Born Again — Dr. Henery Blackaby

Born Again

Experiencing God Day-By-Day  July 21

www.blackaby.org

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Entering a saving relationship with Christ is a life-changing experience! All things become new! Not some things, but all things (2 Cor. 5:17). For the first time in your life, Christ is Lord; God is Master. When you become a Christian, Christ’s presence will affect every part of you. You will have new thoughts, new attitudes, new values, and new sensitivities. New priorities will dramatically affect your relationships. You will view everything in your life from a Christlike perspective. Christianity is not something you add to your life; it is life!

Nicodemus thought that salvation meant performing certain religious exercises and holding to particular religious teachings. He had no idea of the all-encompassing nature of salvation! When you become a Christian, God gives you a new heart so that everything becomes new! God gives you a new mind, like that of Christ, so you think differently. He gives you new emotions, so you feel deeply about completely different matters. You become sensitive to sin, so you are no longer comfortable with it. Your recreation will be affected as you are made aware of what is honoring to God and what is not. Your relationships will now be guided by the Holy Spirit. Destructive habits and attitudes, previously immune to change, will be transformed.

Have you noticed the changes God has brought to your life since you entered a vital relationship with Jesus Christ? These changes should be very noticeable as a testimony of the new life you received when you trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

Dr. Henry Blackaby                     Blackaby Ministries                     www.blackaby.org

Cancer, Law and Gospel

Cancer, Law and Gospel

 

          Thousands of people over the years have been killed for sharing the information that I am about to divulge to you.  For some it will revolutionize their life for now and eternity, and for others it will cause anger, resentment, and some will just be indifferent.  Who will you be?

 

Good News and Bad News

 

          In this case the bad news must precede the good news so that you can hopefully fully appreciate the good news for how amazing it actually is!  Let me begin by using an illustration.  What would you think about a doctor that knew you had deadly cancer growing in your body but he didn’t want to offend or scare you by revealing your life threatening condition to you?  I would assume that you would want to know regardless of how the news would make you feel.  If the Doctor was good, loving and responsible he would tell you the truth.  The bad news would shock you and sadden you, but it would also be the motivation for you to take drastic action, such as pumping radioactive poison into your veins in order to destroy the cancer or even amputating a part of your body.  Armed with the knowledge of your illness, the cancer fighting drugs and methods that meant little to you before the diagnosis are now great news and invaluable to you.  They are now your salvation and you would have never considered taking them had the doctor not been brave enough to share to bad news with you. 

                It may sound strange to you, but God’s word tells us that you and I were born with a condition that is much more serious than cancer.  This condition will not only kill us, but it will cause us eternal anguish if it is not dealt with properly.  There is an antidote that will shield us from its negative effects in the next life and give you great hope in this life, but you must see how serious the disease is before you are given opportunity to receive the antidote. 

          The disease all humans have is the SIN disease.  You might say, “Everyone is a sinner and no one is perfect, and besides, I am really a pretty good person.  Oh yah, I forgot to mention that God is really forgiving!”  If this describes you at all then you have greatly under estimated the severity of your sinful condition.  Take a moment to let me prove to you how serious sin actually is.  Let’s look at God’s holy standard to see if you are a good person by His standard (remember, come judgment day, God’s opinion of you is the only one that matters).  Let’s look at a few of his commands from the Bible:

1. Do not lie.  How many lies have you told in your life?  _________
2. Do not steal.  How many things have you stolen? ________  (Money, Candy, Clothing, Music off the internet, illegally burning cd’s, cheating on test, getting paid when you are not really working like you should, ect…)
3. Do not misuse God’s name.  Have you ever used God’s name in vain?_________  (“Oh my G_D!  G_d Damn!  J.C. something”)
4. Do not commit adultery.  Jesus said that looking at a person that is not your husband or wife to lust after them is adultery and it doesn’t matter if you are married or not.  WOW!—God looks at our thought life as well as our actions!  Have you ever had a X-rated thought ? _________
5. Do not murder.  God’s word teaches that hatred is murder of the heart.  Have you ever hated or been intensely angry at someone? _____________
6. Honor your parents.  Have you ever dishonored your parents?_________
7. Jesus said the most important command is to Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?  Have you loved God like you should all the time?  ___________  (probably not when you were lying, stealing, lusting, ect…)
8. And attached to the above command Jesus said to love your neighbor as you love yourself.  Have you ever been selfish?  ________

