What I Accept
Young Adult- Physical copies of a book are always preferred, but I also occasionally accept epub files, and if I accept your request, my physical address will be provided to you. Genre specifics fall into the categories of High Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Dystopia, or Supernatural. Other genres will be accepted at my discretion.
Adult- Genre specifics remain the same. I will review Erotica on occasion, as long as the content is not raunchy or nauseating! Strong language is not a deterrent, so do not worry about that aspect.
I do not accept poetry or non-fiction submissions.
Contact Me
If you are an author, publicist, or publisher and wish to have me review your book, please email me at ElysianFieldsReviews@gmail.com, or fill out my contact form on the right side of this page. Do not include a copy of the book with your email until I respond and accept.
I will respond to your request as soon as possible. Life gets hectic, as I'm sure you are aware, so please be patient with me.
If I do accept, your book will be reviewed within a timely manner. Usually within two weeks depending on what time of the year it is. During mid-terms and finals, I will most likely take a longer period of time to read and review, but I will let you know the time frame in place after I receive the book.
WHY INVESTIGATE EASTER?
ReplyDeleteWhat if there is a God?
What if there is a divine plan for mankind?
What if a person’s soul or spirit exists for eternity?
What if there is a heaven and hell?
What if the biblical ultimatum of heaven and hell is true?
What if committing to Jesus is the only answer for heaven?
If these things are true, then understanding and accepting God’s plan is the single most important thing to discover in life. More important than the next vacation. More important than the next golf game. Even more important than the next paycheck. And our choice regarding that plan will affect us forever. It’s a choice that can bring real joy here on earth. A choice that can mean “no more pain and no more tears” forever or a choice that will lead to eternal horror.
Would God expect us to accept His plan on faith? Yes and no, because history can never be “proven.” Instead, evidence is the only basis for verifying historical fact. Does evidence exist for Easter resurrection? Absolutely. There is far more evidence for the resurrection than for any other single event in the history of the world.
Often people don’t embrace a relationship with God because they fail to investigate and understand their beliefs. Some people are taught wrong beliefs from birth, which they never objectively challenge. Some people are misled by individuals who cleverly tamper with facts and tell people what they want to hear. And some people just don’t care. Yet abundant evidence exists for the first Easter and the tremendous message it brings to mankind. Hence, we might reject God out of apathy … or out of pride … or for many other reasons. But we have no basis to reject God for lack of evidence if we take time to seek it. As the Bible says “Men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
Did Jesus Exist?
Virtually all major religions, even those opposing Him, acknowledge the existence of Jesus. For hundreds of years, Jesus’ existence was a widely accepted as Abraham Lincoln’s existence is today. Only in relatively recent history have some people challenged it. Possibly in a few thousand years, Mr. Lincoln’s existence may be challenged as well.
Christian Historical Records
The magnitude of the Christian record stands far above any record of anyone who has ever lived upon this planet. Existing early manuscripts exceed 24,000. The earliest were written within 25 years of His death. No work of antiquity approaches the Bible’s documentary credibility, including all works we accept as historical fact. Some examples are:
Early Event Until First
Major Existing Manuscripts Records Existing Manuscript
Julius Caesar – Gallic Wars 10 1000 years
Pliny the Younger – History 7 750 years
Thucydides – History 8 1300 years
Herodotus – History 8 1300 years
Homer – Iliad 643 500 years
The New Testament 24,000+ 25 years
The vastness of the number of accounts of the resurrection is particularly extraordinary considering that:
1. Jesus was not in a position of public importance. He was not a king, not a religious leader, nor a general. Relative to Rome, Jesus came from a small, distant town and was a lowly carpenter with a scant three-year ministry. Rome hardly knew of Him until testimony of eyewitnesses later threatened political/religious stability.
ReplyDelete2. The records survived the most intensive eradication effort of all time. Rapidly growing in number,
Christian witnesses were killed, written records were burned, and anyone professing belief in Christianity was executed. In A.D. 303 an edict was issued to destroy all of the world’s Bibles. People found with Bibles were killed.
3. There was no printing press, and the world population was low. The number of surviving early
Manuscripts is absolutely staggering considering they were all hand copied by a far smaller pop-
ulation base. Only 138 million people existed at the time, the no automatic duplication methods for he printed word. What motivated such extensive work?
Was the incredible quantity and survival of the Christian record a miracle, or just senseless expansion of a myth? Why haven’t other religions with more prominent leaders, with lifelong ministries, and with less persecution produced similar evidence? Something major happened.
Proof of Authenticity
Not surprisingly, critics of the Bible, especially those knowledgeable of the prophecy miracles, suggest that the Bible was changed, altered, and somehow mishandled. Commonly, people claim the Bible was in the control of the Roman Catholic Church, which supposedly had “opportunity and motive” to change Scripture to meet its purpose. Such critics miss some key facts. There are two indisputable sets of records that mankind has in its possession today that were not historically controlled by the Christian church and verify the authenticity of the message contained in the words of the Bible we read today:
The Septuagint
Almost 300 years before Christ, the world was becoming so accustomed to Greek that the language of Hebrew was becoming “lost.” It was deemed more important to translate the Bible into a common language than to try to teach everyone Hebrew. A group of 70 elite scholars was assembled to translate the Scriptures into Greek. The result was a document called the Septuagint (meaning “seventy”), compiled around 250 B.C. (Several copies were made by the techniques of the scribes above.) Today, we still have copies of the early translations. The Septuagint message is consistent with the Bible.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
Any doubt regarding the accurate transmission of manuscripts was erased in 1947 with the discovery of hundreds of scrolls buried in caves for nearly 2000 years. Many were written before 100 B.C. Comparison of biblical books with recent Jewish copies shows virtual no change in words or even letters.
Non-Christian Evidence
Very few written works of anything in history exist from the period of A.D. 30 to 60. All works from A.D. 50-60 are said to fit in bookends only a foot apart. Nero’s killing of Christians in A.D. 64 led to non-Christian writing about Jesus.
Thallus (circa A.D. 52) – Historical work referenced by Julius Africanus. Explains the darkness at the time of Christ’s death as a solar eclipse. While an eclipse did not occur in that period (pointed out by Julius Africanus), reference to Jesus’ death was stated as a matter of fact.
Josephus (circa A.D. 64-93) – This Jewish historian referenced Jesus, His miracles, His crucifixion, and His disciples. Also referenced are James, “brother of Jesus who was called the Christ,” and John the Baptist.
Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 64-116) – Writing to dispel rumors that Nero caused the great fire of Rome in A.D. 64, he refers to Christians as the followers of “Christus.” Who “had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilatus.” The resurrection was called “the pernicious superstition.”
ReplyDeletePliny the Younger (circa A.D. 112) – As governor of Bithynia (Asia Minor), he requested guidance from Rome regarding the proper test to give Christians before executing them. (If they renounced the faith, cursed Jesus, and worshiped the statue of Emperor Trajan, they were set free.)
Phlegon (circa A.D. 140) – Referenced by Julius Africanus and Origen – referred to “eclipse,” earthquake, and Jesus’ prophecies.
Did the Resurrection Occur?
The crucifixion of Jesus was especially well documented and accepted as fact. The crucial question then becomes, Did Jesus rise from the dead, proving His claim to be God incarnate? Or did something else happen with His body? Or was He never dead at all?
A key to this issue is the extreme local importance placed on handling this execution. Jesus’ powerful, insightful speaking and many miracles had let the populace to request that He become king. This began to threaten the local political stability of the Romans and the religious power of the Jewish leaders whom Jesus openly criticized. Both the absolute death of Jesus and the protection against a hoax were critical, since Jesus had claimed He would overcome death. Furthermore, He had already raised other people from the dead. As a result, all precautions were taken to secure His corpse (Matthew 27:62-66).
The Bible implies the cause of Jesus’ death was cardiac arrest, indicated by blood and water from a spear thrust (medical experts confirm this). To secure the body, a Roman guard was placed outside the tomb. Such a guard would have consisted of 16 soldiers, with a disciplined rotation for sleeping at night (every four hours, four would switch). The guards all faced the rigid Roman penalty of crucifixion if they slept outside of the assigned shift or deserted their post. The idea that all guards were asleep, considering the death penalty, is especially unreasonable. To further ensure safekeeping, a two-ton stone [McDowell, Josh and Wilson, Bill. A Ready Defense. San Bernardino, CA: Here’s Life Publishers, Inc., 1990] was rolled in front of the tomb with Pontius Pilate’s seal on it. Breaking the seal without the official Roman guard’s approval meant crucifixion upside down. The central issue, unexplainable by Jewish leaders, especially in light of the many precautions, is…
What happened to Jesus’ corpse if He did not rise from the dead as indicated in the Gospel accounts?
The official explanation is that the disciples stole the body while the guards were asleep (with the priests protecting the guards from the governor). This story was necessary only because no one could produce a dead body of Jesus, which would have stopped the resurrection story forever. Is a theft of Jesus’ body even remotely possible given that:
1. All 16 guards would have had to risk the penalty of crucifixion by sleeping while on duty of deserting. Surely at least one guard would be awake.
ReplyDelete2. The disciples were in a state of shock, fear, and disarray, having seen their Master crucified. Is it reasonable to think they quickly created a brilliant plan and flawlessly executed it on the Sabbath day of rest?
3. What possible motive could the disciples have? If Jesus was not the Son of God as He claimed, stealing the body would create a lie with no apparent benefit, and death for no purpose for the disciples.
Analysis of Other Explanations
Was Jesus really dead? Crucifixion was more routine and was a longer, more visibly excruciating death than the electric chair is today. Is it likely that such professional executioners would not know death? The final spear thrust to the heart area was to ensure death. For such a political threat, they would be certain. If Jesus was not dead, what are the chances that a barely living person could move a two-ton rock from the inside of a tomb and escape a full Roman Guard unnoticed?
Was the body stolen at night? Recognizing that no flashlights nor infrared sensors were available then, is it likely that a band of scared disciples carrying torches could bypass a full Roman guard, move a two-ton rock, and not be noticed? Furthermore, the Sabbath greatly limited movement. And again, for what motive?
Eyewitnesses to the Truth Died to Tell the Story
Martyrdom for a belief is not unique. But what kind of person would die for a known lie? Someone insane? Would all the disciples face hardship and death for a known lie? The disciples were with Jesus constantly for three years. They would certainly know the truth of the resurrection. Lying would serve no purpose since Jesus’ ministry would then be moot. Yet historical records and reports about the disciples indicated they all died cruel deaths for their beliefs (except John). James was stoned, Peter was crucified upside down, Paul was beheaded, Thaddaeus was killed with arrows, Matthew and James (Zebedee) faced sword deaths, and other believers were crucified.
The Prophecies – Statistical “Proof”
Although history can never be “proven,” enormous statistical probability is often viewed as proof by scientists and mathematicians. From a statistical viewpoint, God’s involvement in the life of Jesus is “certain.”
As indicated earlier, the prophecies contained in the Old Testament were written long before Jesus. The Dead Sea Scrolls provided irrefutable evidence that these prophecies were not tampered with over the centuries. Of the 469 prophecies contained in the Old Testament that would have been fulfilled, 467 have been verified (we have no record of fulfillment of two). Perhaps the most fascinating prophecies are those about Jesus.
Who Jesus’ Ancestors in Prophecy:
David 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Jeremiah 23:5
Jesse Isaiah 11
Judah Isaiah 11
Jacob Genesis 35:10-12; Numbers 24:17
Isaac Genesis 17:16; 21:12
Abraham Genesis 12:3; 22:18
Shem Genesis 9:26,27; 10
What
ReplyDeleteVirgin Birth Isaiah 7:14
Birth of eternal Savior Isaiah 9:6,7
Savior to Jews and Gentiles Isaiah 49:6
Miracle worker Isaiah 29:18; 35:5,6
Rejection by Jews Isaiah 53:1-3, Psalm 118:22 Matthew 21:42-46
When
Prophecy of the Date of Palm Sunday Daniel 9:20-27 – Although complex until understood,
This prophecy made about 535 B.C. predicted Jesus’ final
entry into Jerusalem to the day. The prophecy states:
Daniel’s “Seventy Sevens”
69 periods of 7 (years) will pass from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the “Anointed One” (Messiah, in Hebrew). This dates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
After that time the Anointed One will be cut off (Hebrew: yikaret, meaning a sudden, violent end – crucifixion).
And after that time the city and the temple will be destroyed.
Prophecy: Daniel, a Hebrew, received the prophetic revelation in 535 B.C. Using the Hebrew definition of a year (360 days) we find:
69 times 7 years = 173,880 days
The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given to Artaxerxes on March 14, 445 B.C. (first day of Nisan that year – Nehemiah 2:1-6).
Using the actual 365-day calendar, along with adjustments for leap years and the final scientific adjustment (leap year is dropped every 128 years), we find this number of days brings us precisely to:
April 6, A.D. 32
History: Jesus’ ministry began in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:1), whose reign began in A.D. 14. A chronological analysis of Jesus’ ministry shows three years leading up to the final week, in A.D. 32.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, confirms the Sunday before Passover that year to be …
April 6, A.D. 32
Other prophecy elements were fulfilled as well:
Jesus was crucified three and a half days later.
The Romans destroyed the city and temple in A.D. 70.
Precise City of Jesus’ Birth The Bible (Micah 5:2) specified that Jesus would be born
Bethlehem, in Ephrathah.
Other Prophecies
King on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9)
Suffering, rejected (Isaiah 53:1-3)
Crucified, pierced (Psalm 22:16)
Cast lots for clothing (Psalm 22:18)
No bones broken (Psalm 22:17)
Given gall and wine (Psalm 69:20-22)
Pierced with a spear (Zechariah 12:10)
Posterity to serve Him (Psalm 22:30)
Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12)
ReplyDeleteAmazing Prophecy
Statistics experts estimate the probability of all these prophecies coming true in any one man is about one
Chance in 10 exp99 , less than the odds of correctly selecting one electron out of all the matter in the universe, or essentially zero without divine intervention.
