Thursday, August 25, 2011
about osuji simon: Who created God? Where did God come from?"
about osuji simon: Who created God? Where did God come from?": A common argument from atheists and skeptics is that if all things need a cause, then God must also need a cause. The conclusion is that ...
Who created God? Where did God come from?"
A common argument from atheists and skeptics is that if all things need a cause, then God must also need a cause. The conclusion is that if God needed a cause, then God is not God (and if God is not God, then of course there is no God). This is a slightly more sophisticated form of the basic question “Who made God?” Everyone knows that something does not come from nothing. So, if God is a “something,” then He must have a cause, right?
The question is tricky because it sneaks in the false assumption that God came from somewhere and then asks where that might be. The answer is that the question does not even make sense. It is like asking, “What does blue smell like?” Blue is not in the category of things that have a smell, so the question itself is flawed. In the same way, God is not in the category of things that are created or caused. God is uncaused and uncreated—He simply exists.
How do we know this? We know that from nothing, nothing comes. So, if there were ever a time when there was absolutely nothing in existence, then nothing would have ever come into existence. But things do exist. Therefore, since there could never have been absolutely nothing, something had to have always been in existence. That ever-existing thing is what we call God. God is the uncaused Being that caused everything else to come into existence. God is the uncreated Creator who created the universe and everything in it.
The question is tricky because it sneaks in the false assumption that God came from somewhere and then asks where that might be. The answer is that the question does not even make sense. It is like asking, “What does blue smell like?” Blue is not in the category of things that have a smell, so the question itself is flawed. In the same way, God is not in the category of things that are created or caused. God is uncaused and uncreated—He simply exists.
How do we know this? We know that from nothing, nothing comes. So, if there were ever a time when there was absolutely nothing in existence, then nothing would have ever come into existence. But things do exist. Therefore, since there could never have been absolutely nothing, something had to have always been in existence. That ever-existing thing is what we call God. God is the uncaused Being that caused everything else to come into existence. God is the uncreated Creator who created the universe and everything in it.
Who / what were the Nephilim?
The Nephilim (“fallen ones, giants”) were the offspring of sexual relationships between the sons of God and daughters of men in Genesis 6:1-4. There is much debate as to the identity of the “sons of God.” It is our contention that the “sons of God” were fallen angels (demons) who mated with human females and/or possessed human males and then mated with human females. These unions resulted in offspring, the Nephilim, that were “heroes of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4).
Why would the demons do such a thing? The Bible does not specifically give us the answer. The demons are evil, twisted beings—so nothing they do should surprise us. As to a distinct motivation, the best speculation is that the demons were attempting to pollute the human blood line in order to prevent the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God had promised that a Messiah would come from the line of Eve (Genesis 3:15) who would crush the head of the serpent, Satan. So, the demons were possibly attempting to prevent this by polluting the human bloodline, making it impossible for a sinless Messiah to one day be born. Again, this is not a specifically biblical answer, but it is plausible and not in contradiction to anything the Bible teaches.
What were the Nephilim? According to Hebraic and other legends (the Book of Enoch and other non-biblical writings), they were a race of giants and super-heroes who did acts of great evil. Their great size and power likely came from the mixture of demonic “DNA” with human genetics. All that the Bible directly says about them is that they were “heroes of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4). The Nephilim were not aliens, they were literal, physical beings produced from the union of the sons of God and daughters of men (Genesis 6:1-4).
What happened to the Nephilim? The Nephilim were one of the primary reasons for the great flood in Noah's time. Immediately after the Nephilim are mentioned, God's Word tells us this: “The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, ‘I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them’” (Genesis 6:5-7). So, God proceeded to flood the entire earth, killing everyone and everything (including the Nephilim) other than Noah and his family and the animals on the ark (Genesis 6:11-22).
Were there Nephilim after the flood? Genesis 6:4 tells us, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also afterward.” It seems that the demons repeated their sin sometime after the flood as well. However, it likely took place to a much lesser extent than it did prior to the flood. When the Israelites spied out the land of Canaan, they reported back to Moses: “We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (Numbers 13:33). Now, this passage does not specifically say that the Nephilim were genuinely there, only that the spies thought they saw the Nephilim. It is more likely that the spies witnessed very large people in Canaan and mistakenly believed them to be the Nephilim. Or, it is possible that after the flood the demons again mated with human females, producing more Nephilim. Whatever the case, these “giants” were destroyed by the Israelites during their invasion of Canaan (Joshua 11:21-22) and later in their history (Deuteronomy 3:11; 1 Samuel 17).
What prevents the demons from producing more Nephilim today? It seems that God put an end to demons mating with humans by placing all the demons who committed such an act in the Abyss. Jude verse 6 tells us, “And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.” Obviously, not all of the demons are in “prison” today, so there must have been a group of demons who committed further grievous sin beyond the original fall. Presumably, the demons who mated with human females are the ones who are “bound with everlasting chains.” This would prevent any more demons from attempting such an act.
