Class Lesson February 2, 2014

Real Questions People Ask

Christians in the 21st century need to know what they believe and why they believe it. The six sessions of the “Honest to God” study will enable you to grow in your own faith and equip you to be more effective in sharing that faith with others. These sessions address foundational issues in the life of every person: The origin and significance of human life,the existence and nature of God, and how God reveals Himself and relates to people.

Last week we explored the second real question people ask: How can I Be Sure God Exists? This week we will look at another challenging question that real people ask.

Real Question #3: What About People Who've Never Heard About Jesus?

What makes you say, “That’s not fair?”

Is it “fair” for a loving God to punish an innocent person because he or she has never heard about Jesus Christ?

This is a good question because it forces us to consider what we believe about God's "fairness." Unfairness hits all of us. Big issue or small, we want fairness. But unfairness rises to a new level when we’re discussing eternal matters. Is there a question behind the question: Are they condemned, or does God give them some kind of free pass.



Is it “fair” for a loving God to punish an innocent person because he or she has never heard about Jesus Christ?
 
The question arises from a faulty premise. The truth is no one is innocent. Everyone is guilty and deserves eternal separation from God (Rom. 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.; 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.). Nevertheless, God in His mercy offered, through Jesus Christ, the way to be forgiven and receive eternal life. 

The Bible tells us:

1. God desired “everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). Since that is so, it creates a tension with the fact that people face eternal judgment.
2. Salvation is impossible apart from the personal faith in Christ (Acts 4:12 “12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”).

How do we reconcile God’s desire for all people to be saved with the fact that all people have not heard about Jesus Christ? Roman 1 provides valuable insight.


Is it fair that someone would die and not go to heaven simply because he or she has never heard about Jesus and, therefore, never had the opportunity to receive Him?

• That is a tough question, but it becomes a purely academic one for the person asking it. The person who asks that question obviously has heard of Jesus Christ and must consider another question: What am I going to do with Jesus?
• In Romans, Paul begins by showing us that all of us are in need of salvation because we are all sinners. None of us are without excuse, for even the creation points us to God.

Our Lesson Says

All people are without excuse.

I. NO EXCUSES - WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE – ROMANS 1:18-25
18 For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles. 24 Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.

Some who claimed to be wise became fools and proceeded to make a horrendous exchange. This exchange had God at its center.


What does it mean that people are without excuse?

• Look again at verses 18-25 for these exchanges and what happens as anyone rejects God. In Romans 1:18-25 Paul details how some people have rejected the general revelation of God and therefore are without excuse before God. God has revealed Himself clearly. His eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen in His work of creation. All people are without excuse for rejecting God.
• Verse 21 indicates that those who reject God knew Him but failed to honor Him or give Him thanks. This is an apt description of the essence of sin. We were created to enjoy fellowship with God and to dedicate our lives to glorifying Him. We have all fallen short of God’s standard. Fallen sinners become guilty of worshiping creation rather than the Creator.
• Because of their shameless idolatry, God delivered them over to the impure desires of their hearts. God has removed His restraint so that sinful humans might experience the devastating consequences of their rebellion. The phrase their bodies we degraded among themselves is a reference to sexual sin. It is no coincidence that whenever we read of idolatry in Scripture, we find it accompanied by immorality.
• Whether we are members of a pagan tribe in the isolated depths of another continent or managers of a great wealth in a bustling city in America, the Bible declares us to be without excuse before the throne of a holy God.

Is it fair that people go to hell even though they have not heard about Jesus?