          Remember, I am attempting to be like the loving and responsible doctor that wants to share the truth with you so that you can avoid the Holy, furious wrath of God.  If God judges you by your actions will God see you as a liar, thief, blasphemer, adulterer, murder at heart, who hasn’t always honored his parents, honored his God, or honored others like you should?  Left to myself and my works, I am not a good person, I deserve Hell!  How about you?   God’s word says “…for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8) and “⁵For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ …because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:5-6) 

                Many object at this point by saying that, “My God is a loving and forgiving God that would never send anyone to hell.” Or “Why would God be so harsh? My sins are not that bad.” Or, “I have done more good than bad!”   Reason with for a moment:

1.    Think about the value of God, and who it is we are actually sinning against.  If you punch me in the nose you might go to jail for a night.  If you punch the president in the nose you will go to jail for much longer because the supposed dignity of that person is much greater.  If you punch God in the nose (sinning against him) you have offended the creator of the universe.  He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.  He is one that controls every molecule in the universe.  Hell is forever because when you sin against God you are sinning against an infinitely valuable being and one sin against someone of such value deserves an infinite punishment.  That is justice.  (Remember, Adam and eve sinned once and the whole universe was cursed.  Satan, who was an the most beautiful angel God ever created sinned once and was banished from Heaven and will never get a second chance.)
2. Good and just judges don’t let guilty sinners go free without proper punishment.  If someone molests a child then kills that child and a judge let him go free because he said sorry that judge has just now become corrupt!  Because God is a God of Goodness, righteousness, justice and love, he cannot just let sin go unpunished.  Psalm 89:14 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your (God’s) throne…”and Isaiah 30:18 tells us that “… the LORD is a God of justice.”
3. What if you believe God will let you go free because you have done more good than bad?  That sounds like a judge that would accept a bribe to me.  Think if you murder someone, it doesn’t matter how many good works you have done.  You still must be punished for the crime.

James 2:10  “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

Good News!

                At this point you may be saying, “Enough with the bad news!  I am in big trouble come judgment day.  Give me some good news!”  God made a way that Justice could be taken care of and your sins could be forgiven at the same time.  It is best said in John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes (trusts into) in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

                God’s word tells us the even though we were rebels against God he still loved us.  He does not want to just show wrath, Justice and judgment; he also desires to show us his love, grace and mercy.  God has done that through the work and the person of Jesus the Christ.  God came into this world (Jesus, second person of the Trinity—One God yet three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) born of a virgin, he lived a perfectly sinless life, fulfilled all kinds of prophecies, did all kinds of miracles (healing the blind, raising the dead, walking on water, calming the storms, ect…), taught amazing truths, but what he ultimately came to do is to die on the cross.  When Jesus was on that Roman Cross he was absorbing the wrath of the Father in place of all those who would ever trust in him.  Jesus drank down the Hell that I deserve.  He then died, and rose from the dead on the third day.  He then appeared to many over a forty day period, then ascended into Heaven and he has left us with a promise that he is coming back to judge the living and the dead.  Jesus defeated sin and death for His Glory and our good!       “God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

How to be forgiven

                So hopefully at this point you are asking, “How can I have my sins forgiven and get right with God?”  The bible tells us that in response to the amazing work and offer of Jesus we must exercise a repentant faith in Jesus Christ.  What that basically mean is that you are acknowledging  your sinfulness, confessing it to God, turning from your life of sin and turning to Jesus Christ and trusting him as your Master, Lord, God, and Savior.  If you have a repentant faith in Christ you are not trusting in your good works or righteousness to save you; you are trusting alone in Christ’s righteousness credited to you through faith.  Now as a Christian you will do good works, but those good works will be the fruit of your salvation, not the root of your salvation.  The old hymns said it well, “nothing in my hands I bring, only to the cross I cling” and “What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

                Do you love your sin more than the Savior?  I beg you to repent and fling yourself on the mercy of Christ.  He is mighty to save!  I have heard it said that our sins must be dealt with.  They will either be poured over Jesus’ head on the cross or over our head in Hell for eternity.

