I guess what it boils down to is how do you defend your faith - with only the fruits of the Holy Spirit or is some intellectual and spiritual growth needed too?
In answer to you question about growth I am reminded of the following verses.
II Timothy 2 Dealing With False Teachers
14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
So I'm guessing Spiritual Growth is the order of the day.
However the point (see post 39) I was addressing was the claim that Ken Ham and his Young Earth position is the "Exact" reason the Church is hurting in America. I found that to be somewhat over reaching and not really supportable. Seeing that poster of that statement has not replied they might be coming to the same conclusion.
To your earlier post about "Weak" Christians and their being pulled away from Christ because of scientific arguments, I leave that up to the Holy Spirit to sort out. Christ made it pretty clear that not all the seed would mature Matt 13:24.
Increadibly enough there was a time when many people argued against the veracity of the Bible because they thought Ninevah did not exist. Then low and behold Nineveh was discovered again. Along those lines we only see dimly through a mirror now many things, as Paul pointed out. Among those many things are plate tectonics, DNA quantum theories and all kinds of scince. In the end they will all point to the Creator.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20
Warmest Regards,
Boiler Plate