By the Numbers

Showing posts with label Sincere Searchers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sincere Searchers. Show all posts

Monday, September 26, 2011

Faith, Reason & Revelation

                                                Faith, Reason & Revelation
 #Epistemology                                                                                                                            #Knowledge
.
Thinking people can’t avoid the question of the relationship between faith and reason. Great minds such as St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas and others have grappled with this through the centuries. Let me be candid. I’m not a philosopher, theologian, or logician, so you don’t have to believe all I say. But I’ll give you the best I can, and pray we come to the truth. Examine carefully the steps of my thinking.
.
The Question of Faith and Reason.
.
Throughout life, we reach conclusions we believe true and call natural human knowledge. Faith and reason are foundational and inseparably joined to form our conclusions. We think and act by faith that our senses give us accurate information and that we exist, that a world outside of us exists, that other persons and minds we can rightly correspond with exists, and that we may discover many things exist that we don’t know how they exist. But we just don’t believe anything—we must first think it’s worth believing or has some basis in reason and fact. Certainly I can't claim the world doesn't exist unless I exist to make the claim.
.
In youth, we accepted a particular religion largely on the authority of our parents, or religious teachers, and identified with it. But in growing older, teachers and friends may present hostile ideas, cause us painful doubts, and to forsake our once held beliefs. How can we know with certainty what to believe? With approximated seven billion people on the earth, and a multitude of different religions, how can we know the religion our parents or teachers taught us just happened to be the right one? Good honest question!
.
The Question of God.
.
The teachings of the Christian faith require supernatural or spiritual knowledge. Supernatural knowledge is not based upon physical things we see every day and can examine firsthand. They are not a visible tangible part of our everyday world, but our limited senses may not tell us everything that exists. Unique events may occur at times and places unknown to us. Honesty compels us to admit these statements are true. This opens the door to consider the Christian faith based upon supernatural or spiritual knowledge that a real God exists who can act in our real world. Although, there’s no rule God must appear or act in obedience to our whims or desires. 
.
The origin of Christian faith is based upon a personal ethical triune Creator God. Unless we can give evidence to show no such Creator exists, it’s an open question. But then we must give evidence to show one could or likely does exist.
.
Common sense and science point us to the biblical God. Common sense tells us if nothing exists, it means no existence of any kind—no matter, no power or force, no consciousness or life, no mind or will. Yet, we know all these things presently exist. Science tells us the universe began to be or came into existence. If it didn’t exist, it couldn’t cause itself—that would be an impossible contradiction. Thus, the universe is the effect of a preceding existing cause that explains and sustains all present dependent existence. What might that cause be like?
.
That cause must be spiritual or nonmaterial since it is the cause of this material dependent universe. That cause must be self-existent, eternal, and unchangeable or else it would have ceased to exist. That cause must be one infinite power everywhere present to uphold every particle comprising this expanding universe. Also, that cause must be a mind and will since mindless force can’t plan or produce anything. So we conclude the cause of the universe is one infinite self-existent, eternal, unchangeable, all-powerful mind or person who willed to create this universe. This corresponds with what we read in Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; Col 1:16-17 and the further teaching of the Creator God of the Bible. Super important at this point is this: The biblical God is what makes everything a rational, dependable, and moral universe and everything we know and do possible.
,
There are some unworthy human ideas about God. Atheists say no god of any kind exists. Atheism destroys the basis for human dignity, ethics, eternal existence, and is a claim to exhaustive knowledge atheists don’t have. Deists say God is the Creator who forsook his creation to run on its own steam. Their God forsook us, is irrelevant and unworthy of our worship. Pantheists or monist religions claim the universe is god. But that leads to a mass of contradictions, they can’t live as though the world is illusion, can’t give proof of reincarnation, it destroys human dignity and ethics, and it ends in human extinction. Polytheists believe in limited local tribal gods that evolved somehow out of nature that fight and destroy themselves and really care nothing for their worshippers. It too is conflicting ideas and makes nature itself supreme. The intellectual’s evolving process god is not sovereign and depends on the world, thus is untrustworthy and irrelevant to human needs. All this is further explained in my other articles, especially worldviews.
.
Islam claims the angel Gabriel spoke God or Allah's  message to Muhammad. But the prophet could give no evidence this claim was true and anybody could make a similar claim. In fact, the Mormon Joseph Smith Jr. did. Further, Muhammad came centuries after Christianity was established and made false statements about the persons, events and teachings of the Bible. We know it's true because our manuscripts today agree with the ancient ones discovered to be thousands of years ago before Muhammad's time. That's why both Jews and Christians rejected him as a false prophet. See my article: What Did Muhammad Say About Jesus?
.
The Question of Which Revelation.
.
There are good reasons to think Christian faith is of God. If a Creator God exists, he is in control and nothing he desires is impossible. But how can we know such a God can act in our world? Just the subjective claim that God spoke to me or to someone is not convincing. That claim can be explained by imagination, hallucination, drugs, a blow to the head, or something I ate. The claimer may even be telling a lie. Some kind of objective, visual sensual events attracting attention and that are unknown or beyond normal human experience are imperative. Moreover, if such events really occurred at one time, the mere passing of time cannot undermine their reality. A Creator can act in our world when and how He desires.
.
Three lines of evidence demonstrate the Creator acting in our world. First, miracles. Consider God parting the Red Sea with walls of water on each side, Jesus walking on the sea, immediate healing of blindness, lameness and all kinds of diseases, stilling a storm, restoring a man’s cut off ear, raising the dead, being transformed into light, ascending into the sky. If someone claims to be from God and could perform such extraordinary actions, we have certain reason to believe it’s true and of God. It’s true especially when Jesus did such things repeatedly for more than three years before skeptical astonished disciples and hostile critics.  Moreover, Jesus’ disciples who witnessed these things underwent inhuman tortures and gave their life’s blood for what they knew to be true. What world religion can claim such things of their founder? NONE!
.
Another line of evidence is fulfilled predictions in accord with certain objective criteria. A prophet of God must say things in accord with the teaching of God already known and be recognized by other established prophets. He must predict specific details that can’t be attributed to guess or in line with present trends or be artificially fulfilled. He must make short-term predictions fulfilled in his time so people will believe long-term predictions will be fulfilled. Biblical prophets made hundreds of such prophecies about individuals, surrounding nations, and about a coming Messiah.
.
Consider just some predictions made centuries before of the coming Messiah--his virgin birth (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23), miracles (Isa. 35:5-6; Matt. 11:4-6), rejection (Ps.69:8; John. 1:11) death for sinners (Isa. 53:6-7; Jn. 1:29), resurrection (Ps. 16:10; Mark 16:6-7; Acts 16:35), and ascension (Ps. 68:18; Eph. 4:8). The chances against these predictions being fulfilled is in the trillions and simply impossible. They have to be given the prophets by an all-knowing God. And no future prophetic fulfillments are found among world religions.
.
A third reason the Christian faith is of God is that the things said of Jesus could only be true of God. Jesus lived without sin, forgave sin--will judge the world of sin. Jesus was with the Father before creation, addressed by the Father from Heaven, is one with the Father, and to accept him is to receive the Father. Jesus who was attended by angels and commanded demons will return in glory. At his trial, the only charge against him was that he said he was God. It’s clear that the man Jesus, who walked among us 2,000 years ago and said he was God, actually was and is God. Now, whatever God says is final authority, and we will be judged accordingly. Nothing like this is claimed of other world religion founders.
.
There are reasons to think non-Christian religions and philosophies are not of God. As both men and women are created in God’s image, and both contain the same genes, both deserve the same respectful treatment not shown in world religions. As we all descended from human parents, we are on the same plane so that class distinctions, or castes between peoples is seriously wrong. Moreover, we have the same freedoms and rights without discrimination. It’s clear to everyone that men and women are designed for each other and for family living. Jesus said God intended a one-flesh union so many spouses shows the hardness of our hearts and indifference to the needs of singles. The Lord Jesus who died to save us, in utter fairness and complete knowledge will one day judge our every action and abuse. Unlike other religions, biblical Christianity is not a blind leap into the dark, but a step of faith into the light.
.
Won’t you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Savior and life Guide? Christian teaching is supported by reasonable evidence, but we come to Christian faith only when the person of God’s Spirit convicts, convinces, and converts our sinful rebellious heart.
.
Objections generally boil down to two. Either in pride we give some intellectual excuse that Christianity doesn’t make sense, as I want it to make sense. Or, more likely, I just don’t want anyone including God telling me what to do. Reasonable arguments can clear away the cobwebs, but God doesn’t force us to believe. One must willingly respond to the person of the Holy Spirit who convicts, convinces, and converts us of our sin and need of the Savior (Matt. 16:16-17; Jn. 16:8-10). We can understand intellectually, but reject God’s truth spiritually and experientially (John 1:12-13; 1 Cor. 2:14). ,Consistent habitual sinful living is the proof we’re not in Christ (1 John. 3:4-6).
.
We must come to understand that our Maker and Judge is a Holy Moral Lawgiver, who despises sin and desires we live a consistent holy life. “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). Joining a church, or attending church, serving in a church office, being baptized, burning candles, carrying a cross, knelling before an altar, shaking a pastor’s hand, giving money, saying a prayer, confessing to a priest, or any other good deeds are not what saves us. If our good deeds save us, then Jesus' death on the cross to pay for our sins would be useless, even stupid (Rom. 11:6; Gal. 2:16).
.
The Scripture says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31). He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (Jn. 3:36). For by grace 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 (Eph. 2:8-10).
.
Won’t you enter into a love-trust relationship with the One who died to save you and which issues in a life of obedience. Salvation of us sinners must be received by faith as God’s gift. Pray, Lord I’m an unworthy sinner deserving eternal separation from you in the eternal Hell of wrath, despair, darkness, tears, and torments. But right now and from this day on I trust you to make me a clean child of God to live a consistent life before you that brings you the glory. Amen (So be it).
.
Now you can render the greatest service to your Lord & for others by linking & sharing these articles with friends & relations. Your efforts may be the reason you will see them in Heaven one day & have a better world here. God bless.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Let me recommend some books. For everybody, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, by Norman L. Geisler & Frank Turek, Understanding the Times, by David A. Noebel. For pastors, The Fundamentals For The Twenty- Century-First Century, by Mal Couch. The Popular Enclopedia of Apologetics, by Ed Hindson & Ergun Caner. See my other article on epistemology: Jesus, Faith, & Knowledge.
.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Why Should I Become A Christian?



