Not believing in God or in a place called hell
By Prof. Mario Velez,
Th.M.
Although
a person may claim not to believe in God, the apostle Paul tells us
different. In Roman 1:20 he writes
that nobody has an excuse for not believing in God because all creation
declares His person. King David also
proclaimed a similar statement in Psalms 19:1:
KJV Rom. 1:20, For the
invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and God-head; so that they are without
excuse:
KJV
Psalm 19:1, {To the chief Musician, A Psalm of
David.} The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firemament sheweth his handyword.
These
verses tell us that all created things are a testimony to a higher designer and
creator. There is a complexity and a
harmonized order in every aspect of nature.
We have only to consider the vast diversity of life forms that inhabit
the earth alone to conclude this. There
is an inexhaustible amount of species to consider, not only the quantity of
species on land and sea, but there is also a whole different world of
microorganisms that exist as well. We
are sometimes not even aware of the existence of these microorganisms because
they are too small for the eye to see.
However, in spite of whatever living organism that might be in view, all
living things possess a complex structure in their form of being from the
largest to those in the microscopic realm.
The
sophistication and the precision of the human mind and body are also reasons to
marvel when they are examined in all their detail. There has yet to be a computer built that can
rival the human brain. The most
complicated computer in the world does not possess the imagination or
creativity of the human mind. Also, our
bodies are composed of complex microscopic cells that have particular functions
within our bodies. We have cells that
maintain the rate and the rhythm of the beat of the heart. The eyes have cells that perceive light. We have skin cells, muscle cells and nerve
cells that know to carry out their respective functions within the framework of
our bodies. Our organs are composed of
cells and each organ communicates with the other to maintain the body in a
harmonized order without us even having to think.
Let's
take for example the process of our digestive system after having eaten a large
meal. Because our digestive system needs
more blood to digest the food, our digestive system communicates with our
cardiovascular system so that the blood vessels that are found in the digestive
system widen to permit more flow of blood from the heart. Our digestive system then communicates with
our nervous system permitting the brain to receive the impulses of nerves that
communicate of the increased work. In
return, the brain responds by recognizing a decrease of hunger and an interest
to avoid less vigorous activities. The
point to remember is that the structure of all the living organisms are
designed in a complex and ordered manner that demands a designer and
creator.
Whether
it is the complexity of all living organisms or the perfect orbital paths that
the planets in our solar system maintain, all about creation manifests to us a
harmoniously designed order. As a matter
of fact, Webster's dictionary defines the cosmos as, "an orderly harmonious systematic universe." This definition is truly appropriated because
there is a Supreme Designer and Creator, and He has placed an order behind
everything that He has created.
Yet,
with all the evidence that declares the existence of God, mankind theorizes
that all these things happened by chance through the process of evolution? The theory of evolution is based on
speculation, which truly does require faith, unfortunately, on the wrong
thing. The probability that life
occurred from a random set of circumstances is the same probability of a pile
of rocks and wood evolving into a house, or a pile of steel evolving into a
car! In the same way that we can look at
a house or at a car and know that there was someone who designed and created
that house or car, thus likewise, we can look at all creation and know that
there is a designer and creator behind everything created. Any scientist who is honest with his own self
will know that the chance of life coming into existence by chance is a
mathematical impossibility. Some
scientists have indeed realized the impossibility of such an event happening.
The
inherent or inborn nature of mankind to worship a supreme being is also a
testimony for the existence of God (Rom. 1:21-25). All cultures around the world, no matter how
secluded they may be from the rest of civilization, have some form of worship
to a higher "power." This is due to the fact that they have looked
at all the creation and it has testified to a creator. Therefore, the fact is that creation
testifies to the invisible essence of God in all He has created whether a
person wants to admit it or not.
I had a
person ask me how I knew that God existed although I had never seen Him nor had
touched Him. I simply posted the
question to them of how they knew that someone had designed and had created the
building that was in front of where we were.
They had never seen nor had they touched the person who had designed or
built that particular building that was in front of us; however, they did not
have any doubt that someone had indeed designed and built that building. I asked them if the doors and the windows in
that building had fallen in place by mere chance, or if the shingles on the
roof had grown together in a straight alignment by coincidence. I then asked if they had seen or touched the
person who had designed and created their computer in their home; however, they
did not have the slightest doubt that someone had built that computer. I asked them if the keys on the keyboard of
their computer had come together by chance.
I asked them if the steering wheel or the wheels on their car had joined
themselves together randomly to complete the car that they drove. Before I could continue, they simply stopped
me and they said, "I get
it."
For
someone to observe all the evidence inside creation that testifies to a creator
and simply ignore that evidence is a testament that that person is divorced
from reality, and the Bible declares such person a
fool (Psalms 53:1).
KJV
Psalm 53:1, {To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.}
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Corrupt are they, and havedone abominable iniquity:
There is none that doeth good.
We can know this all powerful and supreme God that
created all things on a more personal basis through what He has left us in the
completed Bible. The Bible is very clear
about the subject of hell and how Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from
hell, so what the Bible claims will either be true or a lie. We can reason that if the Bible is truly the
Word of God, then the subject of hell and Jesus Christ are real; otherwise it
is just a series of fairytales that we can just simply dismiss.
Let us consider some facts about the Bible
that make this book different than any other book in the history of
mankind. It was written during a
1,600-year span of time, throughout some 40 or so generations. There is a sum of sixty-six different books
inside the Bible that were written by over 40 authors. These authors were from pretty much every
social degree that society had to offer. Some of these biblical authors were
peasants, kings, fishermen, tax-collectors and such. Some of these authors never even knew one
another and they wrote from three different continents during the 1,600-year
span that the Bible was written. In
addition, they were from different generations during this same 1,600-year time
span in which the bible was written.
