Is Hitler in Heaven?

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Many persons have a problem believing in Hell. They feel a truly loving God would never send anyone to what they call an eternal torture chamber. We live in a “slap on the hand world”.
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 We overlook evil, think people odd to mention sin, ridicule people with morals as being “holier than thou”. Television teaches us that sex is fun as if we didn’t already know that, that everybody does it, and that it’s just natural even with our own sex. Deception, betrayal, corruption among our national leaders and examples are commonplace. We’re told to go with the flow. Maybe even Hitler is in Heaven. It all comes down to what each person says is sin—or does it? Are there any reasons to say anything is wrong anymore? I say, there sure is! If Hitler isn't in Hell, nothing makes sense. There's no hope for humanity.
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Hitler Would Destroy Heaven.

Hitler sought to impose the Third Reich for a thousand years. He sought to eliminate anybody not of Nordic blood claiming they were inferior. I wonder what the Japanese thought of that! Anyway that meant six million murdered Jews, millions of Gypsies, and anyone who didn’t believe in his policies. He had doctors tie women’s legs together who were about to have babies to observe the results. But Hitler is no exception; he’s only one in a long list of conquers on every continent who merciless murdered men, women and children. They destroy farms, houses and lands wherever they went. It’s our inhuman history worldwide since Cain killed Able. And without regret or remorse, such persons take pride in and brag about their destructive accomplishments.

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Now if there were no Hell, such persons would seek to do the same thing in Heaven they prided themselves doing on earth. They would destroy peace, land and life in Heaven as well. Simply put, there could be no Heaven with Hitler-minded tyrants there—they would turn it into the Hell their lustful desires dictate. And our inherited sin nature makes us all under tempting circumstances capable of becoming another Hitler.

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            “There is none righteous, no, not one;

            There is none who understands;

            There is none who seeks after God.

            They have all turned aside;

            They have together become unprofitable;

            . . . Destruction and misery are in their ways;

            And the way of peace, they have not known;

            There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

            Romans 3:10-12; 16-18

Hitler in Heaven Would Annul God’s Promise to His People.

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Biblical authority, which is our only divinely revealed guide on the afterlife, teaches UNREPENTANT Hitlers won’t inhabit Heaven. Further, it gives true repentant believers in Christ the assurance of Heaven for they have names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and they are justified, washed, set apart unto God. Only Heaven’s Creator, Owner and our Life-Giver could insure such a promise.

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“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:27

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Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, not adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, not revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
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                 Hitler in Heaven Would Destroy Moral Incentive on Earth.

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What about human hope and moral incentive? Many persons hope and long for a better world of peace, love, and happiness. They believe in some kind of Heaven or better world they can go to after death and no longer endure all the frustration, failure, heartache and suffering they experienced here. If Heaven is run by Hitlers, all is despair.

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Many feel why even try to follow any rules of human decency? Why try to treat persons with respect? Why not do anything and everything our devilish desires might dictate? There’s no reward for trying to be good. Sin can be fun even if it’s only seasonal and destroys one’s body and mind. No hope for a better future turns this life into even more of a Hell. We have the promise of forgiveness, purity and new life in Christ and in him alone.  

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“You should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance . . . that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ.” Ephesians 4:17-20

Hitler in Heaven Would Defy the Holiness and Sovereignty of God.

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The Bible is unmistakably plain that God is holy or perfect and right in all his ways. He is too good to look upon sin. And God is the Almighty Creator in control of every particle of matter or energy in the universe. God does what He pleases in Heaven and on earth. Nothing can defy Him. But if it is not so, we humans have no hope. The universe is out of control and any calamity or evil may occur.  

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“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” Revelation 4:8

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“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11

                    Hitler in Heaven Ignores the Evidence of Creation and Conscience.

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All creation testifies to the greatness and grandeur of God. The specific arrangement of the elements testifies to God’s intelligence. The immensity of the universe demonstrates his power. Every plant and animal has a specified complexity or genetic plan. Further, life systems are interrelated and irreducibly complex showing life had to be complete and function at the outset. Such marvels cannot be a product of mindless chance and time; open-minded evaluation points not to nature, but to nature’s God. Nature couldn’t make man anymore than nature could form the four faces on Mount Rushmore.

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Conscience in everyone tells us to treat others with the same respect and concern we would want to be treated. Of course, conscience can become insensitive; we can harden our hearts toward others. But let someone mistreat, abuse, or ridicule us and immediately we scream unfair! Not right! Abuse! Let’s not fool ourselves but be honest about it. Conscience testifies to a real right and wrong but makes no ultimate sense unless there’s an ethical standard and personal ethical God to execute judgment. An Absolute Moral Lawgiver and Judge render us without excuse.
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                                  Hitler in Heaven Would Nullify the Atonement of Christ.

