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Happenings
Bible Study
FAQ
Bible Reading
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These Are Frequently Asked
Questions Concerning God.
This Page will be updated
weekly. Please visit us again.
- Is There God?
- Can You Prove That God is Real?
- Why is God So Hidden?
- Why does the Bible Refers To God as He?
- Is the Bible God's Word?
- What Is the Truth?
- Where Did Man Come From
- What Is The Meaning of Human Existence
- Which Religion is Right?
- Why Does God Let Innocent People Suffer?
- When Will the World End
- What Happens After We Die
- Why Be A Christian (When Many Are Hypocrites?)
- What is a Born-again Christian?
- What is the Meaning of Baptism?
- What is the Christian Faith?
THERE IS GOD
The Bible is the unique book in the world. The first subject covered
in the Bible is God. God is the main theme of the Bible. The first verse in the
Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Scientists
have explored our physical universe for a long time. Through their studies they
have discovered that our universe is an orderly system that is full of design.
Before we consider what the Bible has to say about God, let us first consider
what the universe has to say about God.
GOD DECLARED THROUGH THE UNIVERSE
Look at
the sky above you at night. Astronomers estimate that there are more than one
hundred billion stars in our galaxy, and that there may be billions of galaxies
in the universe. Each star we see represents a solar system in the universe. Our
own solar system has the sun as the center, and it has nine planets revolving
around it in clock-like precision. The earth, as one of the planets, speeds
through space at 6,000 miles an hour and takes 365 days to circle the sun. This
fact is astounding when one considers that a train traveling at one-one
thousandth of this speed will many times miss its schedule. Furthermore, the
moon in its motion around the earth has its orbit and period. The earth's
rotation and the twenty-three degree tilt of its axis give us our
twenty-four-hour day, our four seasons, and our many different climates. The
movements of the sun, the moon, and the earth give us our wonderful calendar.
The distances between the sun, the
moon, and the earth provide a marvelous environment for life to exist. If the
earth were to come ten percent closer to or farther away from the sun, all
living beings on earth would be either scorched to death or frozen. If the moon
were 50,000 miles from the earth instead of 230,000 miles from it, all the
oceans on earth would be sucked up by the moon; the land mass would be deluged,
and the mountains would be submerged. The precise distances and circulations of
the sun, the moon, and the earth tell us of a wonderful design that is in place.
And these are but a tiny fraction of the movement of the heavenly bodies above
us. Such a wonderful testimony displayed in the universe around us is a living
witness to the existence of a Creator.
The law of cause and effect tells us
that for every phenomenon there must be a cause. If a watch keeps time
accurately, there must be a watchmaker who made it. If a house stands
magnificently on a hill, there must be a builder who built it. If a garden is
well-trimmed and fenced, there must be a gardener who is taking care of it. In
the same way, the obvious design behind the universe speaks of a Creator who has
caused these things to appear the way they are.
In physics there is the Second Law of
Thermodynamics, which says that any physical system left to itself will decay
and become disorderly. Yet the processes that operate in the universe, and
particularly on earth, remain highly organized. There is order and design in
everything that we see. For such order and design to come out of nothing would
surely defy the natural law stated above. Dr. Boris P. Dotsenko, once the head
of the nuclear physics department in the Institute of Physics in Kiev, who was
taught in atheism, wrote in relation to the earth being what it is in spite of
the Second Law: "As I thought about all of that, it suddenly dawned on me that
there must be a very powerful organizing force counteracting this disorganizing
tendency within nature, keeping the universe controlled and in order. This force
must not be material; otherwise, it too would become disordered. I concluded
that this power must be both omnipotent and omniscient. There must be a God -
one God - controlling everything!"
Throughout history some people have
at times opposed the idea of God. The very fact that they have opposed it means
that God is there. The fact that some rebellious sons disown their fathers means
that they do have a father. The fact that some people try to tear down the
family means that the family is a reality. The law of inference tells us that
opposition to anything presupposes that the thing itself exists. It has been
proven in history that it is futile to oppose the idea of God, for no matter how
cultures and human governments change, the belief in God always prevails in the
end.
Let us consider what the universe tells us about God. The Bible tells us that
God's "eternal power and divine characteristics" are seen through the creation
(Rom. 1:20). As a painting displays the characteristics of the painter, so the
Creator's attributes are manifested through His created universe. Although man
cannot say much about God Himself, through the majesty displayed in the creation
he can see that God is powerful. Psalm 19:1 says that "the heavens declare the
glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of His hands." The material
universe speaks of God's glory, and it also speaks of His wisdom. The God who
created the universe is powerful, glorious, and wise.
GOD EXPRESSED THROUGH MANKIND
The very existence of mankind speaks
of the existence of God. The human body is a true marvel. Although modern
medicine has invented many machines to imitate and to replace man's organs and
limbs, no machine can come close to the dexterity and effectiveness of the human
organs. The human heart pumps 72 times a minute, or 40 million times a year,
while one is awake or asleep. Every day an adult heart pumps blood through
100,000 miles of blood vessels, enough to travel around the world four times. It
pumps enough blood to fill a 2,000-gallon tank car every day. Who could have
designed such a wonderful organ within man? If one were to pile up the red blood
cells in his body, the height would exceed that of Mount Everest five thousand
times! The nose inhales air seventeen times a minute. Every day it has to
process about 14,000 liters of air. In addition to adjusting the temperature of
the air, it also has to temper its humidity and filter its dust. A man-made
machine that will handle all these three functions might weigh one hundred
pounds. What if such a "man-made nose" were to be installed on our face! These
are but a few examples of the wonders of the human body. If we stand before a
mirror, we cannot help but agree with what the psalmist in the Bible said: "I am
awesomely and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows it
well" (Psa. 139:14).
The very makeup of the human personality is also a strong proof to the creation
of God. Man is not just made of an outward body, but is endowed with some
natural traits such as tendencies and aptitudes to love, to be upright, to be
holy, and to be righteous. These psychological inclinations are in every person,
irrespective of the culture he inherits or the kind of language he speaks. No
animal comes close to man in demonstrating these virtues. We must conclude that
these human characteristics come from a source higher than man. The Bible says
that they come from God, who Himself is the source of love, light, holiness, and
righteousness. The reason man reflects these divine traits is that he was made
in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27).
Furthermore, there is a strange
tendency in man to worship God. Even the most primitive culture is replete with
ways and rituals in the worship of deity. The study of anthropology has found
that this worship trait is peculiar to the human species. A monkey never builds
a shrine, and a chimpanzee never prays. But everywhere on the earth man prays to
God. The Bible says that man was created with a spirit (Job 32:8). This spirit
is the organ with which man contacts and worships God.
The very fact that mankind has been
able to exist until today is a testimony to the sovereignty of God. If God had
held back the sunshine and the air, man would have ceased to exist on this earth
long ago. Every second the sun burns up the equivalent of four million tons of
fuel in order to keep our planet warm. If God were to charge man for this energy
consumption, man would have to come up with about 160,000,000,000,000 U.S.
dollars a day. But all this sunshine and air has come to us free. As the Bible
says, "He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:25).
The ancient Greek poets declared,
"For we are also His [God's] race" (Acts 17:28). The ancient Chinese sage
Confucius called God "heaven" and taught men to honor Him. Socrates had "a
strong belief in God as ruler of the world." St. Paul in the Bible said that "in
Him we live and move and are" (Acts 17:28). One of Russia's most distinguished
writers, Leo Tolstoy, was but echoing the words of St. Paul when he declared,
"God is He without whom one cannot live."
Without God, human history could not
have evolved the way it has evolved. God is behind everything that happens among
mankind. He is the sovereign Ruler, the King above all kings. The first century
Roman Empire persecuted the Christians, but in the end the Roman emperor
Constantine himself was converted to Christianity. When Hitler attacked England,
and again when he invaded Russia, for a time it seemed as if he would prevail.
