Making the true God known

Acts 17:29–31 says, “Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

In many ways, the City of Athens is the birthplace of Western culture. The ancient Greek city has a long history, from military successes to the centre of art, architecture, and literature. Plato, Socrates and Aristotle among other famous thinkers had links to Athens. The city was well established in the “golden age” of the Greeks. Athens was the intellectual capital of the world.

On his second missionary journey, Paul visited the city. During his stay, he took the opportunity to do some sightseeing. The Athenians erected many statues of their various gods, one of which was, “to the unknown god.” The Greek city was given over to pagan pluralism. Paul witnessed the pagan worship and many ungodly practices of the city. The self-righteous inhabitants were not interested in Paul’s message of salvation.

Paul came up against great opposition from superstitious idolaters. The sophisticated philosophy was to place trust in the wisdom of man. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Not much has changed since Paul’s day. This moving away from Christianity and turning to knowledge and alternative sources of wisdom are still with us today.

Many in the city of Athens worshipped the god of materialism. They found comfort and meaning in vast wealth and the pursuit of money. Others worshipped the god of drunkenness and lust, such as Venus and Aphrodite. The number of idols was vast. This is contrary to true Christianity. The child of God is content with the blessings of God. He is not a lover of money, nor is he a drunken or sexually immoral man.

Paul took the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ on Mars Hill. Paul preached about the One true God and made it clear how they could know Him. Paul made it clear to them that God is the creator of the world and everything in it. Paul also declared that God is not like the idols that many were accustomed to worshiping. The true God is not limited, fixed in stone, or finite in nature.

The God that the Apostle proclaimed was the One who created all mankind and gave the breath of life. God’s grace has provided the comforts of life and daily needs. Alas, most were unresponsive to Paul’s life-giving message. They rejected Paul and thus rejected the resurrection of Christ. They called Paul a babbler. They mocked him and scoffed at the Gospel. They regarded Paul’s message as foolish, but still, Paul remained faithful. Even in the face of adversary and ridicule he was prepared to stand alone for Christ.

The society that we live in today largely has the utmost contempt for the things of God. Modern man thinks that we are far more advanced now and have no need for religion. Some will go as far as saying contemporary knowledge has proved that God is an illusion. The one who believes in a deity is foolish, proudly and boldly declares the intelligent modern man.

Hebrews 3:15 says, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.” Paul preached Christ crucified, most did not believe but some did. During your witness for Christ, some will reject the Gospel while others will accept the truths of Scripture. Many will have questions and desire to know more. It is very important that we are always ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). Are you prepared to give an answer for your joy?

God is a Spirit

We cannot prove God's existence by mere words or examples. He is far greater than we can ever understand. To attempt to explain who God is by mere language is to do Him a great disservice. However, God has chosen to reveal very compelling reasons to believe in His existence and to have faith in His promises.

Firstly, creation, the earth declares God's power and goodness. Secondly, mankind himself bears witness to the reality of God's morality. We have a conscience that convicts us of right and wrong. Thirdly, the Holy Bible and the miracle of the preservation of Scripture strongly suggests the truth that there is indeed a God that is higher than mankind. The testimony of countless lives that have been changed by the power of the Gospel is also evidence of a being that is outside and above us. Men and women from every walk of life over centuries of human history can speak of the amazing transformations that has been wrought in their life by God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Although the proof of God cannot be tested scientifically, as all scientific examinations must be tangible. The power of the invisible God is palpable throughout the world. Romans 1:20 says that the Almighty is clearly visible in our lives, from God's grace being poured out on the just and unjust, to the daily needs that God provides. This is so that we are without excuse, we cannot deny God even if we want to. The fact of the matter is this, God is real, and men and women do not desire to acknowledge Him. Romans 1:28-31 teaches us that by nature we do not regard the things of God. I suggest the main reason why the natural man rejects God is because if they accept the things of God they cannot continue in the path of sinfulness and must admit that they are answerable and accountable for all that they say and do in this life.

To acknowledge God means that the unrighteous will have their minds and hearts exposed to the standards of God, and thus realise that they cannot go on the path of wickedness. By nature, we are all proud in heart. We think we are right in our own eyes, we delight in the things of the world and flesh and say in our hearts, “I will do it my way.” Incidentally, the most requested piece of music at funerals is Frank Sinatra's song, “My Way.” It is a sad reality that God is not enough for the unbeliever, they believe that there are far better off without God.

