By the Numbers

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Jesus' Resurrection Is Humanity's Only Hope!

                Jesus' Resurrection Is Humanity's Only Hope!
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#Resurrection
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We see life, intelligence, and purpose all around us, and since it's impossible for a nonexistent universe to created itself, all must be the effect of a great intelligence and will we rightfully call God. But once we admit a personal creator of the universe, we have opened the door to everything in the Bible and Christian faith. All this becomes possible--the Trinity, the devil, angels, fulfilled prophecies, miracles, the incarnate Christ, His atonement, Heaven and Hell.
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Further, the incarnate Christ is our authority--our only authority--for absolute truth, human dignity, ethics, rights, equality, justice, love, a rational and purposeful world, and objective science. All fits within the circle of a personal creator God. And it all rests upon the reality of the resurrected Christ. It in turn eliminates all atheistic humanisms and pantheistic religions.
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Jesus "presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3; see also 2:22-39; 17:30-31; Luke 1:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:3-8; 2 Peter 1:16 )." See my other articles for evidence of Jesus resurrection: Is There Life After Death? Did Jesus Arise from the Tomb? Recent Theories to Disprove Jesus' Resurrection.
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Worldviews have a tremendous impact upon our everyday lives. We may not be aware of or understand  secularism, humanism, pantheism, pragmatism, and others, but  their implications drastically decide what we believe and how we behave for happiness or harm, good or evil. So it becomes crucial that we be concerned with them and their consequences. Jesus resurrection is the foundation and major evidence for biblical Christianity. If Jesus arose from the grave, Christianity has consequences for our world and our lives that no other way of thinking possibly could. Please consider its central tenant:
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 Jesus died to save us from the penalty of our sins, arose to make us right with God, and every knee will one day kneel before Him to confess He is Lord. What then in life really matters that we should give it our time, energy and attention? This article attempts to explain the crucial implications of Jesus' resurrection for our world and our personal lives. Consider these five applications. 
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1. Jesus' resurrection declared Him to be the Son of God and the God-man. He was declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4). As such all he says and approves becomes authoritative and a must for our lives. There can be no higher authority. And Jesus put his approval on both the books of the Old Testament (Luke 24:27, 44) and the New that he knew were yet to be written (John 14:25-26; 16:13). The church is built upon the foundation of his apostles and eyewitnesses who gave their lives to testify to its truth (Ep2:20).
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 Jesus acknowledged people are made in the image of God (Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6; Gen. 1:27). This assures that everyone before God has the same dignity, value and deserves equal rights, and freedom to do God's will. There can be no discrimination due to race, color, gender, social status, caste, tribe, location, or otherwise (Acts 17:26; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11).  Now consider some of his teaching.
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When Jesus finished the Sermon of the Mount he declared he alone fulfilled the law and his Word would not pass away (Matt. 5-7). Moreover, as God, he expanded his law to what's most basic--it's  not just the outward evil act, but the inward good attitude to prevent evil whether it be murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, love, good deeds, prayer, fasting, wealth, judging and faith requests. There can be no more practical ethical maxim that his Golden Rule: "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (7:12).
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 And just before his ascent into Heaven, he said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age" (Matt. 7:18-20).  
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2. Jesus' resurrection revealed His power over death and our afterward destiny. He said there were two ways of life--the way to destruction and the way to life which few find. When he ended his saying, the people were astonished because he taught them having authority and not as the scribes" (Matt. 7:13-14). Two vital messages of his authority are (1) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).  (2) Some persons "will  go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life" (Matt. 25:24).
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3. Jesus' resurrection demonstrated His supremacy over human religions and philosophies. Founders of human religions taught us some important truths. Buddha showed compassion for others in pain. Zoroaster realized there were two great forces good and evil in conflict. Confucius gave us wisdom in how we should be courteous and respectful to each other. Muhammad realized there could be only one God as a great Creator and Lawgiver. But where are all these greats today? They're dead! Only Jesus arose and that makes all the difference in the world.
