God matters whether we are believers or not. It matters even with the one who does not believe in God’s existence because they are being taught or influenced by the believers. One of my friends joked, “Money is something we always need. So money is god.” Now this joke, on the serious note, raises a concern to the believers, whether Christian or Non-Christian, who God is. Otherwise, we would be defining God in our own terms, when God wanted to be called God. Any Christians would have argued back to the comment like the one mentioned earlier. We know what God is not. But God is supreme and sovereign. And there is none beside God. Down the centuries people have died for their faith and also lived by their faith. Some never understood this. To some, the stories of the early Christians were a tale of some fanatics practicing their faith. People were stripped off the faith because of some reasoning, they thought they were wise and not surprisingly because of their ego.
What is this faith that people have tried not only running into but running away from? Some who really rely on science believe that there must be a creator but totally deny God’s fellowship with human kind. Some deny God because they cannot accept the supernatural existence of God nor any supernatural happening. Some say it is not possible to prove God and that man is not capable of doing it. Some thought that the God of the Christians is just another god among the many other gods of other faith. Some thought Christianity is just another fanatic religion. Some do not see beyond the religious conduct and practices. To some it is more serious; they could not find God in an immoral and imperfect world. Some say God does not hear prayers. But in spite of all the other reasons some do not really want to know the truth.
If you are a Christian then you know what it takes to be a Christian. You have juries around you who would throw questions at your faith. Not being a superhuman, we may not have answers to all questions, but we should not be gripped with fear. This does not make our faith useless. It shows the wisdom of God, which is higher than any man can fathom. Only if they dare give themselves a chance to experience God personally then they will know what knowing God is like.
God created us but some have reduced humans to the level of animals to prove that God does not exist. We know the theory of evolution. We see that even in school textbooks. And we asked where our faith is. God said we are created in His image (Genesis 1:26). We are much more intelligent than animals. No animals come close to that. But rather we are to have dominion of every living creature that moves (Genesis 1:28). We see that, if not, do you think an animal can control an animal? Evolution is a thing of the past, it is just a theory. There are many scientific proofs why evolution is not possible. The question of our existence does not necessarily push us to fit the answers in an evolution jigsaw puzzle box.
There are some who wish to keep things light by accepting all the religions, saying every religion leads to one God. Now this becomes complicated because the religions contradict one another. Every religion cannot be right. And why God would compare Himself to man or things made by man that they are to be worship. Bible says, “To whom will you compare me or count me equal? (Isaiah 46:5). Can a pot share the same ownership with the potter? The Bible says about idol worship:”The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:24-25).
God’s identity is not seen in the handiwork of man but in His own handiwork. No one stands close to God and there is no one beside God. “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God...” (Isaiah 45:5).
Man’s knowledge has increased so much with the passing of years. The Bible says that: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4).
Undoubtedly, men have scaled mountains of knowledge. But has he become any wiser? He has burnt the midnight oil in search for the truth. But what is man’s wisdom before his Creator. Even an atheist struggled to keep his mind right. Because the mind cannot really trick the heart, for the quest is never satisfied with the grandest philosophical reasoning or ignorance.
“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21).
That is why God calls for humility and submission, for He wanted to help us see.
Why Christianity, when there are many other religions? We judge a religion not only its impact but the God of the religion. Christianity is different from any others. The Bible is itself a wonder and a handiwork of God. There is fulfilment of prophesies mentioned in the Bible. It tells you why you are on earth. It tells of God who is all powerful, all knowing and all present. Beside the facts and knowledge, we can know God personally. It is not a man’s philosophy but the power of God Himself.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Think of this: why most of the time people try to disproof Christianity but try to proof other religions?
Someone said Bible will only be found in the museum but he was wrong. The Bible is the fastest selling book. It is a collection of books written by around 40 writers at different time period. Some sceptics said that there are no more original copies and the manuscripts found have many variants that they cannot trust. True. But let us look at some facts. The New Testament alone has more than 24,000 partial or complete manuscripts. That is too big a number for the historians or archaeologists to just brush aside the Bible as unreliable. The majority of the variants are because of the arrangement of words, which is insignificant. A sentence can be written in many ways and still hold the same meaning. The other small variants are because of spelling, use of definite articles and only less than one percent has significant variants. This less than one percent significant variant however does not affect the doctrine of the Christian faith or moral commandment. For more than ninety-nine percent of the cases of original text can be reconstructed to a practical certainty. The Dead Sea scroll was found in 1947 containing the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), except the book of Esther. This proved that the certainty of the books of the OT is preserved.
Had Jesus been an ordinary man it would not have that much impact. For why would the people copy the manuscripts so much if it was not worth something? It is overwhelming because the manuscripts of other respected persons never come close to the manuscript of Jesus. The Old Testament has many prophesies on the coming of Jesus, and now we know Jesus was no fairy tale.
There were many other prophesies foretold and fulfilled. The writers of the Old Testament and New Testament were written in different time but the flow of the theme of the Bible remains the same. Had it not been God who had inspired men to write, the flow would not have been maintained nor preserved for thousands of years. It was God.
Some sceptics would say, “Show me your God and I will believe.” But God is invisible in nature. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- h ave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22). What does it take to believe God: a sign? Wisdom? “And He (Jesus) died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Jesus came to earth and died for our sins. He rose again. In this Jesus had shown that He is God’s power and God’s wisdom. “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). God has given us His Son Jesus that we can believe in Him and know the Father. “Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9).
Now Jesus is the Son, the representative of the Father. He came to show God.
If you think you are sceptical about believing Jesus then note that the 2.1 billion Christians are not less than intelligent to believe in Jesus. It is not any human doing or human foolishness but it is the power and wisdom of God.
