Modern Opinions about Jesus Christ.

Who or what is Jesus Christ? Modern thinkers have a variety of opinions most of them more than a millennium after he walked the shores of Galilee. Let’s look at a list of them, then make some observations and finally ask some decisive questions.

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Ø  Astonishingly, Muhammad admitted Jesus was Messiah, a prophet, sinless and performed miracles. But of himself denied, he could perform miracles when asked several times to prove he was God’s prophet. Yet he claimed his coming centuries after Jesus made him God final authoritative prophet.
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Ø  Liberal “Christianity” thinks Jesus was a good man and great teacher but not God. But how could such a deceiver claiming to be God even be a good man?

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Ø  Jehovah’s Witnesses say Jesus is the archangel Michael, God’s first creation who came to earth, and died on a stake. He rose as an invisible spirit and supposedly returned to earth in 1914. But the Bible says the resurrected Lord Jesus was seen, touched, ate fish with his disciples and even said he was not a mere spirit. John. 20:27; 21:12-13; Luke. 24:39.

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Ø  Mormons claim man can become God and Jesus in one god among many. He’s the brother of Satan, was married, and that his cross is foolishness. Bible contradicts all these statements. Such statements are man’s saying without evidence.

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Ø  Mary Baker Eddy of Christian Science thought Jesus merely a pleasant idea or ideal of perfection. Jesus really taught we’re all sinners going to Hell if we don’t’ trust in the Savior.

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Ø  Sun Myung Moon of the Unification Church claims Jesus was a man who failed and that he is the second coming of Jesus who will succeed. What evidence supports that?

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Ø  Baha’is say Jesus was only one of nine manifestations of God yet not God and didn’t rise from the dead. Now how would he know that?
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Ø  Unitarians say Jesus was a good man but his followers deified him. Can they prove that from the Bible? Or, is that their private bias?

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Ø  Hindus say Jesus was a guru and manifestation of god like anybody else, but not a Savior. Salvation is absorption into Brahma (universal energy) after release from many cycles of reincarnation. Hindus never lived in Palestine or saw Jesus, how could they know that?

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Ø  Rosicrucian's believe Jesus is a manifestation of cosmic consciousness. They are entitled to their beliefs and imaginings.

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Ø  Maharishi and Transcendental Meditation say Jesus is not uniquely God, but unlike most persons, he discovered his divine essence. Could their worldview exclude honest inquiry?

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Ø  New Agers claim Jesus was not the one true God or Savior but a New Ager who tapped into divine power the way anyone can. Jesus 2,000 years ago couldn’t have been a New Ager. Would New Agers endure torture and death to substantiate that as Jesus disciples did testifying he was God and Savior?

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Ø  Atheists dogmatically deny a personal God and some aggressively try to destroy belief of those who do. What evidence can show there’s no God? Much in science, nature, history and experience points to God. Have they given it honest open-minded inspection?
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                                Some Observations Are in Order.
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First, these religions claim exclusive truth and exclude others who disagree with them. They are each based upon prior assumption, limited human reasoning and preferences that often are found incorrect. Second, these religions contradict each other so not all if even one can be correct. Third, they furnish no evidence to show they are anything more than human opinions--no evidence of God.

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Now some general comments about these religions are in order. Unlike Jehovah's Witness, primary New Testament documents state many times that Jesus died on a cross, that he arose in bodily form, not as an unidentifiable invisible spirit, and that he was God not the angel Michael or the first created being. If Jesus proved he was a prophet by being without sin and by miracles, what substantiated Muhammad who did neither? To claim all religions are essentially the same by teaching good works is to ignore, discount and discredit basic religious differences and motivations. For example, radical Muslims believe killing Christians and Jews will likely get them into Heaven while Christians believe telling persons of the loving Jesus who died for them gives people opportunity for Heaven and makes a better world.

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                                       What Are Our Assumptions?

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I confess that my knowledge placed in a huge circle representing all knowledge would be a very small period. I don’t even know what’s happening in the next room. So, I can’t say an infinite Creator, Savior and Judge doesn’t exist, or that a Creator of men can’t take on a human nature, and body and live among us, or that Jesus Christ can’t be the God-man who died for my sins and arose from the dead. I would have to know everything in this space-time universe and be God to say such things impossible. I would be presumptuous and arrogant. And wouldn’t that be true of everybody?
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          Have You Considered the Evidence that the Jesus of History Is God?

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Was Jesus a real historical person? Historians accept two independent sources as verifying events and three really confirm the facts. With Jesus, we have the four Gospels, Acts, and the epistles making six independent sources all saying Jesus claimed to be God, performed miracles and fulfilled ancient prophecies of the Jewish Messiah. Jews hostile to Christian faith and alive when these documents were published would have disputed and destroyed Christian testimony if not true. The church fathers who followed the apostles quoted these documents and the events of Jesus’ life. Nineteen non-Christian writers wrote of Jesus often in derision but mentioned details of his life such as his virgin birth, baptism, cured lame and blind, raised people from the dead, was betrayed by Judas, died on a cross and was raised from the dead.