Why Should I Become A Christian?

.
Aren’t Christians arrogant to claim their faith is the only way to God and Heaven?  Don’t all religions teach be good to your fellowman and all roads lead to God and Heaven? No! Atheists assume no God of any kind exists, people have no soul, and return to dirt. Pantheist religions teach people are merely recycled energy and lose all self-identity. Mystics claim a special revelation from God or from an angel but furnish no evidence their claim is true. Unlike other religious believers, Christians give logical factual reasons to believe we are beings of dignity and destiny who can live eternally with God in a new Heaven and earth. Let’s give these reasons honest scrutiny.
.
The Christ of history demonstrated he was the way, the truth, and the life being the God-man. Some persons make light of history. But this is most foolish. What we know today is predicated on past knowledge and past mistakes that we hopefully learned to avoid. Past cultures did astonishing building projects as the pyramids, performed brain operations a thousand years ago, drew miles long art carvings on a plain. We marvel at these things lost to modern knowledge. Even critics who claim we can’t know the past ironically claim they know how to correct it. Archaeology digs uncover coins, relics, objects, writings that tell us much about the past. We don’t have to know everything to know some things.
.
In the case of Jesus, we not only have six independent documents but secular writings, even hostile unbelievers who verify things said about him in the four gospels, Acts, and epistles. They are not once upon a time in a far off country fairy tales, but details of real events, places, persons that can’t be denied. Further, these extra biblical sources mention or allude to the supernatural events of his life such as his virgin birth, healings, resurrection, claims to be God, and that people believed Jesus was God and died horrible deaths in testimony to that fact. These writings were published within thirty years of his death when eyewitnesses lived to refute any falsehoods. There is nothing like this among world religions. See my other articles for more details. John 8:24; 14:6.
.
The God-man, Jesus Christ, overcame sin, death, and demons qualifying him to be our Savior. Jesus chose a dozen men who followed him for more than three years. They heard his every word, watched his every move, often misunderstood his teachings, and often were astonished at his miracles since they were unlike the patterns of nature observed all their lives. Jesus preached holy, godly, pure living to his disciples and others. If he didn’t display this in his own life, his movement would have been quickly exposed him as a fraud. He dared to challenge hostile enemies looking for any fault to discredit him, but the only fault they could find was that he claimed to be God. His life was impeccable, his miracles undeniable, his claims to be God irrefutable. Millions have found forgiveness of sins, hope in the mist of adverse circumstances, assurance of life eternal by believing in the dying, rising, coming Son of God.  
.
The God-man, Jesus Christ, died and arose again demonstrating the truth of his deity and teaching. How is it possible to know life exists beyond the grave? We see our loved ones once warm, vibrant with life engaged in all kinds of activities, only to find them become cold, stiff, and lifeless. Reincarnation, mystical speculations about genetic defects, the changing seasons of the year, and human injustices, don’t demonstrate life after death.
.
Jesus was a cold stiff dead body that become alive and active again. That’s what Jesus’ despairing disciples believed, but came to rejoice about when he appeared to them again twelve times under all kinds of conditions. He ate, drank, touched, and talked with them about the kingdom of God. Jesus was no ghost, no deception, no hallucination. There could be no doubt now that it was Jesus alive and risen from the dead just as he told them he would. Yes, he is the God-man, so all his teaching is the authority and truth of God. Halleluiah!
.
Again, there’s nothing like this in world religions. This is reasonable, eyewitness reasons to trust in the one who gave his life to save us. Jesus paid for our sins in his own body--took our punishment by his death on the cross. He showed us love when in our guilt and shame we deserve justice. And he arose proving his offer of eternal life was no empty claim but the truth and authority of God.
.
The God-man, Jesus Christ, offers us the choice of fulfillment in loving service with God forever. The alternative is eternal darkness, despair, tears, and torments. We are not puppets on a string completely controlled by nature’s forces, heredity, circumstances, or even by God. Our sins are inexcusable (Rom. 2:1). The Almighty Judge gives us the option to believe or disbelieve. Yes, Christians have problems, temptations, and failures just like everyone else. But we have the Lord with us in them all to guide, strengthen, forgive, and restore us. Millions will testify we have a peace, assurance, love, and joy like we never knew before (John 5:24; 10:10).
.
According to the Word of God, if we trust in the Lord Jesus to be our Savior, we will go to eternal fulfillment in the service of a loving and just God (John 3:16-17). But if we disbelieve, then we will live in eternal darkness, despair, tears, and torments (John 3:36; Matt. 8:12). It’s our choice. That’s God’s teaching, not human guessing as in world religions. Won’t you say yes, I trust you Lord to save me from this day and forever and be my Guide throughout life? Now link this blog with yours and tell people about the love of the Savior.
.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

