Author: Mark Riser

I am a Christian, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and an apologist.

It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 6)

What does it mean for the creation to be “good” and “very good?”According to the Hebrew lexicon, “good” in Genesis 1 is translated by the Hebrew word towb (2896). In verse 31, the descriptive term “very,” in Hebrew m’od (3966), is added.The word towb is defined as “good, pleasant, appropriate, morally good, or valuable in … Continue reading It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 6) →

Book Review: Improbable Planet, by Dr. Hugh Ross

Disclaimer: Although I am affiliated with Reasons To Believe as a member and Chapter officer, I purchased this book on my own and did not receive it as a review copy.One form of the design argument for God’s existence says,1. The design in nature is the product of chance, necessity, or design.2. It is not … Continue reading Book Review: Improbable Planet, by Dr. Hugh Ross →

It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 5)

THE FIRST MAJOR QUESTION: What does special and general revelation tell us about the world and death before the Fall?If we look at the primary creation passage, Genesis 1, we can see several things about God’s creation.First, the Genesis account gives us the ability to interpret the age of the Earth as being old. The … Continue reading It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 5) →

A Prayer for False Teachers

“O, God, You are the one true God. Truth is in Your nature. There is no falsehood in You. We know this and love You for it.There are those who preach a false god and a false Jesus. This false god is really nothing more than money and greed which leads these false teachers to … Continue reading A Prayer for False Teachers →

It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 4)

So far, we’ve seen that the issue of death before Adam’s sin is a vexing issue among Christians. Well-meaning Christians have taken sides on the issue. Some have generated heat rather than light.However, there is light that can help us move to a resolution of this issue.I believe dual revelation will help us answer the … Continue reading It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 4) →

“Special Revelation” in 408 Characters

Special revelation is the knowledge of the existence of God, His qualities and attributes, His will and plan for mankind, and the existence of moral values through such supernatural means as direct communication, miracles, and the Bible. The fullest expression of special revelation is through the incarnation of Jesus Christ.In contrast to general revelation, the … Continue reading “Special Revelation” in 408 Characters →

It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 3)

Between the two views of Young-Earth and Old-Earth creationism, we have divergent views of the issue of death before and after the Fall of man. This issue touches on the nature and goodness of God, the problem of evil, the nature of death, and the atoning work of Jesus.It is an issue that Christians should … Continue reading It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 3) →

It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 2)

Christians see this record in nature as well. Some recoil from it. Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, a leading Young-Earth creationist organization says,“As soon as one allows for millions of years, one has to accept death, bloodshed, disease, and suffering before sin, since the millions of years are invariably applied to the fossil … Continue reading It Was a Cruel, Cruel World: Death and Life Before and After the Fall (Part 2) →