In this post we answer a few questions people have asked us about The Genius of Ancient Man. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the book, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or write to us at geniusofancientman@gmail.com.
Why did you write the Genius of Ancient Man?
The purpose of The Genius of Ancient Man is to confirm the truth of the Bible by presenting evidence that early man was intelligent. We recognize that Satan’s counterfeits can draw people away from God, and the devil has been in the business of undermining God’s Word from the beginning (Genesis 3:1). We hope to bolster Christians’ faith by helping them see that His Word can be trusted.
There is a prevalent view in our world today: the universe is 13.8 billion years old, the earth is 4.5 billion years old, and humans evolved from ape-like beings around 200,000 years ago. Mainstream scientists will explain that over time early man evolved from primitive unintelligent beings and that we are always increasing in our intelligence as superior animals. This view has crept into Christian circles and is subtly undermining the authority of the Bible.
The Genius of Ancient Man defends the Biblical account of history: God created man in His image, perfect and intelligent, on day 6 of creation.
The book also teaches readers (in chapters 2 and 4) the idea that there are only two kingdoms: each founded upon presuppositions and fundamentally opposed to one another. Understanding this concept enables one to discern the truth from the falsehood. We want Christians to stand upon God’s precepts, not the fallible conjectures of man.
But what is the ultimate goal of the book—the ultimate goal of a human’s life? To glorify God. Our reason for writing the book was not to show off our understanding of ancient man and denigrate people who believe in the evolutionary worldview; we wanted to open up people’s eyes to the truth. Our motivation was out of love for our brothers and sisters in Christ and our desire was to bring glory to God by upholding His perfect Word. We hoped to encourage Christians to think presuppositionally and use the material we presented in witnessing to unbelievers.
Why does the book begin with a “Word of Caution”?
Because the book was written primarily for believers, we wanted to warn our readers about the possible pitfalls which are wrought within the study of ancient man. Christians can certainly be deceived by the counterfeit kingdom. We see this all throughout Scripture:
- God commanded His chosen nation of Israel to not associate with pagan nations (Deut.7,17), but some God-fearers turned their hearts from the Lord like king Solomon (1 Kings 11) and king Uzziah (2 Chron. 26)
- Paul was deserted by several of his coworkers who were drawn away by the world (1 Tim. 1:18-20, 2 Tim. 1:15, 4:10)
- Several New Testament authors warned individuals and churches to beware of the enticement of the world (1 Cor. 5-6, 2 Thess. 2, 1 Tim. 1:3-7, 6:9-11, 2 Tim. 2:14-19, James 4:1-4, 2 Pet. 3:17, 1 John 2:15-24)
If there was no possibility of being drawn away by the occult, there would be no need for a warning.
The study of ancient man can be extremely fascinating, and we wanted to encourage people to do some more research on their own. However, as stated on page 7: “We would like to caution you as you search deeper in such things, for though they can be used to confirm biblical accounts, such things are not necessarily of God.”
God’s Word is absolute truth, and it is our aim to confirm that through the book. We are not afraid of the information we presented but want to be very careful to accurately portray it from a Biblical perspective. We were not (and still are not) promoting the unbiblical and horridly evil practices of many of the ancient cultures. These practices may have their basis in God-founded laws and rituals, but Satan has mutilated them. His perversions are still commonly practiced in various cultures worldwide and they can be very deceptive and dangerously enticing.
We are not claiming that we have all knowledge and that the book is perfect in its text, and thus we cautioned readers to “study the information carefully, as the Bereans (Acts 17:11) were instructed, taking everything back to the Bible” (pg. 7). The works of man are merely temporary, but “the Word of the Lord endures forever” (Is. 40:6-8, 1 Pet. 1:24-25).
But wouldn’t a word of caution make more sense to the reader if it was placed at the end of the book?
The decision was made to have the word of caution precede the book’s information because it was vitally important to let readers know the main purpose of the book, the position of the authors, and thus help readers review the text from the right perspective.
The book may seem somewhat redundant when it introduces the topic of discussion and then outlines presuppositions and starting points, but the text was written to build upon itself. This format drives the all-important point home: everything goes back to God and His Word can be trusted.
Can the book be used as a witnessing tool?
Although the main purpose of the book is to strengthen Christians’ faith, this does not mean that the book cannot be used in proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. The gospel is central to everything. God did not send His Son in vain, nor did Jesus Christ die or resurrect from the dead in vain. We were bought at a price and thus our purpose is to glorify God in all our deeds (1 Cor. 6:20).
The main purpose of the book keeps this in mind: We wanted to bolster Christians’ faith in God and give them answers in order to defend the authority of His Word to the world. Standing firm upon God’s Word gives Christians the confidence to proclaim the message of salvation to those who question the Bible. Many Christians do not realize that the gospel itself is undermined when the authority of Scripture is devalued. (Read Death and Decay on page 105 for a thorough explanation of how the evolutionary worldview subverts the hope of the gospel).
The book can also be a light when given to an unbeliever. God can use any means to save someone through the work of the Holy Spirit as long as it is in line with His character and nature. Furthermore, Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. Faith in Jesus Christ can only occur when one hears the Word of God, believes in its truth, and then believes in the Son of God as Lord and Savior.
Considering that the book points to the authority of Scripture and includes the gospel message (pages 105-107), a skeptical unbeliever could read the book and be converted. But this conversion would be the work of the Holy Spirit, not the work of the book—salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus (Titus 3:5-7, Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 10:9). The book is not in and of itself a witnessing tool, but the information therein should ultimately be used by Christians to follow God’s mandate to make disciples (Mt. 28:18-20) and give God the glory by defending His Word.
In conclusion, The Genius of Ancient Man was written to defend the authority of God’s Word and confirm such authority, pointing believers to the evidence that ancient man was created intelligent by an infinite God just as the Bible states. The book was intended to bolster the faith of Christian readers and strengthen them in their apologetic endeavors as they witness to the lost in this world.
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