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The Gospels boldly connect Jesus’ life with names, towns, events, and dates that can be checked and verified by eyewitnesses even asking them to do so. They cite prominent emperors, governors, priests and local laws, customs, and traditions. Ancient documents and archaeological artifacts confirm Jesus’ life is historical fact, not anything like myth, legend, or fairy tales. More is known about Jesus than about undoubted persons such as Plato and Tiberius Caesar.
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                                 Would You Die for What You Knew to Be a Lie?

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Remember Jesus miracles often astonished his disciples and he rebuked their unbelief who knew nature’s laws as we do today. The Gospels show them slow and almost forced by the facts to believe Jesus’ resurrection though he predicted it several times. Fellow Jews expelled them from synagogues that meant condemnation to Hell. Jews rejected and ridiculed them and later Romans tortured them to death. Can you seriously believe they underwent all this for what they knew to be a lie?
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   Is It Possible to Extract the Supernatural from the Gospels and They Make Sense?

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Throughout the Gospels Jesus claimed to be God and to prove it by performing miracles. He astonished his disciples and his critics accused him of blasphemy since no mere man could claim to be God. Can we extract these supernatural elements and the accounts still make sense?

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John chapter 5 mentions Jesus closely identifying himself with his Father in healing and raising the dead. He cites John the Baptizer, his miracles, his Father, and the Scriptures that testify to his being God. The Jews clearly understood the cited witnesses showed Jesus was equal with God so they accused Jesus of blasphemy (5:18).

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Similarly, in John 10 Jesus declared he was Messiah and did miracles in his Father’s name since he and the Father were one. Fiercely angry, the Jews attempt to stone Jesus for blasphemy for claiming to be God (John. 10:29- 33).  

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In Mark 2:1-12, four men let down a paralyzed man on a cot through a house roof since the room that was too crowded to enter at the door. Jesus forgave the man’s his sins. Some scribes reasoned Jesus blasphemed since only God could forgive sins (2:6-7). Then Jesus healed the man saying it was just as easy for him to heal as to forgive sins. Is there a clear message here?  

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In Matthew 26:63-65 Caiaphas, the high priest, and the Sanhedrin were amazed that Jesus said nothing at his trial in his defense. Put under oath, Jesus affirmed he was the Messiah and Son of Man mentioned in Daniel 7:13 who would come in the clouds of Heaven. The high priest tore his clothes and charged Jesus with blasphemy condemning him to death (26:64-67).

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Now in every account Jesus identifies himself with God the Father. Like the Father, Jesus can heal and raise the dead—he cites four witnesses to prove it. He does the works of his Father and is one with Him—it makes angry Jews attempt to stone him. He forgives sins that only God can do. He testifies to be the Messiah and Son of Man who will come in the clouds of Heaven. In each case, Jesus is accused of blasphemy, as the Jews clearly understand he was a man claiming to be God.

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Now if we extract these supernatural elements we make the accounts utter nonsense. Further, hostile eyewitnesses still alive when the accounts were published would quickly deny them and disprove Christianity at its outset. So the accounts must be absolute truth that Jesus is God equal to the Father.
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                      Will You Consider This Your Greatest Opportunity?

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I had heard of many beliefs and theories but one day heard that Jesus was God and Savior of sinners. I knew I was far from perfect by my own moral standards and anybody else’s. I didn’t understand all about an ethically perfect God or perfect Heaven. But I put my trust in Jesus who promised me eternal life and a place with him in Heaven.

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I understand now that Jesus Christ, the resurrected God-man offers mankind all our basic needs.Only his resurrection assures us of life after death. It confirms he is God and all he taught is true. He taught we are not perishing soulless dirt or impersonal energy but beings of dignity created in God’s image. Thus, we have dignity, rights, freedom of choice, and a real ethic since everything we think, do and say will either be rewarded or punished. This makes life explosive with purpose. In Christ, we can work to achieve a better would of love and goodness rather than hate and destruction.
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All this is called the Christian worldview. None of the above opinions has a basis for these things. Would you like to trust the Savior and then work with me for this better world? Send these articles to loved ones and friends. It’s worth more than their gaining the whole world and losing their own soul. Also, see my articles on Jesus’ resurrection.
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Intelligent Minds Question the Reality of Hell

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If there’s a good God and good Heaven, then it seems our good deeds would gain God’s favor and earn our way into Heaven. But it seems unreasonable for a good or loving God to send anyone to an eternal torture chamber called Hell. That sadistic God appalls and repels me. Most people aren’t bad and anybody punished in a lake of fire forever is really cruel and extreme. Wouldn’t a little bit of light punishment bring them to their senses? They would repent of their wrongdoing and be ready for Heaven.

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I believe I’m a reasonable thinking person. But I’ll admit that I don’t know everything, and that I could have overlooked something essential. So in fairness, can you as a Bible believing Christian tell me where I may be wrong? And give me some biblical evidence? I have three perplexing questions.

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Why Must Hell Be Eternal?

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All Sin Makes Us Unacceptable to God and Unfit for Heaven.” Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

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We humans don’t have God’s perfect knowledge and don’t see sin as God’s does. If we’re not murders or rapists, we think we’re not bad persons. We can perform a good act with an evil self-centered motive. And we excuse our wrongdoing saying circumstances forced me to do it. But God’s law, written on our hearts with our conscience bearing witness, nullifies all excuses (Rom. 2:14-15). Romans 1:18-2:1 gives a long list of sins we continually commit and suppress which shows we reject God, rebel against his law, and are without excuse.

