If you're like the vast majority of Christians, John 3:16 is one of your favorite verses in the Bible, and rightly so: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." That verse has been like a bright light for millions of people, illuminating the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!

But not so many are familiar with what Jesus said just a few verses later:
"... this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God." [John 3:19-21]

One of the dark secrets of today's world has been the scientific misconduct of some proponents of global warming alarmism. Because it involves extremely technical procedures that very few people are equipped to understand.

The corruption of these procedures is therefore very difficult to detect, so it has gone largely unnoticed for years, with a few exceptions (such as the famous "hockey stick" graph purporting to do away with the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age), and even they are known almost exclusively to dedicated participants in the debate.

Lately, however, some members of Congress are trying to shine a light in a dark place.

Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX), the chairman of the House Science Committee, has demanded documents from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration relevant to the question whether the agency has been "cooking the books," so to speak, about global temperatures, exaggerating the magnitude of global warming.

And now the light is getting brighter. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), chairman of the Space, Science, and Competitiveness subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee, will chair a hearing Tuesday titled "Data or Dogma? Promoting Open Inquiry in the Debate over the Magnitude of Human Impact on Earth's Climate."

The hearing will focus on the ongoing debate over climate science, the impact of federal funding on the objectivity of climate research, and how political pressure can suppress opposing viewpoints in climate science.

Witnesses scheduled for the hearing include

• Dr. John Christy, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science and Director of the Earth System Science Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, a good friend of mine who joined me in a debate/dialogue with 350.org founder Bill McKibben and partners at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary last spring
• Dr. Judith Curry, Chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, whom I've joined as a panel member in a conference discussion of the ethics of climate and energy policy
• Dr. William Happer, Cyrus Fogg Bracket Professor of Physics, Princeton University, one of America's leading physicists, who is featured in Cornwall Alliance's new documentary Where the Grass is Greener: Biblical Stewardship vs. Climate Alarmism; and
• Mark Steyn, international bestselling author whose book "A Disgrace to the Profession" exposes the fraud behind the "hockey stick" graph.

While still monitoring closely what's happening at the UN climate summit in Paris, "COP21," I'll be attending that hearing. It could be a historic turning point. I will report on it.

Dr. E. Calvin Beisner,
Founder and National Spokesman

The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation seeks to magnify the glory of God in creation, the wisdom of His truth in environmental stewardship, the kindness of His mercy in lifting the needy out of poverty, and the wonders of His grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ. A coalition of theologians, pastors, ministry leaders, scientists, economists, policy experts, and committed laymen, the Cornwall Alliance is the world's leading evangelical voice promoting environmental stewardship and economic development built on Biblical principles. The Cornwall Alliance is a non-profit religious, charitable, and educational organization. All gifts are tax deductible.