How does the Bible explain dinosaurs and all the other prehistoric fossils we have?  Isn’t evolution the only answer?

Sincerely,
Brontosaurus Or Bust

Dear Brontosaurus Or Bust,

Dinosaurs would have been created on day six like all the other land animals (Gen 1:24-25).  They also would have been brought onto Noah’s ark along with the other animal pairs (Gen 6:19).  In fact, the book of Job mentions two beasts referred to as the ‘Behemoth’ and the ‘Leviathan’ that sound an awful lot like dinosaurs (Job 40 & 41).

Evolution isn’t the only answer for the dinosaurs’ disappearance; natural extinction is also an answer.  The dinosaurs, just like the dodo bird, could have just as easily gone extinct through natural processes after the Flood.

Fossils are also easily explained using the Flood.  Fossils are most often formed when things are rapidly buried in mineral-rich sediment.  Fossils occur in cataclysmic or catastrophic circumstances.  The Noachian Flood is a perfect scenario for the creation of fossils.  In fact, there are a great many creation scientists that think that most of the fossils we have today were laid down in the Great Flood.  Dinosaurs can easily be explained through the Bible story – a story which does not include evolution.

I got baptized nine years ago at some church where my boyfriend was going.  A couple days ago, someone pointed out to me that I wasn’t baptized for the forgiveness of my sins.  I just got baptized again.  I haven’t really told anyone yet.  I feel kinda dumb for not knowing all those years and thinking that I was going to heaven.  Am I lying by not saying something?

Sincerely,
Back To The Beginning

Dear Back To The Beginning,

The willingness to change when confronted with the truth is the mark of an intelligent and honest person.  You have nothing to be ashamed of.  You aren’t required to tell everyone you meet, but don’t avoid the subject.  The fact that you are concerned that you are lying is a sign that your conscience is bothering you.  If there are people that you specifically avoid the subject with, and it is bothering your conscience, then you may need to go out of your way to tell them.  It is very important that christians always try and keep a clean conscience (Acts 24:16).

On top of that, you have nothing to be ashamed of; being baptized is a joyous event and an opportunity to let your light shine (Matt 5:16).  You are a christian now.  Christians have a responsibility to confess Christ to the rest of mankind (Matt 10:32-33).  Let those around you know how happy you are.

Who did Adam and Eve’s children marry?

Sincerely,
My Family’s Not That Close

Dear My Family’s Not That Close,

They married each other.  Adam and Eve were the only people God created on day six (Gen 1:27, Gen 2:25).  Adam and Eve were given the command to “go forth and multiply and fill the earth” (Gen 1:28).  Since there was only the two of them in the beginning, their children had to marry each other.  Of course, this makes us think about incest and the problems with marrying people that you are too closely related to, but those were not applicable to the people during the initial years after creation.

Incest is only wrong because God says it is wrong, and He never condemned the practice until well after the Flood (Lev 18:6-18).  It was perfectly appropriate (and necessary!) for people to marry their close relations during early Earth history.  It was also perfectly safe because there was no worry about the genetic problems that we face today.  Today, when people marry someone that is too closely related to themselves, there is a risk of emphasizing genetic defects in the next generation – such as the infamous cases of hemophilia found amongst European royalty.  This wouldn’t have been a problem for the earliest generations of mankind.  In the beginning, Adam and Eve were perfect and without any genetic flaws whatsoever (Gen 1:31).  Therefore, there was no risk for them or for the generations that closely followed them of spreading a genetic flaw.  So yes, as strange as it may seem, Adam and Eve’s children married each other.

I am a christian, but there is one thing I’ve always been confused about. Hundreds of times throughout the Bible (Old and New Testaments) we are told to “fear the Lord” (Some examples are Deu 10:20, Ps 2:11, Ps 112:1, and Eccl 3:14), but then in certain passages it says that if God lives in you, there is no fear (like 1 Jn 4:18).  This seems to be terribly contradictory and confusing.  Can you explain it to me, please?