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Hell must be eternal because God’s holy nature accepts only perfect people. Jesus said, “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). “Your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isa. 59:2).

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Sin is unacceptable to a morally perfect God. And how can we trust an imperfect God? He might overlook us, forget us, not love us, ignore us, even hate us. Among world religions, only the eternal, infinite God of the Judao-Christian Bible is perfect and thus trustworthy. So 51% goodness is unacceptable to God and defiling of Heaven. Besides, it’s not our faulty idea of goodness but God’s perfect standard in accord with His perfect nature.

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Hell must be eternal because Heaven is perfect. Heaven is not just good—it’s God’s house and it’s perfect. “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” (Rev. 21:27).

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One hundred percent perfection is required to enter Heaven. Our good deeds can’t outweigh our bad deeds; all bad deeds must be forgiven and cleansed. Persons with 51% goodness are still sinners and like a cancer corrupt Heaven turning it into Hell. The Lamb’s Book of life is not the church roll. The only names written in it are humble sinners who trusted in their Savior. Jesus is the Light that alone repels all the darkness and torments of Hell.

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God gives one life and after this the judgment. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Heb. 9:27). There’s no multiple lives based upon the cycles of nature as in pantheistic religions. A holy God doesn’t give people multiple lives to wallow in sin. It’s our Creator’s right to say how long we live and that our every breath should glorify Him.

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What Is the Nature of Hell?

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Hell is torment of mind, not torture of body. “Come to this place of torment” (Luke 16:28; Rev. 14:10-11; 20:10). The Bible represents God as loving sinners and not wanting them to perish (Jn. 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:9). God’s not a sadistic devil who enjoys torturing persons in fire. The fiery lake and furnace represent a confined place of torment because its fire doesn’t consume the worm, as does the fire we know. And the  worm is a condescending term used of persons (Job 25:6; Ps. 22:6; Isa. 41:14; Mk. 9:44). Outer darkness is distance from God who is Light. Weeping and gnashing teeth is not bodily torture, but self-inflicted agonies as feelings of guilt, unrest, emptiness, regret, rebellion, uselessness, anger, hate, loneliness, fear, loss, despair (Job 16:9; Ps. 35:16; Acts 7:54; Jude 13; Gal. 5:19-21).

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Hell is punishment equal to degrees of sins committed. “More tolerable” and “greater sin” and other phrases show degrees. No persons receive the same reward or punishment. The Bible teaches our deeds decide our degree of reward in Heaven for servicing God (1 Cor. 3:11-15; Gal. 5:22; Rev. 22:12), or degree of punishment in Hell for sins (Matt. 11:22-24; Rom. 2:5-6; Heb. 10:29). Its pure justice as only can be true of an all-knowing and utterly just God (Gal. 6:7-8; Gen. 18:25).

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Hell is not annihilation. “These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46). Hell confirms human dignity and freedom in God’s image; being annihilated like animals destroys it (Gen. 1:26-7; Ps. 8:5-9). Destroy, perish, and second death mean a changed state or condition like a wrecked car, not ceasing to exist. The Bible is clear that sinners in Hell are consciously tormented, eternally punished, by degrees and exist away from the Lord (2 Thess. 1:9; Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:25; Rom. 2:6-8)..

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How Can A Loving God and Eternal Hell Be Compatible?

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A loving God gives everyone opportunity to be saved from an eternal Hell. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). According to the Bible, the only reason people don’t find God is that they don’t want Him. When people are willing to turn from their sins and turn to God’s way of living, God will make Himself known to them. Many Bible passages say so (Deut. 4:29; Heb. 11:6; Isa. 55:6-7; Rom. 12:1-2). We have examples of seeking finders—the wise men (Matt. 2:1-12), Simeon (Luke. 2:25-32), Anna (Lk.2:36-38), Ethiopian (Acts 8), Cornelius (Acts 10). Missionaries tell stories of persons today who travel long distances and face great hardships to find Jesus. God witnesses through nature (Rom. 1:20), conscience (Rom. 2:14), the Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:8-11), the Bible (Heb. 4:12) and his church (Acts 1:8). God commands all men everywhere to repent, has set a day to judge the world, and given proof by raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:27-31; 4:12; Rom. 10:9-10).    

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A loving God can’t save unrepentant persons from eternal Hell. “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom. 2:5). You can’t force someone to love you. Force is rape—love uses persuasion. A loving God must allow people to reject him and hate his right ways even to their death. Further, if Hell could reform sinners, God would not have sent Jesus to bear our sin on the cross. Hell is final, fixed, the end of a one-way street. It demonstrates God is Lord over evil. See also Luke 16:26; Jn. 3:36).

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A loving God has promised his faithful saints a sin free eternal home. “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” (Rev. 21:4).

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This wonderful promise has encouraged and motivated God’s people to live for him who died for them and arose again. We will have new perfect bodies and no more sinful nature, nor Satan and demons, nor evil world philosophy to tempt us. When we see Jesus, we will be holy like him and enjoy serving him eternally. But the wicked that ignored and rejected God, and hated his ways on earth will live in outer darkness and torments by their own choice. Hell glorifies God by display of his truth, justice, righteousness, patience, love, power and triumph over evil. Do you look forward to that blessed hope of living with Jesus? You can. Tell God you’re a sinner wanting your way rather than His and that you trust Him now to forgive you by paying for your sins on the cross.

