By the Numbers

Monday, December 16, 2013

Earth's Heavenly Visitor!

                                   Earth's Heavenly Visitor!
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#Earth'sVisitor  #Jesus
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Don't be deceived by science fiction travel through a wormhole! Space travel  would require a spaceship like the Enterprise of the Star Trek TV series. It must be huge with many decks, have hundreds of personnel of various skills and duties, and travel at warp speed. Besides unknown dangers, it must avoid multiple known ones  such as comets, asteroids, wondering planets, gamma rays, gravity, solar flairs, black holes, magnetic forces, and space junk as even a speeding pebble can penetrate and destroy the ship.  But unknown to much of the world's population, our earth has been visited by One greater than any possible alien we can imagine. Let's investigate this matter.
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Who is this visitor? Jesus, speaking of himself to Nicodemus said, "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is the Son of Man who is in heaven (John 3:13)." There can be no  doubt Jesus was a real man who once lived in Israel. While three contemporary accounts are accepted as historical fact, the  four Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles are six independent historical accounts of Jesus' life. Non-Christian critics mention details of his life contained in the Gospel accounts. More is said of Jesus than of Tiberius Caesar his contemporary. Even calendar dating of the Western World verify his existence from B.C. to A.D. 
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Yes, Jesus was the Son of Man,  but more than that, he gave clear evidence of being the Son of God who came down from heaven even while still in heaven. How can this be? The Bible gives us the answer. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). See also Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17).
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Scientists today generally admit that everything we know depends for its existence on something prior, and that we can't trace existence back eternally. So the material universe had a beginning and its  cause must be immaterial, eternal, unchanging, and of immense power. Such a cause is not so different from what the Bible describes as the Great Eternal I Am who spoke to Moses out of the burning  bush and that Jesus claimed many times and ways to be.  See John 6:35; 8:12, 58; 11:25.
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Does anyone know enough to show the cause of the universe cannot be the personal ethical, loving triune God of the Bible who made us in His image? Or, that the Almighty could not take on a human body and nature? And wouldn't the cause of  all intelligent life forms have to be an intelligent person?
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The Apostle Peter said, "Men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know--Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it (Acts 2:22-23).
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Thousands of persons close at hand, including skeptical disciples and hostile critics for over three years, witnessed Jesus do things only God's power could do. All the while he claimed to be God and asked  others to believe in him. Jesus walked on water, stilled a storm, changed water to wine, immediately healed blindness, lameness, skin diseases, and even raised the dead. Now that's good honest evidence he's God for persons with an open mind willing to look at the evidence. Who would preach to Israel what Peter preached, unless it be true and the hearers knew it?
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Of course we have a problem understanding how Jesus could be God and man in the same person. That is by no means easy and it took the church centuries to figure it out. It required a careful and logical appraisal of all the Bible said about him even then not pretending to understand it all. There's no contradiction since person, essence or nature are used in different senses. In being man, Jesus for our sake laid aside his glory with the Father becoming a servant and our example. I can't cite a lot of evidence trying to keep my articles simple and limited to 3 pages.
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The Bible teaches only one God in essence as three Persons known as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the Incarnation the eternal God did not become a man--that's impossible. But as the second Person of the Trinity, he added a human body and nature to his divine Person. Jesus' human nature has limitations of knowledge, power, and presence while his divine nature has no such limitations. Sometimes the Person Jesus Christ speaks from his limited human nature and at other times through his divine nature without such limitations. Theologians call Jesus the theanthropic Person or God-man, and the two natures together in the one Person as the hypostatic union.  
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Consider these amazing things about Jesus. While lying as helpless baby in an animal feed trough, he yet was the Almighty upholding the universe. As real man he was tempted at all points as we are who can identify with us, but as God could not be tempted and can be the Savior of sinners. While limited to a human body and nature, as God he is with us always and is even in Heaven. Being man he didn't know the time of his return, but as God He knows all things even our thoughts.
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Isaac Watts wrote these precious words:

Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing.
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Can the joyless troubled world be because it's not willing to receive the Lord as its King? Heaven and earth doesn't sing about Santa Clause. Jesus came unto his own and his own rejected him. Are we any different today? Xmas is not Christmas. Do we teach our children the myth of Santa Clause and ignore or lie about the Lord who walked among us. I'm not saying we can't have a Christmas tree or give gifts. I am saying telling others about the Savior is the greatest thing we can do for loved ones and friends. It's what will count when we see Jesus and will be rewarded in eternity when other things will not. Jesus' death and resurrection is the proof He's our God and all He taught is God's truth and the world's only hope. No other religion can give us such assurance. Do U know Him? Won't U trust Him and tell loved ones and friends about Him?
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Please link to articles & share others on right side or scrole down to those below. God bless.
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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Are Bible Teachings Incredible, Or Just Not Understood?

