ATHEISM / AGNOSTICISM
QUESTIONS
FOR ATHEISTS / AGNOSTICS
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
According to Atheism/Agnosticism, man is the source of all knowledge.
"Man is the measure of all things." - Protagoras
Atheists/Agnostics believe that all knowledge is gained through their senses, their memory, and their reasoning.
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the validity of your senses, memory, and reasoning, with your fallibility?
(Using your senses, memory, and reasoning to validate your senses, memory, and reasoning is known as "circular reasoning".)
2. the claim that anyone is wrong, without an absolute standard of truth?
(If truth is arbitrary, then claims that refute your worldview could not be wrong.)
3. universal rules of reasoning (logic) with limited personal experience?
(Universal laws require universal knowledge.)
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. Truth makes no sense without God. If thoughts are merely the result of electrochemical reactions in evolved brains, they are neither "true" nor "false", they just are.
2. Morality makes no sense without God. If humans are merely evolved bags of primordial soup, ultimately what one bag does to another is neither moral nor immoral, it just is.
3. Science makes no sense without God. If the universe is constantly changing, there is no reason to assume that the rules with which we do science have not changed.
4. Thankfulness makes no sense with no one to thank.
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY
QUESTIONS
FOR CULTURAL CHRISTIANS
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
Cultural Christians claim all knowledge is gained by and through revelation from God, subject to popular culture.
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the popular claim that "God loves the sinner but hates the sin", with God's Word that He is angry with sinners(1), and that they are deserving of His wrath(2)?
2. the popular claim to "preach the Gospel at all times, use words if necessary", with God's Word that preaching the Gospel requires words(3)?
3. the popular claim that "you shouldn't judge people", with God's command to judge rightly(4)?
4. the popular claim that "you shouldn't talk about hell", with the repeated warnings of hell in God's Word (most often, by Jesus Himself(5))
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. Truth makes no sense if the fallible interpretation of popular culture(6) conflicts with Scripture(7). Your source of truth cannot be contradictory.
2. Salvation makes no sense if a person can be good enough to get to Heaven. If one can be good enough to get to Heaven on his or her own merit, then salvation by faith alone is false(8 ), and Jesus died for no purpose(9).
3. Assurance makes no sense if it is based on a "Sinner's Prayer". Praying a prayer does not save you and is not the Scriptural means of assurance(10).
4. Suffering makes no sense if "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life". This modern message is irreconcilable with the trials, temptations, and persecutions that are promised to true followers of Jesus(11).
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CITATIONS:
(1)Psalm 5:5 (2)John 3:36 (3)Romans 1:16; 10:17; 1 Corinthians 15:1; 1 Peter 1:23, 25 (4)John 7:24; Luke 12:57; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 (5)Matthew 10:28; 13:42, 50; 23:33; 25:30, 41, 46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 12:5; 16:19-31; Revelation 21:8 (6)2 Peter 1:20 (7)2 Timothy 3:16-17 (8 )Ephesians 2:8-9 (9)Galatians 2:21 (10)1 John 5:13 (11)John 16:33; Philippians 1:29
JEHOVAH'S WITNESS
QUESTIONS
FOR JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
According to Jehovah's Witnesses, Jehovah (God) is the source of all knowledge.
"Jehovah is actually the basic Source of knowledge." - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 180, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (WTBTS)
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that all knowledge is gained through the New World Translation of the Bible (NWTB) and the WTBTS(1).
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the WTBTS claim to be a prophet(2), with it's denial of the gift of prophecy(3), admission of false prophecies(4), and claim that false prophets are of Satan(5)?
2. the NWTB claim that Jehovah cannot die(6), with the NWTB claim that Jehovah "the first and the last"(7) died(8 )?
3. the WTBTS claim that Jesus is not Jehovah(9), with the NWTB and WTBTS claims that Jehovah is the only Savior(10), and that Jesus is the only Savior(11)?