               One last point of extreme importance.  Jesus is not just fire insurance or a get out of hell free card.  The primary reason for becoming a Christian is so that you may glorify God to the fullest and enjoy him forever.  Can you imagine how spectacular it will be to spend eternity with the God of the universe that made you for himself?  Some think that hanging out with someone they love is fulfilling, but how about being with the creator of my soul!!!  It will be great beyond what words can describe.

Is Baptism Essential For Salvation?

My Position is that Baptism is not essential for salvation—–but it is a very important command for the believer to follow.  Here are some reasons why I hold this position: 

1. In Acts chapter 10 there are gentiles that are filled with the Holy Spirit, therefore saved (Eph. 4:30, 2 Cor 1:22, Rom 8:9), and this happened before they were baptized with water.
2. In Luke 23:29 we read that Jesus promised salvation to the thief on the cross next to him, and he was not baptized.
3. In Acts 2:38 we find that Peter commands those who have believed in the gospel message to “Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”  The word “for” (“eis” in Greek) can mean “with a view to” or “because of”. In light of this and the consistent message of salvation coming through faith and not by works (Eph 5:8, Jn 3:36, Acts 16:30-34) the verse is likely calling for baptism because they have been forgiven, not to be forgiven.
4. Luke wrote in Acts 16:30-34 about the conversion of the Philippian Jailer after a violent earthquake.  The Jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  Paul and Silas replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”  Following the Jailer’s belief/salvation he was baptized as his first act of obedience as a follower of Jesus.
5. Paul differentiated between the gospel and baptism.  In 1 Cor 1:17 Paul said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel…”  In Romans 1:16 Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”
6. The Gospel of John was written “…that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (Jn 20:31)  John never mentions baptism as part of salvation, it is always belief alone.       (Jn 3:16, 18, 36)
7. Many also quote Mark 16:16 as further support for the necessity of baptism for salvation.  The verse states, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”  Notice in the latter part of the sentence that it is those who do not believe that are condemned, not those who failed to be baptized.  Furthermore, most Bible translations will state that Mark 16:9-20 is not in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts or in the writing of ancient authors who frequently quoted the New Testament texts.  So it is possible that Mark 16:9-20 does not belong in the text at all.
8. Baptism is a work of righteousness (Mt 3:15), but scripture tells us time and time again that we are saved by faith and not works.  For example Titus 3:5 states, “he saved us, not because of the righteousness things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”  Ephesians 2:8-9 says “for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not form yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 

The Bible teaches that we are baptized in water because we are saved, not in order to be saved.  Baptism is the first act of obedience of the new believer.  It identifies us with Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom 6:1-6, 11, Col 2:11-12) and it identifies us as a member of Christ’s earthly church.  Please remember that a basic rule of biblical interpretation to read hard verses in light of easy ones and that we should never build a doctrine on a single verse, especially when that doctrine is not consistent with the rest of scripture.

Am I Really Saved?

How Do We Know We Are Truly Saved?

 

The book of 1^st John was written to give the true Christian assurance of salvation

 

1 John 5:13 – I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of

God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

 

•  The book of 1^st John gives a series of tests to reveal if someone is a true or false convert.

 

Test #1                        1 John 1:5-7 – …God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

            •  The true believer’s life will not be characterized by habitual sin (walking).  True Christians do sin, but it isn’t the normal pattern (walk) of their life.  True Christians walk habitually in holiness (light).

 

Test #2                        1 John 1:8-10 – If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

            •  Someone who denies their sinful condition cannot be saved.  A true Christian’s life is marked by continual confession and forsaking of sin.  Confession means to say the same thing about sin as God does; to acknowledge his perspective and come into alignment with it.

 

Test #3                        1 John 2:3-4 – We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

            •  A Christian who is genuinely born again will be in the habit of keeping God’s commands.  Do you even know what God’s commands are?  How can you keep them if you don’t know them?  We need to read our Bibles everyday!

 

Test #4                        1 John 2:5-6 – …This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

            •  True born again Christians will try to imitate Christ likeness in their daily life.  No one does this perfectly as 1 John 1:8-10 tells us, but Christ likeness ought to be the goal of our life.

