Landmark Baptist

INTRODUCTION
A FOUNDATION FOR BELIEF IN GOD



Noah Webster defined God as a noun meaning, "The Supreme Being; Jehovah; the eternal and infinite spirit, the creator, and the sovereign of the universe."1 The dictionary defines an atheist as, "one who denies the existence of God."2 David O. Johnson wrote, "What a person believes about God determines his worldview."3 A study about the existence of God will help an atheist open minded to evidence better understand a believer’s perspective. A believer who learns about the revelation of God to the world will gain a stronger foundation for his faith in the Lord.

Any person believing in God possesses faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). The Greek word used for faith in this passage is "πιστος" which can be translated as "trusting, believing"4. A man who exercises faith simply trusts in someone or something he cannot physically view. All men utilize this form of faith. Men place faith in gravity when they jump from a diving board. They expect to travel in a certain direction at a certain rate of speed, even though they cannot see anything with their eyes which would validate these ideas. Men place faith in the wind and jet streams as they plan for air travel. Yet men cannot see the wind. Men can only hold such great trust, because the objects of faith manifest tokens of assurance. While men cannot view gravity or the wind, they can see the effects of these objects of faith.

In the beginning of time, man did not need to place faith in a God he could not see. Dr. Bobby L. Sparks wrote, "When God began His work of creation, He had in His mind to be in the midst of His people. But sin soon marred all that."5 Because man chose to ruin the relationship he had with God, God desired to create another way for man to come to Him. Men who believe in God must exercise faith in Him, but the faith is not a blind one. God symbolically left His fingerprints on all He touched. All should note the importance of placing faith in God. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). An atheist should consider the possibility of God, for no other way to please Him exists.

Dr. Jeremy L. Walter, the head of the Engineering Analysis and Design Department within the Energy Science and Power Systems Division at the Applied Research Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University, wrote, "Science is the human enterprise of seeking to describe accurately and quantitatively the nature and processes of our universe through observation, hypothesis, and experimental validation."6 For many years, scientists have suggested theories which deny the reality of the Lord, such as the theory of evolutionary origins, the theory of a large explosion causing the origin of the cosmos and a theory of plasma origins. These men have caused believers to lose faith in science. True science, however, cannot disprove the actuality of God. A belief in God as Creator assumes He has always been and always will be greater than the order of this universe. The cosmos cannot bind God to its laws and principles, because He is the One who created it. God is also not a physical being, and so He supercedes all physical processes. The best an atheistic scientist could hope to demonstrate using science would be a world which possibly came into being without God. Even if an atheist could accomplish this feat, the evidence logically would not disprove the being of God, it would only display a mere possibility God may not exist. All of this teaches a person
may believe both in true science and in God without possessing contradictory beliefs.

While science cannot verify the non-existence of God, men may use true science to assist them in finding the revelation of God in his own work throughout the universe.

"To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun" (Psalm 19:1-4).

The skies and beyond contain a lesson. Since God endures as real, science will be able to ascertain assurance from the worlds. Methods other than science also remain in order to assist men in confirming the presence of God. A man can use logic to verify the actuality of God. A person may study the Bible and its origins to understand the concept of a living God. The strongest case for validating the existence of God rests in his perfect manifestation of Himself, the person of Jesus the Christ. The data, facts, evidence, logic, Bible and Jesus all point to one conclusion. God does exist.



CHAPTER 1
ARGUMENTS FROM AREAS OF SCIENCE

When one views the earth around him, he views more than he could ever hope to comprehend. The vastness of the universe expands beyond a mortal’s ability to understand. The beauty, the complexity, the grandeur of the universe may leave a person awestruck. Even so, men have in times past desired to learn about the processes which surround them. The universe is full of these actions, from the smallest molecule to the largest body of mass. Man labels the study of these motions “science.”

