25-0216p Transcript

Preacher: Scott Reynolds

(1:23) We’ll be dealing with part two tonight of seven reasons to believe in God. (1:30) All right.

(1:32) So how can you know that God exists? (1:35) You can’t see, hear, touch, smell, or taste him. (1:39) You can’t weigh him like you can a five-pound bag of potatoes. (1:44) You can’t put him under an electron microscope to show your friends what he looks like on an atomic level.

(1:52) You can’t experiment on him and probe him with scalpels. (2:06) You can’t take a picture of him to show your neighbors that he’s not just an imaginary friend. (2:11) You can’t magically make him appear in the classroom of an atheistic professor who is challenging anyone to prove that God exists.

(2:22) So how can you know that God exists? (2:26) Although atheists contend that God does not exist, and agnostics allege that there is a very high probability that he does not exist, theism is the rational belief that there is a God. (2:41) A sincere pursuer of truth who follows the available evidence will come to the logical conclusion that God exists. (2:51) Admittedly, this belief in the 21st century is not the result of seeing God’s spirit or touching his actual essence.

(3:00) What we have at our fingertips, however, is a mountain of irrefutable, indirect, credible evidence that testifies on God’s behalf. (3:13) Consider seven lines of evidence that warrant the conclusion that an eternal, supernatural creator, God, exists. (3:24) This morning we covered the first three lines of evidence to believe God.

(3:29) Number one, matter demands a maker. (3:32) Every material effect must have a cause that came before it and was simultaneous to it and is greater than the effect. (3:44) The universe is a material effect.

(3:47) Therefore, the universe must have a cause that came before it and was greater than it. (3:54) Number two, life demands a life giver. (3:59) In the material universe, life arises from previously existing life of its own kind.

(4:07) Life cannot spontaneously generate from non-living chemicals. (4:13) Thus, a supernatural, intelligent mind must have created living organisms. (4:19) And number three, design demands a designer.

(4:24) Anything that exhibits complex functional design demands an intelligent designer. (4:33) The universe exhibits complex functional design. (4:37) Therefore, the universe must have a designer.

(4:42) And that will continue with the rest of the story. (4:46) Number four, intelligent demands an intelligent creator. (4:53) Intelligence is defined as the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge, (4:58) the ability to learn or understand things, or to deal with new and difficult situations.

(5:05) It is not difficult to identify certain things that have some measure of intelligence, (5:12) while recognizing other things that have no intelligence. (5:17) Man obviously has an extremely high level of intelligence. (5:23) He has constructed spaceships that he can guide 240,000 miles to the moon, (5:29) while both the earth and the moon are in motion.

(5:35) He has built artificial hearts that can extend the lives of the sick. (5:39) He continues to construct computers that can process billions of pieces of information a second. (5:46) He can write poetry, calculate where Mars will be 50 years from the present, (5:52) and build everything from pianos to PlayStation video game consoles.

(5:57) Man is an intelligent being. (6:01) Although there is a great chasm between mankind and the animal kingdom, (6:06) animals do possess a measure of intelligence. (6:11) Dogs can learn to sit, stay, roll over, and play dead.

(6:15) Dolphins can learn to jump through hoops on command. (6:19) Birds can make helpful tools from twigs in order to accomplish some basic tasks. (6:26) A few years ago, two colorful eight-legged celestial pods, known as cuttlefish, (6:35) graced the cover of the journal New Scientist.

(6:40) The authors referred to this amazing sea creature as a sophisticated, inventive, (6:47) eight-legged genius with intelligence and a secret code. (6:53) Anything that possesses intelligence must have been caused by something intelligent. (7:01) Organisms such as animals and humans possess intelligence.

(7:06) Therefore, animals and humans must have been created by an intelligent being. (7:14) According to the atheistic evolution, billions of years ago, (7:19) nothing caused a tiny ball of matter to explode. (7:24) Then billions of years after this Big Bang, (7:28) galaxies began to form from lifeless, mindless, unintelligent particles (7:33) floating around in space in massive clouds of dust.

(7:37) Allegedly, Earth eventually evolved from such a cloud. (7:42) Hundreds of millions of years later, intelligent animals and humans evolved. (7:49) What humans have consistently observed in nature, however, (7:53) is that intelligence demands previous intelligence.

(7:57) The reason that humans in the 21st century are intelligent (8:01) is because our ancestors were intelligent. (8:05) The reason that animals have some measure of intelligence (8:08) is due to the intelligent creatures that came before them. (8:14) Dust does not give way to organized dust particles (8:17) that have the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.

