This is an article written by Marcia Montenegro of Christian Answers for the New Age.
Although there are rock groups in the past and present that used satanic lyrics and symbols, none have seemed to have actually created a cult following among teenagers and young people as has Marilyn Manson. Named Best New Artist of 1996 by Rolling Stone magazine, Manson's third album, "Antichrist" Superstar," which sold more than 1 million copies, reached No. 3 on Billboard magazine's survey....Continue Reading
Christians should not miss this very important part at the end of Marcia's article:
What is needed is outreach, not protest.
Although what Manson often declares is at odds with Christian belief, we Christians must be careful not to self-righteously condemn him, nor should we turn our heads away when we see teens dressed in bizarre outfits. What kind of message does this send? It only seems to prove Manson right in what he says about Christians. This attitude is alienating. What good is it to reject those who already feel rejected, or alienate those who feel alienated?
Instead, we should ask teens why they like Manson. Is it just the music or is it also the attitude and message Manson has? Be willing to address the issue of hypocrisy. There is hypocrisy in society and in the church. Why? Discuss this and listen. Be willing to admit some of what Manson says is true, because it is.
For anyone ready to put down Manson or the kids who like him, read First Corinthians 13. All your knowledge, words and faith mean nothing without love; you are as a "clanging cymbal." Keep in mind that Jesus hung out with all kinds of people when He was on earth, including many that were treated as outcasts by the culture of that day. Would not Jesus maybe be hanging out and talking with these teens who are Manson followers, if He were here today? I think so.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
A brief response to anti-creationist books
From CMI:
What about the anti-creationist books? I can’t possibly deal with all of them, but I will highlight some of the typical tactics and distortions used in such books by addressing some of those in the Selkirk and Burrows book, Confronting Creationism: Defending Darwin.1 Such books normally present a distorted account of the creationist position, which is then made to look silly. They erect a ‘straw man’, set him alight, and then gloat over how stupid creationists can be to believe such things. Of course, creationists are not above criticism; we are human, fallible creatures. And sometimes the more ‘flakey’ fellow travellers of the creation movement give the sceptics cause to blaspheme. I have no wish to defend the indefensible. This response deals with deliberate distortions of main-stream creationist thinking by much anti-creationist literature...Continue Reading.
What about the anti-creationist books? I can’t possibly deal with all of them, but I will highlight some of the typical tactics and distortions used in such books by addressing some of those in the Selkirk and Burrows book, Confronting Creationism: Defending Darwin.1 Such books normally present a distorted account of the creationist position, which is then made to look silly. They erect a ‘straw man’, set him alight, and then gloat over how stupid creationists can be to believe such things. Of course, creationists are not above criticism; we are human, fallible creatures. And sometimes the more ‘flakey’ fellow travellers of the creation movement give the sceptics cause to blaspheme. I have no wish to defend the indefensible. This response deals with deliberate distortions of main-stream creationist thinking by much anti-creationist literature...Continue Reading.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Repent And Be Saved! I Said, REPENT!!!
From Jack Kinsella:
I believe that the Bible calls us to be witnesses of Christ, and that there is no more perfect expression of God's will in the life of a Christian than when he works to lead others to Christ,
That said, what does one do, as one of our readers related recently in one of our forums, when somebody is clearly not interested in hearing the Gospel?
The forum comment describes an experience we've all shared in some variation. You strike up a conversation, and somehow, Jesus comes up in the discussion.
Your conversation suddenly stalls, and when you try to revive it, you meet a wall of stony silence.
Eventually, you come to recognize the signals and past experience tells you its time to say something cheery and take your leave.
But then it bothers you all the way home. . . "why didn't I press the issue? Am I a coward for Christ? Jesus endured the collective hatred of the human race. Am I so weak I can't bear a little rejection?"
You are convinced you failed Him. You had a chance to share the Gospel, and you blew it.
Maybe if you had tried a little harder, they might have listened. But no, you were too chicken!
It isn't like you don't know what is at stake -- especially if you have been an OL member for any length of time at all.
You know that every person you meet is destined to spend eternity somewhere. You already know that they will either spend eternity in the joyful presence of Christ.
Or they will spend a Christ less eternity alone, tormented by the punishments of hell and their memory of rejecting their chance to escape it.
You know it because I remind you of it every chance that I get to do so. The redemption of a single sinner is worth the whole world, the Scriptures say. When one sinner repents, the angels rejoice.
Nothing in our walk though this world is of greater eternal value than leading a lost sinner to Christ.
But instead of pressing the issue, you walked away.
Knowing all that you know, you gave up without a fight. What kind of soldier are you?
If that is your story, or you have one like it, then the answer is, a smart one. A smart soldier would not press a battle against the odds -- just so he could say he was in the fight.
Once you've used up all your resources in an unwise and ill-prepared assault, then those resources are no longer available to be deployed elsewhere where they can be of greater tactical value.
You offered Jesus, the offer was rejected. But in making the offer, you planted a seed. What you do next will affect the probability that your seed will take root.
You can continue to pour water on it until it drowns. Or you can plant it, give it as much water as conditions demand, give it a chance to germinate, and let nature take its course.
Planting the Gospel is sometimes like that. You plant it by sharing the Gospel, but sometimes, like planting in saturated ground, you can overwater and drown the seed.
Sometimes, just planting the seed is all that is necessary, and then its time to let the Holy Spirit take care of the nurturing.
Instead of drowning the seed in your eagerness to get it to take root, sometimes its better to let it germinate, even if it means somebody else will get to reap the harvest.
If your concern is for the health of the seed rather than your profit from the harvest, then it is not such a big deal if somebody else gets to harvest it.
Should you have pressed that person who clearly didn't want to be pressed?
Ask yourself how you react when a salesman keeps pestering you after you tell him you'll think about it.
Not only won't you buy from that salesman, odds are that you won't buy that brand, either, even though the salesman had nothing to do with the quality of the product.
Jesus knows whether or not you've done the job He sent you to do. How does He tell us to handle rejection? Does He tell us to press the issue until it comes to blows?
No. He says: "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." (Matthew 10:14)
"And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them." (Luke 9:5)
"He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me." (Luke 10:16)
When Paul and Barnabas attempted to preach the Gospel, "the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts."
Paul and Barnabas did their best. They preached the Word, the offered the salvation of Christ, and the Word was rejected. What did they do next?
"[T]hey shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium." (Acts 13:50-51)
"And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ."
Notice that Paul and Timothy were moved by the Holy Spirit to witness to the Macedonians. Notice also what happened when the Macedonians didn't want to hear it.
"And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." (Acts 18:6)
This was the Apostle Paul, and the Bible says it was the Holy Spirit moved him to preach. But the Macedonians were free to choose.
Paul and Timothy didn't browbeat them, but rather, Paul said, "I've done what the Lord sent me to do. From here on out, it is up to you."
Paul was not a bad Christian. He wasn't weak, he wasn't wishy-washy, he wasn't uncaring. Paul was God's chosen evangelist to the Gentiles.
But Paul understood that the seeds he planted would grow unto the Lord, or they would NOT grow unto the Lord.
There is an old saying to the effect that "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink."
And if you try, you'll probably drown the horse.
It wasn't up to Paul to do more than the task that God put before him. Neither is it up to you.
It is our duty and our solemn responsibility to make sure everyone we meet has a chance to choose whom they will serve in this life and where they will spend eternity.
But it is not up to them to make the choice for them. Or to feel responsible when they choose badly. It's not we that we failed Him.
The seed we plant may not germinate for decades, but that's up to God, not us. That's where the 'trust' part takes over.
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13)
Don't beat yourself up. Your job is to take the stand as a witness. It's up to the Holy Spirit to obtain a conviction.
"Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it." (1st Thessalonians 5:24)
There are times when its our job to plant the seeds, then get out of the way and let Him take it from there.
I believe that the Bible calls us to be witnesses of Christ, and that there is no more perfect expression of God's will in the life of a Christian than when he works to lead others to Christ,
That said, what does one do, as one of our readers related recently in one of our forums, when somebody is clearly not interested in hearing the Gospel?
The forum comment describes an experience we've all shared in some variation. You strike up a conversation, and somehow, Jesus comes up in the discussion.
Your conversation suddenly stalls, and when you try to revive it, you meet a wall of stony silence.
Eventually, you come to recognize the signals and past experience tells you its time to say something cheery and take your leave.
But then it bothers you all the way home. . . "why didn't I press the issue? Am I a coward for Christ? Jesus endured the collective hatred of the human race. Am I so weak I can't bear a little rejection?"
You are convinced you failed Him. You had a chance to share the Gospel, and you blew it.
Maybe if you had tried a little harder, they might have listened. But no, you were too chicken!
It isn't like you don't know what is at stake -- especially if you have been an OL member for any length of time at all.
You know that every person you meet is destined to spend eternity somewhere. You already know that they will either spend eternity in the joyful presence of Christ.
Or they will spend a Christ less eternity alone, tormented by the punishments of hell and their memory of rejecting their chance to escape it.
You know it because I remind you of it every chance that I get to do so. The redemption of a single sinner is worth the whole world, the Scriptures say. When one sinner repents, the angels rejoice.
Nothing in our walk though this world is of greater eternal value than leading a lost sinner to Christ.
But instead of pressing the issue, you walked away.
Knowing all that you know, you gave up without a fight. What kind of soldier are you?
If that is your story, or you have one like it, then the answer is, a smart one. A smart soldier would not press a battle against the odds -- just so he could say he was in the fight.
Once you've used up all your resources in an unwise and ill-prepared assault, then those resources are no longer available to be deployed elsewhere where they can be of greater tactical value.
You offered Jesus, the offer was rejected. But in making the offer, you planted a seed. What you do next will affect the probability that your seed will take root.
You can continue to pour water on it until it drowns. Or you can plant it, give it as much water as conditions demand, give it a chance to germinate, and let nature take its course.
Planting the Gospel is sometimes like that. You plant it by sharing the Gospel, but sometimes, like planting in saturated ground, you can overwater and drown the seed.
Sometimes, just planting the seed is all that is necessary, and then its time to let the Holy Spirit take care of the nurturing.
Instead of drowning the seed in your eagerness to get it to take root, sometimes its better to let it germinate, even if it means somebody else will get to reap the harvest.
If your concern is for the health of the seed rather than your profit from the harvest, then it is not such a big deal if somebody else gets to harvest it.
Should you have pressed that person who clearly didn't want to be pressed?
Ask yourself how you react when a salesman keeps pestering you after you tell him you'll think about it.
Not only won't you buy from that salesman, odds are that you won't buy that brand, either, even though the salesman had nothing to do with the quality of the product.
Jesus knows whether or not you've done the job He sent you to do. How does He tell us to handle rejection? Does He tell us to press the issue until it comes to blows?
No. He says: "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." (Matthew 10:14)
"And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them." (Luke 9:5)
"He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me." (Luke 10:16)
When Paul and Barnabas attempted to preach the Gospel, "the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts."
Paul and Barnabas did their best. They preached the Word, the offered the salvation of Christ, and the Word was rejected. What did they do next?
"[T]hey shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium." (Acts 13:50-51)
"And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ."