Along with scientific study of current processes, many scientists have desired to know about the origin of the universe and the activities which brought it about. The origin of the universe cannot be observed or experimented upon, and so it cannot fit into true science. Instead, men call the scientific ideas relating to the beginning of the universe theories. 1 Timothy 6:20 refers to such theories as “oppositions of science falsely so called”. Scientists call one such theory the “Big Bang.” Perhaps this theory endures currently as one of the most popular theories concerning the universe’s origin. The “Big Bang” theory persists so prevalently, in fact, certain school teachers are required to teach it to the students. According to a modern middle school Earth Science text book, "The Universe probably began 12 billion to 15 billion years ago with an enormous explosion."7 The explanation of this theory expands into the idea the entire universe existed in a small spot. The size of that spot was smaller than the point of a pencil. For an unknown reason, the compact universe in a small speck was spinning extremely fast further and further inward. When the matter of the universe reached its super saturation point, it exploded. The instantaneous expansion pushed all matter outward continuously revolving. Even though the theory remains in science text books and remains widely accepted, it abides not as science. No man observed this assumed spot, nor can any reproduce it experimentally. The same science text book which contains the Big Bang theory also contains the phrase that if an experiment cannot be repeated by other scientists, it should be dismissed.8

Science cannot observe the origin of the cosmos or reproduce it in an experiment, yet men can observe modern day evidences which prove God to be the Creator of the universe. L. D. Foreman wrote, "The creation testifies to the existence of one Supreme Intelligence."9 Archaeologists excavate the earth to discovery history. When they find very ordered and structured designs, they determine humans must have lived during the time at which the rock was formed or covered. They logically deduce nature cannot produce ordered, intelligent designs. For example, only men could make a hut. As Brother Foreman stated, the world expresses an Intelligent Being because of the extremely intelligent designs everywhere in the universe. Man cannot comprehend the complexity of the universe, neither could he construct it. One will conclude God must have been the designer of such an ordered and structured universe.

Another aspect of science which proves God exists is the complexity of life. Science cannot produce life. Man has tried repeatedly to replicate life with experiments. He has only succeeded in using life to copy it such as clones, stem cell research, etc. The task of replicating life requires life or a living organism to begin its accomplishment. No scientists to date have been successful in creating life from the basic elements or chemicals they assume existed in the origin of the universe. Because man has not been able to discover a way to produce life from nature, he must conclude nature cannot create
life. Life requires the three basic components of DNA, RNA and proteins. Referring to the impossibility of evolution producing life, Dr. Jerry R. Bergman wrote, "The many parts needed for life could not sit idle waiting for the other parts to evolve, because the existing ones would usually deteriorate very quickly from the effects of dehydration, oxidation, and the action of bacteria or other pathogens."10 Because nature cannot produce life, God must be the Creator.

Yet another aspect of science which teaches the reality of God stands as thermodynamics. Unlike evolutionary theories, thermodynamics deals with scientific laws. Dr. Jeremy L. Walter states the first law of thermodynamics deals with how matter and energy cannot be added to or taken away from the cosmos. The second law of thermodynamics teaches all expenditures of energy result in a decrease of overall energy in the universe.

"The implications of these two laws are profound. The first law states clearly that no matter or energy is currently being added to our universe, and the second law states that, given infinite time, the universe will come to a final equilibrium, where no processes can occur... Since that condition has not yet been reached, the universe must have had a beginning."11

Because a beginning is real, God must have created the cosmos in that beginning.

Another very important scientific argument for God comes from the study of ecosystems. Certain key species must endure for life to continue on the earth. Scientists include the food chain model in ecology. The food chain basically displays decomposers making soil fertile for plant growth. Herbivores eat the plants. Carnivores eat the herbivores. Omnivores and the highest life forms such as humans are both carnivorous and herbivorous. The carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores die and become food for the decomposers. This is an oversimplification of the system, but one can even simplify it more by using just three parts of the food chain. The decomposers, plants and herbivores. If one removes any part of this chain, the entire system collapses. Because evolution suggests smaller less complex life forms existed before the more complex life forms, one would find plant life or decomposers long before any herbivores existed. Given millions of years, the world would become overrun by plant life, and no herbivores would die to give proper nutrition to decomposers, and so they'd all die out. When they died out, they could not till up and fertilize the soil for plants. This entire system must have come into existence within a short period of time (days) in order for life to continue existing. Dr. Henry Zuill wrote "... life on earth makes it possible for life on earth to continue... the whole system had to be present for life to go on existing."12 The best fitting explanation remains is God created the universe and all in it in six days as the Bible teaches.

True science, due to its nature, can not prove God does not exist. Men can use science, however, to show the truth of God's reality. Since God created the universe, studying aspects of the cosmos show effects of God's working. Intelligent design, complexity of life, thermodynamics and ecosystems all prove God exists.




