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There is no God?
(This is in response to an article received by someone who had a
very strong disbelief in any God, and presented his
"evidence" which left much to discuss)
The subject of there being no God has been tossed around for
centuries, and with good reason. There is a lot of
misunderstanding and MISinformation being used to come to this
conclusion. The purpose for this article is to whet your appetite
to the point that you will take another solid look at the
subject, but this time from a reasonable and TRUTHFUL basis. All
I ask is that you take the time to really read this, and not use
your "already-made-up-mind" as the judge BEFORE you do
so. If you are truly interested in what is TRUE, not just what
you would LIKE to be true, then you will approach this
reasonably, AND WILL TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU
ARE REALLY DOING.
In the belief that there is no God, most are presuming some
things to be "facts" that aren’t facts at all. I
am taking for granted we are discussing Christian Beliefs and the
Bible as our reference point for even having the idea about God
in the first place.
Here's my CHALLENGE to you. Read the following material,
and just as you used an action to support YOUR position and
belief, I am challenging you to do the same with mine. Read,
study, think about and reason with what you see. REASON with God.
Decide you want to know the truth about God. Really know it.
Don't view God as an ethereal nothingness, but as a real mind
that has thought, emotions and has a plan. He has given mankind
free choice, and the instruction manual for HOW to make contact
with Him. USE IT, and make a request for the right mind and heart
to see the absolute reality that exists outside your 5 senses. Is
it important enough to you? If not, why should God listen to
YOU?
My first line of questions to any who question God's
existence are these:
- Are you basing your belief or lack of belief in God, on
what you believe OTHERS believe about God and religion, or on
what YOU personally believe?
- Is YOUR belief based on the details from the Bible, or is
it from basic concepts readily accepted by the religious
community as FACTS, and presumed to be true by YOU?
- From a purely logical standpoint, are YOU willing to
re-evaluate the written evidence presented in the Bible itself
about what God is doing and NOT doing, rather than accepting what
others say the Bible says?
FIRST, request our material that directly challenges the
evolutionary idea that God doesn't exist with SCIENTIFIC
EVIDENCE THAT DESTROYS THE "THEORY" OF EVOLUTION:
- Does God Exist
- Creation or Evolution?
- Is the Bible True?
You can find these in our
Literature library
Once you read this material, we can take the next step in
this puzzle, and that is to let the Bible answer you, and
paint the picture you need to see.
Below is support material from a Biblical perspective that
addresses common questions about WHY God does certain things such
as allowing all the suffering in the world, or why there is evil
in the world.
Q: Does God care whether you remain a believer, or is it all
the same to him whether you believe or not?
- Answer: 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come
to repentance."
- 1 Timothy 2:4 "Who will have all men to be saved, and to
come to the knowledge of the truth."
- Isaiah 59:1 "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not
shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it
cannot hear:
:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,
and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not
hear."
Fairly simple and direct. God’s Plan encompasses every
human who has ever lived, lives now or will live in the future,
but mankind, for now, is being allowed to run his own show and
reap what he sows.
There is a presumption within most people who even bother to
look at this question, that God is somehow in a battle with Satan
for the "souls" of mankind. There is this perceived
desperate struggle to get as many people to accept God before the
end comes. Those that accept God are "saved" while
those that don’t are "damned."
Your challenge presumes this foundation, and bases the lack
of a personal, magical response from God on a belief that He simply
isn’t there, because if He were there, He would logically
want to make everyone believe in Him before it was too late... right?
In order to come to a proper understanding of God, we need to
base the facts on the material HE provided for this. Of course,
there are many who will claim that the Bible ISN'T from God
and won’t accept it as having ANY authority on the subject.
There are billions of people in this category, but that, TOO, is
explained in the Bible. In order to be discussing this from the
same foundational level, we need to come to an agreement. We have
to accept ALL of the Bible as a source of facts and concepts
regarding God and Religion, not just bits and pieces that say
what WE want it to say. It is either ALL right, or we can't
trust ANY of it!
Think of it this way. IF God HAS communicated with
mankind, and it IS through the pages of the Bible, then
ask yourself this. How have you proven or disproven what He says?
Have you proven or disproven what you believe based on what you
THINK the Bible says, like we discussed above? If there IS a God,
wouldn't He make His presence known to SOMEONE here?
- 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness,"
- Matthew 4:4 "But He answered and said, "It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
EVERY(emphasis mine throughout) word that proceeds from the
mouth of God."
