The Importance Of The Resurrection Of Christ

The resurrection of Christ is of the utmost importance because if Christ was not raised from the dead then there is no Christianity (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).  Anyone who denies the bodily resurrection of Jesus is not a Christian.  

The Resurrection Proves                        -Christianity is true (1 Corinthians 15:1-28)  -Christ's sacrifice for the sins of his people was accepted by God the Father. (1 Corinthians 15:17, Romans 4:25).                     -Jesus is the Son of God (Romans 1:4).         -Assures believers of their own future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).         -Through the resurrection believers have newness of life (Romans 6:4).                  -Jesus was victorious over sin, death, and the devil (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

The resurrection of Christ was an actual historical event that was witnessed by over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:5-11).  We should believe that the resurrection actually happened because God has revealed it to us in Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:1-11).  The Bible is totally reliable because it is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).   

(Romans 10:9)"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  (ESV)

Luther And Calvin On The Genesis Creation Account

 Martin Luther (1483-1546) and John Calvin (1509-1564) were the two most prominent leaders of the Protestant Reformation.  We will take a brief look at their views on creation.  

Martin Luther believed the world was created about 6,000 years ago by God out of nothing.  He rejected the idea that the world was eternal.  He also rejected allegorical interpretation, holding to a literal interpretation of the Genesis creation account.  Luther said, "We assert that Moses spoke in the literal sense, not allegorically of figuratively-i.e., that the world, with all its creatures, was created within six days, as the words read." 

John Calvin also believed the world was created by God out of nothing.  He said, "Let this, then be maintained in the first place, that the world is not eternal but was created by God."  Calvin also held to a young earth saying, "Little more than five thousand years have passed since the creation of the universe."  Calvin believed the world was created in six literal days based on the numbering of the days.  

So Martin Luther and John Calvin both held to the traditional view of the church on the Genesis creation account.  This view is known as young earth creationism. 

Can God Create A Stone That Is Too Heavy For Him To Lift?

Skeptics sometimes pose this question to Christians in order to try to disprove the existence of God who is omnipotent (all powerful).  If the Christian answers no then the skeptic says there is something God cannot do. If the Christian answers yes then the skeptic  also says there is something God cannot do.  

First of all this question does not take into account God as a whole.  It tries to isolate one characteristic of God from all his other characteristics.  God is omnipotent but he is also good, righteous, just, holy, and immutable (does not change).  God can do anything he desires to do.  He does not desire to violate his own character.   

Of course this question also violates logic and reason.  Logic and reason come from the mind of God.  God does not contradict his own self.  God cannot cease to be God.  The skeptic's question is basically saying that if God cannot cease to be God, then it proves that he does not exist.  Of course this is just nonsense and absurdity.  And this is what the skeptic is left with when he rejects the Christian God.  

Psalm 14:1 And Unbelievers

(Psalm 14:1)"The fool says in his heart, There is no God.  They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good."  (ESV) 

The term fool in this verse denotes moral foolishness, not a lack of intellectual ability.  The unbeliever says in his heart that God does not exist or that God exists but he is not relevant.  He believes he will not be held accountable by God or face his judgment.  From this kind of thinking flows corruption, abominable deeds, and not doing good.  

The unbeliever is suppressing the truth about God.  He is worshiping the creature rather than the creator.  He is pretending to be his own god.  The unbeliever tries to operate independently of God and his Word.  He seeks to be a law unto himself.  This is sometimes referred to as the autonomous self.  

When the unbeliever rejects God and his Word as the foundation of his thought and his life he becomes corrupt, foolish, and absurd.  Claiming to be wise he has become a fool.  The unbeliever needs to turn from his foolishness and sinfulness and turn to Christ in whom are true wisdom and knowledge.   

Transgender Kids And Sports

A controversial issue in our modern society is whether someone born as a male who has "transitioned" to being a female can play sports on a girl's team.  The fact that we have such a controversy shows just how foolish our society has become.  We have confused kids being led astray by adults who have no clue.  

What we have seen in our modern culture is a shift from a Christian worldview to a secularist worldview.  Of course secularism is rooted in unbelief.  At the root of the transgender debate is the question of authority.  Is your gender determined by you or by God?  Do you recognize God as God or do you try to be your own god?  

We do not know who we are because we do not know who God is.  God is the ultimate authority, not us.  God is the Creator, we are the creatures.  If you were born as a male, you are a male.  If you were born as a female, you are a female.  You are who God created you to be.  Unbelief always end up in absurdity such as the idea of transgenderism.  It is simply rebellion against God.  

(Genesis 1:27)"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."  (ESV)  

70 Or 75? (Genesis 46:27 & Acts 7:14)

So how many people went down to Egypt with Jacob?  Genesis 46:27 has the number at 70 while Acts 7:14 has the number at 75.  

In Acts 14:7 Stephen is making his speech before the council and he lists the number of people as 75.  Stephen is actually quoting from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible) which has the number as 75 in Genesis 46:27.  On the other hand the Masoretic text (Hebrew text) has the number as 70 in Genesis 46:27.  

A possible explanation for the two different numbers is that the Septuagint includes five additional descendants of Joseph who were born in Egypt.  The five additional people would be two sons of Manasseh, two sons of Ephraim, and a grandson of Ephraim.  

Another possible explanation for the different numbers is that 75 people went down to Egypt but five died before they met with Joseph.  The difference in the numbers would be between those who left for Egypt and those who made it to meet with Joseph.  

What Do Muslims Believe About The Bible?

 Muslims believe the Qur'an is the highest authority and that it has superseded the Bible.  They also believe the Bible has been corrupted or altered by Jews and Christians.  

The Qur'an teaches that the Scriptures of Jews and Christians were revelation from Allah.  It even claims that there were prophecies about Muhammad in these previous revelations of Allah.  Ironically the Qur'an also claims that no one can change revelations from Allah.  

Islam seems to have a serious problem here.  On the one hand Muslims believe Jews and Christians corrupted their Scriptures.  On the other hand the Qur'an says these Scriptures were revelation from Allah and that no one can change his words.  

So if previous revelations from Allah have been corrupted, then Allah is incapable of preserving his words, including those of the Qur'an.  But if no one can change the words of Allah then Jews and Christians did not change or corrupt the Bible.  The Muslim is left living in contradiction and believing falsehood.