Jesus’ Own Prophecies
The many prophecies made by Jesus Himself are important because:
1. Perfect accuracy verifies the prophecy was “from God” (Deuteronomy 18:19-22).
2. Since He claimed to be the Messiah and the Son of God, it verifies the claims of Jesus Christ.
Prophecy from Jesus includes several immediately verified by people around Him [e.g., Jesus told a
Centurion his servant would be healed, Matthew 8:5-13]. Other prophecies refer to judgment, to heaven, or the end of the world. Jesus told His disciples that His precise prophecy of His death and resurrection was so that when it happened, they would believe He was the Messiah (John 13:19). The Jews realized that only God knows the future.
The Resurrection Prophecies of Jesus
1. That He would be betrayed (Matthew 26:21; Mark 14:17-21; Luke 22:21,22)
2. Who would betray Him
3. When He would be betrayed
4. That His disciples would desert Him
5. That Peter would disown Him three times (Matthew 26:33,34; Mark 14:29,30; Luke 22:31-34)
6. That He would be crucified (John 3:14-16; 12:32-34)
7. That He would die and then be resurrected:
First prediction (Matthew 16:21-28; Mark 8:31-9:1; Luke 9:21-27)
Second prediction (Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34)
Third prediction (Matthew 26:2-5; Mark 14:1-9)
8. That on the third day He would rise from the dead
9. That He would return from death to meet the disciples in Galilee (Matthew 26:32)
Lee Strobel ( In the ’80s), Lee’s wife, Leslie, became a Christian and when Lee found out, he was furious, being a staunch atheist and a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Lee set out to debunk the resurrection of Christ so that he could prove to Leslie that she was being misled. But by applying his investigative skills and trying to disprove the biblical accounts of Jesus, he instead found that it was true, and as a result, he came to faith in Jesus Christ. Lee built a solid, reasonable case for Christ.
Was the Resurrection Physical?
ReplyDeleteSome people (and even organizations) have tried to minimize or even disclaim Christ’s physical resurrection. Why? Perhaps because it undermines Jesus’ claims to deity. A prophet had to be 100 percent accurate to be a prophet of God, and clearly Jesus indicated that He would rise again physically from the dead (John 2:19-22). Or perhaps people want to diminish the role and power of Jesus. The facts clearly state that the resurrection was both real and physical.
The resurrection was a highly significant event to Jews in the area. The Sadducees and Pharisees debated fiercely over the concept of resurrection long before Jesus. After the first Easter, people argued over it, people imprisoned others for it, people even died for it. In the days immediately following the Resurrection there was no doubt that many people believed that Jesus appeared again in a physical form.
The accounts recorded in the New Testament stood the test of eyewitness examination. They could have easily been challenged by contemporaries. In the earliest days, there is no record of anyone claiming Jesus was an apparition (ghost) or a mass hallucination or any other sort of “mere spirit being.” For the resurrection to have any meaningful significance, it had to be a resurrection of the body, as Christ Himself indicated. Several references support this.
Eating, Drinking, Touching
Can a spirit eat? Drink? Touch? There is no historical evidence of any spirit-form taking on human functions unless it became human first (e.g., angels becoming human). Jesus, on the other hand, specifically made a point of verifying His physical existence by eating and drinking after the resurrection (Luke 24:37-43).
Can a spirit or hallucination be touched or felt? Thomas, the most doubting of the disciples, certainly believed that touching was a primary criterion for “proof.” Jesus specifically appeared to Thomas (and the others), challenging him to see the nail prints in His hands and touch His side (John 20:25-28).
How Can We Ensure the Right Relationship to Go to Heaven?
When Jesus said not all who use His name will enter heaven (Matthew 7:21-23), He was referring to people who think using Christ’s name along with rituals and rules is the key to heaven. A relationship with God is not based on rituals or rules. It’s based on grace, forgiveness, and the right relationship.
How to Have a Personal Relationship with God
1. Believe that God exists and that He came to earth in the human form of Jesus Christ (John 3:16;
Romans 10:9).
2. Accepts God’s free forgiveness of sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Ephesians
2:8-10; 1:7,8).
3. Switch to God’s plan for life (1 Peter 1:21-23; Ephesians 2:1-5).
4. Express desire for Christ to be Director of your life (Matthew 7:21-27; 1 John 4:15).
Then What?
People who sincerely take the preceding steps automatically become members of God’s family of believers. A new world of freedom and strength is then available through prayer and obedience to God’s will. New believers also can build their relationship with God by taking the following steps:
Find a Bible-based church that you like, and attend regularly.
Try to set aside some time each day to pray and read the Bible.
Locate other Christians to spend time with on a regular basis.
EVIDENCE FOR GOD
ReplyDeleteLecture notes by CHARLIE H. CAMPBELL
Director of The Always Be Ready Apologetics Ministry
THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE
The Bible is a book unlike any other book. It is a compilation of 66 different books written by more than 40 different authors, over a period of 1,500 years, on three different continents, in three different languages.
Over and over the authors of the Bible claim to be recording events and writing words inspired by God Himself (2 Timothy 3:16). And of course, the Bible reveals to us very plainly…
• God exists
• What He is like
• And what His will is for our lives
SKEPTIC: “Charlie, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Bible is true.”
You're right. But don't misunderstand me. I'm not asking you to believe the Bible "because it says so." I want you to believe the Bible because of the wealth of good evidence that has demonstrated the Bible is historically reliable and divinely inspired. I'm talking about:
• Its hundreds of fulfilled prophecies
• The Bible's amazing internal harmony
• The Bible's incredible scientific accuracy and foresight
• Thousands of archaeological discoveries
• Numerous details in the Bible that have been corroborated by extrabiblical historical sources
• And so on
Another reason you can be confident God exists is…
5. CHRIST
Many who doubt the existence of God have reassured themselves with the thought, “If God wanted us to believe in Him, He would appear to us.” Well, we have to be careful when we talk about wanting God to appear to us. If He were to do that in all His glory, while we were in our sinful fallen condition, the Bible says we would not live through the experience (Exodus 33:20, 1 Timothy 6:15-16, John 1:18) . But what if God was to veil His glory and appear to mankind in the form of a man, someone mankind could really relate with? What kind of a man would God be?
Someone wisely pointed out that, “We would expect Him to be sinless; we would expect him to be holy; we would expect His words to be the greatest words ever spoken; we would expect Him to exert a profound power over human personality; we would expect Him to perform supernatural doings; and we would expect Him to manifest the love of God.” [John MacArthur summarizing a teaching by Bernard Ramm.]
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Has anyone ever come on the world’s scene, who claimed to be God and who met all of those criteria? Ahh, of all the human beings who have ever lived, Jesus Christ alone met these criteria. When someone says, “If God wanted us to believe in Him, He would appear to us,” I like to tell them that is what God has already done.
The Bible tells us that Jesus was God in human flesh (Isaiah 9:6, Colossians 2:9, John 20:28) and Jesus Himself made that clear in verses like John 5:18 and John 8:58.
And Jesus didn’t just claim to be God. Anybody can do that. So Jesus proved that He was God by doing things that only God can do:
• He opened the eyes of the blind
• He healed the lame
• He raised the dead
• He walked on water
• He lived a sinless life
• He rose from the grave three days after He was put to death
• And forty days later, He ascended visibly into Heaven
These are just a few of the miracles the disciples recorded for us in the New Testament that help substantiate Jesus’ claims to deity.
SKEPTIC: “Hold on here a second Charlie!
That doesn’t mean that what the disciples said about Him was actually true. Maybe they were making up the whole story about His resurrection!”
Well, I’m not sure what their motivation would have been for doing that. Liars lie to get out of trouble or gain some type of advantage or benefit. But what the early Christians said about Jesus, didn’t get them out of trouble or result in any kind of benefit. The things they said and wrote about Jesus got them in trouble. What they received was rejection, persecution, torture, and martyrdom. Hardly a list of perks! That, to me, is compelling evidence these men were telling the truth about Jesus.
So, we've considered five lines of evidence for the existence of God...
1. The Cosmos
2. The Conditions for Life
3. The Complexity of Life
4. The Canon of Scripture
5. The Christ
Friends, this evidence from cosmology, biology, philosophy, history, and the Bible is a reminder that there is a God! If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you haven’t followed after cleverly devised tales. Your faith isn’t grounded in wishful thinking. Your faith is grounded in the truth. There is good evidence that the God of the Bible is actually there.
ReplyDeleteWhat good news this is!
You are not part of some gigantic cosmic accident! You are not just some conglomeration of cells walking around without meaning on a random planet in a purposeless universe. You’re not the result of millions of years of evolution. No. You are one of God’s creations. He formed you in your mother’s womb. The Bible says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that God has a purpose for your existence. Do you know that? God loves you! And He desires to have a close, intimate, personal relationship with each one of you.
Do you have that kind of a relationship with God? You can.
Two thousand years ago Jesus (God in the flesh) died on that cruel wooden Roman cross to take the punishment for your sins so that you could be forgiven, saved from eternity in Hell, and come to experience the greatest relationship you’ll ever know:
Knowing God personally, not only in this life
but throughout eternity.
Jesus rose from the grave on the third day and today He is offering mankind the "free gift" (Romans 6:23) of salvation and everlasting life for those who will turn from their sins and place their faith in Him.
I exhort you friend to do that if you never have. A day of judgment is coming. You can stand before God still in your sins or forgiven. Standing before God still in your sins will result in condemnation and eternity in Hell. Being forgiven will result in everlasting life in paradise. The choice is yours. The ball is in your court. God made the first move. Now it's your turn. Place your faith in Jesus, and receive Him as your personal Lord and Savior!
STATISTICAL PROPHECY PROOF OF JESUS COMPARED TO OTHERS
ReplyDeleteMany specific prophecies about Jesus have been reviewed. We know that the Old Testament manuscripts were made before the time of Jesus. Likewise the New Testament manuscripts, widely circulated during the time of Jesus, provide evidence that the fulfillment of prophecies was accurate.
So the essential question is, what does this mean? Are the prophecies statistically reliable enough to draw conclusions about Jesus and his claims? To answer these questions, let’s start with an estimate of only 30 of the prophecies about Jesus.
Messianic Prophecy A “Guesstimate” of Odds
1. Shem an ancestor (Genesis 9-10) 1/3
2. Abraham an ancestor (Genesis 22:18) 1/1000
3. Isaac an ancestor (Genesis 26:4) 1/10,000
4. Jacob an ancestor (Genesis 28:14) 1/100,000
5. Judah an ancestor (Genesis 49:10) 1/1,000,000
6. Jesse an ancestor (Isaiah 11:1-5) 1/10,000,000
7. King David an ancestor (2 Samuel 7:11-16) 1/100,000,000
8. Bethlehem Ephrathah as birthplace (Micah 5:2) 1/100,000
9. Star connected with birth (Numbers 24:17) 1/100,000
10. Called “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14) 1/100,000
11. Calming the sea (Psalm 107:29) 1/10,000,000
12. “Special” miracles (Isaiah 35:4-6) 1/100,000,000
13. Names given (Isaiah 9:6) 1/10,000
14. Use of parable (Psalm 78:2) 1/10
15. Ultimate king over all (Isaiah 45:23; Psalm 22) 1/10
16. Sin offering and Passover Lamb (Isaiah 53) 1/100
17. Will die with “wicked men” (Isaiah 53:3-9) 1/10
18. Will be buried with a rich man (Isaiah 53:3-9) 1/10
19. Timing of entry into Jerusalem (Daniel 9:20-27) 1/10,000,000
20. Entering Jerusalem as a king on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) 1/100
21. Betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12-13) 1/1000
22. Rejection by Israel; will say nothing at his trial (Isaiah 8:10; 53) 1/10,000
23. Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22) 1/10,000
24. Identifying the place of crucifixion (Genesis 22) 1/1,000,000
25. Will thirst while being put to death (Psalm 69:20-22) 1/10
26. No bones broken (Psalm 22) 1/10
27. Identification of words at the beginning and end of
execution (Psalm 22) 1/1000
28. Lots cast for clothing (Psalm 22) 1/1000
29. Will be given gall and wine (Psalm 69:20-22) 1/10
30. Will be “pierced” (Isaiah 3:5; Zechariah 12:10) 1/100
The cumulative probability of all these prophecies randomly coming true in one person would be 1 chance in 10 exp110. This would be like winning about 16 lotteries in a row. Even if a skeptic were to substantially reduce some of the above estimates, the result would still be deemed impossible. For example, let’s very conservatively assume the above estimates are off by a factor of a trillion trillion! This would still result in the “impossible odds” of all prophecies coming true in one man, Jesus, of one chance in 10 exp86 ! How remote are these odds? They would still be like taking all of the matter in the entire universe (that is, one billion billion stars and solar systems) and breaking it all down into subatomic particles, and randomly selecting one marked electron! Truly the prophecies made about Jesus in the Old Testament alone verify his divinity because they verify the Bible’s claims about him, and his claims about himself.
Prophecies Made by Jesus Himself
Old Testament prophecies provide powerful evidence about Jesus. However, there is also evidence that Jesus himself is a divine prophet. Although he prophesied many things, by far the most significant were his multiple prophecies that he would be betrayed, crucified, and on the third rise from the dead:
Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them,
“we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and
the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the
gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
(Matthew 20:17-19).
Jesus prophesied his death and resurrection numerous times, in all four Gospels:
ReplyDelete• Matthew 12:40;16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 26:61; 27:40; 27:63
• Mark 8:31; 9:30-32; 10:32-34; 14:58; 14:58; 15:29-30
• Luke 9:21-22,44-45; 18:31-34
• John 2:13-22; 3:14-16; 12:32-34
If there was ever an unusual and amazing prophecy, it would be one with the specific details of the prophesier’s death, and far more, that he would rise from the dead in three day! Out of all kinds of prophecy, this one is phenomenal and would be beyond any odds imaginable!
