Pt. 24, Why We Believe What We Do…

 
Why We Believe What We Do… In the 21st Century Church Pt. 24, The Biblical Story By Pastor Dan Kennedy © January 25, 2015 www.pastorkennedy.com What we believe to be true always affects our actions, speech, life, family and future! 1. Believing the Truth: If we believe something is true – and it is True before God, and if we live our life according to that Truth, our life is stabilized on the Truths’ foundations, no matter what tests or trials may come into our lives. (Matt. 7:24-25 – “the house built on a sturdy foundation.”) 2. Believing a Lie: If we believe something is true – and it is Not True, and we live our life according to the falsehood, then we reap the consequences of the falsehood. (Matt. 7:26-27 – “the house built on unstable foundations.”) 3. Disregarding Truth: If we believe something is true – and it is True, but we only follow its advice when people are looking on, or when it is convenient, or when we feel like it, but actually live our life the way we want to, disregarding Truth, then we find ourselves in awkward situations: a. We sin. If we know to do good and do not do it…it becomes sin to us before God. James 4:17 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. b. We Face Difficulty and Disaster. Truth will eventually catch up with our duplicity and hypocrisy, and cause us difficulty – and eventually disaster. (Matt. 7:26-27) c. We start the Blame Game. We will blame God and others if bad things happen to us – because we are hypocrites, and will not accept responsibility for not doing what we knew was right, in the first place. d. We Receive God’s Discipline. If we are doing bad stuff in God’s Eyes, God will discipline us if we are His Child. (1 Cor. 11:33; Heb. 12:3-11; Rev. 3:19) e. We Face God’s Justice, Judgment, Reward or Vengeance. (Matt. 25:31-46; Rom. 12:19; 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 10:29-31; Rev. 20:11-15) This leads us to how our belief system was formed and structured. Why do we believe the way we do? Human beings need to honestly resolve critical questions fundamental to their life – or we must try our hardest to erase the hard questions and their potentially non-desirable answers from our inquisitive and often guilty consciences. Questions forming our Belief System: • Where did we come from? • Where did everything else come from? …All the billions of stars and galaxies in the known and observable universe are uninhabited, most, to our knowledge, with harsh uninhabitable, life-defying environments, how could our earth be so lush with prolific, amazingly beautiful, and intelligent life? • Is there a personal God to whom we are accountable? • Why is there evil and what is good? • Where did the dynamics of supernatural good and evil come from? • Why is there suffering and death in the world? • What is right and what is wrong in how we think and what we believe? • How can we know what is truth and what is falsehood? • Why do we have guilt? • What is the reasonable purpose of all of life on earth? • How should I live my life in this world? • What is my life’s purpose? – Am I meaningless? • What is going to happen to me when I die? • Is there an afterlife? The Altar to the Unknown God The Athenian’s altar to the “unknown god” – revealed to the Apostle Paul, and to us, the internal need and universal plight of humans to seek to understand why they exist, why the world exists, and why the universe exists. Paul Addresses the Greek Athenians at the Areopagus Acts 17:22–23 22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” God is “Unknown” to Many in the World We live in an age in which many have chosen to disbelieve in any god – except the god of themselves and their own minds. Any other god is an “unknown god”. To many in our generation God is truly unknown. The individuals in our generation have become an “altar” of worship to themselves. As Christians, we bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our generation; we often bring God’s Truth to those who knowingly or unknowingly worship an “unknown god” – a God in whom they have no life-changing knowledge. Many have grown up as hedonists following, without restraint, the pursuits of this world, their flesh, and the seductive spiritistic powers of this world. Their eyes are blinded to anything that is not focused on their priorities, pleasure, and the success of their own private world. God is a myth, and Jesus Christ, a curse word of choice. The Frailty of Life Nothing could stand in their way – until uncontrollable circumstances get uncomfortably in the way… • untimely deaths around us, • financial ruin, irrepressible substance abuse, plaguing thoughts of suicide, • marital nightmares, • accidents or catastrophes, • life-threatening disease, • mind numbing trauma, • and/or a host of other debilitations began pounding up-close and feverishly on the “altar” of our personal space. Life, in actuality, is very fragile. Exquisite, but fragile! GOD The Philosopher Francis Schaefer’s Conclusions on existence: There are only Three Possibilities of human existence, and the profound existence of our unique world. 1. A Personal God Creator 2. An Impersonal God Creator 3. Nothing Lifestyles, Hearts & Minds, in Conflict with God’s Reality Choosing a life that runs counter to how God wants us to live seems to be a main deterrent to a person’s belief in God. If we choose to live a life yielding to the insatiable drives of our flesh, we may rather quickly decide that God does not have to be in the picture – just leave Him out. We assume this can be a rather quick and satisfying fix to the conflict of our guilt and conscience, but it will eventually plunge into the quicksand of greater delusion and coming confrontation with God Himself. (Rom. 1) What then do we believe? Is this consistent with how we should believe? What does the Biblical Church teach we should believe? What We Believe How A Biblical Christian, and a Scriptural Church Understands Truth The following are seven areas that form basic teachings in the Church from the early Church until now. • God’s creation of all things • The Reason for the problems of sin, suffering and death • The Inspiration of the Bible – our Guidebook • The Teachings of Jesus Christ and the writings of those He Discipled • The Redemptive Sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sin • The Resurrection of Jesus Christ • The Second Coming of Jesus Christ in Power and Glory 1. God’s creation of all things – why we exist! (see also Gen. 1-2; Job 38:4-7; Is. 45:18; John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:10) Psalm 33:6 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. Isaiah 42:5 5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it…. Hebrews 11:3 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Revelation 4:11 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” We did not create ourselves, nor has anyone ever created life in anything. Mankind has manipulated cells and forms of already existing life, but never life itself. Only God has created living things. We are all quite aware that “nothing” can create only itself – “nothing”. “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.” (Ps. 14:1) 2. The reason for the problems of sin, suffering and death – Man’s disobedience against God. (Gen. 3; Rom. 5:12-21) Death in Adam, Life in Christ Romans 5:12 (see also verses 13–21) 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— Sin – disobedience against God is the curse, which separated, and currently separates mankind from a Holy God. 3. The Inspiration of the Bible – our Guidebook: Some 38 Godly writers over several millennia, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, compiled what we now know to be the Bible. This is God’s Word which teaches us what God wants us to know about Him and about mankind’s total inadequacies because of his or her sins, and the salvation given through Jesus Christ, the Messiah. It further gives us instruction on how we should live in this world. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Peter 1:19–21 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Old Testament writers revealed God’s plan of the coming Messiah through the ages, under Inspiration from the Holy Sprit. They established a foundation on which the revelation of the Messiah, His New Covenant and the Church are revealed in the New Testament. 4. The Teachings of Jesus Christ and those He Discipled. (Christ’s teachings are found throughout the first four books of the New Testament. “The Beatitudes” in Matthew 5, below, are classic.) Those who had been discipled by Jesus Christ wrote the remainder of the New Testament. Matthew 5:3–12 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. People were astonished at Christ’s teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as other religious teachers. (Mark 1:22) Parallel the Beatitudes with what the kingdom of this world tells its followers. 5. The Redemptive Sacrifice of Jesus Christ in His death on the cross for our sins. (see also Is. 53; Rom. 4:25; Col. 2:13-14; etc.) 1 Peter 2:24 24 He (Jesus) himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 2 Corinthians 5:21 21 For our sake he made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Christ died for our sins, according to the Scripture. He was buried and He was raised again, according to the Scripture! (1 Cor. 15:3-4) Jesus redeemed us from our sin, before our Holy God, through His death, but He conquered sin and death through His resurrection! 6. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; Acts 2:32; 3:15; 4:10; 10:40; 13:30-37; 17:31; Rom 4:24; 6:4; 8:11; 10:9; 1 Cor. 6:14; 1 Cor. 15; 2 Cor. 4:14; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:20; 2:5; Col. 2:12; 1 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 1:3-4, 21; see also below) 1 Corinthians 15:3–7 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. The resurrection of Jesus Christ separates the Christian faith from all the other religions of the world. Acts 2:23–24 (from Peter’s message at Pentecost) 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Acts 4:1–2 Peter and John Before the Council 4 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. Acts 4:33 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Acts 17:18–19 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? Romans 1:1–4 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…. • It was because of the reality of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection – and His subsequent encounters with His disciples – and many, many others (1 Cor. 15:4-7) during the 40 days following His resurrection (Acts 1:3), that the Apostles included the awesome reality and profound Truth of Jesus’ Resurrection in their message to the world. They ultimately gave their lives because of the authenticity of the Truth of Christ’s Resurrection. • Jesus Christ’s Resurrection is the primary evidence and authority for the certainty of our life after death. (1 Cor. 15:12-20) John 11:25 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live… 7. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ in Power and Glory. • Jesus Christ will one day come again to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Luke 1:30–33 - The Promise to Mary, before Jesus was conceived 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” • The Messiah is prophesied in the Old Testament to one day rule and reign…eternally. Daniel 2:44 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…. Daniel 7:14 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:27 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ Psalm 45:6 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness… • Jesus, the Messiah, was raised from the dead on the third day…just as the Scripture prophesied, and was seen by a myriad of people in His resurrected body. (1 Corinthians 15:3–7; Acts 1:3) Acts 1:3 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. • Jesus ascended into heaven, surrounded by many witnesses Acts 1:9–11 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” • The Scripture Promises that Jesus Christ will Return in Power and Glory Matthew 16:26–27 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Matthew 24:30 (Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27) 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Mark 14:61–62 (Matt. 26:63-64) 61 ... Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10 7 …when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. Revelation 1:7 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. Revelation 11:15 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” We call these structures of belief found in the New Testament, primary “Doctrines of the Church”. What we believe to be true always affects our actions, speech, life, family and future! 1. Believing the Truth: If we believe something is true – and it is True before God, and if we live our life according to that Truth, our life is stabilized on the Truths’ foundations, no matter what tests or trials may come into our lives. 2. Believing a Lie: If we believe something is true – and it is Not True, and we live our life according to the falsehood, then we reap the consequences of the falsehood. (Matt. 7:26-27 – “the house built on unstable foundations.”) 3. Disregarding Truth: If we believe something is true – and it is True, but we live our life the way we want to, disregarding Truth, then we find ourselves in awkward situations: a. We sin. If we know to do good and do not do it…it becomes sin to us before God. b. We Face Difficulty and Disaster. Truth will eventually catch up with our duplicity and hypocrisy, and cause us difficulty – and eventually disaster. c. We start the Blame Game. We will blame God and others if bad things happen to us – because we are hypocrites, and will not accept responsibility for not doing what we knew was right, in the first place. d. We Receive God’s Discipline. If we are doing bad stuff in God’s Eyes, God will discipline us if we are His Child. e. We Face God’s Justice, Judgment, Reward or Vengeance. Our belief system governs our daily life and our future. The belief system of those of us who have faith in Jesus Christ, as founded on God’s Word, the Bible, gives us stability in our daily life, and when we are facing those unexpected storms of life that confront each of us from time to time. The Biblical Church teaches foundational principles to not only encourage a blessed and beneficial life right now, but also for the immense blessings waiting for those in eternity, who have lived their lives pleasing to God. Are we believing, embracing and living God’s Truth? Is His Truth impacting our daily life? http://www.pastorkennedy.comshapeimage_1_link_0