This We Believe - Round 3

We jumped around a bit this week - here is what we covererd:

What about Science?
Ever heard someone say, “You can’t prove Christianity Scientifically?” It’s like if you can’t prove something scientifically, it’s not true. Well, as we shall see, that in itself is not true!

“Scientific proof” is based on showing that something is a fact by repeating the event in the presence of the person questioning the fact. There is a controlled environment where observations can be made, data drawn, and hypotheses empirically verified.

Now, what if I asked you to use the scientific method to prove that you went to class this morning – can you do it? No! Because you can’t “repeat” the event.

Here’s where we get to “legal-historical” proof, where we show that something is fact beyond a reasonable doubt. This proof depends on three types of testimony: oral testimony, written testimony, and exhibits.

The Christian faith is not a blind, ignorant faith, but rather an intelligent faith. We are called to love God with all of our minds, as well as our heart, soul and strength. John 8:32 says that, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

So, the nest time someone tells you that you “Can’t prove Christianity Scientifically,” all you have to do is agree with them and tell them that they also can’t prove scientifically that they went to work yesterday. – neither is a “repeatable event.” However, ask them if they are interested in learning about “legal-historical” proof that Christianity is indeed true!

Truth
So, over the last couple of weeks this verse has come up from John 14:6, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.”” That is a basic fact of Christianity, that Jesus is indeed the Way and the Truth and the Life.

However, I am realizing that based on the world that we now live in, you can’t just present the first part of John 14:6 – you also have to present the rest of the verse. “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Why do you suppose that is important?

A: Because some would say that it’s okay for Christianity to have it’s own “truth,” it’s just that other’s have their own “truth,” and everyone still gets to God. However, the rest of John 14:6 makes it very clear that THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.

Remember from the first lesson we had about this - that is why the majority of the world has a problem with Christianity – because it leaves no room for another path. However, as we also realized, this path of Christianity IS OPEN FOR ALL TO TRAVEL! All that Jesus asks of us is to come in faith.

What makes Christ the only Way – Why he had to die for my sins.
“Salvation in its full sense is from the guilt of sin in the past, the power of sin in the present, and the presence of sin in the future.” Sinners receive through faith in Christ alone “the gift of righteousness” (Rom 1:17, 5:17, Phil 3:9) and thus become “the righteousness of God” in him who was “made sin” for them (2 Cor 5:21).

Let’s look at the twin realities of God that we must deal with to have a solid belief system. God is a God of wrath and judgment, but he is also a God of love and grace.
Let’s look at these words from 2 Thess 1:6-10
6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you
7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

God’s judgment runs through the center of the universe. God is God. Jesus is our judge. That truth makes the Gospel such GOOD NEWS! Check out 1 Tim 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.” Jesus the Judge is also Jesus the Savior. This is the heart of the gospel.

Let’s try to grasp the big picture. We were created by God and for God – to love, worship and be in relationship with him. But we have rebelled, and now we worship ourselves. To get back to God, we are now dependant on his mercy. Realize that there is no reason in us that God should be merciful, but there is every reason in himself to be merciful. Because at the core, God is love. And his infinite love is greater that even our greatest rebellion.

However, there is a real barrier to our forgiveness. It is not the fact that we have sinned, but the fact that sin is ultimately against God’s character. To maintain his justice as God he must judge all sin. So then, how can God forgive any sin without compromising his own justice and integrity??

We find that Jesus’ death, as a sacrificial offering made to God in our place, “atones” or makes up for our sin by receiving the punishment that would otherwise be ours. Simply put, Jesus’ death pays the penalty for our sins in our place.

Through the death and resurrection of Christ, God made it possible to forgive sinners and welcome them into his kingdom while at the same time protecting his righteousness.
At this point, it will hopefully be very clear why the only path to salvation is through Jesus Christ. We come to God with nothing but our sins. As a righteous judge, God must proclaim a “guilty” sentence on us, and punish us. And without Christ to take our punishment, we must endure it on our own. The consequence for us is death – eternal separation from God, separation from eternal life with him.

The choice is simple – take your own path and you will continue to have the guilt of past sin, the power of present sin, and the presence of future sin. OR, choose Christ and receive mercy from God as Christ takes your punishment. He died that you might live.