So central was this prophecy to Jesus’ life that he stated it many times; it was recorded in the Gospel accounts in 18 places! It is a prediction that only an all-knowing God could make and fulfill.
In addition to this, Jesus also prophesied specifically about other things as well:
• One of his disciples would betray him (Matthew 26:21; Mark 14:17-21; Luke 22:21-22)
• His disciples would desert him (Matthew 26:30-31; Mark 14:26-27).
• Peter would disown him three times (Matthew 26:33-34; Mark 14:29-30; Luke 22:31-34).
• He would meet the disciples in Galilee after he had risen (Mark 14:28).
Other People Believed That Jesus Was God
An obvious question is, with all the prophetic evidence, did the Jews of the day, who certainly would be aware of the prophecies in the Tanakh, think that Jesus was God? In fact, the Jews in Jerusalem were very rapidly accepting reported that the number who immediately believed in the resurrection (presumably the eyewitnesses) was at least 120 (Acts 1:15) before the Feast of Pentecost, which was 50 days after the resurrection. (It could have been more since this verse refers only to believers present at that setting.) When Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost, immediately 3000 men were added to the group of believers (Acts 2:41). Why was Peter’s message so compelling? Because it was based on the prophecies the Jews knew and the events they had witnessed or had heard about. The Bible further reports that the number increased daily (2:47).
One of the most striking indications of the early belief that Jesus was God in the Gospel of John. John himself was an eyewitness to all the events of Jesus’ life, and his account was both written and circulated during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with
God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has
been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness,
but the darkness has not understood it.
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. [This is speaking of John the Bap-
tist.] He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might
believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that
gives light to every man was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and through the world was made through him, the world did not recognize
him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received
him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born
not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the
One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1-14).
John’s words clearly show that he believed that Jesus was God. And others who were close to him also believed that he was God.
ReplyDelete• Peter worshiped him (Luke 5:8). A Jew would worship no one other than God.
• Likewise, Thomas worshiped him (John 20:28).
• Peter, James and John witnessed and reported the “transfiguration” (Matthew 17), a visible demonstration that Jesus Possessed the same glory as God the Father.
• Elizabeth, Jesus’ relative, believed that he was God (Luke 1:41-55).
• Simeon, a devout Jewish prophet, believed that Jesus was God (Luke 2:25-35).
• Anna, a prophetess, believed he was God (Luke 2:36-38).
• Even Jesus’ half brothers James and Jude eventually believed that Jesus was God (see the books of James and Jude).
• A Roman centurion and others who were at the crucifixion believed Jesus to be God:
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth
shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people
who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrec-
tion they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and
all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
(Matthew 27:51-54).
The high priest and others at Jesus’ trial believed that Jesus was claiming to be God incarnate:
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God. Tell us if you are
the Christ, the Son of God.”
“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son
of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then
the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more
witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy” (Matthew 26:63-65).
Not only did the high priest officially declare that Jesus had blasphemed, but his tearing of clothes was a
sign of mourning and revulsion over blasphemy.
Other Holy Books Fail the Prophecy Test
Given that prophecy is a true test of something from God it is not surprising that very few holy books attempt any prophecy. After all, since only God can prophesy, and we would expect that most supposed
“holy books” are not really from God, it would be difficult to concoct testable prophecy that would be
verifiable (like the Bible).
Considering other well-known religions, we find the following:
Eastern religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucius, Shinto). These religions are essentially “mystical,
philosophical” religions and therefore tend not to use or depend on prophecy.
ReplyDeleteIslam (and the Qur’an). Although Islam is history-based and agrees with many of the same historical figures mentioned in the Bible (Abraham, Ishmael, Jesus, Mary, and so on), it cannot prove its inspiration from God using prophecy. The Qur’an was written based on dictation by Muhammad (570-632 A.D.).
Sura 9:14; Sura 28:85; Sura 48:16-21,27,28; Sura 54:44-48; and Sura 56:1-56 all deal with end time prophecy that was excluded). Sura 5:70; 15:9; 41:42; and 15:96 are not prophecies, but generalities and warnings. Sura 24:55 is a promise of blessing of land and wealth to believers is Islam. However it does not specify what land, as in the case of Israel. Sura 54:44-48 prophesies military action against enemies of the religion, but this doesn’t say much, as it is what people tend to do anyway. And Sura 110:1-2 promises help from Allah (Islam’s God) in time of war. Again, this isn’t specific, for instance, a claim to victory in a specific battle or war.
Sura 30:2-4 is the only potential historical prophecy, although it has problems. It essentially says that, “The Roman Empire has been defeated in a land close by; but they, (even) after (this) defeat of theirs, will soon be victorious with a few years. With Allah is the Decision, in the past and in the Future: on that Day shall the Believers rejoice.” In history, the Persians were victorious over the Eastern Roman Empire in A.D. 615,
and then the Romans returned to defeat the Persians 13 years later in 628. According to Muhammad, “a few” years in this prophecy was meant to mean 3 to 9 years, with 13 falling outside of this range. Even so,
the prophecy would not be particularly surprising since there was an ongoing war in this region, and it was
not uncommon for territory to be recaptured.
Mormons (the Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants). The Book of Mormon was actually written in the early 1800s, supposedly translated from golden plates written before the time of Jesus (unfortunately,
these valuable plates have never been available for verification). Even so, giving the plates the benefit of
the doubt, the Book of Mormon contains two prophecies about Jesus, both of which are false:
And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she
being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the
power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yes even the Son of God (Alma 7:10, Book of
Mormon).
Of course Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not Jerusalem. Some may claim that Bethlehem is a suburb of
Jerusalem; however, when transportation was by foot, a town an hour and a half away would not be considered a suburb. Even the Book Mormon indicates it is a separate city (1 Nephi 1:4). Here’s
another example:
But behold, thus saith the Lord God: “When the day cometh that they (the Jews) shall believe
in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in
the flesh, upon the earth unto the lands of their inheritance” (2 Nephi 10:7, Book of Mormon).
Of course the Jews did return to the land in 1948 despite not yet “believing” in Jesus.
The Mormon book of Doctrine and Covenants contains several prophetic errors (with none right, in fact)
regarding a Temple that was to be built in western Missouri within a generation of Joseph Smith’s prediction in the early 1800s: 1) A temple was to be built at a consecrated site in Jackson County, Missouri (“Zion”), within a generation of 1832 (Doctrines and Covenants 84:5,31). 2) The city (“Zion”) was
“never to be moved” out of that place (98:19; 101:17-21). Over 150 years have passed with no temple built there.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses (The Watchtower, Studies in Scripture). This non-Christian group has repeatedly failed in attempts to prophesy the end of time.
ReplyDelete• (2:101) – 1914 to be the year of the “battle” of the great day of God Almighty (Revelation 16:14)
• (1914 edition) – “end of the world” date changed to 1915
• (7:62) – date changed to 1918
• (7:542) – date changed to 1920
• (Miscellaneous other publications) – date of the end of the world repeatedly changed to 1925, 1942,
1975, 1980…
With continuing research, one would find that there is no religion, person, or holy book that contains prophecy of any substance whatsoever, and certainly nothing close to the prophecy in the Bible. This would lead one to carefully heed the words of the Bible as truth.
What happens when a person dies? I am fearful of dying.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible speaks of physical death and spiritual death. When a person dies physically, the soul and spirit leave the body in an inanimate state on earth. Those who die physically in Christ are united spiritually with God, while those who die apart from Christ await the final judgment. Physical death, therefore, is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body.
Spiritual death is the separation of the soul and spirit from God. It is possible to be physically alive on earth while being spiritually dead. Apostle Paul describes those “who were dead in trespasses and sins” in Ephesians 2:1. Paul also wrote that sin entered the world through Adam and spread to every person (Romans 5:12), and that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Spiritually dead persons are “made alive” through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:1). Whatever one’s spiritual condition at the time of physical death, whether spiritually alive or spiritually dead, passes through to eternity.
So physical death is the separation of the spiritual nature of man from the body, while spiritual death is the separation of the spiritual nature of man from God. For a Christian (born again), physical death is nothing more than a doorway through which we pass into eternal life. Jesus said it best: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). There is no reason for a Christian to fear physical death. Through faith in Christ, we have eternal life even before die physically (John 17:3).
If you were to die right now, do you think you would enter into Heaven? Would you like to have the absolute assurance that you will be welcome there? If so then, pray this simple prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I know I cannot earn my way into Heaven. I thank you for sacrificing your life so that my sins could be forgiven. I know the only way anyone can receive forgiveness is through you, and so I come to you now and ask you to come into my life, forgive me of my sins, cleanse me, heal me, and be my personal savior so I may have eternal life through you. I pray in your name Jesus. Amen.
As a continuation of your faith in Christ, you should start studying the Bible daily in order to gain a closer relationship with God, also find a local church to attend that teaches directly from the Bible so you will have someone to answer any questions you may still have. Welcome to the family of God!
Jesus – Was He God?
ReplyDeleteMany times Jesus referred to His own deity, both directly and indirectly. Although Jesus confirmed that He was the Messiah (Mark 14:62,63), He did not use the term Messiah to refer to Himself, perhaps to differentiate His deity from the widespread expectation of a human Messiah. Jesus used the terms “Son of Man” and “Son of God” often. Both referred to His divine nature (Daniel 7:13,14; Matthew 26:63,64). Jesus also used the specific words I am (Ego eimi in Greek, Ani bu in Hebrew) on several occasions (e.g., John 8:56-58). God used these same words to describe Himself to Moses. Jesus also states specifically that He and God are “one” (John 10:30), meaning, the same substance, nature and essence. (Greek word: homoosious, translated: "of the same substance.”
And Jesus clearly indicated He had authority over issues controlled only by God, such as forgiveness of sin (Mark 2:5-10), the timeless power of His words (Matthew 24:35), and reception of glory (John 17:5). Perhaps as significant was Jesus’ acceptance of worship (Luke 5:8; John 20:28). The intense monotheistic foundation of the Jews would absolutely forbid any worship of anything but the one true God. Overall analysis of Jesus’ life, His compassionate miracles, His perfect lifestyle, and His love, indicate that His claims alone are trustworthy, and perhaps the strongest evidence of His divinity.
Did Other People Consider Jesus to Be God?
The disciples clearly came to view Jesus as God in human flesh, and they worshiped Him as such (Luke 5:8; John 20:28). Certainly, the witnessing of the resurrection and the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5) provided irrefutable evidence to them. New Testament writers and early Christian writing define Jesus to be God … our Lord … here on earth (1 Corinthians 8:6, 1 Timothy 2:5).
Is There Other Evidence of Deity?
Many people say that Jesus’ miracles are evidence of deity. But miracles have been recorded as being performed by other individuals (in the Bible and elsewhere). The Bible states that perfect fulfillment of prophecy proves God’s intervention (Deuteronomy 18:21,22). The odds of all Old Testament prophecies about Jesus coming true in any one man is beyond statistical possibility without divine intervention. And Jesus prophesied with perfect accuracy regarding such things as the precise timing of His death, the detailed manner of His death, His resurrection, and His later appearance in Galilee. Prophetic perfection combined with a claim to be God verifies Jesus’ deity.
Why Do People Reject Jesus?
The evidence regarding Jesus is so overwhelming that it seems incredible that many people still reject Him. After all, the promises of inner peace and joy on earth and eternal life in heaven are not bad promises … and they’re easy and free. Rejection of the Messiah, however, should not be surprising. It was often prophesied (Isaiah 53:1-3; Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42-46; Luke 16:19-31).
Ignorance – Perhaps the greatest reason for nonbelief in Jesus is ignorance. Most people take far too little time to investigate their religious beliefs. As a result, world opinion often becomes the basis for the most important issue in life. Views about Jesus may come from a family belief, friends, or a dominant church in the community. People sometimes think a church is teaching biblical Christianity when it’s not. We are individually responsible for comparing teaching to the Bible. In the end, it doesn’t matter what the reason is, if you are wrong. Nor does sincerity matter. As history has shown too often, people can be very sincere, yet sincerely wrong.
Apathy – Many times people have a false sense of security that God will take care of everyone. This idea is sometimes accompanied with the thought that hell doesn’t exist, or that God will send everyone who “tries to be good” to heaven anyway. The Bible reveals that God’s promises are reserved for His people, and there are many reasons why others “don’t hear” (Matthew 13:11-43). The reality and horror of hell is clearly stated, including the narrow path to get to heaven, which is available to all (Matthew 7:13).
ReplyDeleteFear – Some people fear that becoming a Christian means “giving up fun” or living a strange, secluded life without friends. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we must start a dull life and turn away from having parties with other people. It says the opposite. The Bible promises that knowing Jesus will let us live life to the fullest (John 10:10). And not only will such freedom draw us to have fun with friends, the Bible says even the angels in heaven throw a party when we accept Jesus as Lord (Luke 15:10).
Tradition – This reason for rejecting Jesus is often the strongest. But we are each accountable for our own actions. Even society doesn’t send parents to jail for their children’s crimes. Jesus knew He would, at times, cause people to break away from traditional family beliefs (Matthew 10:21,22).
Some people think that believing in Jesus and being good are the secret to heaven. The Bible says otherwise. It says that religion, speaking in Jesus’ name, and being good are of no value if Jesus doesn’t know us (see Mathew 7:21-23). Knowing Jesus is more than just a belief about Jesus. It means repenting and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice and His claims to be God.
Jesus Shows God’s Love for Us
We are all separated from God by imperfection. Even the most righteous people have had unholy thoughts considered sinful by God (see Matthew 5:28). Since God is perfect and holy, His requirement for an eternal, heavenly relationship with Him is perfection that no human can ever offer. So God provided an alternative method to rejoin us with Himself through one perfect sacrifice, forgiving all of our imperfections. The only way for God to have such a perfect sacrifice was for God to fulfill it Himself. By sending His Spirit into Mary (Luke 1:35), God essentially came to earth in human form as Jesus, to be sacrificed and who His love for mankind (see John 3:16). To fully appreciate God’s love, we need to be aware of the excruciating pain and humility Jesus willingly suffered for many who hated (or now hate) Him.
