Watchman Fellowship

Rejecting design in the universe and biological life is not a matter of insufficient evidence. Even the common house fly can do more than our best biotechnologies can presently reproduce or mimic.

The rejection is a spiritual matter, one of which we are all guilty.

For theists who accept design, we are not consistent in applying the implications of that knowledge in our own lives. We do not worship or acknowledge God as we ought. This is what it means to "fall short of the glory of God" in one sense.

We might be able to "explain all design argument mysteries" to the non-theist, but we do so sometimes "without love" and instead substitute impatience, wrath, rudeness, and fault-finding, judgmental hypocrisy; a kind of hubris that is unbecoming as an ambassador for the God in whom we believe.

We've all been guilty of uncharitably mocking others unbelief and forget that Abraham's wife Sarah laughed at God's covenantal promise, then told her husband to have relations with her maid.

When we mock others' unbelief, we are generally suffering from a lack of an awareness of the dire consequences of our own unbelief.

For the non-theist, it is a similar spiritual matter. He rejects design, claiming the evidence is insufficient to draw a conclusion. But imbedded in the non-theist's response is also a kind of theological arrogance and ignorance and suppression of the truth. The very statement about the insufficiency of evidence is a declaration against what God has said and done, who has told us the evidence is obvious and apparent.

In both cases, the theist and non-theist continue to suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

The solution? Repentance. Turning to Christ. First for the believer.

The believer is called to a higher standard. We are exhorted to model Christian charity in our discussions, following the characteristics of "love" outlined in 1 Corinthians 13, among other things.

Are these characteristics part of my apologetics or am I just a mocker who berates the non-believer for rejecting design? Are we just trying to win arguments and make ourselves out to be boastful apologetic superheroes with a head stuffed with "facts" or are we concerned about the person's eternal standing and endeavor to love (in the 1 Cor. 13 sense) our enemies?

We will never do any of this perfectly, but we must remember to whom we belong, what He has done for us, and how we represent Him. If we don't, we are but clanging cymbals.

Design is obvious and apparent. But unfortunately so is our sin. We all need Jesus, y'all. We all do.

Be nice to each other out there.