The Truth About God and Us The Bible The Truth About God and Us

If you would die tonight and you are standing before God in heaven and he asks you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” How would you answer God?

I’ve done more good than bad in my life. Possible answers: I’m not sure. I’m a good person. I’ve done more good than bad in my life. I believe in Jesus. Jesus died for me.

How can we be sure that we will be in heaven with God someday? Where do we look for the answer? God and His Word

Why should it be clear to everyone that there is a God? Hebrews 3:4 Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. What’s the point? Psalm 19:1,2 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they reveal knowledge. Where does the Bible say all people can find evidence of God?

What can we learn about God from the things he created? Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Psalm 104:24 How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

How does the conscience within each of us testify to the truth that there is a God? Romans 2:14,15 When Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.

Revealed Knowledge of God Natural Knowledge of God What does the natural knowledge of God not teach us? Who God is? How he saves us from sin? from Nature from Conscience Eternal Powerful Wise Divine God is a judge He punishes sin So what do we need? Revealed Knowledge of God

Why do we still need the Bible? BIBLE -- REVEALED KNOWLEDGE OF GOD Isaiah 40:13 Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? What’s the point? I Corinthians 2:9,10 “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit

What had spoiled my relationship with God? Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Psalm 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

What is the result of this sin in my life? Mark 7:21-23 It is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come— sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person. Isaiah 59:2 Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death. Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

What does God tell me brings peace to my relationship with him? I Timothy 2:4 [God] wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Can I trust what the Bible tells me? 2 Peter 1:16 We did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. John 17:17 [Jesus said,] “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

How can the words of the Bible be God’s Word if human writers wrote them? 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Peter 1:21 Prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Verbal Inspiration –The miracle by which God “breathed into” the prophets and the apostles what he wanted them to write in the Bible. It is called verbal inspiration to show that God guided them to use the exact words he wanted them to write.

Why is the Bible so important? 2 Timothy 3:15 From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. John 20:31 These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

What does God forbid anyone to do with the Bible? Deuteronomy 4:2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. Jeremiah 14:14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. …the delusions of their own minds.” Don’t Add! Don’t Subtract! Don’t Change the Meaning!

Written by Moses and the prophets Hebrew (some Aramaic) 39 books Old Testament New Testament Written by Moses and the prophets Hebrew (some Aramaic) 39 books Before Jesus came Inspired by God Contains law and gospel Written by apostles and evangelists Greek 27 letters After Jesus came Inspired by God Contains law and gospel