"This is the verdict, that light has come into the world and men loved darkness greater than light, because their deeds are evil," (cf. John 3:19).
Josh McDowell wrote the book, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, in which he systematically unfolds and lays out proof and arguments for Christianity and its tradition, the Scriptures. There are several volumes and there is sufficient evidence for the seeker who wants to believe and is willing to do God's will. But for the skeptic who wants to stay in his sin because he is fond of it, and not repent, there is never enough evidence--you cannot argue someone into the kingdom; they must be receptive and open-minded.
Where there's a need God will fulfill it; therefore the kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit (those who recognize their need and sin). If you are earnestly and diligently seeking God you will find Him (cf. Deut. 4:29; Jer. 29:13) and God is no man's debtor and will let Himself be found by the sincere and willing seeker. The truth of the matter is that you don't need all the answers to believe. It is not an intellectual problem, but a moral one and the heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart! Mark 9:24 says: "I believe, help thou mine unbelief."
We may find we have doubts, but this is a good thing that will strengthen our faith in the end--doubt is not the opposite of faith, but an element of it. Our faith must be tried in the fire and tested as to its validity and whether it is genuine, saving faith. God will not make a person believe against their will, that would be coercion and against our natures, to be forced or coerced by someone to do something we don't want to do; however, God is able to make the unwilling willing and to woo (cf. Jer. 20:7; John 6:44, 65; Psalm 51:12; Col. 1:29; Heb. 13:21) us to the Father and melt our hearts in grief for our sins and repent in all sincerity. "God is at work within you, both to will, and to do of His good pleasure" (cf. Philippians 2:13).
There is no question that is going to make Christianity come to its knees without the answer: The Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties by Gleason Archer, and the book, Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible by John W. Haley, answer just about every question about the Bible skeptics have. Apologetics is a discipline that takes many forms: literary like C. Lewis; philosophical like Francis A. Schaeffer; scientific like Henry Morris; cultural like Charles Colson; and historical like Josh McDowell, et al. Belief in God is universal and in every culture, nation, people, group, and tribe.
God is the Potter and we are the clay and He is ultimately in control of our destiny and all those who are the elect shall believe--His divine decree (cf. Acts 13:48). You practically have to teach a child not to believe in God, because he instinctively knows everything we observe has a purpose, and that ultimately leads to the uncaused cause or the necessary being, which is God. A child's heart isn't hardened and it is with the heart that man disbelieves according to Psalm 14:1.
The original tradition, historically speaking was of one God, not a pantheon. Eventually, they thought the more gods, the better! Paul is right in Romans 1:20 that man has no excuse and he also says that God has never left the world without a witness (cf. Acts 14:17). People are without excuse and we are not God's judgment, weighing the evidence--He doesn't need evidence--His fingerprints are on all creation and every living thing. God accommodates us and condescends to strengthen our weak or little faith, but we must take that first step in the right direction when He woos us.
Many scholars have attempted to disprove the Bible and have been forced to admit its truth and found out the truth does set you free--they wrote books, such as General Lew Wallace's Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ; Lawyer Frank Morrison attempted to disprove the resurrection, and ended up writing Who Moved the Stone? with the first chapter entitled, "The Book that Refused to be Written;" Simon Greenleaf, the world's foremost expert on legal evidence in the nineteenth century, and professor at Harvard, considered the evidence and then wrote, The Testimony of the Evangelists. Many archaeologists have tried to discredit the Bible's historicity and have ended up becoming believers because no dig has ever contravened the Bible's record.
What they say is that you don't have to prove the Bible it can defend itself--you can prove it yourself by just reading it and giving it the opportunity without a closed mind. The Bible makes no effort either to prove God's existence, but assumes this and asserts that all knowledge begins with the fear of God (cf. Prov. 1:7). The Bible actually declares a person a fool if he doesn't believe in God! In sum, there's never enough evidence to convince someone who's unwilling to believe or do God's will; there's just enough light to see for the willing, and enough darkness not to see for the unwilling. Soli Deo Gloria!
We may find we have doubts, but this is a good thing that will strengthen our faith in the end--doubt is not the opposite of faith, but an element of it. Our faith must be tried in the fire and tested as to its validity and whether it is genuine, saving faith. God will not make a person believe against their will, that would be coercion and against our natures, to be forced or coerced by someone to do something we don't want to do; however, God is able to make the unwilling willing and to woo (cf. Jer. 20:7; John 6:44, 65; Psalm 51:12; Col. 1:29; Heb. 13:21) us to the Father and melt our hearts in grief for our sins and repent in all sincerity. "God is at work within you, both to will, and to do of His good pleasure" (cf. Philippians 2:13).
There is no question that is going to make Christianity come to its knees without the answer: The Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties by Gleason Archer, and the book, Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible by John W. Haley, answer just about every question about the Bible skeptics have. Apologetics is a discipline that takes many forms: literary like C. Lewis; philosophical like Francis A. Schaeffer; scientific like Henry Morris; cultural like Charles Colson; and historical like Josh McDowell, et al. Belief in God is universal and in every culture, nation, people, group, and tribe.
God is the Potter and we are the clay and He is ultimately in control of our destiny and all those who are the elect shall believe--His divine decree (cf. Acts 13:48). You practically have to teach a child not to believe in God, because he instinctively knows everything we observe has a purpose, and that ultimately leads to the uncaused cause or the necessary being, which is God. A child's heart isn't hardened and it is with the heart that man disbelieves according to Psalm 14:1.
The original tradition, historically speaking was of one God, not a pantheon. Eventually, they thought the more gods, the better! Paul is right in Romans 1:20 that man has no excuse and he also says that God has never left the world without a witness (cf. Acts 14:17). People are without excuse and we are not God's judgment, weighing the evidence--He doesn't need evidence--His fingerprints are on all creation and every living thing. God accommodates us and condescends to strengthen our weak or little faith, but we must take that first step in the right direction when He woos us.
Many scholars have attempted to disprove the Bible and have been forced to admit its truth and found out the truth does set you free--they wrote books, such as General Lew Wallace's Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ; Lawyer Frank Morrison attempted to disprove the resurrection, and ended up writing Who Moved the Stone? with the first chapter entitled, "The Book that Refused to be Written;" Simon Greenleaf, the world's foremost expert on legal evidence in the nineteenth century, and professor at Harvard, considered the evidence and then wrote, The Testimony of the Evangelists. Many archaeologists have tried to discredit the Bible's historicity and have ended up becoming believers because no dig has ever contravened the Bible's record.
What they say is that you don't have to prove the Bible it can defend itself--you can prove it yourself by just reading it and giving it the opportunity without a closed mind. The Bible makes no effort either to prove God's existence, but assumes this and asserts that all knowledge begins with the fear of God (cf. Prov. 1:7). The Bible actually declares a person a fool if he doesn't believe in God! In sum, there's never enough evidence to convince someone who's unwilling to believe or do God's will; there's just enough light to see for the willing, and enough darkness not to see for the unwilling. Soli Deo Gloria!
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