                         Are Bible Teachings Incredible, Or Just Not Understood?
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Jim learned his new friend John was a Bible believing Christian. Surprised, he asked John how he could believe a book teaching such absurd things. "What absurd things?" John inquired. Jim said, "I've heard the Bible says that the earth is flat with four corners, that a guy named Jonah swallowed a whale, that an Ark of the Covenant landed on Mt. Judi, and that Bible characters lived immoral lives. Ha! Ha! If that's what I thought the Bible said, I wouldn't believe it either, Jim.
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Unfortunately, people today who know little if anything about the Bible hear biased misinformation about what it really says. Only if they seriously study it for themselves with an open mind in its historical, grammatical, cultural context can they get a true understanding and find that its teaching is most reasonable. Let me clarify a few people's misunderstandings.
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That the Bible opposes science and modern thought. Persons in Bible times didn't give scientific explanations for natural phenomena but spoke in language of appearances--we still do today. The  Bible does say God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1), but doesn't say the earth is the center of the universe. The four corners of the earth  (Rev. 7:1) doesn't mean the world is flat and we can fall off.--it means the four directions of the compass. Isaiah even  called the earth a circle and said God spread out the heavens centuries before we found these things out (Isa. 40:22). The sun rises and sets  and was still for a whole day (Joshua 10:12-14). We know the earth rotates on its axes and goes around the sun but that's not the way it appears to the naked eye. Joshua's long day could be a tremendous display of God's creative power, but more likely was some kind of aerial condition God caused as perhaps reflected sunlight to insure the Israelites victory.
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God is not required to give us a scientific explanation of everything that may even be beyond our understanding anyway. The universe seems designed for human habitation (anthropic principle). Even as the unique position of earth in the arms of our galaxy that allows for cosmic exploration. The universe's origin shows the glory of God's eternal creative power. Remember, Bible interpreters can make mistakes and today's assured scientific facts may be tomorrow's science fiction. When all the facts are in and correctly understood God's Word and God's world will agree. 
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That God was evil to command destruction of the Amalekites, men, women, children, everything (1 Samuel 15:3). Many people today say this makes the Bible God guilty of genocide, a moral monster, and totally unbelievable. Let's consider this in its biblical framework. If there is no personal moral sovereign God, what ethical standard is there but each persons own personal opinion? And if conflicting human opinions are all we have, anything is permitted and whoever gets the biggest stick controls and beats us into submission to their opinion--throughout history this has destroyed human dignity, equality, freedom and many lives and property.
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Only our Creator, Life-giver, and Judge can serve as humanity's standard of ethical behavior. No impersonal force, limited tribal god, or atheism can serve as a basis of human dignity, morality, love, and hope.  Critics who accuse Christian faith of intolerance must borrow from the Bible ethic even to have an ethic, and show hypocrisy themselves in being intolerant of biblical Christianity.
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Now the Amalekites were terrorists who sought to destroy Israel. Their behaviors were everything God told Israel not to do or allow--idolatry, adultery, nakedness, homosexuality, sex with animals, sexuality transmitted diseases, child sacrifice, filthy surroundings (Lev 18). A merciful forgiving God told Abram they had 400 years (rounded number) to turn from their evil ways, but knew they would only grow worse (Gen. 15:13-16). Because they were not totally destroyed they were always a thorn in Israel's side. They sought to prevent God's covenant plan with Abraham to be the means of bringing about human redemption through the Messiah (Gen. 12:1-3; Gal. 4:4-5). A moral God knows our beliefs and behaviors whether good or evil and had to take out a moral cancer that would infect everyone's life and hope. He will one day destroy the devil and his forces (Rev. 20:7-10). He allows them now to test our faith, love, and obedience to His truth, goodness, and will. If He destroyed every sinner, none of us would be left. Who we obey is our choice and has serious consequences.
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As for innocent children, we are all born in sin  and deserve death (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12). Our Maker is our Owner who gives us our every breath and has the right to take life anytime, and once did to the whole evil world (Gen. 6:5; 7:23). Children who die before the age of belief or accountability go to be with God (Deut. 1:39; Isa. 7:15; Mk.10:14; John. 9:41).
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That Adam and Eve are just myths.  Modern scholarship, assuming evolutionary naturalism,  considers the Adam and Eve account as myth, not history (Gen.1:27; 2-3). It's true the Bible tells their events in story form for all peoples to understand. But the Bible everywhere represents them as real persons in real history. Events of their lives are mentioned, they get married, have children, family problems, and are referred to throughout the Bible as our first parents. God's plan of redemption is based upon their being real people who brought sin into the world for which the prophets spoke of a one day coming Messiah and Savior. 
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And yes, the Bible does record miraculous acts of God. But not that the prophet Jonah swallowed a whale, but that God prepared a great fish that swallowed Jonah and carried him to the destination in God's plan that his preaching could result in people in the city of Nineveh turning to God.
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Miracles seem incredible only if one assumes a naturalistic philosophy supposedly supported by science. But does science show that no existence can explode into everything, that mindless molecules can arrange themselves into all our present life forms? Wouldn't plants and animals have to be complete and functional from the start? Can things exist with only partially developed systems and organs? Are there missing links, or a whole missing chain?  What scientific experiment can demonstrate biological evolution? What seems incredible to me is that some persons would rather assume connected universes exist in order to deny a Creator who loves them, offers them a life of purpose and rewards them with Heaven.
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That Bible characters are immoral examples of bad lives. Jesus is the only One without sin with power to be a Savior of us sinners. No other Bible character and no person is said to be without sin or morally perfect. Yes, bad actions along with good ones are openly discussed in the Bible even of God's prophets and apostles. But everything recorded in the Bible is not approved as Abraham's lie, David's sin with Bathsheba, Solomon's polygamy.  The Bible gives us both good and bad behavior's as examples to learn what God approves and disapproves (2 Tim. 3:16). As God gives us the human dignity of free will, anything becomes possible. The alternative is that we be robots dishonoring to God and without dignity ourselves. Justice is not always achieved in this life, but an all-knowing God assures us it will be one day.  We have the choice to believe that an omnipotent, omniscient, holy and loving Triune God knows what's best for us, or to reject God which is fatal.  
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That James contradicts Paul about how to be right with God. There is no contradiction as both are true at different times before different persons. Faith before God is the root and good works before man is the fruit. Paul says we are justified or made right before God  by faith alone (Romans 4:5-6; Titus 3:5). James says true faith is made known to men only by our good works, otherwise its seen as dead or not real faith (James 2:18-23). When Abraham believed God it was counted to him for righteousness, but it was shown real to men when he offered Isaac in sacrifice. "For by grace (God's undeserved favor) you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).
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We can trust God for the fuller life of truth, purpose, love, and hope and grow in knowing His life in us. His goodness and love can't force Himself on us---what is your decision? This may be God's call to you. Won't U say, Lord Jesus I trust You as paying for my sin on your cross and with your help I'll live for You and share my new faith with my friends.
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See my note about the Ark below. Couldn't fit it into the article.


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Jesus asked, Who Do You Say that I Am?

                      Jesus asked, Who Do You Say that I Am?

#Jesus  #Questions  #Prophecy

From his day to ours, people have called Jesus various things: prophet, teacher, good man, lunatic, deceiver, legend, Son of God, Lord. According to our assumptions, knowledge, belief system, we think different things. Who would you say Jesus is? The answers to these four questions below may help you decide.
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Can Centuries Earlier (700-400 B.C.) Biblical Predictions apply to Anyone but Jesus? He was born of a virgin, Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18, 21. In Bethlehem of Judea, Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:1. Forerunner announced, Mal. 3:1; Luck. 1:17. God's Son, Psalm 2:7; Heb. 1:5-6. Work miracles, Isa. 35:5-6; Matt. 11:4-6. Betrayed by a friend, Psalm 41:9; John 13:18-21. Disciples forsake him, Zech. 13; Matt.26:56. Sold for 30 pieces of silver, Zech. 11:12; Matt. 26:15. Nailed to a cross, Psalm 22:16, John. 19:18, 20:25. Given gall & vinegar to drink, Psalm 69:21, Matt. 27:34. Suffered for peoples sins, Isa. 53:4-6, Matt.20:28. Garments parted & lots cast for his vesturee34:20;  John. 19:33, 36. Pierced, Zech. 12:10, Jn. 19:34, 37. Buried with the rich, Isa. 53:9, Matt. 27:57-60. Raised from the dead, Ps. 16:10, Lk. 24:6, 31-34.
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These 17 predictions are such detailed events impossible to guess, artificially fulfill, or be accidental, and Jesus is the only known person in history to whom they could apply. Nothing like this is known in other world religion founders. Nothing like this can be said of Buddha, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Mahavira, Nanak, Confucius, or any other. This is God knowing the future and acting in our world. Its denial seems to require a closed and bias mind and a dogmatic claim to have all or absolute knowledge no such God exist..
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Can Anyone Make Such Claims together with Such Actions Other than God? Conservative systematic theology texts list several pages with references showing who Jesus is. I can briefly mention only a few things the Bible says about him. Jesus is called by names of deity--God, Son of God, Lord, and the Word. He claimed to have the attributes of God--all knowledge, power, be everywhere, be unchangeable, and eternal. He claimed to be from Heaven, be one with the Father, be the Creator and Upholder of the universe. He showed power over demons, disease, death, and nature. He was without sin, forgave sins, raised the dead, accepted worship, died for sinners, commanded angels and demons, and would judge men at the last day. All this could only be true of God. He asked people to believe in him and recognize his miracles as proofs of his claims.
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The Jews recognized his claims to deity and called them blasphemy. His disciples knowing nature's natural patterns where constantly astonished and rebuked for not believing his miracles and who he was, until after his resurrection. Such things are said of no other persons in history. His followers endured torture and death to testify to its truth. What we believe about who Jesus is may be the crucial belief of our life! 
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Can We Trust the New Testament Statements about Jesus to be True? Only if we assume there's no personal ethical God and refuse to view the evidence  can we say N.T. documents are incredible, unhistorical, or lies. Five hundred people saw the resurrected Jesus, many who were still alive, plus the 12 disciples, plus skeptics Paul and James (1 Cor. 15:1-8) which is the confirming proof Jesus is Lord and all he taught is true. Scholars say Paul received this from very early sources along with other hymns and creeds possibly even before A.D. 40. Jesus died A.D. 33. Non Christian, even hostile sources, mention Jesus and many of the events of his life. His name is mentioned more than Tiberius Caesar who lived  at the same time. Gospels mention embarrassing things about him as he was born of fornication and didn't know the time of his return. It's far more reasonable to believe a multitude of eyewitnesses who risked persecution, torture, death, and eternal damnation who gave up the beliefs of their people for 2,000 years, than believer a skeptic far removed from the scene. See The Historical Jesus, by Gary Habermas. Also, my article, Modern Opinions about Jesus Christ.
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What Benefits Did Jesus Bring Humanity? No one but the God-man can give people abundant and eternal life, dignity, equality, real moral standards and moral victory, freedom, justice, love, absolute truth, a rational world, experimental science. No God, a limited god, evolving god, tribal god, speculative god/s can't provide such benefits and hope. No one and nothing can stand beside the Lord Jesus Christ. Few people realize the darkness, sufferings, and despair that would engulf us if Jesus had not come. See What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. What Has Christianity Ever Done For Us? by Jonathan Hill. The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success, by Rodney Stark. 
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This is why Christians have shown such great compassion to humanity and making a better world. Jesus said, "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me . . . Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. (Matt. 25: 35-36, 40).  
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Christians have set the example to support orphans, widows, the sick, prisoners, the disabled and others. They built countless schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers.They promoted child labor laws, Christian relief organizations such as YMCA, The Salvation Army, Food for the Hungry, World Vision, Medical Teams International, Samaritan's Purse, and others. They have fought against killing babies, abandoning children, female abuse, sexual slavery. They have fought for political reforms, just laws, and human freedoms, and rights. Christians are usually the first to relieve human suffering wherever found. They are not perfect, but they sure enter the fight to relieve suffering and build a better world. Jesus give us the reason to do so.
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Who Do You Say Jesus Is? The evidence above points to his being the Son of God who walked among us to save us both in this life and one to follow. What other people think or say won't count when we stand before Jesus at the Judgment. Forsaking sin and trusting Jesus will give purity and purpose to life and the assurance of one day living with him in his beautiful world. Will you say what millions of others say? Jesus is Lord and from now on,  Jesus is my Lord.
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We can do a thousand things important to us, but only the things we do out of love and obedience to Jesus will have eternal value--like telling others Jesus died to save us from sin and be our Lord and Guide. Be a true follower of Jesus who said, "follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" Matthew 4:19.
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Monday, November 4, 2013