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Christ showed himself in our space-time world claiming to be fully man and fully God, the God-man. Unlike other religious leaders, Jesus gave us repeated rational proofs of who he is. Jesus was virgin born, lived without sin, fulfilled ancient prophecies of a coming Messiah promised to be God, performed multiple miracles before astonished disciples and hostile critics, died for our sins on the cross and arose from the dead. History testified to these things for any honest seeker really wanting to know.

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This most loving Lord willingly paid the supreme sacrifice for us and warned us about a real Hell more than anybody else did. What further proof could we possibly require? Hell is real and we had better make our peace with it. That peace comes only when we trust in the Savior of sinners as our Lord.

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But of course, if UNREPENTANT Hitler is in Heaven, that means there’s no Hell and everyone goes to Heaven if we can any longer call it that. So then, how we live in this world or what we believe about God or anything else doesn’t really matter. And the death of the Lord Jesus is of no avail. All hope in the good Lord is dead. The universe becomes an irrational, depressing and a morally meaningless joke on us.

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But!! Hitler is in Hell, which shows our serious mistake to deny the utter necessity of Hell. More serious yet, everyone without faith in Christ will one day be with Hitler. I wonder how friendly the Jews and other unsaved persons he murdered will be to him there! But friend, you don’t have to be with the Hitlers of this world in eternity. Won’t you say--- I commit to you now Jesus as my Lord and Savior from sin from this day forward. I give myself to You Lord who in love gave Yourself for me. And now Lord, I want to share these messages of Your truth  and love with such needy sinful people. You may link my blog to your computer and use my articles to win others to the Savior. God bless.

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The Ultimate Proof of God's Love

THE ULTIMATE PROOF OF GOD’S LOVE

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#God's-love   #Free-will   #Love&justice
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“You Bible-thumping Christians must be crazy! You say Hell proves God’s love. It proves just the opposite. Love doesn’t sent people to an eternal torture chamber. Love forgives. Love reforms. Love restores. People are good. They just need a little guidance and opportunity. Besides, evolution has disproved God and all that Bible nonsense.”

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Many people think this way today: they claim there’s no God, no absolute truth. So we are free to live any way we like. In our chaotic, insecure, violent, sex-sated world, nothing makes sense. But if we put our unproved skeptical assumptions aside, we can see how the biblical teaching that Hell makes better sense. Consider these points.

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Hell Assures Us of Free Choice and Immortality.

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When Adam, our first father, ignored the tree of life and chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he chose a world of good and evil. His descendents acquired his sinful nature preferring self to God. We are free then to reject God’s loving invitations and warnings, shake our fist at Heaven; insist upon our way until death. Our own decision decides our destiny. God doesn’t send us to Hell; we chose it ourselves and God lets us have our way. God can’t force us to love and obey him—that’s rape. Unless we’re robots, neither environment nor heredity annuls our ability to make contrary choices even to reject God and Heaven. And God loves us enough to tell us the truth.

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Many persons misunderstand what Hell is all about: Hell glorifies our Creator. For it proves God’s ultimate control, His truth, His justice, His love, and His moral rightness. True justice means ungrateful, unresponsive rebellious sinners lose all things held dear in life. They trade cool breezes, loved ones, beautiful scenes and happy times for unending darkness, fiery wrath, weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth—that’s a painfully ugly picture of eternal torment. All the while, the righteous shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Mt. 8:12; 13:43).

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Hell Shows God Cares About Injustice and Human Abuse.

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God knows our hearts, feels our pains, hears our cries, and sees our tears. God’s deeply concerned about our plight. God’s patient, not desiring any should perish, but that all come to repentance. Abused wives, raped children, aged persons robbed of their income, murdered persons, all suffer in this life. But God will correct all such injustices. Unlike finite, biased, fickle, bribable human judges, God alone knows our every thought, word and deed. He alone is just or absolutely fair.

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Interactive intelligent design in living things testifies to the infinite knowledge of our Creator. Guilt of conscience in every person points to ethical law and a Lawgiver. But we often ignore and suppress them. The all-knowing, biblical, ethical God revealed in history alone is the foundation for truth, justice and humane treatment. Godless freedom’s consequences compel chaos, corruption, and contempt for life. See it in abortion, suicide, homosexuality, euthanasia. The Bible proverb is indisputable “All those who hate me (God) love death (Prov. 8:36).   

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Hell Gives Life Ultimate Meaning.

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Our choices have consequences to hurt or help our fellow man and us. Believing that God will justly decide our eternal reward or punishment makes all of life purposeful. Our every act takes on meaning, daily and eternally. The world is no meaningless repetitive cycles, but from beginning to end is fulfilling God’s great plan. And the outcome will vary in degree with each person since we’re all different and behave differently. God’s Word tells us what He approves and disapproves. It lights our path, makes us accountable, and gives us the sense of fulfillment, of hope.     