Notice that Paul and Timothy were moved by the Holy Spirit to witness to the Macedonians. Notice also what happened when the Macedonians didn't want to hear it.
"And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." (Acts 18:6)
This was the Apostle Paul, and the Bible says it was the Holy Spirit moved him to preach. But the Macedonians were free to choose.
Paul and Timothy didn't browbeat them, but rather, Paul said, "I've done what the Lord sent me to do. From here on out, it is up to you."
Paul was not a bad Christian. He wasn't weak, he wasn't wishy-washy, he wasn't uncaring. Paul was God's chosen evangelist to the Gentiles.
But Paul understood that the seeds he planted would grow unto the Lord, or they would NOT grow unto the Lord.
There is an old saying to the effect that "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink."
And if you try, you'll probably drown the horse.
It wasn't up to Paul to do more than the task that God put before him. Neither is it up to you.
It is our duty and our solemn responsibility to make sure everyone we meet has a chance to choose whom they will serve in this life and where they will spend eternity.
But it is not up to them to make the choice for them. Or to feel responsible when they choose badly. It's not we that we failed Him.
The seed we plant may not germinate for decades, but that's up to God, not us. That's where the 'trust' part takes over.
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13)
Don't beat yourself up. Your job is to take the stand as a witness. It's up to the Holy Spirit to obtain a conviction.
"Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it." (1st Thessalonians 5:24)
There are times when its our job to plant the seeds, then get out of the way and let Him take it from there.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Deniable Darwin
Note: David Berlinski has most recently written The Devil’s Delusion and The Deniable Darwin.
CHARLES DARWIN presented On the Origin of Species to a disbelieving world in 1859 - three years after Clerk Maxwell had published "On Faraday's Lines of Force," the first of his papers on the electromagnetic field. Maxwell's theory has by a process of absorption become part of quantum field theory, and so a part of the great canonical structure created by mathematical physics.
By contrast, the final triumph of Darwinian theory, although vividly imagined by biologists, remains, along with world peace and Esperanto, on the eschatological horizon of contemporary thought.
"It is just a matter of time," one biologist wrote recently, reposing his faith in a receding hereafter, "before this fruitful concept comes to be accepted by the public as wholeheartedly as it has accepted the spherical earth and the sun-centered solar system." Time, however, is what evolutionary biologists have long had, and if general acceptance has not come by now, it is hard to know when it ever will...Continue Reading
CHARLES DARWIN presented On the Origin of Species to a disbelieving world in 1859 - three years after Clerk Maxwell had published "On Faraday's Lines of Force," the first of his papers on the electromagnetic field. Maxwell's theory has by a process of absorption become part of quantum field theory, and so a part of the great canonical structure created by mathematical physics.
By contrast, the final triumph of Darwinian theory, although vividly imagined by biologists, remains, along with world peace and Esperanto, on the eschatological horizon of contemporary thought.
"It is just a matter of time," one biologist wrote recently, reposing his faith in a receding hereafter, "before this fruitful concept comes to be accepted by the public as wholeheartedly as it has accepted the spherical earth and the sun-centered solar system." Time, however, is what evolutionary biologists have long had, and if general acceptance has not come by now, it is hard to know when it ever will...Continue Reading
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Romans 8:35-39
Rom 8:35-39 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Evolutionary Logic
Article by William Dembski:
Since the neo-Darwinian synthesis of the 1930s, evolutionary biology has become a growth industry. This growth has resulted in the demand for more flexible methods of establishing evolutionary biology's grandiose claims than the laborious, difficult, pedantic, and "rigorous" methods favored throughout the rest of the sciences. This demand has been met by what is now a well-developed branch of evolutionary biology known as evolutionary logic.
I can't here develop the theory of evolutionary logic in detail, but I will introduce some necessary terminology. In ordinary logic, which is used throughout the rest of the sciences, one is justified asserting that a claim is true provided one can formulate a coherent and rigorous argument that supports it. In evolutionary logic we relax both these restrictions: an evolutionary claim is true provided there is an evolutionary argument that supports it. This definition is sufficiently clear as not to require elaboration. Further, we stipulate that any circularity in this definition is virtuous rather than vicious.
The benefits and practical applications of evolutionary logic will be obvious. Professional authors of evolutionary tracts depend on it for their livelihood. Instructors in evolutionary biology find that evolutionary logic enables them to make complex ideas readily accessible to students regardless of their preparation or background (indeed, proficiency in evolutionary logic has been shown to be positively correlated with high self-esteem). Research workers in a hurry to claim priority for a new result or who lack the time and inclination to be pedantic find evolutionary logic useful for expeditiously writing up their results. In this respect evolutionary logic has a further advantage, namely, the results are not required to be true, thus eliminating a tiresome (and now superfluous) restriction on the growth of evolutionary knowledge...Continue Reading
Since the neo-Darwinian synthesis of the 1930s, evolutionary biology has become a growth industry. This growth has resulted in the demand for more flexible methods of establishing evolutionary biology's grandiose claims than the laborious, difficult, pedantic, and "rigorous" methods favored throughout the rest of the sciences. This demand has been met by what is now a well-developed branch of evolutionary biology known as evolutionary logic.
I can't here develop the theory of evolutionary logic in detail, but I will introduce some necessary terminology. In ordinary logic, which is used throughout the rest of the sciences, one is justified asserting that a claim is true provided one can formulate a coherent and rigorous argument that supports it. In evolutionary logic we relax both these restrictions: an evolutionary claim is true provided there is an evolutionary argument that supports it. This definition is sufficiently clear as not to require elaboration. Further, we stipulate that any circularity in this definition is virtuous rather than vicious.
The benefits and practical applications of evolutionary logic will be obvious. Professional authors of evolutionary tracts depend on it for their livelihood. Instructors in evolutionary biology find that evolutionary logic enables them to make complex ideas readily accessible to students regardless of their preparation or background (indeed, proficiency in evolutionary logic has been shown to be positively correlated with high self-esteem). Research workers in a hurry to claim priority for a new result or who lack the time and inclination to be pedantic find evolutionary logic useful for expeditiously writing up their results. In this respect evolutionary logic has a further advantage, namely, the results are not required to be true, thus eliminating a tiresome (and now superfluous) restriction on the growth of evolutionary knowledge...Continue Reading
Monday, November 2, 2009
How life works
From Creation Ministries International:
Life is not a naturalistic phenomenon with unlimited evolutionary potential as Darwin proposed. It is intelligently designed, ruled by immutable laws, and survives only because it has a built-in facilitated variation mechanism for continually adapting to internal and external challenges and changes. The essential components are: functional molecular architecture and machinery, modular switching cascades that control the machinery and a signal network that coordinates everything. All three are required for survival, so they must have been present from the beginning—a conclusion that demands intelligent design. Life’s built-in ability to adapt and diversify looks like Darwinian evolution, but it is not. Darwin’s theory of speciation via natural selection of natural variation is correct in principle, but it cannot be extrapolated to universal ancestry. What we see instead is different kinds of organisms having been designed for different kinds of lifestyles, with enormous potential for diversification built-in at the beginning, but with time this potential for diversification has become depleted by selection and degraded by mutations so that we are now rapidly heading towards extinction. Intelligent design and rapid decay point to recent Creation and Fall, as the Bible tells us...Continue Reading
If anyone thinks that rocks need millions of years to form, then experiments carried out by Murdoch University (Perth, Western Australia) researchers would surely overturn that idea...From sand to rock—quickly!
Life is not a naturalistic phenomenon with unlimited evolutionary potential as Darwin proposed. It is intelligently designed, ruled by immutable laws, and survives only because it has a built-in facilitated variation mechanism for continually adapting to internal and external challenges and changes. The essential components are: functional molecular architecture and machinery, modular switching cascades that control the machinery and a signal network that coordinates everything. All three are required for survival, so they must have been present from the beginning—a conclusion that demands intelligent design. Life’s built-in ability to adapt and diversify looks like Darwinian evolution, but it is not. Darwin’s theory of speciation via natural selection of natural variation is correct in principle, but it cannot be extrapolated to universal ancestry. What we see instead is different kinds of organisms having been designed for different kinds of lifestyles, with enormous potential for diversification built-in at the beginning, but with time this potential for diversification has become depleted by selection and degraded by mutations so that we are now rapidly heading towards extinction. Intelligent design and rapid decay point to recent Creation and Fall, as the Bible tells us...Continue Reading
If anyone thinks that rocks need millions of years to form, then experiments carried out by Murdoch University (Perth, Western Australia) researchers would surely overturn that idea...From sand to rock—quickly!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Unlocking God's Secrets
Bob Morley has written a great book. Here's what Alesia has to say....
This book, by Bob Morley, is by far one of the best books I've read. If you want to know the answer to why we exist, why we are here, what is our purpose, read this book to find the answer...read more
Friday, September 18, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
More on "Defending the Bible"
I thought I'd post some salient points that jumped out at me as I read through John Whitcomb's article in the last post.
If the Biblical picture of man's enmity against God and control by Satan is correct, then how can Christians ever persuade men to turn from sin and Satan to the true and living God? The Biblical answer, of course, is that they cannot. The Scriptures do not say that it is difficult for the unbeliever to accept spiritual truth. They say that it is impossible. "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1 Cor. 2:14). When our Lord once made a similar pronouncement concerning an entire segment of society, His disciples "were very astonished and said, 'Then who can be saved?'" His answer provides for us the key to all truly effective Christian apologetics today: "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26)....
The Biblical method of winning men to Christ (including the intellectuals of our day) is to lovingly, patiently and prayerfully present the true Gospel "according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4) from the context of a godly life (1 Thess. 1:5, 2:3-12). Only the "living and powerful" Word of God can penetrate the unbeliever's shield of defense and pierce into his heart (Heb. 4:12), and thus only God may receive the glory for the genuine conversion of sinful men. Once converted by God's Holy Spirit, a man for the first time in his life enjoys the proper perspective and frame of reference for analysing his intellectual problems concerning Christian doctrines, even if he never finds the complete answers this side of heaven. As the Apostle John described it, "you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know . . . And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for any one to teach you . . . as His anointing teaches you about all things" (1 John 2: 20, 27).
If the Biblical picture of man's enmity against God and control by Satan is correct, then how can Christians ever persuade men to turn from sin and Satan to the true and living God? The Biblical answer, of course, is that they cannot. The Scriptures do not say that it is difficult for the unbeliever to accept spiritual truth. They say that it is impossible. "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1 Cor. 2:14). When our Lord once made a similar pronouncement concerning an entire segment of society, His disciples "were very astonished and said, 'Then who can be saved?'" His answer provides for us the key to all truly effective Christian apologetics today: "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26)....
The Biblical method of winning men to Christ (including the intellectuals of our day) is to lovingly, patiently and prayerfully present the true Gospel "according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4) from the context of a godly life (1 Thess. 1:5, 2:3-12). Only the "living and powerful" Word of God can penetrate the unbeliever's shield of defense and pierce into his heart (Heb. 4:12), and thus only God may receive the glory for the genuine conversion of sinful men. Once converted by God's Holy Spirit, a man for the first time in his life enjoys the proper perspective and frame of reference for analysing his intellectual problems concerning Christian doctrines, even if he never finds the complete answers this side of heaven. As the Apostle John described it, "you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know . . . And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for any one to teach you . . . as His anointing teaches you about all things" (1 John 2: 20, 27).