Ten Reasons Some Persons Deny the Biblical God

                                Ten Reasons Some Persons Deny the Biblical God
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#Reasons  #Answers 
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Could persons giving these reasons be assuming things that aren't true, are foolish, or not clearly thought out? And why is it the Bible's God seems most objectionable rather than some other ideas about God? Let's try to be as honest, objective, open minded and fair about this as we would want someone to be with us. Maybe there's something we overlooked or never thought about. It's possible anybody can make an honest mistake--even me.
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I can't believe in a God I can't detect with my five senses. What kind of evidence do you require to believe in God? Must God be a giant man who appears to you in the sky? Must he be handsome, smell good, and be soft spoken? Or do you expect to discover God under a microscope, through a telescope, or by an experiment? Are you demanding God make himself known to you on your terms? Don't we all believe in many unknown or unheard of things that others told us about? The biblical God Christians believe in upholds the universe and is a Spirit everywhere. But He's God, not us! So we must come to Him on his terms.  He has made us in His image for loving trusting relationship. Jeremiah 29:11, 13 defines the way to that relationship: "I know the thoughts I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. . . . You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart."  
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If God in some way indwells Christians why are they such hypocrites? This question involves issues far more complex than persons generally realize. Just because someone goes to church, reads a Bible, or holds a church office doesn't always mean he or she trusts in the Savior. I know of two pastors who preached the gospel, but trusted Christ sometime later. Christians have their struggles with the world, flesh, and devil like everyone else, maybe more so. New Christians don't know, believe, or act as well as mature Christians. Persons from dysfunctional families may have more problems to overcome after conversion.  Also, persons can have good habits and morals but not be a Christian. Besides there are varying degree of commitment just as in all religions. Victory in Jesus comes when we set our minds continually on positive things of God, not negative things of the world (Colossians 3:1-2; Plilippians. 3:18-21).
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So we can make faulty judgments. Jesus warned of persons who said they did incredibly good works but he didn't know him (Matt. 7:21-23). Persons too can charge Christians of being hypocrites to try to relieve their own guilt feelings and hypocrisy. In truth, apart from the Christian God there is no absolute standard of judgment. Non Christians have to borrow from biblical Christian ethics to say an act is really wrong. Without God--the personal ethical God of the Bible who holds us accountable--anything is permitted. Moral standards require a personal Moral Lawgiver and Jesus is the proof He exists in His claims to be God together with His miracles and fulfilled prophecies.
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Very learned professors and persons I respect say there's no such God. Intelligent learned persons with advanced degrees from prestigious universities can each claim the evidence proves exactly opposite conclusions. We have our biases, special interests, and may not want to know the truth regardless of the evidence. Persons of Jesus' day saw his miracles, heard his claims to be  God, even saw Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead, and then plotted to have Jesus crucified. Secular historians admit many of the events in Jesus' life, but these really make no sense unless He also performed the miracles said of Him.
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The "New Atheists" make misleading claims and arguments saying God is not good and the Bible is a dangerous book. Check out these books. Is God Just a Human Invention, by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. Why People Don't Believe, by Paul Chamberlain. When God Goes To Starbucks, by Paul Copan.  See my article: Is Any  Religion Objectively True & Humanly Ennobling?
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God let the loved one I desperately needed die. Death is a certain reality we all must face and it can occur unexpected and at any time. We are all subject to accidents, diseases, and abuses that are very painful. In a sinful fallen world it's unavoidable. When God gives us the dignity of free will, it's subject to abuse, and often beyond our defense and control. The best thing we can do is trust the Lord, do good for others, and tell them of the Savior and Shepherd of our souls who will never leave us. One day we will have our just reward. In Christ's resurrection alone there is assurance of life beyond the grave and seeing our loved ones who are in Christ. 
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I pray fervently but don't see where God answers my prayers. There are conditions that must be met before God can answer our prayers. If we have sin in our life the Lord will not hear us. If we say give me this and give me that, then God I'll believe in You and serve You. That's not acknowledging Him as Lord. God knows if He gave us what we asked, that we would have no further use for Him or even say thank you. True prayer seeks the Lord's will above our own. God may answer our prayer with a yes, no, or later. We must trust in His infinite knowledge, wisdom, power, goodness and love. Memorize Psalm 37:4-5 and repeat it daily and frequently. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."  
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I can't believe in a book full of contradictions can be true or right about God. Well, I can't believe some of the ridiculous things critics call contradictions. It's in part because persons today ignorant of the Bible can be told the Bible says things or means things it doesn't. Bible believers in past days would think modern claims and rantings strange. Where did Cain get a wife when Adam and Eve had only two sons and Cain killed Abel? Genesis 5:4 says Adam had sons and daughters, but wouldn't common sense tell us it had to be that way at the start. Let me recommend a good book that answers supposed contradictions: When Critics Ask, by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe.  See my articles: Bible Errors or Critic's Errors? Doubts Can Have Good Honest Answers # 1, 2.
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I don't know much about the Bible, but I see no reasons to believe in its God. Christians in fields of science and philosophy give good reasons to believe in God, but it's the critics that get big press attention. Besides myself, there are a multitude of Christian apologists on the Internet giving good reasons for their faith. Indeed, one must have a godlike knowledge even to deny God. Atheists and critics honestly examining the biblical facts have felt compelled to become Christians. We can reject God for emotional  and social reasons. The Bible's God has a claim on our lives that other so-called gods do not. Remember, it's only the great I Am who gives us our breath and will judge us. 

