Did God Really Say?
Notes
Transcript
There is a lot of blame being thrown around these days. Democrats blame Republicans. Republicans blame Democrats. Some blame the Chinese; others blame white European males. There is plenty of blame to go around, but everyone is missing the real problem. The root of all the world’s problems can be traced back to answering one of Life’s Most Important Questions wrong. This question is found in Genesis 3:1-7:
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
"Did God really say?” The questioning of God’s Word is the root of all evil. It is a question we all get wrong, for all of us have disobeyed God’s Word.
Disobedience Has It’s Root in Unbelief
Disobedience Has It’s Root in Unbelief
When we make choices we always choose what we believe is the greatest good. Adam and Eve looked at the fruit and decided that the fruit of the tree was “good, delightful and to be desired.” Think about that for a moment—God said the fruit of this tree would bring death. However, the Serpent suggested that God was at best mistaken and at worst a liar. That suggestion took root in Adam and Eve’s hearts and they began to doubt God and His Word.
Isn’t this what happen to all of us? The Bible is clears as to what is right and wrong, but we first begin to question, then we doubt and finally we disobey!
Consider what happens when a couple decides to fornicate or have an adulterous affair: they know it is morally wrong, but they decide to do it anyhow because they decide the satisfaction of their lustful desires is a “greater good” than obeying God’s Word.
This is just one example. We do this with each sin. We decide the benefits of disobedience out weigh the benefits of obedience.
This truth shows us that by implication that unbelief is the root of all evil.
Evil Has It’s Roots in Unbelief
Evil Has It’s Roots in Unbelief
In recent weeks, much attention has been given to the evils of racism. Do you realize that the word “race” did not appear until the 17th century and when it first was used it was not used to distinguish people by their skin tone? In fact, prior to the late 17th century, the idea of race based on skin tone a totally foreign category. We are so use to categorizing people by the color of their skin that we can hardly imagine a world in which this is not true, but the fact is, for most of human history no one thought like this!
So where did the idea of “race” based on skin color come from? It came from unbelief!
The Bible makes it clear that chattel slavery is a sin and “man stealing” is a capital offense! The “slavery” allowed in the Old Testament, is what we know as indentured servitude. Indentured servitude is a contractual agreement in which one party works for another in exchange for come monetary benefit such as debt relief. The power of belief in God’s Word totally eradicated chattel slavery from Christianized Europe. To put this in perspective, in the 17th century, Europe was the only place on earth without chattel slavery!
So how did European’s justify the African slave trade? By inventing the idea of “race” bases on physical characteristics, especially skin tone, but this is totally against the Word of God!
God’s Word clearly teaches all men can trace their origins back to one man—Adam!
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
The evil of racism we see played out in our world today has it’s roots in unbelief!
There is a progression of sin and unbelief, this week I read a twit that said, “First we overlook evil, then we permit evil, then we legalize evil, then we promote evil, then we celebrate evil, then we persecute those who still call it evil.” In the past we saw happen with slavery and today we see it happening with abortion and so called “gay rights”.
Many are alarmed by out society’s rapid fall into greater and greater depravity, and rightly so! However, we are looking to the solutions in the wrong places.
The Only Solution to this World’s Problems is Belief in God’s Word
The Only Solution to this World’s Problems is Belief in God’s Word
In our day many are looking for solutions to the problems facing our nation and world. Perhaps you are looking for solutions to the problems facing your family and personal life. The only solution lays in answering correctly the question, “Did God really say?”
There are many smoke screens and red herrings thrown out there by so called “scholars,” which attempt to undermine the truth and reliability of the Bible. I don’t have time to answer in detail every objection, but let me assure you every objection has been answered and I would be more than happy to sit down with you personally and go in greater detail. What I do what to concentrate on this morning is what Jesus and His Apostles teach about the Word of God.
First, Jesus taught that the Bible is true:
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Second, both Paul and Peter taught that the Bible has it’s origins from God. First, Peter:
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Then, Paul:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Notice that Paul says that Scripture has the power to show us what is good. I began my sermon by stating that human beings always chose what they think is the greatest good, but how do we know what is good, true and noble? According to Jesus and His Apostles, by the Word of God!
Centuries ago, the Psalmist would write:
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
We live in a dark and confusing time. Many are losing their way. They need a light to guide them down the right path—we have that light! (Hold up the Bible.) Will you use the light God has given you? There is no other light. There is no other solution!