CHAPTER 2
ARGUMENTS FROM PERSPECTIVES OF LOGIC

Another argument which gives evidence for the reality of God is the argument of logic. Henry Clarence Thiessen stated, "The postulate which best explains the related facts, is probably true."13 Men call this idea the argument of “congruity.” Congruity instructs men the most logical explanation for the universe’s origin and continued working is the best one. Only a true fact will cover every aspect and area of question. A true explanation of the origin of the cosmos must make sense. A truth concerning such a magnificent question such as the origin of the cosmos will be both reasonable and profound. Ben M. Bogard wrote,

"Our finite minds cannot conceive of anything's existing without a cause. But we are faced with the fact that there must be the UNCAUSED ETERNITY OF MATTER [sic] or the UNCAUSED ETERNITY OF MIND [sic]. Since DEAD MATTER [sic] is incapable of using design, incapable of thinking, it follows that there is an ETERNAL MIND [sic] that caused all things to be. It requires greater faith to think of the eternity of matter than it does to think of the eternity of mind." 14

God exists, and is the Creator. This is the best answer to understand the origin of earth.

Another logical line of thought concerning God’s existence stands as cause and effect. A cause must exist for every effect. The existence of the cosmos is an effect, and therefore a cause must exist. If a scientist could find a cause for the existence of the universe, he must then find another cause for that effect. Even for someone who believes in alternate theories such as a big bang or plasma origin, he must be able to explain a cause for those effects. Eventually, a person will run out of causes. L.D. Foreman stated, "There can be no house without a builder and certainly our existence testifies to the existence of an intelligent creative force. That force is God."15 The answer is simple. God is the ultimate cause of the universe. Even though He is a cause, He is not an effect. The cause and effect only applies to the physical cosmos. The physical cosmos cannot bind or contain God with its rules, as He transcends it and extends before and beyond it.

Aside from the logic of cause and effect, the logic behind man’s morals points toward God. "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another" (Romans 2:14-15). Whether by observing nature, or learning from other cultures or some other way, men possess common morals. No matter from what location a person hails, no matter whom his parents are, no matter what he has learned, no matter his religion, he will share some common morals with other men. For example, most people know harming an innocent child is wrong. Most people know disrespecting their parents is wrong. Thiessen wrote, "Man's knowledge of good and evil is from God."16 God does not impart knowledge without a person’s choice. The knowledge of common morals suggests a common teacher or maker of those morals. Natural evolution could not teach morals, for thoughts and ideas are not held inside DNA.

Men are also common in other facets of life. Almost all men have a desire for purpose in life. Mary Shelley stated, "Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose, a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye."17 Many men also desire love from one another, and possess a need to provide love as well. Many men also have a desire to do some great thing or be some great person. So many common ideals in men validate the idea of a common Creator. God remains the most
logical explanation.

Yet another logic which endures manifests God. The cosmos seemingly exists for man. The earth, especially, happens to be just right for man’s survival. The ecosystem puts man at the top of its food chain and intelligence chain. The earth’s gravitation pull is not too strong as to crush man, nor too weak as to allow man to float off. The earth revolves at just the right distance from the Sun. If the earth drifted further away, it would be too cold for man to survive. If the earth rotated closer to the Sun, it would be too hot for man to survive. The Sun abides just the right size and temperature for men to live. The moon remains just the proper size and distance from the earth so as to affect the tides in just a proper fashion for men’s lives. The atmosphere stands as very complex. In all its complexity, the atmosphere is just right for man’s survival as well.

"In our natural environment on the ground, we maintain a uniform pressure inside and outside the body. The atmosphere provides the body tissue with a supply of oxygen, which is necessary to sustain life... life cannot be sustained for long without oxygen. At sea level, a person shut off from oxygen provided by the atmosphere would die within 5 to 8 minutes."18

Since the earth and universe fit perfectly for man’s survival, one should logically assume God created the cosmos for man.

A very persuasive logic which expresses the reality of God is the logic concerning religion. People should logically believe God does not exist if He was fictional. At least a large percentage of people should not believe in Him. According to the US Census Bureau International Data Base, approximately 6,448,780,202 people lived in the world when the census was taken in 2005. In 2004, according to David B. Barrett & Todd M. Johnson's authoritative estimates, only 149,564,000 claimed to be atheists. Atheists make up only about 2.3 percent of the world's population.19 The other 97.7 percent of people in the world believe in some sort of higher being. According to the same above estimate, about 1/3 of the entire world is Christian and about 1/5 of the entire world is Muslim. Perhaps the mass belief in God motivated Thiessen to write, "History shows that the religious element of our nature is just as universal as the rational or social one."20

Lastly, man must logically conclude God exists due to the unexplainable case of Hellen Keller. Brother Bogard wrote of Helen Keller who was a blind and deaf woman from birth. Through a teacher's patience and efforts, she learned how to communicate using her fingers and later even through her voice. A preacher once spoke with her concerning God. She said "I have known of HIM all along." And yet, no one had ever taught her of this God.21 Though she could not physically see things, she knew they existed. To her, God was no different.