• We agree with Paul, that all are without excuse for rejecting God and embracing a lifestyle of sin. Everything God has done in creation blasts the clear and powerful message about Him to everyone everywhere. The only way people can ignore the message is to throw blankets of rejection over the loud speakers of creation as they try to smother the proclamation of His presence in His world.
• Paul details how some people have rejected the general revelation of God and therefore are without excuse before God.
• God’s wrath comes on unrighteousness now as well as at the final judgment.
• God has made known His reality and His nature through the created order.
• Humankind is responsible for what God has made known about Himself, therefore, they are without excuse. Paul says that people would exchange the truth of God for a lie about His existence. The truth screamed at them in creation, but they would ignore the truth and tell themselves He didn’t exist. Instead they would worship and serve something He created.
• God expresses His wrath in this life by His allowing people to become what they desire and to bear the consequences thereof. The consequence of such a foolish exchange became evident soon enough. People chose to worship the creatures instead of the Creator. In response, the Lord delivered them over to walk the path they had chosen for themselves. Turning them loose, He allowed them to give in to the cravings of their hearts that emanated from their selfish souls. He would allow them to go where their sinful hearts desired. The path they took would lead them to indulge in sexual impurity. Before long, they would disgrace their bodies in unrestrained and shameful immorality. The human bodies God created to experience fulfillment in Him would turn into nothing more than tools to be used in the uninhibited pursuit of godless lust. Such disgusting behavior became the sentence when God let them go.

Why is God angry at sinful people?

• Because they have substituted the truth about Him with a fantasy of their own imagination. They have stifled the truth God naturally reveals to all people in order to believe anything that supports their own self-centered lifestyles. God cannot tolerate sin because His nature is morally perfect. He cannot ignore or condone such willful rebellion. God wants to remove the sin and restore the sinner – and He is able to, as long as the sinner does not stubbornly distort or reject the truth. But His anger erupts against those who persist in sinning.
• Paul argues that no one can claim by their own merits to be god in God’s sight – not the masses, not the Romans, not even the Jews. All people everywhere deserve God’s condemnation for their sin.

Does anyone have an excuse for not believing in God?

• The Bible answers an emphatic no. god has revealed what He is like in and through His creation. Every person, therefore, either accepts or rejects God. Don’t be fooled. When the day comes for God to judge your response to Him, no excuses will be accepted.

How could a loving God send anyone to hell, especially someone who has never heard about Christ?

• In fact, says Paul, God has revealed Himself plainly in the creation to all people. And yet people reject even this basic knowledge of God. Also, everyone has an inner sense of what God requires, but they choose not to live up to it. Put another way, people’s moral standards are always better than their behavior. If people suppress God’s truth in order to live their own way, they have no excuse. They know the truth, and they will have to endure the consequences of ignoring it.
• Even though nature reveals God, people need to be told about Jesus and how, through Him, they can have a personal relationship with God.
• Knowing that God exists is not enough. People must learn that God is loving. They must understand what He did to demonstrate His love for us (5:8). They must be shown how to accept God’s forgiveness for their sins.

What kind of God does nature reveal?

• Nature shows us a God of might, intelligence, and intricate detail; a God of order and beauty; a God who controls powerful forces. That is general revelation. Through special revelation (the Bible and the coming of Jesus), we learn about God’s love and forgiveness, and the promise of eternal life. God has graciously given us both sources that we might fully believe in Him.

People tend to believe lies that reinforce their own selfish personal beliefs. Today, more than ever, we need to be careful about the input we allow to form our beliefs. With TV, music, movies, and the rest of the media often presenting sinful lifestyles and unwholesome values, we find ourselves constantly bombarded by attitudes and beliefs that are totally opposed to the Bible. Be careful about what you allow to form your opinions. The Bible is the only standard of truth. Evaluate all other opinions in light of its teachings.


“We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name” -Brennan Manning 



God reveals Himself two ways:

1. He revealed Himself in creation.
2. He revealed Himself in man's conscience.

The issue is how do we respond!


This is definitely bad news. But there is good news. The gospel of Jesus Christ offers hope to all of us who are without excuse. The fact that all of us are without excuse is a sobering reality, but let’s remember what Paul wrote before he launched into the issue of our sinfulness: there is good news, and it is the gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Remember Why Romans 1:16-17 is in Orange

II. THE GOSPEL BRINGS SALVATION TO ALL WHO BELIEVE – ROMANS 1:16-17
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. 