But God was sovereign in preventing his army from advancing. In the course of
human history, though evil forces may prevail for a while, in the end goodness
always wins. No despot or tyrant can establish his kingdom forever. King
Nebuchadnezzar of the ancient Babylonian Empire boasted of his own glory, and
was made to live like a beast for a season, until he humbled himself before the
Almighty. The founding fathers of the United States of America realized that it
is God who allows a government to stand. Over the United States capitol building
the words "In God We Trust" are inscribed. The same words are inscribed on every
piece of American currency. The course of human history is a strong testimony to
the existence of God.
GOD REVEALED IN THE SCRIPTURE
Although God is manifested in many
ways through the universe and through mankind, the most direct revelation of
Himself is through two things: His word and His Son. God's word is the Holy
Scripture, which is the Bible. The Bible reveals to us the titles of God. Among
the many titles for God in the Old Testament, primarily only three are used
Elohim, Jehovah, and Adonai. Elohim is a plural noun in Hebrew. It implies the
notion of "the faithful strong One." God is strong and faithful. He is strong in
strength and faithful in word. Jehovah means "I Am That I Am," revealing that
God is the self-existing and ever-existing One. He is the One who was in the
past, who is in the present, and who is to come in the future. Adonai means
"master" and "husband." On the one hand, God is man's Master; on the other hand,
He is man's Husband. In the New Testament there are many other titles, such as
Father, Lord, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. All these reveal to us what and who
God is.
The lives of the patriarchs are a
strong evidence of God's working in men's lives. The experience of these men and
their records show how God is the caring One who takes care of men's affairs and
guides them to know Him. If one reads the Old Testament he will find that
the laws given by Moses are a living picture of God Himself. God is holy;
therefore, the laws that He gave are holy. God is righteous; therefore, the laws
that He gave are righteous (Rom. 7:12). The psalmist in the Old Testament tells
us that we can know God through the law (Psa. 9:16). Without the law no one
knows what God is like. The law is like a photograph; it shows us what God is
like.
All the prophets in the Old Testament
spoke through the inspiration of God (1 Pet. 1:10-11; 2 Pet. 1:21)It was God
who put the words of prophecy into their mouths. The phrase "Thus says the Lord"
is often repeated in the Old Testament. The wisdom of the prophets' words and
the fulfillment of their prophecies have proved that their words are indeed
divinely inspired. One of the greatest prophecies concerns the destiny of the
nation of Israel. The Bible prophesied that the Jews would be scattered
throughout the world, but that at the appointed time the nation of Israel would
be restored and the city of Jerusalem would be returned to the Jews. We can see
this in our own time with the restoration of the nation of Israel in 1948 and
the return of Jerusalem to the Jews in 1967. The establishing of that tiny
nation in the Middle East is a living proof of God's work in history.
No other book has been attacked as
severely as the Bible. Atheistic governments have tried their best to remove
this book from their lands, but God's sovereign hand has preserved this book. We
are happy that the Bible is now being made available to the people of Russia, a
country formerly under the rule of atheistic communism, after so many years of
prohibition. We must realize that it is God's hand that has made this possible.
The preservation of the Scripture is one strong evidence that God is alive in
the world today.
GOD MANIFESTED IN THE SON
Hebrews 1:1-3 says that God, having
spoken to man in many ways in ancient times, one day decided to speak to man
personally in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God coming in the form of man. His
coming declared God (John 1:18). Through Him man sees God Himself (John 14:9).
The Gospel of John records that when He was on earth, He told others one hundred
fourteen times that He was God. In His last discourse with His disciples He made
reference to His being God over fifty times. The miracles that He performed
could not have been done by anyone unless this one was God. He ordered and
controlled the laws of nature, changing water into wine (John 2:1-11), quelling
the storm (Matt. 8:23-27), and feeding five thousand with five loaves and two
fish (Matt. 14:14-21). He healed the sick, raised the dead, and cast out demons
(Matt. 4:24; 8:28-32; 11:4-5). He spoke words of wisdom which only God could
utter (Matt. 13:53-56).
After thirty-three and a half years
of living on earth, He died a supernatural death. His death was a fulfillment of
the prophecies of the Old Testament. He foretold His death to His disciples
before the event happened. At His death He declared, "It is finished," meaning
that God's work of redemption was done. The death of all world leaders marks the
end of their influence and career, but the death of Christ formed the beginning
of Christianity and the ushering in of an earth-shaking faith. It is no wonder
that the centurion and soldiers who guarded Him at the cross confessed, "Truly
this was the Son of God" (Matt. 27:54). His death was the death of the God-man.
At His death the sky became darkened and the tombs were opened, and many bodies
of the dead saints were raised. It was God who had died for man! No historian
can explain the power that lies behind the death of Christ. The life and death
of Jesus Christ are a living testimony to the power and work of God.
GOD'S PLAN FOR MAN
The above discussion has proved to us
that God is real and living. But we must ask the most important question: What
is this God doing today? What is His plan for man today? Acts 17:27 tells us
that God wants man to seek after Him and to know Him. He has displayed His
workmanship in the universe, and He has spoken in His Scripture. He has even
manifested Himself in Jesus Christ. His intention is that we would know Him. God
has no intention to hide Himself. He intends that man would come to know Him
first as the Creator and then as his God and his Father.
Second, God intends for man to
worship Him. John 4:23 tells us that God seeks for true worshippers, those who
would worship Him in spirit and in truthfulness. He has no intention for man to
worship the things that He has created. The true worship of God is to worship
with our spirit. In the past, man has set up many idols and worshipped these
things instead of God. But in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, God
forbids all forms of idol worship (Exo. 20:4-5; 1 Cor. 10:14; 1 Thes. 1:9b). He
is the unique God. No other object is qualified to demand our worship.
The true worship of God does not
consist of many rituals or forms. Neither the place nor the way we sit or bow
matters much to God. What He cares for is that men would worship Him in their
spirit. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit (John
4:24). If a person wants to receive radio waves, he must use a radio receiver.
If a man wants to receive a telephone call, he must pick up the telephone
receiver. In the same way, if a man wants to worship God and contact Him, he
must use his spirit. One cannot hear color with his ears, nor can one see music
with his eyes. We need the right organ for the right substance. God is Spirit
and is not anything material. This is why we must not worship Him with anything
material, but must worship Him with our spirit.
The way to use our spirit is to pray
by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus (Rom. 10:12-13). If we will open our
mouth and our heart and will pray to God, our spirit will touch Him, and God
will be real to us.
The ultimate plan of God for man is that man would express God. The way to
express God is to be filled with God. If we pray to Him and receive Him, God
will come into us and will fill us. He will not be an objective God outside of
us anymore, but will be a subjective God inside of us. He will fill us with
Himself and will change our whole being. To be a Christian is not merely to
believe in some creeds or to learn some teachings. It is to know God, to worship
Him, and to express Him by being filled with Him.
Can You Prove
that God is Real?
According to a
recent national poll, 93% of all Americans believe that there is a personal God
or a Spirit of power. However, nobody has ever seen God with their eyes, and
most people agree that God's existence cannot be proven by logical arguments. As
many confirmed atheists say, if God's existence cannot be proved, why should
anyone believe that He exists?
The ones who believe in the existence
of God, especially Christians, have written many long books, short articles, and
everything else in between trying to prove God's existence to the doubters. They
have used examples from nature; they have constructed logical arguments using
scientific facts and theories and philosophical considerations. The nonbelievers
have also written many books and articles trying to show that God does not
exist. The believers remain believers; the doubters remain doubters. Usually,
nothing much is gained for either side by these arguments. But we have
found that human beings actually can prove to themselves the existence of God.
Finding a Common Ground
to Meet God
In order to find a person, we need
to find where the person is. In order to contact something, we need to know the
realm in which that thing exists. Where is God? What realm is God living in?
Where is man? What realm is man living in? Is there a common realm in which the
two may meet?