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Did Jesus Arise from the Dead?

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#Resurrection

Men of world renown have built or destroyed empires, altered the course of history and changed millions of lives for good or evil such as Buddha, Confucius, Caesar, Muhammad, Marx and Hitler. But, they had no power to defeat death. Only Jesus showed this kind of power.

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If Jesus arose bodily from the dead, it visibly demonstrated life exists beyond the grave, God exists and acts in our world, Jesus is God, all he said is true, our world has meaning, our lives purpose, and we have opportunity for eternal life and fulfillment in him. This answers our most crucial questions, meets our greatest needs. But if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then we are  perishing animals that return to dirt without dignity, rights, freedom, absolute truth and ethics.

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Attempts to discredit Jesus’ bodily resurrection are leaky buckets. Unless we know everything, we can’t know there’s no God who can take on human form, die for our sins and rise again. Alternative explanations are improbable and no disproof. Jesus’ miracles always astonished his skeptical disciples since they knew nature’s laws. Eyewitness testimony established Christ’s resurrection. Dying and rising Savior-Gods based on nature’s vegetation cycles were just fertility myths. Some claim history unknowable yet claim to know dead unconscious chemicals have aligned themselves into men. Let’s be real!

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Intellectual integrity requires fair open-minded evaluation of this mountain of evidence. Study the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection--they’re natural, unpretentious, unembellished fact, not myths or made up stories—Matt. 27:35-28:20; Mark 15:15-16:18; Luke 23:26-24:43; John 19:17-21:23. If Jesus arose, it assures all humanity he alone is the truth and our only hope of salvation. How would you answer the following test questions?

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Were Jesus’ Deity, Death and Resurrection Predicted?

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Hundreds of years before Jesus, Jewish prophets predicted their Messiah would be God, virgin born, in Bethlehem, have a forerunner, live without sin, perform miracles, die for his people’s sins without a bone broken, and rise from the dead (Isa 7:14; 9:6; 40:3-5; 53; Ps. 22; 16:10; Mi. 5:2). Who alone could fulfill them but Jesus who said he had come to fulfill all the prophets said of him? Moreover, the odds against all these centuries earlier detailed specific predictions being fulfilled must be in the trillions.   

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Because of their unbelief, Jesus’ disciples couldn’t understand his predictions. Jesus predicted Judas’ betrayal, the disciples forsaking him and Peter’s denials when the roaster crowed thrice. Jesus said the chief priests and elders would condemn him and turn him over to the Romans for trial. They would beat, mock, and crucified him, but in three days, he would rise from the dead. How could any mere person predict such things?
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                                                     Was Christ’s Death Certain?

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Without food or sleep during his five long trials, a big whip with bits of metal lacerating his back, and his head pierced by the crown of thorns, Jesus lost much blood and became too weak to carry his cross. Spikes driven through his hands and feet brought excruciating pain and loss of blood. His work finished, he committed his spirit to the Father. When the soldier’s spear thrust his side, blood and water gushed out. These experienced executioners knew they didn’t need to break his leg to hasten death. Jesus’ disciple. Moreover, a cold stiff body makes it certain. John, his mother and two other women disciples watched him die on the cross.

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Pilate allowed Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus to take down Jesus’ body and bury him in Joseph’s private tomb as the women followed and watched. From his garden arrest until his sealed entombment, soldiers guarded Jesus. No substitution was possible—indeed, who could be identified or pose as a tortured crucified substitute?
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                                                    Was Jesus’ Tomb Secured?

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Having heard the rumor Jesus would rise the third day, Pilate ordered soldiers to guard the tomb under penalty of death. Joseph’s tomb was cut from solid rock. Inside it, the disciples bound Jesus’ body in cloth and spices. The watching soldiers sealed its entrance with a large heavy stone and placed upon it the Roman seal. Grave robbers dare not go against mighty Rome.

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.                               How Can We Explain His Empty Tomb at Jerusalem?



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Jerusalem was the place Jesus was crucified, buried and claimed to have arisen from the dead. Anybody could confirm whether Jesus was still in the tomb by a short trip outside the city. On the first day of the week, an earthquake occurred at the tomb and an angel rolled the stone from its entrance. The terrified soldiers fell down like dead men. Seeing the guarded tomb empty, they went into town and told the chief priests who never doubted what happened. The priests bribed the soldiers to say the disciples stole Jesus’ body and that if it gets to the governor’s ears, they would make it right. Neither friend nor foe had a motive to steal the body even supposing they could. The priests’ explanation that Jesus’ disciples stole the body is the first of a dozen or more failed attempts to explain away the resurrection.

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About sunrise, the four women brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body. They were surprised to find the stone roll away and Jesus’ body missing. An angel told them Jesus was not here but arisen as he told them he would. Mary Magdalene ran to tell the disciples they had taken the Lord from the tomb. Since Jewish law discount a Jewish woman’s testimony, this is an unmentionable event unless it occurred. 