Why would the demons do such a thing? The Bible does not specifically give us the answer. The demons are evil, twisted beings—so nothing they do should surprise us. As to a distinct motivation, the best speculation is that the demons were attempting to pollute the human blood line in order to prevent the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God had promised that a Messiah would come from the line of Eve (Genesis 3:15) who would crush the head of the serpent, Satan. So, the demons were possibly attempting to prevent this by polluting the human bloodline, making it impossible for a sinless Messiah to one day be born. Again, this is not a specifically biblical answer, but it is plausible and not in contradiction to anything the Bible teaches.
What were the Nephilim? According to Hebraic and other legends (the Book of Enoch and other non-biblical writings), they were a race of giants and super-heroes who did acts of great evil. Their great size and power likely came from the mixture of demonic “DNA” with human genetics. All that the Bible directly says about them is that they were “heroes of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4). The Nephilim were not aliens, they were literal, physical beings produced from the union of the sons of God and daughters of men (Genesis 6:1-4).
What happened to the Nephilim? The Nephilim were one of the primary reasons for the great flood in Noah's time. Immediately after the Nephilim are mentioned, God's Word tells us this: “The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, ‘I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them’” (Genesis 6:5-7). So, God proceeded to flood the entire earth, killing everyone and everything (including the Nephilim) other than Noah and his family and the animals on the ark (Genesis 6:11-22).
Were there Nephilim after the flood? Genesis 6:4 tells us, “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also afterward.” It seems that the demons repeated their sin sometime after the flood as well. However, it likely took place to a much lesser extent than it did prior to the flood. When the Israelites spied out the land of Canaan, they reported back to Moses: “We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (Numbers 13:33). Now, this passage does not specifically say that the Nephilim were genuinely there, only that the spies thought they saw the Nephilim. It is more likely that the spies witnessed very large people in Canaan and mistakenly believed them to be the Nephilim. Or, it is possible that after the flood the demons again mated with human females, producing more Nephilim. Whatever the case, these “giants” were destroyed by the Israelites during their invasion of Canaan (Joshua 11:21-22) and later in their history (Deuteronomy 3:11; 1 Samuel 17).
What prevents the demons from producing more Nephilim today? It seems that God put an end to demons mating with humans by placing all the demons who committed such an act in the Abyss. Jude verse 6 tells us, “And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.” Obviously, not all of the demons are in “prison” today, so there must have been a group of demons who committed further grievous sin beyond the original fall. Presumably, the demons who mated with human females are the ones who are “bound with everlasting chains.” This would prevent any more demons from attempting such an act.
Monday, July 25, 2011
about osuji simon: Do all religions lead to God?
about osuji simon: Do all religions lead to God?: "Many people think this is the case, because they assume that all religions are essentially the same when you get right down to it. But ..."
Saturday, July 2, 2011
The Triumphal Entry
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!’”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Jesus Clears the Temple
12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’ ?
But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’’”
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19 When evening came, they went out of the city.
Notes:
vv. 8-10 – Many people in Jerusalem had heard about Jesus’ miracles, and some probably
thought He was the long-awaited Messiah. They welcomed Him like a king.
vv. 13-14 – However, Jesus knew that the city had not repented. They were not really
ready to participate with Him in the battle for righteousness. The Old Testament prophets often used the fig tree as a symbol for a prosperous and blessed Israel. For Jesus too, this fig tree was a symbol of the nation that was not producing the righteousness that He and the prophets before Him had expected in response to God’s call.
vv.15-17 – In a grander symbolic action, Jesus took His battle for righteousness directly
into the Temple premises. This buying and selling of animals for the temple sacrifices was taking place in the outermost court. This is the court where the Gentiles had to stand if they wanted to worship. They were not allowed to enter any further. How could they worship, though, with all the yelling and bartering and disturbances that were going on?
Because the animals sold for sacrifice in the Temple courts had been approved by the priests, the charge for these animals was many times higher than in the general market. The traders and the priests made a huge profit, especially to the burden of the poor.
Jesus demonstrated God’s long-standing anger with this mistreatment of the Gentiles and the poor. He overturned their tables and stopped their trading in the Temple courts. Jesus once again quoted from the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah in showing that God’s anger at this practice had been there for a long time: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. But you have made it a den of robbers.” (v. 17)
thought He was the long-awaited Messiah. They welcomed Him like a king.
vv. 13-14 – However, Jesus knew that the city had not repented. They were not really
ready to participate with Him in the battle for righteousness. The Old Testament prophets often used the fig tree as a symbol for a prosperous and blessed Israel. For Jesus too, this fig tree was a symbol of the nation that was not producing the righteousness that He and the prophets before Him had expected in response to God’s call.
vv.15-17 – In a grander symbolic action, Jesus took His battle for righteousness directly
into the Temple premises. This buying and selling of animals for the temple sacrifices was taking place in the outermost court. This is the court where the Gentiles had to stand if they wanted to worship. They were not allowed to enter any further. How could they worship, though, with all the yelling and bartering and disturbances that were going on?
