Unbelief’s Issues and Answers

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We object to statements that we think untrue. Disbelievers in anything Christian often attack Bible believers who try to live a godly life and be a witness to their faith. This essay will address these issues with answes. It will uncover their assumptions, misunderstandings and give a response. I’ll present the objection in bold print and the following paragraph will be the response in each case.

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Jesus was only a good man and great teacher but not the Son of God.

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This statement is self-refuting. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and our Savior. If that’s not true, then Jesus is a liar or lunatic. And that would mean he’s not even a good man. Moreover, he did things over three years that demonstrated publically before large crowds that only God could do such as heal diseases instantly, walk on water, raise the dead, and assent into Heaven. Neither man nor nature can do such things—only God alone. Therefore, Jesus must be God as he claimed. Friend, have you read the Bible with an open mind or just uncritically assumed someone’s negative comments were correct?

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Man is not evil, but good.

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Though good, a bad environment can make persons turn bad. Provide good education, housing, jobs, and all basic human needs and people will be good.

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History and psychology show conclusively that man is naturally corrupt in thought, will, and practice. Children don’t need to be taught to lie, steal, cheat, or harm people or things. If man is good, why do people everywhere have locked doors, a police force, judges, prisons, and armies? This shouldn’t be true if people were really good. We can have evil thoughts even when we don’t act on them. Nazi Germany was the most educated people, yet murdered millions of Jews and anybody who disagreed with Hitler. Of course, monists can redefine sin and evil as illusion, but they can’t live at though it’s true—ask one to step in front of an oncoming train. Human pride prevents people from admitting their sinners. Scripture is true that man’s heart is deceitful and wicked (Jer. 17:9; Rom. 1:18-32).

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I’m an atheist who says dogmatically there’s no God of any kind.

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Just because you haven’t seen anything you would call a personal God, does that mean he can’t exist or can’t be an immaterial Spirit? Do you know what’s going on in the next town, next house, even the next room? If we could draw a circle big enough to represent universal knowledge, a period, if that, would represent a man’s knowledge. A person would have to know everything in time and space to say there’s no God, or God can’t act in our world, can’t perform a miracle, or can’t speak to a human mind. Isn’t atheism then an arrogant self-contradictory pretention to having a God-like knowledge? The agnostic says, ‘I don’t know or we can’t know about God’. Of course, he’s right that a mystic’s subjective claims about God (Muhammad, Buddha) have no evidential value. But he’s fooling himself if he hasn’t addressed the ancient detailed prophecies about the Jewish Messiah fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and Christ’s miracles, sinless life, and resurrection?

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Christianity is okay for you, but not for me.

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People have right to their own lifestyle. So don’t bother me with your religion. What feels good is true and right for me, not Jesus.

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Hedonistic lifestyles lead to disaster. They are a selfish disregard for others. They destroy trust, objects, friendships, families, and nations as well as the Hedonist. Some persons take pleasure in deception, robbery, rape and murder--would you call such things right? If a compassionate friend had the cure for your cancer, would you say, “don’t bother me?” Christians show compassion to tell sinners of the Savior from godless living and eternal Hell. Do you know no judgment day and no Hell exist? Can you prove it? And how would you feel and be if everyone applied your inconsiderate lifestyle to you, you’re friends, and your loved ones?

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I am not a sinner.

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 A sinner is a social outcast--a drunk, dope addict, or whore, but I’m not bad like that.

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We can always find others worse than us and condemn them. This makes us feel superior, self-righteous, respectable and prideful like the Pharisee in the temple (Luke 18:9-14). The truth is we all sin to different degrees and in different areas. Our list for respectability is different from our neighbors and usually doesn’t include our own sins. Unless there is an infinite, ethical Creator and Judge, nothing is absolutely true and morally right—then no higher authority than individual preferences exist. Abundant evidence shows there is such a God, which means there will one day be a judgment of all our sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. We cannot obey God’s laws 100% of the time, which means we must humbly acknowledge our sin and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man and Savior of us sinners.

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I’m too bad a sinner.

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I’m not respectable. I’m a no-good, a whore, drunk, drug addict. God could never forgive me. Christianity is only for good, respectable persons.