The reality of God is both reasonable and logical. To deny the existence of God requires someone to possess another logical conclusion to satisfy each of the facts. Science has not obtained an alternative theory to explain them. Philosophy does not contain adequate accounting for the facts. The only logical explanation which sufficiently validates all of these is the actuality of God. He must be the Creator of the earth and all men.


CHAPTER 3
ARGUMENTS FROM ASPECTS OF THE BIBLE

Science indeed presents many cases to verify the reality of God. Logical thought processes prove the actuality of God. Another convincing argument to confirm God's existence lies in the Holy Bible. A man can find one fashion the Bible testifies of God’s existence in its historical accuracy. No man has ever proved any excerpt of the Bible’s history to be false. Since the history of the Bible stands true, one has no reason to question the remainder of its validity. The trustworthy Bible speaks truth concerning history, and so it remains reliable in its account of the living God.

The Bible also proves the existence of God in its assumption. The Bible does not speak much about proving God’s existence. The writers of the Bible automatically assume the reader believes in Him. The first three words in the Bible in the Hebrew language are "אלהים ברא בראשית" (Genesis 1:1).22 These can be translated (in order of first to last) as "in beginning,"23 "he created"24 and "God".25 In English, one would translate the phrase as the King James translators did, "In the beginning, God created." If the Bible were full of lies, surely the writers would have defended God’s existence to be more persuasive in their arguments. Instead, the authors assume the reader believes in God already. This helps to show God exists.

Another truth which assists men in placing faith in the Bible is its the uniqueness. Men have translated the Bible into more languages than any other book. More men have attacked the Bible and its message than any other book. God has also perfectly preserved His Word throughout the ages. The Bible has also influenced more men than other books. It has changed the course of history (such as the Protestant Reformation.) All of these show how incredibly holy the Bible is. It is different than all books men have written. This testifies God inspired the words of the Bible, and men did not devise it of their own ability.

In fact, men could not have written the Bible of their own skill. Men could not have written the Bible of their own ideas, because the Bible holds such high concepts. Men are flawed. The Old Testament Law of Moses requires perfection which no man can meet up to. A man would not write such perfect laws restricting himself in such a way He could not attain that same level of perfection. The Bible also teaches a high concept of whom God is. Even reading the Bible over and over again, a man can never obtain a full and complete understanding of whom God is. God dwells in a state much higher than anything man can fathom. Men struggle with the ideas of God’s eternal being, His omnipotence, His multipresence, His omniscience and His holiness. These transcend the thoughts of man. The Bible’s teaching of God is so fantastic and marvelous, man could not have written the Bible of his own accord. God must be real in order to breathe these lofty concepts.

On his own, man could not have written the Bible because of the biblical prophecy. Many men have attempted to predict the future. No matter how hard they try, they never succeed. Horoscopes are one popular version of false modern predictions. One particular weekly horoscope for a Virgo in a newspaper stated, "At this time you enjoy art, theater, music, and your own world of fantasy. Your imagination is vivid. If you have an interest in spiritual matters, these interest come to the fore now."26 This type of prediction is so vague, it could apply to anyone. Logically, most everyone enjoys some form of music, art and theater. Anyone who reads a horoscope for predictive values believes in some form of spirituality. Even with 97.7 perfect of the population believing in spirituality, the horoscope author added the word “if” to be sure to include even the other 2.3 percent. The Bible, however, gives very specific predictions such as the scattering of the Jews, the rise and fall of the specific empires and the preservation of the Jews throughout the centuries. No mere mortal could predict these things. Concerning the Bible’s prophecies, Ben. M. Bogard wrote, "So far, every prediction has come to pass."27