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Peter and John ran to investigate. When John entered the tomb, he saw the grave clothes wrapped around as before but deflated with the headpiece folded and set aside—and he believed. No hasty grave robbers would leave these.  

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                                How Can We Explain Christ’s Many Appearances?

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Even though Jesus raised three persons from the dead, and claimed on many occasions he would die and arise from the dead his disciples didn’t believe. They didn’t know their Scriptures and Jesus wasn’t the Messiah they expected. What could have changed their incredibly skeptical minds?

During forty days, Jesus appeared a dozen times unexpectedly at different places under various conditions to both individuals and groups. As before, he drank and ate with them, explained the Scriptures. Scientifically minded Thomas said he wouldn’t believe unless he saw the nail prints

 and touched his spear pierced side. Jesus invited him to do exactly that and Mary clinged to his feet. No theory of ghost or hallucination or imposter is possible. Jesus appeared to Stephen, skeptical James and persecuting Saul. Do you think Christ’s followers would willingly endure painful tortures and die for what they knew to be a lie?
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                            How Account for Lives Transformed by the Gospel?

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At first terrified cowards who deserted Jesus, denied him and locked themselves behind closed doors, they later boldly proclaimed him a risen Savior. These early Christians were Jews—many were priests and defenders of Judaism--proudly worshipping the God of Israel who learned their One God is three personal distinctions. They forsook the sacrificial system for the true Lamb of God it symbolized, and the many prophecies he fulfilled. The Lord’s Supper replaced Passover, baptism supplanted circumcision, Sunday worship the Sabbath, and Christ service superseded Moses’ laws. To change ones religion for a Jew meant condemnation to Hell--this was a serious commitment. They risked family rejection, ridicule, threats, imprisonment and torturous death.

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You say martyrdom proves nothing. Muslims in holy war blow themselves and others up for Allah believing they will go to a sensual paradise and have 71 virgins. Yes, kamikaze pilots, suicidal cultists and Jihadist Muslims die for a cause they sincerely believe is true. But, would they die for what they know is a lie?

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Crucial differences exist between Muhammad and Christ. Muhammad said he was just a man (Sura 17:93) while Christ claimed to be God (John 5:18; 10:33; Matt. 26:63-65). Eyewitness saw Christ perform miracles; Muhammad denied miracles when asked to perform them to prove he was a true prophet (Sura 3:181-184; 6:8-9). Proof establishes truth--mere claims mean nothing. Islam spread by force and fear of the sword; Christianity by faith and love in the risen Savior. Muslims condemn Christians for the crusades when they were only taking back lands Muslims took from them. 

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Peter and the other apostles boldly proclaimed—

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“We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree . . . And we are his witnesses.” Acts 5:29-32.

“We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 2 Peter 1:16.

“I delivered to you first of all that which I received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also as by one born out of due time.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

This above statement of Paul is one of possibly 40 early church creeds (3-8 years after Christ) memorized,  passed on and later incorporated into the epistles as most persons of that day were illiterate and depended on oral communication. Some others are Rom. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-18; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:18-22.

Saul, the worst persecutor of Christians, became Paul the greatest preacher of Christ. While the men traveling with Saul to Damascus saw the light and heard the voice, only Saul saw Jesus’ body and understood his instructions. Ananias confirmed this when he opened Saul’s blinded eyes (Acts 9). All Paul’s credentials he counted loss to gain Christ (Phil. 3:5-8). What can explain Paul’s transformation except that its fact he met Christ on the Damascus Road?

Are the Gospel Accounts Fiction or Fact?

 Do these accounts of Jesus’ life read like a once upon a time story in some far off land of one-eyed giants, snake-headed Medusas, golden fleeces, genies, flying carpets and moving statues?

Consider the Gnostic Gospel of Peter dated 100 years after the resurrection. It speaks of a large crowd going to Christ’s tomb, the entrance stone moving aside, two shining men entering and carrying out a third with heads that reached up to heaven with a walking talking cross following them. That’s the character of myth and magic, not history.

Matthew, Mark and Luke cite countless names, titles, places, circumstances, customs and events verified by historical research and archaeological discovery. This is real history published within 30 years or less while eyewitnesses still lived to testify to the facts. Believing the Bible the Word of God scribes meticulously copied manuscripts. Unlike other ancient documents, thousands more manuscripts and hundreds of years closer to the events make the New Testament documents the most accurate preserved documents of antiquity--99.5%. Copious writings of the early church fathers can confirm all but eleven verses. Besides, ancient secular writers mention Jesus such as Josephus, Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, Suetonius, Hadrian, Lucian and others giving details of his life.

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If you wanted persons to believe in Jesus, would you dare mention that persons called him a deceiver (Jn. 7:12), a blasphemer they almost stoned (Jn. 8:30-59), a drunkard (Matt. 11:19), demon possessed (Mk. 3:22, Jn. 10:20), “out of his mind” by his own family (Mk. 3:21, 31), who’s followers deserted him (Jn.6:66). Only persons deeply committed to honest reporting would dare mention such damaging incidents and misunderstandings.

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Do Jesus’ teachings seem like a human invention or the true God’s ethical standard? Don’t lust. Don’t swear. Don’t hate. Blessed are the pure in heart. Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies. Go the second mile. Be perfect. Store up treasures in heaven. Glorify God. Matthew 5-7.

