Biblical Prophecy

This is the Book of Matthew Chapter 5:
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Note: the Bible verse is taken from KJV

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IF GOD EXISTS, WHY IS THERE SO MUCH EVIL IN THE WORLD?

You've all heard the famous argument against the existence of God that stems from the thinking of Pierre Bayle. He proposed that if God were all-powerful, He could eliminate all evil in the world. And if He were good, then He would desire to do so.

The objection, then, goes like this: since evil continues to exist in the world, there are four possibilities: 1) God is good but He is not all-powerful because He cannot destroy evil; or 2) God is all-powerful but He is not good because He does not want to destroy evil; or 3) God is not all-powerful and not good; or 4) God simply does not exist. Therefore, the God of biblical revelation dies. Or so Bayle would lead us to believe…

A closer analysis of Bayle’s argument reveals a few severe leakage points.

1.- Now doesn't mean forever.

Bayle’s argument depends upon the current presence of evil in the world. But Bayle- let’s not forget- was writing to us in the late seventeenth century. Yes, evil existed in the seventeenth century just as it exists in our days in the twenty-first century. Nevertheless, God has promised that all evil and evildoers will get their recompense in the not too distant future. The Lord promises us that justice will be done to all sinners and that evil will ultimately be dealt the death-blow when Jesus returns. Just because a turkey is alive and kicking now doesn't mean it won’t be slaughtered in the week leading up to Christmas. In the same way, evil may flap her ugly wings all around us; but her days are numbered. Evil must exist now. But that does not mean God won’t do something about it. The Christian can reply to Bayle: “God is all-powerful therefore He will defeat all evil. God is all-good therefore He desires to do so.” That answers possibilities 1, 2 and 3.

2.- Hey! Where does Bayle get his idea of evil from?

A subtler point is that Bayle uses an argument from evil to decry God. However if God doesn't exist, one would have to ask Mr Bayle where he gets his ethical concept of evil from. If God is dead then so are objective moral values. Good and evil no longer exist. There is no right and wrong. The notion of evil only makes sense in a universe where a moral Legislator exists. Therefore if God does not exist, then Bayle has no argument. It’s simple nonsense. In a quite ironical twist, Bayle actually needs the existence of God for his logic to make any sense. That answers possibility 4.

3.- Did Bayle ever hear speak of Jesus Christ (or Christians)?

And just to add on a little Christian flavour to the argument, one would have to ask Bayle if he’d ever heard of Jesus Christ who went about doing good and destroying the work of evil. The Son of God dedicated his life to denouncing sin and promoting the righteous values of the Kingdom of heaven. Ever since His death and resurrection, multitudes of believers have sought to do the same. Atheist Albert Camus once said we must either decide to join the doctors in fighting a plague or join the priests in refusing to fight against it. It’s just another false dichotomy. The Christian may very well fight the plague as a means of serving God’s cause in the world. Disciples of Jesus are by their very profession of faith anti-evil. Maybe Mr Bayle should have spent less time philosophizing and more time reading his New Testament.

Conclusion

So there you have it. God is all-powerful and all-good. And that is pretty bad news for evil. Jesus is the perfect incarnation of how God wants all Christians to respond to evil in the world. And He is the surety that evil will get its comeuppance in due time.

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Gospel Songs

I am the Lord that healed thee
I am the Lord
Your healer
I sent my Word and healed your disease
I am the Lord
Your healer. Amen

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Pictures Of Jesus

To be rich, is not what you have in your bank account, but what you have in your heart.

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THE HARD WORDS OF JESUS

A few years ago I realized something deeply disturbing: the Jesus most people talk about in the twenty-first century is not the Jesus of the Bible. Today’s fake version of Jesus is more like a doll or a teddy bear or a fluffy bunny. He is not the Almighty Christ talked about in the New Testament. The new Jesus is nothing more than a cheap invention of modern sentimentalism’s chief policy: “Do not offend anyone! Just love, love, love…!”

