Untitled Sermon (4)

2The Twilight of Being: On Our Being in Twilight 2

Romans 1:21-25

Pray

•   Talk about the sermon series.

•   The approach to the last few sermons is not typical for how I preach.

•   I normally preach in a more expository manner.

•   Chapter and verse.

•   But due to the subject matter of this series, the messages have been focused more on a topic.

•   We have a few weeks yet and then we will get back to our regularly scheduled programming.

•   I thank you for bearing with me as I go through the dissertation.

•   We have addressed a few difficult topics

•   But as we address some of the deceptions that we face, particularly our children, we can begin to see why it is important to be informed.

•   If we can discern what causes people to think a certain way, then we can speak truth into the confusion.

•   Last week we tackled a strange subject.

•   This week will be no different.

•   The topic: Transhumanism- focus of technology and Artificial Intelligence.

•   Those who consider themselves transhumanists believe that technology will become a savior of humanity.

•   They believe that humanity should endeavor to develop technologies to overcome the limitations of our physical bodies.

•   Maybe a short clarification is that they think human evolution has stalled.

•   Obviously, I do not believe in evolution.

•   I am not telling you what I or we believe.

•   I am telling you what they believe.

•   But for those who do not know God, the human evolved.

Click for slide and for #1

A Transhumanist would suggest that we have come to the apex of development confined to biology.

1.  It is then the imperative of the human to push evolution beyond physical or biological limitations .

•   So it is our responsibility for the future generation that we develop technologies aiding us to overcome the limitations.

Click #2

2. Transhumanists seek to develop technologies to push human evolution.

•   They deny God and believe that humanity is the savior of humanity.

•   This is how we refute such deceived thoughts.

•   We must seek the council of God’s Word to give us wisdom so that we do not fall into deception.

Click Genesis

Genesis 2:7 NASB95

Then the LordGod formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

•   God has formed us with His very own hands.

•   He has breathed into us the breath of Life.

•   We did not evolve.

· This is the Word of God, I will adhere to what He says over the opinions of humanity.

Click Psalms 139

Psalm 139:13–14 NASB95

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

•   God formed us.

•   He wove us together before we were even born.

•   We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

•   We have infinite value because God has given us life.

•   Dwell on these things. They come from God.

•   These Words are not the definitions of foolish men.

•   They are the definitions of our being given by God.

· We have identity.

· We have value.

· We are created by an Almighty God to be in covenant fellowship with Him.

· This is the truth of God. And this is what I cling to.

•   Transhumanists do not find value in the human as a child of God.

Click #3

3. From the Transhumanist perspective value in our human condition comes from self-centered desire.

•   The vast majority of Transhumanists do not think there is anything after this life.

•   They endeavor of the transhumanist is to attempt to defeat death.

•   Or at the very least develop technologies that enable the human to live indefinitely.

•   They self is a byproduct of the brain.

•   It is an illusion created in the brain as the brain processes information.

Click #4

4. Transhumanists think our brain and our body is merely an organic machine.

Click Ephesians

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

· We have been saved through faith by the power of our Savior, Jesus.

· This is a gift of God.

· We are His handiwork.

· And in our salvation, He has given us purpose. Dwell on these things because they are from God.

•   During the research, I read an interview of someone who is deeply embedded in the world of transhumanism.

•   He stated that he feels trapped in the wrong body, because he is trapped in a body.

If you pay attention at all to our world:

•   Transhumanism is influencing this ideology in our culture.

If you care at all about the struggles people face.

Click #5

5. This ideology influences people to be discontent in the self, claiming to be trapped in the wrong body.

Click 1 John 3:1

1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

•        They reject the inherent value of the human as a child of God.

•   Therefore they must invent value or purpose according to the desires of the sinful heart.

•   This is why they believe themselves to be trapped or limited by our biology.

•   It is for this reason I chose to tackle such a complicated topic.

•   We often hear people struggle with the thought that they are in  the wrong body.

•   They desperately seek to create an identity that conforms to the desired expression of the self.

•   The projection of the invented self brings a sense of community and value to the individual who does not know the inherent value of being a child of God.

•   This is the heartbreaking aspect to this deception.

· I said a few weeks ago about the response the church typically presents regarding this topic.

· Either we ignore, or we accuse or we complain.

· It would have been easier for me to ignore the difficulty that many people suffer in our would regarding identity.

· But it is vital for us to approach the challenges we face with integrity and with the truth of the Word.

There are so many people struggling with identity.

•   It is heartbreaking.

•   This is why I have addressed such a difficult topic.

•   If we can understand why people are confused, then we can help them come to the truth.

•   I will not sit idly by and allow the evil thoughts of this world influence my children

•   I endeavor to fight the good fight of faith, no matter how challenging it may be for the sake of my children.

•   But I think it is well passed time for the church to engage with the deceptions being spoken into the ears of our children.

•   Rather than hide or ignore, we must ask the Lord to help us understand and then give us the words to speak life into the difficulty.

Read- Hosea 4:6- My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

· I want my children, your children and all of us to be well equipped to make a defense of our faith against anything that might come against us.

· This is apologetics.

· Be ready at all times to make a defense of our faith.

· Peter tells us:

Click 1 Peter 3: 14-15

14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

This is apologetics. Making a defense for our faith.

Click #6

6. The struggle with identity stems from the rejection of a foundation based on the truth of God’s Word.

•   Rebellion against the definitions of human nature given in the Word.

•   Without a foundation, the human struggles to find footing.

•   This contributes the various expression of identity we can see in our culture now.

•   People are clamoring to find value.

•   To find community and to find hope in a world that is without mercy.

Click #7 and #8

7. Transhumanism is bringing the human into the twilight of being .

8. We are approaching the end of what it means to be human as defined by God.

•   We can do whatever

•   As we embrace the technological human, we can be whatever we want without real life repercussions

Look at Romans 1

Romans 1:21–25 NIV

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

•   Paul tells us that those who reject to give glory to God

•   or to give thanks to God for giving life, became futile in their thinking.

•   Futile is worthlessness, of no use.

The thoughts secular humans dream up is worthless without the authority and definitions of God.

•   Because the human endeavors to define life according to the fallen nature,  they become fools.

•   Because they exchange the glory of God for images made in the worship of the self, they are fools.

•   Claiming to be filled with wisdom, knowledge truly the eyes have become dark.

Click #9 and #10

9. They exchange the truth of God for a lie .

10. Worshipping the self .

•   We can clearly see this deception guiding the thoughts of the transhumanist.

•   they believe salvation will come from humanity.

•   Technology will become a savior.

•   And we will become gods unto ourselves.

•   Not calling people who struggle with identity fools.

•   They are dearly loved.

•   Created by God and in desperate need of a Savior.

•   They need clarity in the confusion.

Click #11 and #12

11. We can know our true identity in Jesus.

12. According to His definitions .

•   This is pure true identity

•   and this is an identity that cannot be altered because it is upheld by Almighty God, Himself.

•   As we go through the rest of the messages, the emphasis will be on our value as a human.

Benediction: James 1:5

James 1:5 NASB95

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.