(The Burden is on us!)

How can we reconcile God’s desire for all people to be saved with the fact that all people have not heard about Jesus?

• Observing God’s presence in His world paves the way for all people to turn to Him. Merely acknowledging Him in His creation isn’t enough to save. It won’t give the truth needed to experience new life in Christ. Ultimately people need to know the gospel of Jesus Christ to receive His gift of salvation. People who reject God even though they see Him in creation will face His judgment on their foolish choice. People who acknowledge God because they see Him in the world He created take a step toward salvation (Heb. 11:6). They need the gospel so they can respond to it by giving themselves to Jesus Christ.
• Paul expressed his confidence in the good news of Christ. He declared he was not ashamed of the gospel. The gospel had changed Paul’s life forever. He urged everyone he encountered to receive Christ’s gift of salvation, to enjoy a personal relationship with God that would give them abundant life and glorify God. We can be just as confident as Paul in the gospel of Christ because it is God’s power.
• The good news of salvation through Christ is not a static and lifeless collection of stories about a first-century Galilean preacher from Nazareth named Jesus. It is a dynamic, life-giving proclamation of the living Christ who is able to save people so they can have eternal life in a relationship with Him. Paul said the gospel went first to the Jew. Generations earlier, in the days of the Old Testament, the Lord had set apart the nation of Israel to be His people. From the nation of Israel would come the Messiah, God’s Chosen One, who would bring salvation. But Jesus didn’t stop with the Jewish people. He reached out to everyone. And like Jesus, Paul preached the gospel also to the Greek. (People who weren’t Jewish).
• Paul insisted the gospel would make an eternal difference in the lives of people who received Christ. At the very moment they welcomed Christ in their lives, they would be made right with God. That’s what Paul had in mind when he mentioned God’s righteousness (V. 17). The gospel declares we are made righteous in God’s eyes by placing our complete trust in Christ. As we walk with Him, we learn that our faith in Him enables us to grow from spiritual infancy to maturity. In fact, life in Christ is a walk from faith to faith. It’s a journey of faith in the God from beginning to end.

To what does the gospel of Christ refer? Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel? How does the power of God in the gospel become active in a person’s life? What does the gospel reveal? What does it mean to live by faith?

• The gospel of Christ is a life-changing message whereby we are saved from sin.
• The gospel makes known the righteousness of God whereby He justifies those who believe.
• Salvation from God enables us to have life and to live faithfully.

Live It Out
Paul built his case that the Gentiles were sinners in need of the gospel on the basis of the revelation God had given them in creation. Even so, we do not learn everything about God through the created order. It can, however, lead us to acknowledge that there is an all-powerful, pre-existent God who is Creator. The Gentiles about whom Paul wrote refused to make that acknowledgment, as do many in our day. The refusal to do so is something for which they will be held accountable.



Of course the fullest revelation of God is in Jesus Christ. Those who believe in the existence of God through creation need to hear the fuller message of revelation and salvation in Christ. Those who have heard that message of good news will be accountable for what they do with it. We who have heard the Word and believed it are charged to share the good news of Jesus with the world, beginning at our doorsteps and reaching around the world, that all might be saved from the wrath to come on all rebellious and unrighteous persons.



So how do we respond to the question regarding those who’ve never heard about Jesus? The best answer we can give from this passage is that God will deal with each person based on what they do with the revelation of who God is and what Jesus Christ has done. 

 Here are three things we can do:

1. Ask yourself. Begin with your own response to the message of Christ. You have heard the Gospel, so respond with repentance and trust in Jesus Christ.
2. Get to know an unreached people group. Research. Pray. Give. Ask God to reveal your role in reaching that people group.
3. Invest yourself in a mission experience. Join a short-term mission trip with the goal of sharing Christ with an unreached group.

God could have devised any way to transmit the good news of Jesus Christ. He has chosen to entrust us with His message of reconciliation.