However, regardless of all these variations in social, geographical and
temporal degrees, each one of the writers of the Bible had a harmonious agreement
in all the subjects that are covered within the Bible. The consistent main message throughout the
entire Bible is of redemption for mankind, with Jesus Christ being the only way
to that redemption. In the same way that
creation is not by chance, neither is the harmonious consistency of the
Bible. It is not by chance, because it
was God who guided these human writers of the Bible to write His exact message
to humanity without distorting each writer's personality or writing style. This is why the Bible can make a claim that
no other book in the world can make, that it is really the Word of God and be
absolutely correct in making such a statement:
KJV
2Tim 3:16, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
KJV 2Pet 1:20-21, 20) Knowing this first, that
no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. 21) For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
We should note that unlike the Holy Bible, there
are other books that are considered sacred, but have been written by only one
man. In such instances when there is
only one writer involved, it does not bring the problem of
dissimilarities. For example, it is said
that the Prophet Muhammad alone received revelations from God in the book of
Islam, which is known as the Qur'an (Koran).
There is no chance of disagreement when there is only one writer
involved. However, the Bible had over
forty writers and did not have a problem in continuity. To have continuity within forty disassociated
writers about such controversial subjects as God, heaven, hell, the purpose of
life, or salvation would be impossible unless God, is
in fact, the true author. It is
difficult to have agreement on such subjects with only six, five, four or even
two people who know each other, much less with forty people who have never met
one another or have not even lived during the same generation. But with God using the human writers as His
writing instruments, continuity certainly is not a problem for He who is
perfect.
As far
as historical and archaeological proof for the Bible or Jesus Christ is
concerned, it is certainly overwhelming.
For someone to dismiss the historical and archaeological evidence of the
Bible's accuracy simply shows their lack of research in these areas. In the book by Joseph P. Free "Archaeology and Bible history,"[1] he states
that, "Archaeology has confirmed
countless passages which have been rejected by critics as unhistorical or
contradictory to known facts."
The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus also gives historical accounts
that verify parts of the historic accuracy of the Bible. The Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus has
also given historical accounts in his writings about Christ and Christians in
One
last subject to consider that attests to the Bible being the Word of God is
prophecy. Consider that no religious
leader has ever been foretold about before they were actually born. This is what sets the Bible and Jesus Christ
apart from any other book and person in human history. The Bible predicted precisely about the
future birth of Jesus Christ. One
prophecy about the future birth of Jesus Christ is given in Isaiah 7:14,
which was written about 700 B.C. or so:
KJV
Isaiah 7:14, Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
This prophecy was fulfilled when Mary, who was
still a virgin and had not married Joseph yet, conceived the humanity of Jesus
Christ through God the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18). As we have examined already, it was God the
Holy Spirit that provides the 23 uncontaminated male chromosomes needed for
Mary to conceive the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was also called "Emmanuel," which testifies to the Deity of Jesus
Christ because in Hebrew this word signifies, "God with us" (Matt 1:23). After Joseph took Mary as his wife, he
refrained from having sexual relations with her until after she had given birth
to the humanity of the Lord so that she would remain a virgin until then (Matt
1:25). Remember that the Prophet
Isaiah had written this prophecy over seven hundred years before it occurred:
KJV
Matthew 1:18, 23-25, 18) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:
When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found with child of the Holy Ghost...23) Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us, 24) Then Joseph being raised from
sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25) And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.
The book of Psalms also has prophecies that were
written hundreds of years before the time of Jesus, yet fulfilled precisely as
they were written. The words of Psalms
22:1, "My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?" are
uttered by the Lord on the cross when He was being judged for the sins of the
world (Matt 27:46). You have to
remember that the humanity of the Lord had always been in fellowship with God
the Father until that moment. In that
instant God the Father placed the sins of the world on the Lord to judge
them. He had to abandon the humanity of
the Lord because the Holiness of God cannot have anything to do with sin. Therefore, the Holiness of God had to abandon
the humanity of the Lord until all the sins of the world had been judged on
Him.
KJV
Psalm 22:1, {To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar,A Psalm of David.} My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping
me, and from the words of my roaring?
KJV
Matt. 27:46, And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Psalms
22 has also written in verse
8 the words, "He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver him:
Let Him deliver him, seeing He delighted in him." These words were fulfilled by the words
that were uttered by the religious leaders that were mocking the Lord while He
was on the cross in Matthew 27:43 when they said, "He
trusted God; let Him deliver Him now. . ." Psalms 22 has other prophecies
such as in verse 18, "They part my garments among them, And cast lots upon my vesture." These words
were fulfilled by the soldiers in John 19:23-24:
KJV
John 19:23-24, 23) Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took
his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his
coat: now the coat was witout seam, woven from the
top throughout. 24) They said therefore amng themselves,
Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the
scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They
parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These
things therefore the soldiers did.
These are just four prophecies that were fulfilled
exactly as they were foretold previously hundreds of years before they
happened. The chances
of just these four prophesies occurring is astronomical, unless an
all-powerful and all-knowing God is indeed behind them. These prophecies were not mere
coincidences. The majority of the Bible
is full of prophecies that have been fulfilled or will be fulfilled in the
future and they are not just lucky guesses by the human writers.
Therefore,
God exists, as testified by all creation, and has revealed Himself to us
through the Holy Bible. The Bible also
testifies about a place called "hell." God has revealed to us through the Bible how
we can be saved from hell. We can deny
this truth, but us denying the existence of God will
not cancel His existence any more than us canceling the existence of gravity
just because we say that it does not exist.
The person that denies the existence of God and the authority of the
Bible does not have a base for such a conclusion because the evidence for both
is overwhelming. Such a person will not
have anyone to blame but himself or herself for spending eternity in the