 

Test #5                        1 John 2:9-10 – Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.  Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.

            •  Habitual hate or a lifestyle of hate is what is indicated here.  Someone who claims to be born again, yet their life is characterized by hate shows by their action that they have never been born again.

 

Test #6                        1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

            •  The term “world” speaks of the satanically influenced world system.  We must not be characterized by a love for the things God hates (cravings of sin, lust of the eyes, boasting over accomplishments).  Being born again means that God puts his spirit in you and he gives you a new heart with new and right desires.  We all still sin while in this body, but the true believer is warring against sin, and hates it.

 

Test #7                        1 John 2:23 – No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

            •  Whoever denies the true divine nature of Christ as it is presented in scripture or his place as Lord and Savior in their life is an enemy of Christ, and does not have the Father.

 

Test #8                        1 John 3:8 – He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

            •  once again John is speaking about a habitual lifestyle of sin.  For example, someone who is living in continual sexual sin, lies or steals habitually,  or someone who gets drunk every week (the list could go on and on).

 

Test # 9                       1 John 3:14 – We know that we have passed from life to death, because we love our brothers.  Anyone who does not love remains in death.

            •  Do you care deeply for other Christians and love to be around your Christian brothers and sister?.  The true Christian will be given a love for the brethren from the Holy Spirit.

 

Test #10          1 John 4:6 – We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.  This is how we recognize the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

            •  True Christians will see the Bible as their sole authority and reject falsehoods that do not align themselves with sound apostolic teaching on essential doctrine.

 

Test #11          1 John 4:15 – If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.

            •  “Acknowledge” doesn’t mean mere mental assent or agreement.  It means agreeing with the scripture that Jesus was God in the flesh and receiving him as Lord and Savior.  He will the grant the believer His Spirit and transform the new believers life.

 

 

The Deity Of Jesus Christ

Biblical Texts That Prove Jesus is God

John 20:27-29

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”

 

John 1:1-14

In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4 Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. …14 So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.* And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.

 

Hebrews 1:4-9

This shows that God’s Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is far greater than their names. 5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus:

“You are my Son.  Today I have become your Father.* ”And again God said, I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.”* 6 And then, when he presented his honored* Son to the world, God said, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”* 7 God calls his angels “messengers swift as the wind,and servants made of flaming fire.”* 8 But to his Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.  Your royal power is expressed in righteousness.  9 You love what is right and hate what is wrong.  Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”*

 

Titus 2:13

while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

 

Acts 20:28

And now beware! Be sure that you feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his blood (Jesus on the cross)—over whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

 

Romans 9:5

Their ancestors were great people of God, and Christ himself was a Jew as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

 

Colossians 2:8-10

Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world,* and not from Christ. 9 For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body,* 10 and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.

 

1 John 5:20

And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

 

                                                                                                                   (New Living Translation)

Jehovah/Jesus Texts

Isaiah 40:3—This verse makes a prophecy about Jehovah—“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the LORD (Jehovah).”

Matthew 3:3—This prophecy is fulfilled by John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus— “For tthis is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord.”

 

Zechariah 12:10—Jehovah is speaking—“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they Pierced.”

John 19:37—This prophecy is fulfilled by Jesus Christ in the New Testament—“They shall look on him (Jesus) whom they pierced.”

 

Isaiah 43:11—Jehovah is the only savior—“I, even I am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.

2 Peter 1:11—Jesus is our savior—“…and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Isaiah 44:24—Jehovah created alone—“…I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.”

Colossians 1:15-16—Jesus created all things—“He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (heir- see psalm 89:27) over all creation.  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”

 

Isaiah 48:11—Jehovah will not share his glory—“…I will not yield my glory to another.”

John 17:5—Jesus is glorified—“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

 

“SON OF GOD”  ▬▬  What Does This Mean?