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But atheistic materialism denies everything spiritual—human souls, God, angels, revelations. It gives no authoritative guide, only conflicting, finite, fallible, fickle feelings. We’re responsible to no one but ourselves, to nothing but our desires. We can plead expediency—that is treating others good with hope they will us. But when life frustrates us, our future seems hopeless; fear and guilt paralyze us, then we think why not lie? Why not steal? Why not murder? We’re unlikely to be caught. Besides, the only law among us animals is survival of the fittest. Where’s love now? A nonexistent Hell encourages moral depravity, lawlessness and excludes love; but Hell’s reality makes ethical choices, love, joy, fulfillment and Heaven possible.

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Hell Makes Heaven Possible.

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 God’s holiness excludes sin. “There shall by no means enter it (Heaven) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of life (Rev. 21:8; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). Unrepentant sinners who hate God and despise righteousness would quickly corrupt Heaven. Like Judas, the wicked have their kind of place quarantined from the righteous. Hell’s not the external torture chamber skeptic’s claim; its inner torment caused by each sinner’s degree of guilt, loss and shame (Mt. 10:15; 11:22-24: Heb. 10:29). And God rewards all who come to love Him and His way (Rev. 21:4-7).

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As long as God and Heaven exist, Hell exists—there’s no annihilation of the wicked (Mt. 24:46; Rev. 21:10). No maggots exist in Hell. Undying worms in the unquenched fire are persons useless to God, destructive of His kingdom, forever subject to His wrath (Jn. 3:36). Worms are used as a term of contempt (Job 25:6; Ps. 22:6; Isa. 66:24). God doesn’t create us free to annihilate us for bad choices. That would be destroying God’s image in us. And existence is better than nonexistence or nothing. God regretfully lets God haters have their own way separate from Him. 

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Hell Is Avoidable through Faith in the Sinner’s Savior.

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Complexity and design in all living things point to a God of infinite intelligence. Our guilty consciences point to an ethical God. In Jesus Christ, God took on a human body and nature. He lived among us a sinless life, demonstrated His deity by fulfilled prophecies and miracles, died in our place to pay for our sin and arose from the dead. Jesus said that if we don’t believe his claim to be God we will die in our sins; that’s conscious unending torment in Hell (John 8:24). Jesus is living visible proof of God’s promise of eternal life and the warning of torment in outer darkness.

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Let’s not be deceived about the existence and nature of Hell, or about our sin before a perfect God and our rejection of the Savior that can save us from its darkness and torments (I Cor. 6:9-10). It’s your choice: the pleasures of ungodly sin for a season, or the joys and fulfillment with a loving Lord forever. Say YES to Jesus and become a good news messenger doing your best to serve your Maker, Redeemer, Owner, and Judge. Link my blog to your computer and share it with friends. Thank U. God bless you and your ministry.

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Contrasts between Christ and His Critics

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The world is in conflict and always has been since Adam ate the forbidden fruit in disobedience to God. We have numerous conflicting views today all agreed in trying to dethrone Christ. Christian students entering secular and sometimes supposedly Christian colleges sit under professors doing all they can to undermine their beliefs. Statistics show that up to 80% of supposed Christian students graduating from secular colleges lose their faith. Textbooks and teachers just don’t see things the Christian way. Students are awed with such a display of knowledge thinking these teachers are smart persons with PhD's. My parents and my pastor never told me about such things. And students are expected to pass tests giving answers teachers say are correct.
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Teachers may regard Christian students as bigoted, homophobic, religious fundamentalists and work to have them leave with views like their own. So much of what believing parents tried to instill in the hearts and lives of their children seems lost and the church loses them to service of Christ. While “heart” in the Bible refers to the complete inner person—mind, feelings, conscience and will, churches stress the heart hardly mentioning the mind leading persons to believe Christianity is all emotional and anti-intellectual. And church leaders rarely discuss critical issues students face in school. Sadly, these skeptical students become tomorrow’s world leaders.

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What now are these contrasts between Christ and his critics? They are crucial issues with serious consequences for life and behavior, maybe even the survival of civilization. What did Jesus say contrasted with his critics?

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Is Man Created or Evolved?

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“From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female (Mark 10:6).”

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But Darwin and his followers such as Marx, Freud, Nietzsche, Huxley, Russell, Rorty, Dawkins, and others teach man evolved from slime. Further, they use evolution to explain everything. They see varieties in living creatures, similarities in their makeup, and can classify them in an order of complexity. They claim acquired characteristics and mutations are the mechanisms of change. Thus, life forms evolved from the simple to the complex and have a common ancestor. We don’t need to assume God to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.

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Biologists know experiments demonstrate that life can only come from the living. Change is limited genetically so that dogs don’t turn into horses, worms to snakes or monkeys to men no matter how much alike they appear and are  classified. Acquired characteristics and mutations simply can’t make such changes possible. Moreover, there is no simple to complex display of fossils that alone could prove such change. Specified complexity is obvious throughout life forms—each living thing has multiple complex organs and systems that work together in harmony that could never have originated by chance given any amount of time. So living things must be complete and functional from the start and to reduce even one organ or system—say liver or respiratory system--makes life impossible.
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Modern experimental science originated by theists and Christians before Darwin gained ascendency. Christian belief in a rational orderly world created by a rational knowable and benevolent God is largely what made experimental science possible. Further, women are in God’s image as well as men and titled to the same dignity and respect (Gal. 3:28) but fulfill different roles. God is a better gap-filler than nature simply because it’s obvious the evidence points to a creative rational Mind--God. Good science doesn’t reject evidence and possibility but goes where the evidence leads.   