Friday, September 11, 2009
Defending the Bible - CONTEMPORARY APOLOGETICS AND THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
I stumbled across Part 1 of this article by Dr John Whitcomb in the book “DISPENSATIONALISM tomorrow & beyond”. Now I realize that that ugly word “Dispensationalism” will be enough to immediately turn a lot of people off. But this article is well worth reading if, like me, you have had reservations and frustrations about your personal witness and wondered what you could do to improve it.
How much do Christians have to know to successfully witness to the unsaved? What are Christians really up against? Is it just the other person's lack of faith or unwillingness to accept the Truth? Or are there other factors and obstacles involved in this drama?
Here are the titles Dr Whitcomb covers:
Part I: Human Limitations in Apologetics
Part II: Christian Apologetics and the Divine Solution
Part III: Proof Texts for Semi-Rationalistic Apologetics
Part IV: The Limitations and Values of Christian Evidences
The full version of John Whitcomb’s essay can be found HERE.
How much do Christians have to know to successfully witness to the unsaved? What are Christians really up against? Is it just the other person's lack of faith or unwillingness to accept the Truth? Or are there other factors and obstacles involved in this drama?
Here are the titles Dr Whitcomb covers:
Part I: Human Limitations in Apologetics
Part II: Christian Apologetics and the Divine Solution
Part III: Proof Texts for Semi-Rationalistic Apologetics
Part IV: The Limitations and Values of Christian Evidences
The full version of John Whitcomb’s essay can be found HERE.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Nativity: Fact or Fiction?
From Creation Ministries International:
In Genesis 3:15, God says to Satan ‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on your head and you shall bruise him on the heel.’ Numerous Christian and Jewish Bible scholars have interpreted this verse as the first prophecy of the Messiah (see documentation). Known as the Protevangelium, it is the first gospel promise made to sinful mankind, whose willful rebellion in the Garden of Eden brought forth death, suffering, and a corruption of God’s perfect creation.
This verse makes two implicit promises. First, it hints at the virginal conception, as the Messiah is referred to as the seed of the woman. This is contrary to the normal biblical practice of naming the father, and not the mother, of a child. Second, it hints at the Messiah’s suffering and ultimate victory... The Nativity: Fact or Fiction?
In Genesis 3:15, God says to Satan ‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on your head and you shall bruise him on the heel.’ Numerous Christian and Jewish Bible scholars have interpreted this verse as the first prophecy of the Messiah (see documentation). Known as the Protevangelium, it is the first gospel promise made to sinful mankind, whose willful rebellion in the Garden of Eden brought forth death, suffering, and a corruption of God’s perfect creation.
This verse makes two implicit promises. First, it hints at the virginal conception, as the Messiah is referred to as the seed of the woman. This is contrary to the normal biblical practice of naming the father, and not the mother, of a child. Second, it hints at the Messiah’s suffering and ultimate victory... The Nativity: Fact or Fiction?
Monday, August 31, 2009
Does prayer change God?
Here's a short three minute video with John MacArthur discussing this question.
Does Prayer Change God? Find out HERE
Does Prayer Change God? Find out HERE
Sunday, August 30, 2009
What Makes a Christian Martyr Differ from Other Faiths’ Martyrs?
Have you ever wondered how much persecution and pain you would tolerate for your faith if put into the situation? Are you prepared to face death? I’ve often wondered these things about myself. Here's an insightful article from Answers In Genesis:
“He was a martyr for a good cause.” A person is put to death (often quite brutally) because he refuses to recant his beliefs and teachings when he is demanded to do so by angry opponents. So, we have Muslim martyrs, Jewish martyrs, communist martyrs, Christian martyrs, Buddhist martyrs, Hindu martyrs, etc. They are all the same, right? Not really.
The English word “martyr” is an almost direct transliteration from the New Testament Greek word, martus, which originally meant a “witness.” It was especially used in the early church to signify those who were witnesses of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (e.g., Acts 1:22), and consequently many of those apostles died giving testimony of their Lord. In current usage it usually means one who is killed for refusing to renounce their religious faith, practices, and beliefs. The unspoken assumption is that if the person would renounce his beliefs, then he would not be put to death—and thereby avoid martyrdom. History is replete with tales of martyrs: from Old Testament believers, to the Apostles, to the early Church fathers, down to our time, especially in areas like the Sudan, the Middle East, the Philippines, Indonesia, and parts of South America. For the most part, these have been either Jewish or Christian martyrs, and the logical question to ask would be why. Why not Buddhists or Taoists or Hindu martyrs to the same extent? We will consider that question in due course...Read More
“He was a martyr for a good cause.” A person is put to death (often quite brutally) because he refuses to recant his beliefs and teachings when he is demanded to do so by angry opponents. So, we have Muslim martyrs, Jewish martyrs, communist martyrs, Christian martyrs, Buddhist martyrs, Hindu martyrs, etc. They are all the same, right? Not really.
The English word “martyr” is an almost direct transliteration from the New Testament Greek word, martus, which originally meant a “witness.” It was especially used in the early church to signify those who were witnesses of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (e.g., Acts 1:22), and consequently many of those apostles died giving testimony of their Lord. In current usage it usually means one who is killed for refusing to renounce their religious faith, practices, and beliefs. The unspoken assumption is that if the person would renounce his beliefs, then he would not be put to death—and thereby avoid martyrdom. History is replete with tales of martyrs: from Old Testament believers, to the Apostles, to the early Church fathers, down to our time, especially in areas like the Sudan, the Middle East, the Philippines, Indonesia, and parts of South America. For the most part, these have been either Jewish or Christian martyrs, and the logical question to ask would be why. Why not Buddhists or Taoists or Hindu martyrs to the same extent? We will consider that question in due course...Read More
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Who do you think that I am?
With that brief question Jesus Christ confronted His followers with the most important issue they would ever face. He had spent much time with them and made some bold claims about His identity and authority. Now the time had come for them either to believe or deny His teachings.
Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well...Read More
Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well...Read More
Friday, July 24, 2009
Politics, God, and Us
This is a must read article from Bob Morley...
I have bitten my lip so much recently trying to keep these articles on “God Stuff” and away from politics, but today I feel the need to combine the two and talk briefly about little known current events and how they relate to the supernatural and to us as believing Christians.
First, let’s discuss Cass Sunstein, Obama’s new Regulatory Czar. This man believes that bloggers like me who disagree with his beliefs should be permanently silenced. To put Sunstein into focus, he is a close friend and supporter of Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of Obama’s despicable, foul mouthed Chief of Staff, Rob Emanuel. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel has written that people who are terminally ill, including old folks with dementia as well as children with cerebral palsy, should be denied all basic health treatments in order to facilitate death and save the “state” money...Read more
I have bitten my lip so much recently trying to keep these articles on “God Stuff” and away from politics, but today I feel the need to combine the two and talk briefly about little known current events and how they relate to the supernatural and to us as believing Christians.
First, let’s discuss Cass Sunstein, Obama’s new Regulatory Czar. This man believes that bloggers like me who disagree with his beliefs should be permanently silenced. To put Sunstein into focus, he is a close friend and supporter of Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of Obama’s despicable, foul mouthed Chief of Staff, Rob Emanuel. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel has written that people who are terminally ill, including old folks with dementia as well as children with cerebral palsy, should be denied all basic health treatments in order to facilitate death and save the “state” money...Read more
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Defend the Front Line!
Jan Markell’s latest update is must read for all Christians.
Article by Heidi Swander
Excerpts:
I was stunned recently by the story of a pastor from Brazil. One day in the not-too-distant past he was airborne and seated next to a lady who, at 6 p.m., began praying fervently. When an opportune moment presented itself, he asked her if she was a Christian. Much to his chagrin she said, no, that she was praying to her father, Satan, for the demise of pastor so-and-so.
As the conversation progressed, this Brazilian pastor found out that the Church of Satan worldwide has set aside the 6 p.m. hour every day to pray for the demise of the Christian church, and most specifically for its pastors. It would also appear that they assume or are assigned specific Christian leaders to pray against....
Until we reach our heavenly home, we are all in a fierce, spiritual battle. In that battle, our pastors and other spiritual leaders would be considered the front line against Satan and his minions. How to fight against the forces of evil? God says the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh (II Cor 10:4). We must PRAY.
Pastor John MacArthur in his message, A Plea to Pray for Pastors, says, "We need to remember that prayer is battle; it wages war not against God but against the status quo, against sin and fallenness and the flesh and devils." In Rom 15:30, 31, Paul directs the Christians to "strive together with" him in prayer. In Col 4:2 he admonishes the church to "continue earnestly in prayer." The word "continue" says that he took for granted their prayers; the word "earnestly" means to be "courageously persistent" or "to hold fast and not let go." This praying is hard work. But we are commanded repeatedly to do it...Read more
Also, here’s another great website for people seeking answers:
Confident Christians
Article by Heidi Swander
Excerpts:
I was stunned recently by the story of a pastor from Brazil. One day in the not-too-distant past he was airborne and seated next to a lady who, at 6 p.m., began praying fervently. When an opportune moment presented itself, he asked her if she was a Christian. Much to his chagrin she said, no, that she was praying to her father, Satan, for the demise of pastor so-and-so.
As the conversation progressed, this Brazilian pastor found out that the Church of Satan worldwide has set aside the 6 p.m. hour every day to pray for the demise of the Christian church, and most specifically for its pastors. It would also appear that they assume or are assigned specific Christian leaders to pray against....
Until we reach our heavenly home, we are all in a fierce, spiritual battle. In that battle, our pastors and other spiritual leaders would be considered the front line against Satan and his minions. How to fight against the forces of evil? God says the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh (II Cor 10:4). We must PRAY.
Pastor John MacArthur in his message, A Plea to Pray for Pastors, says, "We need to remember that prayer is battle; it wages war not against God but against the status quo, against sin and fallenness and the flesh and devils." In Rom 15:30, 31, Paul directs the Christians to "strive together with" him in prayer. In Col 4:2 he admonishes the church to "continue earnestly in prayer." The word "continue" says that he took for granted their prayers; the word "earnestly" means to be "courageously persistent" or "to hold fast and not let go." This praying is hard work. But we are commanded repeatedly to do it...Read more
Also, here’s another great website for people seeking answers:
Confident Christians
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Necessity of the Cross
What do Buddha, Muhammad, Ghandi, Karl Marx, John Lennon and Joseph Smith have in common? If signs marked their grave-sites, theirs would read “Occupied”. Christ’s grave would read “Vacant”.
Act 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
1Co 15:12-18 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
Christianity is an exclusive religion. It claims to have the ONLY truth and, as such, it is intolerant to any other belief system claiming the way to Salvation. In today’s progressive society, the word - intolerant - has negative connotations. Yet intolerance is necessary to our daily lives. Most people would not tolerate an inept pilot flying their airplane. Making a decision that affects our eternity demands that we do not tolerate deception.