God Cannot be Contacted by Physical
Means
It is nearly without dispute
that God, if He exists, is invisible to physical eyes. The Bible tells us that
God is Spirit, living in unapproachable light. Although the heavens manifest His
glory, He Himself cannot be detected with a telescope, microscope, or any other
instrument. He is in another sphere and of another realm. Using our five senses
to look for God is like looking for sound waves with our eyes, listening for
color with our ears, or trying to touch a fragrance with our hands. It is as
futile as trying to watch a television broadcast without a television set. The
physical sensory organs are not the proper organs with which to contact God, for
the physical realm is not the realm in which God can be found. We must contact
Him on His "wavelength."
God Cannot be Substantiated in the Psychological Realm
It is also impossible to substantiate
God in the mental or psychological realm. His wisdom is too great for the
limited mind of man to comprehend. Mankind has not fathomed the wonders of
nature; we can fully grasp neither life, nor death, nor existence after death.
We have not yet explored all the different forms of life on this planet,
including micro-organisms and mammoth creatures of past and present. We have not
yet fully explored the microcosm and macrocosm of this universe. We have not yet
fully unearthed our own past history, nor can we be certain of what will happen
in our future, even in such simple matters as the weather or the timing of the
next earthquake. Mankind does not even understand himself, so how can we ever
begin to understand the Designer and Creator of the universe, or comprehend the
purpose for which all things (and we ourselves) were made? God is too colossal,
universal, and multifarious in wisdom; no matter how long we ponder, we can
never imagine what He is really like and what He wants. Finite beings have a
natural limitation comprehending the infinite One. It is harder for a man to
understand God than it is for a worm to understand man.
Contacting God with the Human Spirit
Man lives in the physical and
psychological realms, but God is in the spiritual realm. Therefore, man cannot
physically sense or logically prove God, but we are not saying that it is
impossible to contact God or to verify His existence. No! It is possible when we
use the right organ. Whoever seeks Him will find Him.
As we have pointed out, God is Spirit. God desires that man contact Him; this is
why He made man with three parts--body, soul, and spirit. The body is for
contacting the physical world, such as sights, sounds, tangible objects, etc.
The soul, with which we think, feel, and decide, is for contacting the things of
the psychological world. But it is the human spirit which is created especially
for contacting God the Spirit. Although we have used our physical senses and
psychological abilities all our lives, most people have never used their spirit.
The human spirit is similar in nature to the Spirit of God. Just as a light bulb
shines when it is in contact with the generator through the transmission line,
even so, when we contact God the Spirit with our human spirit, we get filled
with God and God may shine through us. Once we touch God in this way, nobody can
convince us that God does not exist. At that moment, we not only know that God
exists but we believe and He is real to us. This is not blind faith, but seeing
faith. It is no longer a philosophical question but a firsthand experience.
What Type of Person Are You?
Different people have
different considerations before contacting God with their human spirit for the
first time. It may be that you are one who has been seeking God. If such is your
case, you know that there is a God out there somewhere, but you do not know how
to contact Him. All you need to do is begin talking to Him. The Bible tells us
that God became a man called Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago. He lived a perfect
and righteous life which qualified Him to die for our sins. Then the Lord Jesus
resurrected to become a life-giving Spirit so that He could come into us. Now
all you have to do is to say, "Lord Jesus, I want to contact You so that I may
know that You exist. I want to have a living contact with You so that I may
experience You firsthand." By talking to Him in this way, you will find Him,
because He said that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him, and that he who
seeks shall find.
If you are one who doubts His
existence, you also can say to Him, "Lord Jesus, I do not know if You are God or
if You even exist at all. If You are real, please reveal Yourself to me. I want
to know You and contact You." If He is non-existent, there will be no answer. If
He is real, you will get your answer, because He will reveal Himself to you. If
you are one who wants to know more about God, His purpose for man, and the
relationship He wants to have with man, you can read the Bible and talk to
believers to find out more. Briefly, He is a God of love and righteousness. His
purpose is to have man express Him and rule for Him in a corporate way. The way
He wants to accomplish His purpose is to enter into man to be man's life by
first entering man's spirit, then saturating man's soul, and eventually
transfiguring man's vile body of humiliation so that man may be one with God. In
this oneness of God and man, God lives in man and man lives in God, God is man's
life and man is God's living, God is man's content and man is God's expression,
and God is man's authority and man is God's representative. This wonderful
relationship is possible when the human spirit is mingled with God the Spirit.
Say to God, "Lord Jesus, use the Bible and believers to tell me more about You
and reveal Yourself to me that I may know You."
If you want to prove God's existence
for yourself and begin to have a relationship with Him, you can do so right now
by telling Him whatever is on your heart, in your own words. If you are sincere
and open with Him, He will reveal Himself to you. You will never again say that
nobody can prove God's existence, because God Himself will have proven Himself
to you. You will have contacted Him for yourself, just as we have. Nobody can
argue with our experience and your experience.
Bible Verses for Your Reading:
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who
worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.
1 Timothy 6:16 Who alone has immortality, dwelling
in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see.
Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Psalms 104:24
O LORD, how manifold are Your works!
in wisdom have You made them all: the earth is full of Your riches.
Deuteronomy 4:29 You shall find [him], if you seek
him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Zechariah 12:1 The LORD, which stretches forth the
heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man
within him.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the God of peace Himself
sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved
complete, without blame.
Ephesians 3:19 That you may be filled unto all the
fullness of God.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substantiation of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
John 1:1 The Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh.
Matthew 1:20-21 For that which has been begotten in
her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a son, and you shall call His name
Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.
Hebrews 4:15 But One who has been tempted in all
respects like us, yet without sin.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also has suffered once for
sins, the Righteous on behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring you to
God.
1 Corinthians 15:45 The last Adam [Christ] became a
life-giving Spirit.
John 20:22 He breathed into them and said to them,
Receive the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 11:6 For he who comes forward to God must
believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
1 John 4:16 God is love.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion... over all the earth.
2 Timothy 4:22 The Lord be with your spirit.
Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may make His home in
your hearts through faith.
Philippians 3:21 Who will transfigure the body of
our humiliation to be conformed to the body of His glory.
John 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in
My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
John 15:4 Abide in Me and I in you.
Galatians 2:20 It is no longer I who live, but it
is Christ who lives in me.
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord
is one spirit.
Why is God so
Hidden?
Why do people
have so much trouble finding God? Why is there so much debate on whether or not
there is a God? Why are there so many questions concerning God? Because God is
so hidden. We cannot see Him, we cannot hear Him, we cannot touch Him. If He
were to appear to us, stand in front of us, and talk to us, then we would say,
"O God, now I know that You are real." Since He has not appeared that way, we
are all left wondering.
God Is Spirit - Invisible to Human Eyes
The Bible tells us that God is
Spirit. Spirit is intangible and invisible to the physical senses. God is in a
different realm than we are in. It is impossible for us to see radio waves. We
need a proper device, such as a radio, to sense radio waves. It is the same in
contacting God. We need the proper organ - the human spirit - to contact God.
Man Has a Spirit - an Organ
to Contact God
God made man with three parts
- the spirit, the soul, and the body. The body is for contacting physical
things, such as food, water, tables, chairs, etc. The soul is for contacting
psychological things, such as thoughts, love, hatred, etc. The spirit is for
contacting God, who is Spirit. We were raised on physical and psychological
things. We are used to using our body and our soul. But we were never taught to
use our spirit to contact God - we do not know how. God is hidden only to our
body and our soul, but God is not hidden to our spirit. We can learn to contact
God with our spirit. Then we will say that God is not hidden, but rather, is as
available in our spirit as air, water, or food. We cannot see sound with our
eyes, but we can hear it with our ears. We cannot receive radio waves with our
ears, but we can use a radio to receive them. We cannot touch the fragrance of a
flower, but we can smell it with our nose. Similarly, we cannot see God with our
eyes, hear God with our ears, or touch God with our hands, but we can contact
God with our spirit.