Antony Flew, the leading academic atheist for fifty years (deceased 2003), came to believe in God the Creator. The big bang convinced him a beginning universe was the effect of  an eternal Beginner or God. Flew, didn't become a Christian, but honestly and openly admitted that the facts pointed to theism. No one has shown the resurrection, the ultimate evidence of Christian faith and hope to be a lie, though many have tried. Also, see my articles: The Alternative If There's No God.  Christian Love or Atheist Power. Is Atheism Best For Us?
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Natures laws prevent any God acting in our world. The "New Atheists" in their best selling books are completely closed minded sighting David Hume's arguments there can be no miracle working God. If Hume's objections were true, it seems impossible we could have gone to the moon. Christian theologians have shown Hume's arguments invalid. See my articles:  Has God Made Himself Known to Us? Faith, Reason, & Revelation. Did Jesus Really Perform Miracles? Darwin's Missing Links, or Jesus' Miracles? 
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How can we believe in God when so many different things are claimed about him? Many conflicting views logically mean that all can't be right. There can't be many gods, just two gods, one God, no god, or the universe be god. If any one is correct, logically it cancels out all the others. Good faith is based upon logic and fact. Just what some esteemed persons say is not evidence. Anybody can claim God or his angel talked to me and I wrote down his words in a holy book. But mere claims don't prove anything.
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Unlike other religions which claim and speculate about a god off somewhere, or that might could explain things, the Bible records historical eyewitness evidences of God acting in our world supernaturally. Persons centuries later, who add to or contradict Bible teachings, are clearly false teachers. The Bible records a multitude of God's actions in the world and in human lives. Though still imperfect, Christian believers changed from destructive evil lives to loving service of God. They built hospitals, schools, rescue missions, retirement homes, helped in disaster relief, and in countless other ways persons today seem to ignore.
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I have rights which means I can make my own decisions without anyone, even God telling me what to do. I'm afraid this is the underlining basis for rejection of God. All our claimed objections are really a product of looking for excuses to reject God's will on our lives. Anyone really wanting answers to difficult questions can find them in books and in my articles. Respectfully and biblically, if we're not transformed by the Lord Jesus who gives us rights and our every breath, we're in slavery to sin, Satan, and the world's system of evil.
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As a Christian I have had many serious questions but always found answers in diligent honest search. My friend, what about you? Won't you say, Lord Jesus I trust You who gave Your life that I might have abundant life with You. I pray you will find sin's forgiveness, love, peace and joy in Christ others have found and share that good news with friends.
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See note below.

Friday, October 11, 2013

God's Purpose in the Ages

                                God's Purpose in the Ages 

What conditions would make an ideal world? Some say scientific discovery and invention if we use it for humane and peaceful purposes. Others shout economic equality will liberate the masses. Many feel we must overcome racial prejudice that divides and degrades people. It's claimed intolerant and false religion is at fault. Increasingly, people say we need a strong leader who can unite nations and peoples to achieve our desires.
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What's God's purpose and perspective throughout the ages? Could the Lord be testing our commitment and responsibility under different conditions? Does a survey of the Bible show we always drift from God and a great beginning? The Bible refers to the different ages in John 1:17; Matt. 28:20; Ephesians 2:7; 3:5, 9; Heb. 1:2; 7:11-12, but they're often translated as "world." Let's see what they are. It's not their length of time, but the principle or condition that's important.
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Human Innocence. Genesis 1:27-3:6.
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God created man and woman in his image as rational and moral people. He gave them responsibility to have offspring, subdue the earth, have dominion over the animals, eat vegetables and fruits, but not to eat from one tree called the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They could eat from the many other trees including the tree of life and live forever. Great intelligence was shown in that Adam named the animals, and took care of this bountiful paradise called the Garden of Eden. The happy couple enjoyed wonderful fellowship with God in this good and beautiful world.
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One day near the forbidden tree the devil speaking through a serpent tempted the couple to ignore all the good trees, focus on the one forbidden tree, and to doubt God's goodness in forbidding them to eat of it. But they did in disobedience to God's command. Everything changed! Fear, guilt, and shame overwhelmed them. They realized their nakedness and hid from the Lord. Unlike a growth in knowledge and freedom as some psychologists claim, it was rebellion against the goodness and wisdom of God that forever condemned their descendants with a self-centered sinful nature prone to prefer self to God (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:18-21). They represent us today for we would be no different in their place. God clothed them with skins of a slain animal and in mercy drove them from paradise lest they eat of the tree of life and be forever condemned in sin. Because of their sin, we inherit a sinful nature, are separated from God, prone to sin, and need redemption.
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This event is the Fall of man and basis for salvation taught throughout the rest of the Bible. It is written in a simple way for persons of every culture to understand. It is considered a myth only if we assume there is no God who can act in our world. Jesus referred to our first parents creation and based God's plan of marriage of one man to one woman upon it (Matt. 19:4; Gen. 1:27; 5:1-2).
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Conscience as our Guide. Genesis 3:7-8:19
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A perfectly good God cannot approve evil, so God brought judgments.   The serpent, representing Satan was to crawl in the dust with hostility between godly human descendants and Satan's descendants (John 8:44). Men are to work hard with nature not as productive. Women are to experience pain in childbirth and have their husband's rule. But God gave us the first promise of redemption of a future descendant who would crush Satan's head (mortal blow, Gen. 3:15; Heb. 2:14).
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Man was left to be guided by his conscience and do the best he can.  Unlike the animals, people have  an objective moral law pointing to a moral Lawgiver, Judge, and to our need for redemption. Essentially, it's treat others the way you want them to treat you. It's proven in that we feel guilt, shame, and make excuses when we violate our conscience, and we object when others abuse us. But we can harden our hearts so that our conscience becomes ineffective (Rom. 2:14-15; 1 Cor. 8:7; 1 Tim. 4:2).
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Persons under this test failed miserably. Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters. Cain murdered his brother Able, then married a female relative, and built a city. People became very skilled and inventive, but also very wicked. "The Lord saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Thus, he thought to destroy man from the earth, but  Enoch pleased God and was taken to heaven. Noah pleased God and was told to build a great ark or boat. God again showed his sovereign power and his grace in saving all who would believe and come into the ark. But only Noah's family came. Doubtlessly the great civilization that was built was destroyed by the judgment of the flood.
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Essential Government and a New Beginning. Genesis 8:20-11:9
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 God made a covenant with Noah never to destroy the world by a flood, the seasons would continue, man was to multiply, and to have dominion over animals. But now man could eat animal flesh, but not with the blood. And now God allowed the essence of government as man had the right to kill murderers which continues until today (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17).  Again the people failed as shown in Noah's drunkenness, Ham's irreverence, and that instead of scattering out over the earth the people drifted away from God. Wanting to make a name for themselves in defiance of God, they built a tall tower in their honor. God, seeing their wickedness came down in judgment to divide and scatter them over the earth with many different languages. Have we not always put government before God?
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Abraham and God's Covenant People. Genesis 11:10-Exodus 19:2
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 In a world of idolatry, God made a covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). It was to be unconditional or everlasting to Abraham and his descendants (17:7, 13,19; 1 Chron. 16:16-17; Psalm 105:10). He was to become a great nation and be a blessing to peoples of the earth. Those who blessed Abraham, God would bless, and those who cursed him, God would curse.  Circumcision was the covenant sign. Israel was to be a nation forever even when scattered and to have a land forever. God's promises are yet to be completely fulfilled. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the nation Israel all failed in leaving the land, temporarily losing the land, being in bondage in Egypt, and complaining in their wilderness wanderings. Yet in this age God showed his grace or favor and his sovereign care in miraculous ways. This condition of promises in the Abrahamic covenant continue even today until God will fulfill his promises in his earthly kingdom.
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The Nation Israel's Laws. Exodus 19:3-Acts 2
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God's laws through Moses were only for Israel and are comprised of three parts: the commands expressing God's moral nature and will (Ex. 20:1-26), the judgments showing Israel's social and civil life (Ex. 21:1-24:11), and the ordinances about Israel's religious life (Ex. 24:12-31:18). Israel was a theocracy of God's rule through his prophets, priests, and kings. The Mosaic covenant was temporary until Christ came (Gal. 3:24-25). All the ten commandments but Sabbath keeping are mentioned in the Gospels as showing God's moral nature and will (Mark 10:19). Gentiles we're never told to offer animal sacrifices, stone adulterers, take slaves, or put a child to death who curses their parents. This age in one sense ended with the cross and concluded on the day of Pentecost (Rom. 10:4; Gal. 3:21-25). Israel rejected her Messiah, her temple was destroyed,  and the nation was scattered worldwide. 
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God's Church. Acts 2-Revelation 4
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The church is different from Israel in several ways. It's a mystery of Jew and Gentile together as the one body of Christ. Jesus said he would build the church and he is its Chief Cornerstone. It's built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus' death, resurrection, ascension, and the Holy Spirit's indwelling every believer marked a new age begun at Pentecost. Grace or God's unearned and undeserved favor is the condition by which true believers are to live (Gal. 3-5). We cannot keep God's moral law which shows us our sin and serves as a tutor to bring us to Christ (Gal. 3:24-25).
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But the true church will end with God's people being caught away to be with Christ (1 Thess. 4:16-18). The apostate church and  world will be overcome by false teachings and demonism (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 2 Pet. 2-3; Jude). People simply will become too busy for God doing mundane things. The Antichrist will gain world rule while 144,000 Jews (not Jehovah's Witnesses), and two great prophets will testify, and still many will be saved and martyred.  People won't be allowed to buy or sell without the mark of the Beast. There will be tribulation judgments never known in prior ages and if not stopped, no flesh would be saved. See Matthew 24 and Revelation 5-18.
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Christ's Earthly Kingdom. Revelation 19-22
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Jesus will reign with an iron scepter over the earth for a thousand years while Satan is confined to a bottomless pit (Rev. 19:15; 20:1-5). God cannot lie, so just as the promises made about Christ's first coming were fulfilled literally, so will those of his return to earth. God's promises to Israel of land, Messiah's rule, Israel as head nation, long lifespans, worldwide knowledge of God, and more will finally be fulfilled, (Psalm 72; Isaiah 2:1-5; 9:6-7; 11; Jeremiah33:14-17; Daniel 2:44-45; Matt. 19:28; Acts 1:5; Rev. 19-20; and many more). Divine judgment follows even then as Satan is released to deceive the nations to come against God's people but fire from heaven will devour them. All the wicked of the ages will be judged at the Great White Throne and justly punished. Tested under every condition throughout the ages, we drift from God. Nobody can say, You were unfair. Figuratively, God's saints in the new Heaven and on the new earth won't look back.
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Eternity--What can we learn from God's perspective?
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All God's works are known from eternity (Acts 15:18). The ways of the infinite sovereign God of the Bible are perfect, while our ways are as filthy rags (Isa. 55:7-9; 64:6). But God is gracious and merciful to all who will come to him in faith trusting his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to pay for our sin, make us new creations, give us assurance of everlasting life with him forever. The rebellious alternative is hopeless torment in darkness forever. Won't you say, Lord, forgive me the sinner. I trust You now and forever to be my Savior, Lord and Guide. Lord, give me courage and compassion to share these messages of hope, love and life eternal with others in desperate need. Anyone may link to them and share with others.
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Saturday, September 21, 2013