God & Evil


God & Evil
.

#Evil

.

Perhaps the most painful problem we have believing in a good God is why there’s so much evil in the world. This problem seems to turn more people away from belief in God. I’m not an internet theologian with all the answers but I’ll give you the best I have and hope it proves helpful. My understanding consists of six propositions. 
God’s Reality is shown in the Existence of Evil.
Contrary to atheist thinking that evil disproves God,  atheist C. S. Lewis came to realize it’s the very opposite. That is, if God doesn’t exist, then nothing can be evil since there is no standard by which we can measure evil. Evil then is just a given or the way things are and we’ve no God to hear our complaint. So the very fact that we make the complaint shows we inwardly feel there is someone who can know and care about us. Our anger at God is pointless if He doesn’t exist.
Now it seems pointless to be angry with any god but the Christian God of the Bible. A lesser god may be helpless to come to our aid. Any god limited in knowledge, wisdom, compassion, or power may not know, or care, or have ability to help us in our need. This would seem to eliminate lesser gods and excuse them from helping us in our distress. We then can place no hope in god as universal energy of which we are part and will lose our individuality. We can’t depend on a mere tribal or locality god who may be at war with other gods or worn down by distress himself unable to come to our aid. And if god is not perfectly good and compassionate why trust in him in the first place, he likely doesn’t care what happens to us. Only the Bible’s God perfect in every way but who allows evil even poses the problem. But how did this evil get started in the first place?
God Created a Good World of No Evil.
According to the Bible, God created a good world ideally suited for us. He made Adam from the ground in His image or in ways like Himself. Man was a person with a mind who could recognize the nature of animals and name them in accord with it. He could take care of the beautiful garden God designed to meet his need for beauty and for food. And being alone, God used Adam to fashion a helpmate for him. God designed male and female to be “one flesh” and she became the mother of humanity. Everything Adam and Eve needed was provided. Adam enjoyed perfect fellowship with God walking together in the garden paradise--but!.
God Allowed His Creatures the Freedom to do Evil.
But evil entered paradise. God told Adam he and Eve could enjoy fruit from all the trees of the garden but one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Of course, it was a test of love and trust to be shown through obedience. And God solemnly warned that the day he eats of that tree he would surely die.
One day when Eve was near that mysterious forbidden tree, she heard a friendly voice. It instilled doubt that God was not good to forbid her eating from that tree. Eve’s reply to the beautiful serpent was that they could eat from every tree but that one. But in her excitement and doubt, she added they could not even touch it lest they die.
The serpent said what he’s been saying to us ever since, that God knows you will not die but know the reality of good and evil. Can’t you see God lied? Eve saw the tree was good for food—don’t we all have to eat? She realized it was beautiful fruit—what harm could that be? And it would make one wise—and we surely need wisdom. Wow! A three-time winner. God surely was mistaken. She ate some fruit and gave to her husband who happened by and he ate.
Immediately things changed—serious consequences occurred. Their spiritual eyes were opened. They realized their nakedness before God, and made fig leaf aprons to hide their shame. When they heard the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, rather than greeting Him with love, they sought refuge behind the trees of the garden.
God cried out to Adam, “Where are you Adam?” Adam was where the human race has been ever since. In guilt, shame, and separation from God. And Adam did what we all tend to do—blame someone else for our wrongdoing. He blamed the woman God gave him as if it was all God’s fault. She likewise blamed the serpent.
Man’s disobedience brought God’s curses—it’s the old adage “Crime does not pay.” God cursed the serpent to crawl on its belly. God cursed man to work by the sweat of his brow. God cursed woman to have pain in childbirth. And in mercy, God caste man out of the garden and from the tree of life lest he be forever cursed. Evil is simply corruption of the good like a wrecked car, rusted tools, fallen down house, moth eaten clothes, rotten fruit, blind eyes.
God Sent His Unique Son to Save Us from Evil.
But God’s plan is not to curse man forever but to give him life forever. The first of many promises and prophecies is Genesis 3:15. “And I will put enmity between you (the serpent used by the devil) and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” This refers to the ongoing conflict between good and evil and of Christ’s final defeat of Satan and of evil. We must be tested many times and many ways all the while with the choice of God or self, good or evil.  
God Will Justly Judge All Evil.
No human judge is completely qualified to judge crime and evil accurately. The judge and all of us are tainted with evil or what the Bible calls sin, rebellion, self-centeredness, missing the mark of God’s perfect standard. Moreover, we are naturally bias favoring some things above others, can’t know all the facts in a given situation, nor can interpret them correctly.
But the God of the Bible is perfect in knowledge, goodness, love, justice, truth, power, in all His ways. In our finitude, we won’t see it that way many times. But one day He will right all wrongs and reward all rights and we will be better able to understand the why and wherefores we can’t possibly understand now. In the meantime, we must fight our three great enemies the world system of evil, our own depraved sinful nature, and the devil with his demons. In the end, we win out and all evil is quarantined in hell to bother us no more. God doesn’t make us robots or annihilate us if we reject Him. Instead, God appeals to us in love. He forever says come to Me, and I will give you rest. And, we will one-day shine as the stars of Heaven. That’s Christian faith. But why did it have to be this way with all the sufferings and evils?
God is Omniscient and Glorified by Evil as well as Good.
The all-knowing and sovereign God knew it would be this way before creation—He heard every cry, knew every broken heart, saw every tear, felt every pain. He knew His unique Son, the God-man, would be shamefully displayed before a cruel heartless world (Rev. 13:8). Yes, He knew, this would not be the best world; but it would be the way to the best world.
Without the Fall of Adam into sin and the curses upon the world, God knew we would not understand and serve Him with immense love and gratitude for what He did for us as vile, selfish, wicked evil sinners. Without the Fall, the Cross, and the Resurrection, we could never know such things. God is glorified by great good, and God is glorified by great evil as well. Because of the Fall, we can know forgiveness, truth, love, hope, mercy, justice, and the sovereignty of God we could otherwise never know. Praise God for He works out all things for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Amen (so be it). So few people understand that great truth.
If you’ve never understood Christianity before, but understand it now, won’t you say Lord Jesus Christ I trust You now as my Lord and Savior from this day forward. Now, if you are a disciple of Christ, but not living as close as you should, maybe you would like to renew your commitment. Eternity's rewards are must longer and more precious that the pleasures of sin for a season. Now you can serve the Lord in the most crucial way. Link with my blog and share the articles with those who don't know the Savior or who have little understanding of God's Word. God bless.
.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Can We Have Ultimate Authority?