God Reveals Himself in Four
Ways
Although God Himself has not
appeared before our eyes, we need to consider if God has used other ways to
manifest Himself. Perhaps God is poetic and does not reveal Himself so plainly,
but chooses other means to hint at His existence. Maybe God tries to hide
Himself so that only His true seekers will find Him. We have found that God uses
four ways to show Himself to man. The universe displays to us the handiwork of
God, the Bible reveals to us God and His purpose, Jesus Christ manifested to us
the person of God, and the true believers express God.
The Universe Displays God's
Characteristics and Power
The universe is God's
handiwork displaying His power, His glory, and His characteristics. Nobody
really knows the size of the universe. The immeasurable size of the universe
tells us that the power of the Creator is even greater. The shining of all the
stars is merely a shadow of all the glory of God. What brightness and shining we
would see if all the stars of the universe were put together! Yet God's glory is
even greater than that. According to the Bible, all the creatures on the earth,
including man, express God's characteristics. Vegetable life shows the beauty of
God. Animal life shows the liveliness of God. Human life, created in the image
of God, shows the divine attributes of God, such as love and righteousness. Air
points to God as the atmosphere in which man can live continually. Water points
to God as living water to quench and satisfy the thirst of man. Food points to
God as nourishment and strength to man. The universe displays not only the
existence of God but also His power, glory, and characteristics. This universe
is full of the fingerprint of God.
The Bible Reveals God and
His Purpose
The Bible, the Word of God,
tells us about God, His eternal purpose, His heart's desire, His creation, His
relationship with man, and His salvation. Whatever we need to know about God is
recorded in the Bible. The Bible is thick and hard to understand, but anybody
with a seeking heart spending time to study the Bible will find out everything
he needs to know about God because He is fully revealed in it.
Jesus Christ Manifested God
Jesus Christ was God become
man who lived on the earth 2,000 years ago. He was God expressed, God
manifested, God in the flesh. He expressed God's love and God's righteousness.
He was tender and kind to the people around Him. He healed the sick, fed the
hungry, and delivered the oppressed. He was the fullness of God in a human body.
It is true that He was still somewhat
hidden. He was born in a manger, raised in lowly Nazareth, apprenticed as a
carpenter, and endowed with an unpleasant physical appearance. According to our
natural expectation, God should have come in glory and full of power, with
thousands of angels flanking Him on both sides. His voice should have been like
thunder. His face should have been shining like the sun. This is why it was hard
for the people of those days to recognize Him as God. They did not realize that
God had to come in a lowly way to be our friend and to save us. Later, He will
come the second time in full glory as the King of kings, but by then it will be
too late. Today we have to see Him with our spirit as the glorious One.
True Believers Express God
When people believe into
Christ, they receive God's life into them. They can be like Christ, expressing
God. It has been a problem that most believers have not expressed God by living
in the life of God. They still live in themselves by their natural fallen sinful
life. There is jealousy, strife, envying, division, and even greed among them,
and God remains hidden to the world. There are some, not many, believers
expressing God on earth today. By contacting and living by God in your spirit,
you can become one of them expressing God.
You Can See God
Some say, "If you can show God
to me, then I will believe in Him." However, God is not going to show Himself to
physical eyes in this age. He is revealing Himself to the spirit of the people
seeking Him. You cannot see God with your eyes, but you can see God with your
spirit. To believe without seeing Him with physical eyes is more blessed. God's
desire is not only to reveal Himself to your spirit, but to come into your
spirit and live inside of you. This is why He created man with a spirit; He
wants to come into your spirit to be your life.
The way to use your spirit to see God
is to talk to Him. Say, "Lord Jesus, I want to see You in my spirit. I want to
contact You. I want You to reveal Yourself to me. I want You to come into me and
live in me. Thank You, Lord." If you speak to Him in this way, He will be hidden
from you no longer.
Bible Verses for Your Reading:
Isaiah 45:15
You (are) a God who hides yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
John 4:24 God is
Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.
Romans 1:20 For the
invisible things of Him, both His eternal power and divine characteristics, have
been clearly seen since the creation of the world.
Psalms 19:1 The
heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.
Genesis 1:26. And God
said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominion over... all the earth.
John 4:14 But whoever
drinks of the water that I will give him shall by no means thirst forever; but
the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water gushing up
into eternal life.
John 6:57 He who eats
Me, he also shall live because of Me.
Luke 24:27 And
beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, He explained to them clearly in
all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Ephesians 3:9-11 And
to enlighten all that they may see what the economy of the mystery is, which
throughout the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things, In order
that now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies the multifarious
wisdom of God might be made known through the church, According to the eternal
purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Timothy 3:16 Great
is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh.
Matthew 14:14 He was
moved with compassion for them and healed their sick.
Mark 8:2-3 I am moved
with compassion for the crowd, because for three days now they have remained
with Me and they do not have anything to eat. And if I send them away to their
home hungry, they will faint on the way.
John 8:11 Neither do I
condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.
Colossians 2:9 For in
Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Isaiah 53:2 He hath no
form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we
should desire him.
Matthew 11:19 The Son
of Man..., a friend of tax collectors and sinners.
Luke 19:10 For the Son
of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.
Luke 9:26 For whoever
is ashamed of Me and of My words, of this one will the Son of Man be ashamed
when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Philippians 1:21 For
to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Galatians 2:20 It is
no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now
live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave Himself up for me.
1 Corinthians 3:3 For
if there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly?
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now
I beseech you..., that there be no divisions among you.
1 Timothy 6:10 For the
love of money is a root of all evils, because of which some, aspiring after
money, have been led away from the faith and pierced themselves through with
many pains.
Ephesians 3:5 Which in
other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been
revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in spirit.
John 20:29 Jesus said
to him, Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have
not seen and have believed.
Romans 8:11 And if the
Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you.
The Bible has been referring to
God as "He" since the beginning when Moses wrote Genesis approximately 3,500
years ago. In the latter part of this century, some have begun to question
whether God is male, female, or neuter. This has become so intense that recently
some published a neuter Bible, modifying all passages referring to God as male.
Before anyone modifies the Bible to neutralize the gender of God, one should
understand why the Bible refers to God as "He." After all, the Bible is inspired
by God, and it would be inappropriate to make any modifications which would
change His meaning.
Mankind was Created in God's Image
Mankind was originally created
in the image of God; he was created to express God in His life and to love God.
But man fell away from God through sin; therefore, today we do not see mankind
the way mankind was intended to be. Instead of expressing the God of love and
righteousness, mankind took in Satan and is expressing the devilish nature of
hatred and unrighteousness. Instead of loving God, mankind loves many other
people, matters, and things in this world as replacements of God.
God Is the Father
God is abundant in His life. He wants many sons to be His expression. In order
for human beings to become His sons, they must receive God as life. When they
have Him as life, they are begotten of Him; He becomes their Father. In the
Bible, the source of one's life is one's father, not mother. Therefore, the
Bible refers to God as He.
God Wants a Wife
In Genesis, the first book of
the Bible, we are told that mankind was created both male and female. This fact
displays something about God and His heart. After the man Adam was created, God
said that it was not good for man to live alone and built a woman as his wife.
This indicates that God feels that He is alone and wants a wife. God is perfect
in Himself, but not complete in the sense that He longs for a counterpart to
complement Him and to be His love. In Revelation, the last book of the Bible,
God has a universal corporate bride: the people who are redeemed by Him through
His death, filled with Him as life, and built into a corporate woman. In between
the first and last books, the Bible develops this thought and reveals how God,
through much labor, accomplishes this task.
God Is the Husband of Created Mankind
God considers all His people
as a universal corporate woman. All created men symbolize the "real man" - God.
All created women symbolize the real universal woman - God's wife. Isaiah 54:5
tells us that our Maker is our Husband. He is the "real man" of the universe. He
is all that is desired of in a "real man." He is almighty, loving, kind, and
righteous. He does not get sick or die. He cares for the ones He created. He is
a great provider. He made the heaven for the earth, and He made the earth for
mankind with all that is necessary, such as air, water, food, material for
clothing and housing. He is a universal hero. He is always ready to save His
created people. He has all the qualities men seek to have and women seek after
in a man. What God wants is that His created mankind, as a corporate woman,
would give all her love to Him alone.
God to Us Is a He in Life and in Love
In terms of the source of
life, God is our Father and we are His sons. In terms of the relationship of
love, God is our Husband and we are His wife. Humans may receive God as life to
be His sons and at the same time believe into Christ to become part of His
corporate beloved in the new creation. The Bible refers to the believers as the
sons and wife of God. As God is the Father and Husband, the Bible refers to God
as He. As God's sons, we are all male and no one is female. As God's beloved, we
are all female and no one is male. There is no male or female in the new
creation. As sons, we express our Father. As His corporate wife, we love our
Husband above everything and submit fully to Him. But in either case God to us
is still a He.
The Dispute between Male and Female
In leaving God, mankind became
devoid of God's life and the love for God, and therefore was not subject to
God's authority but under Satan's control. The relationship between male and
female has become spoiled. Fallen men, because of the sinful nature in them and
their greater physical strength, have been mistreating women for centuries.
Unfaithfulness, battery, slavery, robbery, physical violation, mental abuse,
discrimination, and even murder, in most cases, were committed by men against
women rather than by women against men. There has been a building up of
resentment and animosity among females throughout the past six thousand years of
human history. Therefore, within this century, there has been a struggle for
equal rights and legislation against gender discrimination and for the
protection of women.
The men should not be blamed entirely. Women, the symbols of God's corporate
bride, did not submit to men just as the whole of mankind did not submit to God.
The Bible says, "For a husband is head of the wife as also Christ is Head of the
church, He Himself being the Savior of the Body. But as the church is subject to
Christ, so also let wives be subject to their husbands in everything. Husbands,
love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for
her."
Neither the males nor the females are capable of absolute love and submission,
respectively. The dispute between the sexes is growing, and the rift is greater
than ever. That is why some people have changed the Bible to refer to God as
neither male nor female to make this book "politically correct." There is no
light at the end of this dark tunnel of dispute among mankind except one -
turning back to God the Father and Husband.
Coming Home to God the Father and Husband
What mankind needs today is to
come home to God the Father for life and the Husband for love. God is the real
"He" of the universe. When we need life and authority to express God and stand
against the devil, He is our true and life-giving Father. When we need love,
protection, provision, and pleasure, He is our real and proper Husband. We the
fallen "he's" and "she's" need "Him." We the males and females need to be His
strong sons and His lovely bride. Open up and pray to Him, "Lord God of heaven
and earth, through the redeeming death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I want
to come back to You. Be my life-giving Father and my loving Husband." When more
and more people come back to God the Father and Husband, the animosity between
God and mankind, and among mankind, will be dissolved, and the earth will be a
lovely and peaceful place to live.
Bible Verses for Your Reading:
Genesis 1:26-27
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness: and let them have dominion... over all the earth... So God created
man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them.
Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy might.
Titus 3:3 For we
also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving as slaves various
lusts and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful, hating
one another.
Hebrews 2:15 And
might release those who because of the fear of death through all their life
were held in slavery.
1 John 5:19 We
know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the evil one.
Colossians 1:21
And you, though once alienated and enemies in your mind because of your evil
works.
Jeremiah 3:1 Thou
hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the
LORD.
2 Timothy 3:4
Traitors, reckless, blinded with pride, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God.
Ephesians 4:6 One
God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 3:14-15
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, Of whom every family in the
heavens and on earth is named.
Galatians 3:26 For
you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Genesis 2:18 And
the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will
make him an help meet for him.
Genesis 2:22 And
the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought
her unto the man.
Revelation 21:2
And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And
let him who is thirsty come; let him who wills take the water of life
freely.
Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave
Himself up for her That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing
of the water in the word, That He might present the church to Himself
glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would
be holy and without blemish.
Matthew 5:45 He
causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just
and the unjust.
Ephesians 5:23 For
a husband is head of the wife as also Christ is Head of the church, He
Himself being the Savior of the Body.
Galatians 3:28
There cannot be male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 4:18
Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God
because of the ignorance which is in them, because of the hardness of their
heart.
Ephesians 2:14 For
He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken down the
middle wall of partition, the enmity.
Isaiah 2:4 And he
shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall
beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks:
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war
any more.
Revelations 21:4
And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death will be no more,
nor will there be sorrow or crying or pain anymore; for the former things
have passed away.
The word "truth" is
commonly understood to refer to statements that are true. However, dictionaries
also define truth as the substantiation of a true assertion. For example, "I
have a computer" is a true statement, and my computer is the substantiation of
that assertion. Thus the statement is truth, and my computer is the reality of
the truth.
The world is full of true statements
and their substantiating realities, but many of these are temporal. "I have a
computer" cannot be true forever. One day I will not have one; hence, this
statement is not an eternal truth.
There is another type of truth -
scientific and mathematical laws and principles. These are sought after by
scientists and mathematicians. This type of truth is quite useful and helpful in
the physical world. Yet it still deals with something temporal.
There are many people who work to
verify or disprove supposedly true statements. There are untrue assertions and
lies in every walk of life, including politics, law courts, families, etc. Thus
these people try to verify assertions in order to confirm the truths or to
correct mistakes and expose lies. This is necessary for the benefit of society,
but the truths they seek are also temporal, not eternal.
What we want to seek after are the eternal truths and the experience of these
truths until our lives are affected by them now and forever. We should not seek
merely for temporal truths, but find the statements of eternal truth with the
substantiating realities and endeavor to possess them now. What is the truth and
the substantiating realities?
The Bible Reveals the Truth
The Bible, the Word of God,
the book of truth, the guiding light to mankind for 3,500 years, the most
translated book (over 1,900 languages), the best seller of all time (more than
500,000,000 copies printed each year), tells us that God the Father is the
truth, Christ the Son is the truth, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and
the Word of God is the truth. We are seeking these eternal truths.
God the Father Is the Source of Truth
First, the Bible says that God
the Father is the truth. Only God is the reality of all. All things are out from
Him, through Him, and to Him. God is the source of all created things. God is
love, light, holiness, and righteousness. These divine attributes are the
realities and source of the corresponding human virtues, which are merely
shadows. Man without God is devoid of reality and apart from His life. Whatever
truth man has in himself is not truth before God. Whatever man thinks of as
truth is either temporal or self-deceiving - this is not to mention all the lies
man has told and lived in. God is the only eternal reality. He is the truth and
the substantiation thereof.
Christ is the Embodiment of the Truth
Second, the Bible tells us
that Christ the Son is the truth. He is the only One who is qualified to say,
and did say, "I am the truth" (John 14:6). He is the truth because He is the
embodiment of God. All that God is, has, and has accomplished is included in
Christ the Son. God the Father is in Him, and He is in God the Father. The two
are distinct yet never separated. He is as eternal as the Father because He is
God. That is why He is even called the Father of eternity. When man sees Christ
the Son, he sees God the Father. One of Christ's names is Jesus, which means
Jehovah (God) our Savior. Another name is Emmanuel, which means God with us.
Christ loves man to the uttermost
with an eternal love because the loving God is in Him as the reality of love. He
not only fed and healed His unrighteous and ungodly enemies, He even died for
their sins. He was still praying for man while He was being crucified by man and
for man.
He was the guiding light shining on
man in bondage that man might be led from Satan's kingdom of darkness to the
freedom in God's kingdom of light. This is because the shining God was in Him as
the reality of light.
He was holy and undefiled though
living in the defiled and defiling world. This is because the holy God was in
Him to be the reality of His holiness. Though He was tempted by everyone and
everything around Him, He was without sin and remained absolutely pure for God.
