Best of 2020: Greg Laurie & Don Stewart on the Hard Questions Nonbelievers Ask: Part 2

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Greg Mori invites Bible scholar Don Stewart to address some of the difficult questions nonbelievers � should we still quote the Bible we are the powers of the word of God really should because there's something about Scripture just and so that's what we want people to read the Bible. Your Bible and that's what we ought to memorize the Bible Right field representatives were very and we feel a bit of responsibility. But what if schools were mine I can explain what I believe. Wonder if I really believe they run circles around me with what they learned in some philosophy class you need your own class class is in session today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie speaks with authoring Don Stewart. How can you say that the Bible is the word of God.

The Bible is full of contradictions will usually say would you mind anyone will generally you might find an exception, but generally they Usually it's a defense mechanism like go away Bible select the right addictions and then they don't know contradictions but are what the contradictions are or allegedly are because there really are not contradictions in Scripture so maybe just address the issue of the so-called contradictions of the Bible. Maybe you can identify one and tell us what would an answer would be to okay a lot of people will say the Bible is full of contradictions say okay name one and usually name those that they've heard I heard one rabbi once and this person was teaching one of the local colleges are that we will mention what it is.

Some people might go to Cal State Fullerton around anyway.

Anyway, he was talking was talking about Jonah. He was making fun of the book of Jonah because how in the world could this whale take Jonah to Nineveh because Nineveh is an inland city.

That's a contradiction of as anyone.

How could the whale take Jonah to Nineveh and one of the students told me while he talked that that the teacher applets of personal two things rabbi didn't say well since large fish you know that you know he broke a large sea creature to large sea creature vomited up Jonah on dry land and Jonah walk to Nineveh, but didn't take him all the way there again. Jesus pointed out grade the source of all error every person that makes they don't know the Scriptures and they don't know the power of God. Chalk it up to one of two Jesus said of the religious leaders when asking this question you do greatly. Air, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

And so when they bring up you know, so-called, like word Cain get his wife. You know there's is Cain and Abel and also these people are saved can work. The only people living at that time in Genesis 52. It's is Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters and Seth and the end of chapter 4 I was born as replacement for Sable, who was murdered when when Adam and Eve were hundred and 30 years of age. While many people could've been born the time there created 130 such questions like that that they do have answers and people again have answer these questions. Thousands and thousands of times throughout history over and over again is finding out where they are so we can trust the Bible because the Bible is the book that there is to predict the future with her. So that's yeah exactly. No other book is like.

It tells things are going to happen.

Ahead of time. I we know that God exist.

We know he's in control and we know that he knows the future. It's interesting how these the claims that he makes you sign God. There is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, things that haven't happened yet.

Isaiah 46, nine and 10.

Isaiah 48, 3 to 5. Same thing in the whole passage in Isaiah, God, the God of Scripture, saying, look you want to know I exist I'll tell you what's going to happen before the cursor you can note not only I exist, but I'm in control of all things.

That's the claim of the God of the Bible's claims are true, say here's an interesting one. My, that is a nonbeliever in his use reasons not to believe such as quote it's control through fear.""

People were Christians are hypocrites because they send to" and he has more faith in what he can see was science with noise and what you think that Christians are imperfect. No one denies that Christians are the issue. Jesus Christ is the issue. What's wrong with him.

We always turn it over trended arson to Jesus what was wrong with Jesus. He made certain claims about himself and he backed up his claims by three things miracles fulfilled prophecy in his resurrection on the dead. Jesus said if you don't believe my words only my very works of the signs that I've done an interesting no one ever denied he did miracles. It's interesting the first 500 years of the Christian church.

There's not one account is come down to us that has denying Jesus doing miracles have is a miracle worker you read the New Testament never asking did he do miracles ask how to do it by what power not you did because they knew he did do miracles. Only when we got in all humanity got so smart about you know the night, 17, 18, 19 centuries and miracles are impossible. People living in Jesus, they didn't have that luxury trip Chili's to quote the Bible of people say they don't believe the Bible we are the powers of the word of God that he really should because there's something about the words of Scripture penetrating deep in the heart done it. Just get shipped.

And so that's why we want people to read the Bible to hear the Bible and that's why we ought to memorize the Bible answer and be able to quote it when we can yeah because God says my Word will not return void will prosper in the place where I send it and it's alive and powerful. And you know I think sometimes it's a way Christians quote the Bible print since I think they feel they they have this quota very loudly. You know what the Bible says the ways in why are you yelling what you don't give an opinion you can quote the Bible conversationally in a conversation you could just see what you know what, actually, the Bible tells us that the not but it's funny to me how people hear the Bible they just see them and holding up a black book and it freaks him out because of the power of the word of God.