Critics like to claim the New Testament is only one biased religious account. Then why do the Gospels record conflicting details and supplementary information? What did the superscription on the cross really say? Were two angels at the tomb or only one? Did the women come to anoint Jesus’ body in the darkness or early morning daylight? Such seeming discrepancies show four independent trustworthy accounts. Legal experts know independent accounts exist and truth is told when witnesses generally agree but differ somewhat in details that can be reconciled. Answers to such minor difficulties are found in Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe’s book, When Critics Ask. 

Secular historians consider one source can establish many facts as history, three agreed sources unimpeachable. The Gospels are four independent sources of Christ’s life. When we add the early sermons in Acts and many early creeds in Paul’s letters (3-8 years after Christ), we have six early-agreed sources. Furthermore, while hostile witnesses would quickly expose any inaccurate testimony about Jesus, his disciples openly reminded opponents they know it’s true. Could the real bias be with the critics? One superb book that should put doubts to rest is I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek.  

Could the only reason anyone would reject the risen Lord Jesus Christ is that he or she don’t want God in his or her life? That’s life’s most serious decision. And delay could prove fatal.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore. Amen.” If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” John. 14:6; 8:24; Revelation 1:18
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Bible Errors or Critic's Errors?

Bible Errors or Critic’s Error?

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Atheist Lee Strobel was a journalist living for himself caring about professional success, not moral living. He liked to provoke Christians citing apparent Bible contradictions and difficulties. Not having answers Christians become flustered and embarrassed which made Lee feel smug and superior. He wondered how people could be so naive and dumb to believe the Bible with all its mistakes and absurdities. But when his wife became a Christian, he saw wonderful changes in her life. He began to think that maybe he was judgmental and should look more closely at the Bible. He too became a Christian and his attitude and life changed to godly interests.

Christian philosopher, logician, theologian, author and debater, Dr. Norman Geisler studied the Bible intensely for forty years and made a list of 800 alleged contradictions and errors. Yes, he knew there were difficulties and alleged contradictions. But he knew this as a logically valid syllogism.

God cannot err.

The Bible is God’s Word.

Therefore, the Bible cannot err.

The Bible says, “God is truth” (John 14:6). Jesus said to the Father, “Your Word Is truth” (John 17:17). The Psalmist exclaimed, “Your word is truth” (Ps.119:160). Inspiration is God’s breathing out his truth and God cannot lie (2 Tim. 3:16; Titus 1:2). Yes, men wrote it in their own styles, vocabulary and perspectives but God directed their wills and their pens to record the truth (2 Peter 1:20). So what the Bible says, God says. And yes, humans err, but Jesus was the all-knowing God-man. And that makes a huge difference.

Truth is what corresponds to reality. And Bible truth relates not only to spiritual and moral matters but to history and science as well--it’s simply impossible to separate the two. For example, Christ’s incarnation, virgin birth, not being sinful, miracles, death and resurrection are all vital spiritual teachings, yet inseparable from historical and scientific realities. Jesus said the Old Testament already written was God’s Word and the New Testament yet to be written would be too.

What Bible critics often deny, the archaeologists’ spade has repeatedly dug from the ground. Satan always seeks to instill doubt in the trustworthiness of what God said (Gen. 3:1) and to blind the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4). When one finds an apparent error, acknowledge that it may be in the copies not the original manuscript, or may be a faulty translation, or a wrong interpretation. Dr. Geisler has come up with seventeen common sense principles of interpretation that the critics always seem to ignore. I’ll briefly discuss seven with examples, and suggest sources for resolving alleged errors.    

Critics assume the Unexplained is Unexplainable. Is it wise to assume this passage an impossible contradiction that can’t be explained? Are we certain we haven’t overlooked something? At one time scientists had no natural explanation for meteors, eclipses, tornadoes, and hurricanes. But they didn’t throw up their hands in despair and stop all research. Instead, it challenged and motivated them to further research and discovery. At one time critics said there was no writing in Moses’ day. But writing was discovered two thousand years predating Moses. Critics said the Hittite empire mentioned only in the Bible didn’t exist until the Hittite library was discovered in Turkey. That’s only two of a great many examples.

   

Critics presume the Bible Guilty Until Proven Innocent. Truth is told far more often than falsity. In all communications, we must assume information given is correct until found faulty. For example, with road signs, traffic signals, food labels, restroom signs, law suits. If these weren’t correct, then accidents, poisoned foods, embarrassment, and jail sentences would destroy us. Innocence isn’t some special privilege granted the Bible but the fair and intelligent approach true in all of life. By signaling out the Bible for negative destructive comment, could the critics be revealing an unfair and hostile prejudice?

 

Critics Confuse Our Fallible Interpretations with God’s Infallible Revelation. As limited human beings, we all make mistakes. Jesus, the God-man said, “Truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished” (Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:17). Scripture is final authority on all it discusses. But we finite humans can misinterpret both God’s Word and God’s world. So keep these two principles in mind: Certain scientific fact today can become changing scientific fantasy tomorrow. And while God’s Word is always right, its human interpreters might not be right. When all truth is in and properly understood, there should be no final conflict between science and Scripture.

