Identity: The Battleground of Our Generation

Well, there’s been a lot of talk about kings recently, not just in the US but in news sources around the world that were reporting on the so-called “No Kings” protests across America in October.

When these events occurred, I filmed a video and wrote a social media post stating that for most of those involved in these protests, it was really a “No King” protest. Many of them were promoting LGBT, transgender, abortion, and so on. In other words, they were promoting anti-God/anti-biblical worldview issues. Really, it’s a rebellion against the only true king of creation.

Really, what many of these people were doing was exactly what the devil tempted Adam and Eve with in Genesis 3:5—to be their own god and thus determine their own “truth.”

At the same time, we are seeing a rise in interest in the King of kings, particularly in the younger generations:

And being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. . . . And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:13–14, 16 LSB)

This growing interest in the Bible and the things of God is certainly encouraging, and only time will tell what the true impact will be. I do note that much of what is happening to stir the hearts of these young people across the nation concerning the message of God’s Word is happening outside the local church. Sadly, we see so much of the church being rather lukewarm. But regardless, God raises up people in his true church worldwide to carry out the Great Commission.

Now we have also seen a rise in violence against those with Christian/conservative views. And it’s all connected to the identity issue.

Identity has become a big issue among younger generations, and the Creation Museum’s new exhibit, Radiance, will lead them to understand their true identity is in Christ. What we have always done as a ministry is ensure we are at the cutting edge of where the culture is at as we “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 1:3) and do battle in the spiritual war raging around us (Ephesians 6:12). Additionally, we have just produced a new book, Sex, Gender, and the Gospel: God’s Design in a Confused World to equip believers to face cultural lies with grace and point to Christ’s transformative hope.

The Game Has Changed

In his last sermon before he passed away at 56 years old, the well-known, powerful speaker and friend of Answers in Genesis, Voddie Baucham, said this:

And by the way, here’s what you need to understand. The game has changed.

We don’t debate anymore. You see, now we look at issues not through the lens of our underlying philosophy, but we look at issues through our identity and our lived experience. So when someone is taking a position on political issues today, often times because of this neo-Marxist ideology, this oppressor/oppressed ideology, because the way we sort of divided the world, we look at it through that lens. And so, this is this is not just my political opinion or position. This is my identity, and this is my lived experience. So we can’t have a debate on that. For you to have a debate on something that I have declared as my identity and my lived experience is for you to negate my identity and to negate my lived experience. And by the way, we’ve already decided that words are violent. So if your words are violence and they are violence against my very identity, it’s reasonable that I would respond to your words with actual violence.

He hit the nail on the head. Those brainwashed in secular humanism increasingly don’t debate. Since they consider those who disagree with them as hating them, therefore, the words used are “violence.” This means they can respond with violence. And we see that happening increasingly in our culture—consider what happened to Charlie Kirk.

Think about it: Those who claim Christians are intolerant are intolerant of Christians who hold a biblical worldview. Those in the LGBTQ movement who claim they allow all views in regard to gender and marriage, don’t allow the biblical worldview that there’s only one definition of marriage and only two genders of humans, male and female, based on God’s Word. Those who claim they love everyone will hate those they disagree with. Consider these photographs from the “No Kings” protest in our local area in Kentucky:

So what is happening? We are seeing Isaiah 5:20 portrayed before our eyes:

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20 LSB)

What does this verse mean?

Because God is the Creator, then God defines what he has created. Man wants to be his own god (Genesis 3:5), and because man is not the creator, man will take what God created and defined and redefine it in the opposite direction.

Consider:

What is the solution?

Well, to quote President Ronald Reagan, “The government is not the solution to our problem.” Now he was stating this in a different context, but this statement applies in the above context too. Not only is the government not the solution, but legislation is not the solution. Please don’t misunderstand me. We need more Christians active on various boards and in government voting in accord with a Christian worldview. If Christians don’t do this, then secularists will take these positions and vote in accord with an anti-Christian worldview.

What is the solution? As I have said over and over again, the solution has always been (as first given in Genesis 3:15) God’s Word and the saving gospel. Until people have a change of heart and mind in regard to trusting God’s Word, trust Christ for salvation, and build and apply a Christian worldview in their lives, we will not see a change in their lives from a secular worldview of moral relativism to a biblical worldview with the absolutes of Christianity.

At Answers in Genesis, we have always recognized that when people’s hearts and minds are changed in regard to God’s Word, that is what will impact theculture. Our extensive surveys of guests who have visited the Ark and Creation Museum consistently shows that about 100,000 people a year commit their lives to Christ as a result of their visit. That’s just the attractions—we know many others are saved as a result of our VBS, 40 Days of Christian Music festival, radio programs, and many other programs.

As Paul makes clear in Philippians, the most important message for every human being is that we trust Christ for salvation. After all, that determines where we will spend eternity:

More than that, I count all things to be loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:8 LSB)

Through the Ark Encounter, Creation Museum, and all the things we do through Answers in Genesis, our emphasis has always been and always will be to equip Christians to be as effective as possible at witnessing to others, to help families raise godly offspring, and to reach non-Christians with the truth of God’s Word and the gospel.

And that is what our end-of-year donation campaign and the initiatives it will support are all about—reaching more lives for the Lord Jesus Christ. You can learn more details and check the progress of the campaign by going to AnswersDonate.com.

As we approach the end of the year, I ask that you prayerfully consider a generous gift to help us take full advantage of the incredible $10 million matching gift offer from a family foundation. Every dollar you give by December 31 will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $10 million. As the Lord leads, you may make a gift of any size to the end-of-year campaign (matched dollar for dollar) and the core ministry by phone or online.

I am so grateful for your prayers and generous partnership with us in this ministry to impact souls for Christ—thank you! Oh, and make plans to visit the new Radiance exhibit at the Creation Museum!

In Christ,
Ken