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We have had great philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Decartes, Kant, and others who made a vital impact upon the world. But they are limited human beings, understand things only partially, often contradict each other and can never agree.  For example, determinism verses freedom, matter verses mind. In the Father and Christ "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col . 2:3).
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4. Jesus' resurrection confirmed God's providence throughout history.  The Bible differs in crucial ways from other sacred books. It presents world history in sequence from creation to recreation. It's not mythical stories of gods dwelling in some inaccessible place, but factual history of real people and events occurring in Israel, Egypt, Iraq, Greece, Italy. God interacts with people in visual physical ways we can see and know such as miracles, predicted events that transpire, God's visitations and conversations with people. Its events are dated, and artifacts found testify to its persons, places, events that are collaborated in secular history. The Bible shows great diversity in 40 writers, their styles, genre, occupations, personalities, locations over 1,500 years, yet it contains a unity of themes, ethics and plan of redemption amidst such great diversity. History is His story. Hebrews sums it up well:
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"God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." Hebrews 1:1-3.
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5. Jesus' resurrection provides for our redemption, resurrection and reward. If we fail to acknowledge a personal ethical God who holds us accountable for our actions, there is little if anything we can call wrong--the only law in an animal world is survival, it's eat and be eaten. Even the so-called "new atheists" recognize that the liberal's God accommodated to the unbelieving secular world doesn't really matter. The only God who matters is the supernatural personal ethical God who will judge us. Jesus' resurrection is our only sure hope of eternal life.
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John the baptizer's advise is to look to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). And John the apostle warns us that no corrupt thing shall enter the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:27). "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still, he who is holy, let him be holy still" (Rev. 21:11-12).  Then Jesus says, "behold I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to give every one according to his work (Rev. 21:13). "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7).
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 My dear reader, are you ready for Jesus' return? Do you know Him? There can be no greater love than His giving His life for us unworthy sinners. Won't you say yes! I trust you Lord Jesus to save me now, and forever be my Guide. And I'll tell others about you. You can share these articles with friends and loved ones. Just link them to your computer. God bless you and your ministry. You will help them learn the Bible and learn of the Savior.
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Friday, September 7, 2012

Do Chrfistians Have the Right to Proclaim Their Faith?


                      
             Do Christians Have the Right to Proclaim Their Faith?
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Persons today say these things are true. A loving God would never send anybody to hell. There is no absolute truth. It's my right to believe and do as I please. Restrictions should not be placed on the way people enjoy sex. Muslim men defending their faith killing Jews and Christians are more likely to go to paradise and have many virgins. And they can use their own women and childen as human shields in warfare. Christianity is a dangerous violent religion. We should be tolerant of other people's beliefs. Jesus was only a wise man like Confucius. Nothing can evolve into everything. If others can say what they believe, don't Christians have the same human right to speak their beliefs? Indeed, unless we have open discussion of our beliefs we can't be sure we know the truth.
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If Christians hearing such Biblically destructive views remain silent about their Christian beliefs, how long do you think they will have any Christian beliefs? If non-Christians have a right to their beliefs, shouldn't Christians have that same right? After all, if one human has rights, then all would as well. We're told to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).
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Now Christian beliefs cannot be demonstrated in a deductive mathematical way nor in a scientific experiment. In other words, Christianity can't be proved in the same way as 2 + 2 = 4 or that two parts of hydrogen mixed with one part oxygen will give you water every time--it requires faith. But non-Christian beliefs require faith as well. Any system of belief requires honest open consideration of the evidence offered in its behalf. Christians believe they can show objective logical factual evidence in its behalf whereas non-Christian belief systems, or worldviews cannot. I can only briefly mention reasons in this article. See my other articles for greater discussion and evidence. 

                             Consider these Teachings of Christian Faith.

