Doctrinal Matters

photo courtesy of  http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad69/MrThompsonGeo/TNvJohnScopesTrial.jpg Someone's monkeying with the Bible and it has had disastrous consequences.  Please watch the video below of the Scope's Monkey Trial and then read this article. The infamous Scopes Trial illustrates where the church has gone wrong in trying to compromise and incorporate millions of years into the creation account as recorded in Genesis 1.  The result of the debate between Darrow and Bryan during the trial was to make the Bible seem like myth and those who believe it seem like unthinking fanatics. Indeed that was the agnostic Darrow's intention all along. While Bryan, a Christian, tried to defend Scripture against Darrow's attacks, the battle was lost as soon as Bryan accepted the claim that the earth could be millions of years old. Darrow brilliantly exposed the double standard in Bryan's view of the Bible, i.e. that the biblical narrative of Jonah being

What a terrible thing to want to repent and not be allowed to.  Why would God withhold repentance from Esau who was obviously broken in spirit?  Unfortunately for Esau, that seems to be what Hebrews 12:17 is saying.  Here’s the verse in its immediate context: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.  Heb. 12:15-17 (KJV) You are probably familiar with the story from Genesis chapter 25.  Esau, the firstborn, returns from an exhausting day in the field and is hungry.  He asks for some of Jacob’s stew and Jacob offers to sell a bowl of stew to Esau in exchange for Esau’s birthright.  Esau foolishly agrees and sell