He was righteous in every sense
because the righteous God was the reality of His righteousness. He was right
with God, His family, the people, the government, and even Satan and the demons.
There has never been a man as loving, shining, holy, and righteous as this One
who had God in Him as His reality. Therefore Christ the Son is the reality.
Pontius Pilate, the governor of the Roman Empire who executed Him, asked Him,
"What is truth?" not knowing that Christ was the truth. Christ the Son not only
lived a life to express God as His reality, He also died for man who is trapped
in unreality. He resurrected to be the life-giving Spirit to give life and
reality to all who would believe.
The Spirit of Reality Makes God Real to Man
Third, the Bible calls the
Holy Spirit the Spirit of reality. The Spirit is not a separate Being from God
the Father and Christ the Son. God is Spirit and Christ became the Spirit. God
the Father is embodied in Christ the Son. All that Christ the Son has
accomplished is included in the Spirit. The Spirit comes from the Father and the
Son. When you call the name of Christ the Son, "Lord Jesus Christ," you get the
Spirit of reality. When He comes to you, He brings to you all the divine
realities of the Father and the Son.
We seek to know the truth concerning
all that God is, all that Christ has accomplished, and all that the Spirit can
be to us. We also seek to experience all the divine realities so that we may be
men not living according to temporal truths or, worse, in lies and falsehood.
Then we would not be distracted and bound by temporal satisfaction and physical
enjoyment but full of eternal truth and divine realities.
The Word Reveals and Conveys the Truth
The Word of God contained in
the Bible is also reality because it not only reveals to us God in Christ as the
Spirit being the eternal truth and divine reality, but also conveys God, the
divine reality, into all those who believe. Jesus said, "The words which I have
spoken to you are spirit and are life." (John 6:63). When we hear the word and
pray according to it, we receive the spiritual realities that the word reveals.
This way, we receive the dispensing of God the reality into us to transform our
being to be like Him. For example, when He demands that you should "love your
neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:39), the same word of demand supplies to you the
God who is love and who has loved His neighbor as Himself. The only way you can
experience this supply is by praying with the word, "Lord Jesus, I do not and
cannot love anybody as myself, but You can. Lord, I need You. Come into me. Fill
me up with Your loving self and love my neighbor in me. Thank You, Lord Jesus."
You can pray with God's word this way to receive God as your reality.
The Way to Receive the Truth as Reality
All you need to do is to pray,
"Lord Jesus, I am tired of living in sinful unreality. I want to come to know
You as the one eternal reality. Thank You for dying for my sins and rising to
bring me life. Be real to me right now." Then He as the Spirit can come into you
to be your life and dispense into you all the divine realities of God. Then God
may live in you and you may live in God to express all God's divine realities in
all genuineness in your daily human living on earth.
Bible Verses for Your Reading:
John 17:17
Your word is truth.
Psalms 119:130 The
entrance of thy words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple.
John 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the
Word became flesh,... full of grace and reality.
1 John 4:16 God is
love.
1 John 1:5 God is
light and in Him is no darkness.
1 Peter 1:16 You
shall be holy because I am holy.
2 Pet. 1:1 The
righteousness of our God and Savior.
John 14:10 I am in
the Father... the Father is in Me.
John 14:6 Jesus
said to him, I am the way and the reality and the life; no one comes to the
Father except through Me.
Colossians 2:9 For
in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Isaiah 9:6 His
name shall be called... The mighty God, The Father of eternity, the Prince
of Peace.
John 14:9 He who
has seen Me has seen the Father.
Matthew 1:21 And
she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who
will save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:23 "They
shall call His name Emmanuel'' (which is translated, God with us).
John 13:1 He loved
them to the uttermost.
Luke 23:34 And
Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
Matthew 4:16 To
those sitting in the region and shadow of death, to them light has risen.
Acts 26:18 To open
their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of
Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance
among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.
Hebrews 7:26 Such
a High Priest..., holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners.
Hebrews 4:15 One
who has been tempted in all respects like us, yet without sin.
1 John 2:1 Jesus
Christ the Righteous.
Rom. 8:20 The
creation was made subject to vanity.
Ephesians 2:12 You
were at that time apart from Christ..., having no hope and without God.
Ephesians 4:18
Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God.
1 Corinthians 15:45
The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.
John 15:26 But
when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the
Spirit of reality, who proceeds from the Father.
John 14:26 The
Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name.
John 16:13 But
when He, the Spirit of reality, comes, He will guide you into all the
reality.
John 6:63 It is
the Spirit who gives life,... the words which I have spoken to you are
spirit and are life.
Ephesians 6:17-18
Receive... the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God, by
means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit.
The Bible
tells us that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, that God is
the originator of all things, that all things came into being through Him, and
that He created all things, especially man, for His purpose. Before God created
the universe, there was nothing. He had an eternal purpose, a dream, a plan, to
fill mankind with Himself as life and to build mankind together as a corporate
man to express Him and represent Him for eternity. He proceeded to create the
heaven, the earth, man, and all things for His eternal purpose.
Evolutionists vs.
Young-Earth Creationists
Some
Bible readers believe that God created the universe approximately six thousand
years ago with all the living things that we see today. For ease of writing, we
will refer to these people as "young-earth creationists." Many scientists
dispute this belief because of the abundance of physical evidence to the
contrary, including fossils of dinosaurs and other living creatures, petrified
wood, etc., which points to a much older earth. The young-earth creationists say
that the fossils were either created six thousand years ago or left as evidence
of the flood at the time of Noah. However, many scientists use various
scientific techniques developed according to certain other theories, such as
radiometric dating, to argue that the fossils and the earth should have existed
for a few billion years. In addition, based on this fossil record, scientists
have developed some theories of evolution. Basically, they believe that there
was an evolutionary progression from no life to simple and lower forms of life
which then evolved into more complex and higher forms of life. Some further
believe that this explains the origin of all the life forms that we see today,
including man, which is directly opposed to the biblical record of the creation
of man by God from the dust of the ground. In this article, we will use the term
"evolutionists" to refer specifically to scientists who insist that man evolved
from some lower forms of life.
The young-earth creationists claim
that, according to the Bible, God created the heaven and the earth six thousand
years ago with all the living things that we see today and that the fossils were
either created at that time or left as evidence of the flood at the time of
Noah. The evolutionists argue, based on their beliefs, that the earth should
have existed for at least a few hundred million years.
The Evolutionists' Theories
Became their Belief
The
evolutionists have many theories and assumptions which are not proven as facts.
Many evolutionists condemn young-earth creationists for blindly trusting in
beliefs based on their interpretation of the Bible. However, the evolutionists
themselves believe in their unproven theories with blind faith just as much as
the ones whom they have accused. Some have even used fossils to try to
force-prove their theories of evolution. However, pure science is by
observation; theories are secondary to the actual evidence. If after many
decades of research they cannot find all the proofs they need to substantiate
their theories, they should not be too strong in believing them blindly nor too
bold in teaching them to others as facts. Many biological scientists are
controlled by the widespread acceptance of the evolution theories. If any
scientist were to challenge these unproven theories, that one would be
considered a scientific heretic.
Teachers and textbooks should stress
that scientists are still studying and what they present are only theories.
However, evolutionists have won the approval of lawmakers and school boards to
teach their theories and beliefs in textbooks as pure science. The fact that
evolution is taught in public schools does not mean that God did not create the
heaven and the earth with all living things. Courts of law and school boards
cannot legislate the historical facts that happened many years ago.
The Sequence of Creation
according to the Bible
In this
article, we are not addressing the validity or error of the theories of
evolution, but pointing out a third understanding that both the evolutionists
and the young-earth creationists may not have considered.