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. Truth makes no sense when your authority makes errors. The WTBTS forbids reading outside literature(12) and claims that studying the Bible alone leads to apostasy(13), yet its false prophecies destroy it's claim to sole authority and any truth(14).
2. A God who is love(15) makes no sense without plurality in His being(16). God is one(17), however, without plurality in His being He could not be love, as prior to creating man He would have had no one to love.
3. Salvation makes no sense if works nullify Christ's sacrifice. If good works are necessary for salvation(18 ), then salvation by faith alone is false(19), and Christ died for no purpose(20).
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CITATIONS:
(1)Watchtower, Aug. 1, 2001, p. 14 (2)Watchtower, Apr. 1, 1972, p. 197 (3)Watchtower, Jan. 1883, p. 425 (4)Awake Oct. 8, 1968, p. 23 (5)Watchtower, May 15, 1930, p. 153 (6)Habakkuk 1:12 (7)Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8; 22:13 (8 )Revelation 1:17-18 (9)Reasoning from the Scriptures p. 198 (10)Isaiah 43:11; Watchtower Sept. 1, 2008, p. 7 (11)2 Timothy 1:10; Watchtower Jan. 1, 2010, p. 25 (12)Watchtower Mar. 15, 1986, p. 12 (13)Watchtower Sept. 15, 1910, p. 298 (14)Watchtower Jul. 1, 1973, p. 402 (15)1 John 4:8 (16)WTBTS denies the Trinity (Watchtower Feb. 15, 1955, p. 120) but the NWTB attributes the resurrection to the Father (Acts 2:24), the Son (John 2:19-22), and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11) and says to baptize in the name of all 3 (Matthew 28:19) (17)Deuteronomy 6:4 (18 )Watchtower Feb. 15, 1983, p. 12 (19)Ephesians 2:8-9 (20)Galatians 2:21
MORMONISM
QUESTIONS
FOR MORMONS
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
According to Mormonism, God is the source of all knowledge.
"I would exhort you that ye would ask God... and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." - Moroni 10:4-5
Mormons believe that all knowledge is gained through revelation from their prophets, apostles and scriptures.
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the Doctrines and Covenants (D & C) claim that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God(1), with his false prophecies(2), exposing that he is not a prophet of God(3)?
2. the D & C claim that God is Spirit(4), with the D & C claim that God is flesh and bone(5)?
3. the D & C claim that men can become gods(6), with the Book of Mormon claim that there is only one God(7), and the Biblical claim that there are no other Gods before or after Him(8 )?
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. Truth makes no sense when your test for it is arbitrary. Trusting an arbitrary "burning in the bosom"(9) as a test for truth failed your prophets, and Scripture teaches that it cannot be trusted(10).
2. Attaining peace makes no sense if you must be perfect(11). Since all have sinned(12), you are not perfect, and could never have peace.
3. Salvation makes no sense if works nullify Christ's sacrifice. If good works are necessary for salvation(13), then salvation by faith alone is false(14), and Christ died for no purpose(15).
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CITATIONS:
(1)D & C 135:1 (2)D & C 84:4 - Missouri Temple would be built in "this generation"; i.e. before those who received the prophecy had passed away (Orson Pratt - Journal of Discourses Apr. 1871, Vol. 14, p. 275) (3)Deuteronomy 18:22; 1 John 4:1-6 (4)Lectures on Faith 5:2, 1835 (5)D & C 130:22 (6)D & C 132:20 (7)Alma 11:28-29 (8 )Isaiah 43:10 (9)D & C 9:8 (10)Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 28:26; Mark 7:23 (11)Matthew 5:48; 3 Nephi 12:48 (12)Romans 3:23; James 2:10 (13)2 Nephi 25:23 (14)Ephesians 2:8-9 (15)Galatians 2:21
Sola Scriptura
"BY SCRIPTURE ALONE"
The Bible is the sole infallible authority for the Christian.
This isn't to say there can be no other authorities, such as creeds or confessions, but rather that the Bible is the only infallible authority.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
Sola Fide
"BY FAITH ALONE"
Justification before God is by faith alone.