Yet another reason man could not have composed the Bible lies in its consistency. Men wrote the Bible over a period of 1,500 years. During these 1,500 years, many different cultures and societies rose and fell such as the Egyptians, Medes, Persians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Grecians and Romans. About forty authors wrote the sixty six books of the Bible. They all wrote about the same controversial issue, God. Every author agreed completely concerning God. While every author added a bit more detail or different aspects, none of the authors contradicted one another concerning God or man’s relationship with Him. This manifests God’s existence because people lack the capability to do this on their own. For any two men to write two books which agree in every aspect without contradiction on a subject as profound as God would be difficult at best. To find forty writers’ books about the same controversial subject without contradiction is nearly impossible. To compound the situation, these writers were from different nationalities such as Moses (a Hebrew from Egypt), David (a Hebrew from Babylon), Galilean Hebrews and Judean Hebrews. People from different locations usually carry different ideas concerning aspects of life, God and/or religion. And yet all these different men from different nationalities agreed with one another perfectly. The situation becomes even more complex when one considers the occupations of the men. Men from different occupations usually hold different perspectives about life. The Bible was written by a prince, kings, prophets, fishermen, a tax collector, a former Pharisee and more. These men from different walks of life with different views wrote their books with no contradictions one to the other. These forty men could not have possibly created such a perfectly cohesive book. God inspired this work. In order to breathe and oversee the words of the Bible, God must have existed.



CHAPTER 4
ARGUMENTS FROM THE PERSON OF JESUS

The scientific evidence, the logical evidence and the evidence of the Bible all prove God's existence. The strongest case, however, lies in the express image of God on the earth. The image remains the exact image of God. This image impresses the reality of the Lord upon the mind of whoever views it. Men can find the express image of God on this earth in the person of Jesus the Christ.

The Bible teaches Jesus was God's image on earth. Jesus was not just an ordinary simple image of God. He stood as the stamped out image.

"God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:1-3).

Dr. Albert Garner wrote concerning these verses, "The very character and attributes of God's existence were visibly, audibly, and physically expressed in the person of Jesus Christ, so that Jesus declared ‘I and my Father are one,’ one in nature and in essence of the essential being or existence."28

John the Baptist testified Jesus was God. He explained Jesus, as God, was also the hope of all men.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe" (John 1:1-7).

The apostle John progresses further to explain the same Jesus became human, and in His human life, showed the glory of God to men. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

One might wonder at how Jesus proved Himself to be God so persuasively the apostles believed it. One might wonder at how Jesus proved Himself to be God so persuasively the true churches began with the same core belief and continue even to modern time. Jesus never sinned according to 2 Corinthians 5:21. He never did any wrong deed. The Bible also teaches according to John 18:38, even a non-believing Roman official could find no fault in Jesus. Only God in flesh, the Son of God, could live a perfect life. Jesus also utilized great wonders to prove He was God. "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him" (John 2:11). The greatest wonder of all which Jesus performed was His act of love. Though He was sinless and committed no crime, He allowed the Jews and Romans to crucify Him. As God, He controlled the power to stop the crucifixion. "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels" (Matthew 26:53). On the cross, He demonstrated the greatest love any man could ever display. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). He then proved His superhuman love in His death by expressing words of forgiveness in a deep agony. "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots" (Luke 23:34). An ordinary man would not sacrifice his life for those who hate him, yet God in the flesh did. He gave up the ghost and three days later rose again. Many witnessed this miraculous event. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time" (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

If no other proof existed for the actuality of God, Jesus's resurrection is more than enough to know God lives eternally.


CONCLUSION
AN APPEAL FOR FAITH IN JESUS

In conclusion, God does exist. Many proofs show God's actuality to be an undeniable truth. Even so, many will choose to reject the fact of God’s reality. This has been taking place throughout the centuries. Paul wrote to the Romans,

"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their" (Romans 1:19-21).

Any person who does not believe in God should reexamine the evidence and reconsider his belief system. Any person who rejects the knowledge of God He has manifested to the whole world also rejects the search for God. If a man rejects the search for God, he will not seek out the gospel of Jesus Christ. This rejection of God and the gospel of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus, is rejecting the gift of salvation. God inspired the famous words in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." He further explained people who reject Jesus are condemned to Hell. "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).

A person who desires to escape an eternity in Hell must exercise faith. This begins when a man trusts in the unseen God. The God whom man cannot see has verified His presence through many evidences. This is why the author of the book of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Weiss wrote, "The one who comes to God, must believe two things, first that He exists, and second, that He rewards those who diligently seek Him... He will prove Himself to be a rewarder of that person who diligent seeks Him... The words 'diligently seek' are literally 'seek Him out'..."29 Not only must a person place faith in God, but he must also place his faith in the grace (unearned gift) of God, the gift of Jesus the Christ. Paul wrote, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Many other scriptures testify about faith in Christ as the necessary response to God's gift for eternal life in Heaven. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).