The young-earth creationists have misunderstood the Bible in this matter, so
their difficulty in convincing people of their beliefs does not disprove the
Bible. The Bible does not set an age for the universe. According to Genesis
chapter one verse one, God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning,
maybe billions of years ago or longer. The Bible does not give any record of how
the earth and the first living creatures came into being or what things were
like. However, it does indicate that the most powerful archangel, now called
Satan, was given charge of the earth. At some time he rebelled against God and
was judged. At that time the earth became covered by water, and all living
things on it were killed; then the earth became void and remained in darkness.
After another unknown stretch of time, God came back to "re-create" by first
saying "let there be light" and then continuing on to create all the living
things on earth. The fossils we find from hundreds of millions of years ago were
of the living creatures of the original creation. The living things that we see
today came into being by God's "re-creation" approximately six thousand years
ago.
The Bible and the facts of pure
science do not contradict one another. The contradiction is between the shallow
and improper study of the Bible by the young-earth creationists and the unproven
theories of the evolutionists. The fossils that we mentioned above do not
contradict the Bible; in fact, they support the Bible. Historical records of
human culture mainly date back no more than six thousand years, which matches
what the Bible says. If one would recognize all the theories as merely theories
and compare the scientific facts with a more thorough study of the Bible, one
would be able to see that God created all things and that the living creatures
on earth today did not evolve from the creatures that were here millions of
years ago.
God and Judgment
It is
convenient for some people to believe that everything evolved; it allows for the
possibility that there is no God, no accountability, and no judgment after
death. In such a case, some people may consider that they have the license to do
whatever is right in their own eyes, that they can be immoral if they choose
without fear of a tragic destiny. This obviates the need to live by their
conscience. If the universe was created by God for a purpose, however, we all
need to change our thinking and lifestyle to fit into God's desire, purpose,
ways, and judgment. To deny the existence of God is to act like the fabled
ostrich which, chased to the point of exhaustion, buries its head in the sand so
as not to see its pursuers. Just as the ostrich is overtaken, so one day sudden
destruction will come upon all who try to pacify their conscience and think that
they are living in peace and safety while refusing to repent to God.
Your most basic need is not to figure
out how God created man but to receive God the Creator into you as life, because
He created the universe for this purpose. It is not good enough to find the
right answer; you must receive Jesus as your Savior and life. He is the
all-inclusive Answer to all the questions in the world. To receive Him, just
pray, "Lord Jesus, thank You for creating me. Come into me and cleanse me of all
my unrighteousness. Fill me with Your life that I may live properly according to
You and express all that You are, thus fulfilling Your original intention in
creating me."
Bible Verses for Your Reading:
Genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth became
without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there
be light: and there was light.
John 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Genesis 1:26 And
God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them
have dominion over... all the earth.
John 10:10 I have
come that they may have life and may have it abundantly.
Ephesians 3:9-11
And to enlighten all that they may see what the economy of the mystery is,
which throughout the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things, In
order that now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies the
multifarious wisdom of God might be made known through the church, According
to the eternal purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Genesis 2:7 And
the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Isaiah 14:12-15
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art
thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast
said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the
sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be
like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of
the pit.
Hebrews 9:27 It is
reserved for men to die once, and after this comes judgment.
2 Peter 3:7 But
the heavens and the earth now, by the same word, have been stored up for
fire, being kept unto the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
2 Thessalonians 2:12
So that all who have not believed the truth but have taken pleasure in
unrighteousness might be judged.
Acts 24:16 I also
exercise myself to always have a conscience without offense toward God and
men.
1 Timothy 4:2 By
means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, of men who are branded in
their own conscience as with a hot iron.
Psalms 14:1 The
fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have
done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
When they say, Peace and security, then sudden destruction comes upon them,
...and they shall by no means escape.
1 Timothy 4:10 We
have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men,
especially of those who believe.
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Have you ever considered why God made you? Are you fulfilling the purpose of
your existence? Everything on this earth is made for a reason. Whenever a
thing loses its meaning, it is thrown away or left to disintegrate. A watch is
made to tell time. It is well kept and maintained until it stops running and is
irreparable. Then it is thrown out and a replacement is purchased.
Visible Man Expressing the
Invisible God
The Bible tells us that man was made in the image of God to contain and express
God. God is invisible but He made a visible man with the purpose that man might
contain Him and express all that He is in His divine attributes such as love and
righteousness, which are two of the many attributes of the invisible God. Even
though man was made in the image of God, he still needs God as his life in order
to express God.
Man to God is like a glove to a hand. Man, the glove, is made in the image of
God, the hand. Yet man the glove does not have God the hand inside him. A glove
has a thumb and four fingers; it is shaped like a hand, yet it is not a hand.
The hand needs to be inserted into the glove to make the glove full and
meaningful. Without the hand, the glove is a meaningless waste. One "finger" of
God is love. Another "finger" of God is righteousness. Man was created with the
shape of those "fingers" yet without the reality of the "fingers" - God Himself.
Man's Love Compared to
God's Love
The situation of man today is absolutely different from the original intention
of God for man. Man may love, but man's love is selfish and short-lived. Man's
love is neither all-inclusive nor eternally lasting. Man only loves the ones
whom he prefers, the ones dear to him. Even his love to these ones fluctuates. A
man may love a woman and marry her, yet dislike or hate her after they are
married because of something that she does.
God's love is not like that. God's
love is impartial and eternal. God's love is eternal because God is love and God
is eternal. He cannot stop loving man. God loved man even after man had sinned
against Him and had become His enemy. Although man was destined to die
eternally, God still loved man to the uttermost. In order to rescue man from
death back to Himself so that man may express Him, He even became a man - Jesus
- to die for man. His love for man caused Him to enter into man to live in man
so that He could be one with man eternally. His love is ultimate and perfect.
His love is all-inclusive and eternal.
Man's Righteousness
Compared to God's Righteousness
Man also has a problem with righteousness. Without God, it is impossible for man
to be righteous. Firstly, man is not right with God. Man does not know his
Creator and does not care for Him. Man even became His enemy. Secondly, man is
not right with others. Some rob, some steal, some lie, and some kill. Even some
congressmen, judges and policemen break the law that they legislate or are
supposed to uphold. Where is righteousness? Some employees use company property
such as the telephone, office supplies, copy machines, and computers for
personal use. Some evade taxes. Some borrow things and never return them.
Man without God is full of
unrighteousness.
God is righteous to the uttermost. He is righteousness. He cannot be unrighteous
with Himself or with others. His kingdom is established on righteousness. He
does not practice nepotism. Even though He loved man, He still had to condemn
man for man's unrighteousness, based on His righteousness. But He Himself paid
the price for man - the death penalty - so that He could forgive man. He came
and died for man to satisfy His righteousness so that man would not have to die
but could take Him in as life and live in Him. He is truly the loving and
righteous One.
Man Trying to Be Like God
Because man was created in the image of God, man has the desire to be like God.
But when man tries to love and be righteous, he cannot do it. Man is weak in
loving and acting righteously but strong in hating and acting unrighteously
because man has a sinful nature in him and lacks the life of God. It is not
possible for man to love and be righteous unless he receives God into him. When
God lives inside of man, man can love and be as righteous as God.
The Mosaic Law was a
Picture of God
God decreed the law through Moses 3,500 years ago. When the people of God heard
the law, they told Moses that they would do whatever God said. Soon after that,
they completely failed with respect to the requirement of the law. The reason
that they all failed is that the law is a picture of God and a description of
God's nature and actions. Only God can fulfill the law. Fallen man could never
fulfill the law.
Man continued to fail until Jesus
Christ came. Jesus, as a man, was the embodiment of God. He was more than able
to fulfill the law. He was the only man that ever lived who could do that. He
even uplifted the law from merely restricting outward acts to regulating inward
feelings. For example, the law forbade adultery. But Jesus said that even to
lust after a woman in one's heart is to commit adultery. As another example, the
law commanded people not to murder. But Jesus said that even to hate another
person in one's heart is to commit murder. No man of flesh can fulfill this law,
no matter how much he determines and tries. What everyone needs is the life of
God. Jesus not only taught the higher law, but He was also able to fulfill the
law with ease. He is ready to do it again within everyone who believes into Him,
receives Him as life, and lives according to the Spirit of God who dwells in all
believers. What is impossible for fallen man is possible with God.