Rejecting Jesus Shows Our Disdain for God
Jesus can be rejected in two ways: 1) by a decision to reject Him or 2) by simply not accepting Him. Knowing about Jesus, even believing the gospel story, is not accepting Him nor showing love for God. Even demons and Satan believe the gospel (see Mark 5:6-17). Love for God means acceptance of Jesus. It means turning our lives completely to Him for guidance. The Greek word used in the Bible for “believe” (as in John 3:16) is pisteuo, which literallly means to trust, or have faith in. This means more than intellectual knowledge. Imagine the disdain we show God by not accepting His very precious and loving sacrifice.
God’s Unaccepted Gift?
Imagine sending your only child to deliver a gift to show forgiveness to an adversary. Imagine knowing that your child would die painfully while delivering it. Now suppose that person never opened the gift, never accepting forgiveness. Would you choose to be with him forever?
Acceptance or Rejection Is for Eternity
ReplyDeleteThe Bible frequently reveals God’s judgment. This does not conflict with God’s love and forgiveness, most emphatically shown through the sacrifice of His Son. But it does reveal that God is just. In the end, the Bible clearly states that there will be a separation of those who trusted Jesus as God, and those who didn’t. This separation is forever (see Luke 13:23-30; Revelation 20:12-15).
How do we know the Bible is accurate?
First, the integrity of original biblical manuscripts has been demonstrated by the vast number of manuscripts, precisely copied during the time of eyewitnesses and verified as unchanged by the Dead Sea Scrolls. Secondly, archaeology has shown complete consistency with what we know as the history of the world. Third, hundreds of ancient prophecies contained in the Bible and showing 100 percent accuracy indicate divine guidance and accuracy. And finally, the Bible is 100 percent consistent with established facts of science … corroborated by many of the finest scientists in the world today.
Why do some people claim the Bible has contradictions?
After hundreds of years of challenge, the accuracy of the Bible has stood the test of time. Common types of misunderstandings include:
1. Details that once seemed to contradict science or archaeology. Often our information is too limited to know that the Bible is right. For many years, scholars believed the earth was flat, while the Bible indicated a spherical shape. Likewise, critics scoffed at the mention of the early Hittites, or cities like Sodom and Gomorrah, all thought to be nonexistent, yet verified as fact today. Scientist have recently “proven” Einstein’s definition of the universe (consistent with the Bible), which has superseded Newton’s more limited view. The list goes on and on. As archaeology and science learn more, the Bible is verified and has yet to be proven wrong.
2. Different accounts by different authors. Details contained in different Gospels may at first seem contradictory. However, the accounts simply report events from different vantage points. For example, Matthew records that Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” went to the tomb. Mark records Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of James, and Salome as going to the tomb. Luke records “the women,” and John records Mary Magdalene. Are the reports contradictory? No. Different people report different facts. Placed side by side, they just give a more complete picture of what happened.
The Chronological Visit to the Tomb.
The three women went to the tomb, saw a “young man” who told them of the resurrection and also told them to go tell the disciples. They left and returned with Peter and John, who viewed the tomb. The disciples then “returned home” and the women stayed. At that time, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene.
Like witnesses to an event today, when all testimony is pieced together, it makes perfect sense and a more complete picture is given.
The Bible extensively reviews heaven, hell, Satan, angels, and demons in many of its 66 books. Surveys show that many more people believe in heaven than in hell. Some nonbiblical religions even deny that hell exists. Yet, Jesus actually spoke more about hell than about heaven. So it would not be wise to ignore hell. Jesus’ parable in Luke 16:19-31 gives us a very poignant warning regarding heaven and hell.
It would seem wonderful if there was only a path to heaven with no hell. Not surprisingly, false prophets attempting to design a religion for man’s desires try to do away with hell, or convince man that he is God. The Bible is specific concerning the path to heaven, and indicates that other paths lead to hell.
ReplyDeleteHow Do We Know What Religion is Right?
No religion is “right” in and of itself. The Bible is about man’s relationship with God, the right way and the wrong way. Any religion that is totally consistent with the Bible’s teaching is right. Any with teaching that is counter to the Bible is wrong.
So the reliability of the Bible as a guideline is vital. As indicated, the original biblical manuscripts are a miracle in and of themselves. Evidence of reliability, includes: (1) and explosion of credible, corroborative writing, (2) verifiable at the time by eyewitnesses, (3) with eyewitnesses dying for testimony they could affirm to be true, and (4) with many other people, able to know historical facts, also dying for the same beliefs. If the New Testament is true, then the Old Testament is also broadly verified by Jesus (Luke 16:16,17) by over 700 cross-references, by the Dead Sea Scrolls evidence, and by “mathematical proof” of hundreds of prophecies.
A problem arises when man starts changing or adding to the Bible. Several things would indicate that such inspiration is not from God. First, the Bible commands us not to add to, delete, or change it (Revelation 22:18,19). Secondly, Jesus verified it would not change (Luke 16:17). And third, why would a perfect God change His original, perfect Word? The Bible is very clear that the path to heaven is defined as Christs:
John 14:6-9 Matthew 27:51-53 John 3:16 Ephesians 2:8
Acts 4:12 Colossians 1:15-23 John 6:48-58 Hebrews 10:26-31
Avoiding false gods – The Bible warns against the following false gods:
A god that is not a single God of the universe (having no peers – including man) is not the God of the Bible (1 Timothy 2:5; Isaiah 44:6).
A god not manifest as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is not the God of the Bible (Luke 12:8-10; John 1:1,2,14; Acts 5:3,4).
A god that does not proclaim Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for redemption of those committing themselves to Him, is not the God of the Bible (Matthew 27:51-53; Mark 14:24; John 6:48-58; Acts 4:12; Colossians 1:15-23).
How Can We Ensure the Right Relationship to Go to Heaven?
ReplyDeleteWhen Jesus said not all who use His name will enter heaven (Matthew 7:21-23), He was referring to people who think using Christ’s name along with rituals and rules is the key to heaven. A relationship with God is not based on rituals or rules. It’s based on grace, forgiveness, and the right relationship.
How to Have a Personal Relationship with God
1. Believe that God exists and that He came to earth in the human form of Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 10:9).
2. Accept God’s free forgiveness of sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Ephesians2:8-10; 1:7,8).
3. Switch to God’s plan for life (1 Peter 1:21-23; Ephesians 2:1-5).
4. Express a desire for Christ to be Director of your life (Matthew 7:21-27; 1 John 4:15).
People who sincerely take the preceding steps automatically become members of God’s family of believers. A new world of freedom and strength is then available through prayer and obedience to God’s will. New believers also can build their relationship with God by taking the following steps:
Find a Bible-based church that you like, and attend regularly.
Try to set aside some time each day to pray and read the Bible.
Locate other Christians to spend time with on a regular basis.
Christ’s two natures
ReplyDeleteJesus Christ played a role in the creation since the New Testament says that God made the world through (Greek: dia) Christ. The Greek word dia is used several times of Christ’s role as Creator of the universe (John 1:3; 1 Corinthians. 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2), the New Testament also states that the world came into being through (dia) God (Romans 11:36), specifically through (dia) the Father (Hebrews 2:10). The Greek word dia cannot be taken to indicate a secondary, lessor role.
Though the New Testament teaches that the world was created “through” Christ, it also teaches that the world was created “through” the Father. Hence, Christ did not act as a junior partner in the creation of the universe.
It is important to note that the scriptural teaching that only God is the Creator. God says in Isaiah 44:24: “I, the Lord [Yahweh], am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone”.
The fact that Christ Himself is the Creator of “all things” (John 1:3) proves that Christ is God Almighty, just as the Father is.
In Hebrews 2:9, Christ Jesus in His incarnation had two attributes: human attributes, and Divine attributes. The apostle Paul made this clear when he affirmed that in the incarnation Christ was “taking the very nature of a servant,” “being made in human likeness,” and “being found in appearance as a man” (Philippians 2:7,8)
The incarnation of Jesus Christ involved not the subtraction of deity but the addition of humanity. So, in order to dwell among human beings, Christ made Himself nothing in the sense that He veiled His preincarnate glory, He submitted to a voluntary nonuse (without surrendering) of some of His divine attributes, and He condescended Himself by taking on a human nature. All this adds great significance to Hebrews 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. Clearly, this verse was cited from the vantage point of the incarnation.
One of the most complex aspects of the relationship between Christ’s two natures is that, while the attributes of one nature are never attributed to the other, the attributes of both natures are properly attributed to His one person. Thus Christ at the same moment in time had what seem to be contradictory qualities. He was finite and yet infinite, weak and yet omnipotent, increasing in knowledge and yet omniscient, limited to being in one place at one time and yet omnipresent. In the incarnation, the person of Christ is the partaker of the attributes of both natures, so that whatever may be affirmed of either nature, human or divine, may be affirmed of the one person.
Though Christ sometimes operated in the sphere of His humanity and in other cases in the sphere of His deity, in all cases what He did and what He was could be attributed to His one person. Even though Christ in His human nature knew hunger (Luke 4:2), weariness (John 4:6), and the need for sleep (Luke 8:23), in His divine nature He was also omniscient (John 2:24), omnipresent (John 1:48), and omnipotent (John 11). All of that was experienced by the one person of Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteThe Gospel accounts clearly show that at different times, Christ operated under the major influence of one or the other of His two natures. Indeed, He operated in the human sphere to the extent that it was necessary for Him to accomplish His earthly purpose as determined in the eternal plan of salvation. At the same time, He operated in the divine sphere to the extent that it was possible in the period of His humiliation (Philippians 2:6-9).
Here is the key point: Both of Christ’s natures come into play in many events recorded in the Gospels. For example, Christ’s initial approach to the fig tree to pick and eat a fig to relieve His hunger reflected the natural ignorance of the human mind (Matthew 21:19a). (That is, in His humanity He did not know from a distance that there was no fruit on that tree.) But then He immediately revealed His divine omnipotence by causing the tree to wither (verse 19b).
On another occasion, Jesus in His divine omniscience knew that His friend Lazarus had died, so He set off for Bethany (John 11:11). When Jesus arrived, He asked (in his humanness, without exercising omniscience) where Lazarus had be laid (verse 34). Robert Reymond notes that “as a God-man, [Jesus] is simultaneously omniscient as God (in company with the other persons of the Godhead) and ignorant of some things as man (in company with the other persons of the human race).” (Reymond, Jesus, Divine Messiah: The New Testament Witness, p. 80).
All that helps to give a proper understanding of Jesus’ comment in Mark 13:32: “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone”. In this passage, Jesus was speaking from the vantage point of His humanity. Thus, as a human being Jesus was not omniscient but was limited in understanding just as all human beings are. If Jesus had been speaking from the perspective of His divinity. He wouldn’t have said the same thing.
Bible scholar Thomas Schultz has provided an excellent summary of the massive evidence for Christ’s omniscience:
First, He knows the inward thoughts and memories of man, an ability
peculiar to God (1 Kings 8:39); Jeremiah 17:9-16). He saw the evil in
the hearts of the scribes (Matthew 9:4); He knew beforehand those who
would reject Him (John 10:64) and those who would follow Him (John 10:14).
Second, Christ has a knowledge of other facts beyond the possible
ReplyDeletecomprehension of any man. He knew just where the fish were in the water
(Luke 5:4,6; John 21:6-11), and He knew just which fish contained the coin
(Matthew 17:27). He knew future events (John 11:11; 18:4).
Third, He possessed an inner knowledge of the Godhead showing the closest
possible communion with God as well as perfect knowledge. He knows the
Father as the Father knows Him (Matthew 11:27; John 7:29; 8:55).
The fourth and consummating teaching of Scripture along this line is that
Christ knows all things (John 16:30; 21:17), and that in Him are hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). [Quoted in
McDowell and Larson, Jesus: A Biblical Defense of His Deity (San Bernardino,
CA: Here’s Life Publishers, Inc., 1975), p. 54.]
Questions:
• Can anyone do the things Christ did in these verses without having the attribute of omniscience?
• Can anyone other than God have the attributes of omniscience?
• Since Christ in the incarnations had both a human nature and a divine nature, and since Christ in His divine nature exercised His omniscience on numerous occasions in the Gospels, can you see how Jesus was speaking from His human nature when He said He didn’t know the day of the hour?
Jesus the “Almighty God”
ReplyDeleteIf you look at Psalm 100:3 it says: “Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his.”
Many times Jesus referred to His own deity, both directly and indirectly, Jesus used the terms “Son of Man” and “Son of God” often. Both referred to His divine nature (Daniel 7:13,14; Matthew 26:63,64). Jesus also used the specific words I am (Ego eimi in Greek, Ani bu in Hebrew) on several occasions (e.g., John 8:56-58). God used these same words to describe Himself to Moses. Jesus also states specifically that He and God (Father) are “one” (John 10:30), meaning, the same substance, nature and essence.
We also find in Isaiah 9:6, that Jesus is referred to as a “Mighty God”
Did you know that “Mighty God” is translated from Hebrew word Elohim, a very common name for God in the Old Testament; used 2,570 times. Means: “strong one” plural ending (im in Hebrew) indicates fullness of power. “God of all the earth” “God of heaven”.
Jesus is called “Everlasting Father” in Isaiah 9:6, is better translated “Father of eternity” in this context carry the meaning “possessor of eternity.”
In Isaiah 40:3, we find that Jesus is called both Yahweh (Jehovah) and Elohim in the same verse. This verse was written in reference to future ministry of Jesus (see John 1:23) and represents one of the strongest affirmations of Christ’s deity in the O.T.
We all know that we only pray directly to God, refer to John 14:13, John 15:16 you will find that we direct our prayers to Jesus.