God is an eternal Spirit. The question of who is God is answered by dealing with God's attributes and nature. Firstly, God is spirit and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). In his commentary Matthew Poole writes, “God is not a corporeal being, made up of blood, and flesh, and bones, having senses as bodies have, to be pleased with sensible things; but he is a spiritual Being, the Father of spirits, and requireth a spiritual service proportioned to his being; and therefore those that pay a religious homage to him, must do it with their spirits, and according to the rule that he hath prescribed, in truth and reality.”

God is infinite. God is not limited by space or time; He has no beginning nor end. Although the word "infinite" does not appear in Scripture the reality of God as an infinite being is demonstrated throughout the Bible. Unlike mankind who is limited in nature and design, God is not confined to circumstances and incapacities, apart from sin. God cannot violate His own law and commandments.

God is omniscient which means he is all-knowing as declared in 1 John 3:20. God is omnipotent meaning that he is all-powerful (Psalm 115:3) and He is omnipresent meaning God is ever-present (Psalm 139:7-10). These three attributes alone belong to God. All of God's divine attributes point directly to His perfection. God is perfect in power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Happy is the soul who can say, “The God of Holy Writ is my God.” Blessed is the soul that finds rest and peace in God. The burdens of the heart and mind are made lighter in the One and Holy God of Scripture. In Him, we have every reason to rejoice, for when we are His we are His eternally.

The Storms of Scripture

 

Noah and the Flood (Gen. 7:17-24)

The ark is a type of Christ. There was only one way to be saved from the flood and there is only one way to be saved from the penalty of sin. Christ is our ark in this age of grace. Christ shed his blood so that we will not drown in the flood of sin. Just like those in Noah’s day they had to enter the ark to be saved from the flood; we have to be in Christ to be saved from sin.

Plague of Hail and Thunder (Exd. 9:22-24, 33-34)

Here we see God raining down hail and thunder on the Land of Egypt as a judgment. We learn that when the hail and thunder ceased Pharoah sinned again and hardened his heart. Even when God pours out judgment evil men will disregard the warnings and continue in sin. May we not be like this. May we heed to the loving rebuke of God and walk in obedience.

Jonah and the Storm (Jonah 1:4-15)

Here we read about a violent storm that caused great fear to all in the ship. It reminds me of the great storm and story of John Wesley. During a voyage to Georgia in 1735, John Wesley witnessed a storm and was deeply moved by the peace and faith of a group of Moravians, who sang hymns and remained calm, unlike the fearful English. At the time John Wesley did not have the same assurance and peace of the Moravians. Their faith and courage inspired him and he wanted to have the same peace. The moral of the story is that we must be sure today of our eternal home in Heaven because we never know what the day may bring. We do not know when we will die.

The Tempest on the Sea of Galilee (Mat. 14:22-33)

I wonder if you have ever noticed that Peter had faith in Christ to cause him to walk on the water, but as soon as Peter took his eyes off the Lord he began to sink. This is the case for us all. As soon as we take our eyes off Christ and fix our gaze on the things of this life we begin to sink. May we fix our eyes on Christ and not the vain things of this world. May we rest in Christ and trust Him in all things.

Weathering the Storms of Life (Luke 8:22-25)

Christ was asleep but He was still in full control of this situation. This passage of Holy Scripture tells us that Christ is divine as he has the ability to control the wind and the sea. We serve a Saviour that has control over the natural world and we ought to rest in the knowledge that all will be well. May we have peace and rest in the Saviour.

Our Place of Refuge (Psa. 55:8, 107:29)

In times of trouble when the storms of life come our way, our only refuge and strength is our God. We must flee to Him in prayer and seek the Lord for wisdom, comfort and hope.

God is a defence for those in need. He is a refuge for those in distress.

“For You have been a defense for the helpless, A defense for the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; For the breath of the ruthless Is like a rain storm against a wall.”

Isaiah 25:4

Why Socialism is an Evil?

 

In this short paper, I will make the case against socialism and why a Christian should not support socialism as a system of secular government. It is my view that socialism leads to communism and the destruction of the values upheld in the Word of God. There are many examples one could use in the secular world to show how this system of ideas has ruined the society and lives of people under its power. However, the best reasons why a Christian must not support socialism are found in the Holy Bible.