(8:21) Water does not think. (8:24) The mindless mud that evolutionists contend gave way to intelligent life on Earth (8:29) is nothing but a delusional pail, (8:32) unsupported by everything we know from observation and experience. (8:38) Neither nothing nor inorganic matter ever produces intelligent creatures.

(8:45) So how did the first intelligent creatures come to inhabit the universe? (8:50) Just as the first life demands a supernatural life, (8:54) so the first intelligent beings demand a self-existent, (9:00) miracle-working creator of intelligence. (9:04) Number five, morality demands a moral lawgiver. (9:11) Why do people generally think that some actions are right (9:15) and some actions are wrong, regardless of their subjective opinions? (9:21) Why do most people believe that it is evil or wicked (9:24) for an adult to torture an innocent child simply for the fun of it, (9:30) for a man to beat and rape a kind, innocent woman, (9:34) or for parents to have children for the sole purpose of abusing them sexually (9:39) every day of their lives? (9:41) Because, as evolutionist Edward Slingerland noted, (9:46) humans have metaphysical rights, (9:49) rights that are a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses (9:55) and rely on moral values.

(9:59) The fact is, most people, even many atheists, (10:03) have admitted that real objective good and evil exists. (10:09) Although objective morality may be outside the realm of the scientific method, (10:14) every rational person can know that some things are innately good (10:19) while other things are innately evil. (10:23) Antony Flew and Wallace Matson, (10:26) two of the leading atheistic philosophers of the 20th century, (10:30) forthrightly acknowledge the existence of objective morality in their debates, (10:36) with theistic philosopher Thomas B. Warren in the 1970s.

(10:45) Atheist Michael Ruse admitted in his book, Darwinism Defended, (10:50) that the man who says that it is morally acceptable to rape little children (10:56) is just as mistaken as the man who says that two plus two equals five. (11:04) Philosophers Francis Beckwith and Gregory Coleman said it well. (11:10) Those who deny obvious moral rules, (11:13) who say that murder and rape are morally benign, (11:17) that cruelty is not a vice, and that cowardice is a virtue, (11:22) do not merely have a different moral point of view.

(11:26) They have something wrong with them. (11:28) Most rational people do not merely feel like rape and child abuse may be wrong. (11:35) They are wrong, innately wrong.

(11:39) Just as two plus two can really be known to be four, (11:42) every rational human can know that some things are objectively good (11:47) while other things are objectively evil. (11:53) However, reason demands that objective good and evil (11:56) can only exist if there is some real objective point of view (12:03) or point of reference. (12:05) If something like rape can be legitimately criticized as morally wrong, (12:12) then there must be an objective standard, (12:15) some higher law which transcends the provincial and transient.

(12:20) If objective moral values exist, then God exists. (12:25) Objective moral values such as good and evil, justice and injustice do exist. (12:33) Therefore, God exists.

(12:36) Recognition by atheists of anything being morally wrong begs the question, (12:49) how can the atheist logically call something atrocious, deplorable, evil, or wicked? (12:54) According to atheism, man is nothing but matter in motion. (13:00) Humankind allegedly evolved from rocks and slime over billions of years. (13:05) How could moral value come from rocks and slime? (13:09) Whoever speaks of wrong rocks or moral minerals or corrupt chemicals, (13:15) people do not talk about morality who crave monkeys, evil elephants, or immoral monkeys.

(13:22) Pigs are not punished for being immoral when they eat their young. (13:27) Komodo dragons are not corrupt because 10% of their diet consists of younger Komodo dragons. (13:33) Killer whales are not guilty of murder.

(13:36) Male animals are not tried for rape if they appear to be forcibly cocculating with females. (13:43) Dogs are not depraved for stealing the bone of another dog. (13:47) Moral value cannot arise from rocks and slime.

(13:53) The fact that humans even contemplate morality testifies to the huge chasms between man and animals (14:02) and the fact that moral value could not have arisen from animals. (14:07) Atheistic evolutionists have admitted that morals arise only in humans. (14:12) Though George Gaylord Simpson, one of the most recognized atheistic evolutionists of the 20th century, (14:20) confessed that good and evil, right and wrong, (14:24) concepts irrelevant in nature except for the human viewpoint, (14:28) become real and pressing features of the whole cosmos as viewed morally because morals arise only in man.

(14:39) Atheists admit that people, even atheists, have their own innate sense of morality. (14:46) No rational person makes such admissions about animals. (14:50) Humans, not animals, rely on moral values.