1. God caused the universe. It is illogical for the universe to cause itself. What doesn't exist can't explode into everything. So this dependent material universe is the effect of an eternal, self-existent, unchangeable, powerful, Spiritual Mind and Will or what we know as person. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1.
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2. God is a Spirit Being. Since we now know the material universe had a beginning, its cause must be an immaterial or Spirit Being as Biblical Christians believe. Thus we can't expect experimental science to find God by mixing chemicals, or by observing Him through a microscope, telescope or other instruments.  This doesn't mean God doesn't exist, it means God may be known by other means. Honest seekers of truth won't deny this, and it is in our best interest to give God honest open inquiry. God's promise: "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13. See also Matthew 7:7-8 and Hebrews 11:6.
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3. God is beyond our full comprehension. How many elements exist, how they work together, and a million other things are yet mysteries in this utterly complex universe. Certainly the Creator who sustains  them is greater yet, and would be way beyond our mind's comprehension. To sustain all creation, God would have to be everywhere, know everything and have all power. So we cannot prescribe in advance what God cannot be or do which may include surprises. For example, Christians believe God has make Himself known as One God in three persons namely Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that this is taught throughout the Bible, i.e. Isaiah 63:7-10; Matthew 28:19. Further, that God has taken on a human body and nature and walked among us both telling us who He is and demonstrating His deity (John 1:1-3, 14). "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isiah 55:9. Jesus said, "I and My Father are One" John 10:30-33.
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4. God is the Author of absolute truth and righteousness. We can say this as God is the universe's Creator, Controller, and Owner. God's absolute morally perfect nature and will is the deciding factor of everything. If the universe always existed and was eternally in flux, we could not say this. Truth and righteousness would then be relative as many atheists claim. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Genesis 18:25. "Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments" Rev. 16:7.
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5. Human conscience and compassion point to God. Conscience makes no sense unless there is a personal ethical God who knows everything about us and will one day require we give account of our lives. We can deny our conscience or try to explain it away or overlook it when we see wrongs done to others. But let someone treat us unjustly and we're quick to protest. It's not what we say but how we act that confirms our conscience. Yet our conscience can be seared as with a hot iron becoming inoperative (1 Timothy 4:2). All the useless wars, killings and using people for human shields prove this. "The Gentiles . . . show the work of  the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, . . . in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus according to my (Paul's) gospel." Romans 2:15-16.
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6. The all knowing holy God will one day judge our every thought, word and deed. Saying there's no judgment and no hell or that God is evil to forbid certain acts we may find pleasurable amounts to a claim of having all knowledge. Isn't it a bit silly to think anyone can have more knowledge than the One who designed the universe and our bodies and minds to work in a certain way? Separating love from justice leads to the destruction of both. Without a righteous God and judgment, morality has no meaning, anything is permitted (Proverbs 14:12; Psalm 14:1). "I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God . . . and the dead were judged according to their works. Revelation 20:12.
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7. It's God's prerogative to say who goes to His heaven and why. No doubt you've heard the claim there are many ways to heaven or all persons go to heaven eventually. Now I ask how does one know that? Some religions believe neither in a personal God nor in heaven. Could this claim be based upon ignorance of world religions and false assumptions of an imperfect tolerant God and of goodness in man? Like a virus even one sin allowed into heaven would infect the whole. "There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Revelation 21:27.
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8. God entered world history as Jesus Christ. Philosophers such as Bertrand Russell can deny it but only show their prejudice. Besides the Bible secular writers furnish enough facts to outline many of the events in Jesus' life. More is known about Jesus than about undoubted persons such as Plato or Tiberius Caesar. The impact of Christ set the dates for the Western World. Further, it's simply impossible to extract the supernatural claims and elements in Jesus' life without rendering their historical content nonsense. Many eyewitnesses heard Jesus' claims to be God that were confirmed by His fulfilling ancient prophecies and performing multiple miracles. And many died in testimony that Jesus is in fact the God-man from heaven and the Savior of all who trust in Him (John 1:1-3, 14: 14:6). "The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven." 1 Cor. 15:47.
