill to defend our righteousness.

This drama is most graphically portrayed in the account of the Fall. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and succumbed to the temptation of eating from the forbidden tree:

·       So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6 ESV)

Then they were overcome by their guilt and shame. Instead of humbling themselves to ask for God’s mercy, they decided to handle the problem themselves by sewing fig leaves together in a desperate attempt to cover their shame.

Today we have more sophisticated ways to cover over our shame and the terror of being revealed. We give ourselves a steady diet of positive self-talk, accumulate positive affirmations from others, wear designer clothing and join the right groups, and earn PHDs, other accolades, money, and power.

Fearing exposure, Adam and Eve then foolishly tried to hide from God, who gave them several chances to confess their sin. However, they continued to hide it through a series of deceptive half-truths:

·       But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." (Genesis 3:9-13)

They also blame-shifted. Adam subtlety blamed God for “the woman you gave...me,” and Eve blamed the serpent. Neither confessed, “I am the guilty party.”

In view of their continued denial, God delivered His verdict - death and separation from God and His Garden. Nevertheless, they remained in denial. Adam named his wife “Eve,” the “mother of life” instead of the “mother of death.” Even when they were banished from the Garden, they offered not a hint of protest. Instead, we are left with the impression that they were happy to escape the penetrating and convicting presence of God.

This has been the history of mankind, not just of those who have been afflicted with a common form of psychopathology. We are able to perceive in humankind the very same devices that Adam and Eve had used to shield themselves from the threat of God and eventually to flee from His presence.

Epstein and Freud understand that all the effort that we exert to suppress certain thoughts would cause suffering, but they failed to understand the nature of the suppressed material. Therefore, they mistakenly thought that if they could just bring it to the surface, it could be resolved and the sufferer could be freed.

I have met several courageous individuals who have been able to confront part of their dark side - their sins and their many devices to compensate for their sin and guilt - their arrogance and self-righteousness. I call them “courageous” and applaud them, because this is a very painful process. However, many fail to go to ultimate source of their problem, the fact that they deserve the Almighty God’s righteous judgement.

This is simply too terrifying, so terrifying that it causes us to hate the God we know and to suppress any awareness of Him. No set of exercises can correct this problem, nothing short of divine intervention. Instead:

·       Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

Without the mercy of God, no one will come to Him. C.S. Lewis compared this to a mouse searching for a cat. It just won’t happen.

Nevertheless, God gave a token of His mercy to Adam and Eve and replaced their useless fig leaves for a covering of animal skins, revealing to them that our deserved judgement would fall upon others. He also promised them that from the seed of the woman would come forth a man who would eventually destroy the source of evil (Genesis 3:15).

However, for the time being, evil would abound. Cain killed his brother Abel because God had been pleased with Abel’s offering but not Cain’s. Evidently, this had been an offense to Cain’s self-esteem and self-righteousness. God had even shared His wise counsel with Cain, but Cain disregarded it.

Real change cannot be achieved through mindfulness meditation, psychotherapy, or through any other practice. Instead, it must come from Above.

·       “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

In contrast to this, we prefer to believe that we can become virtuous by acting virtuously. We can cure the discomfort that lies at the core of our being by reconciling the discordant parts – a form of self-stimulation (masturbation). However, at the core, we need to be reconciled with our Creator.