You can't be justified before God by works or anything else.
Galatians 2:15-16; Romans 4:1-8
Sola Gratia
"BY GRACE ALONE"
Salvation is by grace alone.
It's by "grace" i.e. "unmerited favor". It's not as a result of anything you do. Even your faith and repentance are gifts from God!
Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 2:25
Solus Christus or Solo Christo
"CHRIST ALONE" OR "THROUGH CHRIST ALONE'
Salvation comes through Christ alone.
Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. There is salvation in no one else, in nothing else.
Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5
Soli Deo Gloria
"GLORY TO GOD ALONE"
All glory to God alone.
Whatever you do, do it to God's glory.
After all, we weren't just created by Him but for Him (by the way, there's your answer to the famous "What is the meaning of life?" question).
1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 1:16-17
There are two choices:
CHRIST OR CHAOS?
Corvis Cross
Equipped List (Dark Mage Karasu x2)
Signature
Psalm 2 (NASB)
1Why are the nations restless
And the peoples plotting in vain?
2The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3“Let’s tear their shackles apart
And throw their ropes away from us!”
4He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6“But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
Psalm 2 (Cont.)
7“I will announce the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have fathered You.
8‘Ask it of Me, and I will certainly give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth as Your possession.
9‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”
10Now then, you kings, use insight;
Let yourselves be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11Serve the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way,
For His wrath may be kindled quickly.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
John 3 (NASB)
16“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. 18The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. 21But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.”
Matthew 11 (NASB)
28“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”
John 6 (NASB)
37Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
Isaiah 43
25“I, I alone, am the one who wipes out your wrongdoings for My own sake,
And I will not remember your sins.
Psalm 103 (NASB)
10He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.
12As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.
13Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
14For He Himself knows our form;
He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.
15As for man, his days are like grass;
Like a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And its place no longer knows about it.
17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him,
And His justice to the children’s children,
18To those who keep His covenant
And remember His precepts, so as to do them.
19The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
John 10 (NASB)
27My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
John 17 (NASB)
(This prayer is not only for His disciples at that time. Notice verse 20: if you're a believer, this is Jesus praying for you, too.)
1Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You, 2just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. 3And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. 5And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.
6“I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word. 7Now they have come to know that everything which You have given Me is from You; 8for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of those whom You have given Me, because they are Yours; 10and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11I am no longer going to be in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. 12While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
13But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20“I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, 21that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; 23I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. 24Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
25“Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Matthew 6 (NASB)
(Jesus teaching how to pray.)
9“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’
Psalm 51 (NASB)
(David's prayer after he had sinned. This is a good guideline for how our heart ought to be in repentance)
1Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings.
2Wash me thoroughly from my guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my wrongdoings,
And my sin is constantly before me.
4Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
5Behold, I was brought forth in guilt,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in secret You will make wisdom known to me.
7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
Cleanse me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones You have broken rejoice.
9Hide Your face from my sins
And wipe out all my guilty deeds.
10Create in me a clean heart, God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13Then I will teach wrongdoers Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.
14Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15Lord, open my lips,
So that my mouth may declare Your praise.
16For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.
18By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Matthew 28 (NASB)
(Jesus is King right now. He doesn't get authority on Earth someday in the future, He has it right now. Jesus is King, now go and tell the nations to obey Him. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, so yes, even governments must submit to Him.)
18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1 Corinthians 15 (NASB)
20But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to our God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is clear that this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him. 28When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
Acts 2 (NASB)
(Peter preaching to the Jews)
14But Peter, taking his stand with the other eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this, and pay attention to my words. 15For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,
‘THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL HAVE DREAMS;
18AND EVEN ON MY MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS
I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS,
And they will prophesy.
19‘AND I WILL DISPLAY WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD, FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.
20‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.
21‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’
22“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. 25For David says of Him,
‘I SAW THE LORD CONTINUALLY BEFORE ME,
BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.
26‘THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE WAS OVERJOYED;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;
27FOR YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,
NOR WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.
28‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’
29“Brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30So because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. 32It is this Jesus whom God raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses. 33Therefore, since He has been exalted at the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear. 34For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
35UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”’ 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Acts 17 (NASB)
(Paul preaching to the Gentiles i.e. non-Jews)
22So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects. 23For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30So having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31because He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people by raising Him from the dead.”
32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you again concerning this.” 33So Paul went out from among them. 34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
For Americans
Contrary to the beliefs of many who have been educated by the American public school system, separation of church and state was never intended to mean separation of God and state. Want to know more? Check out the links below:
ApologiaStudios.com/episodes/americas-christian-history-righteous - This is an episode of Apologia Radio. It's titled "America's Christian History - Righteous, Rowdy Christians" and runs for 43:01.
WallBuilders.com - This is the website referred to in the above Apologia Radio episode.
Breakpoint.org/what-separation-of-church-and-state-is-really-about/ - This is a rather short article (13 paragraphs) on the topic, if you'd prefer to read something rather than watch or listen.
https://defytyrants.com/the-doctrine-of-the-lesser-magistrate/ - This lays out the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate and includes why America's founding fathers set up it's government as a true federalism as well as the 4 branches of government given by God to which He delegates authority.
REVERSE
THE ANSWER
JESUS CHRISTTHE BAD NEWS:The possibility that you could be wrong about everything is absurd. If you could be wrong about everything, you really can't know anything at all - not even that! The fact that you DO know things, exposes that you know that God exists(1), but are stealing your foundation of knowledge from Him(2).
Without having all knowledge, something you don't know could contradict what you think you know. In order to know
anything, you would have to know
everything, OR have revelation from someone who does. Only God knows everything. He also cannot lie(3) and never changes(4). Unless you start with the God you DO know, you have no basis for knowledge. God does not condemn people for what they don't know, but for sin against the God that they do know.
You were created in God's image(5), to glorify(6) and enjoy(7) Him forever. When you sin, you fail to imitate God as He commands(8 ), and lie about who He is. God alone is good(9), and the final standard of truth(10). All have fallen short of His standard(11) and deserve eternity in Hell(12). This is not because of the severity of the sin, but because of the goodness of God. Since God is perfect(13), no sin can be in His presence(14), and His perfect justice(15) demands a perfect sacrifice to atone for sin(16).
THE GOOD NEWS:Jesus Christ, who is God the Son(17), came into the world as a man(18 ) to live in perfect obedience to God the Father(19). With His death on the cross(20), Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, cancelling the debt against sinners(21) by taking their full punishment upon Himself. Three days later, He rose from the dead(22), defeating sin and death, earning eternal life(23) for all those who trust in Him. Through His love and mercy, Jesus satisfied God's justice and is the only way to peace, assurance, forgiveness and salvation(24). To be reconciled to God, you must repent(25) and trust that Jesus died for your sins(26). Your sins will be forgiven(27), God will see you as perfect in Christ(28 ), and God the Holy Spirit(29) will make you a new creation(30) with a redeemed soul for eternity, and redeemed reasoning NOW(31).
The only answer and only hope in this life and the next is Jesus Christ.CITATIONS:(1)Romans 1:18-22 (2)Proverbs 1:7 (3)Hebrews 6:18 (4)Malachi 3:6 (5)Genesis 1:27 (6)1 Corinthians 10:31 (7)Philippians 4:4 (8 )Ephesians 5:1 (9)Mark 10:18 (10)John 17:17 (11)Romans 3:23 (12)Matthew 25:41 (13)Matthew 5:48 (14)Habakkuk 1:13 (15)Deuteronomy 32:4 (16)Leviticus 22:20 (17)John 10:30 (18 )John 1:14 (19)Romans 5:19 (20)John 19:30 (21)Colossians 2:14 (22)1 Corinthians 15:4 (23)Romans 6:23 (24)Hebrews 5:9 (25)Forsaking of and sorrow for sin, and a commitment to walk with Christ - Luke 13:3 (26)1 Corinthians 15:3 (27)1 John 1:9 (28 )Hebrews 10:14 (29)Acts 5:3-5 (30)2 Corinthians 5:17 (31)Colossians 2:2-3
CREDIT: These tracts were taken from ProofThatGodExists.org
EASTERN PHILOSOPHIES
QUESTIONS
FOR FOLLOWERS OF EASTERN PHILOSOPHIES
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
According to Eastern Philosophies, knowledge comes from without and within.
