2021-06-22
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
Some skeptics like to say, “Which ‘god’ are you talking about: Thor, Zeus, etc?” The inference in this question is, “These were mythical gods, and so is yours.” Atheists are correct about these gods being myths. Man gravitates toward idolatry as a moth does to a flame.
There are millions of false gods. Hinduism has about 330 million. But there is only one creator, and that’s the God who revealed Himself to Moses and gave us His moral law. That’s the God who became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, died and rose for us, and provided salvation. And that’s the God you will have to face on judgment day. You say, “I don’t believe in judgment day!” What if you are wrong?
Another argument atheists use is that they can’t prove God doesn’t exist, just as you and I can’t prove the tooth fairy doesn’t exist. This is pseudo-intellectual and a condescending way of equating belief in God with belief in the tooth fairy. It’s true that we cannot disprove the existence of either one.
However, as one minister writes, “Belief in the existence of the tooth fairy is inconsequential. Belief in and therefore obedience to God has eternal consequences.” Irrevocable ones! The Bible says: “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Romans 14:10-12 NIV). Today accept Jesus as your Saviour, and you’ll meet God in peace.
Soul food: Jer 4-6; Luke 2:1-7; Ps 144:9-15; Prov 14:5-8
Romans 2:4 NLT
Another question that people might ask about Christianity is: Isn’t the church full of hypocrites? The word hypocrite comes from the Greek word for ‘actor’. Hypocrisy is ‘the practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold’. The true church of Jesus Christ is made up of true believers; hypocrites are ‘pretenders’ who sit among God’s people. Jesus even had one among His twelve disciples – Judas.
People have left the church because of hypocrisy, and there are many people in churches today who are just pretending to be believers. They might think going to church makes them look good, or they might be going in order to deceive people for their own purposes. But even the most faithful believer isn’t perfect, so we’ll still continue making mistakes and going wrong, even when we’re true believers and churchgoers.
But we need to be careful of judging others, as we don’t know their heart and motives. Struggling with something, questioning God, or making mistakes doesn’t automatically make us hypocrites. There might even be people in our church who genuinely don’t realise or understand that just going to church doesn’t make them a Christian. ‘You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things…Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?’ (v.1-4 NLT). Don’t worry about hypocrites in the church; God will sort them out, the ‘wheat’ from the ‘tares’ (see Matthew 13:30).
Jer 4-6; Luke 2:1-7; Ps 144:9-15; Prov 14:5-8
2021-06-21
2 Peter 3:13 NIV
For the next few days, let’s take a look at some of the big questions people ask about Christianity, and that we might even have asked ourselves. First: How can a loving God allow suffering? This is one of the hardest questions to answer, and we may never find the answer until we get to heaven and realise all God’s purposes.
In the beginning God created Adam and Eve, and they lived in a perfect world free from suffering – it was heaven on earth. But God also gave humans free will. So when Adam was faced with a decision – to obey God or disobey Him – he was able to make a choice himself, without God’s input. He chose disobedience, and that decision brought sin, death and misery into the world.
Free will is a gift, and if God stepped in and made all our decisions for us, we’d no longer have free will. But He’s not a dictator – He loves us and gives us the freedom to love or reject Him, to ask for His advice or go our own way. Adam’s choice means we now live in an imperfect, broken world, not the one God intended us to inhabit.
But ‘we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found…at peace with him’ (2 Peter 3:13-14 NIV). When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we have the assurance that we’ll go to heaven and live in a glorious earth made new without sin or suffering. But in the midst of the pain and suffering of our imperfect world, we can always draw close to our God and receive His comfort and strength.
Jer 1-3; Luke 1:67-80; Ps 144:1-8; Prov 14:1-4
Romeine 9:5 NLV
Sommige mense sê dat Jesus Christus nooit bestaan het nie. Een prediker skryf: ‘Terwyl skeptici mag kies om die Bybel se morele boodskap te verwerp, kan hulle egter nie die geskiedkundige akkuraatheid daarvan ontken nie. Meer as 25,000 argeologiese vondste bewys dat die mense, plekke en gebeurtenisse wat in die Bybel genoem word, waar en akkuraat beskryf is. Geen argeologiese vonds het al ooit die Bybel weerlê nie.’ Die beskrywings in die Bybel het inderwaardheid al argeoloë na wonderbaarlike vondste gelei.
Die nie-Christelike joernalis, Jeffrey Sheler, die skrywer van die boek Is The Bible True?, kom tot die volgende gevolgtrekking: ‘Moderne argeologie bevestig die historiese kern van die Ou en Nuwe Testamente op wonderbaarlike wyse en ondersteun sleutelgedeeltes van deurslaggewende Bybelse verhale.’ Jesus se geboorte, bediening, dood en opstanding is onweerlegbare historiese feite.
Josephus, een van die bekendste Joodse geskiedkundiges, het glo die volgende geskryf: ‘Daar was ongeveer hierdie tyd Jesus, ‘n wyse man, as dit geoorloof is om hom ‘n man te noem, want hy was ‘n doener van wonderwerke – ‘n leraar van mense wat die waarheid met genoeë ontvang het. Hy het baie van die Jode en baie van die heidene na hom toe aangetrek. Hy was die Christus; en toe Pilatus hom op voorstel van die vernaamste manne tot die kruis veroordeel het, het diegene wat hom liefgehad het, hom nie verlaat nie, want hy het op die derde dag weer lewend aan hulle verskyn, soos die goddelike profete dit en ook tienduisend ander wonderlike dinge rakende hom voorspel het; en die kerk van Christene, na hom vernoem, is nie uitgestorwe teen hierdie tyd nie.’
Nie net het Jesus gelewe nie, maar Hy het ook gesterf sodat jy die ewige lewe mag hê. Ontvang Hom vandag as jou Redder.
Sielskos: Jer 1-3; Luk 1:67-80; Ps 144:1-8; Spr 14:1-4
Romans 9:5 NIV
Some people say that Jesus Christ never existed. A Christian minister writes: “While skeptics may choose to reject the Bible’s moral message, they cannot deny its historical accuracy. Over 25,000 archaeological finds demonstrate that the people, places, and events mentioned in the Bible are real and are accurately described [25,000, no less!]. No archaeological finding has ever refuted the Bible. In fact, the descriptions in the Bible have often led archaeologists to amazing discoveries. Non-Christian journalist Jeffrey Sheler, author of the book Is The Bible True?, concluded, ‘In extraordinary ways, modern archaeology is affirming the historical core of the Old and New Testaments, supporting key portions of crucial biblical stories.'”
Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection are irrefutable historical facts. Josephus, among the most renowned of Jewish historians, is attributed as writing this: “Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works – a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this date.”
Jesus not only lived, but He died that you might have eternal life. Receive Him today as your Saviour.
Soul food: Jer 1-3; Luke 1:67-80; Ps 144:1-8; Prov 14:1-4