Can We Have Ultimate Authority?

.
A black man protested violently to a white man that white people mistreated and enslaved his people and that it wasn’t fair or right. But if he preferred his people and they were in charge, do we know blacks would be any different?
.
What is the basis for human life and authority? Why should we act one way and not another? When life is short, why shouldn’t I be most concerned about myself? Let’s consider two lines of reasoning about ultimate authority, a most crucial of human questions.
.
The Limits of Human Inquiry and Equality.
.
Human philosophies and religions are limited and conflicting human guesses. If idealism is true, then all is mind, but if materialism, then only matter exists. Phenomenalism verses realism claims that things aren’t real unless we perceive them; they can just pop in and out of existence. Conflicting philosophies can’t both be right. Religions make conflicting claims that there’s no God, one God, two opposing Gods, a multitude of gods, or nature is god. If any claim is true, it cancels out all the others. One who makes any truth claim must show objective evidence that only his view is correct or more than mere subjective opinion. Otherwise, all such ideas are mere human guesses without authority.
. 
Testable science is limited to physical data and explanation. We use science as a valuable means of obtaining much useful knowledge. When experiments are controlled, repeatable, and measurable, a high degree of probably is attained. But science is limited to nature and can tell us nothing about morals, or life’s purpose, or human worth and destiny. As such, science is not an ultimate authority for our lives.
.
Everything in flux has no finality and authority. If evolution is the ultimate key to understanding the universe, then we can’t depend on anything ever being the same. Things that can’t be nailed down as final aren’t settled and dependable. We can’t be sure what might happen the next moment nor if our minds are even rational and dependable..
.
The good of common humanity goes only so far. Practical reason dictates we should practice the Golden Rule or treat all human being with equal respect, dignity, and fairness. Persons come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, appearances, and abilities, but we are all of one blood, essentially no different, and are a common humanity.
.
In honesty, we have a selfishly dark side to our nature—we want our own way regardless. It’s difficult to treat others with the same respect we want to be treated, especially when they’re disagreeable and mean, when they’re not our kind of people, when we don’t feel well, or when it’s greatly benefits us to take advantage of them. After all, don’t we naturally prefer ourselves? So, we justify our deception, robbery, rape, murder, and warfare. It’s our common lot until death ends everything. Self-centered human nature trumps right reason most every time. Why is it we must lock doors and have a police force?
.
Naturalistic human inquiry has no ultimate authority—it leads to anarchy and tyranny. Humanity is anything but secure and sane in a personal and social context. We naturally prefer our way and those who obtain position, prestige and power are naturally tempted to use it to their advantage and fight to hold it at all costs. With no ultimate and final authority, anything goes and goes toward greed and corruption. Someone must step in to restore civility and decency and impose his rule on everyone else. And, all who disagree or oppose those elite authorities can be eliminated. It’s the history of man and a natural outcome of a one-world community on the way down.
.
Our Need for a Transcendent Source.
.
We need a basis for truth and finality. When all is evolving we have no basis for final or absolute truth, chaos is inevitable. Each person becomes his or her own authority and fights for control, even for life. Our safety is always in jeopardy. We may not side with the winning side. Even when we do, things beyond our control can suddenly change. We need a transcendent source of truth greater than limited, conflicting, fickle, biased, human opinions and practices. We need a wise, knowing and caring power source who can tell us the truth with authority that our subjective opinions could never make certain. Without it, we surely will perish.
.
We need a basis for love and justice. Love considered what’s best for people as a whole is justice. Love requires we put away destructive persons from society. It’s like the surgeon who must extract the cancer to save the body. But without a standard of truth and authority as a guide, his limited human reasoning could never be sure just what the cancer is. He might find violence more exciting than peace, or favor his kind of people above others, be brutally cruel and unjust bringing about a blood bath against resisters.
.
We need a basis for human dignity and destiny. If we come from the chemicals in the ground that we return to, how can we ultimately be of more value than dirt? Oh yes, we value those we love more than dirt. But why should others value us when we may mean little to them and even oppose their efforts? Human history is brutal and destructive.
.
Much of unbiased science points to the God we need. While we cannot snap out fingers and make God appear, we do have much that open honest science must admit points to God. We know that something doesn’t come from nothing, and since the universe is running down, it must have had a beginning. We can’t backtrack eternally or else we wouldn’t be here today. The universe then must be presently dependent for its existence upon an immaterial, eternal, unchangeable, self-existent, infinite power, intelligence and will to sustain the complexity of living and nonliving things we observe all around us. This Creator-Sustainer God is described in Genesis 1:1. This being so, unless we have exhaustive knowledge of the universe, we can have no objection to supernaturalism be it angels, miracles, souls or revelations. The universe’s Source can be the answer to our questions and the solution to our needs—it all fits together.
.
Reaasonable objective history says that God walked among us. It's difficult to believe Moses, the prophets and apostles simply made up all the supernatural events they describe in the Bible—they had nothing to gain by that. The prophets and apostles were often, criticized, persecuted and killed for their preaching. Biblical miracles are not bizarre unrealistic myths like flying carpets, snake-headed Medusas, one-eyed giants and moving statues. They are a speeding up or redirection of natural forces demonstrating God is Lord of nature. Even Bible characters were skeptical and astonished showing they knew the same patterns of nature we experience. Unlike other history, Scripture is candid to tell both the virtues and vises of God’s spokesmen and leaders. Archaeology has verified many of the places, persons, events and chronology of Bible events.
.
 If we can read the Bible with an open mind, we can see its God’s message for our problem. It’s God’s authority for right living and offered us in the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s our God who walked among us; He’s the only hope and authority to change this wicked world.
.
In Christ, we have the only kind of evidence God could give if we are to know of His existence. With all our modern knowledge, we cannot predict exact details of a person’s life hundreds of years before. But the Jews knew many details of their expected Messiah, and should have recognized him. They were blinded by their desire for a king to throw off their problem of oppressing Romans and ignored the Savior of sinners. Are we in our pride any different? Further, they saw Jesus miracles, admitted their reality, but refused to acknowledge that they pointed to the God-man among them. Are we just as blind and self-willed as they were?
.
In Jesus, we have a Savior from all sin, peace with God in forgiveness of our guilt and shame, and the greatest love demonstrated in his death for us. We have assurance of eternal life in his resurrection, dignity knowing we’re in God’s image, and purpose in serving him and receiving eternal reward. No world religion or philosophy can assure us of these things—only Jesus. He gives us the motivation to live a clean, pure holy life and tell others of his grace. We have the Scripture to guide our lives. Won’t U submit to His authority? He will give U a better way of living and thinking and be your everpresent Guide throughout life. Say I trust U Lord Jesus Christ to be my Lord, Savior and Guide forever. You promised to never leave me (Matthew 28:19-20). Now I want to tell others of your great love, forgiveness and Heaven.
.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Could Jesus Be God?