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Is Man both Body and Soul?

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Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell (Matt. 10:28).”

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Atheist psychologists such as Wundt, Watson, Skinner and others deny the existence of the human soul. They claim there are no souls and no Hell to shun. We are merely evolving sexual animals in heat seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. Oh, how the deceiver and destroyer must laugh at that.

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Honest reflection can radically see man is unique and on a higher plain than animals or machines. Whether we call it mind, soul or self, man is an I who is self-conscious, with power of abstract thought, ethical discrimination, appreciation of beauty, need for worship, companionship and creative endeavors. All this is in keeping with his being in the image of God. It’s so foolish to reject the holy purposeful life Jesus offers us as seen today in every sphere--education, entertainment, government, law and science. It spells the death of human decency and the coming judgment God warned us about in the second Psalm.  
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Is Ethics Based on God or on Culture?

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Jesus said, “You are of this world, I am not of this world . . . you will die in your sins if you do not believe that I am He . . .  If you abide in My word you are My disciples indeed. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:23-23, 31).”

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Freud, Nietzsche, Rorty, Dewey, and other critics say ethics based on faith in God is weakness and insanity. Persons and cultures create their own reality and morality. The fact is that if individuals and cultures create their own morality, then there is no universal objective morality. This leads to chaos, injustice, and warfare allowing tyrants to usurp power to oppress and enslave us. There simply is no foundation for right and wrong, good and evil unless there is a personal ethical God who has set absolute standards and holds individuals and nations accountable. And this personal ethical God is exactly what biblical Christianity alone provides. We’re either governed by God or oppressed by tyrants. And only the holy loving God shown us in Christ qualifies.
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God or Atheism in Practice?

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Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all you mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31).”

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Marx and Lenin deny God and say we must eliminate the bourgeois landowners by violence if necessary since they exploit and destroy the worth of the proletariat or poor people. We must establish an equitable classless society. Socialism’s promises of freedom from tyranny by landowners are deceptive. Instead, it destroys free market exchange, takes away land, private enterprise and incentive to production. It is corrupt government that controls individual lives and reduces people to poverty.
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Its classless society is achieved by eliminating all who oppose the government by brutal imprisonment or a blood bath of millions.  Socialists have to build walls to keep their people from escaping their tyranny and oppression. Their promised humane benefits are all lies. Every form of secular humanism destroys the dignity of people making us mere animals and even reducing us to soulless dirt that can be manipulated and murdered.

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Also, Islam is oppressive as well. The Qur'an teaches infidels who won’t submit to Allah are enemies of the state especially Christians and Jews, and they can be killed. This happens today when and where Islam is in control. Shari’ah Law derived from the Qur'an and the Hadith governs politics, economics, banking, business, contracts, social issues and private lives of citizens under Muslim control. Women too have little freedom and in some places must wear black clothing covering everything but their eyes. Strange how Muslims men say it wrong for women or wives to flaunt sex in society, but alright with all the beautify maidens they will have in paradise.

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All this above is radically different from the teaching of biblical Christianity and Jesus. Christ taught all persons are in God’s image entitled to the same respect, rights, and loving concern. First, love to God in obedience to his Word, and second, love shown other persons would immensely improve our individual lives and world conditions. Atheists and critics who misconstrue and misrepresent Christian teaching should be ashamed. Jesus said they are of their father, the devil (John 8:44) and if they were willing to do God’s will they would know concerning his doctrine (John 7:17).
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Resurrection or No Afterlife?

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Jesus again said, “I am the resurrection and the life . . . whoever lives and believes in me shall never die (John 11:25).”

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Dewey, Rorty, Foucault, and other atheists insist there is no afterlife and life itself is an accident of nature. We don’t need a PhD to know man is more than an unconscious, unthinking rock. The only certainty about whether there is life after death is that a living person could return from the dead. This is exactly what biblical Christianity claims in Christ Jesus. Careful candid examination of the evidence, not closed-minded bias and dismissal would disclose the truth. Brilliant minds have for centuries tried to explain away Jesus’ resurrection but failed. Honest skeptics being fair with the evidence have become joyous Christians. 
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Heaven or Wishful Thinking?

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Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions . . . I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:1-3).”

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Freud, Marx, Nietzsche, Feuerbach and others say religion is illusion, wishful thinking, an opiate of the masses, and pie in the sky. But subjective claims aren’t evidence. If we are open to a loving Creator desiring relationship with man made in His image, Heaven is most reasonable. It seems irrational that human hostility would deny a loving Creator. Studies of atheist backgrounds show such persons have had bad relationships with their father or serious disappointment in life. Hostility too can result from guilt and fear of judgment and Hell.  
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Rule of God or Government?

