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EVIDENCE TO BELIEVE |
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| | | EVIDENCE TO BELIEVE | | |
| | | by Tony Warren | | |
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There is an eloquent and well stated point of view by some
christians, that assumes that faith requires the support of reason.
But this line of reasoning assumes that man is the power, when in fact
he is nothing but the tool. The Convincing of man is not done by man,
it is done by the Holy Spirit of God. Since GOD is not thundering from
the sky, talking with man face to face, He uses man to speak his word,
by bringing His word. The Gospel! By our bringing His word "FAITHFULLY"
others hear and consider. But it is not because we are presenting a
open and shut case, or an air tight conclusion, or a undeniable TRUTH
that people hear, it is because God, through His spirit is convicting
that person, THROUGH HIS WORD. but "WE" can't PROVE anything to
anyone. I disagree with the widely held view that giving people
tangible evidence like Historical documents, archaeology, letters of
Theology, or intellectual reasoning will bring people to faith. Faith
NEVER requires the support of reason. Not real faith. Reason says water
can't be instantly turned to the finest wine! But Faith says it could,
and "WAS!" Reason says the red sea could NEVER stand up like a wall
and have a path of dry ground accross it where Israel walked accross.
Real Faith says It could, and "DID!" ....I don't need to find the
egyptian bones at the bottom of the sea to believe they were drowned
there. Why not? Because I'm a christian, and Christians live by Faith,
not by sight. Why don't we need any evidence? Because our faith "IS"
our Evidence! Hebrews 11:1 "Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen."
We don't need to have "Historical" evidence of anything. How do we know
Jericho was there? By Faith. How do we know that evolution did not make
the world? By faith. If we need scientists to strengthen our faith,
then we are in deep trouble from the start. We neeed no scientist to
explain to us "how" God could have made the world "In Their View" and
how He could not have. Hebrews 11:3 "Through FAITH we understand that
the worlds were framed by the WORD OF GOD, so that things which are
seen were NOT made of things which do appear."
That's what God says. Man says we need to get historical proof to show
people that God's word is true, that He did all the things He did. But
God says, it's by Faith we know these things. In fact that verse above
is telling us, things may look like (appear) things were made another
way, but it says it's BY FAITH we understand God did it simply by
"...HIS WORD!" ^^ ^^^^^^^^^^
Perfect example is what I have been talking about with some well
meaning christians, about the world being millions of years old. well,
that verse is saying, it may "appear" so, BUT in reality, the worlds
were framed simply "BY THE WORD OF GOD." in other words, He simply
said, let there be light, and there was light. Simply by His word.
Did the light take a Billion years to reach the earth? ..NO! They
simply do not understand the POWER and Majesty of God Almighty.
While "MAN" says it takes time, God is Creator of Time. Did Jesus
need time to create the finest wine from water? NO! He simply make
it so instantly. God is not subect to our laws. that's whay He is
God. Those who say God couldn't have created the world in 6 days
don't "KNOW" who God is. They have No Idea! How do I know that God
created the world in 6 days, when scientists say they have undeniable
proof that the world is billions of years old? .....By FAITH!
The other day, I'm talking with a fellow who says, "the church is a
TRUSTWORTHY AUTHORITY in matters of faith." ...Infallible was the
actual word that he used. But the scriptures themselves tell us that
this simply cannot be. Our Lord Warned the Churches Dramatically and
without mincing words in Revelation chapter 2 and 3. The Church wasn't
Trustworthy. And far from being an infallible authority, it had gone
away from it's authority, and GOD HIMSELF warned it that it would be
moved out of it's place, if it didn't repent and REMEMBER from whence
it had fallen. STRONG WORDS for an infallible Church wouldn't you say?
^^^^^^ ^^^^^
Now tell me, where was the infallible teacher in these Churches?
Trustworthy? I think Not! And unless they repented, God said that
Church would be removed. No way God would Remove a infallible
church. Therefore, by the word of God we see that the church was "NOT"
infallible. And God warned it, and said to us "..Hear what the Spirit
saith unto the Churches!" But to this day, there are those who refuse
to hear. ^^^ ^^^^^^^^
So while these views of Faith coming from Historical evidence, or
our Church, Man, Archaeology, etc., may be well stated, they are
not Biblical. The Faith it takes is faith God gives us in His word,
and any attempt to put it in Man, Archaeology, Historical proofs,
Church leaders, Politics, etc., will not stand and is destined for
failure. We don't need faith in a "Supposed" Infallible Church, and
we don't need faith in archaeologists, or Historians. By Faith we know
the Bible is True, and God will provide "ALL" the faith we need. And by
Faith we know that God's word is far above any word uttered by any MAN.
We don't get our faith from digs in the middle east, we get it from
God, through His word. We find it "JUST" where God HIMSELF said it
would be, "...Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of GOD."
**THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD**
/:\ "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of
|:| His might. Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to
|:| STAND against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against
|:| flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
|:| __ against the rulers of the Darkness of this world,
|:| / ) against spiritual wickedness in HIGH places. Wherefore
(Oo / _I_ take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be
.+\ \ || __| able to withstand in the EVIL DAY, and having done
. \ \||___| all, to STAND. Stand therefore, having your loins girt
. \ /.:.\-\ about with TRUTH and having on the Breastplate of
. |.:. /-----\ Righteousness; And your feet shod with the
. |___| O | preparation of the Gospel of PEACE; Above all,
. / | OOOOO | taking the SHIELD of Faith, wherewith ye shall be
. |_____\ O / able to quench all the Fiery Darts of the Wicked.
. | | \ \O/ And take the Helmet of Salvation, and the sword of
. | | | | the Spirit, Which is THE WORD OF GOD: Praying always
. | | | | with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
. \ / | \__ watching thereunto with all perseverance and
. / \ /_____\ supplication for all SAINTS. And for me, that
. `-' utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth
boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel." -Ephesians 6:10-19
>=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=>
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This Electronic Tract was produced by Fisherman's Net Publications: a division of New Covenant Ministries. For additional information regarding other publications write: Seventh Day Baptist Center 3120 Kennedy Road P.O. Box 1678 Janesville, WI 53547-1678 |
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