Tag Archives: Apologetics

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C.S. Lewis Society introduces Tyler & Family to France

I have had the privledge to get to know Tyler over the last few years.  He has a passion to reach those who have not met God’s love.  He is taking the adventure of a life time by going to France for the C.S. Lewis Society to spread God’s message of love to Europe.

He recently sent me this email to invite anyone who is interested in learning more of this great adventure (please read and check it out!):

“Lisa and I want to invite you and your family to attend an evening event at RockHarbor Church on the 24th of September (next Thursday).  As you know we are about to leave for France to spread the good news of Jesus as the European Field Directors for the C.S. Lewis Society.  RockHarbor has offered to host a night for us to share our passion and heart for the least evangelized continent on the globe.  I really hope to see you there.

Also, would you be willing to forward this invitation to 3 to 5 christian brothers or sisters whom you think would be blessed by attending as well?  I realize I am competing with things like back to school nights and bible studies,  but with your help it could really make a difference in having this be a great event.

For Christ’s glory,

Lisa and Tyler Geffeney

RESPONDING TO THE CALL TO “GO”

“The Geffeney’s journey to Evangelize Europe”

ROCKHARBOR Church

3080 Airway Suite 100, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

In the Lab: **Child Care Provided**

September 24, 2009   6:45 P.M.

(please RSVP # of kids to lisageff@yahoo.com)

Coffee and desserts will be served

Our-story.jpg

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First Importance Part 1: The Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15

Mike Erre at Rockharbor Church has been doing a series on 1 Corinthians.  I have attatched for your listening interest the 1st of his sermons concerning 1 Corinthians 15 which is a pivotal section of Scripture describing the importance of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Mike points out:

  • without the resurrection our faith is worthless
  • the word used in this passage and throughout the New Testament means trust in something that you know to be true
  • 1 Corinthians 15 is a creedal statement dated to approx 36 A.D. (only 3 years after Christ’s death)
  • there is substantial historical and testimonial evidence for the resurrection: crucifixion=death, empty tomb=skeptics need to ‘show me the body’, appearances=many and so convincing that cowards became martyrs, tranformed lives=Saul to Paul, doubting Thomas, and James the younger brother of Jesus…cumulative evidence–what event best explains all of this? A: The resurrection
  • gospel accounts: women first to see Him (only way women would be first witnesses would be that it really happened this way); non embelished, simple accounts (not enough time for legend & very real, down to earth accounts), etc…
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The Mercy of God in the Old Testament

I continue to search for brief articles pointing out the true God of the O.T.  A friend and fellow physician who has an AMAZING website has a GREAT article summarizing key points: 1. God of O.T. is merciful; 2. God of O.T. NEVER killed innocent people 3. God of O.T. ALWAYS asked/pleaded with people to repent.

I have also cut and pasted it for you here:

The Mercy of God as Found in the Old Testament
by Rich Deem

Introduction

Jonah and God’s Mercy

Most Christians know Jonah as the reluctant prophet who was swallowed by a whale in order for God to convince him to go to Nineveh. Atheists often get caught up in the whale part of the story, not realizing that the story reveals that the ancients believed that God was merciful, although, at time, they often wished He hadn’t been.

Rich Deem

According to Richard Dawkins, Yahweh, the God of the Bible, is “jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”1 Absent from any of Dawkins’ description of God is His mercy. People tend to think of the God of the Old Testament as cruel and unforgiving, whereas the God of the New Testament is seen as the God of mercy, who sent Jesus to atone for the sins of the world. The Old Testament prophets were always warning the people about the wrath of God should they stray from the path of righteousness. However, what is usually ignored by atheists is God’s mercy for those who did repent of doing evil. Yes, God judged many people groups, but not before warning them.

Jonah and God’s mercy?

