How Can You Prove that Christianity is the True Religion?

This is core Christianity, where answering your questions about the Christian life Monday through Friday. Your hosts are author and seminary professor Dr. Michael Horton and Pastor atrial Sanchez call right now with your question. At 1833.

The core that's 1-833-843-2673 and now here's atrial Sanchez hello and welcome back to the core where where answering questions about the Bible and the Christian faith and with Prof. Michael Horton and I'm Pastor atrial Sanchez are you just discouraged in your Christian walk feel like Lord I can't believe I'm not where, why, when I thought I would be way further by now. In my sanctification and my progress in holiness. No, I think they really are the only one. Yes Fulbright yeah I know you feel that what we all do as believers or Jesus, we can identify with this question that we got from Sandy on Instagram. Why is it so hard to become holy. It seems like a really basic command that God gives with the more I strive, the less progress I seem to make is and yet we can all say that we know yet how you feel. Mike had we had. We work through this. Well okay the first thing you need to realize Sandy is that this command is an impossible command for us to fulfill be holy as God is holy. There's only one person in history who could honestly say as Jesus does in his prayer in John 17.

For their sake I have sanctified myself so that they that you and me may be truly sanctified, you can't sanctify yourself. You can't raise yourself from spiritual death, so how can even begin to make yourself holy. You don't even have a right to since it's God who makes people holy. That's what holiness is God claiming people places and things for his holy purposes. But second, it's not impossible, it's impossible for you to fulfill but you get to Matthew 1926 were Jesus is talking to the rich young ruler, and after he finishes the disciples they will then who can be saved and Jesus replied with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. In Ephesians 2 Paul tells us that while we were dead in trespasses and said we were dead. While we were dead.

He made us alive together with Christ by grace you are saved. Isn't that amazing.

Some of us were raised with the teaching that you believe in order to be born again, but actually it's the other way around, were born again so that we believe that's what posit while you were dead.

He made you alive. We didn't trigger this. It was a gift by grace you are saved, we are sanctified. We are set apart as holy by Christ's obedience. Like Paul says in verse strengthens 130 that Christ is our holiness that amazing now because we are holy due to God's decision and Christ's saving work in the Holy Spirit's life-giving power, then we are to respond to his commands were to grow in this new life everyday were to put to death the deeds of the flesh.

Now we can't make ourselves holy. But we can submit to the spirit in God's word because were no longer dead in Adam are alive in Christ. Here's the bottom line Sandy apart from Christ. We can only hear the command to pursue holiness as a death sentence. Pure anxiety can you ever be holy enough God is holy but we know that we are not holy in ourselves.

We know that even the best Christians in this life only make a small progress in that growth, to which were called, but in Christ we know we are objectively holy and therefore can pursue progressive holiness in joy and hope rather than in fear and anxiety. One thing I'd add Sandy. This is no Martin Luther once said you won't see your progress in holiness, but your brother and sister will that's a great statement and I think it just jibes with our experiences. Christians doesn't.

The more we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ them, the more we grow in holiness, the more we actually see the depth of our sin and such a sweet will we look at ourselves and say, good grief, were not making is like you watching a boiling pot a watched pot never boils, but other people say I haven't seen you in a couple years, man you you're really learning about God and your growing in your love for him. That's amazing. I remember when you didn't even pray and now you're you're enjoying talking to Lauren, going to church and hearing his word. Other people will see it before we will have to and you make an interesting point there. Mike and I think this is right on Sandino.

The closer we are growing to the Lord. Getting closer to let you use the analogy to the closer you get to the light that the larger the shadow it cast Tino and that's how it is so often you nice work were growing in the Lord and were learning new things about Jesus in the Scriptures and will begin to see a boy. There are sins that I commit that I didn't even know I was committing and I think sometimes we we can see that and feel like I'm actually regressing time and becoming less and less holy when that's not necessarily the case is just our eyes are being open wide because the light is shining all the brighter in our lives and I think that's where we have to turn away from our sins over and over again to the Lord and in the gospel is becoming sweeter and sweeter to us because were realizing in a you think about what Jesus says about to the one who who much is forgiven. That person loves much in the realities that all of us. We all have a lot that we need to be forgiven and the more we realize that because were walking with the Lord. The more we love him, not because were perfect because were holy but because his grace is sufficient exactly so. Sandy bottom line here. Look away from yourself look even away from your holiness, your growth in holiness, whether it's good or inadequate. If you think it's inadequate, then you're actually growing in holiness, but look away from it. Otherwise that'll lead to either despair or pride. Instead look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Amen.