“…the term “Son of …” can refer to “offspring of” in some contexts, the more important theological meaning is “of the order of.”  For example, “sons of the prophets” means “in the order of prophets” (1 Kings 20:35).  “Sons of the singers” means “of the order of singers” (Nehemiah 12:28).  Likewise, the phrase “Son of God” means “of the order of God,” and represents a claim to undiminished deity.  Ancient Semitics and Orientals used the phrase “son of …” to indicate likeness for sameness of nature and equality of being.  Hence, when Jesus claimed to be the son of God, His Jewish contemporaries fully understood that He was making a claim to be God in an unqualified sense.  Benjamin Warfield affirms that, from the earliest days of Christianity, the phrase “Son of God” was understood to be fully equivalent to God.  This is why when Jesus made His claim, the Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to the law he [Christ] must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God” (John 19:7).  Recognizing that Jesus was identifying Himself as God, the Jews wanted to put Him to death ofr committing blasphemy (see Leviticus 24:16).” (Reasoning From the Scriptures with JWs, Ron Rhodes, p. 242)

Heaven & Hell: What You Must Know To Be Saved

10 Reasons the New Testament Writers Told the Truth

Top Ten Reasons We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Chapter summary of book by Geisler and Turek)

Peter Kreeft said, “Why would the apostles lie? … If they lied, what was their motive, what did they get out of it? What they got out of it was misunderstanding, rejection, persecution, torture, and martyrdom. Hardly a list of perks!” There is a lot of evidence that shows that the NT is true, but how do we really know that the NT writers didn’t exaggerate or embellish what they say they saw? Lets look at the top 10 reasons.

1. The NT Writers Included Embarrassing Details About Themselves

The “principle of embarrassment” (historical test #7) assumes any details embarrassing to the author are probably true, because authors tend to leave out anything that makes them look bad. If you and your friends were creating a false religion would you make your selves out to look like a dim-witted, uncaring, rebuked, doubting, cowards? No way, but that is what the writers of the NT did. A made-up story would make the writers look bold, fearless soldiers of Christ.

† Dim-Witted—disciples fail to understand what Jesus is saying (Mark 9:32; Luke 18:34; John 12:16)

† Uncaring—disciples fall asleep on Jesus twice when they were asked to pray on the night Jesus was taken to be crucified. Disciples fail to give Jesus proper burial out of fear for themselves. Jesus was buried by a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin—a member of the same court that sentenced Jesus to die.

† Rebuked—Peter is called Satan by Jesus (Mark 8:33). Paul corrects Peter on a theological issue (Galatians 2:11). Keep in mind that Peter is one of the pillars of the early church, and here’s Paul including in Scripture that he was wrong!

† Cowards—all the disciples but one hide when Jesus goes to die on the cross. Peter denies Jesus three times (Matt. 26:33). While the brave men are hiding, the women discover the empty tomb of Jesus.

† Doubters—despite being taught that Jesus would rise from the dead (John 2:18; 3:14; Matt. 12:39; 17:9, 22-23), the disciples are doubtful when they hear of his resurrection. Some even doubt when they see him risen (Matt 28:17).

2. The NT Writers Abandoned Their Long-Held Sacred Beliefs And Practices, Adopted New Ones, And Did Not Deny Their Testimony Under Persecution Or Threat Of Death—

NT writers don’t just say that Jesus performed miracles and rose from the dead, they back it up with actions of their own. Virtually overnight they abandoned many long held and sacred beliefs of Judaism. For example, animal sacrifice was replaced with the sacrifice of Christ, the law of Moses no longer had power because of the sinless life of Christ, they now worshiped Jesus as the God-Man considered by the Jews to be blasphemy and punishable by death, and belief in a sacrificial Messiah versus a conquering one (until 2nd coming). Not only were Just the NT writers converted, but thousands of Jerusalem Jews, including Pharisee Priests, followed Christ. History shows that within five weeks after the death and resurrection of Jesus more than ten thousand Jews converted to Christianity. How can this be explained if the resurrection did not occur. These converts also adopted new radical practices such as Sunday worship, Baptism, and Communion as a sign of Christ’s sacrifice. NT writers had nothing to gain by trying to pull off a hoax. The only worldly reward they received is persecution and death. The NT writers could have saved themselves by confessing it was all a lie, but they never did. If they had made up the resurrection story they certainly would have said so when they were about to be crucified (Peter), stoned (James), or beheaded (Paul). But no one recanted—eleven out of the twelve apostles were martyred for their faith. Why would any sane person die for a known lie? Don’t forget that all twelve claimed to be eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. They would have known if the resurrection was a reality or not. The apostles knew for sure that Jesus had resurrected, and they demonstrated that knowledge with their own blood. (people do die for lies [suicide bombers], but they whole heartedly believe the lie is truth)