For those of you who only remember the whale part of Jonah’s story, here is a brief synopsis to get you a better background about Jonah. God called Jonah to travel to the city of Nineveh to warn them about their impending judgment, because of their wickedness.2 Jonah had different ideas, and attempted to flee from God by paying for passage on a foreign ship.3 However, God was not amused and sent a violent storm.4 The sailors were terrified and eventually figured out that Jonah was the cause of their endangerment, which he eventually admitted to them.5 Jonah was thrown overboard and God directed a great fish (or whale – the Hebrew is not that specific) to swallow Jonah and take him to the shore.6 Once expelled from the whale, Jonah decided to do what God had originally requested and travelled to Nineveh to preach repentance from their evil.7

A number of Christians assume Jonah was reluctant to go to Nineveh because they were known for their cruelty, and he feared for his life. However, the account gives a different reason why Jonah did not want to go. Jonah actually wanted God to judge the city of Nineveh and kill all their inhabitants. He was disappointed that the king and the people repented of their evil and were spared from God’s judgment.8 In fact, Jonah was so angry with God that he asked God to kill him.9 After that conversation, Jonah left the city and sat outside of it hoping that God would still destroy the city.10 God caused a plant to grow overnight to give Jonah shade during his watch, but then caused the death of the plant the next day. Jonah was furious about the plant.11 God pointed out that Jonah’s priorities were completely messed up, since he was more concerned about a plant that gave him shade than the fate of 120,000 souls in Nineveh:

Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?” (Jonah 4:10-11)

So, it was clear to Jonah that God was merciful and He would reconsider His judgment of evil if the people repented.12 Since Jonah wanted no part in God’s mercy, he tried to avoid following God’s instructions to warn the people.

Did God warn others?

Atheists would like you to believe that the God of the Old Testament just randomly killed people for no good reason and without warning. It turns out that atheists often don’t present the entire stories about God’s judgment. For example, in the greatest story of judgment, God sent a flood to kill all humanity except Noah and his family. However, Noah preached to the people of the coming judgment during the 100 years he was building the ark.13 In another famous example, God destroyed the cites of Sodom and Gomorrah, because of their evil. In fact, all the men of Sodom (including both young and old) attempted to rape the two angels who came to warn Lot of the impending judgment.14 Although warned,15 the men attempted to harm Lot, but were prevented when the angels caused them all to become blind.16 In many lesser known stories, God warned the people prior to executing judgment. Some of these warnings were heeded17 and others not,18 with the expected consequences. God’s own people were often recipients of God’s judgment, when they refused to heed His warnings.19 Here is a short list from the writings of the prophets:

Prophet Warning to Result
Isaiah Judah Judgment
Jeremiah Judah Judgment
Lamentations Jerusalem Judgment
Ezekiel Jerusalem, Tyre, Egypt Captivity in Babylon
Hosea Israel Judgment
Joel Tyre, Sidon, Philistia Judgment
Amos Israel Judgment
Obadiah Edom Judgment
Jonah Nineveh Repentance
Micah Israel Judgment
Nahum Nineveh Judgment
Habakkuk Judah Judgment
Zephaniah Judah Judgment
Zechariah Tyre, and other cities Judgment

It is a well known principle that God regularly warned people of impending judgment and He personally indicated that He would relent if they changed their ways.12 So, the atheists’ idea that God killed people without warning is false.

Does God kill the innocent?

Did God kill any innocent people along with the evil ones? In the two most famous examples of God’s judgment discussed above, the text clearly says that all the people God killed were evil.20 When God was about to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham asked God if He would destroy the cities if there were 50 righteous people in them.21 God said no. Then Abraham asked the same question if there were 45 righteous people. Every time he dropped the number and got the same answer. The fact is that God would not have destroyed those cities if there were any righteous people in them. The few righteous who were in those cities He warned ahead of time to get out.22 In another example, Abimelech, king of Gerar, took Abraham’s wife because he lied saying that she was his sister.23 However, God prevented Abimelech from sleeping with her and warned him in a dream. Abimelech heeded God’s warning and was spared from death.23 Eliphaz the Temanite, in his discussions with Job, acknowledged that God did not judge the innocent with the guilty, but that those who act sinfully will incur God’s judgment.24 So, God does not destroy the righteous along with the evil.