Men in the Grip of Ministry
Scott Lehman will never forget the day he used his seven iron to drive a golf ball through his sister’s bedroom window. The most vivid part of the memory is not the sound of shattering glass, or hiding out in the old sand-filled John Deere tractor tire, or even hearing his father shout his full name: “Scott Nelson Lehman! Where are you?”

It was what his father said after brushing the sand off his tearful 10-year-old boy: “Son, you’re forgiven.”




Added Thoughts: What About People Who’ve Never Heard About Jesus?
There are plenty of difficult questions Christians must answer regarding how God acts in this world. Perhaps the most often asked is, “If God is good, why is there evil in the world?” Another difficult question is, “What happens to people who have never heard the gospel?”

Christians generally acknowledge that people who reject the gospel are eternally condemned, but what about those who do not hear the gospel? What about people who have been cut off from Christianity and have never heard the name of Jesus? Are they condemned, or does God give them some kind of pass and allow them into heaven?


Believers need not speculate on this matter. God has not remained silent.

No excuses

In a recent post, I talked about how God has revealed Himself in both general and special revelation. Revelation means that God has not remained silent. People of every language and tribe can recognize His existence because of creation.


The hard question comes in the space between general and special revelation, those caught in the information gap. Are they condemned?


Paul addressed this situation in Romans 1, saying, “For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them” (vs. 18, 19, HCSB). The result of this revealed truth, Paul continues, is that “people are without excuse.” So while it is easy to think of innocent people who have never heard the gospel, God says no such innocent people exist.

What then?

God has made a way for them to hear the gospel! He called and commissioned His people – first the nation of Israel, then the church – to bear witness to His light. God has placed missionaries the world over.


A recent lesson in Bible Studies for Life noted, “Whether we are members of a pagan tribe in the isolated depths of another continent or managers of great wealth in a bustling city in America, the Bible declares us to be without excuse before the throne of a holy God. This is definitely bad news. But there is good news. The gospel of Jesus Christ offers hope to all of us who are without excuse.”1


The burden is on us

The simple fact is this: there are some people who die without Christ, eternally separated from God, not because God does not care but because we do not. God did something only He could do (provide a sacrifice for sin) and empowered us to do what we must do (take the gospel to the ends of the earth). The burden is no longer on God; the burden is on us.


Perhaps this is why the Bible describes those who bring the gospel as having beautiful feet (Isaiah 52:7). Rather than being content to have millions die without Christ, we will live in the power of the Holy Spirit to take the gospel to them. What a blessing it will be to see those who are in darkness come to know Jesus, the Light of life, in this life and the next.


God bases His judgment on three things:

1. The light of truth that a person has heard.
2. What did they do with that truth. Their response - did they ignore or pursue?
3. Bases of opportunities.

God is just - He ALWAYS does the right thing.

1. When people reject Him for whatever reason they will pay the consequences.
2. When people seek Him to know Him - God will reveal Himself.

  

 

Prayer of Commitment

Dear Lord, thank You for making Yourself known, foremost in Jesus Christ. May I be so awed in knowing You that I will be diligent in making You known to others. Amen.

See you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Class Lesson January 26, 2014

Real Questions People Ask

Christians in the 21st century need to know what they believe and why they believe it. The six sessions of the “Honest to God” study will enable you to grow in your own faith and equip you to be more effective in sharing that faith with others. These sessions address foundational issues in the life of every person: The origin and significance of human life,the existence and nature of God, and how God reveals Himself and relates to people.

Last week we explored the first real question people ask: Is Every Life Sacred? In this lesson we looked at the origin and significance of human life. This week we will look at the very existence and nature of God with the second real question people ask.

Real Question #2: How Can I Be Sure God Exists?

Lee Strobel writes: So, if I want to avoid hell, I presumably have to believe that a snake talked to Eve, that a virgin got pregnant from God, that a whale swallowed a prophet, that the Red Sea was parted, and all sorts of other crazy things. If God wants me so bad…why does He make believing in Him so…impossible? Why doesn’t He just write in the sky, nice and big: 

 “Here’s your proof, Lee. Believe in Me or go to hell!"