This morning I went through Matthew’s Gospel underlining every “hard” word Jesus spoke and I was astonished to find so many quotes that would be condemned by today’s sugary brand of faith as “intolerant”, “harsh”, “judgmental” or just downright “unloving”. There are far too many quotes to even begin a serious study. But let me offer you a selection of some of the fiercest of the words that Jesus used when confronting His enemies. Remember: I’m quoting directly from Jesus’ words in the Scriptures. There are no human add-ons here…

1.- Repent! (Matthew 4:17)

Jesus’ public ministry began with the watchword of John the Baptist. It wasn’t love, love, love! But repent, repent, repent! This radical message of repentance explains why Jesus said He came to bring a sword (and not peace) so that whole families would be divided because of Him (10:35-38). “If you don’t love me more than everything else,” reasons Jesus, “you are not worthy of me!”

2.- Clear off! (Matthew 4:10; 16:23)

On two occasions Jesus tells the devil “get behind me” and “get hence”. In contemporary terms: “Clear off, Satan! Take a hike!” He didn't dialogue with the devil. He told him where to go. Full stop! Doesn't sound too tolerant, does it?

3.- Beware of judgment! (Matthew 5:22, etc. Too many to mention)

As I read through Matthew it became ever so clear that Jesus’ key message is that judgment is coming soon. It was as if condemnation was never off His mind whilst He was preaching. I jotted down dozens of texts where Jesus warns His followers and others in no uncertain terms to get serious about following God. Just take a read through the book yourself and you’ll see what I mean. He is coming! So get ready!

4.- Insults!

Jesus’ lips are full of fierce insults for the enemies of the Kingdom of God. “Hypocrites” is a term that appears throughout the whole Gospel (fifteen times). Then there are the two related terms “snakes” and “vipers”. Add to that list “blind fools”, “blind guides”, “wicked”, “perverse”, “evil” and “cursed” and you’ll start to see what Jesus thought of the devil’s servants. Who would dream of speaking like that nowadays? The Barbie Jesus of the twenty-first century sure wouldn't!

5.- Darkness and gnashing of teeth!

I counted six threats regarding “darkness and gnashing of teeth” pronounced by Jesus in Matthew (8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). Whatever hell must be like, it sure isn’t going to be pretty. The Lord tried to convey something of the torment that will afflict all of the reprobate eternally. Sometimes the word “fire” is used as well in these passages to emphasis the severity of the suffering.

6.- Woe!

The word “woe!” sends shivers down my spine. It was just about the harshest word a Jew could utter. To proclaim a woe upon someone or something meant to curse them in the severest of terms. Jesus proclaims “woe!” more than ten times in the Gospel (fourteen to be exact). Woe to the Pharisees! Woe to the scribes! Woe to the one who betrays the Son of man- it would be better for him not to have been born! Woe to the world!, etc.

7.- You won’t be forgiven! (Matthew 6:15; 12:32)

Jesus also makes it very clear that there will be no forgiveness for two types of people: 1) those who refuse to forgive others; and 2) those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit. It’s that simple. Jesus makes no false promises. He preached with holy zeal!

8.- You’re better off tying a rock around your neck! (Matthew 18:6)

One final “unloving” word from the biblical Jesus is found in Matthew 18:6 when Jesus warns folk about offending children. “Whosoever offends one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea!” (Matthew 18:6). Jesus was no fairy. He didn't live in a magical bubble. He warned, He exhorted and He admonished in the name of the Lord.

Conclusion

I hope this goes some way to dispelling the twenty-first century myth about Jesus. He is not a doll or a teddy or a fluffy bunny. He is the eternal Judge made manifest in flesh. There are so many more texts that I could add from Matthew’s Gospel; but this article will serve as a starter. We must not be ashamed of the biblical Jesus. “Whosoever shall deny me before men, him also will I deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). So if we’re going to follow Jesus, let’s make sure He’s the correct One… 

Will Graham

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