The end of the whole matter may be stated in the following sentences. God has shown Himself to the world. A person can therefore say, as did Robert J. Sargent, "In summary then: 'I know there is a God and that my intuition is correct because of what I see (reason), what I read (revelation) and what I know (reality).'"30 In order to please God, a person must seek Him out. A person who seeks God will find He gave His only begotten Son to die for every man's sins. The only way to Heaven is for one to admit his own sin nature, believe God's gift of Jesus alone stands sufficient to pay the price of those sins, and to confess to God by faith Jesus as Savior. Because Jesus died and rose again, He proved to the world God exists eternally, He has power over life and death will save every soul which exercises faith in Him.



END NOTES


1. Noah Webster's First Dictionary of the English Language, s.v. "God."

2. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, s.v. "atheist."

3. David O. Johnson, What We Believe… and Why: A Study of the Doctrinal Statement
of the American Baptist Association (Texarkana: Bogard Press, 2008), 21.

4. Spiros Zodhiates Th.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary, (Chattanooga, AMG
Publishers, 1993), 1164

5. Bobby L. Sparks, The Tabernacle of the Old Testament (Texarkana: Bogard Press,
1991), 9.

6. John F. Ashton, ed., In Six Days: Why Fifty Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation,
(Green Forest: Master Books, Inc., 2000), 11.

7. Earth Science, (New York: Glenco/McGraw Hill Publishers, 2002), 756.

8. Earth Science, (New York: Glenco/McGraw Hill Publishers, 2002), 4E.

9. L. D. Foreman, The Bible in Eight Ages, (Texarkana: Bogard Press, 1973), 18.

10. John F. Ashton, ed., In Six Days: Why Fifty Scientists Choose to Believe in
Creation, (Green Forest: Master Books, Inc., 2000), 27.

11. John F. Ashton, ed., In Six Days: Why Fifty Scientists Choose to Believe in
Creation, (Green Forest: Master Books, Inc., 2000), 14-15.

12. John F. Ashton, ed., In Six Days: Why Fifty Scientists Choose to Believe in
Creation, (Green Forest: Master Books, Inc., 2000), 61-73.

13. Henry Clarence Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, (Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), 31.

14. L. D. Foreman, ed., Credenda: Baptist Doctrine, (Little Rock: Seminary Press, 1950),
9.

15. L. D. Foreman, The Bible in Eight Ages, (Texarkana: Bogard Press, 1973), 41.

16. Henry Clarence Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, (Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), 30.
17. Coffee News: Bossier, Benton, & Haughton Edition, 02-08 April 2008, Vol. 5, No.
15F, Quoteable Quotes.

18. Aerospace Science: The Science of Flight, (Maxwell AFB: AFROTC Junior Program
Section, 1993), 2-4.

19. Russell Ash, Top 10 of Everything 2005, (London: Dorling Kindersley/Bridgewater
Book Company, 2004), 77.

20. Henry Clarence Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, (Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), 26.

21. L. D. Foreman, ed., Credenda: Baptist Doctrine, (Little Rock: Seminary Press, 1950),
9-10.

22. Genesis 1:1 Hebrew Old Testament

23. Benjamin Davidson, The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, (Peabody,
Henddrickson Publishers, 2006), 672

24. Benjamin Davidson, The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, (Peabody,
Henddrickson Publishers, 2006), 113

25. Benjamin Davidson, The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, (Peabody,
Henddrickson Publishers, 2006), 26

26. Coffee News: Bossier, Benton, & Haughton Edition, 02-08 April 2008, Vol. 5, No.
15F, Your Weekly Horoscope.

27. L. D. Foreman, ed., Credenda: Baptist Doctrine, (Little Rock: Seminary Press,
1950), 12.

28. Albert Garner, Garner-Howes Hebrews Commentary, (Orlando: Daniels Publishing
Company, 1980), 14.

29. Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies From the Greek New Testament, Vol 2.
(Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), 198.

30. Robert J. Sargent, Landmarkes of Baptist Doctrine: A Comprehensive Study in
Systematic Theology, Book 1, (Oak Harbor: Bible Baptist Church Publications,
1990), 134.