It has often been said that there are many paths to God and that all religions are equally valid. This is a logical fallacy. I suspect that those who claim this are either not being entirely honest for various reasons or they haven’t thought through the implications of that statement:
1) Religions cannot all be valid because most contradict each other’s Salvation system.
2) Some deny any need for Salvation.
3) Buddhism is atheistic.
4) Hinduism teaches multiple gods.
5) Islam; the New Age and certain cults claiming to be Christian, deny that Christ was anything but a great man, master or prophet.
6) The New Age teaches that we are gods – we only have to arrive at that realization.
7) Christianity teaches that God became man and was crucified on a wooden cross to redeem mankind and the universe. There is no other way.
Given the contradictions above, there can only be two possibilities (despite claims by Oprah & co) - either all the belief systems are wrong, or only one of the systems is correct. If this world is the by-product of an accident then this article is worthless and so is Christianity. Simple as that.
In my personal search, I had to first deal with the prevailing attitude that this universe was the result of an explosion and life on earth began in a pond of primordial soup, or brought here via meteor from a pond elsewhere in the universe - and somehow evolved through a mechanism that is still not understood. This is basically what is being taught as fact in schools, universities and propagated by practically every media outlet. The evolutionary view has become so pervasive and repetitious that not many (if any) secular individuals dare question it publicly. Those who do are treated with derision.
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
It’s not my intention to turn this into an apologetic for Creationism, but please refer to the links below as they will help anyone who is genuinely and objectively searching for answers. You can use the search engines to research particular subjects or you can contact these websites with specific questions no matter how complicated they are. These people are bona-fide scientists well able to hold their own in debates and many have even published secular peer-reviewed scientific articles and books. And, yes, I have challenged and tested them.
Answers In Genesis
Creation Ministries International
True Origin
Having satisfied myself that there was a God and that evolution was problematic, I spent years reading New Age materials and chasing the “truth” down rabbit holes. The New Age isn’t exactly a structured system per se. What it does do very well is obfuscate the truth by presenting a smorgasbord of appealing options for a fastidious seeker not wanting to be offended by blood spilled on wood. Those astute enough will quickly realize how contradictory its varied teachings are. Ironically, some see this as an advantage. In fact – and this is very significant – the only consistent teaching I found throughout the New Age and in other religions is that Jesus was just a human being – not God.
That’s not what the Bible teaches. When Adam and Eve fell, garments of skin were supplied as a covering for them by God (Gen 3:21). This idea of covering by sacrifice is a thread woven throughout Scripture. The myriad idioms and rituals used for priestly intercession and sacrifice were all designed to point to Christ’s substitutionary provision on the Cross for all who place their faith in Him (John 3:16). The testing lesson of Abraham in Gen 22:1-14 points directly to the Cross. God never intended for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and, furthermore, Abraham knew this because of the covenant promises God had made regarding Isaac’s future (Gen 17:1-7; Gen 21:1). Even though Abraham was distressed, he knew well enough to trust God:
Gen 22:7-8 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.
Numbers 21:7-9 is also a prophetic foregleam of the Cross as Christ points out to Nicodemus in John 3:14, 15. And the manna from heaven (Exo 16:14-35); the smiting of the rock by Moses (Exo 17:6) and Jonah’s three days in the belly of the beast are only the most commonly recognized pointers to Christ – there are far too numerous similar examples to account for here. Finally, in Revelation, we read:
Rev 5:5-7 and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals." And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Rev 22:13-14 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
The Bible is an unparalleled, integrated system of sixty six books, written by forty different authors, spanning about 3,500 years that affirms Christ’s divinity and the ABSOLUTE necessity of the Cross. This truth is sprinkled throughout the book from beginning to end. No other literature purporting to be spiritual can match the Bible for consistency, integrity and critical scrutiny – leaving aside prophetic considerations. The message it contains is not about restrictions – it is about Freedom and Incredible Joy. Put it to the test for yourself.
What you do, or don’t do, will impact your eternity.
Further reading in no particular order:
Christian Answers for the New Age
A Brazen Epitaph
Aleph Tau
The Resurrection and Genesis
Jesus Christ Q & A
Can I trust the Bible?
Is Jesus Really God?
Evidence for the Resurrection
Ankerberg Theological Institute Apologetics
Act 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
1Co 15:12-18 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
Christianity is an exclusive religion. It claims to have the ONLY truth and, as such, it is intolerant to any other belief system claiming the way to Salvation. In today’s progressive society, the word - intolerant - has negative connotations. Yet intolerance is necessary to our daily lives. Most people would not tolerate an inept pilot flying their airplane. Making a decision that affects our eternity demands that we do not tolerate deception.
It has often been said that there are many paths to God and that all religions are equally valid. This is a logical fallacy. I suspect that those who claim this are either not being entirely honest for various reasons or they haven’t thought through the implications of that statement:
1) Religions cannot all be valid because most contradict each other’s Salvation system.
2) Some deny any need for Salvation.
3) Buddhism is atheistic.
4) Hinduism teaches multiple gods.
5) Islam; the New Age and certain cults claiming to be Christian, deny that Christ was anything but a great man, master or prophet.
6) The New Age teaches that we are gods – we only have to arrive at that realization.
7) Christianity teaches that God became man and was crucified on a wooden cross to redeem mankind and the universe. There is no other way.
Given the contradictions above, there can only be two possibilities (despite claims by Oprah & co) - either all the belief systems are wrong, or only one of the systems is correct. If this world is the by-product of an accident then this article is worthless and so is Christianity. Simple as that.
In my personal search, I had to first deal with the prevailing attitude that this universe was the result of an explosion and life on earth began in a pond of primordial soup, or brought here via meteor from a pond elsewhere in the universe - and somehow evolved through a mechanism that is still not understood. This is basically what is being taught as fact in schools, universities and propagated by practically every media outlet. The evolutionary view has become so pervasive and repetitious that not many (if any) secular individuals dare question it publicly. Those who do are treated with derision.
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
It’s not my intention to turn this into an apologetic for Creationism, but please refer to the links below as they will help anyone who is genuinely and objectively searching for answers. You can use the search engines to research particular subjects or you can contact these websites with specific questions no matter how complicated they are. These people are bona-fide scientists well able to hold their own in debates and many have even published secular peer-reviewed scientific articles and books. And, yes, I have challenged and tested them.
Answers In Genesis
Creation Ministries International
True Origin
Having satisfied myself that there was a God and that evolution was problematic, I spent years reading New Age materials and chasing the “truth” down rabbit holes. The New Age isn’t exactly a structured system per se. What it does do very well is obfuscate the truth by presenting a smorgasbord of appealing options for a fastidious seeker not wanting to be offended by blood spilled on wood. Those astute enough will quickly realize how contradictory its varied teachings are. Ironically, some see this as an advantage. In fact – and this is very significant – the only consistent teaching I found throughout the New Age and in other religions is that Jesus was just a human being – not God.
That’s not what the Bible teaches. When Adam and Eve fell, garments of skin were supplied as a covering for them by God (Gen 3:21). This idea of covering by sacrifice is a thread woven throughout Scripture. The myriad idioms and rituals used for priestly intercession and sacrifice were all designed to point to Christ’s substitutionary provision on the Cross for all who place their faith in Him (John 3:16). The testing lesson of Abraham in Gen 22:1-14 points directly to the Cross. God never intended for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and, furthermore, Abraham knew this because of the covenant promises God had made regarding Isaac’s future (Gen 17:1-7; Gen 21:1). Even though Abraham was distressed, he knew well enough to trust God:
Gen 22:7-8 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.
Numbers 21:7-9 is also a prophetic foregleam of the Cross as Christ points out to Nicodemus in John 3:14, 15. And the manna from heaven (Exo 16:14-35); the smiting of the rock by Moses (Exo 17:6) and Jonah’s three days in the belly of the beast are only the most commonly recognized pointers to Christ – there are far too numerous similar examples to account for here. Finally, in Revelation, we read:
Rev 5:5-7 and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals." And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Rev 22:13-14 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
The Bible is an unparalleled, integrated system of sixty six books, written by forty different authors, spanning about 3,500 years that affirms Christ’s divinity and the ABSOLUTE necessity of the Cross. This truth is sprinkled throughout the book from beginning to end. No other literature purporting to be spiritual can match the Bible for consistency, integrity and critical scrutiny – leaving aside prophetic considerations. The message it contains is not about restrictions – it is about Freedom and Incredible Joy. Put it to the test for yourself.
What you do, or don’t do, will impact your eternity.
Further reading in no particular order:
Christian Answers for the New Age
A Brazen Epitaph
Aleph Tau
The Resurrection and Genesis
Jesus Christ Q & A
Can I trust the Bible?
Is Jesus Really God?
Evidence for the Resurrection
Ankerberg Theological Institute Apologetics
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Pastor Chan Resources
Here is an audio resource that I highly recommend listening to. Pastor Chan of Cornerstone Church is on fire for God and everything he says is bound to impinge on our, sometimes, lukewarm attitudes.
Audio files
Thanks to Alesia for the tip.
Audio files
Thanks to Alesia for the tip.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Gay Marriage and Homosexuality
Gen 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh...
Why shouldn’t loving homosexual couples marry?
Any discussion about gay marriage is really a question about the legitimacy of homosexuality itself. If homosexuality is wrong then so is gay marriage. From a homosexual and atheistic perspective, there would probably be no question about either the right to marry a person of the same gender or engage in sexual activity. There are several arguments and claims commonly proposed by both gays and their apologists to defend these activities. Here are some:
1) There is no God; the Bible is irrelevant; there is no reason why I shouldn’t pursue what I want.
The first argument is commonly used to justify whatever pursuit the believer desires and is not restricted to the subject of this article. If God does not exist and this world is a result of a cosmic accident, then there is no moral law and no good or evil. If such is the case, then the only law is that which is agreed upon by those who can impose it or those who can get away with it. The inherent danger of this view is that moral law is then determined by those in control at any given time and, therefore, is in constant flux. Eventually, any action can be justified under this scheme – eugenics, bestiality, group marriage, mass murder etc.
It’s not uncommon for those who want freedom of sexual expression to be actively involved in opposition against belief in a God, Christianity and Biblical inerrancy. Scott Bidstrup is one example of a homosexual journalist who has attempted a rebuttal to Lee Strobel’s book. Notwithstanding these attacks, Christian apologists are well able to RESPOND to any rebuttal or debate. How have you justified your belief to yourself? Have you diligently checked all the arguments pro and con?
Morality and Ethics Questions and Answers
The Holocaust and evolution
Answering the ‘new atheists’
2) I was born gay. God made me this way, therefore it’s OK.
The second argument is problematic on the basis that some people are born with both physical and mental disabilities. Given this view, if a baby has a congenital heart disease, are we then acting contrary to God’s wishes if we provide medical assistance? If a man is born with a proclivity to violence or an attraction to children; is it justifiable for him to act upon this God-given impulse? There isn’t any scientific data that conclusively shows there is a gay gene, but even if this were the case it would not automatically make it right. We live in a fallen world where disease and accidents occur and this is not necessarily the will of God.