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9. God's entrance requirement to heaven is faith in Jesus alone. Turning from sin that God hates to trust His Son who paid for our sin on the cross is God's way. Good deeds, being a good person, being sorry for sin doesn't make us perfect or holy before God nor fit for a perfect heaven. We can do good deeds with selfish motives, still have a rebellious heart, still not know or understand God's laws. We can't undo our bad deeds. And if we could get to heaven doing good deeds, Jesus never would have to be crucified. God's only way is Jesus. "A man is not justified by works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16). "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
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10. Mindless molecules can't arrange themselves into men. No matter how much time takes place, stuff never produces order. Gardens uncared for become useless weeds. Life doesn't pop into being from non-life. Further, genetic limits won't allow life forms to become different forms.  If it were so we would see it happening today everywhere. If it happened in the past we would see it in countless  fossils in the geological record. Fact is that life forms appear and disappear in the geological column no different. The universe is running down, not building up. An impossible gap exists between man and the other animals (1 Cor. 15:38-39).  Can't we give all these facts open unbiased consideration? "God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Genesis 1:26
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11. The Creator of man's mind and body surely can communicate with him.  Deconstruction, reconstruction, or claiming the plain obvious meaning of a text means what you want it to mean is neither scholarship nor honesty. C.S. Lewis, who has studied and written myths and fables throughout his literary career, says his critics misunderstand his stories. Biblical events and miracles are written as sober history accepted as true by later biblical writers and by Jesus. Those who claim subjective interpretation expect us to accept it of other writers but to take them literally. "God spoke all these words, saying: I am the Lord your God, who brought you  out of the land of Egypt" Ex. 20:1-2. Jesus said, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead." Luke 16:31.
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12.  The Bible is God's final revelation. God gave us his Word to guide his people. He has confirmed it by multiple fulfilled prophecies and miracles. His true prophets and apostles endorsed one another. So all centuries later self-claimed prophets that contradict, alter, or abrogate God's previous message are false prophets and deceivers. They claim their teacher has additional revelation that supersedes the Bible. They often deceive using Christian terms with their own meanings. They deny the Trinity, Christ's deity, atonement, hell and set dates for Christ's return.
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13. The Bible says Christians are to defend their faith. Jude exhorts us to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Several passages speak of this--Acts 22:1; 25:16; 1 Cor. 9:3; Phil. 1:7, 17; 2 Tim. 4:16. We're to be committed unto the Lord "and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." 1 Peter 3:15-16.   
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14. Defending Christian faith brings tremendous benefits. We're to glorify God in all we do and defending the faith does that big time (1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17). Giving objective logical factual evidence strengthens the faith of believers (Acts 1:3). Second century apologists corrected  pagan charges of atheism, incest and cannibalism as Christians were thought to eat the body of Christ. Misunderstandings of persons both within the church and without need correction.
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Christians who never try to win others to Christ and live in an unchallenged environment may not see the need for apologetics. But their children attending secular schools likely will turn from the faith if not given good answers to the challenges they encounter.Winning persons to Christ is difficult when Christians can't give an intelligent response to someone's honest questions. Jesus is our mentor in defending Scripture (Luke 24:46-47).  Peter said,"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matt. 16:16.
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15. Fulfilled prophecy is one unanswerable evidence. We can make bets on who will win the ball game, but its uncertain. The Bible tells of future events short range so those living at the time can know it's of God as 20 signs given Saul that he would be anointed king (1 Sam. 10). It also tells of future events to occur centuries later so people living then can know they are of God such as Messiah's virgin birth, place of birth, sinlessness, death for sinners, and resurrection. Fulfilled prophecy doesn't exist in non-biblical religions. These events showed Jesus is Israel's Messiah and they can't be explained away. The great Jewish Messianic scholar, Dr. Alfred Edersheim, in his book, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah lists in his appendix 456 O.T. passages ancient Jewish writers applied to their coming Messiah. "Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27.