3. Enemies and Critics of Christianity Confirm the Same Basic Storyline as the New Testament Writers Present in the Bible

† Josephus, a Jewish historian for the Roman government writes in A.D. 94, “At this time there was a wise man called Jesus, and his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. Many people among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified, and to die. But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have reported wonders. And the tribe of the Christians, so named after him, has not disappeared to this day” (Josephus, Antiquities, 20:200 – Maier translation).

† Josephus also writes, “Then James, the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ was stoned to death by the Sanhedrin (Jews) in the absence of the Roman governor.” (Josephus, Antiquities, 20.9.1) Would you be willing to die for your brother if he claimed to be the sinless Son of God and Savior of the world? James was willing to die in the name of Christ because he saw that Jesus lived a blameless life and he witnessed his resurrection from the dead! You can trust a guy that rises from the dead.

† Talmud—Is a Jewish history book written by the Jewish authorities between AD 70 and 200 that confirms when, how, and why the Jews killed Jesus. Sanhedrin 43a states,“On the eve of Passover Yeshu (Jesus) was hanged … because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy.” This tells us Jesus was killed on Passover, had supernatural powers, and he called people to follow him.

4. The NT Writers Left In Demanding Sayings of Jesus

If the NT writers were making up a story, they should have made up a story that made life a little easier on them. For example, the NT claims Jesus said, “…anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt 5:28); “…do not resist a evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matt 5:39); “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matt 5:44); “Do not store up treasures on earth…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:19); “Do not judge, or you too will be judged…with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matt 7:1). These are not commands the NT writers would impose on themselves because no mere human can live up to the standard set. Only a perfect person could live according to the standard set in the NT. Perhaps that is exactly the point.

5. The NT Writers Carefully Distinguished Jesus’ Words From Their Own

Quotation marks did not exist in first century Greek, but NT writers very clearly distinguished Jesus’ words from their own. Virtually all red-letter editions of the Bible attribute all of the same words to Jesus. This is important evidence towards the credibility of the NT writers because it would have been easy for them to solve theological disputes by just adding to the sayings of Jesus. It would have been easy to make up quotes in relation to circumcision, obeying the Law of Moses, speaking in tongues, and women in the church in order to end all debates. Why were the NT writers so careful about distinguishing their own words form the words of Jesus unless they were telling the truth?

6. The NT Writers Included Events Related To The Resurrection That They Would Not Have Invented

† The Burial of Jesus- Jesus was buried by Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish ruling council that sentenced Jesus to die for blasphemy. Followers of Jesus were very bitter towards Jewish authorities, so why would they put a member of the Sanhedrin in a favorable light if the story was made up? Furthermore, if Jesus really wasn’t buried by Joseph of Arimathea, this detail could have easily have been exposed making the Luke out to be a liar and his Gospel a fake. The Jews never denied this fact.

† The First Witnesses- All four Gospels say women were the first witnesses to the empty tomb and the resurrected Jesus. In that day women were not seen as credible witnesses and were not even allowed to testify in court. One of those women was Mary Magdalene, who Luke admits (8:2) was once demon possessed. These are not the kind of witnesses that would be made up if the NT writers were trying to fool the world.

† The Conversion of Priests- Why didn’t the risen Jesus appear to the Pharisees? Maybe they were too proud, and it wasn’t necessary. It is often overlooked that “…a large number of priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). This was written in Luke’s letter to Theophilus (Book of Acts). This detail must have been true because this is a detail that could have easily been exposed as false if it were indeed false. When people lie they usually try to cover their tracks, but obviously the writers of the NT didn’t try to do this. Maybe they were telling the truth.

† The Explanation of the Jews- The Jews want people to believe that the cowardly disciples stole the body and created a story of the resurrection, all in order to get themselves beaten, tortured, and martyred. If it were true, how did the disciples get past the elite Roman guards who were trained to guard the tomb with their lives? The Jews said the guards were sleeping when the disciples silently moved the 2-ton stone from the grave. If the guards were sleeping how would they know that the disciples stole the body? Furthermore, no Roman guard would admit to sleeping on the job because he would be killed for the offense. Maybe the biblical story in Matt. is true; the Pharisees created this bad story, paid off the guards, and promised to keep them out of trouble.