People know exactly what about the person. This is often asked, who is never heard the gospel as they stated it earlier during the middle of the jungle the middle of the desert wherever, but they've never heard it. How could a God of love, send them the hell to me.

What I love about the question is oh so you think there's a hell, you will know what we're saying I'll get a goblets and you believe in the existence of L, but lately just deal with the basic question what about the person is never heard the gospel will they go to hell. Will they be held accountable. Okay, first thing you do take a step back and say, however, we answer this question discusses this is not a question of the authority of Jesus, of the word of God.

He settled out on the cross coming back from the dead and that he proved he was the one who he claimed to be how he deals with these people is another question. And so by saying well I wonder how it's going to deal with hymns that doesn't take away his authority. This is not a question of authority is one of interpretation number one number two.

Jesus himself said if anybody wants to know the doctor whether I speak of God or speak for myself.

They will know it's a promise of God. John 717 and Revelation 59 tells us in heaven. The song of the redeemed whose their people from every tribe and every tongue on the face of the earth. God will get his word to them if they want to know what Eisen Bible college grade we had missionaries come and tell us stories about how the gospel got to these tribes that work again out the jungle, and in places that were basically you know, by themselves, and how people came to faith in Christ, simply because someone wanted to know the truth and they asked God God if you exist reveal yourself to me and God did some very creative ways. Second Peter 39 the Lord is my sincere desire is that none should perish but all should come to repentance, so if someone wants to note that we may gotta move heaven and earth. And so the idea that there is this person out there that doesn't know and got stuck in a condom. We have an example that accident never Cornelius that this in turn he asked God he wanted to know if there was a God that existed who would Hughley is work since I'm Peter to doesn't think we will find where it says and there's a testimony of nature.

And then there's of their own conscience or excusing or accusing them so you know they're going to be held accountable for what they know but that should make us want to redouble our efforts to make sure the at least hear the gospel and expose them to the gospel and I love the point you made about when we get to heaven we see people from every tribe, every nation so to the question, what about the persons never heard the gospel clearly the gospel will penetrate every language group.

Every culture all over the entire planet. Indeed, it will and that the Lord cares for member Jesus Christ died for these people he loved them so much. God loved the world that he gave his one and only son.

He so loved the world so if we care for him. How much more do they do, but you know great people usually use as an excuse That it was now that takes away my responsibility will again the person will talk to answer it obviously and they would be asking the question right so that they don't have that excuse out at zero and back on them exactly right Mr. Greg Laurie will have more of this discussion with author Don Stewart in just a moment we send Pastor Greg studies out via the radio, email, satellite and even our harvested home online services and its encouraging when we hear that these messages are impacting lives later for a couple of months now. They are my favorite devotional and I look forward to getting them every day. When I think I need to life sermon on harvest Miami thank you for your ministry to bring people to a relationship with God. I'm happy to partner with you in your mission. I pray God continues to bless you exceedingly abundantly more than you can ask or think.

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Pastor Greg and his guest author Don Stewart are addressing some of the tough questions. Believers are often asked is one of our listeners most requested presentations of the past year that sometimes we will say when you know you Christian churches. Weak people and I think Christianity is a crutch for week people what he said of that wealth of the Bible says we've all sinned and come short of the glory of God were all week. That's true, but we Bible is stranded on a crutch. It's a rock you know is our foundation is who we trust, and it gives us a purpose. Again, back to gallery things reason why were living, identity, purpose and destiny and people don't know that. And when people are faced with death and dying and I begin you now think I better get some answers and XO say it's a crutch. I'm sorry this license goes by very quickly, and after that, who knows what happened God is told us what happened this work yeah like to say I know something. Christianity is not a crutch. At the whole hospital and I need help they needed to so I guess here's a looping back to was that we talked about earlier about the person who supposedly has it all. You know on the exterior may look like they do have it all and then maybe all the more reason to give the gospel to them because look at all these celebrities that have it all, that are drug addicts or dying of drug overdoses or are alcoholics either checking in or just out of rehab.

And what about the celebrities are just people who are often very well off, you are committing suicide to me these are people that have it all and I would be afraid to use that as an illustration because here it seems to me that everybody no matter how much they have, how much they know how beautiful or handsome they may be everyone deep down inside his empty there is an emptiness in their life.

They were designed to know God.

Everyone deep down inside is lonely, you can be in a crowd you can be at a party, but your lonely, deep down inside, everyone is guilty. There's a guilt that hunts them when they leave their head down at night.

That's why a lot of people need all these sleeping pills and all these other things to go to sleep at night because of a guilty conscience, and finally everyone's afraid to die.

You know they may say they're not afraid to die there lying there afraid to die and they know they will die in their own mortality bothers them. So I think we just given the word of God, even if they don't believe in the word of God, that would be like going into a battle you have your sword and summonses that I don't believe your sword is sharp stabbing with it because the word of God is still alive and powerful. I don't mean that literally. By the way, you know, just like you quoted anyway because that seed of God's word can take root in the human heart and in bloom later. It might be 3 o'clock in the morning.

There lay they wake up in the remember the conversation because God's Holy Spirit took his word that will not return void and brings it back to the forefront of their mind yet. Indeed, I often say you know the people to try and be real arrogant and that I don't need God to send that braggadocio is in front of their friends this way to their loan by themselves in the dark in their own thoughts because I have to start thinking about what it is I'm alone and I don't know what's going to happen in the future. What if this guy's right with the gospel list you Jesus is the way the truth and the life and where my hat and again this is something more that we learn the Bible we teach Greg and we loaded so people will think about this and there in the quiet moments. It was CS Lewis's said even atheists have moments of doubt, you know that someone can come up with so much bravado examine atheist I don't believe anything you say anything while I'll never convince them that they're not as certain as they come off. No, like an award says there's no atheists in the foxhole you guns are being shot around them. Bombs are dropping. All of a sudden I God more real than you think because they know that the end could be near, and what you gonna do what's gonna happen afterwards because no one has come back and told us what it's like. On the other side, save one, and that's the Lord Jesus he's gone to his death. Come back to tell us what it's like. On the other side. The other religious leaders of the world based they stay dead. Buddhist dead lamb instead. Confucius is dead, Jesus Christ is alive reference for trying their minds. They referred her to The known for his profanity and his atheism and lack of belief in God. The horrible storm came and rocked the ship and he was washed overboard in his fellow sailors certain calling out to God, so they were able to pull them back up on deck and they said we thought you didn't believe in God. Be simple. I don't want to be a God at times like this, so didn't have those moments of doubt, though the seed of the word of God without apology and here's what we often hear. I believe that all religions teach the same thing.

I have a sticker on my car that says coexistence on my previous and I and I eat kale and drive my previous and and you don't don't forget the Bergen ox. The white wine can stocks yes they may be comfortable though all the Birkenstock people are I hate you a minute ago my previous and eat my kale and leave saw the religions of the world teach the same thing you know and all roads lead to God and to me that immediately says it's another way of saying I have no idea what I'm talking about is if you know if we had clerics from the very religion various religious faith.

You know what an email on in, you know, we had a priest from a Buddhist priest then and we had a Christian we had a rabbi and would end if we were to say we all believe the same thing. We all know that's not true then and anyone who even looked a little bit and of the teachings of the religions of the world know they don't teach the same thing. So what you say.

The personal religions teach the same thing all roads lead to God.

Well, that's not true. All religions don't teach the same thing. Some teach one God exists.

Some teach many God. Some religions like Buddhism basically atheistic don't believe in a God and Christianity makes a specific claim. One way to get to the one God, now that narrows it down. If the Christian claim is true, then by definition, the others are wrong. At that point but they can't all be true at the same time. Something's got to be false.

God can't be many, God's only one God. At the same time, he can't be equal to what the universe is another words the universe is God or separate from the universe.

At the same time.

In other words, as something has to give and they can't all be true.

All roads lead to God because which God you talking about. The Hindus have 330 million different gods okay so when you say God that didn't mean a lot to them. You so you know when you think about it� Take an example key Jesus Christ scope of the grid of the world religions right now is Jesus Christ to a Buddhist. Yeah, that's a great question depends we ask and depends on much they know about what Jesus came after the time Buddha came on. So Jesus would be Buddhist I talked to he's unenlightened you know individually. Someone who got someone was ahead of his time. He wasn't the son of God wasn't a miracle worker. He was just one of these people who got you know who understand what the word world is all about. Buddha came on the scene, the kind answer the question why do human beings suffer, and he had, he saw these different sites and supposedly got this revelation of what what life is all about.

But see, they wouldn't. Again, look at Jesus is anybody special as or except maybe someone was Pentagon like the Buddha did, but not the uniqueness of Jesus would be lost on them. Who is Jesus to a Muslim Muslim. He's Esau he's a prophet. He's one of the prophecies in Islamic profit but is that these below.

Mohammed was the last of the greatest of the properties not the son of God is not the person that died on Calvary's cross.