Because the animals sold for sacrifice in the Temple courts had been approved by the priests, the charge for these animals was many times higher than in the general market. The traders and the priests made a huge profit, especially to the burden of the poor.
Jesus demonstrated God’s long-standing anger with this mistreatment of the Gentiles and the poor. He overturned their tables and stopped their trading in the Temple courts. Jesus once again quoted from the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah in showing that God’s anger at this practice had been there for a long time: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. But you have made it a den of robbers.” (v. 17)
Are there unjust and disrespectful religious practices that you would like to “overturn” as part of Jesus’ battle for righteousness today?
The Master Taught in Parables
Mt. 13:34 -“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; He did not say anything to them without using a parable.”
What is a parable? Why did Jesus use them? How does one understand them?
A. What Kind of “Ground” Are You?
Read Mathew 13:1-23
The point of a parable usually comes in the last lines. The end of the parable is the climax, the important point.
The Parable of the Sower
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.9He who has ears, let him hear.”
10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.13This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
The point of a parable usually comes in the last lines. The end of the parable is the climax, the important point. What is the last verse of this “Parable of the Sower” (v. 8)? What, then, is the major point of the parable?
In this parable, Jesus is teaching that the seed of His teaching will produce results, tremendous results.
Note the refrain that we will often hear at the end of Jesus’ parables: v. 9
What do you think Jesus means by this? What does “ears to hear” mean? Why would one not want to hear?
Jesus quotes the Old Testament prophet Isaiah as he speaks with deep disappointment and sarcasm about the people of Israel. Why weren’t these Old Testament people willing to hear the prophet’s message?: vv. 13-15.
What does it mean that a person’s “heart has become callused?” Another expression for this in the Bible is that people have a “hard heart.”
God’s Word cannot get in and produce results. Remember the Sermon on the Mount? People don’t want to lead a life that makes a difference: people who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Mt. 5:6), people who are “peacemakers” (5:9), who are the “salt of the world” and the “light of the world” (5:13-14), and so forth. They know they will stick out; they will face opposition, they will be “persecuted because of righteousness” (5:10). They don’t want to be a disciple of the Master so they make their heart to His call.
Jesus gives several examples of this hardness of heart in the parable. Note Jesus’ explanations in vv. 18-23. What is the reason for the hardness of heart:
in v. 19? –
in vv. 20-21? –
in v. 22? –
Why could the seed produce such marvelous results in v. 23?
Can you think of times in your life when you were like each of these examples? Give an example when your heart was hardened to God’s call:
Give an example of when your heart was open to God’s call:
If people are open to receive God’s call in their life, they will have true life (remember Mt. 10:23). They will make a difference with their life “30-, 60-, and 100-fold.”
The disciple of Jesus the Master will go from strength to strength. He “will be given more, and he will have in abundance (v. 12).
What is a parable? Why did Jesus use them? How does one understand them?
A. What Kind of “Ground” Are You?
Read Mathew 13:1-23
The point of a parable usually comes in the last lines. The end of the parable is the climax, the important point.
The Parable of the Sower
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.9He who has ears, let him hear.”
10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.13This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
The point of a parable usually comes in the last lines. The end of the parable is the climax, the important point. What is the last verse of this “Parable of the Sower” (v. 8)? What, then, is the major point of the parable?
In this parable, Jesus is teaching that the seed of His teaching will produce results, tremendous results.
Note the refrain that we will often hear at the end of Jesus’ parables: v. 9
What do you think Jesus means by this? What does “ears to hear” mean? Why would one not want to hear?
Jesus quotes the Old Testament prophet Isaiah as he speaks with deep disappointment and sarcasm about the people of Israel. Why weren’t these Old Testament people willing to hear the prophet’s message?: vv. 13-15.
What does it mean that a person’s “heart has become callused?” Another expression for this in the Bible is that people have a “hard heart.”
God’s Word cannot get in and produce results. Remember the Sermon on the Mount? People don’t want to lead a life that makes a difference: people who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Mt. 5:6), people who are “peacemakers” (5:9), who are the “salt of the world” and the “light of the world” (5:13-14), and so forth. They know they will stick out; they will face opposition, they will be “persecuted because of righteousness” (5:10). They don’t want to be a disciple of the Master so they make their heart to His call.
Jesus gives several examples of this hardness of heart in the parable. Note Jesus’ explanations in vv. 18-23. What is the reason for the hardness of heart:
in v. 19? –
in vv. 20-21? –
in v. 22? –
Why could the seed produce such marvelous results in v. 23?
Can you think of times in your life when you were like each of these examples? Give an example when your heart was hardened to God’s call:
Give an example of when your heart was open to God’s call:
If people are open to receive God’s call in their life, they will have true life (remember Mt. 10:23). They will make a difference with their life “30-, 60-, and 100-fold.”
The disciple of Jesus the Master will go from strength to strength. He “will be given more, and he will have in abundance (v. 12).
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