1. “There Is A God” –Atheists, agnostics, infidels are wrong. They appeal to: ScriptureScripture –Contradictions –NT manuscripts are unreliable –“For Acts the confirmation of historicity is overwhelming... any attempt to reject its basic historicity even in matters of detail must now appear absurd. Roman historians have long taken it for granted”

Emotions Emotions –What about good people…? –What about people w/o our benefits? Ps.14 –“There never has been a significant example of morality apart from belief in God” – Will and Ariel Durant

2. “Jesus Is The Son Of God” Jews, Moslems…are wrong They appeal to: –Scripture Gnostic gospels –Emotions View of Jesus at Judgment “Loving” Savior If Jesus is not the Son of God, the NT is false and our faith is vain, 1 Co.15:12-19

3. “Plan Of Salvation” –Denominational people, good moral people… They appeal to: ScriptureScripture –Ep.2:8-9, “by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone” –What about Ep. 5:26, Ro. 6, etc.? –2 K.5, a better way?

Emotions Emotions –A man on way to be baptized, hit by a truck (Jn.8:24) Dalton, Ga. 2 K.5 –Some commands must be obeyed completely, or else they are not obeyed at all! –Some commands are relative (1 Th.4:9-10)

Consequences have consequences oneIf a person believes in one condition, someone can ask him about the consequences of his dying before he completes it If a person believes in unconditional salvation…God’s favoritism is behind it

4. Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage Mt.19:3-9…10, disciples’ conclusion: God’s law is firm and unyielding Some attack God’s marriage law by appealing to: –Scripture “God let David keep his wife” Bathsheba did not become David’s wife in adultery. After her husband was dead, they married (2 Sm.11:26-27)

“2 Sm.12:15 calls her Uriah’s wife” Uriah was already dead –Mt.1:6 David had a moral obligation to provide for Bathsheba If Uriah had lived, could David have kept her?

“God let David off easy” God condemned David for his sin and cursed his house (12:10-12) David escaped the death penalty (12:13- 14)…but his child (and other children) would not escape (2 Sm.12; 13; 18:33…) Does David’s example prove that a man may keep the wife of another man if he murders her husband? Does David’s example prove that God accepts polygamy?

Typical use of David’s example: aliensGod does not require unscripturally remarried aliens to separate after they become Christians (H.H., p. 9) Was David an alien?Was David an alien? bothaliensandchildren of God –If David proves anything, he proves that both aliens and children of God need not worry about MDR!

Emotions –No subject provokes more sympathy than MDR –Ezr.9-10, the only emotions referenced in the entire passage describe the reaction to people who disobeyed God’s Law Not one word about the emotional pain of those who had to separate from their spouse and children! We are messengers, not legislators!

– Pro.13:15 transgressor hardThe way of the transgressor is hard (NKJV; ASV; NASB) faithless ruinThe way of the faithless is their ruin (NRSV) treacherous ruinThe way of the treacherous is their ruin (ESV) –The problem is sin, not the law

– Mt.19:11-12 The disciples agree: God’s marriage law is strict –They never thought of changing it! Mt.19:27-30 Mt.16:24-26 –Anything we sacrifice on earth is nothing when compared to heaven! –Ac.27:6, 38 Ph.3, Paul