My genes made me do it!
Death and Suffering Questions and Answers
3) I’m not hurting anyone.
Contrary to the assertion of the third argument, certain homosexual activities are, in fact, dangerous and diseases and violence within the gay community are prevalent. Unfortunately, the mainstream media will not readily make this sort of data available and it is politically incorrect to mention it. Ironically, governments legislate to minimize smoking, accidents in cars, drug usage etc because of the financial and human mortality costs they incur on society, yet the practise of homosexuality is treated as sacrosanct.
Homosexuality Statistics
Homosexuality and health
Homosexuality and Murders
Gay Bowel Syndrome
4) People who speak out on, or disagree with, the practise of homosexuality and gay marriage are homophobic.
The expansion of the Hate Crimes law to supposedly protect gays actually enforces this view. The phobia label is an effective apparatus utilized by activists and, sometimes, well-intentioned legislators to shame and frighten dissenters from expressing opinions about homosexuality. That I disapprove of a certain conduct does not directly follow that I fear or hate the individual practising it, yet the law will soon prosecute me for expressing that opinion. Pastors and priests will soon risk breaking the law if they refuse to marry gay couples, even if it contravenes their own fundamental religious beliefs and despite the fact that gay couples have alternative options.
A genuine Christian will not hate an individual as this is against our faith. We are directed to witness to, love, and pray for all. So when Christians vote against legislation to permit gay marriage or express an opinion against it – what they are doing is practising their faith in God, freedom of speech and right to vote – not hating gays. Someone who wants to remove a crucifix or Nativity Play from a public place might just as easily be classified as Christophobic. Someone who speaks out against stealing could be labelled kleptophobic, and the list goes on.
Gay Agenda
Matthew Shepard
5) The Bible does not condemn homosexuality.
Finally, there are “Christian” ministers and pastors who teach that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. Often the book of Leviticus is invoked – specifically Lev 18:22 and Lev 20:13 where the Bible condemns that practise. It is then argued that because the intricate rituals in that book are no longer observed and not applicable to modern Christians that, therefore, references to homosexual behaviour are also now irrelevant. Yet the following verse is quite clear:
Lev 18:22 'You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.
Furthermore, in chapter 20 there are also a number of commands against adultery, incest, cursing, bestiality, offering children to Molech etc. Using the above logic one could then argue that these could also now be permissible. But the reason that Leviticus had so many purifications and rituals was because the offerings and sacrifices were meant to vividly point to Christ’s Perfect Future Sacrifice on the Cross as our Saviour. In other words, the book is symbolically prophetic. The whole process had to be exact because God is exact. Christ’s sacrifice had to be perfect to pay for ALL of humanity’s sins and Leviticus reflected this truth. The rituals are no longer necessary because Christ’s redemptive work was accomplished at His death but the essence of the commands and warnings are all still relevant. I suggest reading Herbert Lockyer’s “All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible”. This book helps to show how the Bible is a unique integrated system that points to Christ.
The problem of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is usually explained away by the suggestion that God was punishing the people because of inhospitality based on Eze 16:49-50. But apart from inhospitality, verse 50 clearly tells us that Sodom also committed abominations - “They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them.” (NET)
That this is the case is corroborated by Jude 1:7 - “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” Rom 1:18-27 and 1 Cor 6:9-10 also support the truth that Scripture, taken as a whole and in context, condemns homosexuality. Another tactic employed by some is to imply that David and Jonathon, and even Christ and John the beloved disciple were engaged in homosexual activity. But all these claims can be easily shown to be erroneous.
There are very clear Scriptural warnings for those who would lead the flock astray (Mat 7:15, Mat 18:6, Jas 3:1) and God’s relationship with the church is often compared to a Holy and Pure Marriage between a husband and a wife (2 Co 11:2, Eph 5:25-27, Rev 19:7-9, Rev 21:9).
Ultimately it gets down to this - if there is no God then none of this matters. But if God really does exist then our decisions will have Eternal Consequences. Do we serve and please ourselves or God? It's not just homosexuality that displeases God - it's all sin regardless of how small. All of us have failed but the good news is that Christ has provided for us by His work on the Cross. Please visit the following links that further discuss Salvation:
Salvation Issues
The Pearl
Further reading:
God's Plan for the Gay Agenda
The Sin of Sodom--Genesis 19
The Book of Leviticus
Studies on Leviticus
Why shouldn’t loving homosexual couples marry?
Any discussion about gay marriage is really a question about the legitimacy of homosexuality itself. If homosexuality is wrong then so is gay marriage. From a homosexual and atheistic perspective, there would probably be no question about either the right to marry a person of the same gender or engage in sexual activity. There are several arguments and claims commonly proposed by both gays and their apologists to defend these activities. Here are some:
1) There is no God; the Bible is irrelevant; there is no reason why I shouldn’t pursue what I want.
The first argument is commonly used to justify whatever pursuit the believer desires and is not restricted to the subject of this article. If God does not exist and this world is a result of a cosmic accident, then there is no moral law and no good or evil. If such is the case, then the only law is that which is agreed upon by those who can impose it or those who can get away with it. The inherent danger of this view is that moral law is then determined by those in control at any given time and, therefore, is in constant flux. Eventually, any action can be justified under this scheme – eugenics, bestiality, group marriage, mass murder etc.
It’s not uncommon for those who want freedom of sexual expression to be actively involved in opposition against belief in a God, Christianity and Biblical inerrancy. Scott Bidstrup is one example of a homosexual journalist who has attempted a rebuttal to Lee Strobel’s book. Notwithstanding these attacks, Christian apologists are well able to RESPOND to any rebuttal or debate. How have you justified your belief to yourself? Have you diligently checked all the arguments pro and con?
Morality and Ethics Questions and Answers
The Holocaust and evolution
Answering the ‘new atheists’
2) I was born gay. God made me this way, therefore it’s OK.
The second argument is problematic on the basis that some people are born with both physical and mental disabilities. Given this view, if a baby has a congenital heart disease, are we then acting contrary to God’s wishes if we provide medical assistance? If a man is born with a proclivity to violence or an attraction to children; is it justifiable for him to act upon this God-given impulse? There isn’t any scientific data that conclusively shows there is a gay gene, but even if this were the case it would not automatically make it right. We live in a fallen world where disease and accidents occur and this is not necessarily the will of God.
My genes made me do it!
Death and Suffering Questions and Answers
3) I’m not hurting anyone.
Contrary to the assertion of the third argument, certain homosexual activities are, in fact, dangerous and diseases and violence within the gay community are prevalent. Unfortunately, the mainstream media will not readily make this sort of data available and it is politically incorrect to mention it. Ironically, governments legislate to minimize smoking, accidents in cars, drug usage etc because of the financial and human mortality costs they incur on society, yet the practise of homosexuality is treated as sacrosanct.
Homosexuality Statistics
Homosexuality and health
Homosexuality and Murders
Gay Bowel Syndrome
4) People who speak out on, or disagree with, the practise of homosexuality and gay marriage are homophobic.
The expansion of the Hate Crimes law to supposedly protect gays actually enforces this view. The phobia label is an effective apparatus utilized by activists and, sometimes, well-intentioned legislators to shame and frighten dissenters from expressing opinions about homosexuality. That I disapprove of a certain conduct does not directly follow that I fear or hate the individual practising it, yet the law will soon prosecute me for expressing that opinion. Pastors and priests will soon risk breaking the law if they refuse to marry gay couples, even if it contravenes their own fundamental religious beliefs and despite the fact that gay couples have alternative options.
A genuine Christian will not hate an individual as this is against our faith. We are directed to witness to, love, and pray for all. So when Christians vote against legislation to permit gay marriage or express an opinion against it – what they are doing is practising their faith in God, freedom of speech and right to vote – not hating gays. Someone who wants to remove a crucifix or Nativity Play from a public place might just as easily be classified as Christophobic. Someone who speaks out against stealing could be labelled kleptophobic, and the list goes on.
Gay Agenda
Matthew Shepard
5) The Bible does not condemn homosexuality.
Finally, there are “Christian” ministers and pastors who teach that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. Often the book of Leviticus is invoked – specifically Lev 18:22 and Lev 20:13 where the Bible condemns that practise. It is then argued that because the intricate rituals in that book are no longer observed and not applicable to modern Christians that, therefore, references to homosexual behaviour are also now irrelevant. Yet the following verse is quite clear:
Lev 18:22 'You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.
Furthermore, in chapter 20 there are also a number of commands against adultery, incest, cursing, bestiality, offering children to Molech etc. Using the above logic one could then argue that these could also now be permissible. But the reason that Leviticus had so many purifications and rituals was because the offerings and sacrifices were meant to vividly point to Christ’s Perfect Future Sacrifice on the Cross as our Saviour. In other words, the book is symbolically prophetic. The whole process had to be exact because God is exact. Christ’s sacrifice had to be perfect to pay for ALL of humanity’s sins and Leviticus reflected this truth. The rituals are no longer necessary because Christ’s redemptive work was accomplished at His death but the essence of the commands and warnings are all still relevant. I suggest reading Herbert Lockyer’s “All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible”. This book helps to show how the Bible is a unique integrated system that points to Christ.
The problem of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is usually explained away by the suggestion that God was punishing the people because of inhospitality based on Eze 16:49-50. But apart from inhospitality, verse 50 clearly tells us that Sodom also committed abominations - “They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them.” (NET)
That this is the case is corroborated by Jude 1:7 - “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” Rom 1:18-27 and 1 Cor 6:9-10 also support the truth that Scripture, taken as a whole and in context, condemns homosexuality. Another tactic employed by some is to imply that David and Jonathon, and even Christ and John the beloved disciple were engaged in homosexual activity. But all these claims can be easily shown to be erroneous.
There are very clear Scriptural warnings for those who would lead the flock astray (Mat 7:15, Mat 18:6, Jas 3:1) and God’s relationship with the church is often compared to a Holy and Pure Marriage between a husband and a wife (2 Co 11:2, Eph 5:25-27, Rev 19:7-9, Rev 21:9).
Ultimately it gets down to this - if there is no God then none of this matters. But if God really does exist then our decisions will have Eternal Consequences. Do we serve and please ourselves or God? It's not just homosexuality that displeases God - it's all sin regardless of how small. All of us have failed but the good news is that Christ has provided for us by His work on the Cross. Please visit the following links that further discuss Salvation:
Salvation Issues
The Pearl
Further reading:
God's Plan for the Gay Agenda
The Sin of Sodom--Genesis 19
The Book of Leviticus
Studies on Leviticus
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Personal Reflections On The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
I found this article on the internet. Eustace Clarence Scrubb is a character I strongly relate to. He reminds me so much of myself - he needed redemption and Aslan un-dragoned him - just as Christ is doing for all of us...
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it. His parents called him Eustace Clarence and masters called him Scrubb. I can't tell you how his friends spoke to him, for he had none. He didn't call his Father and Mother "Father" and "mother," but Harold and Alberta. They were very up-to-date and advanced people. They were vegetarians, non-smokers and teetotalers and wore a special kind of underclothes. In their house there was very little furniture and very few clothes on beds and the windows were always open."