Could Jesus Be God?

.
We live in an enlightened age. We’ve gone to the moon, and explored the planets. We’ve invented cars, planes, phones, radios, and the internet that enable us to travel and communicate around the world. We’ve discovered how to cure diseases; transplant organs, clone animals, and who knows what marvels await us. In this age of science and technology, can we seriously believe in gods and miracles of ancient superstitious peoples? Let’s ask some critical questions that shed light on this that may be the crucial issue of our lives.
Can We Say No God Exists Who Can Act in our World?

Isn’t exhaustive knowledge required to say that? We would have to turn over every stone, look behind every tree, and search the stars to know no such God exists. But just in case a Creator, Lifegiver, and Judge might exist, it may be wise to be on good terms with Him. Honest, open-minded science as well as human experience point to such a God. See my other articles. Isn’t it then a closed-minded, dogmatic, even arrogant attitude to claim a God who acts in our world is impossible? Still we need good evidence to believe it.

What Would Convince Us of God?
Persons who deny God may never ask what would convince them of Him—they just desire to deny Him. Mormons believe Adam became god, and that we too can become gods. I would like to see them convince me of that. We can shake our fist at heaven and tell God to show Himself and we’ll believe. But is there a rule the Almighty must obey our command? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Why do persons become atheists? Some, like Sigmund Freud, ignorantly associate their cruel earthly father with God the Father, and then reject Him who sent his Son in love to save them from sin, Satan and self. Others like Madolyn Murry O'Harra deny God because of unanswered prayers and disappointments. Given their desire might have been an even worse fate. We do ask God for such foolish, childish, regretful things. Perhaps many like Aldous Huxley dislike the restraints a moral God places on them and seek reasons to reject Him. If this life is a mere drop in the eternal ocean, this is the height of foolishness. Difficult times actually draw more people to God than easy prosperous times.
If the exalted title “God” means anything, it means someone who can do things greater than what people do or what nature can do. What if someone could walk on water, multiply food, immediately heal all kinds of diseases, raise the dead, and he claimed to be God? Wouldn’t that get our attention and give us reason to think this person may be God? Well, that in fact is exactly what Jesus is said to have done and he claimed to be God! Read the Gospels.
Also, if someone did specific things predicted of a coming Messiah centuries earlier, wouldn’t that too give us good reason to believe this person is someone we had better investigate. The Jewish prophets predicted their Messiah would be God (Isa. 9:6), would be virgin born (Isa. 7:14), in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) would die for the sins of his people (Isa. 53:6), and would be raised (Ps. 16:10). Who has or who can fulfill these predictions but Jesus? There are more than two hundred of such prophecies about the coming Messiah but the Jews could only envision those of the reigning King to throw off the yoke of the Romans. Sometimes we have eyes to see but our will can limit what we look for.
Of course, if one’s mind is closed to evidence, then he or she won’t believe. Jesus said that if anyone didn’t believe the Scriptures, they wouldn’t believe even if someone should rise from the dead (Luck 16:31). Many in Jesus’ day saw his miracles and didn’t believe. Even his disciples for over three years were often rebuked for unbelief. We too can have vested interests, selfish attachments, and unholy pride that may be the real reason for our unbelief.
Why Was Jesus’ Disciples Always Astonished at His Miracles?
It’s often claimed that Jesus lived in an age of ignorance and superstition. His disciples were prescientific in their thinking and couldn’t understand things as we do today. Nothing could be further from the truth. An honest inspection of the Gospels shows Jesus’ disciples were always skeptical and having to be rebuked for unbelief. There had been no prophets for four hundred years. People were not going around performing miracles every day. They knew nature’s laws as we do today. Consider some examples.
Mary was astonished at the angelic announcement she was to have a child. She asked, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” Luke 1:34. Joseph too didn’t know what to make of it since they had not been together and he was a just man. He thought to put her away secretly until the angel explained Jesus’ birth was of God (Matt. 1:18-24).  
When the disciples were rowing across the Sea of Galilee in the moonlight, they saw a man walking on the water toward them and thought he was a ghost. How natural and honest is this record. The disciples would never forget Peter walking on the water to Jesus and sinking when his faith failed (Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-23). And the word "ghost" would never have been mentioned unless true and  is too humanly natural to be faked.
Jesus took Peter, James and John upon a high mountain to be transfigured before them. His face and clothes shown and showed He was the God of light. Moses and Elijah appeared to them and they heard the Father’s voice saying He was well pleased with His Son. The disciples fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. This was such a natural yet supernatural event that Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone until the Son of Man is risen from the dead. They didn’t understand about Jesus’ resurrection. And like modern critics, the skeptical Jews would have laughed at the disciples and thought them somehow deceived. The disciples knowing it would be ridiculed never would have recorded it, unless it just happened to be true (Mark 9:2-23; Luke 9:28-36). Years later Peter affirmed it (2 Pet 1:16-18) and was crucified to testify to its truth. These were not stupid superstitious people who didn't know nature's patterns as critics like to claim.
Do Persons Die For A Known Lie?
Acts 7 is the account of Stephen’s address to the Jews who stoned him. He boldly told how the Jews always resisted the Spirit of God, persecuted the prophets, rejected and murdered their Messiah. Stephen could have agreed with the Jews and been accepted. He had been a devout Jew and taught the Tanakh (O.T.) from birth. He had followed Moses and the law. But being filled with the Spirit and the truth chose instead to be stoned and be true to his new beliefs in Jesus his Lord. He saw Jesus in the sky at the right hand of the Father. Jesus gave him a standing ovation. Stephen died crying with a loud voice, as did his Lord, “Lord do not charge them with this sin” (Acts 7:60).
.
Yes, others die for their beliefs, but not for a known lie. Millions of others who have come to know and love the Lord Jesus have willingly given their lives to Him and for Him who died to save them. Jesus is no lie. But supposing he is, it would be the one lie that by far has brought the most good to this world. No other religion gives objective historical evidence of spiritual truth. No other religion demonstrates God's love and forgiveness. No other religion has a risen Savior to assure us of eternal life.
Why Would Loyal Jews Change to Christianity?
The parents of the man born blind who Jesus gave sight too wouldn’t answer all the Jews questions for fear of being put out of the synagogue. This would mean damnation to Hell. But the man’s testimony of Jesus was clear—“Once I was blind, but now I see.” The Jews were blinded by their false traditions. But when Jesus asked the healed man “Do you believe in the Son of God?” “He asked who is He.” Jesus said, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you. Then he said, Lord I believe! And he worshipped Him” (John 9). Yes, we can be blinded by modern traditions and assumptions as well. But God’s Spirit can open willing eyes to see His truth and receive eternal life.
It was not easy for loyal Jews strongly steeped in their God and Moses’ law to change their beliefs to Jesus being God incarnate, God being a Trinity, worship on Sunday rather than the Sabbath, and risk rejection, ridicule, even death to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. It’s not easy today either since true discipleship means self-denial, taking up the cross, and following Jesus. Jesus warned us these very same things can happen. But Jesus said it’s far better than to gain the whole world than lose your own soul (Matt. 16:26).
Isn’t This An Issue of Life and Death?
We can’t prove God in the same way we can prove 2 + 2 = 4. But nothing else in the world makes sense unless God exists and we know he cares and acts in our world. According to the Bible, Jesus is the God-man who walked among us, told us he is our God, and showed it in many astonishing ways. He died to pay for our sins, satisfy God’s justice, grant us forgiveness, and eternal life. He arose again to assure us it’s all true.
If you are a sincere seeker, this is what you need and what you’ve been seeking. Jesus alone is come that we may trust in God’s promises of forgiveness and live with Him  forever. Won’t you say, Lord I trust you now to save me from the penalty of sin, make me pure and be present with me as my Guide through live until I go to be with You in Heaven? Thank you, Lord.
.
Now share this terrific news of hope, love, and eternal life with friends and loved ones. Link these articles to your computer and reach out to a desperate disparing world. God bless your crucial ministry. 
..

