We are not alone
Notes
Transcript
There are approximately 4,500 distinct religions in the world and within all of them there are 3 distinct views.
1. Atheism – There is no God
2. Pantheism – God is in everything and everything is in God
3. Theism – God is singular, Christian belief system
Spiritual meaning is never found within the human self. The only place to find spiritual meaning is outside the human realm with an almighty God. Elohim, YHVH (Jehovah), Jesus Christ, the Great I Am.
Christian believers know that God reveals himself to us through a message from a hidden world, heaven. We should stop asking where or how can I find God. Instead, we should ask, how has God revealed himself to us.
God speaks to us in two different ways;
1. General Revelation
1. General Revelation
General revelation is through his creation.
Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”2. Special Revelation.
Romans 1:20 “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
Paul makes a point to say the same thing as he is telling the Romans about God in chapter 1. He is talking specifically about God’s anger at sin to make sure you understand the context.
2. Special Revelation
2. Special Revelation
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3. Authority of God
3. Authority of God
The argument here is that as creator God’s authority is absolute. My opinions or feelings are not a consideration because i did not create the world, anything in it, or myself. As creator and sustainer, God has absolute authority.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
4. Reliability of Scripture (Bible)
4. Reliability of Scripture (Bible)
C.S. Lewis stated, “Seeing the Bible as the Word of God = “Getting your focus right.”
The bible came as a result of God’s initiative. Man did not put it together arbitrarily. God said to Moses, the Psalmist, the prophets, Apostles and others, “write this down.” Others wrote down what was inspired under the direction of the Holy Spirit. God was in control, not man.
Man inspired = Impossible
Man inspired = Impossible
God inspired = normal, miraculous
God inspired = normal, miraculous
The bible was written over 15-1600 years. It was written by 40 different authors. It has 66 books, more if you count the apocrypha, and it never contradicts, or conflicts through all its pages and writers. That is miraculous.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
It showed Jesus as walking with Adam and even in the garden in Genesis and other Christophanies. It confirms the Son of Man is also God in the flesh.
20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