~ The Voyage of The Dawn Treader, p.1
...C.S. Lewis paints a powerful image of redemption and the freedom we find in Christ. Like Aslan, Christ must move toward us and do what only He can do -- free us from the guilt and power of enslaving sin. Try as we may, we can not rid ourselves of the dragon that dwells within each of us. It is only the finished work of Christ that can accomplish the task. Through Christ we are to put off the old self and put on the new self. It is Christ that makes all things new.
...Read More
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it. His parents called him Eustace Clarence and masters called him Scrubb. I can't tell you how his friends spoke to him, for he had none. He didn't call his Father and Mother "Father" and "mother," but Harold and Alberta. They were very up-to-date and advanced people. They were vegetarians, non-smokers and teetotalers and wore a special kind of underclothes. In their house there was very little furniture and very few clothes on beds and the windows were always open."
~ The Voyage of The Dawn Treader, p.1
...C.S. Lewis paints a powerful image of redemption and the freedom we find in Christ. Like Aslan, Christ must move toward us and do what only He can do -- free us from the guilt and power of enslaving sin. Try as we may, we can not rid ourselves of the dragon that dwells within each of us. It is only the finished work of Christ that can accomplish the task. Through Christ we are to put off the old self and put on the new self. It is Christ that makes all things new.
...Read More
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The times they are-a-changing
Slowly, slowly Christianity is being cast as something undesirable in the US. Is it me or is Pres Obama moving away from his "faith"? It seems only the other day when he was praising Islam's contribution to America. I know he was being a politician...but....
Amidst all of the American flags and presidential seals, there was something missing when President Barack Obama gave an economic speech at Georgetown University this week -- Jesus....
Jesus Missing From Obama's Georgetown Speech
Amidst all of the American flags and presidential seals, there was something missing when President Barack Obama gave an economic speech at Georgetown University this week -- Jesus....
Jesus Missing From Obama's Georgetown Speech
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
How Do you Explain the Empty Tomb?
An article from Middletown Bible Church.
The Resurrection of Christ
The tomb was empty. The lifeless body of the crucified Christ was laid in a new tomb, a giant stone was rolled up against the grave’s only entrance, and the burial site was guarded by Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:62-66). How do we explain the fact that on the third day this tomb was found to be empty? Not even Harry Houdini could have gotten out of that one!
The resurrection of Christ is one of the most thoroughly and solidly documented events in history. There were numerous eye witnesses who saw the risen Christ. See 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 where we are given a listing of different people who saw the Lord alive after His death, including over 500 people on one occasion (verse 6). If an impartial jury could have all the evidence presented to them, including an abundance of testimony from eyewitnesses, the members of the jury would be forced to conclude that Christ rose again from the dead. The facts of the case overwhelmingly support this conclusion.
The resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christianity. If someone could prove that the resurrection never happened, it would destroy Christianity and render it a false religion and a lie. Anyone considering the claims of Christianity should begin with the empty tomb. If Christ did not rise again from the dead, then how do you explain the empty tomb?
George Lyttelton (1709-1773) was a famous English writer and statesman who lived during the period when rationalism, agnosticism and deism were very prominent in Western Europe. Just before he died, he told his close friend and biographer, Dr. Samuel Johnson: “When I first set out in the world I had friends who endeavored to shake my belief in the Christian religion. I saw difficulties which staggered me....”
Lyttleton and a friend by the name of Gilbert West, being fully persuaded that the Bible was unreliable, determined to expose Christianity as a falsehood. Lyttleton chose the Conversion of Paul and Mr. West the Resurrection of Christ for the subject of hostile criticism. Both sat down to their respective tasks full of prejudice. However, the result of their separate attempts was that they were both converted by their efforts to overthrow the truth of Christianity. They came together, not as they expected, to exult over an imposture exposed to ridicule, but to lament over their own folly and to felicitate each other on their joint conviction that the Bible was the Word of God. Their able inquiries have furnished two of the most valuable treatises ever written in favor of revelation, one entitled, “Observations on the Conversion of St. Paul” and the other “Observations on the Resurrection of Christ.”
[Another example of a skeptic being transformed as a result of examining the evidence is the case of Lew Wallace, the author of Ben Hur. Wallace was a friend of the famous infidel, Robert Ingersoll. One day Ingersoll challenged him, “Lew, why don’t you write a book and prove to the world once and for all that Jesus Christ was nothing but a mythical figure, much less the Son of God?” Wallace spent a great deal of time and money investigating every shred of evidence he could find, and his conclusions were far different from what Ingersoll had hoped, as any reader of Ben Hur knows.]
Have you ever seriously considered the resurrection of Christ? How do you explain the empty tomb? Some, like Mr. West, discredit the resurrection and ridicule it. But have they ever sat down as Mr. West later did, and looked at the historical accounts and seen for themselves the wealth of evidence pointing to the fact that the One who was crucified rose again? Most people never even bother to examine the record or weigh the evidence.
Suppose a religious or political leader living today began to make the following announcement over the radio: “I want you all to know that when I go to London, my enemies will murder me, my body will be buried, but in less than a week’s time I will come back from the dead and hundreds of people will see me.” What an extraordinary prediction! And yet the Lord Jesus made these kinds of statements repeatedly during His ministry on earth (see Matthew 16:21; 17:9; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 26:32; etc.).
It is important to notice that Christ was seen by all kinds of people at different times and under different circumstances. On one occasion He appeared to just one person; on another occasion He appeared to two people. Several times Christ was seen by seven or more people. On one occasion there were more than 500 people who saw the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:6). Of those who saw the resurrected Lord, some were women and others were men. One was a tax-collector, others were fishermen, one was a skeptic (Thomas), another had recently denied Christ (Peter) and another was an enemy of Christianity (Saul of Tarsus).
The risen Lord was also seen under all sorts of conditions. Some saw Him in a garden, others saw Him in a room, others talked with Him on a road, and others ate with Him by the Sea of Galilee. He appeared more than once in Judea and more than once in Galilee and once He appeared north of Galilee near Damascus (Acts 9). Some met Him on a mountain; some saw Him at the dawn of day, others during the bright light of day, still others at night. After His death, He was seen alive for a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3). A medical doctor of the first century underscored the certainty of the resurrection as proven by the post-resurrection appearances of Christ when he said this: “He (Jesus) showed Himself alive after His passion (death) by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3).
Those who deny the resurrection have tried in vain to come up with satisfactory explanations for why the tomb was empty. Different people have suggested the following weak theories (except for #5 which is pure folly!):
1) The disciples stole the body of Jesus.
First of all, how would they have gotten past the Roman soldiers who guarded the tomb and how would they have moved the giant rock which was rolled against the tomb’s entrance? But even more significant is this: If the disciples had stolen the body, then they would have known that Jesus was dead. Why then would they have gone forth and fearlessly preached that He rose again? Most of them were killed because of the message that they preached. Men seldom lay down their lives for what they know to be a lie or a falsehood.
2) The women went to the wrong tomb and found it to be empty.
If they had made such a mistake it is certain that the authorities would have quickly called this fact to their attention. If the enemies of Christianity had known where the body was, would they not have produced it? This would have once and for all proven that the resurrection was a falsehood. All they had to do was produce the body, but they never did.
3) The people who claimed to see Christ actually had hallucinations and visions. They thought they saw Christ but they really didn’t.
This might answer one or two isolated cases, but it’s impossible that 500 people on one occasion would all be afflicted by mass hallucinations (1 Corinthians 15:6). And again, this could have easily been answered by bringing forth the dead body of Jesus.
4) Jesus did not really die on the cross, and when He was put in the tomb He was still alive. When people later saw Him alive, it was because He had never died!
A question was once submitted to a newspaper column and received the following answer:
Q: Our preacher said, on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?
A: Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes; buffet him repeatedly; nail him to a cross, hang him in the sun for six hours; run a spear through his heart, embalm him; put him in an airless tomb for many hours and see what happens!
5) A UFO came and took away the body out of the tomb by means of a molecular transporter device.
******************
Do you have a reasonable explanation for why the tomb was empty? I’ve only found one that fits the facts and harmonizes with all the evidence: Jesus really did rise again from the dead, just as the many eyewitnesses declared. One of those eyewitnesses wrote this (speaking of himself even though he uses the third person): “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:24).
The Resurrection of Christ
The tomb was empty. The lifeless body of the crucified Christ was laid in a new tomb, a giant stone was rolled up against the grave’s only entrance, and the burial site was guarded by Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:62-66). How do we explain the fact that on the third day this tomb was found to be empty? Not even Harry Houdini could have gotten out of that one!
The resurrection of Christ is one of the most thoroughly and solidly documented events in history. There were numerous eye witnesses who saw the risen Christ. See 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 where we are given a listing of different people who saw the Lord alive after His death, including over 500 people on one occasion (verse 6). If an impartial jury could have all the evidence presented to them, including an abundance of testimony from eyewitnesses, the members of the jury would be forced to conclude that Christ rose again from the dead. The facts of the case overwhelmingly support this conclusion.
The resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christianity. If someone could prove that the resurrection never happened, it would destroy Christianity and render it a false religion and a lie. Anyone considering the claims of Christianity should begin with the empty tomb. If Christ did not rise again from the dead, then how do you explain the empty tomb?
George Lyttelton (1709-1773) was a famous English writer and statesman who lived during the period when rationalism, agnosticism and deism were very prominent in Western Europe. Just before he died, he told his close friend and biographer, Dr. Samuel Johnson: “When I first set out in the world I had friends who endeavored to shake my belief in the Christian religion. I saw difficulties which staggered me....”
Lyttleton and a friend by the name of Gilbert West, being fully persuaded that the Bible was unreliable, determined to expose Christianity as a falsehood. Lyttleton chose the Conversion of Paul and Mr. West the Resurrection of Christ for the subject of hostile criticism. Both sat down to their respective tasks full of prejudice. However, the result of their separate attempts was that they were both converted by their efforts to overthrow the truth of Christianity. They came together, not as they expected, to exult over an imposture exposed to ridicule, but to lament over their own folly and to felicitate each other on their joint conviction that the Bible was the Word of God. Their able inquiries have furnished two of the most valuable treatises ever written in favor of revelation, one entitled, “Observations on the Conversion of St. Paul” and the other “Observations on the Resurrection of Christ.”
[Another example of a skeptic being transformed as a result of examining the evidence is the case of Lew Wallace, the author of Ben Hur. Wallace was a friend of the famous infidel, Robert Ingersoll. One day Ingersoll challenged him, “Lew, why don’t you write a book and prove to the world once and for all that Jesus Christ was nothing but a mythical figure, much less the Son of God?” Wallace spent a great deal of time and money investigating every shred of evidence he could find, and his conclusions were far different from what Ingersoll had hoped, as any reader of Ben Hur knows.]
Have you ever seriously considered the resurrection of Christ? How do you explain the empty tomb? Some, like Mr. West, discredit the resurrection and ridicule it. But have they ever sat down as Mr. West later did, and looked at the historical accounts and seen for themselves the wealth of evidence pointing to the fact that the One who was crucified rose again? Most people never even bother to examine the record or weigh the evidence.