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

How Do You See Life and the World?

                      How Do You See Life and the World? 

.
Philosophically, we may live in a twostory house and can move a few minor upstairs furnishings, but have trouble making any major changes. We may never have thought deeply about the foundational supports downstairs.  But we feel strongly about our beliefs. All our life experiences, teachers, and circumstances have lead us to believe this way. We never questioned it. Unless brought into context with a different way of thinking we may never realize we could we wrong. Or. that there may be a better and truer way to think, feel, and believe. Let's honestly and courageously consider the three mayor ways people see life and the world. They are called worldviews.
.
I’m an atheist.
.
I believe I somehow evolved from dirt and return to dirt. There is no God of any kind nor angels, miracles, human souls, or divine revelations. We're on our own and can believe freely as we like. Persons call us materialists, naturalists, humanists, Marxists, Socialists, Communists, secularists, antisupernaturalists, and physicalist's. Death is the end of life--lights out.
.
My belief is justified. Nothing over time produced everything. Unconsciousness assumed conscientiousness. Non life sprang into life spontaneously. Chaos acquired ordered information. Mindlessness became reason. Molecules arranged themselves into men over time and by chance. My belief alone is scientific fact and reasonable. I'm free to think as I like  since the universe is always evolving or in change nothing  can be absolute. 
.      
I’m a pantheist or monist.
.
I believe I’m recycled energy and have many lives (reincarnations). The universe is energy that takes many forms like waves of the sea. But they are all illusion since none of them has permanent existence. Persons call us Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Scientologists, New Agers,  followers of Unity School of Christianity, Transcendental Meditation, and Christian Science.  Though these religions differ somewhat, they all believe in many life cycles and eventual reabsorption into universal energy.
.
My belief is justified. It’s shown in yearly seasons of life dying and returning—never mind about the earths tilts circling the sun. It’s justice is shown by abnormalities in animals and persons—never mind natural genetic defects. It’s shown by past life recall—it just seems I’ve been here and done this before or maybe I dreamed it. I was a big potato in my last life. How do I know I’m right? I’m god and I’m enlightened. If you meditate long enough, you will become enlightened too.
.
.
I’m a Christian.
.
 I have a love-trust relationship with Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of sinners. Some persons call me Catholic or Protestant. Others call me bigoted, intolerant, narrow-minded, arrogant, mean spirited, absolutist, even unchristian and other names I won’t mention. Following the Bible I alone have a basis for absolute truth, human dignity, rights, freedom, ethical responsibility, and the choice of an eternal existence with or without God. My faith in practice avoids tyranny, slavery, dispair,  manipulation, Hell.
.
My belief is justified. The atheist’s claims are his unscientific unproven naturalistic assumptions. Nothing can’t produce everything because it’s non-being--it doesn’t exist. Mindless, unconscious molecules can’t arrange themselves in any amount of time into intelligent men. Things can’t give what they don’t have to give. The pantheist’s claims are not enlightenment but his unenlightened imagination. The universe is rational and purposeful being the effect of a self-existent, immutable, infinite Mind. Science points to creation. Conscience shows we're more than animals. Biblical Christianity alone centered in the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, can explain everything in terms of Creation, the Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.
.
I alone have ultimate authority in my Maker, Redeemer, and Judge. I'm assured of eternal life, dignity, and freedom  through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who in love paid for my sins in His death upon the cross. and who arose again to assure me of its truth. If you believe the Christian biblical explanation makes more sense and explains all life better, Trust in the Lord, Savior, and Guide of us sinners. Pray, Lord I ask You to forgive me of wrong deeds or sin. I trust You now forever. See my articles about the death of Jesus and his resurrection.
.
Now you can make a better world by sending God’s messages of truth, love and salvation to a needy world. Just link with file, favorites or the star in the upper right corner of your computer, or file and send in the upper left corner.  You can also translate them into friend's languages. It's the best thing we can do for others. God bless or benefit you in faithful and fruitful ministry.
.

