Why I Believe…

The Battle is over the

interpretations: Which World

View?

1) Evolution is Bankrupt to explain Non Physical World…

I read about a Church sign:

• This speaks volumes to the problem engaged here. Reverse it and you will see the problem better:

“Taking the Bible seriously although not literally.”

•“Taking Evolution seriously although not literally.”

2) The Bible’s Accuracy!

• Sir Frederic Kenyon put it, that “The Christian can take the whole Bible in his hand and say without fear or hesitation that he holds in it the true Word of God, handed down without essential loss from generation to generation throughout the centuries.”

The Bible has another witness to its uniqueness and accuracy that is the Confirmation of Archeology. Over 2500 sites, events, cities, and places have been found. Tens of thousands of people, peoples, nations, kingdoms and tribes have been verified.

(Halley's Bible Handbook, New Revised Edition is an excellent source to validate these discoveries in archeology.)

Nelson Gluck, a renown Jewish archaeologist, has said there has never been a single archaeological find that has ever controverted a Biblical claim.

Archeologists use the Bible to locate sites!

3) There are Two Proofs of God’s Inspiration and Direction which validate His Word (The Bible) and His Prophets.

PROPHECY & MIRACLES

As far as the writings of the Holy Bible:• Book Number of Predictions % of Book covering

predictions• Genesis 77 14• Exodus 69 40• Numbers 50 36• Deuteronomy 58 36• 2 Kings 50 20• Psalms 59 10• Isaiah 111 59• Jeremiah 90 60• Ezekiel 66 65• Daniel 58 45• Hosea 28 56• Joel 25 68• Amos 26 58• Obadiah 10 81• Micah 40 70• Zechariah 78 69• Zephaniah 20 89• Matthew 81 26• Mark 50 19• Luke 75 22• Acts 63 13• Romans 29 21• Hebrews 52 45• Revelations 56 63• (Information gleaned from Fast Facts on Defending Your Faith, by John Ankerberg

& John Weldon, page 59, 60).

SPECIAL NOTE: The Bible’s rate of fulfillment is 100% accurate, (not including future prophecies yet to be fulfilled).

Here is a list of prophecies concerning the Messiah which were fulfilled in Jesus:

OT prophecy NT fulfillmentBorn of a virgin Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:23Live in Nazareth of Galilee Isaiah 9:1-2 Matthew 2:23; 4:15Massacre of Bethlehem’s Children Jeremiah 1:15 Matthew 2:18Anointed by Holy Spirit Isaiah 11:2 Matthew 3:16, 17A Special Messenger would prepare the way, John the Baptist

Isaiah 40:3 & Malachi 3:1 Matthew 3:1-3His Mission would include the Gentiles & be rejected by the Jews

Isaiah 42:1-3 & 6 Matthew 12:18-21His Ministry includes Miracles Isaiah 35:2; 61:1-24 Matthew 9:35; The Sheep would scatter when Shepherd was struck

Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31, 56;

He would be betrayed be a friend for 30 pieces of silverZechariah 11:12, 13 Matthew 27:9-10

He would die a humiliating death Psalm 22; Isaiah 53 Matthew 28He would be rejected Isaiah 53:3 John 1:10, 11; 7:5, 48He would be silent before his accusers Isaiah 53:7 Matthew 27:12-18He would be mocked Psalm 22:7 Matthew 27:31His hands & feet would be pierced Psalm 22:16 Luke 23:33He would be crucified with thieves Isaiah 53:12 Matthew 27:38

The list continues… (I left out the citations for brevity—they are available)

• He would pray for persecutors• His side would be pierced• Buried in a rich man’s tomb• Cast lots for his garments• Be given vinegar & gall to drink• He would rise from the dead• Would be hated without cause• Rejected by rulers• Ascend into heaven• His star would appear• His lineage of Abraham,

– Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Jesse, – David, Solomon,

In all there are as many as 456 specific prophecies concerning the Christ in His first coming!

• Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies in his birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection.

However, what He did with Miracles, Signs, and Wonders boggles the mind!

He healed multitudes of sickness, disease, and illness;

He healed the blind, lame, deformed, crippled, deaf and dumb; He delivered the demon possessed;

He walked on water, calmed the winds & waves, turned water into wine and raised the dead!