Critics Fail to Understand the Context of the Passage. The Bible says, “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1). Wrenching Bible statements from their context can make the Bible seem contradictory and teach things it doesn’t teach. In context, the verse says, "The fool has said in his heart, there’s no God." The Bible interpreter should consider the immediate context, the historical context, and the whole Bible context in some passages. Jesus’ statement “Give unto him who asks you.” wouldn’t mean you’re to give nuclear weapons to a terrorist nation or a loaded pistol to a child. Disregarding context is perhaps the greatest interpreter’s fault.

Critics may Neglect to Interpret Difficult Passages by Clear Ones. Some passages aren’t clear and may appear to teach things opposed to other things clearly taught in the Bible. The classic one is Paul verses James in salvation teaching. James is teaching that salvation before men is seen in good works (James 2:14-26). Whereas Paul is teaching justification before God is by grace through faith taught clearly in many passages (Rom. 4:5; 11:6; Titus 3:5-7; Eph. 2:8-9). Another passage is Philippians 2:12-13. Here Paul is saying in reverence and awe toward God we are responsible to outwardly display the good deeds that God enables us to will and do for his good pleasure. 

Critics may Base a Teaching on an Obscure Passage. Important teachings of Scripture are clear and taught in many places. Things that are rare and obscure should not be regarded as important doctrines. For example, First Corinthians 15:29 mentions “baptized for the dead.” Just what that means we can’t be sure and should not base a doctrine upon it. One snake-handling group built their whole religion around Mark 16:18 “they will take up serpents . . . and it will not harm them.” Paul did this on the island of Malta but it’s not God’s command to the church (Acts 28:3-6).

Critics Presume the Bible Approves all it Records. It doesn’t. Critics point to Rahab’s lie, David’s adultery, Solomon’s polygamy, Moses’ murder and say the Bible’s a shameful immoral book. Inspiration insures a true and accurate record but not God’s approval of human sin. The Bible shows as no other book does how sinful even the best of us are and how desperately we all need God’s grace and forgiveness.

Now if we really don’t want answers to such problems as the critics above raise. Then, of course, we will ignore such answers as given above and feel justified being free to live our own life apart from God and fulfill our own sinful desires. But if we honestly seek to know the truth to alleged errors, I suggest just two sources. When Critics Ask, by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. And, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, by Gleason L. Archer.

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The Alternatives If There's No God

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When I speak of God, I don’t mean anybody’s idea of God. I don’t mean the pantheist god of universal energy or force. I don’t mean the intellectual’s irrelevant process god. I don’t mean god as our highest ideal. I don’t mean a deistic Creator of the world who then abandoned it. I don’t mean the imperfect god who allows us 51% good deeds to enter Heaven--maybe. I don’t mean a god who is exclusively love and excuses every wicked thing we might do. I don’t mean conflicting limited temporary gods derived from nature.

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I do mean the self-existent, infinite perfect personal ethical God of biblical Christianity. I mean the Creator God who gave abundant evidence he walked among us. Who in love died to save us from sin and its consequences, and who rose again. Only this God is God and worth our time, worship and service. But unbelief claims this God doesn’t exist. What then are the alternatives?

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The Universe Originated By Chance

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Chance or accident is our only explanation for the universe’s beginning. So before the universe popped into existence no physical forces existed and no matter, time or space. But science and good sense accepts as obvious fact that nothing can’t produce something. So everything that begins must have an adequate cause. The universe’s expansion, it’s running down, and that it’s impossible to backtrack eternally, all point to a time of beginning. So the universe must be the effect of a self-existing infinite unchangeable immaterial Intelligence we may rightfully call God. Chance origins don’t make scientific nor biblical sense. But in beginning, God created does.

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The Universe Will Die

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What popped into being by chance is not eternal and can pop out of being anytime. I’ve already mentioned the universe is dying a heat death—the stars are dying out, it's called the second law of thermodynamics. But further, the earth can be destroyed at anytime. I saw ten disasters on the science TV channel that could destroy the earth--a big asteroid, volcanic eruptions, solar flares, earthquakes, ice caps melting. Christians, however, believe God is in control and will destroy the universe by fire.

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“Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet. 3:12-13).   

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Human Life Is the Product of Chance Evolution

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In the first place, spontaneous generation of life from dead, mindless chemicals is impossible—something can’t give what it doesn’t have. Life forms are genetically fixed within limits from the start. There are no transitional links between animals—but those who won’t allow God can’t admit that. Further, without a heart, reproductive capacity, breathing system or some vital organ animals could never survive, so it’s obvious all must be present and functional from the start. These known scientific facts eliminate any possibility of evolution and point to God.

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Human Life Has No Ultimate Purpose

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Without God to sustain it, all life will cease to exist. What then is the meaning of life? Even supposing life came to earth for an outside source or that we may go to other planets our lives will end and soon be forgotten memories. Will we even have a tombstone with our name inscribed? The Grim Reaper may be knocking at our door even now. All our aspirations, hopes, achievements will cease to exist. That is unless Jesus is the God-man who told us God’s truth and can give us everlasting life. Some atheists such as Bertrand Russell admit this.