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Jesus said, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s (Matt. 22:21).”

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Atheist views as humanism, socialism, secularism, naturalism don’t believe this because there is no God. So nothing belongs to God. This is an assumption that never has been proved. It would take exhaustive knowledge to prove. God is Spirit not within the scope of scientific demonstration. Visible eyewitness testimony established Jesus as the God-man. Wars between religious peoples and nations are bad but nothing like atheist government dictators like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and numerous others. Every government operates under a worldview either constructive or destructive.

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Of course, a Creator and Sustainer of everything indirectly would be over everything. Secular governments that outlaw belief in a personal ethical God destroy the foundation for human dignity, restrict freedom, produce a police state, oppress and murder citizens who cry for liberty from oppression. But citizens would support fair and equitable rulers who treat them justly and uphold human dignity and rights—a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Biblical teaching realistically recognizes both the dignity and depravity of man. Following Isaiah 33:22, government under God is divided into three divisions: the judicial, legislative and executive. Recognizing wealth and power tends to corrupt politicians; each branch is assigned duties and limitations to serve as checks and balances on the others. A constitution is needed to spell out the rights and procedures the people may expect to uphold. Citizens running for limited terms of office must clearly state their aims and be held responsible to the citizens who elect them. Criticism of government is welcomed recognizing our human limitations and failures and need for citizen input.
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Evils or Just Nature?

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Jesus said, “This is the condemnation that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).”

 

We are hurt by natures’ calamities and moral injustices. But the fact is that if there is no good personal God to know, set standards and judge evil, then there’s no basis to call anything evil—opinions are just individual preferences. All events and behaviors are simply a normal part of nature—no way to call any happening good or evil, right or wrong, just or unjust. But aren’t even our feelings of wrongness pointers to God? Jesus’ answer to physical and moral evils was “repent or perish." (Luke 13:1-5).” Human evils began in wrong attitudes that lead to evil actions.

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Life is full of unavoidable choices. The wrong choices may bring an eternity of painful torment and grief. Jesus said He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). If He meant you, won't you pray, Lord, I acknowledge I'm a sinner destined for eternal damnation unacceptable to a perfect holy God and unfit for an eternal perfect Heaven. Lord, I trust You now and forever to be my Savior and Guide through life. Help me live to please you from this day forward.
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Please share these vital articles God has given me. It's the best thing we can do for our fellowman.
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I recommend Understanding the Times by David A. Noebel to whom I’m indebted for my outline. It's a very good book for a college philosopy course. U are welcome to link with me & get my articles.
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Christian Love or Atheist Power?

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Two crucial worldviews compete for man’s allegiance and control of planet earth: biblical Christianity and atheism. I don’t believe most persons fully or rightly understand the essence and implications of either. We can either be nice guys or mean ones since everyone’s influenced by their background, maturity, moods, circumstances, health, social conceptions and misconceptions. And sometimes, we don’t really know, understand or believe what we profess to believe. Could the above title capture the essence of each worldview? You may vehemently protest the suggestion and I affirm your right. But let me explain and you may see it differently.

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Biblical Christianity and its Implications. 

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Creation “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). If God created them, then God would have to exist before his creation and be an eternal, unchanging, self-existent, infinite, immaterial, intelligent being. Since God can’t create himself, he must be an eternal unchanging self-existent being. And since he created a material universe, he must be an immaterial (Spiritual) being who existed prior to and greater than the space-time material universe he created. And as science, good sense and the Bible shows everything didn’t just pop into being but are effects of an independent intelligent cause. So then, God is the Source, Sustaining and Unifying Explanation of everything that exists.

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The Fall of Man.

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“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them” (Gen. 128). “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Gen. 3:6).

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God provided a perfect environment that met man’s every need. But Adam and Eve chose self over God, rebelled against God’s rule, and ate the one forbidden fruit in the whole garden. In that moment, man died spiritually being separated from his perfect Creator, Life-giver and Owner. Would you protest if the offspring you loved and provided for disobeyed you? God’s expelling them from the garden was another act of love since if they ate from the tree with the fruit of life they would have no further opportunity of redemption. The ground was cursed, man had to work harder to produce food, the woman now suffered pain in childbirth, and spiritual and physical death passed on to all Adam’s descendants since they inherited a sinful self-centered nature.

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Critics can argue all day about how man’s creation and fall is no more than fairy tales. But how would they write an account that all generations and cultures could accept and understand? The Bible consistently teaches the creation and fall of man were real historical events and human redemption makes no sense unless they’re true.

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Redemption in Christ.

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“ God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3).

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What could make it impossible of the universe’s Creator to take on the body and human nature of a man? Nothing! “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 3:16; 15:13

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God spoke through prophets, apostles, angels, miracles, fulfilled prophecies, and last of all through his Son, the God-man who visited us here on earth and both claimed and empirically demonstrated that he is God. Only an unwarranted assumption amounting to infinite knowledge can deny these things. And honest research of Christ’s life will show more evidence for his existence than for Tiberius Caesar or Aristotle who historians have no doubt. No world religion gives the visible eyewitness evidence Jesus gave of his purity, love, wisdom, transfigured glory, and bodily resurrection.