We also know that we only worship God, Jesus always accepted such worship as appropriate:
From Peter (Luke 5:8)
From Thomas (John 20:28)
From Angels (Heb 1:6)
From Old Testament saints (Joshua 5-13-15)
From Demons (Mark 5:6)
We see all of heaven worshiping Jesus (Rev 5:11)
What the Bible says about Jesus
Revelation 1:7-8 says: Jesus is the Almighty
Genesis 17:1 says: The Almighty is God
John 18:51 says: Jesus is the I Am
Exodus 3:14 says: The I Am is God
John 8:24 says: Jesus is I Am He
Isaiah 43:10 says: I Am He is God
Hebrews 1:6 says: Angels worship Jesus
Psalm 148:2 says: Angels worship God
Acts 4:12 says: Jesus is the One Savior
Isaiah 45:21 says: The One Savior is God
Luke 1:68 says: Jesus is the One Redeemer
Isaiah 41:14 says: The One Redeemer is God
Philippians 2:10 says: Every knee must bow to Jesus
Isaiah 45:23 says: Every knee must bow to God
Did you know that there are about 3,856 verses directly or indirectly concerned with prophecy in Scripture, about one verse in six tells of future events? God’s challenge to the world is “Prove Me now, I am the Lord … I will speak, and the word that I speak shall come to pass.” (See Jeremiah 28:9; Ezekiel 12:25) Buddhists, Confucianists, and Muslims have their own sacred writings, but in them the element of prophecy is obviously absent.
ReplyDeleteIn the brief life of Jesus alone we see over 300 fulfilled prophecies! Only Jesus as an all-knowing God could make and fulfill.
Here are few other biblical passages proving that Jesus is God:
Isaiah 44:6
“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of
host: “I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.’”
Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “And My servant whom I have
chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall be after ME.”
Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the
Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 21:6
“And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
Beginning and the End.’”
1 John 5:20
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an
understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is
true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
1 Timothy 3:16
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was
manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached
among he Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up in glory.”
Titus 2:13
ReplyDelete“...looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God
and Savior Jesus Christ…”
John 8:58
Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was,
I AM.’”
Isaiah 7:14
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
(Immanuel translated: “God among us.”)
Philippians 2:10-11
“…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and
of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(There will come a day that all angels, all prophets, all religious leaders, including Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad bowing down to Jesus)
We also find in Scripture that Jesus is described as:
• OMINIPRESENT Matt. 28:20
• OMNISCIENT John 2:24
• OMNIPOTENT Heb.1:3
• CREATOR John 1:1-3
• ETERNAL Micah 5:2, Heb 1:8
• GOD Heb. 1:8; Titus 2:13; John 1:1; John 20:28
Conclusion: We clearly see that Jesus Christ claims to be God in human flesh and clearly identified as God. He is to be prayed to, worshiped to, and possess the many attributes of God.
Can you see now, that Jesus is God?
Evidence from Scripture
ReplyDeleteAuthentic Text
Many powerful men over the centuries have tried to discredit or destroy the Bible. All have failed. There is more evidence for the authenticity and accuracy of the Scriptures than for any other ancient book. No one who has studied these issues doubts the genuineness of the Bible. Many, however, reject its message.
The Manuscripts
There is more evidence for the Bible’s authenticity than for any literature of antiquity. Textual analysis begins with historical investigation, beginning with the latest documents and working backward. As evidence develops, the data is evaluated against other sources. The record is then checked for consistency of information, and the claims are analyzed as if it were a legal case, looking for credible testimony with cross-examination. There is an enormous amount of evidence for authenticity of the biblical manuscripts.
The New Testament was written in first century A.D. There are some 20,000 manuscripts in existence. The earliest textual evidence we have was copied 100 years after the original. In contrast:
• Caesar’s Gallic Wars was written in the first century B.C. There are only 10 manuscripts in existence. The earliest textual evidence we have was copied 1,000 years after the original.
• Aristotle’s Poetics was written in the fourth century B.C. There are only 5 manuscripts in existence. The earliest textual evidence we have was copied 1,400 years after the original.
There are many more writings of the Church Fathers quoting sections of Scripture; we could reconstruct the entire New Testament from their writings alone. There were millions of man-hours spent in cross-checking the manuscripts. There remains only 1 percent of all New Testament words about which questions still exist; no questionable passage contradicts any Bible teaching.
The Old Testament has been more accurately transmitted to us than any other ancient writing of comparable age. The textual evidence is greater for both the Old and New Testaments than any other historically reliable ancient document. The ancient scribes were very meticulous. There were only 1,200 variant readings in A.D. 500.
The Masorites produced an official text in A.D. 500. There are other versions that confirm the accuracy of the Masoritic Text.
• Samaritan Pentateuch: 400 B.C.
• Septuagint Greek: 280 B.C.
• Dead Sea Scrolls: 0 A.D.
• Latin Vulgate: 400 A.D.
The quotations from pre-Christian writing confirm the text. The New Testament accepts the Old Testament as authentic, confirming the traditional authors, quoting from at least 320 different passages, and confirming the supernatural events cited in the Old Testament.
The Message
ReplyDeleteThere are over 3,000 different religions in the world, all of which claim to teach the way to eternal happiness. It has often been said that each of them provides a different path to the same end, and that men are free to choose the path that best suits their own disposition and culture. The Word of God is insistent that this is not so!
The Bible insists that the God of the Bible is the only true God (Isaiah 44:6; 45:5-6) and that Jesus Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6). All other religions, while stressing their “paths,” would allow for some other contingency.
The Bible insists that it is the only true revelation, that its words are not to be changed (Proverbs 30:5-6;Revelation 22:18-19), and that its words are the basis of all judgment (John 12:47-50).
The Bible has a unique account of origins (Genesis 1-11). All others are either evolutionary or pantheistic, with eternity of matter as the “beginning.” The biblical account of origins is unique in both quality and quantity of information.
The Bible has a unique historical basis. Other religions are based on the subjective teachings of their founders. Biblical teachings are based on objective and demonstrable facts: creation, the fall, the flood, the life and work of redemption of Christ.
The Bible teaches a unique plan of redemption. It reveals a unique Savior.
• He was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25).
• He lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:14-16).
• He taught as no other man taught (John 7:46; Matthew 7:28-29).
• He died a unique, volitional death (John 10:17-18; Luke 23:46).
• He had unique victory over death (Acts 17:31; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
The Bible demands a unique salvation.
• Perfect holiness is required (Romans 3:10-18, 23; 6:23).
• Substitutionary atonement is the only means of reconciliation (Hebrews 10:4-14; Romans 3:24-26).
• Grace is the only measurement (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 11:5-6).
Other religions require some form of works or participation.
Accurate Data
The Bible is unique among all books. Not only is it different in its form, structure, and history, but it takes the position of supernatural superiority to all other communication. It insists on total accuracy for its content and absolute obedience to its commands. No other book is so demanding.
Historical Accuracy
ReplyDeleteThe Bible has proven to be more historically and archaeologically accurate than any other ancient book. It has been subjected to the minutest scientific textual analysis possible to humanity and has been proven to be authentic in every way.
Genesis Is Historically True
The most controversial book of the Bible is Genesis, especially the first eleven chapters. Those chapters speak of the creation of the universe, the fall of man into sin, the world-wide flood of Noah, and the language-altering event at Babel. There is much evidence that these events are historically accurate.
Biblical Data Is Historically Testable
Historical evidence routinely includes ancient literature, business records, and government documents, analyzed in conjunction with linguistics, geography, and archaeological analysis of physical objects (pottery, coins, remains of buildings, etc.), using forensic science techniques.
After many millions of man-hours of research and evidence analysis, archaeology has repeatedly confirmed the reliability of the Bible. The Bible has been proven geographically and re-proven historically accurate, in the most exacting detail, by external evidences.
Scientific Accuracy
Many would suggest that the Bible is an antiquated religious book, filled with scientific fallacies and mistakes. Others believe that the Bible is a book of true religion, but dealing solely with spiritual subjects, with any matters of science and history to be interpreted spiritually or allegorically.
Either the Bible is wholly reliable on every subject with which it deals, or it is not the Word of God.
Although the Bible is obviously not a science textbook (otherwise it would be continuously out of date), the Bible does contain all the basic principles upon which true science is built. The Bible abounds with references to nature and natural processes, and thus frequently touches on the various sciences. For instance, there are many passages that deal with principles of hydrology, geology, astronomy, meteorology, biology, physics, cosmology, and the grand principles of the space-mass/energy-time continuum.
Again, if the God revealed in the Bible truly exists, then everything that He reveals would of necessity be true.
One often hears of mistakes or errors in the Bible. Seldom, when confronted, is there an example provided. When such “errors” are cited, they fall into three kinds of alleged mistakes: 1) mathematical rounding, 2) relative motion, or 3) miracles. Obviously, mathematical rounding is both scientific and in constant use today, as is the use of relative motion for all sorts of navigation and distance calculations. To deny the miraculous is to assume that one is omniscient.
Just as the Bible has become a source book for history and archaeology, so it is also a source book for the foundational principles of science. Those who ignore the information of Scripture will be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).
ReplyDeleteReliable Eyewitnesses
The Bible, like many books, was written by eyewitnesses (Luke 1:2; 2 Peter 2:16) to the events and circumstances that they recorded. That they were trustworthy witnesses is only to be expected, since God inspired them to co-author their respective portions of the Bible. But some ask: how can we know if the Bible’s human co-authors were really reliable eyewitnesses?
The following eyewitness traits are the ones emphasized in common law, in law school, and in the Rules of Evidence.
A reliable witness will evidence honesty by his/her sincerity of speech, and be clearly motivated by a drive to speak the truth. The quality of a witness’s observations can be observed by accurate memory, evidenced often by access to accurate records. The competency of his/her communication will be demonstrated by an ability to recall and describe observations, with accurate information and relevant details. Testimonial consistency is also a key factor in reliability.
Though each witness will provide idiosyncratic differences (due to different perspectives and interests), all Scripture has perfect evidentiary consistency. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Moses, Daniel, Jude, and all of the other Bible’s co-authors qualify as impeccably reliable eyewitnesses. Many of the Bible’s writers suffered cruel treatment, even death, for their stand on their witness. To the obvious credibility of their writings is added the unshakeable belief that their testimony was so true that it was worth suffering and dying for.
GOSPEL MESSAGE (Part I)
ReplyDeleteWe do not become Christians by following some manual, religious ceremony or using some technique. Our conversion is a result of God’s implanting His Spirit in our heart, giving us new power to live for him. The Holy Spirit gives new life to all who believes and accepts Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.
”But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
The Holy Spirit is given now, immediately when anyone believes in Jesus. There is no sign, no feeling, no emotional indication of it. It occurs, as Jesus said it would, when any believe on him. It is the means by which the risen life of Jesus becomes available to us, continuously and constantly. All that he is made available through all that I am.
It is a glorious kind of power. It does not need any props, does not require outside help, and does not borrow anything from the world. It does not even need a cup of coffee to get started in the morning! And it works best in a cemetery. It operates most visibly where everything is dull and lifeless, and nothing is happening. Anyone who is operating on resurrection power can come in and change the whole scene.
Resurrection power changes lives from within and not from without. It does not start on the outside, with the environment, or the circumstances, or the external situation; it starts within, and works out, to change the environment ultimately. And it does not separate or divide; it harmonizes, it heals, it draws together and breaks down "middle walls of partition" (Ephesians 2:14 KJV) that have been standing sometimes for centuries. It batters them down and brings people together, in harmony. It is a totally different kind of power. That is what you receive when you receive the Holy Spirit.
All of us have messed up our lives in one way or another; we have destroyed the wholeness already. But the glory of the good news is that in coming to Jesus, through his work on the cross on our behalf and his raising again from the dead, he can actually give us a new start. All the past is wiped out and forgiven. We are restored.
Positive Defense of the Christian Perspective
ReplyDeleteA. The Trustworthiness of the New Testament
1 The New Testament has better manuscript evidence than any other ancient book.
a. There are over 5,000 New Testament manuscripts and portions of manuscripts. By comparison, the majority of classical works have less than 20 manuscripts.
b. The dates of the New Testament manuscripts are close to the original writings. One Gospel fragment (Ryland’s) dates about 25 years after the Gospel of John and most of the New Testament (Chester Beatty and Bodmer Papyri) from 50-150 years after the originals. Most classical works date from 700 – 1400 years after the originals.
c. None of the canonical New Testament is lost or missing. By comparison, 107 of Livy’s 142 books of history have been lost and about one half of Tacitus’ 30 books of Annals and Histories is missing.
2. Good arguments can be given that each of the Gospels was either written by an eyewitness, or significantly influenced by firsthand testimony, as recognized by many contemporary scholars.
3. Even without proving eyewitness authorship, the Gospels measure up well by normal historical standards used in ancient historiography.
4. The Gospel are trustworthy sources, as explained by A.M. Hunter
a. These Christian authors, like their Jewish counterparts, were careful to preserve traditional material.
b. The Gospels are close to eyewitness sources.
c. The Gospel authors were honest reporters.
d. The picture of Jesus presented in the four Gospels is virtually the same (see Archibald M. Hunter, Bible and Gospel, pp. 32-37).
5. The Gospels and Acts exhibit a specific interest in reporting historical facts, not mythology. This is especially the case when the life of Jesus is reported.
6. Contemporary historians frequently opposed the application of radical criticism to New Testament studies. According to A.N. Sherwin-White and Michael Grant, such attacks fail at a number of crucial points (see A.N. Sherman-White, Roman Society, pp. 186-193; Grant, Jesus: An Historian Review, pp. 179-184, 199-201).
a. Numerous ancient works exhibit intentions and methodologies similar to that of the New Testament authors, and yet these ancient works are well accredited as historical works.
b. There are no ancient writings in the category that radical critics place the Gospels.
c. New Testament books such as Acts have been largely confirmed by external test of historicity.
7. The Gospel and Acts were recognized as inspired books almost immediately after being written (see J.B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers).