Sincerely,

 The Almighty  

Question: 

Does God make it difficult to believe in Him?

• The evidence is there if people are willing to see it. It’s not for lack of evidence that people turn from God; it’s from their pride or their will. God is not going to force anyone. Love never works coercively. It only works persuasively. And there’s plenty of persuasive evidence here. Just think about these three questions if God did not exist: 1) Where did we come from? 2) Why are we here? 3) Where are we going?

Our lesson says this week that, God has given us ways to know Him.

Creation Calls: Are You Listening?

I. NATURE REFLECTS GOD – PSALM 19:1-6

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands. 2 Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. 3 There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. 4 Their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a groom coming from the bridal chamber; it rejoices like an athlete running a course. 6 It rises from one end of the heavens and circles to their other end; nothing is hidden from its heat.

The answer to Lee Strobel’s question of why God doesn’t write a sign in the sky is given to us – this morning - He Did! - Psalm 19:1


We are surrounded by fantastic displays of God’s craftsmanship – the heavens give a dramatic evidence of His existence, His power, His love, and His care. To say that the universe happened by chance is absurd. Its design, intricacy, and orderliness point to a personally involved Creator.



What message do the heavens declare?

• The Lord is the Creator.
• The Lord has revealed Himself through His creation to all people.

Creation can tell us about God’s eminence (His dominion over creation), but what can it tell us about His imminence (His nearness)?

• God is too big for us to comprehend but God can reveal certain parts about himself in ways that make sense to us. God can explain Himself to us. And God does this through His creation, through the Scriptures and ultimately through Christ. God is totally incomprehensible to us except for the parts He has explained. God is a mystery but certain parts of that mystery have been explained. One of these key revelations of God is in and through humanity. God has used us to communicate some things about what He is like. God is both the sovereign over the entire Universe and the Immanuel, “God is with us.” God is both caring enough to want to know us intimately and powerful enough to make the necessary changes in our favor.

If nature reveals God so clearly, why do we sometimes struggle to believe?

• Two people look at a beautiful sunset. One sees in it the hand of God; the other sees it in only natural terms. Why do some people see God in nature and some do not?

We see evidences of God as we look above us, around us, about us, and within us.

 

 

Creation only goes so far to provide the information we need to know God.

II. SCRIPTURE REVEALS GOD – PSALM 19:7-11

7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous. 10 They are more desirable than gold— than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey, which comes from the honeycomb. 11 In addition, Your servant is warned by them; there is great reward in keeping them.



Theologians say that there are two basic kinds of revelation from God:



1. General Revelation is the knowledge of God, as well as the knowledge of right and wrong, that can be obtained through nature. This general revelation of God’s existence and basic morality is known by everyone. First of all, the apostle Paul tells us that the people can obtain knowledge of God in creation. Knowledge of God, Rom. 1:18-20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Paul goes on to tell us that there is a natural order of morality written on the hearts of all people. Knowledge of Morality, Rom. 2:14-15, “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.” This morality, however, is obscured by people's natural sinfulness and the cultures in which they are raised. So, though the basics of proper morality are written on the hearts of everyone, people's different situations, culture, upbringing, etc., obscure proper moral understanding. The Bible tells us that non-Christians have sufficient knowledge of God as well as knowledge of right and wrong, but that they are suppressing the truth of this knowledge in their own unrighteousness. Therefore, all people are without excuse before God since the Scriptures tell us that the knowledge of God and the knowledge of sufficient moral responsibility can be seen in creation as well as known in the heart.



2. Special Revelation is direct communication to people. This special revelation is deposited in God’s Word – the Bible. David offered a series of parallel statements which describe the wonder and value of God’s Word: instruction, testimony, command, fear, precepts, and ordinances. But, special revelation is not limited to the Bible alone. There are many things that Jesus did that are not recorded in the Bible. Most probably there are things the Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles did and said that were specially revealed from God, but are not recorded in the Bible. Finally, depending on which view of the charismatic gifts you might hold, if the charismatic gifts are still in operation, then a case could be made that such manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s work would also be considered special revelation. Special revelation is how God has chosen to reveal Himself through miraculous means. Special revelation includes physical appearances of God, dreams, visions, the written Word of God, and most importantly—Jesus Christ.