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Because Jesus arose from the dead, we know there’s life after death and he is God as he said--thus all he taught is absolute truth. He taught we’re in God’s image giving us the basis for human dignity, rights, freedom, ethical accountability, justice, love, life with ultimate purpose, and opportunity for eternal life. He gives us the choice to trust him for salvation and Heaven, or eternally endure our self-provided torments in the darkness of Hell. Jesus is hope and love.

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Biblical Christianity provides the philosophical framework for interpreting reality. Experimental science took hold in Christian Europe. Modern science’s founding fathers were devout Christians such as Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Boyle, and Pascal. They believed God’s creation real, rational, orderly, dependable and good like its Creator. The Bible encouraged Christians to explore the heavens, subdue the earth, and to test and verify everything. Further, it provides the moral requirements as honesty, integrity, discernment, humility, and truth without which science would be impossible.

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Prior to that time paganism thought nature to sacred, capricious, cyclic, illusory, magical, or fated which discouraged experimental investigation. If evolutionists hadn’t borrowed from biblical Christianity, it’s doubtful their belief in blind chance and mindless accident would result in scientific method. Naturalists simply take it all for granted today. Further, naturalists are willfully blind that matter, life, mind, personality, truth, order, rationality, and morality cannot evolve from nothing even in infinity--they require an eternal, self-existent, infinite, intelligent Creator.    

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A Renovated World.

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This world has been corrupted from the beginning by man’s rebellion toward his loving Lord. God once purged it with water and promised to purify it again with fire. All who enter God’s perfect new world will be like their Lord pure, undefiled, godly people acceptable to him and fit for Heaven. God’s people didn’t earn his acceptance by following rules, rituals, joining a church, positive thinking, doing good deeds as good as these things are. They humbly trusted in the promised Savior and then sought to live for God as scripture teaches.

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“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor. 2:9. See Revelation 21.

Atheism and its Consequences.

Whether they dress as socialists, humanists, secularists, naturalists, materialists or anti-theists, they are atheists who deny a god of any kind and have a SERIOUSLY different agenda. It denies the biblical Christian basis for faith, family, freedom and a secure future. Atheism prides itself on being rational and scientific and claims world religions, especially Christianity, are superstitious and ignorant. But you judge whether that’s true.

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Atheists believe everything came about by chance and evolution and that man is really just the   soulless dirt he came from. Atheists say they are the superior informed elites. They must guide the ignorant masses to do what’s best for them. There’s no future world so we must make the most of the time we have and achieve what greatness we can for ourselves. And since there is always conflict in the animal world, it’s always survival of the fittest so the strong must vanquish the weak. Atheists must take what they can while they have time. And since there’s no higher authority, people always have conflicting opinions and preferences. So the government must assume strong control
and force citizens to obey less everything become chaos and anarchy. It may require elimination of obstinate and religious elements one step at a time or a revolutionary bloodbath as in Russia, China and other socialist countries. Without moral incentive within, atheist elitists must impose laws, penalties, and taxes to force their will from without.

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Let’s not fool ourselves, nature’s essence is always might makes right, survival of the fittest, animal eat animal. Whoever atheist elites deem uncooperative may be mistreated, manipulated and murdered if they don’t comply for the greater good of the rest of us unbelievers. And it may be U and your loved ones.

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BUT, at every point: creation, man’s fall, redemption, and new creation, God in love seeks rebellious self-centered man. Yet, man fails to acknowledge his Life-giver or appreciate God’s wonderful gifts. Unlike atheism, love doesn’t force itself on others. So God gives many witnesses to and warnings of coming judgment—Christianity in essence is love. Atheist hurtful power or Christian helpful love--both have life and death consequences: it’s your choice! Pray, "I choose You Jesus as my Savior and Lord to live for You and tell others about You. Thank You Lord." Now show you mean it by sharing these articles with friends and loved ones so they may learn God's Word and be saved. God bless you in your work of faith and labor of love.  See the book list below.

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           Are Sincerely Held Beliefs All that Matter? 

 

We live in a multicultural society where persons sincerely hold conflicting beliefs. Naturally, we want and try to be inoffensive and popular. We don’t want people to think our views odd, extreme, or ridiculous. But being clear-headed, we simply can’t avoid some things. As the opposite of true is false, the opposite of right is wrong. It’s impossible for a statements to be true and false or actions right and wrong in the same way at the same time. That’s basic universal, unavoidable logic. We can’t communicate or even think apart from it.