Suppose a religious or political leader living today began to make the following announcement over the radio: “I want you all to know that when I go to London, my enemies will murder me, my body will be buried, but in less than a week’s time I will come back from the dead and hundreds of people will see me.” What an extraordinary prediction! And yet the Lord Jesus made these kinds of statements repeatedly during His ministry on earth (see Matthew 16:21; 17:9; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 26:32; etc.).
It is important to notice that Christ was seen by all kinds of people at different times and under different circumstances. On one occasion He appeared to just one person; on another occasion He appeared to two people. Several times Christ was seen by seven or more people. On one occasion there were more than 500 people who saw the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:6). Of those who saw the resurrected Lord, some were women and others were men. One was a tax-collector, others were fishermen, one was a skeptic (Thomas), another had recently denied Christ (Peter) and another was an enemy of Christianity (Saul of Tarsus).
The risen Lord was also seen under all sorts of conditions. Some saw Him in a garden, others saw Him in a room, others talked with Him on a road, and others ate with Him by the Sea of Galilee. He appeared more than once in Judea and more than once in Galilee and once He appeared north of Galilee near Damascus (Acts 9). Some met Him on a mountain; some saw Him at the dawn of day, others during the bright light of day, still others at night. After His death, He was seen alive for a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3). A medical doctor of the first century underscored the certainty of the resurrection as proven by the post-resurrection appearances of Christ when he said this: “He (Jesus) showed Himself alive after His passion (death) by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3).
Those who deny the resurrection have tried in vain to come up with satisfactory explanations for why the tomb was empty. Different people have suggested the following weak theories (except for #5 which is pure folly!):
1) The disciples stole the body of Jesus.
First of all, how would they have gotten past the Roman soldiers who guarded the tomb and how would they have moved the giant rock which was rolled against the tomb’s entrance? But even more significant is this: If the disciples had stolen the body, then they would have known that Jesus was dead. Why then would they have gone forth and fearlessly preached that He rose again? Most of them were killed because of the message that they preached. Men seldom lay down their lives for what they know to be a lie or a falsehood.
2) The women went to the wrong tomb and found it to be empty.
If they had made such a mistake it is certain that the authorities would have quickly called this fact to their attention. If the enemies of Christianity had known where the body was, would they not have produced it? This would have once and for all proven that the resurrection was a falsehood. All they had to do was produce the body, but they never did.
3) The people who claimed to see Christ actually had hallucinations and visions. They thought they saw Christ but they really didn’t.
This might answer one or two isolated cases, but it’s impossible that 500 people on one occasion would all be afflicted by mass hallucinations (1 Corinthians 15:6). And again, this could have easily been answered by bringing forth the dead body of Jesus.
4) Jesus did not really die on the cross, and when He was put in the tomb He was still alive. When people later saw Him alive, it was because He had never died!
A question was once submitted to a newspaper column and received the following answer:
Q: Our preacher said, on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?
A: Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes; buffet him repeatedly; nail him to a cross, hang him in the sun for six hours; run a spear through his heart, embalm him; put him in an airless tomb for many hours and see what happens!
5) A UFO came and took away the body out of the tomb by means of a molecular transporter device.
******************
Do you have a reasonable explanation for why the tomb was empty? I’ve only found one that fits the facts and harmonizes with all the evidence: Jesus really did rise again from the dead, just as the many eyewitnesses declared. One of those eyewitnesses wrote this (speaking of himself even though he uses the third person): “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:24).
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Probably no God?
Ariane Sherine and Richard Dawkins at the launch of the atheists’ “There probably is no God” bus ad campaign
Published: 7 April 2009(GMT+10)
Out and about on Britain’s roads, you probably wouldn’t expect an atheist to challenge you about your belief in God. But this is currently the case in England, Scotland and Wales1) where what have been dubbed ‘atheist buses’ are currently sporting the slogan “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”
The initial idea for the advertising campaign came back in June 2008 from an article written by a comedy writer, Ariane Sherine. She was unsettled by an advert that she saw on a London bus with the verse: “When the son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8), followed by the Christian organisation’s website. Sherine was able to read there that, as a non-believer, she would be “condemned to everlasting separation from God and then spend all eternity in torment in hell.”
In response to this, Ariane jokingly suggested that if 4,680 atheists read her article and all contributed £5, then they could run their own advert on the London buses. The suggestion was warmly received by the atheist community with over £150,000 raised since October 2008 in support of the idea. Even the ‘evangelical’ atheist and supreme Darwinist Richard Dawkins personally donated £5,500. Due to the vast amount of money which has been donated to the campaign, it was decided to also place slogans inside the buses as well as throughout London’s tube (underground rail network). The advertising campaign was officially put into action on 9th January.
Atheists: “There’s probably no God”
The slogan does not say that there is no God, but rather is qualified by the word “probably” for two reasons: firstly, so that it does not breach the advertising standards in the UK, and secondly because you cannot prove a negative; i.e. lack of positive evidence is insufficient to completely disprove something. For example, just because no-one has ever seen a luminous green elephant wearing a sombrero, this does not necessarily mean that one does not exist, even though it is highly unlikely. To disprove it one would need to be simultaneously observing every part of the world, indeed the universe, which could possibly harbour such an entity. Similarly, to completely disprove God’s existence, one would need to have a near-infinite amount of knowledge.
While an official definition of atheism simply means not believing that there is a God, as defined on the official ‘atheist bus’ website, it has a bigger meaning: “It’s about making sense of the world, thinking freely and feeling liberated because of it. It’s about using your intellect and sense of reason to learn what life is about, and having the courage to think for yourself. It’s about relying on evidence when deciding on your beliefs, and being brave enough to speak the truth.” There is considerable fluff and nonsense in this statement. Let us consider some of these statements...read more
There really is a God and He is coming back. Are you ready?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
President Obama okays funding embryonic stem cell research (but removes adult stem cell funding)
What are the issues involved?
by Lita Cosner
Published: 19 March 2009(GMT+10)
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama reversed a Bush executive order which limited federal funds for embryonic stem cell research to lines created before 9 August 2001 (see US Senate passes embryonic stem cell bill; President vetoes). Under Obama’s new executive order, federal funding will be available for new embryonic stem cell lines, created by the destruction of human embryos. Some in the media have hailed this as a step forward for science. Others try to garner support for the decision by enlisting the support of family members of individuals who suffer from illnesses like ALS (Lou Gehrig s Syndrome) and diabetes, who hope that this form of stem-cell research might lead to cures of their conditions. But do the facts back up such hope? read more...
by Lita Cosner
Published: 19 March 2009(GMT+10)
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama reversed a Bush executive order which limited federal funds for embryonic stem cell research to lines created before 9 August 2001 (see US Senate passes embryonic stem cell bill; President vetoes). Under Obama’s new executive order, federal funding will be available for new embryonic stem cell lines, created by the destruction of human embryos. Some in the media have hailed this as a step forward for science. Others try to garner support for the decision by enlisting the support of family members of individuals who suffer from illnesses like ALS (Lou Gehrig s Syndrome) and diabetes, who hope that this form of stem-cell research might lead to cures of their conditions. But do the facts back up such hope? read more...
Friday, February 27, 2009
Constance Cumbey offer
Constance Cumbey has spent many years tracking New Age trends and its slow yet consistent infiltration of Christianity and society at large. She and her team of volunteers also supply cutting edge information on the UN, Europa and the Globalist agenda.
While I do not agree with absolutely everything Constance has to say, I think her work is invaluable.
Now she has generously offered her books for free download HERE.
Thank you, Constance.
While I do not agree with absolutely everything Constance has to say, I think her work is invaluable.
Now she has generously offered her books for free download HERE.
Thank you, Constance.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Your prayers reveal the level of your maturity
Some of us struggle in prayer. Unfortunately, I confess that I do sometimes. Does it ever feel like an obligation to you?
In his devotional book “Drawing Near: Daily readings for a Deeper Faith” February 18, here’s what John MacArthur says:
“Your prayers reveal the level of your maturity.”
Typically, Paul’s prayers reflected his concern that his readers mature spiritually. That is impossible without prayer, because spiritual growth depends on the Holy Spirit’s power, which is tapped through prayer.
Prayer is so vital that Jesus instructed His disciples to pray “at all times” (Luke 18:1). Paul commands us to “pray without ceasing” (Thess 5:17). Peter said we should be “of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).
Now this is the interesting part:
Scripture gives many commands to pray, but the true test of your spirituality is your compulsion to pray, not simply your obedience to commands. As a Christian you exist in a spiritual realm in which prayer is as natural as breathing is in the natural realm. Just as atmospheric pressure exerts force on your lungs compelling you to breathe, so your spiritual environment compels you to pray. Resisting either brings devastating results.
The more you see life through God’s eyes, the more you are driven to pray. In that sense, your prayers reveal the level of your spiritual maturity. Paul prayed with urgency day and night because he shared God’s love for His people and His concern for their spiritual maturity.
Examine your own prayers. Do you pray from a sense of duty, or are you compelled to pray? Do you pray infrequently or briefly? Do your prayers center on your own needs or the needs of others? Do you pray for the spiritual maturity of others? Those important questions indicate the level of your spiritual maturity and give guidelines for making any needed changes in your pattern of prayer.
Dr MacArthur then suggests that we thank God for the privilege and power of prayer. If we have neglected our prayer or prayed selfishly, we should confess our sin and to ask God to give us a sense of holy urgency in prayers. Are there people we should be consistently praying for?
Dr MacArthur’s suggestion for further study is to read Daniel 6:1-28 in light of the following questions:
What was Daniel’s pattern of prayer?
What accusation did the political leaders bring against Daniel?
What was the king’s attitude toward Daniel?
How did God honor Daniel’s faith?
In his devotional book “Drawing Near: Daily readings for a Deeper Faith” February 18, here’s what John MacArthur says:
“Your prayers reveal the level of your maturity.”
Typically, Paul’s prayers reflected his concern that his readers mature spiritually. That is impossible without prayer, because spiritual growth depends on the Holy Spirit’s power, which is tapped through prayer.
Prayer is so vital that Jesus instructed His disciples to pray “at all times” (Luke 18:1). Paul commands us to “pray without ceasing” (Thess 5:17). Peter said we should be “of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).
Now this is the interesting part:
Scripture gives many commands to pray, but the true test of your spirituality is your compulsion to pray, not simply your obedience to commands. As a Christian you exist in a spiritual realm in which prayer is as natural as breathing is in the natural realm. Just as atmospheric pressure exerts force on your lungs compelling you to breathe, so your spiritual environment compels you to pray. Resisting either brings devastating results.
The more you see life through God’s eyes, the more you are driven to pray. In that sense, your prayers reveal the level of your spiritual maturity. Paul prayed with urgency day and night because he shared God’s love for His people and His concern for their spiritual maturity.
Examine your own prayers. Do you pray from a sense of duty, or are you compelled to pray? Do you pray infrequently or briefly? Do your prayers center on your own needs or the needs of others? Do you pray for the spiritual maturity of others? Those important questions indicate the level of your spiritual maturity and give guidelines for making any needed changes in your pattern of prayer.