What would you say the difference is between these two revelations?

• While nature points to the existence of God, the Bible tells us about salvation. General revelation does not provide sufficient information for the gospel message. The gospel, which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, is found in the Bible. So, where general revelation deals with the existence of God and generic morality, special revelation, the Bible, and the person of Christ, give specifics regarding sin, salvation, heaven, hell, the nature of God, the Trinity, the incarnation, death, the Fall, redemption, etc.
• Because general revelation is not sufficient for salvation, it is necessary for all Christians to participate in the Great Commission where Jesus told us to go out into all the world and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20). This command of Christ, given by special revelation, is the command to give those who only have general revelation the more specific and necessary doctrines revealed through special revelation, the Bible.

How do you explain the reliability of the Bible?

• There is more evidence that the bible is a reliable source than there is for any other book from the ancient world.
• The bible’s unity: 66 books written in different literary styles by perhaps 40 different authors with diverse backgrounds over 1,500 years and yet the bible amazingly unfolds one continuous drama with one central message. This points to the existence of the divine Mind that the writers claimed inspired them.
• Look at the bible’s transforming power – from the beginning, it has renewed people; given them hope, courage, purpose, wisdom, guidance, and power and formed an anchor for their lives.
• There have been thousands of archaeological findings in the Middle East that support the picture presented in the biblical record.
• It all goes back to whether the first verse of the bible is true when it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” I believe there is overwhelming evidence that this is true – everything that has a beginning has a beginner.
• The bible is the only book in the world that has precise, specific predictions that were made hundreds of years in advance and were literally fulfilled.
• You can tie the reliability of Jesus to everything I’ve just mentioned as well – He was there from the beginning, He lived, He died and He rose again.
• Everything that was written in the bible points to who He was and what He would do – for you!
• The Lord has revealed Himself through His Word.
• The Lord’s Word to us is completely reliable.
• The Lord’s Word is powerful in its effect on those who obey it.

How would you describe the value of Scripture to you?



What does the Bible reveal about God that nature does not?

• The sky shows the wonder, power, and glory of God. But the sky cannot tell us how to be made right with Him and how to live according to His ways. David wrote that Scripture is instruction, God’s testimony, and God’s precepts and command. Scripture addresses the vast number of real-time issues God’s people will face. Anyone who follows the precepts and commandments will experience His joy. David also used fear of the Lord to portray God’s Word. This fear is a loving respect. David also wrote God’s ordinances, reliable judgments in giving His people direction on how to live. David compared God’s Word to gold and honey.

According to David there were two benefits of the priceless treasures of Scripture to people who integrated it into their lives, what were they?

1. It would warn them away from sinful thoughts, words, and actions.
2. They would experience tremendous reward in keeping them.

Interesting to note that David probably only had the first five books of the Old Testament to refer to this great treasure – we have the complete Old and New Testament.




Once we know God exists, and that He has communicated specifically to us, how can we respond? 

III. WE RESPOND TO WHAT GOD HAS MADE KNOWN – PSALM 19:12-14

12 Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults. 13 Moreover, keep Your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule over me. Then I will be innocent and cleansed from blatant rebellion. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.



Many Christians are plagued by guilt. They worry that they may have committed a sin unknowingly, done something good with selfish intentions, failed to put their whole heart into a task, or neglected what they should have done. Guilt can play an important role in bringing us to Christ and keeping us behaving properly, but it should not cripple us or make us fearful. God fully and completely forgives us – even those sins we do unknowingly.




How do you explain the importance of the two revelations to a complete understanding of the existence of God?