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Some views are more accurate than others are as the number 40 is closer to 30 than number five. Some behaviors are better as respect is better than disrespect. But some are lies and disasters we should avoid. We usually believe what parents, teachers and others in our society tell us. We don’t doubt or question their authority until we hear something different with evidence to the contrary. So what we have been taught and believed may prove to be wrong.With conflicting beliefs everywhere on the planet, do we know our area is where the truth is, or only our teachers are the right ones. How?

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With this in mind, let’s look at some sincerely held beliefs of secularists who say there’s no God, Muslims who say Allah is God as revealed in the Quran, and Christians who claim Jesus is God as disclosed in the Bible.

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Some Sincerely Held Secular Beliefs

•   There’s no absolute truth or morals since all is in flux or evolving. It's just one opinion verses another. There really is no final authority other than each person's own opinion.
•   It’s a pregnant woman’s right to kill human life growing in her if it’s unwanted or interferes with her career. In fact, we would be stronger to dispose of the weak elements of society as seen in nature among predator and prey.
•  The Bible really doesn’t teach homosexuality is a sin. People in ancient times simply didn’t understand it’s a human need just like eating and sleeping. People can't help it.
•   Christians who say Jesus is the only way to God or Heaven are arrogant, bias, intolerant, narrow-minded, and dangerous. They want to impose their beliefs and morality on us.

Some Sincerely Held Muslim Beliefs 

•   Muhammad informed us that the angel Gabriel revealed the Quran to him alone in a cave. That alone makes him the seal of the prophets or final authority for human beliefs. Infidels must submit to Allah or it's better that they die.
• The Quran says slay the infidels who will not accept Islam as the only true faith. “Slay the pagans wherever you find them … Fight those who believe neither in Allah nor the Last Day.” Surah 9:5, 29 Muhammad's life is the model for ethical living and what advances Islam.
•   Muhammad admitted Jesus was a true prophet of God who performed miracles (Surah 3:49). But when asked to perform a miracle to prove he is a prophet also, he refused. Surah 6:109; 21:5; 29:50. 
•   Centuries after Jesus (570-632 AD), Muhammad denied Jesus was crucified on the cross. Surah 4:157.

Some Sincerely Held Christian Beliefs 

•  The Bible told us to be honest, fair, and truthful, love God first, and love our neighbor as yourself. Our neighbor being other persons in need.
•  Children are a reward from the Lord. Psalm 127:3. And the all-knowing God says homo- sexuality is sin and says so clearly in lists of other sins. Gen. 19:5, 8-11; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:26-28; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Tim. 1:10; Jude 7.
•  Jesus not only claimed to be Messiah and God, but also fulfilled ancient prophecies about the coming Messiah and God. Isaiah 7:14; 9:6: 53; Ps. 22; John 1:45; 4:25-26; 5:18: 10:30, 33.
•  Jesus claimed to be the only way to Heaven and there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for friends. Jesus, in his humanity, died for us while we were sinners and His enemies. John. 14:6; Romans 5:8-10.

Evil or hurtful things happen to people and property when good people don’t speak out and take a stand against them. If there’s no divine authority above man who sets standards and holds us accountable, then secularism is right and anything goes. If Muslims can show visible, objective evidence God spoke to Mohammad, then Islam is right. Where conflicting human opinions, preferences, feelings and guesses prevail, tyrants arise and force their views, their truths, and their ways upon us. They decide who lives and dies. Therefore, it is imperative we have good, clear, objective evidence of the truth.

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As a Christian, I respect the right of all persons in God’s image to think and have their own viewpoint. We’re none perfect, or infallible. But I take my stand that the overwhelming evidence is with Jesus is God, Savior and the only hope for this increasingly wicked world.

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Christians believe God has made Himself known in creation, conscience and Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the God-man who said He is the Way, Truth, and Life and no one comes to the Father except by Him (Jn. 14:6). He further said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). That means eternal separation from a morally perfect God and being alone in darkness and torments forever. Jesus showed His claims true before skeptical disciples who know nature' laws and hostile eyewitnesses who sought his death. Jesus fulfilled numerous Messianic prophecies, lived a sinless life, performed many miracles, died for our sins, and arose from the dead seen by 500 eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15). That’s visible, objective evidence His claims are true. Honest thinking persons have a sure basis to trust Jesus as their only Lord and Savior.

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Jesus' apostle Peter said this, "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." Acts 2:12   “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 Jesus and His apostles (followers He sent with His message) cared enough to warn us of ultimate disaster. Again, it was not one man's statement always alone in a cave. These were public announcements of things others saw and knew to be true.

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If perhaps Christian beliefs make more sense to you than secular and Muslim beliefs, you would like to become a Christian. You may by commitment of faith to Jesus as your Savior from sin and Lord and Guide in live. Pray Lord, forgive me a sinner. I trust You now to come into my life and live with me as my Savior and Lord doing the things that please You. Also, you may link on to my articles and share them with friends. May U prosper in good things.
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Two Fishermen Discuss What God Might Be Like

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John was ecstatic to show his friend Sam his new rod and reel. They fish at Little River in the woods back of his house—no telling what they might catch.