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Surprisingly, the Bible teaches that “good people” go to Hell and “bad people” go to Heaven. Jesus said he had not come to call the righteous but sinners. In other words, prideful self-righteous persons unwilling to acknowledge their sin and unworthiness before God are doomed to Hell. But persons who humbly confess their sin and need of forgiveness, like the tax collector praying in the temple with the Pharisee, are justified (Luke 18:9-14). God will save any true repentant believer in Christ (Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9-10).

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I don’t believe Jesus arose from the dead.

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Jesus’ resurrection depends upon evidence, not an assumption of universal knowledge about nature. Five hundred witnesses saw Jesus after he arose from the dead (1 Cor. 15). Brilliant skeptics have devised a dozen failed theories to explain it away. The sealed guarded tomb, left grave clothes, Jesus appearances, skeptical disciples, establishment of the church, martyrs, Sunday worship, and the New Testament, dating time B.C to A.D., make no sense unless Jesus arose. See my articles on Jesus’ resurrection.
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Life is filled with difficulties, perplexities, injustices. I'm far from perfect, but am counted perfect in Christ who paid with His life for my sins in His death on the cross. I've trusted in Jesus' promise of eternal and more abundant life. I'm growing in learning God's will and love. Won't you too say: Lord, I trust You now as a sinner seeking a Savior and Guide for my life. Use me in love to learn Your way and share it with others. Thank You Lord Jesus.   

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May I recommend some books to strengthen your faith? The New Atheism and The Erosion of Freedom by Robert A. Morey and The Christian Combat Manual by Dan Story. If God doesn’t exist, then human dignity, rights and freedom mean nothing. We’re mere soulless dirt as atheists believe or recycled energy on our way to nothingness as pantheist reincarnationists believe.

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Twenty-five Question Bible Literacy Test

Twenty-five  Question Bible Literacy Test

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General knowledge, even Bible knowledge, is a mark of an educated person. Sorry to say so few persons today know much about the Bible even though it's always been the best seller. I invite you to take this general test and hone your knowledge. Answers are at the bottom of this page. Go for it!

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1.      How many books are in the Protestant New Testament?

27 -  29 - 39 - 14 - 66

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2.      Which book never mentions God?

Psalms – Acts – Luke – Easter- Ruth

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3.      Who asked that if a man dies, would he live again?

Lazarus – Martha – Job – Jesus – Pilate

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4.      Which book is an account of the life of Jesus?

Jude – Galatians – Mark – Philemon – Revelation

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5.      Which is NOT true of the Holy Spirit?

God –Indwells believers – A Force – Convicts of sin –In the O.T.

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6.      Which is NOT one of the twelve tribes of Israel?

Judah – Joseph – Dan – Levi – Benjamin  

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7.      Which book gives the Ten Commandments?

Numbers – Exodus – Judges – Leviticus – 1 Chronicles

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8.      Who was the first Christian martyr?

James – Matthias – Peter – Paul – Stephen

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9.      Which is the resurrection chapter?

1 Cor. 13 – Hebrews 11 – Isaiah 53 – 1 Cor. 15 – John 11

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10.  Who wrote five New Testament books?

Peter – Moses – Luke – Thomas – John

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11.  Which book describes Paul’s conversion three times?

Romans – Acts – Matthew – Galatians – Ezra

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12.  Which book states that God helps those who help themselves?

Mark – Titus – None – Nehemiah – Easter

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13.  Which book says that God will destroy the universe by fire?

None – Genesis – Lamentations – 2 Peter – Judges

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14.  Which person was not a judge in Israel?

Deborah – Gideon – Sisera – Samuel - Samson

15.  Which book says the new Heaven will be on the new earth?

Revelation – 1 Peter – Titus – 1 Thessalonians – Ezekiel

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16.  Which Bible passage says we earn our way to Heaven by good deeds?

Titus 3:5 –  None  -  Ephesians 2:8-9  – Romans 6:23 – Romans 11: 6

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17.  Which Bible text specifically says that Jesus is God?

Romans 9:5  – All  –  Hebrews 1:8  --  John 20:28  – Titus 2:13

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18.  Which action shows Jesus Christ is God?

Accepted worship – Forgave sins – Raised the dead – All – Came from Heaven

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19.  Which Old Testament text describes the Jew’s Messiah as being God?