• General revelation is important because it ultimately can lead to special revelation. As people see through nature that there is a God, they will begin to search for Him.
• As they search the Word of God, they come to know Him. The Bible reveals God’s name, character, and ways. The prophets become stepping stones to an even more special revelation through Jesus, God’s Son.
• This is an important illustration of God’s progressive revelation.
• Psalm 19 declares that the glory and majesty of God has been made manifested in two ways. First, God has revealed Himself in a general way through creation. All people can know about God because His creation testifies to His existence and points to His attributes. Second, God has specifically revealed Himself through His spoken and written revelation – His Word. The psalm ends with a personal statement of commitment and confession to the Lord.

Would you change the way you live if you knew that every word and thought would be examined by God first? How does the existence of God impact the way you approach each day?

• David brings up his sins and his need for God to forgive him. In particular, he asked the Lord to cleanse him from two forms of sin in his life. 1) He called attention to his hidden faults. God knew everything about David. In fact, God knew David better than David knew himself. 2) David asked God to strengthen him so he would not give in to the temptation to engage in intentional or willful sins.
• David asked God to wash him spiritually so he could be absolutely free of any form of blatant rebellion. A person who openly defied God would pay an awfully high price.
• David responded with absolute submission. As an act of sincere worship, he placed the words of my mouth on the altar of surrender to the Lord. Also, he opened the meditation of my heart so God could see what was there. He invited the Lord to examine his meditation or thoughts so he could please the Lord with the thoughts in his mind, the emotional connection to them in his heart, and the expressions of them with his words.
• The Lord alone had been like a rock to David, strengthening and protecting him at every turn. Equally important, the Lord was his Redeemer who had come to him and pointed out his sin. Then the Lord forgave him and made him a new person who could put the past behind him. Observations about God’s world had directed David’s mind to reflect on His glory. However, reflection on God’s Word had turned David’s heart to worship, confession, and submission to God.
• Even as believers, our lives can be marked by unintentional and intentional sin.
• The Lord brings conviction but also forgiveness of confessed sin.
• As you begin each day, determine that God’s love will guide what you say and how you think.

Let’s conclude by considering ways to live out the fact that God gives us ways to know Him. 

Live It Out

God has provided us with powerful clues, in nature and His Word, about His existence and greatness. Choose one of the three ways to respond to God’s revelation of Himself:



1. Look around. Look up in the sky or at nature around you. What do you see that indicates God is real?

2. Join the chorus. Seek to live your life so that it joins creation in declaring the glory of God. Let your actions point to God.

3. Express your faith. Explain to someone why you believe God is real based on both nature and Scripture. When you put your convictions into words, you grasp better the truth you hold inwardly.

God desires more than a simple acknowledgement of His reality. He wants us to have a true relationship with Him and to build our lives around Him. look above. Look in scripture.



Perhaps you too have looked off into an azure blue sky, observed the sun seeming to drop into the ocean surrounded by rays of amazing color, or been awed by the brightness of a full moon. Down in your spirit you heard the silent voice that said, not vainly but worshipfully, “God, and God alone.”



“The night has a thousand eyes and the day has but one; the light of the whole world dies with the setting of the sun.” At the midnight of human ignorance, there are a lot of lights in the sky. Noontime, there is only one. And that’s Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

 

 

Does God Exists?

Click Here to Watch

Reasons Why We Should Know:

1. Cultural Impact
2. For Our Own Faith
3. Winning Unbeleievers

 

5 Arguments for God's Existence:

1. God is the best explanation for the origin of the universe.
2. God is the best explanation for the fine tuning of the universe.
3. God is the best explanation for the moral values that exists.
4. God is the best explanation for the historical fact for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
5. God can be personally known and experienced. 

 

Prayer of Commitment


Oh Lord, I want to know You more and more each day, so that others may come to see You through me. Amen. 

This is a familiar lesson for most Christians, but a foundational one as it relates to the apologetics of the Christian faith. Try this week to search through David's eyes to see his assurance of God's existence through nature and the Scriptures - how will you respond to the ways God has given you to know Him?

See you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan