How Should I Respond?

Introduction:

We meet people frequently who have questions about faith, faith in God, Christ, the Bible, the church, eternity. . .  It’s vital that we are prepared to give them appropriate responses, ones that will fill their needs.            I Peter 3:15   A recent book by Alex McFarland gives some very useful answers to common questions on many people’s minds.

Body:

I. How Can Anyone Be Sure God Exists?

Explain the evidence for the existence of God.

1. Cause and Effect:  The universe is an effect.  The only adequate cause is an all-powerful, intelligence.
2. Design requires a designer:  Our World is filled with intricate design.  Examples:  the orderliness of the heavenly bodies; the uniqueness of a DNA strand. . .  Hebrews 3:4
3. Every law has a lawgiver:  There is the existence of a universal moral law.

II. Doesn’t Evolution Prove Life Arose by Chance?

1. Point out the mathematical probability of life evolving from non-life is essentially zero.
2. The process of evolution (new genetic information occurring in living forms) has never been observed in all of history.
3. Earth’s fossil record reveals that every living form appeared suddenly and completely developed; there were no gradual forms.
4. Acknowledge that it is irrational to believe that something can come from nothing, chaos brought forth order, and lifeless matter produced consciousness.  Genesis 1:1

III. How Do You Know the Bible Is True?

1. More ancient copies of the Bible exist than any other ancient literature.  Thousands of whole and partial copies exist and have been authenticated by historians.  Many of these have been dated in time close to the original autographs.
2. Many archaeological discoveries have verified people, places, and events in the Bible.
3. The Bible has been shown to be historically and scientifically accurate.  [Medicine and astronomy]
4. Hundreds of Biblical prophecies were fulfilled just as predicted.              II Peter 1: 19-21
5. A proven error has never been found.  The Bible never contradicts itself.

IV. Why Is There Evil in the World?

1. There was no evil in the beginning.  But God gave mankind free will.  Man chose the way of sin; so humanity is to blame for evil.                       I Corinthians 15:21-22
2. Suffering can be used by God to accomplish good in people’s lives.  Romans 5:3-4

V. Aren’t There Many Roads to Heaven?

1. All religions can’t be true because many contradict each other.  [Islam, Judaism, Catholicism]
2. Even within Protestantism, many beliefs contradict one another.  They can’t all be true.
3. There is only one road to heaven.  John 14:5-6, Hebrews 5:8-9

Bobby Stafford

January 15, 2012

Bobby Stafford

January 8, 2012.