Who Will Tell?

An Encouraging Report

It is no secret that, down through the ages, one of Satan’s greatest strategies in his long war against God has been to continuously attempt to destroy the validity of the foundational book of the Bible—the book of Genesis—and the critical core of truths found therein. For if these foundational truths can be destroyed, the rest of Scripture might as well be a fairy tale. It should therefore come as no surprise that, on the field in which we minister, these foundational teachings are under great attack.

During a recent time of Bible study with a couple of the most faithful young men we have the privilege of working with, I asked them if they would like to share any particular Bible verses that the Lord had been using to speak to their hearts. One young man stated that a verse that he had been encouraged by recently was Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” He said that in a recent discussion with some of his friends, he had been defending the biblical account of the confusion of languages at Babel (Genesis 11). His friends told him that they believed that the different languages found throughout the world today are a result of the process of evolution. This young man denied this and affirmed that the various languages we have today are the result of God’s judgment upon the builders of the tower of Babel, making many languages where there had been only one. In light of the ridicule of his friends because of his defense of Genesis 11, this young man was holding on to the promise of Galatians 6:9.

The other young man said that during a recent discussion with his friends concerning the first few chapters of Genesis (!), a question had surfaced to which he did not have the answer. It is the classic: “Where did Cain get his wife?” This young man said he felt bad because he didn’t know the answer to this question. I was able to show him from Genesis 5:3-5 that the Bible says that Adam and Eve had sons and daughters. I explained to this young man that Cain must have married one of his sisters. After all, when your mother is the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20), the options are severely limited.

As these two young men shared their experiences, my heart was greatly encouraged. Here were two young men, battling for and seeking to defend the very foundations of Scripture. My response? “You two are doing exactly what you should be doing. You are standing for the truth of God’s word among your peers—that is a very difficult thing to do, and that is wonderful!” I encouraged these two young men to continue doing what they were doing and to take heart from the verse that the first young man had shared.

Foundational Theology

In our Sunday School time at Mashamba Bible Baptist Church, we have started teaching a new series of lessons which address some of the most foundational truths found in Scripture. Pastor Ngomane and I alternate, each of us teaching every other week. Right now, our focus is on teaching through many of the basic doctrines found in Scripture concerning the nature and the perfections of our great God. Some lessons have included: His transcendence, the fact that He is spirit, His unchangeableness, and His triune nature. Here in Africa, the majority of cultures present recognize and worship not one God, but many gods. In the traditional African view, at the time of their death, one’s parents join the ranks of the multitudes of ancestral gods to whom one can petition and from whom one can seek blessing and protection. The truth of Scripture stands in stark contrast to these widely-embraced traditions of men, proclaiming one God consisting of three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful blessing and privilege to be able to proclaim these foundational truths!