Find out for yourself what is truth, what is real." - Siddhartha Buddha
He (Brahman) is knowledge... He is situated in everyone's heart." - Bhagavad-gita 13:18
Followers of Eastern Philosophies believe that all knowledge is gained through personal experience, as taught by their respective sages/deities.
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the validity of your personal experiences with your fallibility?
(Using your experiences to validate your experiences is known as "circular reasoning.")
2. the claim that anyone is wrong, if truth comes from within?
(If truth is up to the individual, then claims that refute your worldview could not be wrong.)
3. universal rules of reasoning (logic) with limited personal experience?
(Universal laws require universal knowledge.)
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. Revelation makes no sense if "all is one". If all is one, there could be no revelation from one to another because one is the other.
2. Morality makes no sense if your worldview has no absolute standard of right and wrong. Followers of Eastern Philosophies strive for "right behavior", but without an absolute standard of right and wrong, no behavior could be right or wrong and morality is meaningless.
3. Freedom cannot make sense if your past transgressions are inescapable. According to Eastern Philosophies, you are trapped in an ongoing cycle of reincarnation (rebirth) with no escape from your karma.
4. Enlightenment cannot make sense without distinctions. If "all is one", you would be in your "enlightened" state(1) already, as there could be no distinction between enlightenment and illusion.
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CITATIONS:
(1)Nirvana - Buddhism; Moksha - Hinduism
JUDAISM
QUESTIONS
FOR FOLLOWERS OF JUDAISM
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
According to Judaism, the G-d of the Hebrew Scriptures is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of HaShem (the Lord) is the beginning of knowledge." - Mishlei 1:7
Followers of Judaism believe that all knowledge is gained through the Hebrew Scriptures, and oral tradition.
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the Scriptural teaching that all righteous deeds are as polluted garments(1), with the oral tradition that righteous deeds atone for sin(2)?
2. the Scriptural teaching that atonement is obtained through a blood sacrifice made on the altar of the Temple by a priest(3), with the oral tradition that atonement can be obtained without a blood sacrifice, Temple, or priesthood(4)?
3. the Scriptural teaching of Isaiah 53 that the redeemer is a righteous suffering servant(5), with the oral tradition that Isaiah 53 refers to the unrighteous(6) nation of Israel(7), which needs a redeemer?
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. Truth makes no sense when your Hebrew Scriptures conflict with your oral tradition. Your source of truth cannot be contradictory.
2. A God who is perfect in justice(8 ) makes no sense without a perfect payment for sin. Without a perfect payment for sin(9), God would be merciful in granting salvation, but unjust.
3. Forgiveness makes no sense without perfect obedience to the law. Since God demands perfect obedience(10), no one could be forgiven, as no one is good in His sight(11).
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CITATIONS:
(1)Isaiah 64:5-6 (2)Mishnah - Yoma 8:8 (3)Leviticus 17:11 (4)Yoma 8:9 (5)Isaiah 53:11 (6)Isaiah 1:4 (7)Talmud - Berachot 5a (8 )Deuteronomy 32:4 (9)Leviticus 22:20 (10)Deuteronomy 28:58-59 (11)Psalm 14:3
ISLAM
QUESTIONS
FOR MUSLIMS
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
According to Islam, Allah is the source of all knowledge.
"He [Allah] is the All Hearing, the All Knowing." - Surah 6:115
Muslims believe that all knowledge is gained through revelation from Allah in the Qur'an, the Hadiths, and the Book; i.e. the Bible(1).