Sincerely,
Panic Attack

Dear Panic Attack,

The word ‘fear’ is used in two senses throughout the Bible.  ‘Fear’ is sometimes used to mean ‘terror and dread’.  This can easily be seen in the verses like Heb 13:6 and Acts 16:29.  This is the way we use the word ‘fear’ in our modern speech.  However, there is a second distinctly different meaning for ‘fear’.  ‘Fear’ can also refer to ‘respect and reverence’.  When God tells a woman to fear her husband – that means to respect him (Eph 5:33).  It wouldn’t make sense for God to command a wife to be terrified or to dread her husband.  This is also what is meant when God commands servants to fear their masters (1 Pet 2:18).

When God tells us to fear Him, He means that we should revere and honor Him above all others (1 Pet 2:17).  We should never forget that God is in control and mightier than us; those who forget to respect and revere God will be condemned (Rom 3:16-18).

However, when we turn to God and devote ourselves in love to Him, we no longer need to fear Him as our enemy.  When we love God and draw near to Him, He draws near to us (Jas 4:8).  We can now approach God as our Father (Rom 8:15).  As we perfect our love for God, we need no longer tremble in terror (which is one type of fear) because our respect and reverence (another type of fear) for our Heavenly Father has allowed us to boldly approach Him without fear of judgment (1 Jn 4:16-18).

I am curious about Mark 3:17.  It states that when Jesus was appointing the twelve to send them out to preach, He appointed James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges which means, “Sons of Thunder”).  What does the original translation of “Sons of Thunder” mean?  Were James and John lively characters, or was there something boisterous about Zebedee?

Sincerely,
Weatherman

Dear Weatherman,

“Sons of Thunder” is a nickname Jesus gave to James and John… and a rather cool one at that!  Mk 3:17 states that Jesus ‘gave’ (literally ‘laid upon them’) the name ‘Boanerges’.  ‘Boanerges’ is an Aramaic translation for a Hebrew word which means, you guessed it, ‘sons of thunder’.  The nickname was given to them because of their character.  James and John were indeed known as lively and strong men.  Both were fishermen (Matt 4:21), which was a profession that required stout and strong men – definitely not for sissies.  These are the same two brothers that got so mad at a city that refused to accept Jesus that they wanted to send fire from heaven to destroy the city… thankfully Jesus rebuked them (Lk 9:53-55).  The Sons of Thunder were definitely known for being full of fire and zeal.

I have a friend that is a christian, but the father of her child is not.  They no longer date, but she still cares for him.  He will not work or spend time with his child.  He does not give the child financial support.  He studied the Bible for a short time but lost interest because nothing changed in his life.  Apart from her own interests, she still wants to be with him for the child’s sake.  He wants to control her and does not want her to date other guys.  He becomes very upset when she dates christian guys.  What does the Bible say about their relationship? And what advice can I give her according to the Bible?

Sincerely,
Aiding A Friend

Dear Aiding A Friend,

As we often say when we answer these types of questions – we here at AYP will avoid the details of the personal aspect of this question and deal primarily with the Bible one.  There is no quick and easy answer for the personal side that can be addressed through a website.  These kinds of problems take godly friends, faith, and time to sort out.

The emotional baggage involved with this situation is sticky, but the Bible facts are simple.  She is not married to this man and has ZERO responsibility to date/court/marry someone that meets his approval.  An ungodly man disliking godly choices is nothing new (Jhn 3:20).  Without dwelling upon the past choices that led her to having a child with a man she is not married to, it is fair to say that she will only find a good life for herself and her child if she makes better choices… godly choices (Gal 6:7-9).  She needs to begin sowing a better life for herself.  The only hope she has of finding a life that is good for herself (and for her child – Pr 22:6) is to begin to fear God and keep His commandments above all else (Ps 111:10).  Only when we prize God above all other relationships do we succeed in life.  Serving Christ often brings great strife into our lives, but ultimately it bears the fruit of long-term peace (Gal 5:22).  Even though it sets us at odds with those around us, including loved ones, we must press on and endure, so that we might be found worthy of Christ (Matt 10:34-38).  Christianity is about making Bible choices regardless of how hard they might seem.