Dr MacArthur then suggests that we thank God for the privilege and power of prayer. If we have neglected our prayer or prayed selfishly, we should confess our sin and to ask God to give us a sense of holy urgency in prayers. Are there people we should be consistently praying for?
Dr MacArthur’s suggestion for further study is to read Daniel 6:1-28 in light of the following questions:
What was Daniel’s pattern of prayer?
What accusation did the political leaders bring against Daniel?
What was the king’s attitude toward Daniel?
How did God honor Daniel’s faith?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Jan Markell interviews Gary Cass
This is another MUST Listen for all Christians!
February 7, 2009 - Hour 1Dr. Gary Cass from the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission joins Jan to warn of the targeting of Christians under the new administration. From the "Fairness Doctrine" to "hate crimes," believers now have to watch their step. Christian broadcasting will be the first to be cut off under the rule of the new Federal Communication Commission. "Understanding the Times" radio could soon be history. www.christianadc.org
February 7, 2009 - Hour 1Dr. Gary Cass from the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission joins Jan to warn of the targeting of Christians under the new administration. From the "Fairness Doctrine" to "hate crimes," believers now have to watch their step. Christian broadcasting will be the first to be cut off under the rule of the new Federal Communication Commission. "Understanding the Times" radio could soon be history. www.christianadc.org
The Rapture vs. Witnessing
For those of us who lean towards the possibility that the Lord may return for the church before the 7 year tribulation (whenever that may occur), here is some wise counsel from Ron Graham.
Mr Graham's article is applicable to all Christians regardless of their eschatological beliefs. What are we doing with our time? I confess that he hits a nerve with me.
The end times are approaching and the signs spoken of by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24 are spilling out continually onto the scene today and are pointing dramatically to Christ’s soon return. Believers can see the signs if they are alert and watching. As Dr. Chuck Missler puts it "We must be well versed in the scriptures to accurately ascertain the time of the signs”. There is a preordained time that the signs are going to appear, and what we see happening all around us are the birth pangs that are so aptly spoken of in the scriptures.
I for one can’t imagine this world going on the way it has in the past. Signs that point to the end time when Jesus will return aren’t just subtlety appearing on the scene, they are exploding with a fierceness that’s unparalleled in mans history. We can watch this explosion on our television sets, radios, internet, newspapers, and from every other direction one can imagine. This was not the case even ten years ago; the birth pangs have arrived.
So just what are our options as believers now that we are beginning to witness a plethora of recurring signs which we are assured will occur just before Jesus' return? We have many options. They include such things as witnessing fervently to our family and friends. Being in constant prayer is an admonishment from the Apostle Paul, maintaining a close relationship with our Church family. Create and maintain an atmosphere of love and support for those who are shut-ins and especially provide for those who lack provisions.
In these last days all Christians should be intent on always keeping abreast of whatever intrusions the enemy might devise against the brethren. In these last days Satan is going to hit hard against anyone who promotes the name of Jesus and diligently proclaims His message. The last thing any Christian will want is to be caught alone and off guard when the evil comes down, and it is coming. Solitude creates evil bedfellows. Continue in fellowship, the breaking of bread together, encouraging one another... Read more
Mr Graham's article is applicable to all Christians regardless of their eschatological beliefs. What are we doing with our time? I confess that he hits a nerve with me.
The end times are approaching and the signs spoken of by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24 are spilling out continually onto the scene today and are pointing dramatically to Christ’s soon return. Believers can see the signs if they are alert and watching. As Dr. Chuck Missler puts it "We must be well versed in the scriptures to accurately ascertain the time of the signs”. There is a preordained time that the signs are going to appear, and what we see happening all around us are the birth pangs that are so aptly spoken of in the scriptures.
I for one can’t imagine this world going on the way it has in the past. Signs that point to the end time when Jesus will return aren’t just subtlety appearing on the scene, they are exploding with a fierceness that’s unparalleled in mans history. We can watch this explosion on our television sets, radios, internet, newspapers, and from every other direction one can imagine. This was not the case even ten years ago; the birth pangs have arrived.
So just what are our options as believers now that we are beginning to witness a plethora of recurring signs which we are assured will occur just before Jesus' return? We have many options. They include such things as witnessing fervently to our family and friends. Being in constant prayer is an admonishment from the Apostle Paul, maintaining a close relationship with our Church family. Create and maintain an atmosphere of love and support for those who are shut-ins and especially provide for those who lack provisions.
In these last days all Christians should be intent on always keeping abreast of whatever intrusions the enemy might devise against the brethren. In these last days Satan is going to hit hard against anyone who promotes the name of Jesus and diligently proclaims His message. The last thing any Christian will want is to be caught alone and off guard when the evil comes down, and it is coming. Solitude creates evil bedfellows. Continue in fellowship, the breaking of bread together, encouraging one another... Read more
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Von Campe radio interview with Jan Markell
This week Jan Markell interviewed Hilmar Von Campe. I suggest every American listen to what this man has to say. Jan's Radio Show. Scroll down to January 24, 2009 - Hour 2.
Hilmar Von Campe was a member of the Hitler Youth movement. His book is "Defeating the Totalitarian Lie: A Former Hitler Youth Warns America." Von Campe says that the same totalitarian issues that were present in Germany in the 1930s when Hitler came to power are now becoming evident in America. It is must-listening even if bits are lost due to Hilmar's German accent. It is also another wake-up call though it seems few are listening. www.voncampe.com
Hilmar Von Campe was a member of the Hitler Youth movement. His book is "Defeating the Totalitarian Lie: A Former Hitler Youth Warns America." Von Campe says that the same totalitarian issues that were present in Germany in the 1930s when Hitler came to power are now becoming evident in America. It is must-listening even if bits are lost due to Hilmar's German accent. It is also another wake-up call though it seems few are listening. www.voncampe.com
Friday, January 23, 2009
Fight FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act)
"The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do." -- Senator Barack Obama, speaking to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, July 17, 2007
From NARAL Pro-Choice America :
Thanks, President Obama!
Just days into Obama's presidency, he took swift and decisive action to end the global gag rule. The repeal of the global gag rule means that health clinics in developing countries will again be able to offer the world's poorest women access to much needed reproductive-health services, from birth control to prenatal care.
The above statement is just another way of saying, "thanks President Obama for making abortions more readily available."
We Christians may well be limited in what we can do but we still have prayer and a voice. Don't sit down and give up. Fight FOCA have a petition we can sign to get our message across. We must find our collective voice and not give up.
Please go to the Fight FOCA website and sign the petition.
Thank you.
See also:
From NARAL Pro-Choice America :
Thanks, President Obama!
Just days into Obama's presidency, he took swift and decisive action to end the global gag rule. The repeal of the global gag rule means that health clinics in developing countries will again be able to offer the world's poorest women access to much needed reproductive-health services, from birth control to prenatal care.
The above statement is just another way of saying, "thanks President Obama for making abortions more readily available."
We Christians may well be limited in what we can do but we still have prayer and a voice. Don't sit down and give up. Fight FOCA have a petition we can sign to get our message across. We must find our collective voice and not give up.
Please go to the Fight FOCA website and sign the petition.
Thank you.
See also:
MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Obama signs order to export 'torture'Commits American millions to support of abortion industry...HERE
Monday, January 12, 2009
Bishop Eugene Robinson: Not especially Christian
Apparently "Bishop" Robinson won't be using a Bible at the Lincoln Memorial during an inaugural event for President-elect Barack Obama where he has been invited to speak. According to Robinson:
Robinson, 61, said both Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will attend the event, and Obama is expected to speak. As for himself, Robinson said he doesn't yet know what he'll say, but he knows he won't use a Bible.
"While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans," Robinson said. "I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation."
Robinson said his prayer will be reflective of the times.
"I think these are sober and difficult times that we are facing," he said. "It won't be a happy, clappy prayer."
Mike Mickey shares his thoughts on the matter and I agree with him. Read Mike's article HERE.
Robinson, 61, said both Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will attend the event, and Obama is expected to speak. As for himself, Robinson said he doesn't yet know what he'll say, but he knows he won't use a Bible.
"While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans," Robinson said. "I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation."
Robinson said his prayer will be reflective of the times.
"I think these are sober and difficult times that we are facing," he said. "It won't be a happy, clappy prayer."
Mike Mickey shares his thoughts on the matter and I agree with him. Read Mike's article HERE.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
The (Im)moral of the Story
Answers In Genesis reviews Will Smith's new movie.
The popular culture is infused with beliefs contrary to the Book of Genesis (and the Bible in general), and it’s not just the high-profile debate over origins that regularly plays out in society. Take Seven Pounds, the latest movie by box-office megastar Will Smith, which was number two at the box office when released just before Christmas. Television commercials continue to proclaim that the movie is “the perfect holiday gift.” Smith, as co-producer, is also banking on his considerable charm plus the promise of a movie about redemption and selfless giving to lure moviegoers during the holidays.
Yet what audiences end up watching is a film that makes suicide look noble—though the gruesome way the protagonist kills himself could not be described as glorifying suicide. For whatever inspirational and altruistic moments there might be in the movie (which may have prompted the producers to time its release for Christmas), it has some very dark moments, especially at the end. While unwary theatergoers might hear about the film’s apparent heartwarming story of the unselfish acts of Smith’s character, this is by no means light holiday fare.
Seven Pounds tells the story of a man who decides that life is not worth living anymore. His deep emotional distress comes from both guilt and grief, and as he descends more and more into self-absorption, he kills himself to alleviate his suffering. At the film’s beginning, you sympathize with this tormented soul and are moved by his altruistic acts toward many strangers. Even before he kills himself, Will Smith’s character donates body parts so that others can live; his suicide provides additional body parts so that others (including one who turns out to be his love interest) can live.
Read the article HERE
Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You (Psalm 33:20–22).
The popular culture is infused with beliefs contrary to the Book of Genesis (and the Bible in general), and it’s not just the high-profile debate over origins that regularly plays out in society. Take Seven Pounds, the latest movie by box-office megastar Will Smith, which was number two at the box office when released just before Christmas. Television commercials continue to proclaim that the movie is “the perfect holiday gift.” Smith, as co-producer, is also banking on his considerable charm plus the promise of a movie about redemption and selfless giving to lure moviegoers during the holidays.
Yet what audiences end up watching is a film that makes suicide look noble—though the gruesome way the protagonist kills himself could not be described as glorifying suicide. For whatever inspirational and altruistic moments there might be in the movie (which may have prompted the producers to time its release for Christmas), it has some very dark moments, especially at the end. While unwary theatergoers might hear about the film’s apparent heartwarming story of the unselfish acts of Smith’s character, this is by no means light holiday fare.
Seven Pounds tells the story of a man who decides that life is not worth living anymore. His deep emotional distress comes from both guilt and grief, and as he descends more and more into self-absorption, he kills himself to alleviate his suffering. At the film’s beginning, you sympathize with this tormented soul and are moved by his altruistic acts toward many strangers. Even before he kills himself, Will Smith’s character donates body parts so that others can live; his suicide provides additional body parts so that others (including one who turns out to be his love interest) can live.
Read the article HERE
Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You (Psalm 33:20–22).
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