7. The NT Writers Include More Than Thirty Historically Confirmed People In their Writings-

The NT could not have been invented because it contains too many historically confirmed characters. The NT writers would have blown their credibility with their audiences by implicating real people in a fictional story, especially people of great notoriety and power. The NT writers would not have gotten away with publicly telling lies about Pilate, Caiaphas, Festus, Felix, and the entire Herodian Bloodline.

8. The NT Writers Include Divergent Details-

The four Gospel accounts are not exactly the same. Critics say this proves it is a lie, but actually it strengthens the case for the biblical story of Christ. How? All four Gospels tell the same main story line (virgin birth, miralcle worker, Son of God, raised from the dead, ect.), but each account includes divergent details. Think of it like this, if a judge hears four stories that are exactly the same word-for-word, he would probably assume that the witnesses got together beforehand to make their stories agree (collusion). The Gospel accounts differ on small details like how many angels were in the tomb, or one account says an angel spoke and another account did not mention it. Just because one account mentions one angel does not mean there were not more, maybe one was just more prominent. The NT shows the nature of eyewitness testimony. I challenge you to read two news articles about the same event. It will usually be the same main story-line, with some differing minor details.

9. New Testament Writers Challenge Their Readers To Check Out Verifiable Facts, Even About Miracles-

For example, In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians he declares that he previously preformed miracles for them. Paul was speaking of his own qualifications as an apostle—someone who speaks for God. Paul told the Corinthians, “The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance” (2 Cor. 12:12). Paul would not have written this unless he had really done miracles for them. Why would he have asked the Corinthians to remember miracles that he did not perform, thus destroying his credibility? The only explanation is that Paul was an apostle of God, he confirmed it by performing miracles, and he openly displayed this to the Corinthians.

10. NT Writers Describe Miracles Like Other Historical Events: With Simple, Unembellished Accounts—

Embellished and extravagant details are strong signs that a historical account may be fraudulent. For example, 100 years after the resurrection of Jesus a forgery known as the Gospel of Peter was written in a extravagant manner. The Gospel of Peter speaks of long heads that reached up to Heaven and a cross that walked and talked at the time of Jesus’ resurrection. In the four resurrection accounts found in the Bible there are no extravagant or embellished stories, just bland facts about the greatest miracle in history. If the Gospels were fake, and they were trying to convince the skeptics, don’t you think that they would have claimed to have actually seen Jesus physically rising from the dead, and maybe have thrown a few extra adjectives in to help. Thirty-five other miracles attributed to Jesus are described as if form reporters, not wild-eyed preachers.

Helpful resources: 99.9fm (Fresno), www.leestorbel.com, www.equip.org, www.answersingenesis.org, www.bibarch.com, www.biblequery.com, www.str.org, www.wayofthemaster.com, www.truthsthattransform.org, www.family.org, www.needgod.com

Heaven, Hell, and the Love of God: What Does the Bible Say?

One reason we have the Bible

● I write these things…so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

Jesus is God (part of the eternal Trinity.  One what (God)—three who’s (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)

● In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  …The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1, 14) 

● For in Christ all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)

● The Father says of the Son (Jesus) -“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.”(Hebrews 1:8)

● Through him (Jesus) all things were made…  (John 1:3) Jesus is our creator, & God alone  is the only one who creates (Isaiah 44:24)

Truth about mankind

● As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…there is no one who does good, not one (Romans 3:10-12)

● There is not a just man upon the earth, that does good, and does not sin” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

● For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Test your sinful condition by the 10 Commandments (Deuteronomy Ch. 5)

+Do not Lie (even white lies=‘Liar’), Steal (value is irrelevant = ‘Thief’), misuse God’s name  (‘Blasphemer’), worship any idols (e.g. $=‘Idolater’), murder (hate=murder {1 John 3:15} ‘Murderer’), commit adultery (lust=adultery {Matt. 5:28} ‘Adulterer’), or covet your neighbors possessions.