This means EVERY word, EVERY scripture,
EVERY chapter and EVERY book ALL combine to
provide the truth about what God is doing on this Earth.
God is NOT trying to save everyone. . .NOW.
This isn't an excuse, it is what the Bible plainly shows.
Notice:
- John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father
who has sent me DRAW him: and I will raise him
up at the last day."
- John 6:64 "But there are some of you that believe not.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed
not, and who should betray him. :65 And he said, Therefore
(that’s the reason) I said to you, no man can come to
me, except it were given to him of my
Father."
Both of these scriptures clearly reveal that GOD is the one who
actually calls/draws people to His truth. It has to be GIVEN to
someone to be able to know and understand God. If it were true
that God is in some kind of contest with Satan, as most believe,
then anyone who DOESN’T believe in Him is that way because
God himself didn’t call them. Based on the above scriptures
that indicate that it is God's will that EVERYONE be saved,
there has to be something missing to the concept most accept
about God and what He is doing.
Q. Why doesn't this all powerful God, if He exists, get
rid of Satan and stop all the evil?
Let’s get something straight right now. Satan is under
God’s direct control. Notice:
- Job 1:6-12 "Now there was a day when the sons of God
came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came
among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you
come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going
to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on
it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you
considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the
earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns
evil?" 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job
fear God for nothing? 10 "Have You not made a hedge around
him, around his household, and around all that he has on every
side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions
have increased in the land. 11 "But now, stretch out Your
hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to
Your face!" 12And the LORD said to Satan,
"Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not
lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from
the presence of the LORD." (You can read of all the
destruction Satan caused in versus :13-22 of Job 1)
- Job 2:1-7 "Again there was a day when the sons of God
came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also
among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD
said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan
answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the
earth, and from walking back and forth on it." 3 Then the
LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job,
that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright
man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to
his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy
him without cause." 4 So Satan answered the LORD and said,
"Skin for skin! yes, all that a man has he will give for his
life.5 "But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone
and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your
face!"6 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he
is in your hand, but spare his life." 7 So Satan
went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with
painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his
head."
- 1 Kings 22:20-22 "And the LORD said, Who will persuade
Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead? So one spoke in
this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit
came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade
him. 22 The LORD said to him, 'In what way? So he said, I
will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his
prophets. And the LORD said, You shall persuade him, and also
prevail. Go out and do so."
As you can see, Satan does NOT have free reign over people, and
can only accomplish what God ALLOWS. This may seem difficult for
many to accept, but how do you explain these scriptures? People
have a hard time believing that God ALLOWS all the evil that
occurs on this earth. It is a hard thing for most people to
accept that God, who has the power to STOP Satan, and who has the
choice of whether to call or NOT call someone, DOESN’T do
it.
It doesn't make sense to our minds and way of thinking.
After all, WE would certainly stop all the incredible
evil, death and hate if WE could, and PROVE the truth to
every person on the Earth, right? Well then, since it isn't
happening, this is supposed "PROOF" to many that God
doesn't exist, plain and simple.
Let’s now complete the framework with which anyone can
use to establish a reasonable understanding of God and His
word.
- Jeremiah 29:12-13 "Then you will call upon Me and go and
pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek
Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your
heart."
- Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!"
This is an important point to consider in this process. Many
people don’t WANT to believe there is a God. Some would
rather prove to their own satisfaction that God doesn’t
exist, but can that get rid of God if He DOES exist?
On the other hand, simply believing in something
DOESN’T bring it into existence. The mind of mankind
ISN’T complete, and of itself CAN’T relate to
God.
- John 4:23-24 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when
the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24
"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship
in spirit and truth."
WHY is our mind NOT subject to God’s Law without
God’s intervention?
- Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD. 9 For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
- Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful
above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can
know it?"
- Romans 8:7 "Because the carnal mind (heart, ways,
thoughts) is enmity against God; for it is not
subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be."
- Romans 7:14 "For we know that the law is
spiritual, but I am CARNAL*, sold under sin."
* "CARNAL" is defined as:
1) fleshly, carnal
1a) having the nature of flesh, i.e. under the control of
the animal appetites
1a1) governed by mere human nature not by the
Spirit of God
1a2) having its seat in the animal nature or aroused by the
animal nature
1a3) human: with the included idea of
depravity
There are countless scriptures telling us about what we are, of
ourselves, and how we think and act.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean (depend) not on your own understanding; In
all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your
paths."