Before I start, I would like to give you the definition of the term. According to an online Dictionary, socialism is, “Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy” and, “A political theory advocating public ownership of the means of production and the sharing of political power by the whole community.” So, what this means is that certain businesses and production are to be owned by the government and the redistribution of wealth. In simple terms, it means that the harder you work and the more money you earn the worst you will become. For example, take a company that has 30 workers. 10 of the workers work very hard and earn the most money and produce the most products. 10 of the workers don’t work that hard and make just enough to get by. The other 10 workers do very little and don’t meet the target of production. In a socialist society, the leader would then average the overall production. Those workers who work less and produce a lesser number of the goods like this system because it will increase their overall number of productions without doing as much as those with the highest number of productions. This brings me to my first point.

1.     Socialism is based on materialism

According to Socialism all that really exists and matters is the material world. In fact, Karl Marx the founder of socialism created the notion of dialectical materialism. This is the belief that matter contains within itself a creative power. This worldview led Marx to believe that suffering in the world is caused by the unequal distribution of material things such as wealth.

The biblical view contradicts this position. Scripture teaches that there is a material world and a non-material world. Scripture also teaches that the greatest problem facing the world is spiritual as a result of sin. The value of life and quality of life is not based on how much we have but on our relationship with the living God.

2.     Socialism discourages righteousness

As my example shows above Socialism desires to distribute wealth regardless of how much a people produces. This also applies to the needs of people. Those who refuse to work as hard as others can profit from another man’s work. So those at the top support those at the bottom.

Again, this is not the view of Scripture. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, the Bible teaches that those who refuse to work also refuse aid. Notice how the Bible says, “would not work.” There is a foundation in Scripture to support those who are unable to work or that are seeking to work. The biblical principle is that the individual is responsible for himself, not the hard work of others. The aid giving is based on virtue and reward for a good report.

3.     Socialism and Stealing

One of the fundamental principles of socialism is that the government ought to have the right to take money from the highest earners and give it to lower earners. This is not voluntarily sharing your wealth with those less fortunate; it is the government forcing you to give a percentage of your earnings. This is not Christianity, it is stealing. Socialists do not believe in a private property. Karl Marx famously once said, “all property is theft.”

4.     Destruction of Marriage and the Family

Socialism seeks to destroy the values of marriage and the family. Friedrich Engels who co-wrote The Communist Manifesto once wrote that society would be better if the single family ceases to be the economic unit of society. The care of children would then become a matter of public legislation. Please make no mistake about it, socialism is the gateway to communism.

There is of course much more to be said and written about concerning the topic at hand. However, here are four basic principles why a Christian must not support this system of government nor embrace the ideas that socialism seeks to promote.

 

The Pre-Trib Rapture Before Darby

Many people who are against the teachings of dispensationalism and the pre-trib rapture state that the pretribulation rapture was invented by John Nelson Darby in the 19^th century. This is simply not true. There were Christians that believed and wrote about the pretribulation rapture long before Darby was born. For example take the hymn, “Great God, I own Thy sen­tence just” written by Isaac Watts, who was born on 1674 and died in 1748. In the second verse of this hymn Watts wrote,

“Yet faith may tri­umph o’er the grave,
And tram­ple on the tombs;
My Je­sus, my Re­deem­er, lives;
My God, my Sav­ior, comes.”

As you can clearly see from the first line of the second verse, Watts writes about his faith overcoming the grave. This points to the belief that Watts and many others held to that the Church would be raptured and the dead in Christ would be risen again.

Nathaniel Holmes (1599–1678) a Puritan theologian and writer is said to have promoted and believed in the pre-trib rapture of the church. William C. Watson wrote about this in his 2015 book, Dispensationalism Before Darby: Seventeenth-century and Eighteenth-century English Apocalypticism. 

To say that J. N. Darby invented the doctrine and that no-one believed in the pre-trib before him is not true. There are numerous believers in the pre-trib rapture before Darby. To credit Darby with the invention of the doctrine is the same as crediting Luther with the doctrine of justification by faith. Luther did not create the doctrine of justification by faith, the teaching was always in the Bible. All what Luther did was teach what the Word of God had always taught in an age where the doctrine was not widely taught. Darby did the same with the doctrine of the pre-trib rapture, he taught what the Word of God has always taught.

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18)