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the Qur'an's claim that the words of Allah cannot be changed(2), with your claim that the words of Allah in the Bible(3) have changed?
2. the Qur'an's claim that the Bible (which predates the Qur'an(4)) was unchanged at the time of Muhammad(5), with your claim that the Bible has been changed?
3. the Qur'an's claim that Allah deceived Muhammad(6), with the Qur'an's claim that Allah is Truth(7)?
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. A God who is truth makes no sense with the possibility of deception. Truth cannot have the possibility of being false.
2. A God who is love makes no sense without a plurality in His being. God is one, however, without plurality in His being He could not be love, as prior to creating man He would have had no one to love.
3. A God who is perfect in justice(8 ) makes no sense without a perfect payment for sin. Without a perfect payment for sin, God would be merciful in granting salvation, but unjust.
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CITATIONS:
(1)Surah 2:136; 4:136; 5:68; 17:55 (2)Surah 6:34, 115 (3)Surah 6:114 (4)Complete copy of the Bible (Codex Vaticanus) - 4th Century A.D.; Qur'an - 6th Century A.D. (5)Surah 35:31 (6)Surah 8:43-44 (7)Surah 22:62 (reality = truth) (8 )Surah 24:25
ROMAN CATHOLICISM
QUESTIONS
FOR ROMAN CATHOLICS
COULD YOU BE WRONG ABOUT
EVERYTHING YOU CLAIM TO KNOW?
NO - Continue Reading...
YES - See Reverse
According to Christianity, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." - Proverbs 1:7
According to Roman Catholicism, the God of the Bible is the source of all knowledge.
"God, who alone made heaven and earth, can alone impart true knowledge..." CCC 216 (Catechism of the Catholic Church)
These claims appear the same, however, Roman Catholics believe that all knowledge is gained through Sacred Scriptures AND Sacred Tradition(1).
So, how do you reconcile:
1. the Sacred Scripture claim that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man(2), with the Sacred Tradition claim that Mary is a mediator(3)?
2. the Sacred Scripture claim that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone(4), with the Sacred Tradition claim that faith alone in Christ alone makes one accursed(5)?
3. the Sacred Tradition claim that denying the Trinity makes one accursed(6), with the Sacred Tradition claim that Muslims, who deny the Trinity(7), adore the same God(8 )?
THE PROBLEM:
Contradictions amount to lying, as opposing statements cannot both be true. The above questions expose contradictions in your source of knowledge, which means that you could be wrong about everything you claim to know!
So, how can you know anything? - See Reverse
JUST AS BREATHING REQUIRES AIR, THINKING REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING MAKES SENSE.
MORE PROBLEMS:
1. Truth makes no sense when your Sacred Tradition conflicts with your Sacred Scripture. Your source of truth cannot be contradictory.
2. Praying for forgiveness makes no sense if Jesus is robbed of His authority to forgive sins. If priests and penance are required for absolution(9), then your prayer to Jesus alone cannot secure forgiveness(10).
3. Salvation makes no sense if works nullify Christ's sacrifice. If sacramental works are necessary for salvation(11), then Christ died for no purpose(12).
WHAT IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT? - See Reverse
CITATIONS:
(1)CCC 82 (2)1 Timothy 2:5 (3)CCC 969 (4)Ephesians 2:8-9 (5)Council of Trent Canon 9 (6)Second Council of Constantinople (7)Surah 5:73 (8 )CCC 841 (9)CCC 1459; 1462 (10)Mark 2:10 (11)CCC 1129 (12)Galatians 2:21
Resistance to Tyranny is Obedience to God
Acts 5:29; Exodus 1:17; Daniel 6:13
NO KING BUT CHRIST!
Comments
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Thank you for the resource suggestions. You as well, sister! Merry Christmas, by the way!
Some other biblically sound resources is Apologetics Press (https://apologeticspress.org/), Radically Christian (https://radicallychristian.com/), Christian Courier (https://christiancourier.com/), and I have a few more if you’d like them.
Hope to talk more about the gospel with you.
Grace and peace be with you!