What a phone call now. Brandon from God will question I have is how can you prove that God the whole thing is real, how can you prove that Israel is the only religion if it was that God made the world everything is here because of him, there would never be any other religion but him was been here long before people bump for any if it is true, why are there so many others wire that people are just flat out don't believe it. If you truly do through other moral man was able to be killed are cross his mortal body would not be able to go anywhere I Brandon I appreciate you wrestling to the sea. Sounds like he sees been thinking about this in an first. I say it is not true that there wouldn't be any other religions.

But Christianity Christianity was true.

The Bible is never made that claim. In fact there were hundreds of pagan religions around the world in the days prior to Jesus. As you know, and Christianity began in the Greco-Roman world where there were all sorts of competing religious views, but that doesn't mean it there true. So just because there's a lot of different beliefs about God doesn't mean that there isn't a true understanding of who God is and how he's revealed himself. The apostle Paul said in first Corinthians, although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords yet for us there is one God the father from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist, but let me say this, I think that entire argument can be flipped on its head. Sounds to me like what you're saying is there all these different religions out there all these different beliefs. How can you say that this one is true if there really was a God who created all things that wouldn't be the case will actually there've been some really great theologians throughout the history of the church are said of the fact that there are all these religions addicted to deep down inside us to want to worship something is a sign of the fact that we are created in God's image. Some some people call this the sense of God that all of us having you see this in the Scriptures right in places like Psalm 19 in Romans chapter 1 Psalm 19 says the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day and today under speech, and night and tonight reveals knowledge. The very creation itself testifies to us that there is a creator and I think all of us. Deep down inside right we have this sense of something bigger Altair you look up at the stars at night and Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 1 just do what God is revealed in creation. We know that there is a creator, but here's what we do with that we suppress that truth in unrighteousness want to be accountable to God.

As I think the fact that you have all these religions and all these people. Throughout the history of the world who are who are seeking to worship something is a sign of the fact that there is a God that God did create the world now that doesn't mean that there true, and in this is where we have to go to worship that God know we don't want to worship that can worship some God, but� That's right and that's why we have to go to God's revelation to how God has revealed himself to us and ultimately write that the revelation of the clearest reflection of God we find in the Scriptures, but it's also Jesus who came to us who was born took flesh for us and for our salvation. It's the message he preached the message of the gospel. It's his resurrection from the dead and US. How can we know that this is true, and I think that that's a great question. That's a fair question to ask one of the reasons I know. I believe this is what I what I tell people this is what I tell my kids when they asked me this question is what I think with the disciples pointed to his Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

Okay were dealing here, not with proof and in the scientific sense that were dealing with history were dealing with probabilities in the fact of the matter is, we can say some things pretty clearly about Jesus's resurrection.

One, we can say historically beyond a shadow of a doubt that a man named Jesus lived and preached God's kingdom in the first century to.

He was killed by the Romans. He was crucified. Three. His tomb was empty shortly after his death and his followers claimed that he rose again from the dead. Okay, that's the claim.

Everybody agreed without the alleged right, use the Romans and the Christian. That's right, whether they believed or not. For those same followers Brandon were willing to go to their own death for the claim that Jesus was God, risen from the dead.

Now what is the probability that people who made all of this up. Who knew Jesus didn't really rise from the dead would be willing to lose everything, their jobs, their families, in many circumstances, even their heads to defend a message that they knew was a lie was not probable of the first century evidence supports the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and if he rose from the dead.

It vindicated his claims he really is God, the Lord for us for our salvation booted and rise from the dead. Mohammed didn't rise from the dead. Jesus did the other thing I think this is so wonderful is what we love talking about the Scriptures we also have the prophetic testimony of God's word. One of my favorite verses in the Bible. Brandon is Isaiah 46, nine and 10 were God says I am God and there is no other.

I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, things that have not yet been done.

I'm God the only God. And here's how you can know I'm a tell you tomorrow before it happens and you read the prophetic testimony about Jesus's life and death in places like Isaiah 53 in Micah chapter 5 in Psalm 22 and you realize this is just something that a couple people came up with its what Peter said holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

I think all of these things. Brandon even even the fact that there always religions in the world testify to the fact that there is a God in heaven. I think that God is revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ, but we twisted we twisted Mike, would you add anything you know exactly you can explain the rigid religious symbols just as you have by the image of God, and you can explain idolatry.