How Can Jesus Christ Help Me?

How Can Jesus Christ Help Me?


Is there something that can give us an entirely different outlook on life? You become the esteemed leader of the world, die, and discover it really meant nothing. You proudly lead your nation to defeat all its enemies, save your people from utter destruction, die, and forever weep in sorrow. You are regarded the enlightened person of the East, die, and discover it was only darkness. You gain world acclaim as an athlete piling up goal metals in the Olympics, die and feel it was all an utter waste. Why? How could I have missed life's essential?
.
Could such things be possible? Is there some vital piece of news we don’t know that can completely revolutionize our lives? I’ve found that there is, and I want to share it with you. And it doesn’t mean we have to be the world’s greatest. It’s in a man who walked among us long ago, who said and did things no other man could. His name is Jesus Christ. 
Jesus Christ alone assures human beings of life after death. Is there life after death? Some persons believe that when you die, you’re dead, lights out, that’s it. Others claim we are reincarnated into many lives. But what proof is there for that? We’re born with no memory of past lives. Babies can’t understand anything but to cry for warmth, food or release. And if they were a frog in their last life or will be in their next life as monists claim, how is that any proof? The only objective evidence of life after death is for some well-known person to die and come back from the dead.
.
This is exactly what Jesus is claimed to do and with good evidence for it. Among these evidences are Jesus’ predictions of it, his sealed and guarded tomb, his grave-clothes left, angels, soldiers’ testimony, disciple’s initial unbelief, Jesus many appearances, and the impossibility of skeptics disproving it. See my articles: Did Jesus Arise from the Tomb? Is There Life After Death?      
Jesus Christ alone assures us of absolute truth. If the universe is only a matter of chance and always in flux as atheists claim, then there is no absolute truth, or at least spiritual or metaphysical truth. Everything can be explained by evolution and we don’t need a Creator and Sustainer God. But the universe is not eternal according to modern scientific discoveries, that means it had a beginning.
 Now we know something can’t come from nothing-- it doesn’t exist. Something that doesn’t exist can’t bring itself into existence. So a beginning universe requires a Beginner or self-existing Cause sufficient to account for the power and design everywhere present in the universe. In other words, a Self-existent, eternal, Almighty, Person or God exists. That God showed himself in Jesus Christ, the God-man who walked on water, healed all manner of diseases immediately, and arose from the dead. As God-man everything Jesus said and approved, is absolute truth.
Jesus Christ alone assures us we have value. If atheism is true, we are soulless dirt that can be manipulated and murdered without dignity, rights, ethics, justice, or hope. If pantheism is true, we are recycled energy eventually to be reabsorbed into spiritual energy of the universe. Jesus Christ, the God-man said we are made in God’s image which gives us great dignity, rights, justice, love,  and those who would harm us will one day answer to God (Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:5-6).
Jesus Christ alone assures us we have rights. The one God of all creation gave us humans rights. Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not bear false witnesses. Honor your father and your mother” (Luck 18:19-20; 2 Thess. 1:7-9). God’s commandments impose obligations on us to respect the rights of others, as we would want them to respect our rights. Rights always entail responsibilities. And God will punish those who deny us our God-given rights (2 Thess. 1:7-9). There can be no ultimate authority, truth, human dignity, rights, and ethics apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. The God-man is our only Lord and Savior.
Jesus Christ alone assures us we can be forgiven and counted clean. For He (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). “ (Jesus) who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we might live for righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24). God’s sent Paul to turn Jews and Gentiles “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18).
Jesus Christ alone assures us we can be rewarded at the judgment. The Lord Jesus who in love died to pay for our sins and appease the Father’s wrath against sin will judge both believers and unbelievers. Believers will be given rewards for deeds of service done in the body. ”Each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If any one’s work, which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward” (1 Cor. 3:13-14). Unbelievers throughout all the ages will be judged by their works and anyone’s name not found in the Book of Life will be caste into Hell (Rev. 20:11-15).
I love this passage in Revelation 21:3-4. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
This is the most serious matter of life. God is completely just and knows our secrets and everything about us—whether we’ve entered a love-trust relationship with Him or not. Each of us will be rewarded or punished forever according to our degree of service or rejection—it’s Heaven or Hell forever. What is your choice? Pray Lord Jesus, I have done wrong many times and deserve eternal Hell. But I trust You now to save me from all my sins, to be my Savior and Guide throughout life, and to join you in the new Heaven one day. Thank you, the only Lord God.
.
U may want to translate these articles and send them to friends to know of the Lord and Savior. We may be busy with a thousand things important to us, but can they be more important than telling others of the Savior when we stand before him at the judgment?
. 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Please Check Out These Comparative Belief Charts

           Please Check Out These Comparative Belief Charts

.
 I don't often recommend books though I use hunddreds. I feel it inappropriate in most articles.

Many inexpensive charts can be purchased through Comparative Belief Charts. www.Rose-Publishing.com . For example,What Christianity Has Done For The World (50 key contributions). Christianity, Cults & Religions (compares 17 religions and cults with Biblical Christianity). Apologetics. Prophecy & End Times. These charts give good quick information about a lot of subjects and are worth getting. Link my articles to your computer and share them with others who don't know Christ or much about Bible teaching. God bless you in your work of faith and labor of love.
.
Let me also recommend just a few outstanding books that present the Christian position and its adversaries. Understanding The Times, by David A. Noebel. This amazing book is a through discussion of the important worldviews today out to destroy Bible Christianity. Systematic Theology, by Dr. Norman Geisler. He is in my estimation the outstanding theologian and apologist today. I Don't Have enough Faith to Be an Atheist, by  Norman L. Geisler & Frank Turek. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics,  Ed Hindson & Ergun Caner. Tough Questions About God, Faith, And Life, by Charles Colson. Parents, teachers, students and everybody who want to understand the Christian faith and be able to defend it against all the objections and attempts to destroy it will want to get and use these excellent sources. Many of the books I recommend can be purchased on the www or at a book store or may be borrowed from a library.
.
Human dignity, ethics, justice, love, truth, life after death, hope, and a rational purposeful world all depend upon the Biblical Christian faith. Ignorance, indifference and cowardice  will set up back to pre-Christian times and barbarianism. No world religion can furnish objective evidence but Bible Christianity. Indeed, a personal ethical God must be assumed even to make sense of life and the world.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Can We Admit The Truth About Religion?

  Can We Know The Truth About Religion?