Predestination, Election, & Free Will

                         Predestination, Election, & Free Will
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Does God predestine everything so that we are no more than robots? Do we make free decisions so that we rightfully deserve the consequences? Is God somehow unfair with the non-elect? Can we reconcile these concepts, or are they a hopeless contradiction? What does the Bible teach and can we believe it?
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Does God Predestine Everything So That We Are No  More Than Robots?
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God in infinite wisdom and power chose the best plan to create and continue the universe. Existing before creation outside time, God can act anywhere anytime within it to accomplish His will. As Primary Cause God knows the exact spot, direction, and speed of everything--it all depends upon His sustaining power and will.  So, "in Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:17;  Acts 17:28). So God enables His natural laws and His creatures  to work precisely as He designed them to do. If it were not so, anything could happen without rime or reason, the world would be utter chaos and irrational confusion. 
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Further, the Bible mentions  terms that mean God knows things are certain to happen before they occur.  These words are: predestination (Rom. 8:29-30; Ephesians. 1:5, 11), foreordaination (Acts 4:28; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Pet. 1:20; Jude 4) foreknowledge (Acts 2:23; Rom. 11:2) and calling (1 Cor. 1:9; 7:17, 24; 15:9). These are plain undeniable Bible teachings.
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 God, as Alpha and Omega and the eternal I Am, knows past, present, and future all at once with no surprises. And what He knows will happen, will happen, or He couldn't know it. "I am God and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning" (Isa. 46:10). "Known to God from eternity are all His works" (Acts 15:18). So the all-knowing timeless God took within His plan before creation human decisions, sin, Satan, unbelief, suffering, prayer, salvation, Heaven and Hell.  It's proven by numerous details of fulfilled prophecies concerning individuals, nations, and the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:4). God's knowing everything in advance means that they will occur, and that from His perspective everything is in fact fixed or predestinated. But what does it mean from man's limited perspective within time?
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Do We Make Free Decisions So That We Rightfully Deserve The Consequences?
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Yes, the infinite God acts to uphold everything and has ultimate control,  but He allows finite persons control in a secondary sense. God created man in His mental, moral, immortal image (Gen. 1:26).  This means man unlike other creatures and nature is a thinking willing moral person made for relationship with His Creator. Like God, man's mind and will transcend the natural order of the world. People are more than mindless stones or instinctive animals--mind transcends matter, thought controls things. We can understand causes, consequences, and make contrary choices as needed. We see a cloud darkening overhead, the wind stirring things up on the ground, and know if we don't seek shelter we will soon get wet. Unlike the most intelligent animal, we create art, science, literature, philosophy, law, prayer, and worship of God.. While heredity and environment influence us, our decisions are our own. We have a degree of unforced libertarian freedom.
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Throughout the Bible, God's  every command, warning, invitation, and judgment  imply our freedom to obey. Likewise, every human rejection, excuse, and neglect suggest we are   responsible to obey. No, we are not programmed robots--being in God's image we  can make free choices  knowing they  have consequences and we bear responsibility. Conditions and persons do influence us, yet our choices are neither uncaused, nor caused by another--we decide as free moral agents otherwise praise and blame make no sense. There's no eternal regress of causes as God gives us freedom being in His image.
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The Bible teaches that we are free moral agents in many texts. The best known is John 3:16, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Consider the whosoever texts--John 3:18; 6:37; Rev. 22:17. The believe on Jesus texts--John 6:69; 8:24; 9:36, 38; 10:25; Acts 16:31.  Free agency is shown in other texts--Deut. 30:19; Josh. 24:15; 2 Sam. 24:12. We have texts showing people freely reject God--Jer. 7:23-26; Matt. 23:37; John 6:46; 7:30; 2 Peter 3:5). "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers" (Acts 7:51).  All these plain texts are difficult to deny and show that with man it's free will and responsibility.
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Is God Somehow Unfair With The Non-elect?
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We can quickly dismiss that God is the Author of sin. For God created a good world  and tempts no one to sin (Gen. 1:31; Jam. 1:13-14).  Lucifer in prideful disobedience to God brought sin into the universe and our first parents Adam and Eve listened to him in disobedience to God and brought it into our world. Sin separates us from a holy or morally perfect God. We are born with a sinful nature and commit sins, thus needing a Savior to cleanse us, make us acceptable to God, and fit for Heaven (Ps.51:5; Isa. 59:2). As sinners, we all deserve death and Hell, but for God's grace (Rom. 6:23). Besides, God knows things we don't and can't know. God doesn't have to save any of us.
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The Bible does teach God chooses some persons to be saved which means others are not chosen. We read in Ephesians 1:4-5, "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will."  Election is mentioned also in Deut. 7:6; Isaiah 45:4; John 6:44: Acts 13:48; 1 Thessalonians. 1:4.
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Persons have serious problems with election that we must address. Don't our differences mean election is somewhat unavoidable?  Christians are given different spiritual gifts. The body of Christ has differing members--the hand, foot, eye? We're not all the same in ability, opportunity, mindset--wouldn't it be a dull world if we were? There are even different degrees of reward in Heaven and punishments in Hell. Aren't these things a kind of divine election?
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Several things need mention here. It's not God's will that anyone perish but God knew that in creating a moral world that allowed free choice some would reject Him and righteousness (2 Peter 3:9). He knew this would not be the best world, but the best way to the best world--Heaven. That would assure our dignity and give Him the greatest glory. We could not otherwise know of His forgiveness, grace, justice, mercy, and our utter need of Him. And unrepentant rebels must have their own kind of place--darkness, evil.