(14:54) The moral argument for God’s existence exposes atheism as the self-contradictory, (15:02) atrocious philosophy that it is. (15:05) Atheists must either reject the truthfulness of the moral argument’s first premise, (15:11) if objective moral values exist and God exists, (15:15) and illogically accept the indefensible idea that objective morality somehow arose from rocks and reptiles, (15:24) or they must reject the argument’s second premise, (15:28) objective moral values exist, (15:31) and accept the insane, utterly repulsive idea that genocide, rape, murder, theft, (15:38) child abuse, et cetera, can never once be condemned as objectively wrong. (15:44) What’s more, if atheism is true, (15:47) individuals could never logically be punished for such immoral actions (15:53) since no inherent moral or ethical laws would exist.

(16:00) If there is no God, (16:03) then there is no objective basis to say that some things are right and other things are wrong. (16:10) Reason demands that objective good and evil can only exist (16:15) if there is some real objective reference point outside of nature. (16:21) The only reasonable answer to an objective moral law for humans is a supernatural moral lawgiver.

(16:41) Christians do not believe that God exists simply because the Bible teaches that he does, (16:46) nor do Christians believe that the Bible is the word of God (16:50) simply because the Bible claims to be inspired by God. (16:57) Anyone can make claims about whatever they wish. (17:00) Simply because a person claims to have revelation from a supernatural creator (17:04) doesn’t make it so.

(17:07) For example, the Book of Mormon. (17:09) However, if the Bible possesses attributes that are superhuman, (17:14) then the Bible proves itself to be of supernatural origin (17:19) and has indirectly proven the existence of the supernatural author. (17:28) American atheist Dan Barker alluded to the legitimacy of this argumentation (17:34) for God’s existence in 2009 (17:36) when he explained that one of the things which could falsify atheism (17:44) would be if God spoke to man and gave him specific information about future events.

(17:52) Indeed, one extremely valuable line of evidence that confirms the Bible is the inspired word of God (18:01) is the presence of accurate predictive prophecy contained in its pages. (18:06) Not only are the prophecies of the Bible fulfilled in minute detail with complete accuracy, (18:12) but these fulfillments are often accomplished centuries after the prophecies were made. (18:21) Even the skeptic understands that if this is the case, (18:25) a supernatural agent must be responsible for writing the Bible.

(18:32) That is why the skeptic attempts to discredit the prophecies (18:36) by claiming that they were written after the events (18:39) or by claiming that they were not fulfilled in detail. (18:43) By attempting to disparage the prophecies using these methods, (18:48) the skeptic admits that if the prophecies were written centuries before the events (18:53) and if they are fulfilled in detail, (18:57) then a supernatural agent is responsible for them. (19:01) As the prophet Jeremiah wrote, (19:03) As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, (19:07) when the word of the prophet comes to pass, (19:09) the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.

(19:15) Completely accurate, fulfilled prophecy is a characteristic (19:20) that verifies the divine inspiration of the Bible. (19:26) If anything in the world exhibits qualities that are supernatural, (19:31) then there must be something supernatural. (19:35) The Bible exhibits characteristics such as predictive prophecy that are supernatural.

(19:41) Therefore, a supernatural mind must exist, (19:45) and the Bible must be the product of that mind. (19:50) One such prophecy concerned a man named Cyrus and two nations, (19:55) Babylon and the Medo-Persian Empire. (19:59) Isaiah, who prophesied around 700 B.C., (20:02) vividly described how God would destroy the powerful kingdom of Babylon, (20:07) the glory of kingdoms.

(20:09) Writing as if it had already occurred, commonly known as the prophetic perfect, (20:15) frequently employed in the Old Testament to stress the absolute certainty of fulfillment, (20:22) For example, Isaiah 53, Isaiah declared Babylon would fall. (20:29) He then prophesied that Babylon would fall to the Medes and Persians, (20:34) and later he proclaimed that the golden city, Babylon, (20:39) would be conquered by a man named Cyrus. (20:43) This is a remarkable prophecy, (20:45) especially since Cyrus was not born until almost 150 years after Isaiah penned these words.

(20:54) And not only did Isaiah predict that Cyrus would overthrow Babylon, (21:00) but he also wrote that Cyrus, serving as Jehovah’s anointed and shepherd, (21:05) would release the Jews from captivity and assist them in the return to Jerusalem (21:11) for the purpose of rebuilding the temple. (21:16) Isaiah’s prophecies were recorded almost 200 years before Cyrus conquered Babylon. (21:22) Amazing.

(21:24) And note, secular history verifies that all of these events came true. (21:30) There really was a man named Cyrus who ruled the Medo-Persian Empire. (21:34) He did conquer Babylon, and just as Isaiah prophesied, (21:38) he assisted the Jews in the return to Jerusalem and in rebuilding the temple.

(21:46) Truly, no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, (21:55) for prophecy never came by the will of man, (21:58) but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (22:03) And if men were inspired of God to write the Scriptures, (22:07) then God exists. (22:10) In short, the Bible’s supernatural attributes logically demand a supernatural author.