ReplyDeletea. 1 Timothy 5:18 quotes Luke 10:7 and refers to it as “Scripture.”
b. Clement of Rome (about AD 95) speaks of the “Gospel” and quotes portions found in all three synoptic Gospels, referring to them as the words of Jesus (Corinthians 13,46).
c. Ignatius (Smyrnaeans 3) and Polycarp (Philippians 2, 7), both writing about AD 115, refer to verses in the synoptic Gospels as the words of Christ.
8. Paul’s epistles were also recognized as inspired Scripture almost immediately after being written.
a. 2 Peter 3:15-16 calls Paul’s epistles “Scripture.”
b. Clement of Roman (Corinthians 47), Ignatius (Ephesians 10; to Polycarp 5), and Polycarp (Philippians 1,3-4, 6) all refer to Paul’s writings as inspired.
B. The Historicity of Jesus
1. The trustworthy Gospels (A above) exhibit much interest in the historical Jesus and give accurate accounts of his life, death, and resurrection.
2. Numerous pre- and extra biblical sources record much ancient testimony concerning Jesus within 125 years after his death.
a. Early Christian creeds that pre-date the New Testament, as well as the historical facts that virtually all critical scholars admit, provide an extremely strong case for the death and resurrection of Jesus.
b. Archaeology contributes a few finds that illuminate and provide background for Jesus’ career, such as the crucifixion victims investigated by archaeologist Vasilius Tzaferis, “Jewish Tombs At and Near Giv’at ha- Mivtar,” Israel Exploration Journal 20 (1970), pp. 38-59.
Also the Shroud of Turin (Historically proclaimed to be the actual burial garment of Jesus). See Ian Wilson, The Shroud of Turin (New York: Doubleday, 1978, also see John Heller, Report on the Shroud of Turin (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983), especially chapters 12-14.
d. Secular historians (e.g. Cornelius Tacitus, Gaius Suetonius Tranquillas), government officials (e.g. Piny the Younger, Emperor Trajan), religious works (e.g. The Talmud, Toledoth Jesu, and other sources report many details about Jesus from non-Christian viewpoints.
e. Ancient Christian sources preserve a number of historical statements about Jesus (e.g. Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Justin Martyr).
4. To reject Jesus’ miracles a priori is to ignore correct inductive procedure where all the facts are investigated before a decision is made.
5. To reject Jesus’ doctrinal teachings a priori as valid for today is to pick and choose portions of the Gospels. Further, If Jesus was raised from the dead, there is, at a minimum, some implied significance for Jesus’ teachings, as well.
6. Without a significant historical basis in the life of Jesus, Christianity would have had no impetus for its origins.
7. Jesus died on the cross, as indicated by several facts.
ReplyDeletea. The nature of crucifixion, including the discovery of Yohanan’s skeleton, reveals both the nature and assurance of death by this method.
b. The explanation of Jesus’ heart wound indicates that it would have killed him even if he had been alive.
c. The death of Jesus is the most recorded event in ancient, non-Christian history.
d. The trustworthy Gospels give accurate accounts of Jesus’ death.
8. After his death, Jesus was raised bodily and appeared to his followers.
a. Naturalistic hypothesis that have sought to explain in normal terms the supernatural element of Jesus’ resurrection have failed to do so, chiefly because they are refuted by the known historical data. Several other reasons also indicate this failure.
b. There are numerous positive evidences for the resurrection that indicate that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many of those who followed him.
c. A case for the resurrection can be built by using only those minimal facts that are clearly established by the historical method. On a smaller scale, these facts can refute the alternative hypotheses and provide the best evidences for the resurrection.
d. The Shroud of Turin may supply some additional scientific evidence of Jesus’ resurrection.
9. Jesus’ message was not changed by Paul or by other followers.
a. In both the synoptics, as well as in John, Jesus claimed to be deity. Often this was done by his words, such as his claims to be Son of God and Son of Man (c.f. Mark 2:10-11; 10:45; 13:32; 14:36). At other times he showed his deity by his actions, such as forgiven sin, fulfilling Old Testament messianic prophecy and by claiming authority much greater than that of the Jewish leaders (see Mark 2:1-12; Matthew 5;20-48; cf. Isaiah 9:6-7).
b. Numerous pre-Pauline creeds such as Philippians 2:6-11, Romans 1:3-4, 1 Corinthians 11:23, and many from the book of Acts designate Jesus by the loftiest titles, thereby indicating the early teaching of his deity. These show further that this doctrine definitely did not originate with Paul.
c. Neither Jesus nor Paul taught that Christianity was a new religion. Both held that Christianity was a fulfillment of Judaism (see Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:16-17; Romans 10:4:9-11; Colossians 2:16-17).
d. Jesus’ central teaching of the Kingdom of God and its entrance requirements of faith in his person and teachings in found in all four Gospels (c.f. Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 18:3-6; Luke 18:28-30; John 1:10-13) and in Paul’s epistles (c.f. Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
f. Paul was known as the apostle to the Gentiles (see Acts 9:15;16; 22:21; Romans 11:13-14). Not only did Jesus command his disciples to take the gospel to the Gentiles (see Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47; John 10:16; Acts 1:8), but this was actually a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, not a new doctrine (see Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 19:18-25 for two examples).
ReplyDeleteg. Since Jesus literally rose from the dead, any verification of the truthfulness of his teachings would even extend to Paul’s message and writings, since they are in agreement with the Gospels at these points.
10. Jesus was not an international traveler during his “silent years” or after his death.
a. There is no viable historical evidence for such international ventures.
b. The swoon theory fails and is rejected by critical scholars.
c. These endeavors almost always involved a long trail of illogic and incredibly mysterious connections.
C. Miracle-claims
1. Although many would place miracle-claims completely in the realm of faith, such is to ignore their possibly objective theistic and historical nature.
a. If it is taught that miraculous events have occurred in history, as in the case with New Testament miracle-claims, then at least the objective, historical side of such a claim can be investigated. In other words, if it actually happened, at least the portion of the event that touched the space-time world can potentially be examined.
b. In the New Testament, the resurrection of Jesus is not only the central tenet Christianity, but it is asserted that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then faith in actually in vain (1 Corinthians 15:1-20). Paul even supports his point that Jesus was raised by citing eyewitnesses, historical testimony to this fact (vv. 5-8). Under these circumstances, one could hardly claim that objective, factual interests in the resurrection are foreign to the New Testament.
c. This objection also commits errors that are associated with the “leap of faith.” If carried to its logical conclusion, it provides no objective basis for faith, including any reasons why faith should be exercised at all. As such, it is difficult to distinguish between belief and credulity.
2. Alternative theories that have been proposed to account for Jesus’ resurrection on naturalistic grounds have failed to account for the known historical facts.
3. There are many strong historical reasons to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead.
a. The disciples’ experiences
b. The transformation of the disciples into bold witnesses
c. The empty tomb
d. The resurrection of Jesus was the very center of the apostolic message.
e. The Jewish leaders could not disprove their message.
f. The very existence and growth of the church.
g. In this resurrected physical body Jesus appeared to more than five hundred of his disciples on twelve different occasions over a forty-day period and conversed with them (see Luke 24:13-49, 1 Corinthians 15:5-7, Acts 1:4-8, Matthew 28:1-10, John 20:24-31).
This was the greatest of all miracles since the creation itself, and could have been accomplished only if Jesus indeed is God, as He had claimed to be.
ReplyDeleteD. Predictive Prophecies
Consider the following predictions made centuries in advanced that Jesus would be:
1. born of a woman (Genesis 3:15; cf. Galatians 4:4);
2. born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; cf. Matthew 1:21);
3. “cut off” (die) 483 years after the declaration to reconstruct the city of Jerusalem in 444 B.C. (Daniel 9:24);
4. of the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3 and 22:18; cf. Mathew 1:1);
5. of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10, cf. Luke 3:23);
6. of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12; cf. Matthew 1:1);
7. born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; cf. Matthew 2:1);
8. anointed by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; cf. Mattthew 3:16-17);
9. that Jesus would performed miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; cf. Matthew 9:35);
10. would cleanse the temple (Malachi 3:1; cf. Matthew 21:12);
11. would be rejected by Jews (Psalms 118:22; cf. 1 Peter 2:7);
12. die a humiliating death (Psalms 22; cf. Matthew 9:35);
13. that he would rise from the dead (Psalm 2:7 and 16:10; cf. Acts 2:31)
14. ascended into heaven (Psalm 68:8; cf. Acts 1:9);
15. and sit at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1; cf. Hebrew 1:3).
It is important to understand that these prophecies were written hundreds of years before Christ was born. No one could have been reading the trends of the times or just making intelligent guesses, like the “prophecies” we see in the checkout line at the supermarket.
Twenty Reasons Christians
ReplyDeleteBelieve Jesus is God
by CHARLIE H. CAMPBELL
Director of The Always Be Ready Apologetics Ministry
Author of Scrolls and Stones: Compelling Evidence
the Bible Can Be Trusted
The Bible, which we believe is trustworthy for a wealth of reasons, teaches that there is one God who eternally exists in three coequal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It teaches that Jesus (God the Son) came to the Earth 2,000 years ago to pay the penalty for mankind’s sin. Many religious cults deny this, they teach that Jesus was, and is, merely a man, an angel, or one of many gods they say exist. Below are twenty reasons, taken right from Scripture, as to why Christians believe Jesus is Almighty God.
1. The Apostle Thomas called Jesus "God."
John 20:27-29: Then He [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
2. The Apostle Peter called Jesus "God."
2 Peter 1:1: “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ”
3. The Apostle Paul called Jesus "God."
Titus 2:12b-14: “...we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
4. The Apostle John called Jesus "God."
John 1:1-3, 14: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” See verse 14 for confirmation that this reference to the "Word" is a reference to Jesus.
5. God the Father called Jesus "God."
Hebrews 1:8: “But to the Son He [God the Father] says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.’”
6. Isaiah the Prophet said the Messiah would be God.
Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
God the Father, in the Old Testament, is also called “Mighty God” in Isaiah 10:21, the same title that can be ascribed to the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
7. The Jews who crucified Jesus understood Him to be saying that He was equal with God.
ReplyDeleteJohn 5:18: “Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”
John 10:33: “The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
8. Jesus called Himself “I AM”, the Old Testament name for God (Exodus 3:14).
John 8:58-59: “Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
9. Jesus calls Himself “the Alpha and Omega,” the title of Almighty God.
Revelation 22:12-13: “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
Revelation 1:8: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
10. Like God (Gen. 1:1), Jesus created.
Colossians 1:16-17: “For by Him [See context. This is speaking of Jesus] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
John 1:3: “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
Yet God says in Isaiah 44:24, “I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself”
11. Like God, Jesus forgives sin.
Mark 2:5-7, 10-11: “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” “...But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”--He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go your way to your house.”
12. Like God, Jesus gives eternal life.
John 10:27-28: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
13. Like God, Jesus received, receives, and will receive worship.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 14:32-33: “And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” (also see Matthew 28:9, 17, John 9:37-38)
Revelation 5:13: “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Hebrews 1:6: “But when He again brings the firstborn [JESUS] into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
Jesus never rebuked any of His followers for worshiping Him and yet worship of anything or anyone other than God is absolutely forbidden in the Bible . . .
Luke 4:8: “And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
14. Jesus said that only God was good; and Jesus was good.
Mark 10:17-18: “And as He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and began asking Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”
John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
Jesus was as good as they come. He was “sinless,” “holy,” “righteous,” “innocent,” “undefiled,” and “separate from sinners.” (Hebrews 7:26) That’s pretty good!
15. Like God, Jesus can be present in more than one place at the same time.
Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (See also Matthew 28:20)
16. One of Jesus’ titles is “God with us.”
Matthew 1:23: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
17. Jesus’ blood is called God’s blood.
Acts 20:28: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
18. Jesus has the same nature as God.
Hebrews 1:3a: “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.”
19. Jesus spoke as God.
ReplyDeleteJesus did not speak as one of God’s prophets: “thus says the Lord,” but as God: “I say to you.”
Matthew 5:27-29: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
Matthew 7:28-29: “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
20. Like God (Psalm 136:3), Jesus is called the "Lord of Lords and King of kings."
Revelation 17:14: “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” (See also 1 Timothy 6:15).
It is clear from these passages and dozens of others that Jesus was and is God almighty. Don't let a Religious Cult or any other person lead you astray. Be a noble minded Berean (Acts 17:11) and search the Scriptures to see for yourself that this is indeed the case.
ABOUT CHARLIE H. CAMPBELL
Charlie Campbell is the Director of the Always Be Ready Apologetics Ministry and a popular guest speaker at churches and conferences. He is the author of numerous articles, books, and DVDs, including:
• Scrolls & Stones: Compelling Evidence the Bible Can Be Trusted
• Evidence for the Existence of God
• One Minute Answers to Skeptics
• Archaeological Evidence for the Bible
• The End Times: Ten Upcoming Events in Bible Prophecy
• The Case for the Resurrection
• Teaching and Preaching God's Word
His DVDs and books have been endorsed by Norman Geisler, Charles Colson, Chuck Smith, Ed Hindson, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Jeremy Camp, and many others.
Email: info@AlwaysBeReady.com for further details.
The Gospel for everyone
ReplyDeleteThe Gospel means good news. According to the Bible, there is one God who has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Because God loves humans, He has revealed Jesus as the Savior for all people (1 Timothy 4:10).
Christianity is the religion based on the teachings of the historical person Jesus Christ and His followers. According to the Bible, there is one God who has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus. Jesus claimed to be divine. He came to save humans from the consequence of their sins which was death.
God
According to Christianity, there is one God who has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. The One God coeternally exists as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ who is the second person in the Godhead who became man, lived a perfect life, died for the sins of the world, and rose from the grave. Since Jesus was God, whatever He said was true. The God-man Jesus taught that there was only one way to heaven. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me (John 14:6).”
Jesus is not just one option among many paths to God. He is the only way of salvation. It is only through trusting Christ as one’s Savior that a person can receive forgiveness for their sins (Ephesians 1:13).