God gives abundant testimony of Himself and the relationship He desires with us. Design in creation speaks of a great Designer (Rom. 1:20). Human conscience speaks of a Moral Lawgiver and makes no sense with an all-knowing Judge (Rom. 2:14-15). God has acted throughout history in supernatural ways and through His messengers the prophets, apostles and witnesses. God's Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). The Bible says we are without excuse suppressing the truth and loving sin rather than righteousness (John. 3:19-21; 7:17; Rom. 1:18-20). God may even speak to us in dreams and visions (Gen. 20:7; 41:1-7; Numbers 12:6; Matt.27:19). God promises throughout Scripture that those who fervently seek the Lord will find Him (Deut. 429; Isa. 55:6; Jer. 29:11; Matt. 7:7-8; Heb. 11:6). We have examples of some who did--Wise Men, Matt. 2:1-12; Nicodemus, John 3; Ethiopian, Acts 8:26-39; Cornelius, Acts 10.
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Some person object to election. They say election makes evangelism unnecessary. If the chosen will be saved anyway, why bother to tell people of the Savior.  Answer. We don't know who the chosen are. People are saved through our sharing the gospel. Not to tell others of the Savior is disobedience to God. It's loss of spiritual and eternal rewards. Election is unfair to those not chosen.  But some persons hate a holy God, right living, and love their sin. Answer. We mentioned above that God promised all who seek Him will find Him. Even with repeated opportunities they prefer their sin and despise right living.  God can't force persons to love Him. Election would encourage moral laxity. Why struggle to be good if you're going to Heaven anyway? Answer. It results in loss of joy and peace in the Lord. Brings condemnation, guilt, and shame.  Bad influence for Christ. God disciplines sons even to physical death. Again, a loss of Heaven's rewards. Election seems arbitrary or without good reason. Our knowledge is but a dot in the universe of knowledge. Answer. It's a decision based upon our all-knowing, wise, good, just, and loving Creator.
Can We Reconcile Predestination With Free Will, Or Are They A Hopeless Contradiction?
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Scripture teaches that in God's timeless plan He alone saves by grace through faith. It seems God initiates it by convicting, drawing and enabling persons to be saved (John 1:12-13; 6:44; 16:8-11; Acts 13:48; 16:14). But, we do the coming, believing, and receiving salvation as God's gift (John 5:24; 6:29, 37; Acts 16:31; Rom. 6:23; Ephesian.2:8-9).  For a truly loving God can't force love on the unwilling--it's a contradiction. But an all-knowing God knows who will come to love Him in their own time--it's predestined! God upholds human existence, humans decide their fate.
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I don't have all the answers. But I pray God will use U and I as His ambassadors to tell the world of our Savior, Lord, and Guide. I pray we will see many persons living a Godly life and in Heaven that He has used us to go tell the gospel. Lord enable us to be Your true obedient followers as fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). God bless U.
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See my articles below and in categories to the right, or point to tags.
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Friday, September 6, 2013

God Works Things Together for Good!

                       God Works Things Together for Good!
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#God's-Ways    #Anthropic-Principle  #Theodicy
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Romans 8:28 says, "We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (New Living Translation). But many persons including true Christian believers are quick to ask: What about Hitler types? What about natural disasters? Why does God allow such evils to exist? Why doesn't the Almighty Creator destroy them? What about those who love God? Let's consider these questions one at a time.
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What About Hitler Types?
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Yes, history is full of dictators who want to conquer the world  and impose their thinking and way of life on others. Consider Genghis  Khan, Caesar, Muhammad, Hitler, others, and the final one will be Antichrist (Rev. 13). They don't care how many persons are killed or properties destroyed. Such tyrants have even tried to destroy Israel, God's chosen people. You ask how can a good God allow that? God  promised the nation Israel would be blessed and prosper in every way, if Israel obeyed his commands, but would be cursed if it did not (Deuteronomy 27-28).  It's not hard to imagine that applies to all the nations but in God's timing. 
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Those curses included many things nations are increasingly guilty of today such as idolatry, sexual deviation with the same sex or even animals, theft, deception, murder. Not all persons within a nation may be guilty, but when they may do nothing to avert those who do practice such things they must be punished along with the others. Only our Creator God can know what is best for us and can serve as our standard of what is true and right and good. His laws are not given to hurt us or spoil our fun, but to insure our health and happiness. So we must trust and obey the commands and promises of His Word. Even national leaders and citizens without the  Bible have a conscience to know right from wrong and would be quick to object if the evil things they do were done to them. Dictators who want to dominate the world, deceive, destroy, and murder--they are of the devil.
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It's said we think 10,000 or more thoughts a day. Respectfully, may I ask what your thoughts are? Are they: Thank you Lord for my many benefits. Guide me to know and do your will. Forgive my sin and restore my fellowship with You. I love You  Lord. I want to tell others of your love and goodness. Having no such thoughts, we might be tempted to want power and conquest? Aren't we arrogant to think we know better than the very Creator, Sustainer, and Judge of all men? And are we certain there's no consequences and no Hell? What would Heaven become if all the evil God rejecting people went there? It's simply impossible because Heaven with God is pure truth, goodness, and love.  In loving evil, people choose Hell.
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What About Natural Disasters?
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Natural disasters may destroy thousands of lives and cause millions of dollars in loss of properties. The news so often tells us of hurricanes, floods, forest fires, mudslides, volcanoes, earthquakes occurring in places throughout the world. Quite true, but it's not mentioned and only recently understood that much of this is really necessary and beneficial. The earth is covered with more than two thirds water and in places miles deep. These disasters are often the result of tectonic plates that move and push up the lands and mountains preventing earth being completely covered or eroded. And these things must occur to keep the world in balance, even above water and livable.
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Knowing such disasters occur, aren't we foolish to take unnecessary chances like building houses on live volcanoes, in dry river beds, beside slopping mountains, near an earthquake fault. God doesn't stop His natural laws or perform a miracle every time we do something foolish. Moreover, it's wise to take out insurance and check out conditions and plan to avoid dangerous conditions. Rather than blame God, live a bitter rebellious life, we do well to admit our mistakes and learn from them.
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The anthropic principle points in multiple ways that our planet is designed for the coming of man. Our sun is the right size, the right place in the galaxy, and is the right distance from the earth to insure life.  If earth's revolution around the sun,  or its rotation on its axis were slower  or faster we would either burn or freeze. If our atmosphere were different we couldn't breath and we would have no fires or too many. Without the pressures in the earth we wouldn't have coal, oil, gas, and metals such as copper, gold, silver, iron that we need to make things. All the different kinds of animals, plants, fish and birds show specified complexity impossible to attribute to mere accident and time.
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 Nature has no mind or will, and all living things show design pointing to a great and good designer God who made them for us. This is cause to rejoice, be thankful, and trust in a living and good Almighty Creator who knows and cares about us.
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Why Does God Allow Such Evils to Exist If He Could Immediately Destroy Them?
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God would not immediately eliminate evil as we're all sinners to varying degrees. But He can and will defeat it gradually being most kind, understanding, and patient with us. God gives us abundant opportunities to see His goodness, see our sin, and turn to Him for forgiveness and a love-trust relationship that issues in obedience and hope.
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 He could have created us as programmed robots but gave us the dignity of free will and opportunity for loving trusting relationship with Him forever. In infinite knowledge and wisdom, He knew before creation that we would sin (Isa. 46:10; Ephesians 1:4, 11).  And He knew the very best way to overcome sin was not to destroy the sinner, but defeat the sin. This God did in sending His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Messiah, the God-man. 
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This isn't the best world, but it's the best way to the best world--Heaven. It's our choice whether we want God and abundant life with Him, or have our own way with the resulting consequence--the lonely dark dispare of eternal Hell (John 3:36). Fulfillment with a loving God (John 3:16), or frustration and futility with His Enemy (John 8:44)--it's each person's choice.
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What About Those Who Love God?
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Yes, we are perplexed and sinful, and only when we trust God, can we see His promises come to pass. Ancient Job lost his wealth, family, health, and couldn't understand why. He knew nothing of Satan's plot to prove Job only served God for His benefits. But Job still trusted God, grew in faith, and finally was restored in God's grace. It was no accident slave baby Moses became a prince of Egypt, and being a murderer was banished to the wilderness forty years.  That's what prepared him to fulfill God's purpose in leading Israel through the wilderness to the promised land.  
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Joseph's dreams offended his brothers who sold him into slavery, and a wicked woman had him imprisoned. But Joseph trusted the Lord and remained true until his dreams became realities as God overruled man's evils to enable now governor Joseph to save many from famine. God's name is never mentioned in the Book of Esther. But His unseen hand is very much at work in Esther's becoming queen, in a sleepless King Ahasuerus hearing his chronicles read, in Haman's plot to hang Mordecai and eliminate the Jews being foiled,  and in Haman being hung on the gallows he made for Mordecai. Saul, the great persecutor of Christians, became Paul, the great preacher of Christ who said, "for me to live is Christ, to die is gain." That can be true in the life of every faithful obedient believer. Trust God's way and timing for it to come true in your life.
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Can we apply some important lessons from all this to our lives? These incidents don't read like fiction, but human faults and facts. They're not made up stories, but real God ordained events. God's unseen hand works things together for good for those who love Him, who are called for His purpose. But we must show faith, obedience and patience in God's timing and God's way--changes take time. We will be tested and not live perfect lives. But in the end we are proved right, wicked unbelief wrong. Justice will be achieved, if not now, later. We wrongly blame God, live bitter, rebellious lives for the problems we humans largely make ourselves.
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God knows best and works things together in His time and His way and we are wise to trust in the promises in His Word. Of course, it starts with a commitment to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior paying the penalty for our sins on the cross. If you haven't done this, won't you trust him now and follow Jesus all your life for His glory and your good? He knows U, yet loves U as no other can. Trust and obey, there's no other way.
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Link on to other terrific articles mentioned to the right side or below. God bless.
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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Will Everyone Eventually Go To Heaven?