No One Like Him!

4) The Most Common Experience?• We Don’t Know…

• The Bible’s definition Of Lost!

• Religions and Philosophies lack of answers…

Religion’s answers are Not Good Enough

• It is by being good enough in the hopes that God will accept us

• It is by sacrificing enough in hopes that God will accept us

• It is by asking for forgiveness and trying to make restitution enough in the hope that God will accept us

• It is by practicing spiritual disciplines enough in the hopes that God will accept us

Consider This Truth!

• There is one area that we CAN understand it is a question that CAN be understood…

• It is something we EXPERIENCE almost everyday in our world and it POINTS to the ANSWER!

• It SEPARATES the ONE TRUE path to God from among the MANY being offered!

No satisfactory answer to this question:

If God is just AND God is merciful, how does justice and mercy find peace/satisfaction in a sinful person IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD?

• I think you’ll find an UNRESOLVABLE CONFLICT!

Mercy cancels out justice and leaves it undone; Justice cancels out mercy and leaves it undone [WE CAN’T HAVE BOTH!]

Where and how can they both be satisfied?

•Justice defined is eye for eye, foot for foot, and life for life--There is no TRUE justice otherwise. [We reap what we’ve sown]

•Mercy defined is that we don't get what we deserve. [We don’t reap what we’ve sown]

• THE CONFLICT is real:

• If we demand justice there is no mercy. • If we demand mercy there is no justice.

Look at this way…• If someone kills another…

TRUE justice means the KILLER should be put to death!

• If someone cuts off another’s arm…TRUE justice means the offender’s arm should be cut off!

• Mercy means neither the killer nor the offender get what they deserve…

In Which Case is Justice AND Mercy Satisfied?

•Neither one…right? When TRUE justice is rendered it really becomes a LOSE/LOSE situation…both people die; both people lose an arm.

• If Mercy is given one person lives and the other doesn’t lose their arm…but both live with the fact that they destroyed another’s life! [The victims receive NO JUSTICE at all!]

• Christ in Christianity

solves the problem

In the cross justice and mercy meet. Righteousness and peace kiss each other!

“Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.” Psalms 85:10

The Bible’s answer is the cross of Jesus.

How?

IN SATISFYING JUSTICE:• Jesus the righteous Holy One,

substitutes in our place, lays down his life for the world.

• In dying, Jesus satisfies God’s holy judgment AGAINST sin. [What we sowed in sin Jesus reaped on the cross in His death!]

IN SATISFYING MERCY:• Jesus is raised from the

dead, “...because I live you shall live also!”

• For ANYONE who calls upon the name of the Lord, there is mercy.

• Through the blood of Christ, God’s wrath passes over us, we don’t get what we deserve!

Also

• Justice and Mercy have met each other, in the cross, in Christ, In Him.

• The Substitution works

There is NO OTHER way…

• If you can find another way, then what Jesus went through in being crucified would have been for nothing.

• He said, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me!” [He prayed it three

times!]• God the Father did NOT let

the cup pass from Him.

True Justice and Mercy is something We can understand; and as we do it points to the Cross!

No other religion satisfies this problem and since Christ in Christianity does…it provides powerful understanding for WHY Jesus is THE ONLY WAY TO GOD!

5) The Born Again Experience!

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

Our human experience includes a

consciousness towards

God!

• We are aware of a Supreme Being

• We have the opportunity of Knowing God

• A conscience towards God—Holy & Perfect

• We long to worship Someone Greater

• We have an emptiness inside

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ministry of reconciliation!

• God has removed the offense of our sin

• He offers peace between

• Repent and surrender—being born again!

There are FOUR Spiritual laws that relay this need to be reconciled with God:

Law Number One:

• "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Law Number Two:

• “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

• “The wages of sin is death.” [spiritual death & separation from God] (Romans 6:23)

Law Number Three:

• “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

• “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

Law Number Four: We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12,13)

A Prayer Must be Said…

• We must ask to be saved it will not happen by itself

A prayer of the heart:“Dear God, I believe in Jesus Christ. I know I am a sinner separated from you; come into my life, forgive me and save me through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.”

Born Again!