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Morality, Ethics, Right and Wrong Doesn’t Make Ultimate Sense

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Life is short and seems to fly by faster every year. Why not ‘live it up’ and do just what I want?Passions are strong. I’m often weak. Sexual tension drives me up the wall. No God means no judgment or Hell. Evolution proves we’re just animals anyway. So why not do what animals do? People get in my way. Why should I care about them? Yes laws and humane treatment work better and makes us feel saver and saner, but I want my way and I’m going to have it. Responsibility to others doesn’t make much sense to me. And if I’m clever, I can get by with lots of things. But . . .

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“They did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting . . . who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who do such things are deserving of death. You are inexcusable, O man (Rom. 3:28, 32; 2:1).”

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Human Dignity, Rights and Freedom Mean Little for Soulless Dirt

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We know that at death we return to the dirt we are--our skin even shows the same colors as white, black, brown, red, and yellow dirt. We’re soulless animals of no greater value than dirt. In a chaotic relativist world, whoever can make great promises and usurp government control can rule the world. We are moving closer to that every day. Communication and travel improvements bring us together as one world awaiting the AntiChrist destroyer.

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“And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:7-8).”

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There’s No Basis for Absolute Justice, Mercy, Love or Truth

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A godless world has no place for moral absolutes. Justice, mercy, love and truth is what you make of them or what will be forced upon you. There is no authoritative standard above limited, fickle, conflicting, biased human opinions and preferences. Tyrants rule and people are at their mercy. Conscience, guilt feelings, and shame are universal but make no sense without a Moral Lawgiver.

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“When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel (Rom. 2:14-16).”
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Experimental Science Is Without Foundation

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Experimental science developed in medieval Christian Europe, which supplied the necessary conceptual framework. Apart from biblical Christianity, it’s unlikely we would have modern experimental science. Paganism thought nature scared and tampering with it disturbing its gods. Mystical pantheism regarded the world cyclic and unreal illusion. Plato and the philosophers gained knowledge through reason not experimental testing. Ancient civilizations believed interference of the gods make the world illogical and unpredictable. Even Islam’s Allah was arbitrary.

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 But Christians believed God created a real world that was good, orderly, intelligible, and made for exploration, study, dominion and development. The heavens declared the glory of God and the earth is his handiwork. It is no accident that the pioneers of science were committed Christians. These include Johannes Kepler, Blaise Pascal, Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday and a list to long to name. Science textbooks don’t mention their men’s religious beliefs and practices. For example, the great Isaac Newton wrote Bible commentaries. Naturalistic science borrowed its foundation from Christianity and disowned its forbearer.

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All Religions Can Be Classified Into Two Categories

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All human ideas of God can fit into two major categories: subjective or objective. Subjective ideas of God are based upon human imaginations, fears and speculations—persons make claims about them but furnish no real objective tangible evidence they exist. For example, god is universal energy—philosophical Hinduism and Buddhism. Many gods—popular Hinduism and Mormonism. God is what an angel told me—Islam and Mormonism. A good god and an evil god must exist to explain good and evil in the world--Zoroastrianism. No god exists because I haven’t seen anything that convinces me but I honor my beloved ancestors—Confucianism and Shinto.

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An objective religion would furnish evidence that honest open-minded thinking people can examine to see if God actually exists. Without apology, I claim that the Judao-Christian faith alone of all religions meets this test.

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 Before you accuse me of being an arrogant, narrow-minded, bigot, please here me out. First, many conflicting religions can’t all be right no matter what they claim—God can’t be all the different things mentioned above. I don’t mean this to put anyone down but just to be truthful. Second, if any one religion is true and of God, everyone is in his or her rights to ask for rational factual evidence. Now I’ve given good reason a personal ethical God exists. Is there any reason the universe’s Creator cannot become a man and walk among us? Could Jesus be the God-man?     

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Jesus is said to claim and do things that could only be true of God. First, he fulfilled detailed Messianic predictions made centuries before he lived on earth. Such predictions as Messiah would be God, born in Bethlehem, perform miracles, die for people’s sins and rise from the dead—only God could fulfill such prophecies. Second, Jesus did things only God’s power would enable anyone to do. He walked on water, healed all kinds of diseases immediately, caste out demons, ascended into the sky. Third, all the while Jesus said things only God would say: He came from Heaven, existed before creation, performed miracles, forgives sins, could give eternal life, is the only way to Heaven. Now if these things are true, wouldn’t the conclusion have to be: Jesus is God? And if good honest evidence supports it, wouldn’t we be fools to ignore it? And isn’t the burden of proof on us to prove it false?

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Yes, others are claimed to be God and perform miracles. But in writings centuries after their deaths by adoring disciples and not in primary documents or in teaching of the founders. That’s altogether different from eyewitness accounts within three decades of Jesus death and of disciples who endured torturous deaths to verify Jesus is the risen Lord. Moreover, Jesus’ disciples lived in the real world and were as astonished at his claims, fulfilled prophecies and miracles as we are today. In trusting Jesus to save us, our only loss is desire to sin and eternity in Hell. 
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 It’s your choice? Heaven’s love and fulfillment, or Hell’s darkness and torments? This is our life's most serious decision. Trust the Lord now. You may never have this chance again. I pray U will say, Lord forgive me the sinner, and be my Savior, Lord and Life Guide.

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