                  Will Everyone Eventually Go To Heaven?
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#Universalism  #Heaven
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Can our likes and dislikes, strong feelings and opinions be the basis for a universal truth that everyone will go to Heaven? Some persons can't stand the thought of Hell! They feel God would be the worst terrorist to send anyone to an eternal torture chamber such as a lake of fire. Love always forgives and restores, and God is love. It's only a bad environment that makes people go bad and Heaven is only a good environment. Persons who feel this way are called universalists. Now we ask is universalism based on fact? We answer this issue under three questions.
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                                          Is Everybody Going to Heaven Realistic?
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Wouldn't universalism make human beliefs insignificant? Consider the many conflicting human beliefs. Atheists claim there is no God of any kind and no reason to expect life after. death. Pantheist religions say everything is god which is universal energy or spirit that temporarily appears as stars, plants, and animals. Muslims say whoever doesn't believe that Allah's angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad will go to Hell. Mormons believe people can become gods and have their own planet. Religious persons generally believe that if some kind of good world exists after death that you must live a good life as they define it to go to that world. Christians believe events can be accurately recorded and known and that God created the universe with man in his image for a love-trust relationship with Him.
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Now if we must have the correct belief to go to Heaven, and many people have conflicting beliefs, then it seems all people can't go to Heaven. Can we even know who is right if fickle feelings or conflicting opinions is all we have to go on? Moreover, if all go to Heaven, do beliefs even matter?
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Wouldn't universalism make our human behavior insignificant? We can minister to one another as Christians claim we should, or we can murder one another as often occurs. We can selfishly look after our own needs, ignore people, or use and abuse them as being of no great worth. We may even murder people we don't like feeling it's good to get them out of our way and send them to Heaven. Now, if in Heaven we're all rewarded the same, what difference does our present behavior ultimately make? Does our life  now have any purpose? 
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Wouldn't universalism destroy our dignity? Sin can be fun, appetites hard to control. Some persons frankly call righteousness boring, but evil exciting and fun. They like violence, fighting, warfare, stealing, deceiving. They are good at it and conquering a part of the world gives them power and makes them feel superior. Now, if Heaven is an all good or perfect place, then it seems we imperfect people must be forced to be good, or go to a Heaven we don't like. We have no say about it. What dignity is that? Isn't the loss of freedom even to do evil a loss of dignity? Do heavenly robots have dignity?
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Wouldn't universalism destroy our security? If we all go to Heaven, and it doesn't matter what we believe, or how we behave, whoopee! It's an amoral world we can do anything we like. Wouldn't it then become a madhouse of excitement? Perhaps! What if the thrill wears off? Couldn't it more likely become  a world of destruction, warfare, waste and terror? We may decide it's better to die and go to Heaven--it couldn't be worse! If universalism is true, is a personal God even necessary? Could there even be a good and caring God? Does universalism provide us any hope?
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                        From a Christian Perspective Do Universalist's Arguments
                                            Show Everyone Goes to Heaven?
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Universalists give theological arguments they claim prove all persons will go to Heaven. They say, God as love doesn't give up and never fails in this world or the next. God having all power cannot be stopped and can do good, even impossible things, so that people will finally accept Him. Having infinite wisdom, God can find the best way to get people to accept Him and go to Heaven. And being just, God must assure that all will be saved and none left out of Heaven. 
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Biblical Christians reply, we must first understand that God is not composed of parts that can be divided, but is of simple essence so that all His perfections work together in harmony to achieve His purposes. Further, it's wrong to define God's perfections and acts different from what the Bible says. Finally, God created man in his image, immortal, and with the power of free will and moral responsibility. Right and wrong is defined by God's perfect standard and judgment, not man's fickle conflicting limited opinions. Doesn't this make far more sense rather than nonsense of universalism?
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God is love and cannot force us to believe--He respects our humanity, dignity and rights. God has all power to restrain evil, but patiently allows us time to repent. We may selfishly demand our way and ignore His mercy and love. God as infinite wisdom will use the best means to bring people to accept Him. His supreme expression of love was giving His Son Jesus as sacrifice for our sins on the cross.  Before the cross, the world had no concept of a loving God--many still don't today. God is just in rewarding His faithful servants to the degree of their service--Heaven. And God is just in allowing those who despise good and godly living to have their own kind of place suited to their degree of  sin--Hell. Properly understood Heaven and Hell both show God's love and justice. Rev. 22:11-15. But to see it, we must come to the Bible with an open mind, not with a lot of false assumptions or emotional baggage.
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Universalists argue the  Bible shows all persons go to Heaven. First, notice the character of these phrases below. (1) Not one of them says everybody goes to Heaven--in fact Heaven is never even mentioned. (2) All these phrases are indefinite and can be taken in more than one way. (3) While these ten uncertain texts are said to teach universalism, a great many more clear passages mentioned below teach people do go to a real conscious eternal Hell. Doesn't good sense tell us to take clear definite statements over uncertain ones? (4) While God desires all to go to Heaven, He gives us the free will to reject His will and many do (Matt.23:37).
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The context in every case shows universalism is not the true meaning.  (1) Passages that speak of enemies under the Lord's feet are unbelievers forced to bow the knee and confess His authority, not believers serving Him as sons (Psalms 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:24-25; Eph. 1:10; Phil. 2:10-11). (2) Other passages mention the restoration of  all things (Acts 3:21). This probably answers Peters' question in Acts 1:9 of when Jesus would restore the kingdom to Israel. The answer is during the millennium when the apostles would sit on twelve thrones (Acts 3:25; Matt. 19:28). (3) Yet others say Christ's death justified all men (Romans 5:18-19). It gives all men opportunity to be saved but only those who believe will be (Acts 4:12; 16:31). (4) Again, God is reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 11:15). But this is true only if in Christ. (5) Finally, 1 Peter 3:18-20  and 4:6 say  Jesus preached to disobedience spirits of Noah's day.  Universalists claim Jesus preached the gospel to the dead which means they have a second chance. This text says Jesus preached to a limited group of Noah's day the victory of  his resurrection. It doesn't say he preached the gospel. And Hebrews 9:27 says after death our eternal destiny is fixed.  Again, the Bible gives no case for universalism.
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                                  What Does Biblical Christianity Say About It?
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The Bible is crystal clear that Hell is as real and eternal as God and Heaven. Jesus said, "these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt.25:46). The Bible gives abundant clear contrasts between the godly and ungodly and their separate eternal abodes--Heaven/Hell, saved/lost, forgiven/eternal sin,  justified/condemned,  in Christ/not in Christ, righteous/wicked, light/darkness, sheep/goats,  wheat/weeds,  narrow road/broad road,  sons of God/sons of Satan, reconciled/slaves to sin, born again/not born again, washed in the blood/unclean, accepted & beloved/condemned with the world, believed in the Son/not believed in Christ, in glory/tormented forever. It's certain that no universalism is taught in the Bible.
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Hell is justice and is love in its universal social aspect. Justice means we reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-8). People of every country have always  believed human abusers such as thieves, rapists, murderers should be punished and put away to prevent human destruction. But love, joy, peace, and goodness were praiseworthy and should be rewarded. This is why we have jails and why we reward heroes. As preventing harm to people, justice is another word meaning love. So, if it's essential to protect and preserve human well being on earth, it's just as essential in Heaven. "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" (Rev. 21:27). See also Rev. 22:15; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.
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Further, and this is important. Just as God's people are rewarded according to their different degrees of services, Satan's people are punished according to their different degrees of sins. That's what justice means (Gal. 6:7-8). Moreover, the punishment God rejecters receive is self-inflicted.  It's their self torment over their own guilt, shame, lost opportunity and eternal despair. And self-conscientiousness--the undying worm (person)--and degrees of punishment show the Bible doesn't teach annihilation--sinners still exist in their darkness and torment. We have one earthly life with opportunity for faith in Christ!  At death our destiny is sealed (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 22:11).

