Do You Really Believe in God? A True, Living, and Eternal God?

Do You Really Believe in God?

Do You Really Believe in God?

A True, Living, and Eternal God?

Poll ResultsConcerning GodPoll Results

Concerning God• 1990 Gallup poll revealed that 94% of

Americans believe in God or a universal spirit– Only 81% of college graduates believe in God

• 2009 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) concerning religion and belief in God:– “When it comes to religion, the USA is now a

land of the freelancers”– People who call themselves “Christians”

dropped more than 11% in a generation

Religion 2008 (Mil)

1990 Pop

2008 Pop

Change

Catholic 57.2 26.2% 25.1% -1.1%

Baptist 36.1 19.3% 15.8% -3.5%

No Religion 34.2 8.2% 15.0% +6.8%

Christian (Generic)

32.4 14.8% 14.2% -0.6%

Protestant 29.4 18.7% 12.9% -5.8

Don’t know 11.8 2.3% 5.2% +2.9%

Charismatic 8.0 3.2% 3.5% +0.3%

Denominations 7.1 2.6% 3.1% +0.5%

Mormon 3.2 1.4% 1.4% 0%

New Movements

2.8 0.8% 1.2% +0.4%

Jewish 2.7 1.8% 1.2% -0.6%

Eastern Religions

2.0 0.4% 0.9% +0.5%

Muslim 1.4 0.3% 0.6% +0.3%


Concerning God

• Since the first ARIS survey was released in 1990, other national surveys have offered snapshots of the USA’s faith and others have commented on these findings:– 41% of people have switched their

religion at some point in life (Pew survey)– How far is heaven? At least half will

make it, Americans say (Baylor University survey)


Concerning God– “Religion has become more like a

fashion statement, not a deep personal commitment for many” (Kosmin)

– “I’m totally disengaged from the church and the Bible, too. Sunday mornings mean playing in a park, not praying in a pew” (Mueller)

– “If religion comes up, everyone at the table will start mocking it. I don’t know anyone religious and hardly anyone spiritual” (Rossi)


Concerning God

– “…I see kids today who have no vocabulary of faith, and neither do many of their parents” (Gautier)

– “I am a deeply committed follower of Christ. Rather than aligning with a specific denomi- nation, I attend a non-denominational com- munity church where I like rock music, but Bible study is the focus of my faith. We just look to Jesus. It happens inside of people’s souls” (Haynes)


Concerning God

– William Donohue, president of the Catholic League said he thinks a radical shift towards individualism over the last quarter-century has a lot to do it.

– "The three most dreaded words are thou shalt not," he told Lou Dobbs. "Notice they are not atheists -- they are saying I don't want to be told what to do with my life."


Concerning God• Two comments individuals stated in

response to the USA Today religious survey:– “I’m so happy to see the increase in non-believers,

agnostics, atheists. As people become more educated and expand their knowledge and experiences, they’re more likely to see that religion is about as valid as Mother Goose fairy tales”

– “This is good news. The sooner mankind weans himself from the tyranny of religion the better. Religion is the worst thing ever invented. More misery has been visited upon mankind in the name of religion than anything else”

The Bible Showsand Proves the Existence of

God


God• Presents us a living GodPresents us a living God

– Psalms 65:2Psalms 65:2

• We MUST believe in GodWe MUST believe in God– Hebrews 11:6Hebrews 11:6

• God is NOT just an abstract idea or God is NOT just an abstract idea or impersonal creator – He is aimpersonal creator – He is a– ““living God, who made the heaven, the living God, who made the heaven, the

earth, the sea, and all things that are earth, the sea, and all things that are in them”in them” (Acts 14:15) (Acts 14:15)


God


God• God’s Word teaches the absolute God’s Word teaches the absolute

necessity of knowing who God really necessity of knowing who God really isis– John 17:3John 17:3– 2 Thessalonians 1:7-92 Thessalonians 1:7-9

• ““knowing God” means more thanknowing God” means more thanhaving some understanding of Hishaving some understanding of Hisexistenceexistence

• It includes all concepts that lead toIt includes all concepts that lead toa right relationship with Goda right relationship with God

Faith Is Essentialin Recognizing the

True God

Faith Is Essentialin Recognizing the

True God• We must gain faith in HimWe must gain faith in Him

– Romans 10:17; Hebrews 10:22-24Romans 10:17; Hebrews 10:22-24

• Many are drawing back, losing their Many are drawing back, losing their faith and living a life expecting God faith and living a life expecting God to change to keep up with modern to change to keep up with modern times.times.

“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the

saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:38-39

Faith Is Essential in Recognizing the True

God


God• Comments from a Theologian conference Comments from a Theologian conference

(2000)(2000)

– ““God’s image is going to have to change God’s image is going to have to change for all faiths if religion is to survive”for all faiths if religion is to survive”

– ““We can’t enter the 21We can’t enter the 21stst century with the century with the idea of the God we learned in Sunday idea of the God we learned in Sunday School”School”


God


God• Comments from a Theologian conference (2000)Comments from a Theologian conference (2000)

– ““The God I grew up with had an image of a stern The God I grew up with had an image of a stern lawgiver and judge who required obedience lawgiver and judge who required obedience within a system of rewards and punishments – a within a system of rewards and punishments – a ‘monarchical model’ of God that has turned many ‘monarchical model’ of God that has turned many people away from the Christian faith”people away from the Christian faith”

– ““I find it literally incredible that the God of the I find it literally incredible that the God of the whole universe has chosen to be known by one whole universe has chosen to be known by one religious tradition”religious tradition”

It Does MatterThat We

Believe in God?


Believe in God?

• Should all who claim the name of Should all who claim the name of Christ be united? Christ be united? YESYES– John 17:20-23John 17:20-23

• God’s Word says that weGod’s Word says that wedo things the same way!do things the same way!– 1 Corinthians 1:101 Corinthians 1:10– Ephesians 4:3-6Ephesians 4:3-6


Believe in God?


Believe in God?• Jesus’ message did not waver Jesus’ message did not waver

depending on His audience – Paul depending on His audience – Paul taught likewisetaught likewise– 1 Corinthians 7:171 Corinthians 7:17– 1 Timothy 6:3-51 Timothy 6:3-5

• So did JohnSo did John– 1 John 4:11 John 4:1

• We must follow theWe must follow thesame standard today!same standard today!– Jude 3; Matthew 15:9, 13Jude 3; Matthew 15:9, 13

There Really Is Only

One True God


One True God• With God’s Word as our complete With God’s Word as our complete

guide, we can believe in the one and guide, we can believe in the one and only God.only God.– He’s the creator – man is the creatureHe’s the creator – man is the creature

• Genesis 1:1, 26-27Genesis 1:1, 26-27

– Man is an immortal being and will live Man is an immortal being and will live forever.forever.• Hebrews 9:27Hebrews 9:27


One True God


One True God• Moral standard for man is not of Moral standard for man is not of

his own personal choosing – it his own personal choosing – it comes from Godcomes from God– Titus 2:12Titus 2:12– John 10:10John 10:10– 1 John 5:4-51 John 5:4-5

One day, EVERYONE will KNOW the truth!

One day, EVERYONE will KNOW the truth!

Do You Really Believe in God? A True, Living, and Eternal God?

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