+Always make God #1 in your life, honor your parents, & keep the Sabbath day holy (rest 1 out of 7 days)

● Most have broken all 10 commandments, and all will be found GUILTY before God on judgment day.

● Remember -For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10)

God is love and he loves you

● …God is love.  (1 John 4:8)

● Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)      AND…

God is just and holy —- He must punish sin

•  For the LORD IS A God of justice.  (Isaiah 30:18)

● … the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. (Nahum 1:3)

●  God is a just judge, and angry with the wicked everyday. (Psalm 7:11)

• Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin (including sexual activity before marriage), who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers—none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9)— We all have hope so keep reading!

Result of God’s judgment on sinful man

●”Everlasting punishment” (Matt. 25:46), “Weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt.24:51), “Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9), “Eternal fire… blackest darkness reserved forever” (Jude 1:7,13)—God doesn’t want this to happen to you!  He loves you so much he made a way out—Keep reading! 

● If anyone’s name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.  (Revelation 20:15)

►Just a thought:  If a human judge let rapists, child molesters, murders, thieves and the like go unpunished would he be a JUST judge?  NO! He would be a corrupt Judge.  How much more just is God than a good human judge?  God’s standard is perfection and no unclean thing will come into his kingdom (you & me)!

►One more thought:  I have the right protect my home with force if necessary if a criminal is trying to get in.  Doesn’t God have the same right to protect his heavenly home from unrepentant sinners?  God must quarantine evil to prevent sin from spreading like a disease through his holy kingdom.

 

                   THERE IS GREAT NEWS!

Why God can forgive us – The wrath of God came upon Christ on the cross–WOW!

● The Apostle Paul wrote to fellow believers, “But God showed his great LOVE for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment. For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life.”(Romans 5:8-10)-  Jesus took our punishment 4 us!!!

Our guarantee of eternal life

● For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith; and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.  (Ephesians 2:8)

● Whoever believes (trusts into) in the son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:36)

● For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes (trusts into) in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

If you have true faith you have been “Born Again”

● Jesus declared, “… no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3)

● And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command…Then you will remember your past sins and hate yourselves for all the evil things you did. (Ezekiel 36:26-27, 31)

Real Christians repent (turn from sin to Jesus): It is an inescapable result of true faith

Repentance—Turning to God with a change of mind about sin that results in a change of conduct by the power of God.

● If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not have the truth. (1 John 1:6)

●God commands all men everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30)

●Except you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3)

● And this is love for God: to obey his commands… for everyone born of God overcomes the world. (1 John 5:3-4)

● We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (Romans 6:2)

Just believing facts won’t save you, you must have faith – demons believe in facts

● You believe there is one God. Good!  Even the demons believe that and shudder (James 2:19)

Only one way to Heaven – Jesus Christ

● Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me”. (John 14:6)

● Salvation is found in no one else.  For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

● For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)

God’s promise of forgiveness

● If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)

● Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19)

How do we know all of this is true?

● The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. (Acts 5:30)

● For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes. (2 Peter 1:16)

►Just a thought:  many people will die for a lie that they think is true, but no sane person will die for what they know is a lie.  New Testament writers and other apostles claimed to be eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, and they demonstrated that it was true with their own blood.  All but one of the apostles we’re killed for proclaiming their faith in the resurrected Jesus, and not one ever denounced their faith in the resurrected Jesus Christ. (Norm Geisler)

Example Prayer: Jesus, please save me.  I am a horrible sinner, and I am willing to turn from my sin and make you my new Savior/God/Master/Lord.  Thank you for taking my punishment for me, rising from the dead, and for the gift of eternal life.  Please fill me with your spirit and give me the strength to live for you. –Remember:  Prayers don’t save you, Jesus does—through a repentant faith

+ READ YOUR BIBLE EVERYDAY, FIND A BIBLE BASED CHURCH, GET BAPTIZED & SHARE YOUR FAITH !

+Helpful resources: www.seekandsave.net,  www.leestorbel.com, www.gty.org, www.deseringgod.org, www.equip.org, www.wayofthemaster.com, www.biblequery.com, www.family.org, www.str.org,  99.9fm (Fresno)