How to Fulfill the Meaning
of Our Human Existence
What you and I need is to receive this God into us. When we contain and express
Him, we are fulfilling the meaning of our existence. Without receiving Him into
us, we cannot express God in His love and righteousness; we are meaningless and
are a senseless contradiction on this earth. Our existence becomes a waste.
Today, God's name is Jesus, because
God became a man named Jesus two thousand years ago. He died and rose for us. He
is now the Spirit. When we call on His name, God comes into us as the Spirit. He
will fill our being with Himself so that we may express all that He is. He will
fulfill the purpose of your existence.
Pray, "Lord Jesus, come into me to be my life. I need You to live inside of me
so that I may fulfill Your purpose in creating me. I want to express You. I do
not want to be a senseless contradiction any longer. Thank You, Lord, for dying
for me and coming into me."
Bible Verses for
Your Reading:
Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them
have dominion over all the earth.
2 Timothy 3:2
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant,
revilers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.
Matthew 5:46
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?
Jeremiah 31:3
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, that every one who believes into Him would not perish,
but would have eternal life.
Romans 5:8
But God commends His own love to us in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 5:10
For if we, being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His
Son, much more we will be saved in His life.
John 14:23
If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and
We will come to him and make an abode with him.
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth in unrighteousness.
Romans 1:21
Because though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or thank Him,
but rather became vain in their reasonings, and their heart, lacking
understanding, was darkened.
Romans 6:13
Neither present your members as weapons of unrighteousness to sin, but
present yourselves to God as alive from the dead, and your members as
weapons of righteousness to God.
1 John 2:29
He is righteous.
Revelation 5:9
You were slain and have purchased for God by Your blood men out of every
tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses.
Hebrews 9:22
Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has the life.
Romans 8:3
For that which the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh.
Romans 7:17
Now then it is no longer I that work it out, but sin that dwells in me.
Romans 7:19
For I do not do the good which I will; but the evil which I do not will,
this I practice.
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus
Christ.
Colossians 2:9
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Matthew 5:28
Every one who looks at a woman in order to lust after her has already
committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 5:22
Every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the judgment.
Matthew 5:17
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the
prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
Romans 8:4
That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do
not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit.
Luke 18:27
The things that are impossible with men are possible with God.
2 Corinthians 3:17
And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom.
John 20:22
And when He had said this, He breathed into them and said to them, Receive
the Holy Spirit.
Romans 10:13
Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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There are many religions in the world. Nearly every religion claims that it is
the only right religion. It is very confusing to people who are looking for the
truth or are looking for God. Who should they listen to? Who has the right
answer? Which religion is right? Or are they all right? Are they all good, since
they basically teach people to be good? Are they all wrong? Let us consider
these questions.
The word "religion" in the Bible
means "ceremonial service and worship to God." This is generally the primary
definition found in dictionaries. But today this word may be used to refer to
any set of beliefs, whether or not this set of beliefs includes service and
worship to God. This is the secondary definition according to dictionaries.
Most Religions Teach
People to be Good
Man wants to be good because he was created in God's image with an inward desire
to be good, as God is good. Man also wants to worship and serve God because man
was created with a spirit within him that is for contacting God; this gives him
a desire to seek after God. Wherever you go on the earth, you will always find
people worshipping something, whether it be the true God or many false, man-made
gods. You can never find any animal worshipping anything, because only man has a
spirit that causes an inner seeking to know and worship God. Not having God
living inside of him, man still wants to express God. Not knowing God and His
intention, man nonetheless wants to worship and serve someone. It is this inner
seeking that gives rise to religion.
Most religions, whether they are
according to the primary or the secondary definition, mainly teach people to be
good by trying to activate the good nature that is within them. Generally, they
teach people to love, to help and not hurt others, to do good deeds, etc. They
may even teach various methods of achieving these objectives. Most of these
teachings and methods are moral and ethical. At the same time they teach their
people to ask God for help. They also promise that God will reward their people
if they do well. But there has been a big problem concerning religion - neither
the teachers nor the followers can live according to their standards. Although
there is a willingness to follow them, there is a lack of ability to do so. This
is because sin dwells in the flesh of man, preventing man from living according
to such standards. The sinful nature, expressed in selfishness, strife,
jealousy, etc., always overtakes man, causing man to fail. Many get frustrated
and either look for another religion, form their own new religion, or give up on
religion altogether. Religious man is incapable of being absolutely good, and
his worship and service can never satisfy God.
All Religions View God
Differently
Religions have all different views concerning God and different approaches to
God. Most of the time these views and approaches are not according to the
revelation of God in His word. Some have the true God, yet their worship and
service are not according to His desire. Some have false gods, so it does not
matter what rituals they have - they will never arrive at the true God. Each
religion describes its "God" or gods as the right one(s), and they are all
different. By logic, either they are all false or only one is true. Some people
say that they believe God is this way or that way, but God does not change
according to people's beliefs. People cannot create their own God according to
their concepts. People need to find out who God is and what He wants with man.
It is a tragedy that many people give their entire life to false gods. They will
end up getting nothing. We must find the one and only true God and establish our
relationship with Him.
Simple Descriptions of
Some Larger Religions
According to the primary definition, there are mainly two religions - Judiasm
and Christianity which includes Catholicism and Protestantism with its myriad of
denominations. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are considered deviants from
Christianity. They are considered heretical by Christians. Islam seems to be
talking about the same God, yet its book of Koran is a composite of human
philosophy and many teachings and stories from the Bible. There are many other
groups which are religions according to the secondary definition, such as
Buddhism and Hinduism. These do not believe in the God who is the Creator and a
Person.
Although Judaism teaches people to
worship the true God, it is not a religion set up by God. The Jews did receive
their original revelations from God through Abraham and Moses, but they formed a
religion around Moses' five books of law and developed many traditions. By the
time God Himself came as Jesus, they were already so far away from God that they
could not recognize Him. They used the law to persecute Him and eventually
killed Him.
Christianity is also not a religion
set up by God. Although it had its beginning with Christ who was God, it also
has deviated from the main line of what God wanted to do. It still has the name
of Jesus and the Bible and talks about the death of Christ for man's sin.
However, it has degraded so much that it is of little value and usefulness to
God.
Man Was Created to be Full
of God
The Bible tells us that there is only one God who created the heaven, the earth,
and man. His intention in creating man is to coinhere with man. In other words,
He wants to live in man so that man may live in Him. He wants to be organically
one with man. He created man in His image so that man may have His life to be
His expression. Man was to love as God loves and live righteously as God is
righteous. God also wanted man to have His authority to rule for Him, to keep a
good order on the earth, and to defeat His enemy Satan. Man failed God by
receiving Satan into him. Thus, man was ruined for God's original intention.
God's Way to Bring Man Back, Apart from Any Religion
Religion can never fulfill God's
intention for man, but God, being eager to bring man back to His intention,
became a man Himself. Firstly, He showed man how God could live in man and man
in God. His living was that of a man coinhering with God. He expressed all that
God is, and He was without sin. Secondly, He died for sinful man so that man
would not have to die. Thirdly, He resurrected to be life to all those who would
believe and receive Him so that He could live in them. Receiving Christ in such
a way restores man to God's original intention. Man may receive God for God to
live in him and he in God. Then when man lives, God is living in and through
him. This is the greatest wonder in the universe.
All Religions Fail God's
Purpose
If you see God's intention, then you will see that no religion understands this,
and all are doomed to fail. Man on his own cannot love or be righteous as God
can love and be righteous. No teaching, method, nor practice can help man make
it. Only Jesus Christ made it because He is God incarnate. He is now available
to live in you so that He may make it again in you. Then you will be enabled to
have the highest standard of morality, as Jesus Christ did, and to expre |