Now, if God wants everyone to be saved, knows we are
helpless on our own, and does the calling Himself, what does it
all mean? Ask yourself what these scriptures could possibly tell
us about God and His plan:
- John 12:40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened
their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest
they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I
should heal them."
- Romans 11:7 "What then? Israel has not obtained what it
seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were
blinded."
- 2 Corinthians 3:14-15 "But their minds were
blinded. For until this day the same veil (blindness)
remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the
veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses
is read, a veil lies on their heart (mind)."
- Deuteronomy 29:4 "Yet the LORD has not given you an
heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this
day."
- Acts 2:47 ". . . And the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved."
- Revelation 12:9 "So the great dragon was cast out, that
serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives
the whole world;"
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 "Whose minds the god of this age
has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of
the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine on them."
- Matthew 13:14-16 "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is
fulfilled, which says: Hearing you will hear and shall not
understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the
hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of
hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see
with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should
understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal
them. 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your
ears for they hear;"
- Luke 10:22-23 "All things have been delivered to Me by
My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and
who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the
Son wills to reveal Him. 23 Then He turned to His
disciples and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which
see the things you see;"
- Ephesians 1:17-19 "That the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that you may know what
is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of
His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding
greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the
working of His mighty power. . ."
God clearly is actively involved with those who DON'T see or
understand. It is HE who allows this blindness to occur,
incredible but true. Is this Fair? . . .
- Romans 2:11 "For there is no partiality with
God."
- Acts 10:34 "Then Peter opened [his] mouth and said:
"In truth I perceive that God shows no
partiality."
God doesn't respect persons or play favorites with ANY human
being. He is perfect and just, so how does this make sense?
Here’s the bottom line. God is not trying to save
everyone NOW! There is actually an order to the plan . .
.
- 1 Corinthians 15:22 "For as in Adam ALL die, even
so in Christ ALL shall be made alive. 23 But each one
in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who
are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He
delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to
all rule and all authority and power."
- Revelation 20:4-6 "And I saw thrones, and they sat on
them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of
those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for
the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image,
and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their
hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand
years. 5 (But the REST OF THE DEAD did not live again until
the thousand years were finished.) This (vs 4) is the
first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part
in the FIRST RESURRECTION. Over such the second death has no
power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with Him a thousand years."
- Hebrews 11:35 "Women received their dead raised to life
again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that
they might obtain a BETTER resurrection."
These are just a few scriptures that point to the fact that there
is more than ONE resurrection, that God has to call anyone
who can understand God’s truth, that He WILL call everyone
at some point, but right now there is a
Church/Group of people that He is working with---for the
purpose of establishing a worldwide government/kingdom ruled by
Christ at His return.
Those called NOW are called the Elect/Chosen/Firstfruits:
You can even do a study on the word
"saint/saints" to see the actual meaning of this
word. Hint: Living people are actually called Saints.
You see, Christ is the very FIRST human being to be
resurrected to spirit life. His life showed us the example to
live, His death provided the payment for what we are, of
ourselves, and His resurrection to another state of existence is
just the FIRST of the FIRSTFRUITS that He is working with.
After this, all others will have the chance to know the truth
and make a decision on it. They WON’T be deceived, and WILL
have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. Prophecy is full of
these facts. God doesn’t force anyone to believe Him or His
word. He isn't trying to convert the whole world NOW.
WHY?
Because the world, all mankind, has to learn that we
can’t survive without the missing element that only God can
provide to us. He is allowing us to make our decisions, our
choices, our society and world according to what WE think is
right, based on OUR hearts. This, of course, is also affected by
the being known as Satan . . .
- "Ephesians 2:2 "in which you once walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of
disobedience" . . . spiritual influence that the mind of
mankind picks up and reflects.
This spirit influences man’s mind because there is a spiritual component to man’s
mind that sets us apart from animals, giving us the ability
to reason, think, create, feel. They are actually abilities God
Himself has and has shared with us. However, in order for mankind
to learn the absolutes of the spirit dimension, God is giving us
free choice to go our own way, as a lesson for us all. The world
should be a prime example this for anyone really wanting to see.
God has a plan that covers every aspect of man’s life
and world. Most people won’t accept this plan, and even
most Christians who claim to accept the Bible, reject this plan
and will hold to another counterfeit religion that is already at
work on this earth. . .
- Matthew 24:5 5 "For many will come in My name,
saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive
many."
