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Response
Belief in God is the most fundamental of all human considerations. Recognizing one’s Creator is essential to understanding more about Him. Without faith in God, it is impossible to please Him or even approach Him “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”, (Hebrews 11:6). People are surrounded by evidence of God’s existence, and only through the hardening of sin do people reject that evidence (Romans 1:18-23). It is foolish to deny the existence of God “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, There is none that doeth good.”, (Psalm 14:1).
There are two choices in life. Firstly, we have the option to rely on man’s limited reasoning. Man’s reasoning has led to various philosophies, numerous world religions and “isms,” different cults, and other concepts and worldviews. A significant aspect of man’s reasoning is its impermanence, as man himself is not eternal. It is also constrained by man’s finite knowledge; we are not as wise as we believe “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”, (1 Corinthians 1:20). Man’s reasoning begins and ends with himself. Man exists within Time’s confines with no way out. Man is born, grows to adulthood, impacts the world, and eventually passes away. That is the extent of his existence, in natural terms. Choosing to live by reason results in being found wanting in the balance.
Wanting. If a person objectively considers such a lifestyle, it should lead them to contemplate the second option.
The second option we have is to accept God’s revelation in the Bible. To “lean not on your own understanding” «Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. », (Proverbs 3:5). Of course, to accept that the Bible is from God, one must acknowledge God. Belief in the God of the Bible does not negate the use of reason; rather, it is when we seek God that He opens our eyes «Open thou mine eyes, That I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. », (Psalm 119:18), enlightens our understanding «the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, », (Ephesians 1:18), and grants us wisdom (Proverbs 8).
Belief in God is reinforced by the evidence of God’s existence that is readily available. All creation bears silent testimony to the existence of a Creator (Psalm 19:1-4). God’s book, the Bible, establishes its own validity and historical accuracy. For instance, consider one Old Testament prophecy regarding Christ’s first coming. Micah 5:2 predicts that Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Micah made this prophecy around 700 BC. Where was Christ born seven centuries later? He was born in Bethlehem of Judea, just as Micah had foretold (Luke 2:1-20;Matthew 2:1-12).
Peter Stoner, in Science Speaks (p. 100–107), has demonstrated that the occurrence of prophetic Scripture being coincidental is eliminated by the science of probability.By utilizing the laws of probability in reference to eight prophecies concerning Christ, Stoner discovered that the likelihood of any man fulfilling all eight prophecies is 1 in 10 to the 17th power. This translates to 1 chance in 100,000,000,000,000,000. Moreover, this calculation only takes into account eight prophecies; Jesus fulfilled numerous others. It is undeniable that the accuracy and reliability of the Bible are confirmed by prophecy.
Upon reading the Bible, we come to understand that God is eternal, holy, personal, gracious, and loving. Through the Incarnation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, God has transcended Time’s constraints. God’s loving intervention does not infringe upon human reason but rather offers enlightenment, enabling individuals to recognize their need for forgiveness and eternal life through the Son of God.
Certainly, individuals have the option to reject the God depicted in the Bible, and many opt to do so. People can refuse what Jesus Christ has accomplished for them. Rejecting Christ equates to rejecting God “I and my Father are one.”, (John 10:30). What will your choice be? Will you rely on humanity’s limited, flawed reasoning? Or will you acknowledge your Creator and embrace God’s revelation in the Bible? “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8).