The Bad News – Sin
ReplyDeleteThe law reflects the character of God. The bad news is that as humans, we have all sinned by rebelling against God’s standard of righteousness as revealed by His law. In God’s eyes, if we have told one lie, we are a liar. If we have stolen one thing, we are a thief. If we have looked with lust at a person, we are an adulterer. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10-11).” In fact, if we were able to keep all of God’s commandments, but broke just one of them…it would still be as if we had broke all of them. James 2:10 says, “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, yet break one, he is guilty of breaking all of them.”
Because of our sinful rebellion against God, we are separated from God and deserve His eternal righteous judgment which is His wrath in hell (Revelation 20:15). All humans deserve an eternal hell for their willful rebellion against Him. We are not able to pay for our sins.
The Courtroom Analogy
Imagine that you committed a serious crime and you are standing before a judge in a court of law. The judge tells you, “You have committed a serious crime which cost the government 500,000 dollars in damage.” You reply, “Judge I know that I committed that crime, but I can’t pay for it. I do not have the money.” The judge will reply, “I am sorry, but your fine has to be paid for. If you cannot pay, you are going to have to go to prison.” As you stand there you begin to sweat and are extremely nervous.
However, someone abruptly comes into the courtroom, walks up to the judge, and pulls out a checkbook. The person then writes a check to the judge for 500,000. The judge looks at you. He says, “This man has paid your fine. Here is the check.” The judge then extends the check to you. What do you have to do to make the check yours? You must simply receive it. This is the same thing with the gospel. We are all sinners. We stand before the only one true holy God. Our sin is so great that we cannot pay for it.
The Good News
ReplyDeleteWhile humans are sinful and deserve hell, God the Father sent Jesus the Son to die for humans sins. The Bible says, “God demonstrates His loved towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The one true God Jesus did not die for good people He died for sinners. Since He was God, His death on the cross for our sins, had infinite value and was able to pay for all of our sins past, present, and future.
The good news is that Jesus did not die and stay dead. On the third day, He rose from the dead. He triumphed over the consequence of our sin which was death. As a result of His resurrection, He proved that His death on the cross was sufficient to pay for our sins before God the Father. The miracle of the resurrection also proved that He is able to save us and assure us of living eternally in heaven.
Our Response
Do you have any certainty that you enter into heaven when you die? Are your meditations and rituals actually going to help you with this process?
Jesus Christ came to give us hope. He said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He also said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). Jesus Christ offers you salvation from God’s judgment by faith. It is not by your works, but by faith that you can possess everlasting life (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:5; 5:1). This salvation you can possess immediately and with certainty due to the completed work of Jesus who was the unique God in flesh.
Since Jesus paid for our sins, we must receive His free gift of salvation by faith. We must place our trust in Jesus Christ’s alone as our salvation before God. Our good works cannot save us. You maybe religious, but are you righteous? Do you have a right standing before God?
Do you want to know for sure you are going to heaven when you die? Please visit this website:
https://carm.org/how-do-i-become-christian
The Atomic Glue
ReplyDeleteApostle Paul goes on to describe the work of Jesus.
"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."
(Colossians 1:16)
Apostle Paul is proclaiming here when he says that Jesus is the "creator of all things...things were made by him." Now, as this verse goes on to say, that includes more than merely the material universe around us: more than stars, galaxies, superstars, planets, and solar systems, or even trees, grass, mountains and seas. It includes the earth, Paul says, but also heaven. Both the visible and the invisible. It would also include all forces. Electricity was invented by Jesus (not as a man, but as the Eternal Son) before the creation of the world. It would include radiation, magnetism, and the peculiar and mysterious dance of electrons from one level of energy to another within the atom that makes light. All this was the design of the Eternal Son.
But not only forces, but concepts and attitudes as well: grace, mercy, truth, love, and life itself. Jesus is the originator of all life. And, as Paul specifies here, a whole pantheon of invisible beings (and their visible counterparts in earthly government): "thrones and rulers and powers and authorities"---all were created by him. The Colossian heresy here becomes visible in our modern experience as well. The Colossians began to believe, because of the Greek teachers among them, that the universe consisted of a "hierarchy of angels." One must begin down at the bottom, with raunchy, unpleasant angels, and work one's way up through the whole hierarchy to the good angels and, finally, to God. From that idea has come the eastern concept of reincarnation for that too was part of the Colossian heresy.
We find a counterpart today, not only in the theory of reincarnation, but also in horoscopes and astrology---the idea of stars influencing and governing our lives. The claim that Transcendental Meditation is the means of getting in touch with invisible beings is another example. We are told that there are Astral Teachers and Divine Masters who appear from time to time to impart degrees of knowledge to the human race. Gradually, we are told, this is to result, after centuries and centuries of progress, in our being lost in the Divine presence. All this is nothing new. It is very old, but it is also new, appearing again and again in history. This is what the apostle labors to correct. He is telling the Colossians, "Jesus is above all angels. You are freed from bondage to these lesser beings when you see the true authority and power of your risen Lord."
ReplyDeleteJesus controls space and history:
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:17)
"He is before all things," means he is outside his own creation; he was there first.
When Paul uses the phrase, "all things by him hold together," he is speaking of our Lord's power to sustain and to prevent breakdown. The scientists who work on the great linear accelerator (a relatively small instrument) at Stanford University, trying to smash the atom apart, know that it takes incredible power.
A Stanford University Professor said: "The power to operate this instrument, is equivalent to all the electricity it takes to run the city of San Francisco."
Something holds the atom together with enormous, incredible power. That power, according to the Word of God (both here in Colossians and in the letter to the Hebrews is vested in Jesus. He has the authority to rule as Sovereign. He has the power to sustain, because he is the Eternal Son.
If you have a magnet in your right hand a magnet in your left hand, and you push the positive ends towards each other, they push away. Opposite charges attract; like charges repel. But here’s a great mystery: in the nucleus of the atom, protons are packed together which are all positive-charged particles.
What keeps these positive-charged protons from repelling like the magnets? What holds them together? Science doesn’t know. You can study quantum physics and learn lots of hypotheses and theories, yet to this day, it’s a mystery to scientists, but not to Christians, for Scriptures tells us the real answers. It is Jesus Christ who holds all things together. And the day is coming when, suddenly, He will let go…
ReplyDelete“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in
which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and
the elements shall melt with intense heat, the earth and its
works will be burned up.” (II Peter 3:10)
This was written before man knew anything about nuclear physics or about an atomic reaction could actually melt the basic building blocks of matter itself. God was prophesying how the world would end.
But now we know if the “atomic glue” which holds the atom together were to suddenly disappear, everything would dissolve in zillion degree “intense heat” accompanied by a “great noise” so powerful and quick it wouldn’t even be heard.
The most astonishing phenomenon today is to see men who work with this physical universe, who intimately observe the beauty, order, and power inherent in the natural world as well as in the world of humanity, yet who fail to see the Power behind it all; the ordered Intelligence that possesses and originates all these things. It is difficult to understand a man like Carl Sagan can work in the field of astronomy, knowing of the great secrets that are now coming to light in the universe, and yet go on breathing air which God has supplied, eating the food with which God has stocked this earth, and relying moment by moment on a heartbeat whose continuation rests in the will of Someone other than himself, yet can busy himself telling us that only man matters!
Fraudulent Faith
ReplyDeleteNow the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Timothy 4:1 RSV)
As we draw near to the end, before the return of the Lord, there may come an increasing departure from the faith, but I do not think this passage is talking about any one great departure. In fact, other Scriptures suggest that the departure from the faith will occur at the time of the appearance of the man whom Paul, in Second Thessalonians, calls "the man of sin" (2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV), the so-called "antichrist" (1 John 2:18), who will lead this great departure from the faith.
This verse in First Timothy, however, is more properly understood when it is translated, "in succeeding seasons there will be many departing from the faith" -- i.e., this is something that is going to go on, the apostle is suggesting, throughout the whole course of Christian history, in succeeding seasons of time. Just as there are several seasons in a calendar year, so in the calendar of history God has seasons for human events -- seasons of war, seasons of peace, seasons of unrest in society, when everything seems to be torn apart (we are going through such a season now); seasons of discovery, when the human mind breaks through into new vistas of truth, geographical discoveries, scientific discoveries; seasons of retrenchment, when everything seems to quiet down; and, as the apostle clearly says here, "seasons of deceit," when error breaks forth afresh; like a fountain, it seems to gush out a whole new spectrum of untruth. I have lived long enough to have seen several such seasons.
These seasons of deceit were predicted by the Holy Spirit, we do not know how. Perhaps Paul learned this in some of those direct visions and visits from Jesus himself. Perhaps it came through the prophetic ministry of some of the New Testament prophets. At any rate, the Spirit had precisely stated that there would be succeeding seasons of deceit.
In the last part of the 19th century, there was a pronounced season of deceit, when new cults that have occupied the scene ever since emerged here in America. Mormonism was born then; Jehovah's Witnesses came into being during that latter part of the 19th century; Christian Science emerged. All of these claimed to be Christian, yet they distorted biblical Christianity. That period in the 19th century was followed by a period of quiet, when no new cults emerged. Error was being taught but no new organizations were formed.
ReplyDeleteSuddenly, in the mid-60's, it all broke loose again. A torrent of error began to flood our churches and the media. The Moonies came into existence under the Korean leader, Sun Myung Moon; the Hare Krishna, those young people in saffron robes with shaved heads, started appearing in airports, passing out literature and pinning flowers to lapels; Scientology, with its strange and cruel doctrines, was born; Transcendental Meditation came into popularity then.
Here the apostle is explaining that strange phenomenon to us. He says these things will occur in successive seasons of time. During those times, Paul says, many will depart from the truth, depart from the faith as it is presented in the apostolic Scriptures.
These groups make their appeal in various ways: some appeal to the emotions, some to the intellect, some to the will, to the pride of mankind. But they all have one common characteristic. This characteristic is indicated in this passage by the way the apostle moves from the central truth of Christianity, "the mystery of wholeness" (the person of our Lord and his work) expressed in Chapter 3, Verse 16, to the sharp and stark contrast of this "departure from the faith." Thus Paul seems strongly to suggest that the central focus of all error is to present a different Jesus; that is the key mark of deceit.
If you want to know whether a group you are listening to, or are in touch with, is preaching and teaching true Christianity, ask yourself: "What do they say about Jesus? Who is he? Is he God appearing as man? Did he come in the flesh? Is he the Savior who has in himself accomplished all that God requires for the redemption of humanity?" Ask yourself, "What part does the blood of Jesus play in this teaching? What is said about his Person?"
The central deviation of all religious error is a negative testimony to the centrality of Christ in the universe. Even the unseen forces of life know that Jesus is central. Jesus is truly Lord, so the thrust of error is to attack him.
ReplyDeleteThis is why in a university like Stanford it is possible to teach Buddhism, or some other teaching, and find it widely approved and supported by the faculty and the administration. Someone told me this morning that he took a course at Stanford University on Druids and Druidism and the religion of King Arthur. It became evident through the course that the teacher believed these things and was actively propagating a belief in Druidism -- and nobody objected. But when Jesus, when true Christianity, is presented, there immediately is sharp and subtle opposition against it. This is what the apostle Paul is pointing out.
Paul reveals the ultimate origin of these cults as coming from "deceitful spirits."
Fraudulent Faith (Part 2)
ReplyDeleteBy Pastor Ray Stedman
They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
1 Timothy 4:3
One of the strange marks of religious error is that it is so often accompanied by ascetic practices, that is, denial of certain normal, natural human enjoyments. One of them is marriage. A number of groups have historically forbidden marriage to their adherents with the idea that sex is unclean, and those who indulge in it are certainly less dedicated than those who refrain.
Foods come under this heading too. I do not mean to imply at all that there is anything wrong with diets. It is obvious that some people need dieting. There is nothing wrong with studies on nutrition and proper eating. Nevertheless, through the course of human history there has been a strange affinity between food restrictions and fads and religious error.
The reason is that at the heart of asceticism is a conviction that self-denial somehow pleases God. It can be very earnest, very sincere. Often Christians fall into this error in their early Christian days, thinking that if they deny themselves in some way God is going to be pleased, and their status in His sight will be advanced. That is why some Christians love to get up early in the morning for Scripture reading or memorize hundreds of verses of Scripture or pray on their knees for long periods of time. These practices, which in themselves are not wrong, nevertheless become wrong because their motive (that of gaining God's favor by self-denial) is wrong.
This is a good example of the subtlety by which error begins. When a deviation enters a stream of truth, at the first point of deviation, error looks like truth; it is very hard to see it as error. This is what has misled so many people. They never recognize error until they become engrossed in it. Down the line they begin to suspect that it is error, but by that time they are already hooked.
ReplyDeleteThere is a difference between self-denial and denying self. Jesus said, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23). That is denying self. But that is easily confused with self-denial, which says, I will give up this thing or that thing. I want to gain a special mark of favor before God, and I want to influence God to do something for me in return. When our motivation ultimately is to achieve something for ourselves by our actions, we are no longer denying self but practicing self-denial.
How subtle the differences are! Self-denial is an attempt to earn favor apart from faith in the gift of righteousness which makes us wholly acceptable before God right at the very beginning of our Christian life; denying self is a refusal to heed those silken arguments of the inner ego that appeal to us to show how good we are by giving up something.
Prayer
Lord, thank You that I can enjoy the things You have created. Teach me the difference between self-denial and denying self.
Life Application
What is the difference between self-denial and denying self? Are we careful not to let subtle religious error lead us into a fraudulent faith apart from Christ's righteousness?
Deceptive Philosophies
ReplyDelete"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
First, according to Apostle Paul, these empty, deceptive philosophies "depend on human tradition." They arise out of the thinking of men, find a foothold in society, and then are passed along from generation to generation so as to appear popular and widely supported. Hardly anyone dares question them because everybody believes them.