(22:19) And finally, number seven, the historical, miracle-working, resurrected Jesus (22:26) demands a supernatural explanation. (22:32) Human beings can do many amazing things. (22:36) They can run 26.2 miles without stopping.

(22:40) They can show remarkable courage in the face of great danger. (22:45) They can even walk along a tightrope hundreds of feet above the ground, (22:49) but there are certain actions that are humanly impossible. (22:55) Humans cannot walk in water unassisted, give sight to the blind, (22:59) instantly reattach severed ears with only their hands, or raise the dead.

(23:07) If ever such a man existed, his life would logically testify (23:11) to the existence of a supernatural being. (23:16) Atheists understand the rationality of this argument. (23:21) Dan Barker once said on record, (23:23) If Jesus were to materialize and work any number of miraculous deeds, (23:30) atheism would be disproven, and thus theism would be established as fact.

(23:36) The truth is, the very proof that Barker and other atheists require (23:40) was provided 2,000 years ago when God put on fleck and came to the earth (23:46) in the form of man, and he did not merely claim to be God. (23:50) He did what a reasonable person would expect (23:54) if God were ever to prove his divinity on earth. (23:58) He fulfilled precise prophecies and worked supernatural miracles, (24:03) including coming back from the dead himself.

(24:07) The life and works of Jesus testify to the existence of a supernatural being. (24:16) If even one person were to perform supernatural feats, (24:21) such as raising the dead and fulfilling prophecies, (24:25) then a supernatural being must exist. (24:29) Jesus Christ did perform supernatural feats, (24:32) impossible to perform in a purely materialistic world.

(24:37) Therefore, a supernatural being, God, must exist. (24:44) In 2012, renowned atheist Richard Dawkins was questioned (24:49) about his unbelief in God. (24:51) Specifically, he was asked, (24:53) what proof, by the way, would change your mind? (24:56) And he quickly responded by saying, (24:59) that is a very difficult and interesting question because, I mean, (25:03) I used to think that if somehow, you know, great, big, giant, (25:07) 900-foot-high Jesus with a voice like Paul Robeson (25:12) suddenly strode in and said, I exist, here I am.

(25:17) But even that, I actually sometimes wonder if that would. (25:22) So though Dawkins raises the possibility of the legitimacy (25:26) of disproving atheism with a 900-foot-high hypothetical Jesus, (25:32) he continually rejects the historical, (25:36) miracle-working, resurrected-from-the-dead Jesus, (25:39) who walked the earth 2,000 years ago. (25:42) Sadly, such irrational, hard-hearted unbelief is nothing new.

(25:49) Even some, in the very presence of Jesus in the first century, (25:54) he testified to the supernatural feats that he worked, rejected them. (26:00) Thus, it should not be surprising that many will reject the Lord God today, (26:06) despite the evidence for his existence. (26:11) So our conclusion.

(26:14) Atheists are fond of claiming that their way of thinking is logical, (26:19) reasonable, and intellectual. (26:22) Yet atheism, irrationally, says that everything came from nothing. (26:28) Atheists says that an explosion caused exquisite order.

(26:34) It says that random chances produced precision, (26:39) and that life popped into existence in nature from non-life. (26:45) Atheism contends that a well-designed universe could come about without a designer. (26:51) Atheism says fish and frogs are men’s distant forefathers, (26:55) and that intelligence is ultimately the result of non-intelligence.

(27:01) Atheism alleges that either man is on the same moral plane as a moose, (27:08) or he actually evolved a sense of morality from amoral mice. (27:13) While trying to convince others, (27:16) he’s galloping confidently atop a stallion called common sense. (27:22) Atheism stumbles on the back of a donkey called foolishness.

(27:28) Atheism, on the other hand, is absolutely rational. (27:32) Why? (27:33) Because, among other things, matter demands a maker. (27:38) Life demands a life giver.

(27:41) Design demands a designer. (27:44) Intelligence demands an intelligent creator. (27:48) Morality demands a moral law giver.

(27:51) The Bible’s supernatural attributes demand a supernatural author, (27:57) and a historical miracle-working resurrected Jesus demands a supernatural explanation, (28:05) which demands God. (28:08) As former atheist Antony Flew so eloquently concluded, (28:14) I must say again that the journey to my discovery of the divine (28:19) has thus far been a pilgrimage of reason. (28:24) I have followed the argument where it has led me, (28:27) and it has led me to the acceptance of the existence of a self-existent, (28:34) immutable, immaterial, omnipotent, and omniscient being.

(28:40) So, indeed, the Christian can say with all confidence, (28:46) I know that God exists. (28:49) The invitation is being extended.