Conclusion Top of page

In numerous instances, atheists cite the Old Testament for examples of where God killed “innocent” people. However, the texts show that the innocent are not judged, but only the guilty. In addition, virtually always, the guilty individuals were warned ahead of time about their sin. Jonah is often known as the reluctant prophet, although the reason for his hesitation was not due to the cruelty of Nineveh, but because he feared its people might repent and God might spare them. Jonah wanted God to kill all the people of Nineveh, but feared His mercy. So, Christians are not the only people who often seem to want to see God judge people for their evil, rather than praying for their reconciliation with God. Jonah reveals that God was known for His mercy even in Old Testament times. Even though God is merciful, His mercy extends only to those who heed His words of warning. There is no toleration for evil in God’s kingdom, so those who insist on testing God’s resolve toward sin will find themselves judged, and incarcerated in God’s jail.


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Part 3: Do Christ & Christians show us God?

Join us in our 3rd of 5 part series titled: Show me God.  In this sermon, we discuss one of the ‘new’ atheists favorites–They claim that the world would be better off without Christians and religion in general…

Show Me God

Christianity

Dr. Drew Lawson and Pastor Bucky Dennis

 

 

The God Who Shows Up

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21

 

Fact or Fiction:  Christianity is Bad.

 

Truth –We Have an Image Problem!

  • Judgmental

  • Hypocritical

  • Insensitive

 

What did Jesus say about these issues?

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!  25 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. 27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23:23-28

 

 

Dare – Will the Real Jesus Please Show Up!

 

In the Church

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

 

In Me

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

 

What can I do about it?

  • Honesty: About my unchristian attitudes and actions

  • Authenticity: Pursue the Path of genuine transformation

  • Compassion: Serving others with humility and love

 

Will the Real Church Please Show Up!


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Book Club

A few of us took a book club organized by one of my mentors.  It was 6 Christian classics each year with audio commentaries.  It was AMAZING. For those of you who have asked about the books, here is the list.  They are ALL worth reading but I have put my summary opinion.  (*=good read; **=must read)  Anyone have any other opinions who have read these books please share with us by leaving a comment below:

Year #1

Confessions by Augustine

Of the Imitation of Christ by Kempis**

Here I Stand by Bainton*

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by Bunyan

Purity of Heart by Kierkegaard*

The Screwtape Letters by Lewis*

Year #2

Reading the Scripture with the Church Fathers by Hall*

How the Irish Saved Civilization by Cahill*

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs*

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Burroughs

Holiness by Ryle**

How Should We Then Live? by Schaeffer

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How can YAHWEH be perfectly good and just and yet command extermination?

What is up with the Old Testament God? He seems so different than the God of the New Testament (i.e. Jesus)? Or does He? I have been told that Jesus mentions hell more? And Jesus certainly showed righteous indignation (turning over the money changer’s tables in the temple) not to mention His clear disapproval of hypocrisy (i.e. Pharisee’s behavior).
Recently the topic of OT vs. NT God has come up.  There are 2 articles written by Paul Copan (a philosopher who is able to distill down knowledge better than most of his peers).  These 2 articles and this brief summary by Ken Samples hopefully will shed some light on the topic.

1. Is Yahweh a moral monster? by Paul Copan

2. Yahweh wars and the Canaanites by Paul Copan

3. How can Yahweh be perfectly good and just and yet command extermination? by Ken Samples

HOW CAN YAHWEH BE PERFECTLY GOOD AND JUST AND YET COMMAND EXTERMINATION?

Kenneth Richard Samples

Richard Dawkins, the world’s most famous atheist, asserts that the God of the Old Testament is “a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser.”1

Yahweh, the Hebrew name of the personal God of Israel in the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, reveals himself to be the Creator of heaven and earth. As the one true Lord, he is an infinite, eternal, and morally perfect personal deity. Historic Christianity identifies Yahweh as none other than the Triune God who is more specifically unveiled in the New Testament as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Tension arises when examining the Scriptures. The Bible reveals God to be perfectly good (Psalm 145:8-9) and perfectly just (Deuteronomy 32:4) in the very nature of his being. However, the Old Testament states that God personally commanded the army of the Hebrews to destroy the Canaanite nations.