He's not that version conceived son of God is not the way the truth and the life is one of many prophets waiting for the last and greatest which was Mohammed so is Jesus to a Hindu Hindu again. That's another thing Hindus have three or 30 million different God set up a put Jesus in the mix there but the Hindus have this this whole pantheon means all bunch of different gods. They look at Jesus as probably someone get depends what you're talking about. They look at Jesus or someone again, like the Buddhist that was at receive certain amount of enlightenment or understanding, but he's not unique in this is the important thing none of them see Jesus as the unique son of God, they may claim. That is one of many there and he's somebody that got it again is not the one true God.

So that is Jesus to a Jehovah's Witness. Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus was Michael the Archangel of the Old Testament. The first creation of Jehovah God Jehovah God the one God created Jesus the little God, who in turn created everything else. And so Jesus would be someone they respect, not someone they worship, they were denied the doctrine of the Trinity salvation by grace through faith is not the son of God is one Jehovah's Witness told me at my door.

We respect Jesus, but we don't worship him. We don't adore him. We don't love him and follow them that way. So who is Jesus to a Mormon spirit brother of Lucifer.

He and Lucifer were brothers.

Believe it or not, at yeah Jesus is up yeah I don't think it gets weirder and weirder because with with with with all due respect to Mormons. Most people don't learn this right away.

If you're have a Mormon back on your know what the God that Mormons worship was once a man he lived a righteous life. He died was resurrected. Now is the God of this planet and Mormon males can be exalted and become God themselves is Jesus just one of many you know when this great number of God, so he's not again notice this in every single one. He is not unique. You may be called the son of God. He may be called a deity or divinity, but he is not unique son of God, the Bible makes so someone would say well I think that's a point is is that Jesus Christ, we present the Jesus of the Bible and what we think about a relationship with God.

These are unique teachings of Scripture. The idea of heaven is from Scripture and so we come back to the uniqueness of Christ.

So there was nobody like Jesus that ever walked this earth like remind people of the reason that Jesus is the only way to the father is Jesus is the only men who ever walked the earth who is fully God and fully man.

He was not man becoming God, that's impossible. He was God who became a man he was God's only begotten son because he was uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between the holy perfect God and sinful, wicked, humanity and so that's why because he bridge the gap of the died in our place so we can be forgiven of our sin. Yet, remember the book of Job.

When Job cried out to God, basically saying you understand me. We need someone who can put his hand on God and put his hand on managing the same time and understand both of us, God the son Jesus to exactly your great glory and Bible scholar Don Stewart clarifying the true identity of the biblical truth about Jesus, God's son and our Savior. And there's more to come as this discussion continues.

One of the most requested presentations of the year. But listen, if you missed any part of this fast-paced half hour. You can hear repeat by going to harvest.org or simply call it up on our harvest app for permanent copy of the presentation on CD. Call 1-800-821-3300.

We are here to answer your call 24 seven. Again, dial 1-800-821-3300. The title of this presentation is Greg Laurie and Don Stewart on the hard questions nonbelievers ask people are moved by Pastor Greg's new film, a rush of hope. It draws on key moments from major movies such as, I still believe the story of Jeremy and Melissa can all do I understand why Melissa isn't here anymore. No, I don't chose willingly to walk in the fire right beside her on the way to the but then that's exactly what I would do for him and you is when love is an island.

Jeremy story and the age of 29 Beyonc� guide very tragically, very dark time. Grace and mercy of God reached me. I don't know the answers to questions but I do know this. My life is not full in sight is full because of that's the voice of well-known actor Gary Sinise movie.

I still believe about Jeremy and Melissa count Patrick that such a moving part of this new film, a rush of hope, no question, Jeremy and Melissa camp were in love beautiful love story. There were newlyweds and then the tragic news that Melissa had cancer and facing the worst case scenario of losing this wife we see how faith and hope work together and I believe God could use this to bring thousands and thousands of people in the kingdom.

I don't know of anything like this. It is ever been put out there before and I think you'll agree with me when you see it again. It's called a rush of hope. You sought online to many of you said I want my own copy. Now you can have one you can watch it as many times as you want to watch it and you can show it to as many people as you want to show it to and you can do it whatever you want to do it and you'll have your own copy, along with some special resources we've developed a booklet that's called answering life's most important questions that you could give out to a nonbeliever that you know also a piece that we wrote that will show you how to host a watch party. It's all of this is in the special resources that we want to send you for your gift of any size. Your generous donation couldn't come in a more strategic time so we hope you'll contact us today for the DVD of a rush of hope along with the evangelistic booklet and the resources to help you host a watch party plus will send a digital download code so you can watch online right from your computer or tablet or smart phone. That way you can take it with you and share it with a friend short of a cinematic crusade in your pocket or purse so rightist today had a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 and we can take your call anytime 20 474 just go online to harvest.org as mentioned, Pastor Greg disinvited Bible scholar John Stuart back again next time to address more of the questions that often stone.

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