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16. Miracles are a sure defense in their biblical context of prophetic credentials and claims. Jesus claimed to be  the bread of life when he fed the 5,000, to be the resurrection and life when He raised Lazarus, to be from heaven and He ascended into heaven before many witnesses. The claim Jesus walked on water would destroy science is nonsense. To call events natural doesn't discredit miracles--in fact it's necessary to recognize an exceptional event as a miracle. Nature's laws are subject to nature's Lord and there can be no law God can't use miracles any time it suits His purposes. Witnesses of Christ's miracles were always astonished which shows they were well aware of nature's laws. Skeptics must disprove God to disprove miracles. Jesus said, "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent" (John 6:29).  Jesus is the God-man sent from heaven (Jn. 3:13, 6:33).
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17. Jesus' sinlessness is unique. He was virgin born and overshadowed by the Holy Spirit to prevent corrupting his human nature (Matt. 1:18-24; Luke 1:26-37). Like us, he was tempted at all points only He never sinned. He explained sin clearly as moral impurity of heart--evil thoughts, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, adulteries, deceit, murder (Matt. 15:19; Mk. 7:21). Twelve disciples who observed him more than three years said he committed no sin. This can't be said of any other esteemed person--not Buddha, Confucius, Zoroaster, Moses, Muhammad. Jesus dared to challenge his hostile critics to convict him of sin and they could not (John 8:46). This evidence has a momentous explanation: "He (God the Father) made Him who knew no sin (Jesus Messiah) to be (counted or imputed) sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21.
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18. Jesus died to pay for our sins. It's all about God's grace and glory and nothing we can do or goodness we don't have (Eph. 2:8-9). God alone decides how He will save sinners and if there were any other way than Jesus paying the penalty for us, he would never have had to be crucified. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:18.
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19. Jesus arose again to make us acceptable to God and fit for heaven. Apart from the resurrection humanity would be without God and without hope. Jesus' resurrection assures us that there is life after death, that we human beings have dignity, that how we believe and behave counts as we will give account of our lives to God, and that  the world is rational and achieving God's purposes. We have the choice of life with our loving God or without Him in eternal darkness, tears, and torments. Skeptics through the centuries have desperately tried to disprove the resurrection but don't even come close. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57.
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20. Christian faith can't be explained away as delusions of the mind. Can God put thoughts in our minds? I don't see any way to show it impossible. Bible says both God and the devil can (Matt. 16:16-17; Acts 5:5). We dare not follow these Satanic delusions: Nietzsche said belief in God is dead and Christianity makes us weaklings. Darwin implied God is unnecessary and we are perishing animals. Marx's theory of economic equality makes us slaves in poverty under government oppression. Freud claimed faith in God a delusion of fatherly comfort.  Jesus promised the devil and death would not prevale against His Church  (Matt. 16:18; Heb. 2:14). I've read the back of the book that says the former things will pass away and God will make a new heaven and a new earth and live with his people in righteousness forever (Revelation 21). Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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All the evidence in the world cannot convince someone against their will. Evidences are tools to open our mind but only God can save us. Pray that God's Spirit will convict our sinful world and the Father will draw people to the point of trusting Christ (John 6:44; 16:8-11).  We can have a head knowledge but apart from God's gracious invitation reject Christ altogether (1 Cor. 2:14; John 1:12-13). May you be faithful and fruitful to declair and defend the Christian biblical faith boldly and lovingly and to confirm it in consistent godly living. Amen. God bless.
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Please feel free to link my blog to yours so that others you introduce to it may be won to Christ, or be strengethend in Christian faith and understanding. This is the most crucial thing we can do for others and to make a better world. Again, God bless you in your work of faith and labor of love ministry. By telling our friends and circles over the internet we reach people in countries all over the world with the message of life, hope, and love that only salvation in Christ can give.
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See comment and articles below & on right side. God bless.