Second problem with false doctrine, is, in Paul's words, "not according to Christ." Evil teaching always focuses on demoting Jesus, refusing to recognize the full revelation of his Being as it is set out in the Scriptures. Every cult attacks the Person or the work of Jesus---or both. They claim that he was nothing but a very good man, a model man, perhaps, although he lacked the insights into life and reality that are ours through modern knowledge. Thus, they put him down and demote him. Or, going to the opposite extreme, they regard Jesus as a supernatural being, one among several Divine Masters who come periodically into human affairs to teach us wonderful truths that we would never know otherwise, and which, if followed, will release within us great divine powers. (This is the teaching of the New Age movement that we are being exposed to today.) But these cults never view Jesus as God himself, willing to die in our place.
"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have this fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority." (Colossians 2:9-10)
Everywhere in Scripture you will find this approach: We are to be "...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." We must focus again upon who he is, then the mind and heart are both protected against the assault of an evil teaching. Here the apostle reminds the Colossians that they already have everything they need if they have Jesus. They have God for "in Christ dwells all the fullness of Deity in bodily form." All of God is present when Jesus is there. This does not mean that Jesus is both the Father and the Son. Scripture never teaches that. But "the fullness of God," the whole Godhead, comes into your life when you receive Jesus. What more do you need? That is Paul's question.
What more can these false teachers add to that? What new experience, what other additional divine person can you receive than what you have already received when you have Jesus? It may be that we need to discover more of what it means to have Christ in our heart; that is a lifelong process. We shall always be growing in appreciation of what it means to have him, but the point is (and it is a very important one): you do not need anything more than you already have. You merely need to understand more of what you have received.
ReplyDeleteSome cults teach that Jesus has mere divine qualities in Colossians 2:9, Rather, it is saying that the absolute “fullness of Deity” dwells in Christ in bodily form. Scholars are unanimous on this point. For example:
• New Testament scholar Joseph B. Lightfoot says the phrase “fullness of deity” means “the totality of divine powers and attributes.” [J.B. Lightfoot, St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), p. 181.]
• Greek scholar J.H. Thayer says the Greek word in Colossians 2:9 refers to “deity, that is, the state of being God, Godhead.” [J.H. Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963), p. 288.]
• Greek scholar Richard C. Trench says that “St. Paul is declaring that in the Son there dwells all the fullness of absolute Godhead….He was, and is, absolute and perfect God.” [R.C. Trench; cited in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1992), p. 1401.]
• Greek scholar John A. Bengel states that the Greek word refers “not merely [to] the Divine attributes, but [to] the Divine nature itself.” [John A. Bengel; New Testament Word Studies, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1978), p. 460.]
• Bible scholar H.C.G. Moule states that the Greek word “is as strong as possible; Deity, not only Divinity.” [H.C.G. Moule, Studies in Colossians & Philemon (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1977), p. 102.]
• Theologian Robert Reymond says the Greek word refers to “the being of the very essence of deity.” [Robert Reymond, Jesus, Divine Messiah; The New Testament Witness (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1990), p. 250.]
• In keeping with all this, Theologian Benjamin B. Warfield concludes that “the very deity of God, that which makes God God, in all its completeness, has its permanent home in our Lord, and that in a ‘bodily fashion,’ that is, it is in Him clothed with a body.” [Benjamin B. Warfield, The Person and Work of Christ (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1950), p. 46.]
THE RELIABILITY OF SCRIPTURE
ReplyDeleteDoes good archaeological support exist for the Bible?
Yes! Unlike other books that claim to be Scripture (such as the Book of Mormon), the Bible’s accuracy and reliability have been proved and verified over and over again by archeological finds produced by both believing and non-believing scholars and scientists. This includes verification for numerous customs, places, names, and events mentioned in the Bible.
One among many examples is the fact that for many years the existence of the Hittites (a powerful people who lived during the time of Abraham) was questioned because no archeological digs had uncovered anything about them. Critics claimed the Hittites were pure myth. But today the critics are silenced. Abundant archeological evidence for the existence of the Hittites during the time of Abraham has been uncovered.
Bible scholar Donald J. Wiseman notes, “The geography of Bible lands and visible remains of antiquity were gradually recorded until today more than 25,000 sites within this region and dating to Old Testament times, in their broadest sense, have been located.” [Donald J. Wiseman, “Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament,” cited in Norman L. Geisler,
Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1976), p. 322.] Nelson Glueck, a
specialist in ancient literature did an exhaustive study and concluded: “It can be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference.”
[Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert (Philadelphia: Jewish Publications Society of America, 1969), p. 31.] Well-known scholar William F. Albright, following a comprehensive study, wrote: “Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition of the value of the Bible as a source of history.” [William F. Albright; cited in Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict (San Bernardino, CA: Campus Crusade for Christ, 1972), p. 68.]
Does strong manuscript evidence exist for the New Testament? What about all the “variants” the critics talk about?
There are more than 24,000 partial and complete manuscript copies of the New Testament. These manuscript copies are very ancient and they are available for inspection now. There are also some 86,000 quotations from the early church fathers and several thousand lectionaries (church service books containing Scripture quotations used in the early centuries of Christianity). In fact, there are enough quotations from the early church fathers that even if we did not have a single copy of the Bible, scholars could still reconstruct all but 11 verses of the entire New Testament from material written within 150 to 200 years from the time of Christ. Bottom line: the New Testament has an overwhelming amount of evidence supporting its reliability.
Now, in the many thousands of manuscript copies we possess of the New Testament, scholars have discovered that there are some 200,000 “variants.” This may seem like a staggering
figure to the uniformed mind. But to those who study the issue, the numbers are not as serious as it may initially appear. Indeed, a look at the hard evidence shows that the New Testament manuscripts are amazingly accurate and trustworthy.
To begin, we must emphasize that out of these 200,000 variants, 99 percent hold virtually no significance whatsoever. Many of these variants simply involve a missing letter in a word; some involve reversing the order of two words (such as “Christ Jesus” instead of “Jesus Christ”); some may involve the absence of one or more insignificant words. Really, when all the facts are put on the table, only about 40 of the variants have any real significance and even then, no doctrine of the Christian faith or any moral commandment is affected by them. For more that 99 percent of the cases the original text can be reconstructed to a practical certainty.
ReplyDeleteBy practicing the science of textual criticism, comparing all the available manuscripts with each other, we can come to an assurance regarding what the original document must have said. Perhaps an illustration might be helpful. Let us suppose we have five manuscript copies of an original document that no longer exists. Each of the manuscript copies are different. Our goal is to compare the manuscript copies and ascertain what the original must have said. Here are the five copies:
Manuscript #1: Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world.
Manuscript #2: Christ Jesus is the Savior of the whole world.
Manuscript #3: Jesus Christ s the Savior of the whole worl.
Manuscript #4: Jesus Christ is th Savior of the whle world.
Manuscript #5: Jesus Christ is the Savor of the whole wrld.
Could you, by comparing the manuscript copies, ascertain what the original document said with a high degree of certainty that you are correct? Of course you could. This illustration may be extremely simplistic, but a great majority of the 200,000 variants are solved by the above methodology. By comparing the various manuscripts, all of which contain very minor differences like the illustration, it becomes fairly clear what the original must have said.
Does good manuscript support exist for the Old Testament?
Yes! The Dead Sea Scrolls prove the accuracy of the transmission of the Old Testament books of the Bible. In fact, in these scrolls discovered at Qumran in 1947, we have Old Testament manuscripts that date about a thousand years earlier (150 B.C.) than the other Old Testament manuscripts previously in our possession (which dated to A.D. 980). The significant thing is that when one compares the two sets of manuscripts, it is clear that they are essentially the same, with very few changes. The fact that manuscripts separated by a thousand years are essentially the same indicates the incredible accuracy of the Old Testament’s manuscript transmission.
The copy of the Book of Isaiah discovered at Qumran illustrates this accuracy. Dr. Gleason Archer, who personally examined both the A.D. 980 and 150 B.C. copies of Isaiah, comments:
ReplyDeleteEven though the two copies of Isaiah discovered in Qumran Cave 1 near the Dead Sea in
1947 were a thousand years earlier than the oldest dated manuscript previously known
(A.D. 980), they proved to be word for word identical with our standard Hebrew Bible
in more than 95 percent of the text. The 5 percent of variation consisted chiefly of
obvious slips of the pen and variations in spelling. [Gleason Archer, A Survey of
Old Testament Introduction (Chicago: Moody Press, 1964), p. 19]
The Dead Sea Scrolls prove that the copyists of biblical manuscripts took great care in going about their work. These copyists knew they were duplicating God’s Word. Hence they went to incredible lengths to insure that no error crept into their work. The scribes carefully counted every line, word, syllable, and letter to guarantee accuracy. [Dan Story, Defending Your Faith: How to Answer the Tough Questions (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1992), p. 35.]
Does any biblical basis exist for the idea that God preserves Scripture through the ages?
Yes! The God who had the power and sovereign control to inspire the Scriptures in the first place is surely going to continue to exercise His power and sovereign control in the preservation of Scripture.
Actually, God’s preservational work is illustrated in the text of the Bible. By examining how Christ viewed the Old Testament (keeping in mind that Jesus did not have in His possession the original books penned by the Old Testament writers, but possessed only copies), we see that He had full confidence that the Scriptures He used had been faithfully preserved through the centuries.
Because Christ raised no doubts about the adequacy of the Scriptures as His contemporaries
knew them, we can safely assume that the first-century text of the Old Testament was a
wholly adequate representation of the divine word originally given. Jesus regarded the extant
copies of His day as so approximate to the originals in their message that He appealed to
those copies as authoritative. [Greg L. Bahnsen, “The Inerrancy of the Autographa,”
cited in Norman L. Geisler, ed., Inerrancy (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing
House, 1980), p. 161.]
The respect that Jesus and His apostles held for the extant Old Testament text is an expression of their confidence that God providentially preserved these copies and translations so that they were substantially identical with the inspired originals.
The Suffering Savior
ReplyDeleteMy God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Psalm 22:1a
In many ways this is the most amazing of all the psalms. In it we have a picture of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus painted by the psalmist David one thousand years before Jesus Christ was born. It constitutes one of the most amazing predictions of all time.
At least nine specific events or aspects of the crucifixion are described here in minute detail. All of them were fulfilled during the six hours in which Jesus hung upon the cross. Moreover, the latter part of the psalm clearly depicts the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The probability that the predictions of these nine events would be fulfilled by chance in one person, on one afternoon is inconceivably small. The chance that all this could occur by accident is beyond any realm of possibility our minds could imagine. Yet all was fulfilled as predicted in this amazing psalm.
It is common knowledge that on November 22, 1963, President John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding down a Dallas street in a car. Suppose there had been in existence a document that predicted this event, and we knew it had been written in AD 963. That was about the time of the height of the Byzantine Empire, when most of the Western world was ruled from Constantinople, much of Europe was only sparsely inhabited by barbarian tribes, and America was not yet discovered.
Suppose that a document had been prepared in that ancient day that predicted that a time would come when a man of great prominence, head of a great nation, would be riding down a street of a large city in a metal chariot not drawn by horses and would suddenly and violently die as a little piece of metal hurled from a weapon made of wood and iron penetrated his brain. This weapon would be aimed at him from the window of a tall building, and his death would have worldwide effect and cause worldwide mourning. You can imagine with what awe such a document would be viewed today. Such a prediction would be similar to what we have in Psalm 22. That hypothetical prediction would have been made even before the invention of the automobile or firearms and five hundred years before the discovery of America. It would be regarded as fantastically accurate. Yet we have that very sort of thing in this psalm.
The psalm has two major divisions. The first twenty-one verses recount for us the torments of an unknown sufferer who is entirely alone and is crying out to God in His agony. Many scholars assert that these first twenty-one verses represent the thoughts that went through the mind of the Savior as He hung upon the cross and suffered there. From verse twenty-two to the end the sufferer is no longer alone but is in the midst of a large company and is praising God and shouting in victory. It ends with His claiming the worship of the entire world.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, it is unfathomable to me what You endured on the cross. Thank You for Your willingness to suffer and die. I worship you as my Savior and Lord. (1)
Life Application
When Jesus became sin for us He endured unthinkable separation from the Father fulfilling amazing prophecy. What implication does that have for us today?
Note:
(1) Hebrews 1:6 says: Angels worship Jesus
Psalm 148:2 says: Angels worship God
Acts 4:12 says: Jesus is the One Savior
Isaiah 45:21 says: The One Savior is God
Jesus Accepted Worship
ReplyDeleteJesus Himself told Satan that no one should be worshipped and served except God (Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8). Yet…
Jesus accepted worship. Only God should be worshipped, and Jesus was showing that He was God. In John 9:38 when Jesus spoke to the (formerly) blind man a second time, Jesus asked him “Do you believe in the Son of God?” The man asked who He was. Jesus said “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then the man said “Lord, I believe!” and he worshipped Him. Jesus affirmed Him for his belief, and criticized the Jews who did not believe. Also note that Jesus did not ask if the man believed in God; Jesus asked the man if He believed in the Son of God.
From a leper Jesus accepted worship (Matthew 8:2)
The women at the tomb worshipped Jesus, clasping his feet, in Matthew 28:9
God sent the wise men to worship Jesus (Matthew 2:2). Wise men today worship Him too.
The disciples of Jesus, after Jesus walked on water, worshipped Him in Matthew 14:33. None of the disciples ever heard Jesus say this was wrong.
After Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples worshipped Him in Luke 24:52 and Matthew 28:17.
Against this, the angel of God refused to allow anyone to worship him (the angel) in Revelation 19:10 and 22:8-9. Likewise, Paul and Barnabas refused worship of themselves in Acts 14:11-16.
Either Jesus sinned in accepting worship, or else He was correct in doing so.
Jesus Demonstrated That He was God
Jesus had authority over demons and Jesus said His miracles spoke for him (John 10:25). The Old Testament prophesied of Jesus. Jesus also said that no one came to the Father except through Him (John 14:6; 6:45; ~8:24) However, many Muslims might agree with these things about Jesus, without it proving that Jesus is God.