During the conquest of Canaan, God commanded the following to the Hebrews:
“When the LORD [Yahweh] your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy” (Deuteronomy 7:2).
“However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes” (Deuteronomy 20:16).

In response to this frightening divine command, the Hebrew army carried out the following:

“They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys” (Joshua 6:21).

How can this seemingly brutal genocidal command be reconciled with God’s perfect goodness and justice?

Moral Justification for God’s Command
The following seven points help provide the moral context and justification for Yahweh’s command to destroy the Canaanites:

  1. While God doesn’t always reveal all the details concerning his sovereign decisions, Scripture indicates that God’s moral will flows from his perfectly good and just nature. Therefore God has morally sufficient grounds for his commands even if those reasons are not fully revealed to humankind. However, in this specific case some of those reasons are evident.
  2. God’s command to destroy the Canaanites was motivated by his intention to preserve Israel from the deep moral corruption that would have inevitably resulted through cultural assimilation with the pagan nations. God’s wrathful justice upon the Canaanites resulted in an act of mercy (protection) upon the Israelites. Therefore God’s command to destroy an entire people group nevertheless constituted a moral good.
  3. The Canaanites were a morally decadent and reprobate people. Archaeological discoveries have revealed that they practiced such moral abominations as temple prostitution, child sacrifice, and bestiality.2 And for hundreds of years they consistently ignored God’s call to repent of their wicked ways (Genesis 15:16). In God’s eyes they were beyond moral rehabilitation.
  4. Life in the ancient Near-Eastern world was extremely brutal. And the Canaanite nations viewed the Israelites as their enemies. In this context of warfare among nations God’s command to destroy the pagan peoples was a necessary act of war.
  5. God, as the sovereign creator and sustainer of life, has the prerogative to take life at his just discretion (Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 1:21). Because the cosmos belongs to the Lord, he has the ontological right to do as he wishes with his creatures. His only constraint is his moral nature. God is therefore in a different moral category of being than his creatures. He is the ultimate judge of all things. As Christian philosopher Paul Copan notes: “Like Narnia’s Aslan, Yahweh, though gracious and compassionate … is not to be trifled with.”3
  6. God’s order to exterminate the Canaanites was not a command to murder (to take human life without just cause). Rather, it constituted a command of capital punishment on a grand scale and therefore reflected a retributive form of justice (the punishment matched the crime).
  7. The divine command for the Hebrew army to destroy the Canaanites took place in a unique historical and biblical context. This was not a common or normative event in the life of God’s people. Yahweh is compassionate and patient and remains, in spite of this act, a God of mercy (Exodus 34:6).

Why Such Utter Devastation?

Yet while God had just cause to destroy the Canaanites for their wicked ways, was it necessary to kill all life? Couldn’t the innocent children have been preserved?

Unfortunately, the abominable evil of the Canaanite society had polluted the children as well.4 God, who knows the thoughts and intentions of people (Hebrews 4:12), knew that if these children had been allowed to live they would have inevitably infected God’s people with terrible iniquity. The Hebrews had to be “preserved” because they were the very people from which the Messiah would emerge. Additionally, it may be that God took mercy upon these children and granted them divine acceptance in the next life. God’s compassion is deep and wide even in the midst of temporal judgment.

An important lesson to be learned from this great and terrible event is that God loves his people and he will take extreme measures to protect them from moral and spiritual ruin (Romans 8:28).

References:
1. Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2006), 31.
2. Gleason L. Archer Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago: Moody, 1964), 261.
3. Paul Copan, “Is Yahweh a Moral Monster?” Philosophia Christi 10, no. 1 (Summer 2008), 31.
4. Ronald A. Iwasko, “God of War,” in Christianity for the Tough-Minded, ed. John Warwick Montgomery (Minneapolis: Bethany, 1973), 99-107.

