{"id":2438,"date":"2022-10-13T09:14:06","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T14:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/logosacad.org\/?p=2438"},"modified":"2022-10-13T11:47:19","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T16:47:19","slug":"will-your-children-believe-correctly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/logosacad.org\/will-your-children-believe-correctly\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Your Children Believe Correctly?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The secularization of America is growing and spreading at an alarming rate.\u00a0 This is becoming increasingly apparent in what people believe.\u00a0 More and more Americans are demonstrating muddy and incorrect thinking, even in basic concepts of truth and morality.\u00a0 To take the temperature of what Americans believe, Ligonier Ministries and LifeWay Research have teamed up to produce every two years their \u201cState of Theology\u201d report card on America.\u00a0 This year\u2019s report (at TheStateofTheology.com<\/a>), is quite revealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Do Americans Believe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among the general American populace,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

30% agree that \u201cChristians should be silent on issues of politics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

32% agree that \u201cGod is unconcerned with my day-to-day decisions.\u201d (This is up from 20% in 2014.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

40% agree that \u201cmodern science disproves the Bible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

42% agree that \u201cgender identity is a matter of choice.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

46% agree that \u201cthe Bible\u2019s condemnation of homosexual behavior doesn\u2019t apply today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

53% agree that \u201cJesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

53% agree that \u201cthe Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true.\u201d (This is up from 41% in 2014.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

55% agree that \u201cJesus is the first and greatest being created by God.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

59% agree that \u201cthe Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

60% agree that \u201creligious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it is not about objective truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

66% agree that \u201ceveryone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

67% agree that \u201cGod accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Do American Evangelicals Believe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps even more striking is what American Evangelicals believe.\u00a0 For the purpose of this survey, an evangelical was defined (at Research.Lifeway.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Ligonier-State-of-Theology-2022-White-Paper.pdf<\/a>) as one who believes strongly that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.<\/li>
  2. It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.<\/li>
  3. Jesus Christ\u2019s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.<\/li>
  4. Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God\u2019s free gift of eternal salvation.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    This is a great foundation, but then the muddy thinking creeps in, as the survey shows.  Among American Evangelicals,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    20% agree that \u201cChristians should be silent on issues of politics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    21% agree that \u201cmodern science disproves the Bible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    25% agree that \u201cthe Bible\u2019s condemnation of homosexual behavior doesn\u2019t apply today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    26% agree that \u201cthe Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    33% agree that \u201cgender identity is a matter of choice.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    38% agree that \u201creligious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it is not about objective truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    44% agree that \u201cJesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    55% agree that \u201cthe Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    55% agree that \u201ceveryone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    58% agree that \u201cGod accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    61% agree that \u201cJesus is the first and greatest being created by God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n