.
There are so many different religions in the world. How can we be sure any one of them is right? Couldn't the one we favor be right for us? Don't they all have good and bad persons? Don't people more or less choose what they like about a religion? We can never examine them all. It just seems narrow-minded, intolerant, even arrogant to say only one religion is right and all the others wrong? So if a person is sincere and tries to do what he or she thinks is right, isn't that enough? But if Christians have a reasonable factual basis for their beliefs, I will give it my sincere, open-minded examination.
.
                    Aren't World Religions Based Upon Limited Human Reasoning
.
World religions are claims to what seems ultimate about life and the world.
.
Hinduism—Knowledge of Escape from this Miserable Illusory World.
Buddhism—Buddha’s Plan to Escape Pain in nirvana.
Confucianism—Confucius’ Ethical Wisdom, Ancestor Worship, & Spiritism.
Zoroastrianism—Zoroaster’s Hope the Good God Will Defeat the Evil God.
Islam—Muhammad’s Claim Allah’s Angel Taught Him the Qur'an.
Communism—Marx’s Claim Economic Equality Will Achieve Utopia.
Secularism—No God Means Man Must Save Himself.
Bible Christianity--Jesus is the God-man Come into the World to Save Us.
.
I agree there is truth in what are called the world’s religions. Hinduism is right that we are ignorant about god. But I don’t see that nature’s cycles and human defects are proofs of reincarnation and absorption into universal energy. Such things have better explanations. Buddha rightfully said pain is a universal problem and desires or attachments can cause it. But the desire to follow his eightfold path is contradictory and can be undesirably painful. Confucius, the Chinese politician, gave wisdom about human relationships and ethical values showing that even apart from a personal ethical God we have a conscience and practical (not ultimate) sense of moral responsibility. Muhammad said an angel spoke to him. Anybody could have said that which Joseph Smith Jr. did centuries later. Marx claimed economic equality would achieve utopia but that's only one factor and it reduces all but government elites to poverty. Secularism denies God making limited human opinions and the state the authority and whoever gains control dictates policies his way and kills nonconformists.
.
I AM saying human reason is limited to speculation, mysticism and mistake. One person’s knowledge is but a speck represented upon the huge circle of universal knowledge. With fragmentary knowledge, poor reasoning, and often just plain guessing, we’re always subject to make mistakes. And even supposing someone’s philosophy or program seems logical and workable, we have to test it to be sure. Claims by alleged prophets or mystics to talking with God or an angel may in fact be true--but crazy men claim as much and supposed prophets can say conflicting things. Apart from visible tangible objective evidence, we have no way to know what people claim about God is anything more than their imagination, faulty thinking, or outright deception--period.
 I AM saying non-Christian religions are contradictory which means not all can be true. My point in all the above is that these world religions are man’s philosophies, man’s attempts to solve what they regard as our crucial human problems. They are limited human reason and philosophy. They conflict in claims about God, man, ethics, man’s problem, the solution, and life after death. They furnish no objective visible basis of any higher authority than limited human contradictory thinking, which so often leads to chaos, anarchy and tyranny. Is there a higher authority than limited, conflicting human speculative opinion and reason? Yes, Christian faith bassed upon visible historical eyewitness testimony of men who gave their lives for what they knew was God acting in our world (John 1:1-3; Luke 1:1-4; Acts 2:22-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; 2 Peter 1:16).
.
Christian faith has a reasonable empirical basis for belief in a personal, ethical God. As C.S. Lewis pointed out, if nature’s forces and chance is the whole show, we can never know our reasoning is correct. Unbelief that denies absolute truth inconsistently assumes its denial is true and lives on the basis that truth exists. Contrary to Kant, our senses do accurately convey reality not just appearances, or science and reason would be confused if not impossible. Moreover, experimental science assumes truths established only by the Christian worldview of a rational Creator who created an intelligible world with persons in his image to understand it. While a rock is mere matter, a living mind is required to know that. Christianity saves us from being hypocrites claiming the truth that truth doesn't exist. If the universe be an accident of chance, nothing can be known as certain.
.
True science and reason work on the premises that from nothing nothing comes, and that effects must have an equal or greater cause. Thus, this dependent material universe must be the effect of an independent or necessary self-existing source or Creator we rightfully call God. This Creator of the space-time material universe would necessarily be outside space-time, and be an infinite, immaterial (or Spiritual), eternal, unchangeable Mind. The expanding universe, energy depletion,  general relativity, decay of radioactive elements, and the impossible backtracking all confirm a point of beginning which show that this dependent universe is not eternal as atheists like to think.
.
In addition, the observable data that only life begets life, its DNA programming, irreducible complexity and integrated relationships, genetic limits, climatic cyclical shifts, innumerable missing links and varied reconstructions in no way suggest evolution. A Common Designer rather than a common ancestor far better explains this observable data. Moreover, if science is verified by experiment, the fruit fly experiment demonstrated that fruit flies don’t mutate into anything but defective fruit flies. So don't evolutionists show a most unscientific naturalistic bias?
.
It’s the old controversy: which came first, the chicken (creation) or the egg (evolution)? It’s now resolved that hen eggs won’t hatch by themselves and shells won’t form without a chemical found in chickens. Our conscience tells us not to ignore the truth, but we suppress its voice when we want our own thing. When so much is at stake my friend, don't reject what's obviously true.  
.
Christian faith has an empirical historical basis that Jesus Christ is the God-man. Historians accept three independent agreed sources as establishing past events. With the four Gospels, Acts and Bible epistles, we have six independent historical sources of Christ’s life, his claims to be God, numerous fulfillment of a divine Messiah and hundreds of miracles of all kinds. Secular know Bible persons, places, events are true history but show an unjustified unwillingness to God acting in our world.
.
Yes, some variances of testimony exist, but that only proves authenticity and not collusion. These documents were published within the lifetimes of persons who knew Jesus—hostile critics would have disputed and destroyed the Christian claim at its outset had that been possible. Always astonished at Jesus’ miracles and at first doubtful of his resurrection, his apostles later underwent torture and death to vouch for its truth. Jewish and pagan sources of that time testify often in derision to details of his life.
.
If we can put aside our bias that no personal, ethical Creator God can act in our world, then we can admit the facts clearly show Jesus is the God-man and the Lord and Savior of every honest believing sinner. Is the truth that Christians are really narrow-minded, or rather that unbelievers are closed-minded? Which way does the evidence point?
.
On the worldview level, Christ’s resurrection assures us life exists after death, Jesus is God and all he taught is true. In Jesus, we have a sure basis for human dignity, rights, ethics, justice, love, ultimate purpose, experimental science and the choice of Heaven or Hell. No other religion provides grounds for these basic human needs. Deniers claims make us either soulless dirt or recyclic energy awaiting absorption.  Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Please trust Him for life eternal!
.
My friend, what’s your decision about Jesus, the God-man? He alone forgives our sin and saves us from eternal darkness and torment. Trust him to receive His abiding presence and His gift of eternal life. Eternity in Heaven or Hell--it's your choice. Lord, help this person to choose You and life forever with You. Then fervently share his God-given faith with friends on the www.
..