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Part 5: Can the resurrection show us God?

This is the 5th of 5 lectures/sermons in the Show me God series.  This was taught by Bucky on Easter Sunday.  It points out the importance and power of the resurrection.  As Paul said, “If Christ hasn’t come back to life, our message has no meaning and your faith also has no meaning.” (1Co 15:14 GW)

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Did you know? The early church had a choice not to be persecuted.

In Mike Erre’s newest book: Death by Church he points out that the early church had a choice not to undergo persection.  “…if the early church had wanted itself and its purpose to be construed in privatistic and individualistic terms, there were abundant cultal and legal resources at hand for them to do just that.  The early church could have easily escaped Roman persecution by suing for status as a cultus privatus, or ‘private cult’ dedicated to ‘the pursuit of a purely personal and otherworldly salvation for its members’ like many other religious groups in that world.  yet instead of adopting the language of the privatized mystery religions, the church confronted Caesar, not exactly on his own terms but with his own terms.”-Clapp, Peculiar People, pg 81

This is amazing.  The early church chose to rebel and go defiantly up against Caesar because of their confidence and faith that Christ was the only true king!

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Part 4: Does suffering show us God?

This is the 4th of a 5 part series that we did at Pathways Church.  Bucky does a powerful job of sharing the uniqueness of Christianity and the power of the cross to help us during our suffering.  Evil and suffering is a topic of great concern to all of us.  We have a history of posts on this important topic that you can review by simply scrolling down and looking to the right to see under the categories section: Evil and Suffering link.

As always, please share your thoughts with us.

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Part 2: Does the Bible show us God?

This is Part 2 of our 5 part series titled: Show me God. Part 2 we discuss the evidence for the Bible showing us God and being inspired by God. Please share your thoughts.

 

Show Me God

The Bible

Dr. Drew Lawson and Pastor Bucky Dennis

 

The God Who Shows Up

Creation

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” Romans 1:20

 

Ask questions:

  • What do you believe? What are the conclusions to your worldview? What do you get without God?

  • Are you willing to believe? Are you willing to believe that miracles are possible? 

 

Now We Can Talk About the Bible: God’s Word

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

 

Why Trust the Bible?

Manuscript Evidence

The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) written between 45-60 A.D.

  • Book of Acts (Spectacularly accurate historically; must be dated before 62 AD)

  • Fall of Jerusalem is not mentioned even though Acts started in Jerusalem.

  • Nero’s persecution not mentioned that occurred in 64 AD

  • Paul is still alive; no mention of his death (Paul died in 64AD @ Nero’s persecution)

  • Paul’s Experiences & Writings Documented between 32-56 A.D

  • Creeds and Oral Tradition (Phil. 2:6-11, Col. 1:15-20, 1Cor. 15:5) between

  • 33-38A.D.

  • “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

  • Credible Witnesses (1 John 1; 2 Peter 1:16; John 20:30; Luke 1:3)

  • Eight men eyewitnesses or had contact with eyewitnesses (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter, Jude)

  • “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16

Archaeology Evidence

  • Walls of Jericho- Joshua 6:2-5

  • King David- Tell Dan Stone that Read “House of David” and “The King of Israel”

  • Acts 27- Anchors away

Prophecy Evidence

“From the beginning I revealed the end. From long ago I told you things that had not yet happened, saying, “My plan will stand, and I’ll do everything I intended to do.” Isaiah 46:10

  • Messianic Prophecy:

Isaiah 53:3-9

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”

Scientific Evidence

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

  • Scientific perspective

  • Other creation accounts

  • Genesis account


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Part 1: Does science show us God?

This is Part 1 of our 5 part series titled: Show me God. Part 1 we discuss the evidence from creation and design for God. Please share your thoughts.
 