We do not deny that the sun is hot because our eyes do not approve it but we know because we can feel it. In the same way, we do not deny the existence of God because one of our small senses could not help us see Him. But God in His creativity gave us the ears to hear and eyes to see what He has given us so that we are without excuse.
Paul saw an altar with an inscription, “To an unknown god.” So he stood up and addressed the Athens:
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:24-27).
God knows you before the beginning of the world and is waiting for you.
What is this faith that people have tried not only running into but running away from? Some who really rely on science believe that there must be a creator but totally deny God’s fellowship with human kind. Some deny God because they cannot accept the supernatural existence of God nor any supernatural happening. Some say it is not possible to prove God and that man is not capable of doing it. Some thought that the God of the Christians is just another god among the many other gods of other faith. Some thought Christianity is just another fanatic religion. Some do not see beyond the religious conduct and practices. To some it is more serious; they could not find God in an immoral and imperfect world. Some say God does not hear prayers. But in spite of all the other reasons some do not really want to know the truth.
If you are a Christian then you know what it takes to be a Christian. You have juries around you who would throw questions at your faith. Not being a superhuman, we may not have answers to all questions, but we should not be gripped with fear. This does not make our faith useless. It shows the wisdom of God, which is higher than any man can fathom. Only if they dare give themselves a chance to experience God personally then they will know what knowing God is like.
God created us but some have reduced humans to the level of animals to prove that God does not exist. We know the theory of evolution. We see that even in school textbooks. And we asked where our faith is. God said we are created in His image (Genesis 1:26). We are much more intelligent than animals. No animals come close to that. But rather we are to have dominion of every living creature that moves (Genesis 1:28). We see that, if not, do you think an animal can control an animal? Evolution is a thing of the past, it is just a theory. There are many scientific proofs why evolution is not possible. The question of our existence does not necessarily push us to fit the answers in an evolution jigsaw puzzle box.
There are some who wish to keep things light by accepting all the religions, saying every religion leads to one God. Now this becomes complicated because the religions contradict one another. Every religion cannot be right. And why God would compare Himself to man or things made by man that they are to be worship. Bible says, “To whom will you compare me or count me equal? (Isaiah 46:5). Can a pot share the same ownership with the potter? The Bible says about idol worship:”The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:24-25).
God’s identity is not seen in the handiwork of man but in His own handiwork. No one stands close to God and there is no one beside God. “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God...” (Isaiah 45:5).
Man’s knowledge has increased so much with the passing of years. The Bible says that: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4).
Undoubtedly, men have scaled mountains of knowledge. But has he become any wiser? He has burnt the midnight oil in search for the truth. But what is man’s wisdom before his Creator. Even an atheist struggled to keep his mind right. Because the mind cannot really trick the heart, for the quest is never satisfied with the grandest philosophical reasoning or ignorance.
“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21).
That is why God calls for humility and submission, for He wanted to help us see.
Why Christianity, when there are many other religions? We judge a religion not only its impact but the God of the religion. Christianity is different from any others. The Bible is itself a wonder and a handiwork of God. There is fulfilment of prophesies mentioned in the Bible. It tells you why you are on earth. It tells of God who is all powerful, all knowing and all present. Beside the facts and knowledge, we can know God personally. It is not a man’s philosophy but the power of God Himself.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Think of this: why most of the time people try to disproof Christianity but try to proof other religions?
Someone said Bible will only be found in the museum but he was wrong. The Bible is the fastest selling book. It is a collection of books written by around 40 writers at different time period. Some sceptics said that there are no more original copies and the manuscripts found have many variants that they cannot trust. True. But let us look at some facts. The New Testament alone has more than 24,000 partial or complete manuscripts. That is too big a number for the historians or archaeologists to just brush aside the Bible as unreliable. The majority of the variants are because of the arrangement of words, which is insignificant. A sentence can be written in many ways and still hold the same meaning. The other small variants are because of spelling, use of definite articles and only less than one percent has significant variants. This less than one percent significant variant however does not affect the doctrine of the Christian faith or moral commandment. For more than ninety-nine percent of the cases of original text can be reconstructed to a practical certainty. The Dead Sea scroll was found in 1947 containing the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), except the book of Esther. This proved that the certainty of the books of the OT is preserved.
Had Jesus been an ordinary man it would not have that much impact. For why would the people copy the manuscripts so much if it was not worth something? It is overwhelming because the manuscripts of other respected persons never come close to the manuscript of Jesus. The Old Testament has many prophesies on the coming of Jesus, and now we know Jesus was no fairy tale.
There were many other prophesies foretold and fulfilled. The writers of the Old Testament and New Testament were written in different time but the flow of the theme of the Bible remains the same. Had it not been God who had inspired men to write, the flow would not have been maintained nor preserved for thousands of years. It was God.
Some sceptics would say, “Show me your God and I will believe.” But God is invisible in nature. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- h ave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22). What does it take to believe God: a sign? Wisdom? “And He (Jesus) died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Jesus came to earth and died for our sins. He rose again. In this Jesus had shown that He is God’s power and God’s wisdom. “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). God has given us His Son Jesus that we can believe in Him and know the Father. “Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9).
Now Jesus is the Son, the representative of the Father. He came to show God.
If you think you are sceptical about believing Jesus then note that the 2.1 billion Christians are not less than intelligent to believe in Jesus. It is not any human doing or human foolishness but it is the power and wisdom of God.
We do not deny that the sun is hot because our eyes do not approve it but we know because we can feel it. In the same way, we do not deny the existence of God because one of our small senses could not help us see Him. But God in His creativity gave us the ears to hear and eyes to see what He has given us so that we are without excuse.
Paul saw an altar with an inscription, “To an unknown god.” So he stood up and addressed the Athens:
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:24-27).
God knows you before the beginning of the world and is waiting for you.