Isaiah 7:14 – All – Micah 5:2 - Isaiah 9:6 - Psalm 2:7

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20.  Which Bible text says Jesus died in the place of sinners?

John 1:29;  10:11 –  Rom. 5:8-9  -  1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:24; 3:18  – 2 Cor. 5:18, 21  –  All

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21.  Which Bible text says Jesus alone is the way to Heaven?

All  -  Acts 4:12  –  John 14:6  –  John 10:7-9  -  1 Timothy 2:5

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22.  What Bible text says no sin or evil will be allowed in Heaven?

Revelation 22:15  –  Rev. 21:8, 27  –  1 Cor. 6:9-10; 15:50   --  All  -  Galatians 5:21

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23.  What Bible text shows there is only one God?

Deuteronomy 6:4  --  All  --  Mark 12:29  --  John 17:3  -  1 Corinthians 8:4, 6

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24.  What Bible text shows there are NOT three persons within the one God?

Matthew 28:19  --  None  –  2 Corinthians 13:4  --  Matt. 3:16-17  --  Isaiah 63:7-10

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25.  Which term DOESN’T describe what God calls evil or disapproves?

            Lawlessness – Rebellion - Selfishness – Apostasy – Kindness

ANSWERS:  1.  27.   2.  Easter.   3.  Job.  4. Mark.  5.  A Force.  6.  Joseph.  7.  Exodus.   8. Matthias.

                      9.  1 Cor. 15.  10.  Luke.  11.  Acts.  12.  None.  13.  2 Peter.  14.  Sisera.  15. Revelation.

                      16.  None.   17.  All.  18.  All.  19.  All.  20.  All.  21.  All.  22.  All.   23.  All.  24. None.

                      25.  Kindness.

An Atheist's Journey to Jesus

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I’m an atheist. I don’t believe any god of any kind exists. Pantheists say universal energy can repeatedly assume many forms, even gods. This energy exists; it’s no illusion. But I’d hardly call it god since it’s not a personal consciousness that can know, think, feel or do anything to help or hurt me. The deist claims a Creator who abandoned us to nature’s laws. That’s no God I could respect or worship--he’s irrelevant. Six centuries after Christ, Muhammad informed us an angel revealed the Quran making him God’s final prophet. Then centuries later Joseph Smith Jr. claimed the same thing for the Book of Mormon and Mormons claime we can become gods and have our own planet. Well, I don’t believe in angels and I don’t see that any of them furnish any proof that provides a foundation for religion. Couldn’t anybody say these same things? 
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Now if a real God exists we would see evidence of him everywhere--but we don’t! The world’s evils and sufferings preclude a God of infinite love and power or he would eliminate them. The Jews believed a Messiah would come to set the world right, but he never showed. And most absurd, Christians claim Jesus is God who fulfilled prophecies, performed miracles, died on a cross to take away our sins and arose from the dead. I’m not deceived or stupid to believe the impossible. And unlike Christians, I’m not prejudiced, exclusivist, arrogant, intolerant and narrow-minded. I try to be honest and reasonable. Yet, I have doubts.
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Of course, I haven’t turned over every rock or checked out everything in earth’s history nor peered behind every star that I can rightfully conclude there’s no God; I just assume it because I don’t see any evidence anywhere. I’ll admit that if God’s not like a big man somewhere in space but is Spirit, then he could surround me and I not know it. I’m just trying to be honest.
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The amount of suffering and injustice in the world is enormous—rapes, robberies, murders, wars everywhere. A truly good and powerful God would eliminate them or at least restrict the amount. But restrict who and to what extent? We’d never agree to that. If a good God prevented our evils it would destroy our freedom, dehumanize us. I sometimes lie, cheat and steal a little, incriminate others, not keep my promises. Frankly, I throw trash on the streets, trash peoples’ lives and I don’t care! It’s just so natural--it seems to be inborn. I can’t help it!
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We’re all to varying degrees evil, so a truly good or perfect God would have to punish or remove us all. That must be what Christians mean by sin and judgment. Then grace would be God delaying justice and punishment to let us see our bad ways and make constructive changes? If there’s a perfect place called Heaven, then it must take something more than just natural living to get there--something supernatural must take place to get us there.
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Now here’s what really bothers me: If there’s no God, how can I even complain about evils, sufferings, and injustices? If there’s no God, there’s no Authority to complain to, no Judge to hold us accountable, no Lawgiver to set standards or say what’s evil. But, if a perfect and powerful God does exist, then one day our grace period will end. 
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But where is there any evidence of God? Astronomer Hugh Ross says there’s 122 constant factors designed to enable human life to exist on planet earth—earth’s size, thickness of crust, distance from and size of our sun, one moon and its distance, right atmosphere, water, gravity. Physicists say the universe is running down—heat disperses, metals rust, wood rots, motion will cease—which means it had a beginning or uncaused cause. Biologist Louis Pasteur’s experiments showed life comes only from life. Microbiologists say the DNA cell in every life form is a library and blueprint of how things must develop. All organs and systems must be complete and functional from the start; slow development of useless appendages and injurious mutations arenn’t transmittable. Mindless molecules can’t magically arrange themselves into men no matter if eternity. Then this uncaused cause of our dependent universe must be a living, powerful, eternal, intelligent cause. Oh no! It looks like what Christians call God. 
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This greatly upsets me. So what if my atheism is a biased exclusivist position! I staunchly believe in evolutionary chance origins. But whether things pop into existence by chance, or by the gods, or by fate, I can never be certain my mind is not deceiving me. It all means no rational source of things, no firm basis for truth, logic, justice, science, ultimate purpose, human dignity, life, hope, or ethics good or evil. People are on their own to decide what’s best for them. And whoever gets control forces their agenda on us. Anarchy leads to kingly tyranny as evidenced throughout history. It honestly seems atheism in practice is our ruin—it’s bankrupt slavery and poverty.