Show Me God

Creation

Dr. Drew Lawson and Pastor Bucky Dennis

 

The God Who Shows Up

  • Looking for God

  • Facing our doubts

  • Reasons for faith

 

  • Creation: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” Romans 1:20

 

  • Word: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

 

  • Christianity: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

 

  • Suffering: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles.” 2 Corinthians 1:3

 

  • Resurrection: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

 

God’s Priority

  • A love relationship

  • A free will offering

  • Faith verses certainty

 

  • “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

 

The Clues for God in Creation

 

Creator: The Mysterious Bang- How did you get something from nothing?

  • “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

    “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” Psalm 102:25

Designer: Complexity and Wonder

  • “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” Psalm 19:1

 

  • “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14

 

Worship

  • “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3

 

  • “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” Psalm 8:1

 

Resources for the Journey

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel

What’s So Great About Christianity by Dinesh D’Souza

 

Websites

Dr. Lawson http://www.coachdrewlawson.com

Hugh Ross Http://www.reasons.org

Stand to Reason http://www.str.org

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Is there a place called Hell? Greg Boyd’s view

Greg Boyd once again challenges us to learn to carefully look at what Scripture teaches us.  In this sermon he shares his thoughts about eternal damnation–hell.  He seems to be what I might call a ‘partial’ annihilist. Please share your thoughts about Boyd’s view on hell.

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Paul Young speaks and preaches AGAIN

This is the 1 of 4 teachings from July 2008 at Mariners Church when the author of the amazing book: The Shack spoke.  (There are 4 separate podcasts that you can listen from Mariners Church podcast; these 2 are the best of the 4.)

As always please share with us your thoughts by leaving a comment.

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Paul Young SPEAKS about The Shack etc.

This is the 1 of 4 teaching sessions from Mariners Church by Paul Young author of the amazing, must read book: The Shack.  In this session he shares some of his life’s experiences and answers some of the common questions people have about the book. (There are 4 separate podcasts that you can listen from Mariners Church podcast; these 2 are the best of the 4.)

Please share your thoughts with us here at UBERLUMEN by posting a comment.

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Love your Enemies

I recently had a conversation with a friend at work who mentioned that a skeptic friend of his pointed out that the God of the Old Testament seems to be a different God from the New Testament using the classic example: O.T.=eye for an eye; N.T.=turn the other cheek.

Here is a classic Mike Erre sermon from the sermon on the mount in which he explains this supposed contradiction.

Take home: eye for an eye laws were VERY progressive at the time and were created by God to promote societal justice whereas turn the other cheek teaching of Jesus was what we as individuals should continue to strive to do.

Here is another great summary of eye for an eye laws vs. turning the other cheek

As always, please share with us your thoughts!

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Dawkins Favorite Argument

Dawkins favorite argument is simply that God cannot serve as an “adequate explanation for the universe or for life or for human beings because God himself would also require an explanation.  The chain of explanations, then, cannot end in God.”-pg 42, Dawkins’s Best Argument by Gregory Ganssle, Philosophia Christi, volume 10, no. 1, 2008

What do you think of this age old argument: If God created the universe then who created God?

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Dawkins’ Best Argument

For the geeks out there, I highly recommend the journal Philosphia Christi.  It has some very interesting articles.  In Volume 10, Number 1, 2008, I recommend: Dawkins’s Best Argument by Gregory E. Ganssle. 

Dawkins best argument according to Professor Ganssle is simply:

  1. A universe made by God would be different than one made by natural occurrences.
  2. Our universe fits better with a naturalistic universe than with a theistic universe.
  3. Therefore, our universe is more likely to be a naturalistic universe than it is to be a theistic universe.

So ultimately it comes down to which worldview is best fits the facts (and as I have said in the past, which worldview is most logical and livable)….don’t make it a shouting match but a discussion comparing worldviews to choose the one that is most logical, livable, and best fits with the facts.

Theistic worldview best fits with these 4 facts that we know to be true in our universe:

  1. The universe is ordered and susceptible to rational investigation.
  2. The universe has beings that possess consciousness.
  3. The universe has beings that possess free agency.
  4. The universe has within it objective moral obligations.

What do you think? Do we have free will? Are there objective moral obligations?  Do we possess consciousness?