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The Bible repeatedly says the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, is our only way to be saved from sin and Hell. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)." The whole Jewish sacrificial system of slain animals pictured God's forgiveness of  believers sins by animals dying in their place and it pointed to Christ. Other such statements are John 1:12, 29; 3:7, 16, 36; 5:24; 8:24; 10:9-10; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Romans 5:8-9; 6:23; 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9 and a great many others. It's God alone who  has the right to set the terms of entrance to His Heaven. Truth is absolute and narrow--2 plus 2 can only = 4. It's a mind closed to truth that is prejudiced.
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The Bible further teaches Heaven or Hell is our own choice. Persons who go to Hell choose to-- God pleads with them to trust Him and go to Heaven. As just mentioned in passages above whoever will may come to Christ and be saved (Isa.1:18). And yes, God knows who will and who won't come, but love cannot force  them to accept Him and His righteousness. The door to Heaven is wide open to all who want God's way. And we can sense God's Spirit inviting us to come (John 16:8-10).
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It's not a bad environment that sends people to Hell, but a bad or sinful heart that rebels against God and right living. Adam and Eve were provided an idea world in the Garden of Eden and choose to disobey God anyway. God tests humanity throughout the ages and every time people turn away and meet with judgment. No sinner will have an excuse at the Great White Thrown to say God was unfair. And God's people in Heaven seeing His perfect goodness and knowing human evil, depravity, hate and destruction on earth, will want only to know their good and loving Lord. Jesus said, "out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man" (Matt. 15:19-20). Can we be honest?
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We are without excuse. Nature, conscience, and God's Holy Spirit speak to us. The Bible alone is a God breathed revelation (message) to us--not man's centuries later additions, subtractions, beliefs, feelings, or opinions. Unlike other religions, the Lord gave us eyewitness historical accounts of His actions mentioned by both believers and unbelieving secularists. So, ask the Lord to save you from sin and guide you throughout life. Say, I now trust you Jesus as paying the price of my sin in your death for me on the cross.  I turn from love of sin, darkness, and doom to you the Light of the would. Jesus you alone are now my Savior, Lord, and Guide throughout life (John 3:16-21).
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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Bible Passages for Happy Godly Living

                     Bible Passages for Happy Godly Living

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#Bible
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Below I'm listing some important Bible passages with a commitment statement that can wonderfully transform us when they become a focal part of our everyday living. I suggest you memorize the Scripture and prayerfully and continually repeat it with the commitment statement throughout the day. God's Word will wonderfully transform our way of thinking and living to faithful and fruitful  life in Christ. You may want to copy, cut out and attach some of these passages to your dressing mirror and review them until they become a part of you.
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Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. I trust in the Almighty Creator God of the Bible as humanities only standard of truth and right living.
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Hebrews 11:6. It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Lord, I admit that I can be misinformed, misguided, and mistaken, so I humbly trust in your infinite knowledge, wisdom, goodness and love. 
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Psalm 119:11. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. I choose to obey God's Word and not sin against the Lord.
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Psalm 119:33. Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by any evil. Lord, I trust you to guide me a step at a time even when I don't understand.
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Genesis 1:27. God created people in his own image. I obey God to respect the dignity and rights of human beings He created directly in His mental and moral image.
Acts 16:31. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. I believe there is no one but the Lord Jesus who died for us sinners and arose from the dead who can save us from sin and hell.                   .
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Romans 6:23. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I accept eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ understanding salvation is God's gift that I can neither earn  nor deserve.
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John 14:6. Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus, the God-man, is the only way to His Father for everyone willing to believe.  
Romans 12:2. Don't copy the behavior and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. I trust you Lord to transform my thinking and living to be honoring and pleasing in your sight.
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Romans 8:1. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Praise God! I now belong to Christ Jesus and am no longer condemned for my wicked deeds. 
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Philippians 3:12. I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. Like God's apostle Paul, I'm not perfect but I am counted righteous, or right with God in Christ.
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Galatians 5:22-23. When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Holy Spirit of God, I humbly submit my spirit to You trusting You to produce this precious fruit in my life. Thank you, Lord.
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Romans 1:16. I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes. I am trusting in the power of God and not ashamed to tell others that Christ died to save us sinners.
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Matthew 28:18-19. Jesus said, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." As a true and obedient disciple under your authority Lord, I will try to make disciples of all nations in the name of the triune God of the Bible.
Romans 8:28. God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. I love you Lord and trust you to work things together for good according to your good purpose for my life.
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Romans 8:18. What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. Lord, I look forward to the beautiful new heaven and earth you are preparing for our eternal abode.
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Romans 8:39. Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  I trust Lord, not in my weakness, but in your forgiveness and faithfulness.
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Revelation 22:12. I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay all according to their deeds. I trust Lord in your direction and help, and look forward to your coming to reward my efforts to serve you.
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Moses and God's prophets wrote the Old Testament mostly in Hebrew; Paul and God's apostles wrote the New Testament in Greek. Thus, the Bible must be translated for each new generation and in every modern language for God's Word to be meaningful to us today. I recommend as a study Bible the Life Application Study Bible. It's an easy to understand translation, it's a very informative commentary, and its many meaningful applications make it an excellent source for preachers, Bible teachers, and devotional study.
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