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With their rods and a pail of wiggly crawly worms the boys sat down on the big grey, hard rock jutting out from the riverbank, bated their hooks and caste their lines.

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“I bet I get a big one before you do” John said, casting his line way out to bang the water creating wider and wider circles floating downstream.

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“Don’t be too sure,” Sam, replied, “I know where the fish are. The boys sat there thinking.

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Sam spoke first. “I wonder how fish came to be in this river in the first place. They came from the ocean, but how did they get there? How did anything, fish, worms, bushes, animals, people originate? Things didn’t magically appear from nothing. Nothing means no-thing exists, not even space and time.”

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“You’re right Sam. Nature itself has no conscious mind and will to plan and create anything. Living things are super complex. People, for example, have complex organs, bodily systems, and a thousand parts that must function together at the beginning. This world couldn’t happen by chance. Atoms didn’t arrange themselves into Adam.”

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“Ops! I feel something. I think I’ve got one.” John pulled up on his rod, started rapidly winding and winding and winding his reel, until the fish appeared. “Oh man, it’s a nice one. It’s a flounder off the bottom. It’s got both eyes on one side and maybe weighs five pounds. I’ll eat well tonight. I hope I can catch a couple more.”

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“That’s a beauty,” Sam confirmed. “I hope to catch a few too.”

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John, looking serious, “You’re right Sam. Things can’t come from nothing. Force and chance can’t explain how the world started. They’re unconscious, mindless. A conscious mind far, far above human genius is required to create the enormously complex plants and animals we see everywhere. Nothing can live with a half way developed digestive system, or partly produced reproductive system, or legs or eyes. It’s all got to be intact and functional at the outset.”

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“That’s right John, what practical good are unconscious, mindless forces? Nature can’t hear our cries, can’t answer our prayers, can’t tell us what’s good or bad, and can’t even know about us. It’s not God, it’s nothing.”  

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“Oh, oh, I think I’ve got something.” Sam pulled on his rod that went one direction then another. Wow, it must be a big one. It’s got a lot of fight.” He pulled and wound excitedly. His rod moved all around the water. Finally, the fish appeared. “It’s over a foot long black bass maybe eight pounds. Ha! Ha!” jumping up and down. I got one too, a big one.”  

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“Getting back to what you said that something can’t come from nothing. My college science professor said the universe is running down like a wound up clock so it can’t be eternal. The second law of physics called entropy or heat dispersion shows its beginning. So Sam everything that came to exist depends on something eternal. Entropy suggests one eternal God as the Source of all existence.”

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“Right John and that Source of everything must be one God, not many limited Gods as ancient Greeks and Romans imagined--there can be only one absolute Source, not many conflicting limited ones.”

“And Sam, if God’s eternal, he can’t change or cease to exist. His power and all that he is would be ever the same and everywhere upholding his universe. And a Creator of this material universe would have to be a mind and not a physical giant like Zeus.”

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“John, this God is no uncaring ‘Thing.’ To create us, he must be a living person, only infinitely greater who can hear our prayers, know our needs, guide our lives, and being eternal give us eternal life. It seems science and logic points to the God of the Bible.”

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“Yes, it’s what my Sunday school teacher said was taught in Romans 1:20.”  

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Bamm! Something hit John’s hook hard and is running away with his bait. It must be a big one. John pulled and winded, pulled and winded until a large bass appeared above the water.

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“Wow! That looks to be maybe a seven or eight pound bass. It will be good eating tonight,” John said with a big smile and nod.

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 John, why don’t we invite both our families for a fish fry in my back yard tonight? Doesn’t that sound like fun?”     

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“Yes, that’s a good idea. Let’s do it. But Sam, one thing bothers me about God.”

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“What’s that”, Sam?

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“It seems a real God exists in logic and theory. But unlike a magician, we can’t pull him out of a hat for display like magicians pull rabbits. How do we know God is more than theory, even if good scientific theory?”

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“Good question, John. My pastor answered that one for me in last Sunday’s sermon. God put skin on when He came into our world as Jesus Christ, sacrificed himself on that painful bloody cross for us hell-deserving sinners, and arose from the dead. That proved both life after death and his promise of eternal life to all who trust him as their Savior and Lord.”

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“Oh, yes, I’ve trusted him too, head nodding. And I feel even more convinced from our fishing discussion today. Catching fish is fun. But sharing the good news of Christ is so much better. I want to be a fisher of men as our Lord commanded. It’s our highest honor and humanities only hope of cleansing from sin, peace with God, loving service and assurance of eternal life.”
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"Jesus said, follow me and I will make you a fisher of men" John 14:6. Other than a life glorifying God there can be no greater activity than telling others Jesus is the Savior of us sinners. Won't you vow in utter sincerity to try each week to tell someone that you know you're going to be with Jesus in eternity and they can to if they will admit their sin and truth Jesus to be their Savior. Just share a few Bible verses such as John 3:16; 36; 5:24; 14:6 and have them bow and pray Lord save me a sinner. Amen. So be it.

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