This isn't saying that many will come claiming to BE Christ, but that Jesus IS the Christ... Many Christian religious groups today say that "Jesus is the
Christ" - "Jesus is Lord" - "Jesus
Saves," "Jesus is the chosen one to save you from your
sins," "Believe in Jesus and be saved..." yet
Christ's own words warn that they will be deceiving
MANY in preaching about Him.
Many say this now throughout the "Christian" world.
There is a message ABOUT Christ, but not about His Gospel of the
Kingdom and the Plan of God. In fact, this religious
"Christian" body will actually make war against Christ
when He returns. . .
- Revelation 19:19 "And I saw the beast, the kings of the
earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against
Him (Christ) who sat on the horse and against His
army."
- Revelation 13:4-9 "So they worshiped the dragon (The
false church, ruled by Satan) who gave (religious) authority to
the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is
like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" 5 And he
(The Beast) was given a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two
months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in
heaven. 7 It was granted to him (Beast Power) to make war with
the saints (true Christians with God’s true plan) and to
overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe,
tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship
him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone
has an ear, let him hear."
This false church power will work with the world governmental
structure that will form, and will basically control everything
for a short time, including how to worship God. God is NOW
openings the minds of people He chooses, to understand this truth
and to be growing in spiritual understanding and power. This
won’t be popular with the world because this truth lays
bare the evils and sins of the world and nations, and the mind of
every human being. They will fight it, to the end, and God will
allow it to complete the lesson for all mankind.
If you aren’t familiar with the period called "The
Great Tribulation," then you need to make a careful study of
the Bible to be sure you REALLY know whether God exists or
not.
One final thought for you. If you haven’t examined the
Bible, read the Bible, studied the scriptures together, building
the whole picture, then you WON’T be able to know the
truth. If you HAVEN’T sought this being who calls Himself
God, with every fiber of your being, and aren’t willing to
change your mind about it, change your heart, and seek the truth
wherever it is and whatever it is, then you will never KNOW
whether you are one of the ones who God is calling, right now. .
.
- Matthew 20:16 "...For many are called (NOW), but few
chosen (NOW)."
Those making the choice to do their own thing, and ignore the
instruction book for life that God Himself has provided, and who
refuse to "lower" themselves to humbly seek this being
"in spirit and truth," aren’t lost forever as
some think. Those who live in the end time, OUR TIME NOW, will,
if they live till that point, have to bear the brunt of the
tribulation . . .
- Jeremiah 30:7 "Alas! For that day is great, So that none
is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he
shall be saved out of it."
- Matthew 24:21-22 "For then there will be GREAT
TRIBULATION, such as has not been since the beginning of the
world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22"And unless
those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; (no one would
survive) but for the ELECT'S sake those days will be
shortened."
This time is ahead of us, probably not too far off. Take a look
around you. What do you see? Is this a world that is better off
without God or His ways? Can you seriously believe that the world
is better off without observing God’s commandments? There
will be a large group of people who will remember this truth, and
who have been "sleeping" despite it. This group will
wake up, but it will be IN the tribulation . . .
- Revelation 7:13-14 "Then one of the elders answered,
saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and
where did they come from?" 14 And I said to him, "Sir,
you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who
come out of great tribulation, and washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb."
Yes, many of them will die, and many will suffer throughout the
period. WHY? Because God want’s everyone to come to know
the truth and to submit to His rule. He is the one who makes the
rules. WE are the ones who think we know better. All that
matters is the truth, and you won’t know what that
is if you don’t at least put some effort into finding it.
Truth won’t be a burden, it will be freedom, regardless of
how you might feel about it NOW. THAT CAN CHANGE, if you want it
to, and ask God, sincerely, for understanding and vision to
really see the truth.
There is a conscious, eternal power out there who is aware of
your mind and thoughts. You CAN communicate with Him. Can you
believe THAT? If you can't, apply yourself, DRIVE yourself to
get to know Him and begin NOW to develop that spiritual
connection you ABSOLUTELY must have to understand TRUE
REALITY!
There will no doubt be many questions that will come to mind from
the incomplete synopsis above. Feel free to ask questions
if you have any. There is MUCH MORE support material in the Bible
that will fill in ANY holes you may have in the picture. For
example, God's Holy Days and the
Outline of His Master Plan they convey. Continue reading the
available Articles on other
subjects.
- Have Questions or Comments? Please send Email!
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Godkind web pages created
and material written by Jeffrey T. Maehr. Common Law Copyright © 2013 All rights reserved. Reproduction allowed if credit to thegodkind.org is listed with material. All other authors or copyrights listed accordingly.
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