One of the Essentials of the Christian Faith
1. The Public Execution by Roman Soldiers Assured His Death:
During the Jewish Feast of Passover, Jesus was swept away by an angry crowd into a Roman hall of justice. As He stood before Pilate, the governor of Judea, religious leaders accused Jesus of claiming to be the king of the Jews. The crowd demanded His death. Jesus was beaten, whipped, and sentenced to a public execution. On Golgotha outside of Jerusalem, He was crucified between two criminals. Brokenhearted friends and mocking enemies shared in His deathwatch. As the Sabbath neared, Roman soldiers were sent to finish the execution. These were professional executioners. To hasten death, they would break the legs of the criminals. But when they came to Jesus they did not break His legs, because from experience they knew He was already dead. As a final precaution, however, they thrust a spear into His side. It would take more than mere resuscitation for Him to ever walk about let alone be a threat again.
2. A Roman Official Seal The Tomb:
The next day, religious leaders again met with Pilate. They said Jesus had predicted He would rise in 3 days. To assure that the disciples could not conspire in a resurrection hoax, Pilate ordered the official seal of Rome to be attached to the tomb to put grave robbers on notice. To enforce the order, soldiers stood guard. Any disciple who wanted to tamper with the body would have had to get by them, which wouldn't have been easy. The Roman guards had good reason for staying alert. The penalty for falling asleep while on watch was a brutal death.
3. The Grave Was Found Empty, In Spite Of Guards:
On the morning after the Sabbath, some of Jesus' followers went to the grave to anoint His body. But when they arrived, they were surprised at what they found. The huge stone that had been rolled into place over the entrance to the tomb had been moved, and Jesus' body was gone. As word got out, two disciples rushed to the burial site. The tomb was empty except for Jesus' burial wrappings, which were lying neatly in place. In the meantime, some of the guards had gone into Jerusalem to tell the Jewish officials that they had fainted in the presence of a supernatural being that rolled the stone away. And when they woke up, the tomb was empty. The officials paid the guards a large sum of money to lie and say that the disciples stole the body while the soldiers slept. They assured the guards that if the report of the missing body got back to the governor they would intercede on their behalf.
4. People Claimed To Have Seen Him Alive:
About AD 55, the apostle Paul wrote that the resurrected Christ had been seen by Peter, the 12 apostles, more than 500 people (many of whom were still alive at the time of his writing), James, and himself ( 1 Corinthians 15:5-8). By making such a public statement, he gave critics a chance to check out his claims for themselves. In addition, the New Testament begins its history of the followers of Christ by saying that Jesus "presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by [the apostles] during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" ( Acts 1:3). Not only was He seen alive but there were others who had died were also resurrected and seen in Jerusalem (Matthew 27: 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.)
5. His Apostles Were Drastically and Permanently Changed:
When Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, the other apostles ran for their lives. Even Simon Peter, who earlier had insisted that he was ready to die for his master, lost courage and denied that he ever knew Jesus. But the apostles went through a dramatic change. Within a short time, they were standing face to face with the ones who had crucified their Lord. Their spirits were bold and courageous. They became unstoppable in their determination to sacrifice everything for the one they called Savior and Lord. Even after they were imprisoned, beaaten, threatened, and forbidden to speak in the name of Jesus, the apostles said to the Jewish leaders, "We ought to obey God rather than men" ( Acts 5:29). After they were beaten for disobeying the orders of the Jewish council, these once-cowardly and sheepish apostles "did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ" ( Acts 5:42). This was no mere story to save face. There were many men whom the Jews followed. They stirred up the people but were put to death and their fame and followers disappeared.
6. Witnesses Were Willing To become Martyrs For Their Claims:
History is full of martyrs. Thousands and thousands of men and women have died for their belief in Jesus. For this reason, it is not that significant to point out that the first disciples were willing die for their faith. But it is significant that while many will die for what they believe to be the truth, few if any will die for what they know to be a lie. That psychological fact is important because the disciples of Christ did not die for deeply held beliefs about which they could have been honestly mistaken. They died for their claims to have seen Jesus alive and well after His resurrection. They died for their claim that Jesus Christ had not only died for their sins but that He had risen bodily from the dead to show that He was like no other spiritual leader who had ever lived. This is one of the most compelling reasons. It is one thing to say you believe something, but to die for it puts a whole different perspective on it.
7. It Was Clearly Predicted in the Old Testament:
The disciples were confused about some things. They expected their Messiah to restore the kingdom to Israel. Their minds were so fixed on the coming of a messianic political kingdom that they didn't anticipate the events essential to the salvation of their souls. They must have thought Christ was speaking in symbolic language when He kept saying over and over that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem to die and be resurrected from the dead. Coming from one who spoke in parables, they missed the obvious until after it was all over. In the process, they also overlooked the prophet Isaiah's prediction of a suffering servant who would bear the sins of Israel, being led like a lamb to the slaughter, before God "prolonged His days" ( Isaiah 53:10).
8. The day of worship for the Jewish believers changed:
Basic to the Jewish way of life was observing the Sabbath day of rest and worship. A Jew who did not honor the Sabbath was guilty of breaking the Law of Moses. Jewish followers of Christ began worshiping with Gentile believers on a new day. Being faithful to the Law was at the heart of the Jewish religion. They were fiercely devoted to their traditions. They were willing to die for them! The first day of the week, the day on which they believed Christ had risen from the dead, replaced the Sabbath. For a Jew, it reflected a major change of life. The new day, along with the Christian conversion rite of baptism, declared that those who believed Christ had risen from the dead were ready for more than a renewal of Judaism. They believed that the death and resurrection of Christ had cleared the way for a new relationship with God. The new way was based not on the law, but on the sin-bearing, life-giving help of a resurrected Savior.
9. It Was A Message that Changed the World:
Look at the course of history. The gospel of Jesus Christ has raised and toppled empires. The promises of God throughout history can be clearly seen. Nations that have called upon God have been helped in their darkest hours. Nations that have refused to heed the message of the Gospel have suffered from the disease of sin and moral corruption to the point of extinction. You do not have to go too far in history to find out that a nation that falls has fallen from within. The mighty Roman Empire is a classic example. Look at the example we have today of the far reaching effect of this message. Our calendar, our holidays, and many other parts of many of the worlds cultures find their roots to this one all important event in history. It can truly be said that this was the only important event in history for history is His Story.
10. It Fits The Experience Of Those Who Trust Him:
The apostle Paul wrote, "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" ( Romans 8:11). This was the experience of Paul, whose heart was dramatically changed by the resurrected Christ. It is also the experience of people all over the world who have "died" to their old ways so that Christ can live His life through them. This spiritual power is not evident in those who try to add belief in Christ to their old life. It is seen only in those who are willing to "die" to their old life to make room for the rule of Christ. It is apparent only in those who respond to the overwhelming evidence for Christ's resurrection by acknowledging His Lordship in their heart.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Evidence supporting the truth of the Bible...
Evidence Supporting The Truth of The Bible
By
Keith Mason
Introduction
Most people are interested in what happens to them after they die: Do they cease to exist? Do they get reincarnated? Just what happens? The Bible tells us they go to heaven or hell. There are many things in the Bible that can be scientifically and historically proven, thus adding to it's credibility (the provable things and those things which must be accepted by faith were written by the same authors and at the same time).
The following text presents logical, tangible, historical, and empirical evidence which substantiates three things: 1 God (not evolution) created the earth; 2 Jesus Christ existed and is God's Son; and 3 the Bible is reliable, accurate, and true.
I have been a Christian for 12 years, and have read many books on evidence supporting the Bibles truth. This booklet includes the best parts of all of them. It takes about 20 minutes to read, and I think proves the accuracy and reliability of the Bible.
If you are a non-Christian, this booklet will hopefully convince you of these truths, and supply you with the evidence that you need to believe in them. If you are a Christian, this booklet will strengthen your faith, and show you why what you already know to be true is true.
The Hand of God
No matter how much evidence is produced, if a person doesn't want to believe in God he/she won't. However, there is a lot of evidence that supports the truth of the Bible. God said: "Those who seek Me with their whole heart will find Me." (Jer 29:13). The author of this booklet hopes that you will read it with an open mind, and not hold on to any pre-conceived ideas, but carefully consider the evidence that is presented.
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THE EARTH WAS CREATED BY GOD
This section contains evidence that shows that supernatural creation has a higher degree of probability than evolution.
The Universe: How Did it Happen?
There are only three possibilities for the existence of the universe.
1) IT EMERGED SPONTANEOUSLY OUT OF NOTHING. However, one of the basic laws of physics says that something cannot come from nothing. Therefore it couldn't have emerged spontaneously from nothing.
2) IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE. That defies the 2nd law of thermodynamics, and the law of increasing entropy. These state that the universe is constantly decaying, and that things automatically go from order to disorder. However, if it was eternal and has always been there, it would be re-generating itself, not deteriorating. Therefore it couldn't have always been there [Morris Scientific, pg 43].
3) IT WAS CREATED. I think this is the most logical choice, and that is what the remainder of this article will address.
The Big Bang
Many scientist/evolutionists believe in a Big Bang Theory, which says all of the matter present in the universe today was once in a plasma ball of electrons, photons, positrons, and neutrinos (no explanation is given about how it got there). Scientists say that 15 billion years ago this huge cosmic ball exploded. Living-matter was somehow formed. This matter developed the ability to see, hear, and smell, and eventually grew arms and legs (although at first they were fins). And after millions of years of evolution here we are. Here we are, with our three-pound brain composed of twelve billion neurons, which make 120 trillion various connections [Gish, pg 4]. That is like saying a bomb exploded in a junkyard, and put together a running automobile.
Macro-evolution vs. Micro-evolution
Just what do I mean when I talk about evolution? There are two forms of evolution - Macro-evolution and Micro-evolution. Micro-evolution isn't what the creationists' object to, in fact they believe in it. It's Macro-evolution they don't believe in. Micro-evolution is a variation within a species. An example of Micro-evolution would be giraffes evolving from having short necks into giraffes having long necks. The giraffes with long necks are able to survive and reproduce because they can reach more food, but the giraffes with short necks die off. Macro-evolution, on the other hand, is one distinct species turning into another distinct species (e.g. reptiles turning into birds, fish into amphibians, or apes into men, etc...). In this book, when I refer to "evolution," I mean Macro-evolution.
Fact or Theory
Many people believe that evolution is a scientifically proven fact, and that creation is only a theory (not even a credible theory because it is only posed by a bunch of right wing Christian fanatics). This is simply not true. Evolution is not a proven fact, and certainly not a scientifically proven fact. The scientific approach for examining facts and determining truth is done in five steps. 1st) An observation is made. 2nd) A hypothesis is formed. 3rd) Data is gathered. 4th) The hypothesis is tested in light of the data, and 5th) if the hypothesis passes the test, it becomes a theory. However, new data is constantly being discovered and the hypothesis re-tested. This data either supports the theory or disproves it, but never proves the theory as a fact (for future data could be gathered which disproves it). If there is no way of testing or falsifying the hypothesis, the theory isn't accepted by the scientific community. George Galord Simpson, a notable scientist himself, has said, "It is inherent that statements which cannot be checked by observation are not really about anything, or at the very least they are not science." (Gish 1985: 12). Usually the event in question is repeated, and these five steps are used to determine its truthfulness. Events in history cannot be repeated, so they cannot be verified by the scientific method. This alone indicates that the theory of evolution, far from being a fact, is not even a valid scientific theory. The question that needs to be answered is: "Does the majority of evidence support creation, or evolution?" Hundreds of scientists and college professors have had to admit that they could be wrong about thinking that evolution is a fact [Sunderland, pg 8].
The Debates
These same scientists and professors have publicly debated with creation-scientists literally hundreds of times and have lost these debates virtually every time. As a result, they have been told by their colleagues to no longer debate the creation-scientists [Sunderland, pg 8]. This is extremely important, because these debates were discussed between men and women who are experts in their field.
The Earth: How Did it Happen
The evolutionist theory says that the earth is billions of years old and we are the product of evolution, but the creationist theory says, "In the beginning God created...." The Bible says that this creation happened in 6 days. It is impossible for both of these theories to be true, so evidence refuting one must support the other and vice versa [Morris, Many pg 9]. As we shall see in a moment, there is a lot of evidence refuting evolution, and supporting creation.
The Earth's Age
Some of the evidence refuting evolution comes from examining the age of the earth itself. A vast amount of time is needed for evolution to be true. An evolutionist will tell you that the earth is 4 to 5 billion years old [Gish, pg 47]. Carbon dating and potassium-argon dating are usually the two methods evolutionists' use for dating the earth, but these methods are not always accurate. Carbon dating methods have rated a snail shell at 2,300 years old, yet it was known to have died shortly before the examination, and evolutionists have dated rocks from Hawaiian lava flows (known to be only 200 years old) at 3 billion years old using the Potassium-argon dating method [Huse, pg 29]. Not only are these dating methods inaccurate, but there are many other things which indicate a young earth. In his book The Collapse of Evolution, Scott Huse dedicates an entire chapter giving evidence for a young earth. Here are some of his examples. The earth's magnetic field is getting weaker every year. If the earth was as old as evolutionists say, we wouldn't have a magnetic field left; in fact, according to our magnetic field the maximum age limit of the Earth is 10,000 years. Natural gas is contained underground and is under pressure; the ground could only contain this gas for about 10,000 years. Evidence suggests that the Earth and moon were formed at the same time; if they are 4 to 5 billion years old, like the evolutionists say, then dust particles that come from space would have made the moon's ground 182 feet thick in dust alone (this was the reason for equipping the lunar shuttle with such large landing pads). Due to the magnetic forces of the sun and moon, the earth's rotation is slowing down, and if the earth was as old as the evolutionists say it is it would have stopped dead in space years ago. The moon is receding from the earth every year, and according to the evolutionary theory, should be much farther away [Huse chap 1]. In The Scientific Case for Creation, Henry Morris uses the following methods to date the earth.
Dating Method .........................................Years Old
Development of total human population......................4,000
Growth of oldest living part of the biosphere..............5,000
Decay of the earth's magnetic field.......................10,000
Influx of radiocarbon into earth system...................10,000
Influx of uranium into the oceans via rivers..............50,000
Influx of carbonate into the oceans......................100,000
Efflux of helium-4 into the atmosphere...................175,000
Accumulation of dust on the moon.........................200,000
Leaching of chlorine from the continents...............1,000,000
Erosion of sediment from continents...................10,000,000
He also uses sixty other methods to date the earth; most of them range from 5,000 to ten million years old, not billions of years old like the evolutionists would like us to believe [Morris, Scientific, pgs 55-59]. There are many other scholarly men who also favor a young age for the earth (see Gish pgs 19-20).
The Geologic Column
Because absolute dating methods vary so much, evolutionists often use index fossils and the geologic column to obtain their dates. I am assuming the reader knows what a fossil is. The geologic column is the layering of the earth's surface -- if you have seen the side of the Grand Canyon you have seen an example of the geologic column. Usually the smaller and simpler fossils are found at the lower levels of the earth's surface. The evolutionists say that thousands of years elapsed between each layer, and use it as proof of evolution. They say the simpler life forms (at the lower levels) evolved into the more complex life forms (at the higher levels). However, some scientists say thousands of years separate each layer in the geologic column, therefore it proves that evolution is true, while other scientists say evolution is true, therefore it proves that thousands of years separate each layer in the geologic column [Morris Scientific, pg 37]. This is circular reasoning, and does not prove anything. A world-wide flood recorded in Genesis) could do as well to explain why the smaller and simpler life forms are found at the lower levels of the earth's crust; it was because they were less mobile and were not able to move to higher elevations when the world was flooded [Morris Scientific, pgs 36-38]. A flood would also explain why geologists find so many indications of marine life (including their fossils) in dry land areas.
The Fossil Record
More evidence refuting evolution comes from the fossil record itself. If evolution were true, the fossil record should support it, but it best supports the creation theory. The fossil record actually shows that life forms came into existence suddenly and fully formed without any transitional forms [Huse, pg 12]. After 120 years and 100 million fossils, not one transitional fossil has been discovered between a species and its alleged ancestor [Sunderland, pg 9]. The fins of fish, which supposedly evolved into the amphibians' arms and legs, are only embedded in its flesh tissue, not in its skeletal structure, so they could not have become the animal's arms or legs [Gish, pg 73]. Some squashed trilobite fossils have been found in human footprint fossils even though evolutionists say trilobites were extinct 230 million years before man came into existence [Huse, pg 28]. Evolutionists have been searching for the missing link between apes and men for hundreds of years, yet have never found it. The remains of the alleged PILTDOWN MAN were discovered in 1912 by an armchair fossilologist. He brought some bones and artifacts to the British Museum, and said he had discovered them in a gravel pit near Piltdown, England. Anthropologists dated the remains at 500,000 years old. Everything was fine until 1956 when the bones were re-examined; tests showed that the jawbone was from a 50 year old ape, and that some of the teeth had been filed down to fool the experts [Huse, pg 100]. NEBRASKA MAN, discovered in 1925, was hailed by scientists as the oldest living man (1 million years old). He was completely constructed from one tooth. Later it was discovered that it was the tooth of an extinct pig [Huse, pg 97]. LUCY was an anthropoid discovered in Ethiopia by D. C. Johnson while he was listening to the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." She was supposed to be half ape and half man, yet walk upright. However the bone that was used to determine that she walked upright, the femur, was crushed completely, so she probably didn't walk upright after all [Huse, pg 102]. These fossils did not prove a thing, and no transitional fossils have been discovered, but you might say, "Doesn't the fossil record prove that dinosaurs existed, yet die out millions of years before man?"
Dinosaurs
The fossil record does prove that dinosaurs existed. However, the evolutionists say they died out billions of years before man existed, but creationists say that dinosaurs co-existed along with men. Generally, the creationists think that Noah brought baby dinosaurs aboard the Ark, but that the earth's climate changed so much after the genesis flood that they could not survive the change, and died out. In fact, pictographs of dinosaurs have been found on the walls of cave dwellings [Gish, Dinosaurs]. A possible reason for dinosaurs being so large is because reptiles continue to grow throughout their whole lifetime, and according to the Bible, life spans used to be much longer. The Bible contains a description of what could be a dinosaur. It says: "He moves his tail like a cedar tree..., his bones are as strong as iron..., behold he drinks up a river, surely he can draw up the Jordan into his mouth." (Job 40:15-23). Now with a tail as large as a cedar tree, this could not be an elephant or hippopotamus. In my opinion it couldn't be anything other than a dinosaur. If they were extinct billions of years before man, then how can we explain the cave drawings or the description that is in the Bible. In addition to this, flying creatures tend to disprove evolution.
The Origin of Flight
The origin of flight should provide an excellent case to prove evolution, but it doesn't. Even though flight supposedly evolved separately in insects, reptiles, and mammals (bats), not one transitional fossil has ever been found between a flying creature and its alleged ancestor. Scientists have discovered fossils of flying beetles which are millions of years old, yet they look exactly the same as they do today. It is the same for other life forms. Consider, if you will, what good would it do to have arms or legs evolve into wings SLOWLY -- before they were fully operational (good neither for running, grasping, or flying), and if that is what happened, why doesn't the fossil record show any transitional life forms? But if they evolved into wings SUDDENLY, how could the creature survive, and learn a new way to capture food, or even know how to transport himself [Gish, pg 38]?
Miscellaneous Things Supporting Creation
There is a lot of evidence supporting creation. According to the theory of natural selection which the evolutionists cling to, everything that evolves must have a purpose or it would not have evolved in the first place (random chance produces a characteristic, but survival of the fittest ensures its existence). Thus, they can't explain the hidden beauty that many life forms exhibit, like the inside of a sea shell. Supposedly life evolved from non-living matter, to living matter, to one-celled creatures, to fish, to amphibians, to reptiles, and finally to mammals; so evolutionists can't explain the origin of whales or dolphins (mammals that live in the sea). If the earth rotated at a 1/10 slower speed, the days would be so hot that all life would be burned to a crisp. If the earth's crust was any thicker, it would absorb more oxygen, and leave only carbon dioxide, thus preventing life. If the earth had only a two degree higher average temperature, all the glaciers would melt, thus submerging the globe. Hurricanes are created when very cold air meets very hot air; so if the earth wasn't tilted on its axis, it would be so cold at the poles and so hot in the center that hurricanes would rip across the globe preventing life of any kind. The probability of life just coming into existence has been calculated at (using generous figures) one chance in ten to the 280th power [Morris Scientific pg 63]. If we evolved from a one-celled creature, why or how did some of us evolve into the male sex and some into the female sex? If evolution were true, there would be such a blending together of life-forms you couldn't tell the dogs from the cats due to all the cogs and dats running around.
Summary for Creation
Lets sum up some of the things we have covered about creation. An overwhelming amount of evidence refutes evolution and supports supernatural creation. The geologic column, the fossil record, the age of the earth, the absence of any transitional fossils, the fact that dinosaurs and men existed at the same time, the origin of flight, and many other miscellaneous facts listed in this book all point towards creation. The fact that the creationists have won so many debates with the evolutionists is extremely important in adding to the credibility of the creationists' theory; because these debates were discussed among men and women who are experts in their field.
There is enough evidence to prove God's existence from creation alone, but there is additional evidence also.
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JESUS EXISTED, AND IS GODS SON
This section shows evidence(s) about Jesus Christ, His existence, and His claim that He was God.
Jesus Was A Liar, A Lunatic, Or Lord & God
C. S. Lewis, author, and professor at Cambridge University (at one time an atheist) wrote, "I am trying here to prevent the one foolish thing many people often say about Jesus, 'I can accept Jesus as a good moral teacher, but not as God.'" That is one thing we cannot say. Jesus claimed to be God. If this wasn't true, saying it (along with the other statements He made) would mean He shouldn't be considered a good moral teacher. There are only 3 choices we have for Jesus: 1 He was wrong and he knew it (liar); 2 He was wrong, but thought he was God (lunatic); or, 3 He actually was Lord and God [McDowell, Evidence pg 103]. So the choices include liar, lunatic, or Lord; if He was a liar or lunatic He should not be considered a good moral teacher. There is no disputing the fact that there was a man named Jesus who lived.
Jesus Lived
F. F. Bruce, Professor at the University of Manchester writes "It is not historians who propagate a Christ-myth theory, for the historicity of Jesus Christ is as automatic for any unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar" [McDowell, Evidence pg 81]. Some of the non-Biblical sources for the historicity of Jesus Christ include Roman historian, Cornelious Tacitus (112 AD); Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus (103 AD); Roman historian, Suetonius (120 AD); governor of Bithynia, Plinius Secundus (112 AD); jurist/theologian, Tertullian (197 AD). The list could go on and on [McDowell, Evidence ch 5]. manuscripts have been discovered that speak about a man named Jesus -- official documents that Pilate wrote to Caesar [Archo pg14]. The book just referenced, The Archo Volume, is a book full of information about Jesus. Although it is no longer in print, I'm sure you can find some copies in the bookstores.
The Archo Volume
The Archo Volume is a 245 page book that contains letters between Pilate and Caesar; Valleus's notes to Pilate about the arrest trial and crucifixion of Jesus; Gamaliel's interviews with Joseph and Mary, and others about Jesus; Jonathan's interviews with some Bethlehem shepherds; and more. All of these are non-biblical documents which testify about the existence of Jesus. Let me list the table of contents. Chapter 1) How these records were discovered. Chapter 2) A short sketch of the Talmuds. Chapter 3) Constantine's letter in regard to having fifty copies of the Scriptures written and bound. Chapter 4) Jonathan's interview with Bethlehem shepherds; letter of Melker, Priest of the Synagogue at Bethlehem. Chapter 5) Gamaliel's interview with Joseph and Mary and others concerning Jesus. Chapter 6) Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the execution of Jesus. Chapter 7) Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the resurrection of Jesus. Chapter 8) Pilate's report to Caesar of the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. Chapter 9) Herod's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to the execution of John the Baptist. Chapter 10) Herod's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to his conduct at Bethlehem [Archo pg 1-245].
Miracles Jesus Performed
A further proof that Jesus was God is seen by looking at the miracles that He performed. The time and place in which Jesus lived was not characterized by superstition and gullibility, but by learning and skepticism. This means that the miracles recorded in the Bible (witnessed by thousands of people) should be considered true. It is said that when Jesus came, "His fame spread all throughout Syria; they brought unto Him all sick people taken with diseases, and all that were possessed with devils and He healed them." (Mat 4:24). Some examples of these miracles are: Jesus giving sight to a blind man (Mrk 8:22); Jesus healing ten lepers (Luk 17:11), raising Lazarus from the dead (Jn 11:1), and causing a fig tree to die just by speaking to it (Mat 21:17). He also calmed the sea (Luk 8:25), walked upon the water (Mar 6:48), turned water into wine (Jn 2:7-9), and fed 5000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes (Mat 14:17-21), and many many other things as well (see appendix B) [Morris, Many pg 73]. The miracles that Jesus performed prove that God exists, and that Jesus is God. How many people do you know can walk on water, bring dead people back to life, or heal people of their sicknesses?
The Miracles At Calvary
Many things happened at the time of Jesus' death on the cross. These things would have been common knowledge to multitudes of people and if they were not true would have surely been disputed. Events such as the sky becoming dark in the middle of the day, the temple curtain being torn in half signifying that anyone who believed in Jesus had access to God, and a great earthquake: these events occurred and were witnessed by thousands of people. Matthew 27:45 says, "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." Matthew 27:51 says, "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent." Matthew 27:54 says, "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God" [Morris, Many pg 73].
Prophecy About Jesus
Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies written at least 250 years before his birth. The chance of any one person fulfilling only 8 of these prophecies is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (1 in 10 to the 17th power). Even a skeptic should realize that's so improbable it must be supernatural. Now that is a very small number, lets see how small: Suppose we take 10 to the 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas; they will cover the entire state of Texas two feet thick. Now lets put an X on one of the silver dollars, mix them all up, and get a blind man to pick one. The chance that he will get the one with the X is 1 in 10 to the 17th power [McDowell, Evidence, pg 107]. Not only was His virgin birth foretold of, but also the details of His sufferings on the cross; His betrayal; His mock trial; the fact that He wouldn't speak any words to defend Himself; the gambling of the Roman guards to see who would take home His cloak; and how He was beaten in the face so badly you couldn't recognize Him. And a hundred other things too. (Also see: Prophecy in general, in THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE section; and appendix C.).
The Resurrection
The resurrection is perhaps the most important event which proves Christ's divinity (and the Bible's credibility). Jesus was born, lived 33 years, and died. Three executioners signed his death certificate. His body was wrapped in a burial cloth mixed with about one hundred pounds of spices. The Romans had heard the rumor about the Messiah coming back to life, and knew what problems it would cause if it came true. They took every precaution against it happening. The tomb was actually a cave. A large stone was placed in front of its entrance. The tomb was sealed with a seal (probably a cord was stretched across it and sealed with a wax stamp at each end). Ten to thirty armed guards guarded it, knowing they could be put to death if anything went wrong. However, three days later the tomb was empty, and He was seen alive by more than five hundred people (I Cor 15:6). It should be noted that the stone placed in front of Jesus' tomb was so large that it required several men to carry it. Not only was the wax seal broken and the stone pushed aside, but it was moved up the road completely away from the entrance of the tomb. In addition to this, the tomb wasn't empty but still contained the grave clothes that Jesus was buried in (these were still wrapped up, as if the person inside had simply disappeared)[McDowell, Evidence ch 10].
Jesus' Life, Death, and Resurrection Were Not Refuted
The writers of the New Testament were eye-witnesses of what they recorded. The fact that they wrote the manuscripts during the time the enemies of Christ were alive (and could prove whether the things they said were true or not) should be further proof that what was said/written was true. We don't have a record of any refutation as to the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Christ. The Bible says that after His death and resurrection Jesus was seen alive by more then 500 people; I Corinthians 15:5-8 says, "And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."
Jesus' Character
Not only did Jesus live, perform miracles, fulfill prophecy, die, and resurrect from the dead, He was also of impeccable character. This includes even when he was a child; Jesus' mother said, "Jesus would eat anything set before him, and if anyone else would complain he would say it was good enough, more then we deserved. Joseph was often hard to please, but Jesus had answered him so often, and his answers were so mild yet suitable that he had almost broken him of finding any fault." She also said, "... even as a boy Jesus would settle all the family disputes..." [Archo pg 84]. Anyone who has read the Bible or studied the life of Jesus knows many miraculous things about Him. He was always master of every situation, taking exactly the right action to fit every circumstance. He never had to seek advice. He never had to apologize after He acted because His actions were always appropriate. He never had to ask permission, since He never said or did anything amiss. He was never fearful of anything, and could be overpoweringly bold when the occasion arose. Yet at the same time He was humble and meek. His words were always perfectly chosen to fit the need: never banal or trivial, always relevant and meaningful. He never complained about His circumstances, in spite of weariness, hunger, persecution, or rejection. Instead, He continually offered comfort and encouragement to others. He was equally confident and authoritative whether with friends or enemies, common people or authority figures. He was never flustered or confused about what to say regardless of His company or circumstances [Morris, Many pg 66]. Besides His character, His knowledge of the Scriptures was amazing (He could read, and He knew the scriptures even though He had no formal training of any kind). Jonathan conducted an interview with a Jewish priest who knew Jesus personally. The priest said, "Sometimes when quoting the prophets he would misquote them or forget exactly how the scrolls went, but Jesus would always know exactly how they went and would often correct him, and that never once was Jesus wrong" [Archo pg 91-92]. The Bible says that Jesus was one who spoke with authority (Mat 7:29), for example, while reading from the Old Testament Scriptures about the prophesied Messiah, Jesus closed the book and said, "Today in your eyes this scripture is fulfilled." (Luk ch 4).
The Disciples
Also important is the fact that eleven of the twelve apostles died a martyr's death for no other reason than for being followers of Jesus Christ. If the death and resurrection of Jesus was a hoax, then these men must have known it, and would not have chosen to die such horrible deaths.
Summary for Jesus
Let's sum up some of the things we have covered about Jesus. Historians will support the fact that Jesus existed. Jesus was, in fact, either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord and God. Not only did He perform many miracles, but He also fulfilled many prophecies. Jesus responded correctly in every circumstance, was never fearful, and always acted with authority. His life, death, and resurrection have never been refuted. His disciples, and the resurrection support the fact that Jesus was God. There is even more evidence that shows the Bible to be true.
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THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE
This next section discusses the reliability of the Bible, and why it should be trusted as being true. The material you read in this section, combined with the information you just read supporting creation, and the information you have read about Jesus should be enough evidence to convince even the most fervent skeptic that God is real.
The Bible Is Historically Correct
The Bible has NEVER contradicted any historical fact that's ever been discovered. This should add to its credibility; it means that there is every reason to believe it true in its entirety. The Bible does not claim to be a book of science, yet not one scientific piece of data contradicts it. The Bible does not claim to be a history book, yet not one historical piece of evidence has ever contradicted it; the Bible does not claim to be a physics book, yet not one piece of physical data contradicts it. In the thousands of years of man's discoveries, not one thing has ever been found which contradicts the Bible. Sometimes the Bible even goes beyond man's knowledge: a long time ago man used to think the world was flat, but the Bible has always said it was round. Isaiah 40:22 says "He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth..."
Science, Archaeology, And The Bible
"Scientists Part The Red Sea," this was the name of an article I saw in Bible Archaeology Review recently. Doron Nof, Professor of Oceanography At Florida State University; and Nathan Paldor, Associate Professor of atmospheric sciences at Hebrew University have recreated (on paper) the parting of the Red Sea as it was experienced by Moses and the ancient Israelites (Exodus ch14). They found a shallow portion of the Red Sea, and have calculated that a 40 mile-per hour wind, blowing for 12 to 19 hours would have lowered the sea level by 10 feet, if their was a ridge submerged below the surface it would trap some of the blowing water, thus water would be on both sides of the ridge as is stated in the Biblical account; while the wind blew it would allow the Israelites to cross, then when/if the wind stopped the returning water would rush back to its original level 10 feet higher, thus drowning the attacking Egyptian army. [Bible Archaeology Sept/Oct, 1992, pg 25].
Archaeologists regularly use the Bible as a guide or a road-map to find their dig sites. Arabian oil was first discovered because of the Bible. A man was reading about pitch being used to make Noah's Ark watertight. He thought, where there's pitch, there's oil. He calculated the approximate location where Noah would have sealed the Ark, erected an oil well, and discovered oil.
Matthew Maury was in the U. S. Navy between 1841 and 1861. He was reading the book of Psalms in the Bible (chapter 8), and noticed the words "paths in the sea." He pondered this and decided to review the journals and diaries of the captains of various sea-going ships. He discovered that some journeys took weeks to complete and other journeys of the same distance only days. This eventually led to sea and wind currents being discovered. There actually are "paths" in the sea. [Gish, Duane, T, Impact #219].
Critics have stated many times that Moses and the ancient Israelis could not have written such a structured book as Deuteronomy, but archaeologists have now discovered the Ebla Tablets. These clay tablets show structured writing (many of their laws and codes are similar to those found in the book of Deuteronomy), and they pre-date the book of Deuteronomy.
Critics have also mocked the Christian scholars, claiming that the Old Testament is not factual because (among other things) it speaks about the Hittite people and there is no Non-biblical evidence about them. Recently however discoveries have been made supporting the existence of the Hittite people. In fact, you can now go to Harvard and study the Hittite language.
In 1992 archaeologist Emmanuel Anati discovered some artifacts from what he thought was the location that Moses and the Israelites called Mt. Sanai - a place where the Israelites worshiped God as soon as they crossed the Red Sea. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb, 1993, pg 38].
Archaeologists have discovered the home of Judas Iscariot - the person who delivered Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb 1993 pg 40].
When the Philistines captured 'The Ark of The Covenant' one of the cities they took it to was the ancient city of EKRON (I Samuel 5:10), archaeologists have discovered that city, and uncovered many artifacts. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb 1993 pg 41].
Archaeologists have also unearthed SEPPHORIS - the city where the mother of Jesus was born. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb 1993 pg 41].
Archaeologists have found the burial grave of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Jewish High Priest before who interrogated Jesus shortly before his Crucifixion. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb, 1993, pg 21].
We can see then that archaeology confirms the Bible's truth.
Noah's Ark
Speaking of archaeology, a 10,000 pound ship has been discovered on the top of Mt. Ararat. If the Bible is true, this would be approximately the area Noah's Ark would have come to rest when the Genesis flood-waters receded. The discovery of the Ark of Noah is more then conformation of a children's Sunday-School story, it means that the Genesis flood as it is recorded in the Bible is true. There is empirical evidence that a ship exists, consider the following. In 1853 three Englishmen were shown the ark by two Armenian natives. In 1883 Turkish avalanche investigators discovered the ark while investigating a recent avalanche. In 1902 & 1904 Gorgie, an Armenian immigrant who escaped the turmoil following World War I saw the Ark twice as a teenager; he died in 1972 but his comments and interviews are available on tape. In 1917 six Turkish soldiers discovered the Ark when they were on their journey home after service in Baghdad. During World War II many sightings of the Ark were reported by pilots (Austrian, Russian, & American); in fact, Two American pilots photographed the ship and the photo was displayed in the Tunisia edition of the Stars & Stripes. The above examples are but just a few. [Morris, John, Impact #22].
Belief In The Bible
Most of the writers of the Bible were eye-witnesses of what they recorded. II Peter 1:16 says "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were EYE-WITNESSES of his majesty." Plus, they appealed to the knowledge of the hearer/reader. Acts 2:22 says "Men of Israel listen to these words; Jesus, a man who worked miracles in your midst just as YOU YOURSELVES KNOW..." There were many other events such as these. Keep in mind that there were many enemies against the Christian faith, and if the writers of the New Testament were not accurate, the enemies of the Christians surely would have pointed it out, and we would have some record of it.
The Bible is Unique
Let's take a moment to see just how unique the Bible really is! The Bible is not one book, but a compilation of 66 books that were written at different times.
1. It was written over a 1500 year period of time.
2. It was written by over 40 different authors: fishermen, generals, herdsmen, kings, doctors, tax collectors, and many others.
3. It was written on three continents.
4. It was written in three different languages.
5. Some of it was written in time of war, some in time of peace,
6. Some of it was written in times of joy, others in times of sorrow.
7. It was written in different places: in the castle, in the dungeon, in the city, and in the wilderness, etc.
8. The writers of the Bible wrote about hundreds of different subjects.
The Bible covers all these things, yet when it is brought together it harmonizes completely [McDowell, Evidence pg 16].
Miracles in The Bible
Prophecy can be defined as a foretelling of a future event; a miracle, on the other hand, is a supernatural event which defies the known laws of the universe. The American Heritage Dictionary says a miracle is "An event that appears unexplainable by the laws of nature and so is held to be a supernatural act of God." Not only did Jesus perform miracles and fulfill prophecies, but the Bible contains thousands of prophecies and miracles within its pages not performed by Jesus. Both prophecies and miracles are PROOF of God. See appendix A, B, and C, for a partial list of them.
Prophecy in the Bible
Even though all of the prophecies in the Bible have not come true yet (e.g. the ones about the end of the world), never once have any of them been wrong. This alone should give the Bible enough credibility to be believed. It should be noted that Jewish prophets not only made predictions about the distant future, but also things which were to happen in their lifetime. If they were not 100% correct they would be put to death and their prophecies ignored (either they were from God or they were dead). Actually 2/3rds of the Bible at the time it was written was prophetic. (Also see prophecy about Jesus in the JESUS EXISTED section; and appendix C).
For Further Information About Prophecy
Appendix A, B, and C at the back of this book list some prophecies and miracles Jesus performed; I recommend getting out your Bible and looking at some of them. (If you don't have a bible, you can check one out at your local library). To examine in depth all the prophecies the Bible contains is beyond the scope of this book. However, many books have been written dealing exclusively with this subject.
The New Testament Manuscripts
Let's examine just how the Bible was written. The New Testament was not translated from one manuscript. There are over 24,000 original manuscript copies of the New Testament. Most of them were written within 100 years of Christ's death, and they all agree with each other. There is more manuscript evidence for the New Testament than any other 10 pieces of ancient literature combined [McDowell, Evidence].
You Don't Even Need The Manuscripts
Actually, you don't even have to use the manuscripts in order to write the New Testament. It can be reconstructed using only the writings and sermons of the first century pastors (all but twenty verses).
The Old Testament Manuscripts
That covers the New Testament, but what about the Old Testament? When the Old Testament Scrolls were getting old, illegible, and worn out the Jews would make new ones. As I just stated there are 24,000 original manuscript copies of the New Testament. The reason that we don't have more Old Testament Manuscripts is that after the Jews copied them from the old copy to the new copy, the old manuscript was destroyed. To show you how meticulous they were when translating them, consider this: 1.They could only be copied onto the skins of kosher animals. 2.The copyist had to be in full Jewish dress while he was translating the manuscript. 3.If he was writing God's name and someone entered the room, the copyist couldn't even acknowledge him until he had finished writing the name of God. 4.Between each letter there had to be a space the exact width of a hair (no more, no less): if not the copyist had to throw away what he had done and start all over from the beginning. 5.Once the copying was completed, every letter was counted to be sure the copy matched the original. The copy was then given higher authority and the old document was destroyed [McDowell, Evidence, pg 53].
The Dead-sea Scrolls
The Dead-Sea Scrolls are some Old Testament Manuscripts that were written between 70-150 BC They remained untouched until 1947, when they were discovered; they translate almost word for word as today's version of the Bible; so anyone who says "The Bible has been translated and re-translated so many times it's no longer accurate" is mistaken.
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If a person looked at the evidence about the Bible in an un-biased manner, he or she would have to conclude that it was true.
CONCLUSION
It is my hope that reading this book has convinced you that the God of the Bible is real, that Jesus Christ existed and is God's Son, and the Bible is reliable and true. Let's see what we covered.
GOD, NOT EVOLUTION, CREATED THE WORLD
1. The law of thermodynamics and the laws of physics support a created universe.
2. Proofs of a young earth support a non-evolutionary process.
3. The fossil record itself supports a non-evolutionary process.
4. The geologic column does not prove evolution.
5. There are many miscellaneous facts which suggest creation, and refute evolution.
JESUS EXISTED, AND IS GOD'S SON
6. Historians will support the fact that Jesus existed.
7. Jesus performed many miracles.
8. The miracles at Calvary go undisputed.
9. The odds that one person would fulfill 8 of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000; however Jesus fulfilled not 8 prophecies, but over 300 of them.
10. Jesus responded correctly in every circumstance, was never fearful, and always acted with authority.
11. His life death and resurrection have never been refuted.
12. His disciples and His resurrection support the fact that Jesus was God.
THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE
13. The Dead Sea scrolls show the Bible to be translated accurately.
14. There are thousands of original New Testament Manuscripts.
15. The way the Jews preserved the Old Testament Manuscripts was incredible.
16. The writers of the New Testament were eye-witnesses of what they wrote.
17. The Bible is a very unique book.
18. Prophecy confirms the Bible to be true; 2/3rds of the Bible is prophetic; remember, the writers of these prophecies were killed if they were not 100% correct.
19. Archaeology confirms the Bible to be true.
20. Noah's Ark exists.
If the Bible is in fact true (and I think I have shown that it , then what it says is true. It states that there is a literal hell and a literal heaven; that the only way to heaven is through belief in Jesus Christ. This would apply to anyone no matter how good or bad a person was, if they believed in Jesus (and followed His teachings) they would go to heaven for eternity. However if they did not believe in Jesus they would go to Hell for eternity.
If you have read this booklet and are convinced that Jesus is who He said He was (the Son of God), and you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven. You need to do the following things.
1. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
2. Admit you have sinned.
3. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins.
Romans 10:9 says "if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved." 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." That's it. That's all you have to do. If you like you can ask God to make Himself known to you; He will.
4. Well one more thing Click here
APPENDIX A
The Bible is a book full of miracles: here are some of them.
Creation (Gen 1, Heb 11:3, Psa 104, Job 26:8, Prov 8).
Enoch's Translation (Gen 5:19-24, Heb 11:5, Jude 14, Jude 15).
The Flood of Noah (Gen 7:9-12 7:17-24 8:2, Mat 24:37-39, Heb 11:7, 1Pet 3:20, 2Pet 2:5).
The Plagued Pharaoh (Abram & Sari) (Gen 12:10-20).
Sarah's Conception (Gen 17:15-19 18:10-14 21:1-8).
The Blinded Sodomites (gen:19:9-11).
Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah (Gen 19:15-29, Mat 10:15, 2Pet 2:6, Jude 7, Isa 1:10-19, Ezk 16:49, Jer 49:18).
Lot's Wife (Gen 19:24-29, Luke 17:28-32).
Hagar's Well (Gen 21:14-19).
The Burning Bush (Exo 3:1-14, Deut 33:16, Mar 12:26, Luk 20:37).
Moses' Rod (Exo 4:1-5 7:8-13, 2Tim 3:8).
Moses' Leprous Hand (Exo 4:6-12).
The Plagues of Moses:
....The Nile River (Exo 7:14-24, Psa 78:44, Psa 105:29).
....The Frogs (Exo 8:1-6, Psa 78:45, Psa 105:30).
....The Lice (Exo 8:16-19, Psa 105:31).
....The Flies (Exo 8:20-31, Psa 78:45, Psa 105:31).
....Egypt's Dead Cattle (Exo 9:1-7).
....God Plagues The Egyptians With Boils (Exo 9:8-11).
....The Hailstorm (Exo 9:13-25).
....The Locusts (Exo 10:1-20).
....The Darkness (Exo 10:21-29, Psa 105:28).
....Death of the Firstborn (Exo 11, Exo 12:29-33, Psa 78:51).
The Cloud & the Fire (Exo 13:21-22, Exo 40:34-38, Psa 78:14).
The Red Sea Parted (Exo 14:21-31).
Marah's Healing Waters (Ex 15:22-27, Num 33:8).
Manna From Heaven (Ex 16:1-5, Num 11:1-9, Neh 9:15-20, Josh 5:12, Ps 78:20-25 Ps 105:40, John 16:22-59).
The Brazen Serpent (Num 21:4-9, 2King 18:4).
Balam's Talking Ass (Num 22:20-35).
Walls of Jericho (Josh 6:5, Josh 6:14-16).
The Sun Standing Still (Josh 10:12-15, Isa 28:21).
An Ax Head Floated (2King 6:4-6).
Zacharias (John The Baptist Father) (Luk 1).
Jesus' Baptism (Mat 3:16-17, Mar 1:9-12, Luk 3:21-23, John 1).
These miracles (and more) can be found in:
All The Miracles of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer.
APPENDIX B
Some of the miracles of Jesus.
Jesus Baptism (Mat 3:16-17, Mk 1:9-12, Luk 3:21-23, Jn 1).
Jesus Turned Water Into Wine (John 2:5-11).
Jesus Healed Impotent Man (John 5:1-9).
Jesus Healed Man Born Blind (John 9:1-14).
Jesus Healed Peter's Mother-in-law (Mk 1:21-27).
Jesus Healed Man with Withered Hand (Mk 3:1-6)
Woman Touched the Hem of His Garment & was Healed (Luk 8:43-45).
Cast Out Demons & Healed Many Sick (Mat 8:16 and...).
Fed 5000 (Mk 6:37-43).
Fed 4000 (Mat 15:32-36).
Cleansed a Leper (Mat 8:1-4, Mk 1:40-45, Luk 5:12-15).
Healed the Centurion's Servant (Mat 8:5-13).
Widow's Son Back to Life (Luk 7:11-18).
Lazarus Back to Life (John 11:5-12:1).
Daughter Back to Life (Mk 5:35-43).
Walking on Water (Mat 14:22-36, Mk 6:45-54, John 6:15-21).
Healing Blind Man at Bethsaida (Mk 8:22-26).
The Transfiguration (Mat 17:1-13, Mk 9:1-13).
The Demonic Boy (Mat 17:14-21, Mk 9:14-20).
Jesus Got a Coin From a Fish's Mouth (Mat 17:21).
The Man Born Blind (Jn 9:1-7).
Healed the Man With Dropsy (Luk 14:1-4).
Raised Lazarus From the Dead (Jn 11:14-45).
Healed 10 Lepers (Luk 17:11-19).
Healed Blind Bartimaeus (Luk 18:35-43).
Jesus Cursed a Fig Tree, it Died (Mat 21:17-22, Mk 11).
Healed the Roman Soldier's Ear (Mat 26:51-56).
These miracles (and more) can be found in:
All The Miracles of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer.
APPENDIX C
Here Are Only Some Of The Prophecies Jesus Fulfilled
......................PREDICTION....FULFILLMENT
His Birth.............Isa 7:14,9:6..Luk 2:11
His Temptation........Deut 8:3......Mat 4:3-4
His Temptation........Psa 91:11-12..Mat 4:5-7
His Death Predicted...Isa 53:12.....Mar 15:27-28
His Betrayal..........Psa 41:9......Luk 22:47-48
Field of Blood........Zech 11:12-13.Acts 1:19,MAT 27:1-9
His Accusal and Trial.Psa 35:11.....Mar 14:57-59
His Accusal and Trial.Isa 53:7......Mar 14:4-5
Details of His Death..Psa 22:1......Mat 27:46
Details of His Death..Psa 38:11.....Luk 23:49
Details of His Death..Psa 31:5......Luk 23:46
Details of His Death..Amos 8:9......Mat 27:45
His Resurrection......Psa 16:8-10...Mat 28:5-7
His Resurrection......Isa 51:3......John 1:11;7:5;7:41
His Perfection........Isa 53:9......1Pet 2:22; Luk 23:41
His Omnipotence.......Gen 18:14.....Mat 19:26
His Omniscience.......Psa 139:2-4...John 2:24-25
His Omnipresence......Psa 139:7-10..Mat 18:20
His Humility..........Zech 9:9......Mat 21:5
His Atonement.........Lev 17:11.....Mat 26:28; John 1:29
His Throne............Psa 45:6......Luk 1:30-33
His Return............Psa 50:3-6....Mat 24:30
His Mission...........Isa 42:1,6,7..Mat 4:23; Luk 2:32
His Miracles..........Isa 35:5-6....Mat 11:4-5, John 21:25
His Willingness to Die.Psa 40:8.....Mat 26:39
His Sufferings........Isa 50:6,53:5.Luk 23:67
His Offer of Salvation.Zeph 3:17....Mat 1:21
These prophecies (and more) can be found in:
New Testament Prophecies of Old Testament Scriptures,
Barbour Books.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Archo Volume. (No longer in print), Keats Publishing, New Canaan, Conn.1975.
Bible Archaeology Review. 3000 Connecticut Ave, Suite 300, Washington DC, 20008. (a magazine published bimonthly)
Gish, Duane T. Dinosaurs, Those Terrible Lizards. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1977.
Gish, Duane T. Evolution, The Challenge of the Fossil Record. Creation-life Publishers. El Cajon, Ca. 1985.
Gish, Duane T. Impact Reprints, Institute For Creation Research, P.O. Box 2667, El Cajon, Ca.
92021. (impact # 219: 10 cents each).
Huse, Scott. The Collapse of Evolution. Baker Book House. Grand Rapids, Mich. 1983.
McDowell, Josh. Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Here's Life Publishers. San Bernardio, Ca. 1979.
McDowell, Josh. Reasons Skeptics should Consider Christianity. Tyndale House Publishers.1981.
Morris, John. Impact Reprints, Institute For Creation Research, P.O.Box 2667, El Cajon, Ca.
92021. (impact # 22: 10 cents each).
Morris, Henry. The Scientific Case for Creation. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1977.
Morris, Henry. Many Infallible Proofs. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1974.
Sunderland, Luther. Darwin's Enigma. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1988.
Willis, John. Law Professor, San Diego City College, Personal interview, Conducted 3/15/93.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER READING
If you're looking for evidence supporting the Bible's truth an excellent book is: Evidence That Demands a Verdict for about $8.00.You can find it in most Christian book stores by looking in the yellow pages under "Bookstores: Christian." It is hard to read, but contains a lot of information.
Historical evidence showing that Jesus existed is: The Archo Volume. It is no longer in print so you might have to call around for a copy.
A very good book for proving that supernatural creation has a higher degree of probability than evolution is: The Collapse of Evolution (for about $8.00) Obtained through Chick Publications Box 662 Chino CA 91710 (714) 987-0771
Another good book for proving that supernatural creation has a higher degree of probability than evolution is:The Scientific Case for Creation. (About $6.00) You can find it in most Christian book stores by looking in the yellow pages.
The last 2 books do a very good job refuting evolution, and they are easy reading, and easy to understand.
Written by Keith Mason
By
Keith Mason
Introduction
Most people are interested in what happens to them after they die: Do they cease to exist? Do they get reincarnated? Just what happens? The Bible tells us they go to heaven or hell. There are many things in the Bible that can be scientifically and historically proven, thus adding to it's credibility (the provable things and those things which must be accepted by faith were written by the same authors and at the same time).
The following text presents logical, tangible, historical, and empirical evidence which substantiates three things: 1 God (not evolution) created the earth; 2 Jesus Christ existed and is God's Son; and 3 the Bible is reliable, accurate, and true.
I have been a Christian for 12 years, and have read many books on evidence supporting the Bibles truth. This booklet includes the best parts of all of them. It takes about 20 minutes to read, and I think proves the accuracy and reliability of the Bible.
If you are a non-Christian, this booklet will hopefully convince you of these truths, and supply you with the evidence that you need to believe in them. If you are a Christian, this booklet will strengthen your faith, and show you why what you already know to be true is true.
The Hand of God
No matter how much evidence is produced, if a person doesn't want to believe in God he/she won't. However, there is a lot of evidence that supports the truth of the Bible. God said: "Those who seek Me with their whole heart will find Me." (Jer 29:13). The author of this booklet hopes that you will read it with an open mind, and not hold on to any pre-conceived ideas, but carefully consider the evidence that is presented.
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THE EARTH WAS CREATED BY GOD
This section contains evidence that shows that supernatural creation has a higher degree of probability than evolution.
The Universe: How Did it Happen?
There are only three possibilities for the existence of the universe.
1) IT EMERGED SPONTANEOUSLY OUT OF NOTHING. However, one of the basic laws of physics says that something cannot come from nothing. Therefore it couldn't have emerged spontaneously from nothing.
2) IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE. That defies the 2nd law of thermodynamics, and the law of increasing entropy. These state that the universe is constantly decaying, and that things automatically go from order to disorder. However, if it was eternal and has always been there, it would be re-generating itself, not deteriorating. Therefore it couldn't have always been there [Morris Scientific, pg 43].
3) IT WAS CREATED. I think this is the most logical choice, and that is what the remainder of this article will address.
The Big Bang
Many scientist/evolutionists believe in a Big Bang Theory, which says all of the matter present in the universe today was once in a plasma ball of electrons, photons, positrons, and neutrinos (no explanation is given about how it got there). Scientists say that 15 billion years ago this huge cosmic ball exploded. Living-matter was somehow formed. This matter developed the ability to see, hear, and smell, and eventually grew arms and legs (although at first they were fins). And after millions of years of evolution here we are. Here we are, with our three-pound brain composed of twelve billion neurons, which make 120 trillion various connections [Gish, pg 4]. That is like saying a bomb exploded in a junkyard, and put together a running automobile.
Macro-evolution vs. Micro-evolution
Just what do I mean when I talk about evolution? There are two forms of evolution - Macro-evolution and Micro-evolution. Micro-evolution isn't what the creationists' object to, in fact they believe in it. It's Macro-evolution they don't believe in. Micro-evolution is a variation within a species. An example of Micro-evolution would be giraffes evolving from having short necks into giraffes having long necks. The giraffes with long necks are able to survive and reproduce because they can reach more food, but the giraffes with short necks die off. Macro-evolution, on the other hand, is one distinct species turning into another distinct species (e.g. reptiles turning into birds, fish into amphibians, or apes into men, etc...). In this book, when I refer to "evolution," I mean Macro-evolution.
Fact or Theory
Many people believe that evolution is a scientifically proven fact, and that creation is only a theory (not even a credible theory because it is only posed by a bunch of right wing Christian fanatics). This is simply not true. Evolution is not a proven fact, and certainly not a scientifically proven fact. The scientific approach for examining facts and determining truth is done in five steps. 1st) An observation is made. 2nd) A hypothesis is formed. 3rd) Data is gathered. 4th) The hypothesis is tested in light of the data, and 5th) if the hypothesis passes the test, it becomes a theory. However, new data is constantly being discovered and the hypothesis re-tested. This data either supports the theory or disproves it, but never proves the theory as a fact (for future data could be gathered which disproves it). If there is no way of testing or falsifying the hypothesis, the theory isn't accepted by the scientific community. George Galord Simpson, a notable scientist himself, has said, "It is inherent that statements which cannot be checked by observation are not really about anything, or at the very least they are not science." (Gish 1985: 12). Usually the event in question is repeated, and these five steps are used to determine its truthfulness. Events in history cannot be repeated, so they cannot be verified by the scientific method. This alone indicates that the theory of evolution, far from being a fact, is not even a valid scientific theory. The question that needs to be answered is: "Does the majority of evidence support creation, or evolution?" Hundreds of scientists and college professors have had to admit that they could be wrong about thinking that evolution is a fact [Sunderland, pg 8].
The Debates
These same scientists and professors have publicly debated with creation-scientists literally hundreds of times and have lost these debates virtually every time. As a result, they have been told by their colleagues to no longer debate the creation-scientists [Sunderland, pg 8]. This is extremely important, because these debates were discussed between men and women who are experts in their field.
The Earth: How Did it Happen
The evolutionist theory says that the earth is billions of years old and we are the product of evolution, but the creationist theory says, "In the beginning God created...." The Bible says that this creation happened in 6 days. It is impossible for both of these theories to be true, so evidence refuting one must support the other and vice versa [Morris, Many pg 9]. As we shall see in a moment, there is a lot of evidence refuting evolution, and supporting creation.
The Earth's Age
Some of the evidence refuting evolution comes from examining the age of the earth itself. A vast amount of time is needed for evolution to be true. An evolutionist will tell you that the earth is 4 to 5 billion years old [Gish, pg 47]. Carbon dating and potassium-argon dating are usually the two methods evolutionists' use for dating the earth, but these methods are not always accurate. Carbon dating methods have rated a snail shell at 2,300 years old, yet it was known to have died shortly before the examination, and evolutionists have dated rocks from Hawaiian lava flows (known to be only 200 years old) at 3 billion years old using the Potassium-argon dating method [Huse, pg 29]. Not only are these dating methods inaccurate, but there are many other things which indicate a young earth. In his book The Collapse of Evolution, Scott Huse dedicates an entire chapter giving evidence for a young earth. Here are some of his examples. The earth's magnetic field is getting weaker every year. If the earth was as old as evolutionists say, we wouldn't have a magnetic field left; in fact, according to our magnetic field the maximum age limit of the Earth is 10,000 years. Natural gas is contained underground and is under pressure; the ground could only contain this gas for about 10,000 years. Evidence suggests that the Earth and moon were formed at the same time; if they are 4 to 5 billion years old, like the evolutionists say, then dust particles that come from space would have made the moon's ground 182 feet thick in dust alone (this was the reason for equipping the lunar shuttle with such large landing pads). Due to the magnetic forces of the sun and moon, the earth's rotation is slowing down, and if the earth was as old as the evolutionists say it is it would have stopped dead in space years ago. The moon is receding from the earth every year, and according to the evolutionary theory, should be much farther away [Huse chap 1]. In The Scientific Case for Creation, Henry Morris uses the following methods to date the earth.
Dating Method .........................................Years Old
Development of total human population......................4,000
Growth of oldest living part of the biosphere..............5,000
Decay of the earth's magnetic field.......................10,000
Influx of radiocarbon into earth system...................10,000
Influx of uranium into the oceans via rivers..............50,000
Influx of carbonate into the oceans......................100,000
Efflux of helium-4 into the atmosphere...................175,000
Accumulation of dust on the moon.........................200,000
Leaching of chlorine from the continents...............1,000,000
Erosion of sediment from continents...................10,000,000
He also uses sixty other methods to date the earth; most of them range from 5,000 to ten million years old, not billions of years old like the evolutionists would like us to believe [Morris, Scientific, pgs 55-59]. There are many other scholarly men who also favor a young age for the earth (see Gish pgs 19-20).
The Geologic Column
Because absolute dating methods vary so much, evolutionists often use index fossils and the geologic column to obtain their dates. I am assuming the reader knows what a fossil is. The geologic column is the layering of the earth's surface -- if you have seen the side of the Grand Canyon you have seen an example of the geologic column. Usually the smaller and simpler fossils are found at the lower levels of the earth's surface. The evolutionists say that thousands of years elapsed between each layer, and use it as proof of evolution. They say the simpler life forms (at the lower levels) evolved into the more complex life forms (at the higher levels). However, some scientists say thousands of years separate each layer in the geologic column, therefore it proves that evolution is true, while other scientists say evolution is true, therefore it proves that thousands of years separate each layer in the geologic column [Morris Scientific, pg 37]. This is circular reasoning, and does not prove anything. A world-wide flood recorded in Genesis) could do as well to explain why the smaller and simpler life forms are found at the lower levels of the earth's crust; it was because they were less mobile and were not able to move to higher elevations when the world was flooded [Morris Scientific, pgs 36-38]. A flood would also explain why geologists find so many indications of marine life (including their fossils) in dry land areas.
The Fossil Record
More evidence refuting evolution comes from the fossil record itself. If evolution were true, the fossil record should support it, but it best supports the creation theory. The fossil record actually shows that life forms came into existence suddenly and fully formed without any transitional forms [Huse, pg 12]. After 120 years and 100 million fossils, not one transitional fossil has been discovered between a species and its alleged ancestor [Sunderland, pg 9]. The fins of fish, which supposedly evolved into the amphibians' arms and legs, are only embedded in its flesh tissue, not in its skeletal structure, so they could not have become the animal's arms or legs [Gish, pg 73]. Some squashed trilobite fossils have been found in human footprint fossils even though evolutionists say trilobites were extinct 230 million years before man came into existence [Huse, pg 28]. Evolutionists have been searching for the missing link between apes and men for hundreds of years, yet have never found it. The remains of the alleged PILTDOWN MAN were discovered in 1912 by an armchair fossilologist. He brought some bones and artifacts to the British Museum, and said he had discovered them in a gravel pit near Piltdown, England. Anthropologists dated the remains at 500,000 years old. Everything was fine until 1956 when the bones were re-examined; tests showed that the jawbone was from a 50 year old ape, and that some of the teeth had been filed down to fool the experts [Huse, pg 100]. NEBRASKA MAN, discovered in 1925, was hailed by scientists as the oldest living man (1 million years old). He was completely constructed from one tooth. Later it was discovered that it was the tooth of an extinct pig [Huse, pg 97]. LUCY was an anthropoid discovered in Ethiopia by D. C. Johnson while he was listening to the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." She was supposed to be half ape and half man, yet walk upright. However the bone that was used to determine that she walked upright, the femur, was crushed completely, so she probably didn't walk upright after all [Huse, pg 102]. These fossils did not prove a thing, and no transitional fossils have been discovered, but you might say, "Doesn't the fossil record prove that dinosaurs existed, yet die out millions of years before man?"
Dinosaurs
The fossil record does prove that dinosaurs existed. However, the evolutionists say they died out billions of years before man existed, but creationists say that dinosaurs co-existed along with men. Generally, the creationists think that Noah brought baby dinosaurs aboard the Ark, but that the earth's climate changed so much after the genesis flood that they could not survive the change, and died out. In fact, pictographs of dinosaurs have been found on the walls of cave dwellings [Gish, Dinosaurs]. A possible reason for dinosaurs being so large is because reptiles continue to grow throughout their whole lifetime, and according to the Bible, life spans used to be much longer. The Bible contains a description of what could be a dinosaur. It says: "He moves his tail like a cedar tree..., his bones are as strong as iron..., behold he drinks up a river, surely he can draw up the Jordan into his mouth." (Job 40:15-23). Now with a tail as large as a cedar tree, this could not be an elephant or hippopotamus. In my opinion it couldn't be anything other than a dinosaur. If they were extinct billions of years before man, then how can we explain the cave drawings or the description that is in the Bible. In addition to this, flying creatures tend to disprove evolution.
The Origin of Flight
The origin of flight should provide an excellent case to prove evolution, but it doesn't. Even though flight supposedly evolved separately in insects, reptiles, and mammals (bats), not one transitional fossil has ever been found between a flying creature and its alleged ancestor. Scientists have discovered fossils of flying beetles which are millions of years old, yet they look exactly the same as they do today. It is the same for other life forms. Consider, if you will, what good would it do to have arms or legs evolve into wings SLOWLY -- before they were fully operational (good neither for running, grasping, or flying), and if that is what happened, why doesn't the fossil record show any transitional life forms? But if they evolved into wings SUDDENLY, how could the creature survive, and learn a new way to capture food, or even know how to transport himself [Gish, pg 38]?
Miscellaneous Things Supporting Creation
There is a lot of evidence supporting creation. According to the theory of natural selection which the evolutionists cling to, everything that evolves must have a purpose or it would not have evolved in the first place (random chance produces a characteristic, but survival of the fittest ensures its existence). Thus, they can't explain the hidden beauty that many life forms exhibit, like the inside of a sea shell. Supposedly life evolved from non-living matter, to living matter, to one-celled creatures, to fish, to amphibians, to reptiles, and finally to mammals; so evolutionists can't explain the origin of whales or dolphins (mammals that live in the sea). If the earth rotated at a 1/10 slower speed, the days would be so hot that all life would be burned to a crisp. If the earth's crust was any thicker, it would absorb more oxygen, and leave only carbon dioxide, thus preventing life. If the earth had only a two degree higher average temperature, all the glaciers would melt, thus submerging the globe. Hurricanes are created when very cold air meets very hot air; so if the earth wasn't tilted on its axis, it would be so cold at the poles and so hot in the center that hurricanes would rip across the globe preventing life of any kind. The probability of life just coming into existence has been calculated at (using generous figures) one chance in ten to the 280th power [Morris Scientific pg 63]. If we evolved from a one-celled creature, why or how did some of us evolve into the male sex and some into the female sex? If evolution were true, there would be such a blending together of life-forms you couldn't tell the dogs from the cats due to all the cogs and dats running around.
Summary for Creation
Lets sum up some of the things we have covered about creation. An overwhelming amount of evidence refutes evolution and supports supernatural creation. The geologic column, the fossil record, the age of the earth, the absence of any transitional fossils, the fact that dinosaurs and men existed at the same time, the origin of flight, and many other miscellaneous facts listed in this book all point towards creation. The fact that the creationists have won so many debates with the evolutionists is extremely important in adding to the credibility of the creationists' theory; because these debates were discussed among men and women who are experts in their field.
There is enough evidence to prove God's existence from creation alone, but there is additional evidence also.
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JESUS EXISTED, AND IS GODS SON
This section shows evidence(s) about Jesus Christ, His existence, and His claim that He was God.
Jesus Was A Liar, A Lunatic, Or Lord & God
C. S. Lewis, author, and professor at Cambridge University (at one time an atheist) wrote, "I am trying here to prevent the one foolish thing many people often say about Jesus, 'I can accept Jesus as a good moral teacher, but not as God.'" That is one thing we cannot say. Jesus claimed to be God. If this wasn't true, saying it (along with the other statements He made) would mean He shouldn't be considered a good moral teacher. There are only 3 choices we have for Jesus: 1 He was wrong and he knew it (liar); 2 He was wrong, but thought he was God (lunatic); or, 3 He actually was Lord and God [McDowell, Evidence pg 103]. So the choices include liar, lunatic, or Lord; if He was a liar or lunatic He should not be considered a good moral teacher. There is no disputing the fact that there was a man named Jesus who lived.
Jesus Lived
F. F. Bruce, Professor at the University of Manchester writes "It is not historians who propagate a Christ-myth theory, for the historicity of Jesus Christ is as automatic for any unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar" [McDowell, Evidence pg 81]. Some of the non-Biblical sources for the historicity of Jesus Christ include Roman historian, Cornelious Tacitus (112 AD); Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus (103 AD); Roman historian, Suetonius (120 AD); governor of Bithynia, Plinius Secundus (112 AD); jurist/theologian, Tertullian (197 AD). The list could go on and on [McDowell, Evidence ch 5]. manuscripts have been discovered that speak about a man named Jesus -- official documents that Pilate wrote to Caesar [Archo pg14]. The book just referenced, The Archo Volume, is a book full of information about Jesus. Although it is no longer in print, I'm sure you can find some copies in the bookstores.
The Archo Volume
The Archo Volume is a 245 page book that contains letters between Pilate and Caesar; Valleus's notes to Pilate about the arrest trial and crucifixion of Jesus; Gamaliel's interviews with Joseph and Mary, and others about Jesus; Jonathan's interviews with some Bethlehem shepherds; and more. All of these are non-biblical documents which testify about the existence of Jesus. Let me list the table of contents. Chapter 1) How these records were discovered. Chapter 2) A short sketch of the Talmuds. Chapter 3) Constantine's letter in regard to having fifty copies of the Scriptures written and bound. Chapter 4) Jonathan's interview with Bethlehem shepherds; letter of Melker, Priest of the Synagogue at Bethlehem. Chapter 5) Gamaliel's interview with Joseph and Mary and others concerning Jesus. Chapter 6) Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the execution of Jesus. Chapter 7) Report of Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin concerning the resurrection of Jesus. Chapter 8) Pilate's report to Caesar of the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. Chapter 9) Herod's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to the execution of John the Baptist. Chapter 10) Herod's defense before the Roman Senate in regard to his conduct at Bethlehem [Archo pg 1-245].
Miracles Jesus Performed
A further proof that Jesus was God is seen by looking at the miracles that He performed. The time and place in which Jesus lived was not characterized by superstition and gullibility, but by learning and skepticism. This means that the miracles recorded in the Bible (witnessed by thousands of people) should be considered true. It is said that when Jesus came, "His fame spread all throughout Syria; they brought unto Him all sick people taken with diseases, and all that were possessed with devils and He healed them." (Mat 4:24). Some examples of these miracles are: Jesus giving sight to a blind man (Mrk 8:22); Jesus healing ten lepers (Luk 17:11), raising Lazarus from the dead (Jn 11:1), and causing a fig tree to die just by speaking to it (Mat 21:17). He also calmed the sea (Luk 8:25), walked upon the water (Mar 6:48), turned water into wine (Jn 2:7-9), and fed 5000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes (Mat 14:17-21), and many many other things as well (see appendix B) [Morris, Many pg 73]. The miracles that Jesus performed prove that God exists, and that Jesus is God. How many people do you know can walk on water, bring dead people back to life, or heal people of their sicknesses?
The Miracles At Calvary
Many things happened at the time of Jesus' death on the cross. These things would have been common knowledge to multitudes of people and if they were not true would have surely been disputed. Events such as the sky becoming dark in the middle of the day, the temple curtain being torn in half signifying that anyone who believed in Jesus had access to God, and a great earthquake: these events occurred and were witnessed by thousands of people. Matthew 27:45 says, "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." Matthew 27:51 says, "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent." Matthew 27:54 says, "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God" [Morris, Many pg 73].
Prophecy About Jesus
Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies written at least 250 years before his birth. The chance of any one person fulfilling only 8 of these prophecies is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (1 in 10 to the 17th power). Even a skeptic should realize that's so improbable it must be supernatural. Now that is a very small number, lets see how small: Suppose we take 10 to the 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas; they will cover the entire state of Texas two feet thick. Now lets put an X on one of the silver dollars, mix them all up, and get a blind man to pick one. The chance that he will get the one with the X is 1 in 10 to the 17th power [McDowell, Evidence, pg 107]. Not only was His virgin birth foretold of, but also the details of His sufferings on the cross; His betrayal; His mock trial; the fact that He wouldn't speak any words to defend Himself; the gambling of the Roman guards to see who would take home His cloak; and how He was beaten in the face so badly you couldn't recognize Him. And a hundred other things too. (Also see: Prophecy in general, in THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE section; and appendix C.).
The Resurrection
The resurrection is perhaps the most important event which proves Christ's divinity (and the Bible's credibility). Jesus was born, lived 33 years, and died. Three executioners signed his death certificate. His body was wrapped in a burial cloth mixed with about one hundred pounds of spices. The Romans had heard the rumor about the Messiah coming back to life, and knew what problems it would cause if it came true. They took every precaution against it happening. The tomb was actually a cave. A large stone was placed in front of its entrance. The tomb was sealed with a seal (probably a cord was stretched across it and sealed with a wax stamp at each end). Ten to thirty armed guards guarded it, knowing they could be put to death if anything went wrong. However, three days later the tomb was empty, and He was seen alive by more than five hundred people (I Cor 15:6). It should be noted that the stone placed in front of Jesus' tomb was so large that it required several men to carry it. Not only was the wax seal broken and the stone pushed aside, but it was moved up the road completely away from the entrance of the tomb. In addition to this, the tomb wasn't empty but still contained the grave clothes that Jesus was buried in (these were still wrapped up, as if the person inside had simply disappeared)[McDowell, Evidence ch 10].
Jesus' Life, Death, and Resurrection Were Not Refuted
The writers of the New Testament were eye-witnesses of what they recorded. The fact that they wrote the manuscripts during the time the enemies of Christ were alive (and could prove whether the things they said were true or not) should be further proof that what was said/written was true. We don't have a record of any refutation as to the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Christ. The Bible says that after His death and resurrection Jesus was seen alive by more then 500 people; I Corinthians 15:5-8 says, "And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."
Jesus' Character
Not only did Jesus live, perform miracles, fulfill prophecy, die, and resurrect from the dead, He was also of impeccable character. This includes even when he was a child; Jesus' mother said, "Jesus would eat anything set before him, and if anyone else would complain he would say it was good enough, more then we deserved. Joseph was often hard to please, but Jesus had answered him so often, and his answers were so mild yet suitable that he had almost broken him of finding any fault." She also said, "... even as a boy Jesus would settle all the family disputes..." [Archo pg 84]. Anyone who has read the Bible or studied the life of Jesus knows many miraculous things about Him. He was always master of every situation, taking exactly the right action to fit every circumstance. He never had to seek advice. He never had to apologize after He acted because His actions were always appropriate. He never had to ask permission, since He never said or did anything amiss. He was never fearful of anything, and could be overpoweringly bold when the occasion arose. Yet at the same time He was humble and meek. His words were always perfectly chosen to fit the need: never banal or trivial, always relevant and meaningful. He never complained about His circumstances, in spite of weariness, hunger, persecution, or rejection. Instead, He continually offered comfort and encouragement to others. He was equally confident and authoritative whether with friends or enemies, common people or authority figures. He was never flustered or confused about what to say regardless of His company or circumstances [Morris, Many pg 66]. Besides His character, His knowledge of the Scriptures was amazing (He could read, and He knew the scriptures even though He had no formal training of any kind). Jonathan conducted an interview with a Jewish priest who knew Jesus personally. The priest said, "Sometimes when quoting the prophets he would misquote them or forget exactly how the scrolls went, but Jesus would always know exactly how they went and would often correct him, and that never once was Jesus wrong" [Archo pg 91-92]. The Bible says that Jesus was one who spoke with authority (Mat 7:29), for example, while reading from the Old Testament Scriptures about the prophesied Messiah, Jesus closed the book and said, "Today in your eyes this scripture is fulfilled." (Luk ch 4).
The Disciples
Also important is the fact that eleven of the twelve apostles died a martyr's death for no other reason than for being followers of Jesus Christ. If the death and resurrection of Jesus was a hoax, then these men must have known it, and would not have chosen to die such horrible deaths.
Summary for Jesus
Let's sum up some of the things we have covered about Jesus. Historians will support the fact that Jesus existed. Jesus was, in fact, either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord and God. Not only did He perform many miracles, but He also fulfilled many prophecies. Jesus responded correctly in every circumstance, was never fearful, and always acted with authority. His life, death, and resurrection have never been refuted. His disciples, and the resurrection support the fact that Jesus was God. There is even more evidence that shows the Bible to be true.
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THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE
This next section discusses the reliability of the Bible, and why it should be trusted as being true. The material you read in this section, combined with the information you just read supporting creation, and the information you have read about Jesus should be enough evidence to convince even the most fervent skeptic that God is real.
The Bible Is Historically Correct
The Bible has NEVER contradicted any historical fact that's ever been discovered. This should add to its credibility; it means that there is every reason to believe it true in its entirety. The Bible does not claim to be a book of science, yet not one scientific piece of data contradicts it. The Bible does not claim to be a history book, yet not one historical piece of evidence has ever contradicted it; the Bible does not claim to be a physics book, yet not one piece of physical data contradicts it. In the thousands of years of man's discoveries, not one thing has ever been found which contradicts the Bible. Sometimes the Bible even goes beyond man's knowledge: a long time ago man used to think the world was flat, but the Bible has always said it was round. Isaiah 40:22 says "He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth..."
Science, Archaeology, And The Bible
"Scientists Part The Red Sea," this was the name of an article I saw in Bible Archaeology Review recently. Doron Nof, Professor of Oceanography At Florida State University; and Nathan Paldor, Associate Professor of atmospheric sciences at Hebrew University have recreated (on paper) the parting of the Red Sea as it was experienced by Moses and the ancient Israelites (Exodus ch14). They found a shallow portion of the Red Sea, and have calculated that a 40 mile-per hour wind, blowing for 12 to 19 hours would have lowered the sea level by 10 feet, if their was a ridge submerged below the surface it would trap some of the blowing water, thus water would be on both sides of the ridge as is stated in the Biblical account; while the wind blew it would allow the Israelites to cross, then when/if the wind stopped the returning water would rush back to its original level 10 feet higher, thus drowning the attacking Egyptian army. [Bible Archaeology Sept/Oct, 1992, pg 25].
Archaeologists regularly use the Bible as a guide or a road-map to find their dig sites. Arabian oil was first discovered because of the Bible. A man was reading about pitch being used to make Noah's Ark watertight. He thought, where there's pitch, there's oil. He calculated the approximate location where Noah would have sealed the Ark, erected an oil well, and discovered oil.
Matthew Maury was in the U. S. Navy between 1841 and 1861. He was reading the book of Psalms in the Bible (chapter 8), and noticed the words "paths in the sea." He pondered this and decided to review the journals and diaries of the captains of various sea-going ships. He discovered that some journeys took weeks to complete and other journeys of the same distance only days. This eventually led to sea and wind currents being discovered. There actually are "paths" in the sea. [Gish, Duane, T, Impact #219].
Critics have stated many times that Moses and the ancient Israelis could not have written such a structured book as Deuteronomy, but archaeologists have now discovered the Ebla Tablets. These clay tablets show structured writing (many of their laws and codes are similar to those found in the book of Deuteronomy), and they pre-date the book of Deuteronomy.
Critics have also mocked the Christian scholars, claiming that the Old Testament is not factual because (among other things) it speaks about the Hittite people and there is no Non-biblical evidence about them. Recently however discoveries have been made supporting the existence of the Hittite people. In fact, you can now go to Harvard and study the Hittite language.
In 1992 archaeologist Emmanuel Anati discovered some artifacts from what he thought was the location that Moses and the Israelites called Mt. Sanai - a place where the Israelites worshiped God as soon as they crossed the Red Sea. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb, 1993, pg 38].
Archaeologists have discovered the home of Judas Iscariot - the person who delivered Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb 1993 pg 40].
When the Philistines captured 'The Ark of The Covenant' one of the cities they took it to was the ancient city of EKRON (I Samuel 5:10), archaeologists have discovered that city, and uncovered many artifacts. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb 1993 pg 41].
Archaeologists have also unearthed SEPPHORIS - the city where the mother of Jesus was born. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb 1993 pg 41].
Archaeologists have found the burial grave of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Jewish High Priest before who interrogated Jesus shortly before his Crucifixion. [Bible Archaeology Jan/Feb, 1993, pg 21].
We can see then that archaeology confirms the Bible's truth.
Noah's Ark
Speaking of archaeology, a 10,000 pound ship has been discovered on the top of Mt. Ararat. If the Bible is true, this would be approximately the area Noah's Ark would have come to rest when the Genesis flood-waters receded. The discovery of the Ark of Noah is more then conformation of a children's Sunday-School story, it means that the Genesis flood as it is recorded in the Bible is true. There is empirical evidence that a ship exists, consider the following. In 1853 three Englishmen were shown the ark by two Armenian natives. In 1883 Turkish avalanche investigators discovered the ark while investigating a recent avalanche. In 1902 & 1904 Gorgie, an Armenian immigrant who escaped the turmoil following World War I saw the Ark twice as a teenager; he died in 1972 but his comments and interviews are available on tape. In 1917 six Turkish soldiers discovered the Ark when they were on their journey home after service in Baghdad. During World War II many sightings of the Ark were reported by pilots (Austrian, Russian, & American); in fact, Two American pilots photographed the ship and the photo was displayed in the Tunisia edition of the Stars & Stripes. The above examples are but just a few. [Morris, John, Impact #22].
Belief In The Bible
Most of the writers of the Bible were eye-witnesses of what they recorded. II Peter 1:16 says "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were EYE-WITNESSES of his majesty." Plus, they appealed to the knowledge of the hearer/reader. Acts 2:22 says "Men of Israel listen to these words; Jesus, a man who worked miracles in your midst just as YOU YOURSELVES KNOW..." There were many other events such as these. Keep in mind that there were many enemies against the Christian faith, and if the writers of the New Testament were not accurate, the enemies of the Christians surely would have pointed it out, and we would have some record of it.
The Bible is Unique
Let's take a moment to see just how unique the Bible really is! The Bible is not one book, but a compilation of 66 books that were written at different times.
1. It was written over a 1500 year period of time.
2. It was written by over 40 different authors: fishermen, generals, herdsmen, kings, doctors, tax collectors, and many others.
3. It was written on three continents.
4. It was written in three different languages.
5. Some of it was written in time of war, some in time of peace,
6. Some of it was written in times of joy, others in times of sorrow.
7. It was written in different places: in the castle, in the dungeon, in the city, and in the wilderness, etc.
8. The writers of the Bible wrote about hundreds of different subjects.
The Bible covers all these things, yet when it is brought together it harmonizes completely [McDowell, Evidence pg 16].
Miracles in The Bible
Prophecy can be defined as a foretelling of a future event; a miracle, on the other hand, is a supernatural event which defies the known laws of the universe. The American Heritage Dictionary says a miracle is "An event that appears unexplainable by the laws of nature and so is held to be a supernatural act of God." Not only did Jesus perform miracles and fulfill prophecies, but the Bible contains thousands of prophecies and miracles within its pages not performed by Jesus. Both prophecies and miracles are PROOF of God. See appendix A, B, and C, for a partial list of them.
Prophecy in the Bible
Even though all of the prophecies in the Bible have not come true yet (e.g. the ones about the end of the world), never once have any of them been wrong. This alone should give the Bible enough credibility to be believed. It should be noted that Jewish prophets not only made predictions about the distant future, but also things which were to happen in their lifetime. If they were not 100% correct they would be put to death and their prophecies ignored (either they were from God or they were dead). Actually 2/3rds of the Bible at the time it was written was prophetic. (Also see prophecy about Jesus in the JESUS EXISTED section; and appendix C).
For Further Information About Prophecy
Appendix A, B, and C at the back of this book list some prophecies and miracles Jesus performed; I recommend getting out your Bible and looking at some of them. (If you don't have a bible, you can check one out at your local library). To examine in depth all the prophecies the Bible contains is beyond the scope of this book. However, many books have been written dealing exclusively with this subject.
The New Testament Manuscripts
Let's examine just how the Bible was written. The New Testament was not translated from one manuscript. There are over 24,000 original manuscript copies of the New Testament. Most of them were written within 100 years of Christ's death, and they all agree with each other. There is more manuscript evidence for the New Testament than any other 10 pieces of ancient literature combined [McDowell, Evidence].
You Don't Even Need The Manuscripts
Actually, you don't even have to use the manuscripts in order to write the New Testament. It can be reconstructed using only the writings and sermons of the first century pastors (all but twenty verses).
The Old Testament Manuscripts
That covers the New Testament, but what about the Old Testament? When the Old Testament Scrolls were getting old, illegible, and worn out the Jews would make new ones. As I just stated there are 24,000 original manuscript copies of the New Testament. The reason that we don't have more Old Testament Manuscripts is that after the Jews copied them from the old copy to the new copy, the old manuscript was destroyed. To show you how meticulous they were when translating them, consider this: 1.They could only be copied onto the skins of kosher animals. 2.The copyist had to be in full Jewish dress while he was translating the manuscript. 3.If he was writing God's name and someone entered the room, the copyist couldn't even acknowledge him until he had finished writing the name of God. 4.Between each letter there had to be a space the exact width of a hair (no more, no less): if not the copyist had to throw away what he had done and start all over from the beginning. 5.Once the copying was completed, every letter was counted to be sure the copy matched the original. The copy was then given higher authority and the old document was destroyed [McDowell, Evidence, pg 53].
The Dead-sea Scrolls
The Dead-Sea Scrolls are some Old Testament Manuscripts that were written between 70-150 BC They remained untouched until 1947, when they were discovered; they translate almost word for word as today's version of the Bible; so anyone who says "The Bible has been translated and re-translated so many times it's no longer accurate" is mistaken.
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If a person looked at the evidence about the Bible in an un-biased manner, he or she would have to conclude that it was true.
CONCLUSION
It is my hope that reading this book has convinced you that the God of the Bible is real, that Jesus Christ existed and is God's Son, and the Bible is reliable and true. Let's see what we covered.
GOD, NOT EVOLUTION, CREATED THE WORLD
1. The law of thermodynamics and the laws of physics support a created universe.
2. Proofs of a young earth support a non-evolutionary process.
3. The fossil record itself supports a non-evolutionary process.
4. The geologic column does not prove evolution.
5. There are many miscellaneous facts which suggest creation, and refute evolution.
JESUS EXISTED, AND IS GOD'S SON
6. Historians will support the fact that Jesus existed.
7. Jesus performed many miracles.
8. The miracles at Calvary go undisputed.
9. The odds that one person would fulfill 8 of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000; however Jesus fulfilled not 8 prophecies, but over 300 of them.
10. Jesus responded correctly in every circumstance, was never fearful, and always acted with authority.
11. His life death and resurrection have never been refuted.
12. His disciples and His resurrection support the fact that Jesus was God.
THE BIBLE IS RELIABLE
13. The Dead Sea scrolls show the Bible to be translated accurately.
14. There are thousands of original New Testament Manuscripts.
15. The way the Jews preserved the Old Testament Manuscripts was incredible.
16. The writers of the New Testament were eye-witnesses of what they wrote.
17. The Bible is a very unique book.
18. Prophecy confirms the Bible to be true; 2/3rds of the Bible is prophetic; remember, the writers of these prophecies were killed if they were not 100% correct.
19. Archaeology confirms the Bible to be true.
20. Noah's Ark exists.
If the Bible is in fact true (and I think I have shown that it , then what it says is true. It states that there is a literal hell and a literal heaven; that the only way to heaven is through belief in Jesus Christ. This would apply to anyone no matter how good or bad a person was, if they believed in Jesus (and followed His teachings) they would go to heaven for eternity. However if they did not believe in Jesus they would go to Hell for eternity.
If you have read this booklet and are convinced that Jesus is who He said He was (the Son of God), and you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven. You need to do the following things.
1. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
2. Admit you have sinned.
3. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins.
Romans 10:9 says "if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved." 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." That's it. That's all you have to do. If you like you can ask God to make Himself known to you; He will.
4. Well one more thing Click here
APPENDIX A
The Bible is a book full of miracles: here are some of them.
Creation (Gen 1, Heb 11:3, Psa 104, Job 26:8, Prov 8).
Enoch's Translation (Gen 5:19-24, Heb 11:5, Jude 14, Jude 15).
The Flood of Noah (Gen 7:9-12 7:17-24 8:2, Mat 24:37-39, Heb 11:7, 1Pet 3:20, 2Pet 2:5).
The Plagued Pharaoh (Abram & Sari) (Gen 12:10-20).
Sarah's Conception (Gen 17:15-19 18:10-14 21:1-8).
The Blinded Sodomites (gen:19:9-11).
Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah (Gen 19:15-29, Mat 10:15, 2Pet 2:6, Jude 7, Isa 1:10-19, Ezk 16:49, Jer 49:18).
Lot's Wife (Gen 19:24-29, Luke 17:28-32).
Hagar's Well (Gen 21:14-19).
The Burning Bush (Exo 3:1-14, Deut 33:16, Mar 12:26, Luk 20:37).
Moses' Rod (Exo 4:1-5 7:8-13, 2Tim 3:8).
Moses' Leprous Hand (Exo 4:6-12).
The Plagues of Moses:
....The Nile River (Exo 7:14-24, Psa 78:44, Psa 105:29).
....The Frogs (Exo 8:1-6, Psa 78:45, Psa 105:30).
....The Lice (Exo 8:16-19, Psa 105:31).
....The Flies (Exo 8:20-31, Psa 78:45, Psa 105:31).
....Egypt's Dead Cattle (Exo 9:1-7).
....God Plagues The Egyptians With Boils (Exo 9:8-11).
....The Hailstorm (Exo 9:13-25).
....The Locusts (Exo 10:1-20).
....The Darkness (Exo 10:21-29, Psa 105:28).
....Death of the Firstborn (Exo 11, Exo 12:29-33, Psa 78:51).
The Cloud & the Fire (Exo 13:21-22, Exo 40:34-38, Psa 78:14).
The Red Sea Parted (Exo 14:21-31).
Marah's Healing Waters (Ex 15:22-27, Num 33:8).
Manna From Heaven (Ex 16:1-5, Num 11:1-9, Neh 9:15-20, Josh 5:12, Ps 78:20-25 Ps 105:40, John 16:22-59).
The Brazen Serpent (Num 21:4-9, 2King 18:4).
Balam's Talking Ass (Num 22:20-35).
Walls of Jericho (Josh 6:5, Josh 6:14-16).
The Sun Standing Still (Josh 10:12-15, Isa 28:21).
An Ax Head Floated (2King 6:4-6).
Zacharias (John The Baptist Father) (Luk 1).
Jesus' Baptism (Mat 3:16-17, Mar 1:9-12, Luk 3:21-23, John 1).
These miracles (and more) can be found in:
All The Miracles of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer.
APPENDIX B
Some of the miracles of Jesus.
Jesus Baptism (Mat 3:16-17, Mk 1:9-12, Luk 3:21-23, Jn 1).
Jesus Turned Water Into Wine (John 2:5-11).
Jesus Healed Impotent Man (John 5:1-9).
Jesus Healed Man Born Blind (John 9:1-14).
Jesus Healed Peter's Mother-in-law (Mk 1:21-27).
Jesus Healed Man with Withered Hand (Mk 3:1-6)
Woman Touched the Hem of His Garment & was Healed (Luk 8:43-45).
Cast Out Demons & Healed Many Sick (Mat 8:16 and...).
Fed 5000 (Mk 6:37-43).
Fed 4000 (Mat 15:32-36).
Cleansed a Leper (Mat 8:1-4, Mk 1:40-45, Luk 5:12-15).
Healed the Centurion's Servant (Mat 8:5-13).
Widow's Son Back to Life (Luk 7:11-18).
Lazarus Back to Life (John 11:5-12:1).
Daughter Back to Life (Mk 5:35-43).
Walking on Water (Mat 14:22-36, Mk 6:45-54, John 6:15-21).
Healing Blind Man at Bethsaida (Mk 8:22-26).
The Transfiguration (Mat 17:1-13, Mk 9:1-13).
The Demonic Boy (Mat 17:14-21, Mk 9:14-20).
Jesus Got a Coin From a Fish's Mouth (Mat 17:21).
The Man Born Blind (Jn 9:1-7).
Healed the Man With Dropsy (Luk 14:1-4).
Raised Lazarus From the Dead (Jn 11:14-45).
Healed 10 Lepers (Luk 17:11-19).
Healed Blind Bartimaeus (Luk 18:35-43).
Jesus Cursed a Fig Tree, it Died (Mat 21:17-22, Mk 11).
Healed the Roman Soldier's Ear (Mat 26:51-56).
These miracles (and more) can be found in:
All The Miracles of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer.
APPENDIX C
Here Are Only Some Of The Prophecies Jesus Fulfilled
......................PREDICTION....FULFILLMENT
His Birth.............Isa 7:14,9:6..Luk 2:11
His Temptation........Deut 8:3......Mat 4:3-4
His Temptation........Psa 91:11-12..Mat 4:5-7
His Death Predicted...Isa 53:12.....Mar 15:27-28
His Betrayal..........Psa 41:9......Luk 22:47-48
Field of Blood........Zech 11:12-13.Acts 1:19,MAT 27:1-9
His Accusal and Trial.Psa 35:11.....Mar 14:57-59
His Accusal and Trial.Isa 53:7......Mar 14:4-5
Details of His Death..Psa 22:1......Mat 27:46
Details of His Death..Psa 38:11.....Luk 23:49
Details of His Death..Psa 31:5......Luk 23:46
Details of His Death..Amos 8:9......Mat 27:45
His Resurrection......Psa 16:8-10...Mat 28:5-7
His Resurrection......Isa 51:3......John 1:11;7:5;7:41
His Perfection........Isa 53:9......1Pet 2:22; Luk 23:41
His Omnipotence.......Gen 18:14.....Mat 19:26
His Omniscience.......Psa 139:2-4...John 2:24-25
His Omnipresence......Psa 139:7-10..Mat 18:20
His Humility..........Zech 9:9......Mat 21:5
His Atonement.........Lev 17:11.....Mat 26:28; John 1:29
His Throne............Psa 45:6......Luk 1:30-33
His Return............Psa 50:3-6....Mat 24:30
His Mission...........Isa 42:1,6,7..Mat 4:23; Luk 2:32
His Miracles..........Isa 35:5-6....Mat 11:4-5, John 21:25
His Willingness to Die.Psa 40:8.....Mat 26:39
His Sufferings........Isa 50:6,53:5.Luk 23:67
His Offer of Salvation.Zeph 3:17....Mat 1:21
These prophecies (and more) can be found in:
New Testament Prophecies of Old Testament Scriptures,
Barbour Books.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Archo Volume. (No longer in print), Keats Publishing, New Canaan, Conn.1975.
Bible Archaeology Review. 3000 Connecticut Ave, Suite 300, Washington DC, 20008. (a magazine published bimonthly)
Gish, Duane T. Dinosaurs, Those Terrible Lizards. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1977.
Gish, Duane T. Evolution, The Challenge of the Fossil Record. Creation-life Publishers. El Cajon, Ca. 1985.
Gish, Duane T. Impact Reprints, Institute For Creation Research, P.O. Box 2667, El Cajon, Ca.
92021. (impact # 219: 10 cents each).
Huse, Scott. The Collapse of Evolution. Baker Book House. Grand Rapids, Mich. 1983.
McDowell, Josh. Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Here's Life Publishers. San Bernardio, Ca. 1979.
McDowell, Josh. Reasons Skeptics should Consider Christianity. Tyndale House Publishers.1981.
Morris, John. Impact Reprints, Institute For Creation Research, P.O.Box 2667, El Cajon, Ca.
92021. (impact # 22: 10 cents each).
Morris, Henry. The Scientific Case for Creation. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1977.
Morris, Henry. Many Infallible Proofs. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1974.
Sunderland, Luther. Darwin's Enigma. Master Books. San Diego, Ca. 1988.
Willis, John. Law Professor, San Diego City College, Personal interview, Conducted 3/15/93.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER READING
If you're looking for evidence supporting the Bible's truth an excellent book is: Evidence That Demands a Verdict for about $8.00.You can find it in most Christian book stores by looking in the yellow pages under "Bookstores: Christian." It is hard to read, but contains a lot of information.
Historical evidence showing that Jesus existed is: The Archo Volume. It is no longer in print so you might have to call around for a copy.
A very good book for proving that supernatural creation has a higher degree of probability than evolution is: The Collapse of Evolution (for about $8.00) Obtained through Chick Publications Box 662 Chino CA 91710 (714) 987-0771
Another good book for proving that supernatural creation has a higher degree of probability than evolution is:The Scientific Case for Creation. (About $6.00) You can find it in most Christian book stores by looking in the yellow pages.
The last 2 books do a very good job refuting evolution, and they are easy reading, and easy to understand.
Written by Keith Mason
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Do you doubt the whole Christian faith ?
If you at all doubt that the Christian faith is not athentic.....then I dare you...no I double dare you to do the research of these.....study what they study, if you are sure that there is no God and that this whole Christianity and the Bible is a made up thing by men............
Mark Hartwig (Challenging Darwin's Myths)
Phillip E. Johnson (Darwin on Trial)
Garret Vanderkooi (A Theistic Approach to Science)
William J. Cairney (Biomedical Prescience 1) (Evidence for Faith)
David Breese (Seven Men who rule the world from the grave)
Ravi Zacharias (Can man live without God ?)
Hugh Ross (The Creator and the Cosmos)
L.I. McMillen (None of these Diseases)
George Park Fisher (Manual of Christian Evidence)
Josh McDowell (Prophecy: Fact or Fiction)
Templeton, John Marks (Evidence of Purpose)
Stoner, Peter W., and Newman, Robert C. (Science speaks)
Habermas, Gary R. (Ancient Evidence for the Life of Jesus)
Pierson, Arthur (Many Infallible Proofs)
Sanders, J. Oswald (The Incomparable Christ)
Ankerberg, John and Weldon, John ( The Facts on Creation Vs. Evolution)
Lubenow, Marvin (Bones of Contention)
Kenyon, Dean and Davis, Percival (Of Pandas and People)
Gish, Duane T. (The Amazing Story of Creation)
Bruce, F.F. (The Books and the Parchments)
Criswell,W.A. (Why I Preach that the Bible is Literally True)
Thiede, Carsten Peter and D'Ancona, Matthew (Eyewitness to Jesus)
Archer, Gleason L (A Survey of Old Testament Introduction)
Vos, Howard F. (Archaeology in Bible Lands)
Mark Hartwig (Challenging Darwin's Myths)
Phillip E. Johnson (Darwin on Trial)
Garret Vanderkooi (A Theistic Approach to Science)
William J. Cairney (Biomedical Prescience 1) (Evidence for Faith)
David Breese (Seven Men who rule the world from the grave)
Ravi Zacharias (Can man live without God ?)
Hugh Ross (The Creator and the Cosmos)
L.I. McMillen (None of these Diseases)
George Park Fisher (Manual of Christian Evidence)
Josh McDowell (Prophecy: Fact or Fiction)
Templeton, John Marks (Evidence of Purpose)
Stoner, Peter W., and Newman, Robert C. (Science speaks)
Habermas, Gary R. (Ancient Evidence for the Life of Jesus)
Pierson, Arthur (Many Infallible Proofs)
Sanders, J. Oswald (The Incomparable Christ)
Ankerberg, John and Weldon, John ( The Facts on Creation Vs. Evolution)
Lubenow, Marvin (Bones of Contention)
Kenyon, Dean and Davis, Percival (Of Pandas and People)
Gish, Duane T. (The Amazing Story of Creation)
Bruce, F.F. (The Books and the Parchments)
Criswell,W.A. (Why I Preach that the Bible is Literally True)
Thiede, Carsten Peter and D'Ancona, Matthew (Eyewitness to Jesus)
Archer, Gleason L (A Survey of Old Testament Introduction)
Vos, Howard F. (Archaeology in Bible Lands)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Who is the Trinity ?
Scriptures: Genesis 1:1, Gen. 1:26, Gen. 11:7.
Intro
Q. If you were asked to explain the Trinity… how many of us would be able to do it ? (and that’s when the enemy will attack us, in our moment of either doubt or maybe we might feel it’s just not that important to know ?)
Now, let me first say that I don’t understand all there is to know about God, not sure if there is anyone that does know EVERYTHING about the only one true God.
Yes, I said one true God, because there is only one God, and He is revealed in Three Persons… I heard a preacher that I admire say “when you get to heaven, don’t expect to see three God’s”(which you won’t see three gods and there aren’t three God’s now) and then he went on to say that God the Father is revealed in Jesus Christ, in other words there is no God the Father/God the Son/God the Holy Spirit, (this is usually called the oneness doctrine), but this doctrine is not accurate….as we will see, because God the Father is not God the Son and God the Son is not God the Holy Spirit !
But let us submerge ourselves in the Scriptures and see what God’s Word says, shall we ? (that’s always worked for me.)
This topic is what the Lord has put on my heart….Because, there are many cults out there, and they are strongly against the doctrine of the Trinity…
So let’s start with the plurality of the Godhead, ok ?
Genesis 1:1
I.
The word God used in Genesis 1:1 in the original language is ĕlôhı̂ym / el-o-heem'/ אלהים
This is the plural name of God, in Hebrew.
The plurality of persons in the Godhead is: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. If you listening say amen. (One God, revealed in three persons) Not three Gods revealed in One person.
(This name was Used in the Old Testament about 2500 times.)
There are at least two times when this name of God was used in the Scriptures, in these two verses, we will see the Trinity…
Like in Gen 1:26: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: (this is the first talk about man, first discussed in Scripture)
(at the Tower of Babel)
Also another was: Gen 11:7: let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. (this is the arrogance of man wanting to do things our own way, not much has changed since then…)
And that’s when God first changed the language of man, at one time we all spoke the same language.
God the Father
Now, in the Trinity we first have God the Father.
The Scripture where God the Father is actually described of is here in the Book of Daniel Chap. 7 v. 9:
Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
(But wait…isn’t Jesus described similar like this in the Book of Revelation ?)
Well let’s see….
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
(so in Revelation, this is speaking of Christ, however in the Book of Daniel, this is God the Father spoken of here, let’s continue.)
(Now, we will see if the oneness doctrine has any weight to it. And we will see if Jesus is also God the Father.)
(Now let’s go back and look at Daniel Chapter 7)
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
(So as we can see, this description of these are two separate persons, one person is the Ancient of days (God the Father), and the second person is the Son of man (Christ), and we know that there is one that has the Title of the Son of man/ the Man Christ Jesus…) ok, so we see from Scripture that Christ is Christ and the Father is the Father, two separate person’s….
Now, do we pray to God the Father/God the Son or God the Holy Spirit ? and the answer is yes…. Because the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit is God .
But Jesus told His disciples: In Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Now, Jesus does tell us to pray to God the Father. However, because the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is God, it is perfectly alright to pray to either the Holy Spirit,the Son or the Father.
God the Holy Spirit
Now Who is the Holy Spirit ?
The Holy Spirit is God/the third Person in the Trinity, but what does Scripture say…
Well in Psalms 51:11 (David) says: Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
(Before Christ died and was raised from the dead and went to glory, the Holy Spirit came upon men in the O.T./ But now we know that the Holy Spirit comes in to live within the Believer in Christ….)
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
(This is a verse that really helped me know for a fact that when I got saved, I received the Holy Spirit and was sealed.)
(When I first got saved we were going to a Pentecostal church and some of the teaching was that you had to pray and wait on the Holy Spirit and the evidence was that you spoke in tongues)
And actually a missionary/evangelist told me that you might have a piece of the Holy Spirit, but not all of the Holy Spirit…..
And that you don’t get the full Holy Spirit when you first accept Jesus.
So when I studied the Scriptures I realized, that was not accurate teaching…
(2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. )……amen ?
Q. Another question that came to me is, does the Holy Spirit leave you ? or can you lose your salvation ?
Well, let’s look at what Scripture says:
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(We see here that the Holy Spirit seal’s you until the day when Christ comes for his purchased possession/ the day of redemption.)
Also we see that the Holy Spirit can be grieved, because He first of all is a Person and that He lives within the believer…
Q. Now is the Holy Spirit- God ?
Always go to the Scripture, and we must, know when each Scripture needs to be applied at the right time..
1Thessalonians 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
God the Son
Is Jesus really the Son of God ?
Well, the short answer is yes ! but because the Son of God has many enemies, let’s go to the Scripture’s…..
I saved the Son of God last because He is the target since He came to earth ….the prophecies point to the Lord Jesus the Christ…..
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
As we just read, Matthew 3:16 was about the Spirit of God, well now the Father is speaking,at least we know that John the Baptist heard this…. So we see that God the Father says who Jesus is.
There are Many other religions that doesn’t believe that Jesus is God, like Muslims they say, that God doesn’t have any children…and the Witness’ say that Jesus is not God, and then we have the Mormons that say, Jesus is the half brother of Satan….
So we MUST (someone say must) be able to defend our faith to the non-believers, amen ?
1Pe 3:15 says: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every everyone that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
But did anyone else know that Jesus is the Christ ?
Well, let’s ask someone who was with Christ for some 3 ½ yrs
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (listen to this) but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
We have so far have God the Father who called Jesus His Son, the apostle who witnessed this on another occasion.
But, someone told me that Jesus never called Himself God… (what do you say to that, if someone asked you that ?)
Well, did Jesus actually call Himself God or the Son of God ?
Let’s go to the Word:
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid.
( The reason the Jews wanted to stone Jesus is because when He said I am, He was saying, the name of God (Exodus_3:14); it speaks of his self-existence; he does not say, I was, but I am, for he is the first and the last, like in (Rev. 1:8); thus he was not only before Abraham, but before all persons that were created, because Christ had no beginning ! like in: John_1:1...
let’s look at some more Scriptures
(woman in Samaria with mulitiple husbands)
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
(this is the man born blind)
John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
John 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
John 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Someone else spoke of Christ: John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Now, only God is to be worshipped, not even angels (like John in the Book of Revelation tried to do and the angel said, don’t do it, I am also a worshipper of God.
And when someone tried to accept worship… listen to what happened to this guy..
Act 12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
And last one, who else said that Jesus is Lord ?
You and not just you, but every soul will, either willing or with no choice !!!
(listen)
Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Philippians 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So saints even though the actual word Trinity isn’t in the Scripture’s, it’s still the same /concept/idea, which is:
As we see in Scripture God is revealed in three Person’s….
God the Father/ God the Son/ God the Holy Spirit.
So we must not let noone tell us any different of who God is, there is One God, revealed in three Person’s….amen ?
Intro
Q. If you were asked to explain the Trinity… how many of us would be able to do it ? (and that’s when the enemy will attack us, in our moment of either doubt or maybe we might feel it’s just not that important to know ?)
Now, let me first say that I don’t understand all there is to know about God, not sure if there is anyone that does know EVERYTHING about the only one true God.
Yes, I said one true God, because there is only one God, and He is revealed in Three Persons… I heard a preacher that I admire say “when you get to heaven, don’t expect to see three God’s”(which you won’t see three gods and there aren’t three God’s now) and then he went on to say that God the Father is revealed in Jesus Christ, in other words there is no God the Father/God the Son/God the Holy Spirit, (this is usually called the oneness doctrine), but this doctrine is not accurate….as we will see, because God the Father is not God the Son and God the Son is not God the Holy Spirit !
But let us submerge ourselves in the Scriptures and see what God’s Word says, shall we ? (that’s always worked for me.)
This topic is what the Lord has put on my heart….Because, there are many cults out there, and they are strongly against the doctrine of the Trinity…
So let’s start with the plurality of the Godhead, ok ?
Genesis 1:1
I.
The word God used in Genesis 1:1 in the original language is ĕlôhı̂ym / el-o-heem'/ אלהים
This is the plural name of God, in Hebrew.
The plurality of persons in the Godhead is: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. If you listening say amen. (One God, revealed in three persons) Not three Gods revealed in One person.
(This name was Used in the Old Testament about 2500 times.)
There are at least two times when this name of God was used in the Scriptures, in these two verses, we will see the Trinity…
Like in Gen 1:26: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: (this is the first talk about man, first discussed in Scripture)
(at the Tower of Babel)
Also another was: Gen 11:7: let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. (this is the arrogance of man wanting to do things our own way, not much has changed since then…)
And that’s when God first changed the language of man, at one time we all spoke the same language.
God the Father
Now, in the Trinity we first have God the Father.
The Scripture where God the Father is actually described of is here in the Book of Daniel Chap. 7 v. 9:
Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
(But wait…isn’t Jesus described similar like this in the Book of Revelation ?)
Well let’s see….
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
(so in Revelation, this is speaking of Christ, however in the Book of Daniel, this is God the Father spoken of here, let’s continue.)
(Now, we will see if the oneness doctrine has any weight to it. And we will see if Jesus is also God the Father.)
(Now let’s go back and look at Daniel Chapter 7)
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
(So as we can see, this description of these are two separate persons, one person is the Ancient of days (God the Father), and the second person is the Son of man (Christ), and we know that there is one that has the Title of the Son of man/ the Man Christ Jesus…) ok, so we see from Scripture that Christ is Christ and the Father is the Father, two separate person’s….
Now, do we pray to God the Father/God the Son or God the Holy Spirit ? and the answer is yes…. Because the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit is God .
But Jesus told His disciples: In Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Now, Jesus does tell us to pray to God the Father. However, because the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is God, it is perfectly alright to pray to either the Holy Spirit,the Son or the Father.
God the Holy Spirit
Now Who is the Holy Spirit ?
The Holy Spirit is God/the third Person in the Trinity, but what does Scripture say…
Well in Psalms 51:11 (David) says: Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
(Before Christ died and was raised from the dead and went to glory, the Holy Spirit came upon men in the O.T./ But now we know that the Holy Spirit comes in to live within the Believer in Christ….)
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
(This is a verse that really helped me know for a fact that when I got saved, I received the Holy Spirit and was sealed.)
(When I first got saved we were going to a Pentecostal church and some of the teaching was that you had to pray and wait on the Holy Spirit and the evidence was that you spoke in tongues)
And actually a missionary/evangelist told me that you might have a piece of the Holy Spirit, but not all of the Holy Spirit…..
And that you don’t get the full Holy Spirit when you first accept Jesus.
So when I studied the Scriptures I realized, that was not accurate teaching…
(2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. )……amen ?
Q. Another question that came to me is, does the Holy Spirit leave you ? or can you lose your salvation ?
Well, let’s look at what Scripture says:
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(We see here that the Holy Spirit seal’s you until the day when Christ comes for his purchased possession/ the day of redemption.)
Also we see that the Holy Spirit can be grieved, because He first of all is a Person and that He lives within the believer…
Q. Now is the Holy Spirit- God ?
Always go to the Scripture, and we must, know when each Scripture needs to be applied at the right time..
1Thessalonians 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
God the Son
Is Jesus really the Son of God ?
Well, the short answer is yes ! but because the Son of God has many enemies, let’s go to the Scripture’s…..
I saved the Son of God last because He is the target since He came to earth ….the prophecies point to the Lord Jesus the Christ…..
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
As we just read, Matthew 3:16 was about the Spirit of God, well now the Father is speaking,at least we know that John the Baptist heard this…. So we see that God the Father says who Jesus is.
There are Many other religions that doesn’t believe that Jesus is God, like Muslims they say, that God doesn’t have any children…and the Witness’ say that Jesus is not God, and then we have the Mormons that say, Jesus is the half brother of Satan….
So we MUST (someone say must) be able to defend our faith to the non-believers, amen ?
1Pe 3:15 says: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every everyone that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
But did anyone else know that Jesus is the Christ ?
Well, let’s ask someone who was with Christ for some 3 ½ yrs
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (listen to this) but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
We have so far have God the Father who called Jesus His Son, the apostle who witnessed this on another occasion.
But, someone told me that Jesus never called Himself God… (what do you say to that, if someone asked you that ?)
Well, did Jesus actually call Himself God or the Son of God ?
Let’s go to the Word:
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid.
( The reason the Jews wanted to stone Jesus is because when He said I am, He was saying, the name of God (Exodus_3:14); it speaks of his self-existence; he does not say, I was, but I am, for he is the first and the last, like in (Rev. 1:8); thus he was not only before Abraham, but before all persons that were created, because Christ had no beginning ! like in: John_1:1...
let’s look at some more Scriptures
(woman in Samaria with mulitiple husbands)
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
(this is the man born blind)
John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
John 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
John 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Someone else spoke of Christ: John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Now, only God is to be worshipped, not even angels (like John in the Book of Revelation tried to do and the angel said, don’t do it, I am also a worshipper of God.
And when someone tried to accept worship… listen to what happened to this guy..
Act 12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
And last one, who else said that Jesus is Lord ?
You and not just you, but every soul will, either willing or with no choice !!!
(listen)
Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Philippians 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So saints even though the actual word Trinity isn’t in the Scripture’s, it’s still the same /concept/idea, which is:
As we see in Scripture God is revealed in three Person’s….
God the Father/ God the Son/ God the Holy Spirit.
So we must not let noone tell us any different of who God is, there is One God, revealed in three Person’s….amen ?
Glass Hives
There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.
Hebrews 4:13
Recommended Reading
2 Chronicles 16:7-9
One of the best ways to teach children the genius of God's creation is with an observation hive--a glassed-in colony of bees, all organized, busy, and productive. Each bee (with a brain the size of a grass seed) works with the others as wax producer, comb builder, honey maker, floral pollinator, military guard, and hive custodian. Observant children can even detect the bees' communication patterns with the "bee dance."
Perhaps you've seen a glass hive at a country fair or science exhibition. The queen bee, worker bees, drones, and offspring bustle about, unaware that observant eyes are watching their every move. Their hive, being glass, is open and revealed to all who see it.
In the same way, the Lord looks down on our world. He sees all our actions, hears all our words, and knows all our thoughts. "A man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all his paths" (Proverbs 5:21, NIV). Remember that the Lord is watching you today. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in His sight (Psalm 19:14).
I trust in God wherever I may be upon the land or on the rolling sea; for come what may, from day to day, My heavenly Father watches over me.
W. C. Martin
Hebrews 4:13
Recommended Reading
2 Chronicles 16:7-9
One of the best ways to teach children the genius of God's creation is with an observation hive--a glassed-in colony of bees, all organized, busy, and productive. Each bee (with a brain the size of a grass seed) works with the others as wax producer, comb builder, honey maker, floral pollinator, military guard, and hive custodian. Observant children can even detect the bees' communication patterns with the "bee dance."
Perhaps you've seen a glass hive at a country fair or science exhibition. The queen bee, worker bees, drones, and offspring bustle about, unaware that observant eyes are watching their every move. Their hive, being glass, is open and revealed to all who see it.
In the same way, the Lord looks down on our world. He sees all our actions, hears all our words, and knows all our thoughts. "A man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all his paths" (Proverbs 5:21, NIV). Remember that the Lord is watching you today. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in His sight (Psalm 19:14).
I trust in God wherever I may be upon the land or on the rolling sea; for come what may, from day to day, My heavenly Father watches over me.
W. C. Martin
Friday, April 23, 2010
Sinful man
Psalm 32:1 - “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The worst thing that could happen to sinful people would be to live in a perfect environment. If God had left Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam would not have known that he had the fatal infection of sin, and he would not have sought the remedy for sin, which he found in the shedding of blood. Problems are designed not to crush us, but to crowd us to Christ who provided the remedy for sin by shedding His blood on the cross. The problem of sin is real and terrible, but it brings with it the possibility that we can be forgiven and clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
ACTION POINT:
When was the last time you thanked God for the problems in your life? Think of them as vehicles that drive you to the heart of your Lord.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The worst thing that could happen to sinful people would be to live in a perfect environment. If God had left Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam would not have known that he had the fatal infection of sin, and he would not have sought the remedy for sin, which he found in the shedding of blood. Problems are designed not to crush us, but to crowd us to Christ who provided the remedy for sin by shedding His blood on the cross. The problem of sin is real and terrible, but it brings with it the possibility that we can be forgiven and clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
ACTION POINT:
When was the last time you thanked God for the problems in your life? Think of them as vehicles that drive you to the heart of your Lord.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
How's your grip on the Lord ?
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
Recommended Reading
Revelation 6:1-8
How many times have we read an account in the news like this: "When I thought I wouldn't survive, I thought of my wife and children. The thought of never seeing them again gave me the strength to hang on. I literally thought I was going to die. Once I survived and was reunited with my family, I realized that the pain and anguish was worth it."
The Book of Revelation pictures a future that is going to be painful for those on planet earth. Not the least of coming travails are those represented by the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" in Revelation 6:1-8. The white horse represents a leader bent on conquering the world; the red horse, worldwide war; the black one, worldwide famine; and the pale horse, death for a fourth of humanity by violent and tragic means. For anyone who becomes a Christian after the Rapture of the Church, that is, during the Tribulation, they will have to ask themselves, "How can I survive?" And the answer will be the same as for Christians who experience suffering now: "through Jesus Christ who strengthens me."
If you are losing your grip on life today, let the promise of seeing Christ face-to-face give you new strength (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Our greatest problem in suffering is unbelief.
Philippians 4:13
Recommended Reading
Revelation 6:1-8
How many times have we read an account in the news like this: "When I thought I wouldn't survive, I thought of my wife and children. The thought of never seeing them again gave me the strength to hang on. I literally thought I was going to die. Once I survived and was reunited with my family, I realized that the pain and anguish was worth it."
The Book of Revelation pictures a future that is going to be painful for those on planet earth. Not the least of coming travails are those represented by the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" in Revelation 6:1-8. The white horse represents a leader bent on conquering the world; the red horse, worldwide war; the black one, worldwide famine; and the pale horse, death for a fourth of humanity by violent and tragic means. For anyone who becomes a Christian after the Rapture of the Church, that is, during the Tribulation, they will have to ask themselves, "How can I survive?" And the answer will be the same as for Christians who experience suffering now: "through Jesus Christ who strengthens me."
If you are losing your grip on life today, let the promise of seeing Christ face-to-face give you new strength (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Our greatest problem in suffering is unbelief.
The Test of Impartial Love
James 2:1-13
Q. Has anyone ever showed favoritism to anyone ?
Intro/ (Now) The writer of this letter is not James, the brother of John (the apostle), but he was the half brother of Jesus….
Because that James, was killed by Herod in the Book of Acts, (12).
What is so special about this James is that he….(like most of his family) did not believe who Jesus said He was….until after the Resurrection.
I. Chap.2 v.1
Don’t be someone who has this type of faith that looks at someone & shows favoritism……
a.) Why ?....because, we are ambassadors for Christ…this is a high calling, saints !
b.) We shouldn’t look at people and say within yourself, (this person must be Highly Blessed…) look at the way they are dressed !!! (look at the money/car’s/homes..
c.) Because, if (they) are not being a wise steward of what the Lord has given to you…..it’s gonna be trouble…
d.) Because to much is given-much is required…
e.) In Luke 12: 34: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also…
II. (v.2-4)
Gold rings/ (not common, then) here, fine apparel, speaks about a wealthy, rich person….( Bill gates, Oprah) type of person…
a.) Just because your rich, doesn’t mean that you’re closer to God…..
b.) And there’s a flipside to that….just because you’re poor….doesn’t mean, you are closer to God, because you are poor, either…
c.) I heard a comedian say once….he thinks that Blacks and because of Slavery…should automatically….go to heaven…..(well, that contradicts the Bible) and if that was true, then ever Hebrew in the wilderness went to heaven even though they didn’t believe in God…..
d.) Now let’s also remember not to get this passage twisted either, because there is room for respect, honor to certain leaders in the church…
e.) I Timothy 5:17, says: Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor , especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
III. (v.5)
In general (the poor ) of this world: meaning those that are generally considered poor to us…/more likely to be used to advance the kingdom.
a.) Now, this doesn’t mean, just because your poor, you will ingerit the kingdom….(No)….listen….
b.) look again at (v.5) last part of that verse….(to them that love Him)
c.) Cause, there are poor people who hate God, for different reasons…
- some because they look at the rich driving (the Bentley’s)/living good..
- someone like a drug dealer or someone who isn’t a God-fearer..
d.) It’s to those who endure the testing of our faith until the end….(amen)
e.) And this is not just someone entering the kingdom, but ruling w/ Christ… ( II Timothy 2:11,12 read)
IV. (v.6,7)
It is the rich that are mostly the oppressors…..
a.)
The poor is waiting for that blessed hope & better things in the Lord Jesus…
b.) So respecting a person of this (sinful) world on account of their riches or outward appearance is a sin…
c.) Why ?, because if you (we) have a misunderstanding of thinking that this World’s goods are what life is all about….then we are missing the purpose of the kingdom of God.
d.) Because, so many of the rich in our society….have No place for the Lord Jesus in their lives…
e.) He is the farthest part of their life..
f.) Look at who put’s the law’s in place that’s against almost every part of God’s Word….those in Power positions..
g.) So as ambassadors for Christ/ it makes us look exceedingly sinful and foolish to support & look up to those who are against the Word of God…..
h.) That name of Christ…..what does that name mean to you ?...
i.) Because that name reflects, Honor, gives worth to us that wear that holy name !!!!
V. (8-11)
Royal law….basically is the law of love/ a law superior to all other laws…
Read ( Leviticus 19:15)
a.) What did Jesus say was the 2 greatest Commandments ?
-Love the Lord your God w/ all your heart, soul and mind…
-and the Second is like unto it/
you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
b.) God isn’t in favor of selective obedience…
c.)We as Christians must (someone say must) practice the law of love the (agape type/unconditional)
VI. (v.12,13)
Everyone in the day of judgment will fall into 1 of 2 categories…
a.) Either you will be among the vessels of wrath or vessel of mercy.
Which will you be ?
b.) The Bible says: Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy…..
c.) So, what we must do for our own good is to show love and mercy to all people..
-Especially when they don’t deserve it, now, is that right ?
Q. How much love are we to have to our neighbor ?
- ok, well the reason I ask is this, Can you think of the worst thing someone can do to you ?...& then think of the worst/most hurtful thing someone can say to you….
The worst….got it?
Now, could you share the gospel to that person?....w/ loving intentions?!
Because, if you can, at that moment….then the Love of Christ is reigning in your heart….but if not, then maybe you are still a babe in that area of your life…..not all area’s…. But maybe in this area of your growth/maturity…
We must not be judges on appearance alone, but observe the character of a person, regardless of appearances… Let’s love God w/ all our heart & love our neighbor as we love ourselves...Amen?
The Test of Impartial Love…let’s not fail this test…
Q. Has anyone ever showed favoritism to anyone ?
Intro/ (Now) The writer of this letter is not James, the brother of John (the apostle), but he was the half brother of Jesus….
Because that James, was killed by Herod in the Book of Acts, (12).
What is so special about this James is that he….(like most of his family) did not believe who Jesus said He was….until after the Resurrection.
I. Chap.2 v.1
Don’t be someone who has this type of faith that looks at someone & shows favoritism……
a.) Why ?....because, we are ambassadors for Christ…this is a high calling, saints !
b.) We shouldn’t look at people and say within yourself, (this person must be Highly Blessed…) look at the way they are dressed !!! (look at the money/car’s/homes..
c.) Because, if (they) are not being a wise steward of what the Lord has given to you…..it’s gonna be trouble…
d.) Because to much is given-much is required…
e.) In Luke 12: 34: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also…
II. (v.2-4)
Gold rings/ (not common, then) here, fine apparel, speaks about a wealthy, rich person….( Bill gates, Oprah) type of person…
a.) Just because your rich, doesn’t mean that you’re closer to God…..
b.) And there’s a flipside to that….just because you’re poor….doesn’t mean, you are closer to God, because you are poor, either…
c.) I heard a comedian say once….he thinks that Blacks and because of Slavery…should automatically….go to heaven…..(well, that contradicts the Bible) and if that was true, then ever Hebrew in the wilderness went to heaven even though they didn’t believe in God…..
d.) Now let’s also remember not to get this passage twisted either, because there is room for respect, honor to certain leaders in the church…
e.) I Timothy 5:17, says: Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor , especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
III. (v.5)
In general (the poor ) of this world: meaning those that are generally considered poor to us…/more likely to be used to advance the kingdom.
a.) Now, this doesn’t mean, just because your poor, you will ingerit the kingdom….(No)….listen….
b.) look again at (v.5) last part of that verse….(to them that love Him)
c.) Cause, there are poor people who hate God, for different reasons…
- some because they look at the rich driving (the Bentley’s)/living good..
- someone like a drug dealer or someone who isn’t a God-fearer..
d.) It’s to those who endure the testing of our faith until the end….(amen)
e.) And this is not just someone entering the kingdom, but ruling w/ Christ… ( II Timothy 2:11,12 read)
IV. (v.6,7)
It is the rich that are mostly the oppressors…..
a.)
The poor is waiting for that blessed hope & better things in the Lord Jesus…
b.) So respecting a person of this (sinful) world on account of their riches or outward appearance is a sin…
c.) Why ?, because if you (we) have a misunderstanding of thinking that this World’s goods are what life is all about….then we are missing the purpose of the kingdom of God.
d.) Because, so many of the rich in our society….have No place for the Lord Jesus in their lives…
e.) He is the farthest part of their life..
f.) Look at who put’s the law’s in place that’s against almost every part of God’s Word….those in Power positions..
g.) So as ambassadors for Christ/ it makes us look exceedingly sinful and foolish to support & look up to those who are against the Word of God…..
h.) That name of Christ…..what does that name mean to you ?...
i.) Because that name reflects, Honor, gives worth to us that wear that holy name !!!!
V. (8-11)
Royal law….basically is the law of love/ a law superior to all other laws…
Read ( Leviticus 19:15)
a.) What did Jesus say was the 2 greatest Commandments ?
-Love the Lord your God w/ all your heart, soul and mind…
-and the Second is like unto it/
you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
b.) God isn’t in favor of selective obedience…
c.)We as Christians must (someone say must) practice the law of love the (agape type/unconditional)
VI. (v.12,13)
Everyone in the day of judgment will fall into 1 of 2 categories…
a.) Either you will be among the vessels of wrath or vessel of mercy.
Which will you be ?
b.) The Bible says: Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy…..
c.) So, what we must do for our own good is to show love and mercy to all people..
-Especially when they don’t deserve it, now, is that right ?
Q. How much love are we to have to our neighbor ?
- ok, well the reason I ask is this, Can you think of the worst thing someone can do to you ?...& then think of the worst/most hurtful thing someone can say to you….
The worst….got it?
Now, could you share the gospel to that person?....w/ loving intentions?!
Because, if you can, at that moment….then the Love of Christ is reigning in your heart….but if not, then maybe you are still a babe in that area of your life…..not all area’s…. But maybe in this area of your growth/maturity…
We must not be judges on appearance alone, but observe the character of a person, regardless of appearances… Let’s love God w/ all our heart & love our neighbor as we love ourselves...Amen?
The Test of Impartial Love…let’s not fail this test…
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I once was a Muslim....
This is my conversion from Islam to Christianity.
I was raised in an A.M.E. Church, (African Methodist Episcopal) for the first 18 yrs of my life… But never really understood the Biblical story, I loved the church service, it was fun, the music was exciting, but still I never had any type of relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
One day in Sunday School class, I asked some hard question’s to the teacher, but my question’s were not satisfying to me…
Also around the same time, I was working part time at my mom’s job, and I met a guy, who was a Muslim…After watching him and talking with him for a couple of months, and also paying attention to a woman who said she was a Christian, mis-treat this guy, who always treated her with respect, it showed me something, that your behavior should reflect your
Faith..
So with a friend, I started to attend the Mosque’s in Brooklyn,N.Y. and their teaching sounded ok to me, then I started to read their material and didn’t know how to defend their own faith…..also the quran, after a couple of months, I took my shahada/in other words get born again (as far as Islam goes) and I told my mother/grandmother and they were not happy, but they themselves, were not grounded enough to show me their faith in Christianity…and like many other Christians,
What that did for me is make my new found religion even more sure to me, that I was following the right religion at first….
By the age of 19, I went into the military and met many Christians and again, they didn’t know how to defend their faith….(which just strengthened my religion to me) and some time in the U.S. Navy, I met my wife in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was from Mobile, Alabama. She wasn’t saved but after some years later, maybe like the last couple of years, there was a difference in my wife…Suddenly she was going to Church more….but her life to me, changed little, until the last year or two (2001-2003). But around that time within me, I kept feeling am I really in the right religion ?.... Because this is my eternal destiny I am talking about here, I will only get one chance at this, and there are no do over’s…..
While at work, I met a preacher, and he asked me if I went to Church with my family….and I told him no, and he then said, a man should always go to Church with his family, so I told him, there are other ways of going to Heaven, then Church….
So, he basicly told me that if I didn’t believe in Jesus I was going to Hell, after he told me that I was hot, and searched in the Bible now I had disputed many other Christians before, so I looked in the Book of Revelations and tried to find a verse, that I wasn’t able to find….Instead I ended up reading the whole Book of Revelations, and by the time I got to the end, I was sure that God loved me and that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the living God,now you would think that by reading the Book of Revelations, that is what converted me…
But when I look back at that time in my life, it wasn’t just reading that Book, I had read the Bible before, (certain parts) also leading up to that point, that year in my spirit I had a deep feeling that I could not explain, that I wasn’t sure about my religion anymore, what was happening was God was causing the seeds in my heart from a child to grow….also what changed my life was that God showed His glory to me….and at that time, I had a choice to make, to either to accept God or continue to deny Him…..I don’t believe it was just the evidence alone…..God had changed my heart/ and also gave me the faith also that I needed.. ( Ephesians 2:8,9)
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
From the time I got saved about the third week of November 2003, until maybe a week later, I was sure God was putting in my heart to preach His Word.
So, I went back to the preacher that helped me see the gospel of Christ and asked him when do you know if the Lord is calling you to preach ?
So, he told me you won’t be able to rest, and the calling won’t leave, basically you will know….
He also told me that this isn’t something you want to play around with, you must be absolutely sure about that calling….and I knew it was….
Not too long after my conversion, I felt the need to ask the Lord for wisdom and also to understand the Scriptures so I would not lead no one wrongly, and then later I felt the desire to mostly listen to teaching and scholars/theologians as well…..
God had given me the gifts that I ask for and also the gift of teaching…. I can now understand why the Lord said, teachers will be judged more strictly, because people keep that teaching with them and it (the Word) guides them also….
By what has happened to my life, has also affected my wife, because she now reads and not just reads but studies the Word for herself, to God be the glory for what He has done…..
Amen….
I was raised in an A.M.E. Church, (African Methodist Episcopal) for the first 18 yrs of my life… But never really understood the Biblical story, I loved the church service, it was fun, the music was exciting, but still I never had any type of relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
One day in Sunday School class, I asked some hard question’s to the teacher, but my question’s were not satisfying to me…
Also around the same time, I was working part time at my mom’s job, and I met a guy, who was a Muslim…After watching him and talking with him for a couple of months, and also paying attention to a woman who said she was a Christian, mis-treat this guy, who always treated her with respect, it showed me something, that your behavior should reflect your
Faith..
So with a friend, I started to attend the Mosque’s in Brooklyn,N.Y. and their teaching sounded ok to me, then I started to read their material and didn’t know how to defend their own faith…..also the quran, after a couple of months, I took my shahada/in other words get born again (as far as Islam goes) and I told my mother/grandmother and they were not happy, but they themselves, were not grounded enough to show me their faith in Christianity…and like many other Christians,
What that did for me is make my new found religion even more sure to me, that I was following the right religion at first….
By the age of 19, I went into the military and met many Christians and again, they didn’t know how to defend their faith….(which just strengthened my religion to me) and some time in the U.S. Navy, I met my wife in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was from Mobile, Alabama. She wasn’t saved but after some years later, maybe like the last couple of years, there was a difference in my wife…Suddenly she was going to Church more….but her life to me, changed little, until the last year or two (2001-2003). But around that time within me, I kept feeling am I really in the right religion ?.... Because this is my eternal destiny I am talking about here, I will only get one chance at this, and there are no do over’s…..
While at work, I met a preacher, and he asked me if I went to Church with my family….and I told him no, and he then said, a man should always go to Church with his family, so I told him, there are other ways of going to Heaven, then Church….
So, he basicly told me that if I didn’t believe in Jesus I was going to Hell, after he told me that I was hot, and searched in the Bible now I had disputed many other Christians before, so I looked in the Book of Revelations and tried to find a verse, that I wasn’t able to find….Instead I ended up reading the whole Book of Revelations, and by the time I got to the end, I was sure that God loved me and that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the living God,now you would think that by reading the Book of Revelations, that is what converted me…
But when I look back at that time in my life, it wasn’t just reading that Book, I had read the Bible before, (certain parts) also leading up to that point, that year in my spirit I had a deep feeling that I could not explain, that I wasn’t sure about my religion anymore, what was happening was God was causing the seeds in my heart from a child to grow….also what changed my life was that God showed His glory to me….and at that time, I had a choice to make, to either to accept God or continue to deny Him…..I don’t believe it was just the evidence alone…..God had changed my heart/ and also gave me the faith also that I needed.. ( Ephesians 2:8,9)
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
From the time I got saved about the third week of November 2003, until maybe a week later, I was sure God was putting in my heart to preach His Word.
So, I went back to the preacher that helped me see the gospel of Christ and asked him when do you know if the Lord is calling you to preach ?
So, he told me you won’t be able to rest, and the calling won’t leave, basically you will know….
He also told me that this isn’t something you want to play around with, you must be absolutely sure about that calling….and I knew it was….
Not too long after my conversion, I felt the need to ask the Lord for wisdom and also to understand the Scriptures so I would not lead no one wrongly, and then later I felt the desire to mostly listen to teaching and scholars/theologians as well…..
God had given me the gifts that I ask for and also the gift of teaching…. I can now understand why the Lord said, teachers will be judged more strictly, because people keep that teaching with them and it (the Word) guides them also….
By what has happened to my life, has also affected my wife, because she now reads and not just reads but studies the Word for herself, to God be the glory for what He has done…..
Amen….
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Is the Rapture of the Church real ?
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Thessalonians 4:16 - “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I believe there will be seven years of terrible tribulation. It will be a time of tyranny and persecution. It will be a time when all nature will be out of joint and when demon spirits will infest the world. It will be a time when the Anti-Christ will rule and reign. But before the tribulation comes, the Church is going to be raptured out. You might find it interesting to note that the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, but the word “caught up” is, and that’s literally what the word “rapture” means. We will be “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
ACTION POINT:
Do your loved ones know what the rapture means? Why not ask them what they think this next week and open the door for a candid discussion about the future?
BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Thessalonians 4:16 - “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
I believe there will be seven years of terrible tribulation. It will be a time of tyranny and persecution. It will be a time when all nature will be out of joint and when demon spirits will infest the world. It will be a time when the Anti-Christ will rule and reign. But before the tribulation comes, the Church is going to be raptured out. You might find it interesting to note that the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, but the word “caught up” is, and that’s literally what the word “rapture” means. We will be “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
ACTION POINT:
Do your loved ones know what the rapture means? Why not ask them what they think this next week and open the door for a candid discussion about the future?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
What if you knew that Christ was coming back next week ?
Imagine knowing that Jesus was coming back in just one week. What would you do?
Is there a bad habit or sin you need to address?
Is there someone in your life with whom you need to make amends?
Is there someone you need to speak to about the things of God?
Is your spiritual life as vibrant as it should be when Christ returns?
Be ready for that reunion you are so looking forward to!
Is there a bad habit or sin you need to address?
Is there someone in your life with whom you need to make amends?
Is there someone you need to speak to about the things of God?
Is your spiritual life as vibrant as it should be when Christ returns?
Be ready for that reunion you are so looking forward to!
Monday, April 5, 2010
What is the Gospel ?
First read: Genesis 3:1-15 & Isaiah 53
What's the best news you have ever heard ? (maybe a new marriage,birth of a new born or maybe a new job ?)
To me it would be the Gospel or called the good news/glad tidings, which speaks about a messenger bringing victory of a war and he usually is running.....
If I asked you when did the gospel start,what would you say ?
My understanding of the Scriptures, I believe it started in the Garden of Eden, the beginning of the Promise...(Genesis 3:15)
Look with me at verse (v.15)- enmity between your seed & Her Seed...as you can see (in the New King James Version and some other translations) the first seed is not capitalized, but the second Seed is...
This is about none other than the Lord Jesus Christ...(The Seed that is in Cap's)
Let me break this story down in a story for you (paraphrase)...
God told adam (1st adam) because you disobeyed Me, your sin must be dealt with.
The Reason is, if you want fellowship with Me again, someOne will have to die...
God told adam, you will die adam(1st.), but not for the sin's of all mankind....(adam doesn't understand,still)
You see (1st.) adam, what you did had an effect on all mankind, but don't worry adam, I knew you would do that, so I made prior arrangements.
But in order for you, meaning mankind to have felloweship with Me again, I'm sending another Adam, a 2nd Adam,and He will live a perfect life & become the Savior of the world, so 1st. adam, don't worry I'm in total control of everything.
This is in the prophecy, in Isaiah 53,(v.3) the Bible tells us that He (The Christ) will be despised & rejected by men, (the same ones He came to save!)
That is called humility, when allow, those whom you created is crucifing...
It has been asked, who killed Jesus ?....and it is true that we all had a part in this, like the Jews, the Romans, and us....But......
Look at v.4, it says Smitten by God and afflicted....for us....what kind of Love is that ????
But why did Christ do this for us ?......look with me at: John 15:13.
No greater love than this, that a Man lay down His life for His friends.
So, next time someone talks about you, don't fight back...do what Jesus did....let God handle you battles.....
Why, did He do it ?....watch this: Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, (watch this) who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Philippians 2:9 says: God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name.
Why did He do it ? simply because of His love for us.....
Here is the plan of salvation:
In Mark 1:15, Jesus came preaching repent & believe in the gospel...
1st. to repent means: a change of mind, you agree w/ God that you are a sinner & you are wanting or desire to turn away from your sin life & turn to God's way....
2nd. believe in the gospel: That Jesus came from heaven, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died for all your sins (past,present and future sins) and was raised on the 3rd. day by the power of God and now sits on the right hand of God the Father.
If you truly repent and believe in the gospel w/all your heart you will start to bear fruit, of the Spirit of God (the fruit that every Christian bears is found in:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Remember this last thing......You are responsible for your own salvation,not your parents,sis,bro,spouse....no one, but you....
So, what are you waiting for, accept the free gift of God, in Christ Jesus....
What's the best news you have ever heard ? (maybe a new marriage,birth of a new born or maybe a new job ?)
To me it would be the Gospel or called the good news/glad tidings, which speaks about a messenger bringing victory of a war and he usually is running.....
If I asked you when did the gospel start,what would you say ?
My understanding of the Scriptures, I believe it started in the Garden of Eden, the beginning of the Promise...(Genesis 3:15)
Look with me at verse (v.15)- enmity between your seed & Her Seed...as you can see (in the New King James Version and some other translations) the first seed is not capitalized, but the second Seed is...
This is about none other than the Lord Jesus Christ...(The Seed that is in Cap's)
Let me break this story down in a story for you (paraphrase)...
God told adam (1st adam) because you disobeyed Me, your sin must be dealt with.
The Reason is, if you want fellowship with Me again, someOne will have to die...
God told adam, you will die adam(1st.), but not for the sin's of all mankind....(adam doesn't understand,still)
You see (1st.) adam, what you did had an effect on all mankind, but don't worry adam, I knew you would do that, so I made prior arrangements.
But in order for you, meaning mankind to have felloweship with Me again, I'm sending another Adam, a 2nd Adam,and He will live a perfect life & become the Savior of the world, so 1st. adam, don't worry I'm in total control of everything.
This is in the prophecy, in Isaiah 53,(v.3) the Bible tells us that He (The Christ) will be despised & rejected by men, (the same ones He came to save!)
That is called humility, when allow, those whom you created is crucifing...
It has been asked, who killed Jesus ?....and it is true that we all had a part in this, like the Jews, the Romans, and us....But......
Look at v.4, it says Smitten by God and afflicted....for us....what kind of Love is that ????
But why did Christ do this for us ?......look with me at: John 15:13.
No greater love than this, that a Man lay down His life for His friends.
So, next time someone talks about you, don't fight back...do what Jesus did....let God handle you battles.....
Why, did He do it ?....watch this: Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, (watch this) who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Philippians 2:9 says: God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name.
Why did He do it ? simply because of His love for us.....
Here is the plan of salvation:
In Mark 1:15, Jesus came preaching repent & believe in the gospel...
1st. to repent means: a change of mind, you agree w/ God that you are a sinner & you are wanting or desire to turn away from your sin life & turn to God's way....
2nd. believe in the gospel: That Jesus came from heaven, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died for all your sins (past,present and future sins) and was raised on the 3rd. day by the power of God and now sits on the right hand of God the Father.
If you truly repent and believe in the gospel w/all your heart you will start to bear fruit, of the Spirit of God (the fruit that every Christian bears is found in:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Remember this last thing......You are responsible for your own salvation,not your parents,sis,bro,spouse....no one, but you....
So, what are you waiting for, accept the free gift of God, in Christ Jesus....
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