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Could it be possible that the Christians are right? Could there be a higher power to set standards, guide our lives, and hold us accountable? It would give life meaning and make sense of everything. I’ve always read books, which supported my atheism like Bertrand Russell’s Why I’m Not A Christian and Julian Huxley’s Evolution in Action. I’ve made fun of the Bible and Christians. But what I know of the Bible is hearsay and I really don’t understand the Christian faith.

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To be intellectually honest and understand what I’m objecting too, I purchased a Bible to read and the Christian books, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek, Without a Doubt by Kenneth Richard Samples, and The New Atheism and the Erosion of Freedom by Robert A. Morey.

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In reading these books, I discovered that Jews and Christians have sharp minds, are anything but stupid, and that I’ve been entertaining false stereotypes. I’m ashamed to say I’ve been belittling and ridiculing people and their beliefs of whom I knew little about and who had shown me respect and deep concern. I would vehemently protest such unfairness, arrogance and intolerance if they did this to me.

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 I discovered there were some three hundred detailed predictions about the coming Jewish Messiah. The Rabbis knew about them centuries before as shown in Alfred Edersheim’s book The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Some Jewish scholars said Scripture taught Messiah was both a suffering servant and a reigning king, which seemed contradictory. But what’s incredible is the ancient prophecies said Messiah would be Bethlehem’s virgin-born God-man who would fulfill prophecies, perform miracles, die for our sins and rise from the dead. Now there's no way we human being could simply guess about such paticular things centuries before they occurred.

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Now opposed to critic’s claims, the Jews had no prophets for four hundred years until John the Baptizer appeared. So they were astonished at Jesus’ miracles, his fulfilling ancient prophecies, his blasphemous claims to be God--they knew nature’s laws as we do today.

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The Jews ridiculed Jesus’ disciples and expelled them from synagogue that condemned them to Hell. Then both Jews and Romans hunted them like animals and tortured them to death. It is incredible nonsense to think Jesus’ disciples would endure this all the while knowing it a lie.

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A life and death decision is required here. I don’t see Jesus on earth today, but that doesn’t disprove his past presence. Unless I unwarrantedly assume there’s no Creator God who can act in our world, I must choose-- delay too is a choice. The evidence shows our sin and willful rejection of Jesus will lead to eternal darkness, torment and fiery wrath. But to trust in the loving Lord who paid for our sins on the cross brings eternal life with Him and our believing friends in Heaven. It's true! It's all true. Jesus is the Messiah and God. Lord, forgive me a sinner. I trust You now and forever and look forward to one day walking down those golden streets. Praise God! I'm saved.

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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