False worship by the fall, we suppress the truth in unrighteousness. That's why we depart, and as Paul says in Romans one even though God has made his existence plain because he has shown it to them in the world that he is made, even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchange the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. You don't have to do it exactly the way the Gentiles of Paul's day did it to be an idolater. The point here is that we will worship anything and everything but the God who reveals himself in Jesus Christ. Unless when we hear that good news, which you find no corollaries for in any other religion that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting men's sins against them. When you hear that word and and believe it is only because of the grace of the Holy Spirit to give you the faith to believe it. Amen and brainiac good news is for you.

Thank you for your question men feel free to follow-up with us if you want to give us a call back. I was thinking Mike you know what are some helpful resources that we might be able to share with Brent on this. I don't rent on our on our website. Core, Christianity.com health are all sorts of articles related to the resurrection of Jesus brought one is how do we know Jesus rose from the dead and they don't go right there and look at look at the evidence is really amazing really cynical Christianity and we are talking about the Christian faith and in why it is that we believe these things is so important for us to understand this if you have a question give us a call at 1-833-843-2673.

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We can sit down and read one of these for a week. I think you'll find it to be edifying. So head over to core Christian.com or give us a call at 1-833-843-2673 we got a Facebook question from Joel.

He asked what you think. New believers really need to understand about worship. Oh well I would say preachers usually pick out three things because of three-point sermons been ongoing for it's about God. We are gathered by God summons. He's the king where the kingdom we come to hear what the triune God has to say to was not the clever ideas or opinions or experiences and uplifting stories of the preacher and what God has to say to us, list us out of our every day anxieties, the despair, self-righteousness, fears and guilt and shortsighted hopes he gives us a new story were swept by the Holy Spirit into this new creation as God recounts to us his faithfulness from generation to generation. So it's about God. Secondly it for us. It's not about us but it's for us. Worship doesn't actually come first when we go to church that we come to church to do this to give that we come primarily as doers know we come first and foremost as receivers worship is the reasonable response to the mercies of God. Romans 12 one. But first, God serves us is an amazing contrast that with Islam, and all sorts of other religions that it's all about our serving God will first and foremost. Christianity is about God serving us as Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist.

In John 13 to wash his disciples feet preaching his impending death for their salvation.

So he does that today by his word and his sacraments. He gives us a saving promise tied to a good bath and a meal.

Having proclaimed his promise and ratified that promise. He empowers us by his Holy Spirit to celebrate his grace in thanksgiving and praise, we come with our sins, we have public confession of sin confident in the word of pardon public absolution announcement of the forgiveness of sins we confess our common faith. Together we come with our burdens and cares and lay them at our father's feet together in public prayer us. Some of these prayers are said to some of more songs so that, as Paul says in Colossians 316, the word of Christ may dwell in you richly. That's why we sing in church so is all according to God's word.

That's the third thing. It has to be according to God's word.

It's about God. It's for us and it's according to God's word, every Royal assembly has its protocol. If you were a British subject someone to a state dinner with Queen Elizabeth, you'd be sent a protocol for how to conduct yourself, even the Queen's own family has a certain protocol they have to folly of Prince Philip house to walk a certain number of steps behind the Queen will Christ is our elder brother and we are his co-heirs. There's nothing that he possesses that he doesn't share in common with us. Not amazing, but he's also our king we do nothing in the public service that's not based on Scripture. And that's not because God is legalistic on the concrete because he wants to deliver his goods to us without us messing it up without us getting in there and blocking the delivery of his gifts with our own cleverness.

We don't have any right to usurp his authority and invent whatever form of worship we desire, and so that's the first and second commandment worship only God first commandment second commandment is worship that God the way he is commanded, and only in that way. And so then it leads us out. Finally, into the world as salt and light. The fourth point we worship God with our lives in our callings our lives in the world become a fragrant offering. Paul says that smell is a fragrance to those who are are being brought to faith and will be brought to faith, but a fragrance of death to those who hate the gospel and rejected it, Mike. I think that this really flips things on their head for a lot of people because so often today you hear worship is about. You don't don't ask what what you're going to get his is about what you're doing what you doing to contribute. What are you doing to be a part of course you know that there there are ways that we contribute and serve.

But it is a shocking first and foremost were coming to be served by God, and I think a lot of us.

We know when things were like Peter and John, 13 were thinking no Lord know you're not gonna wash my feet just such a humbling experience. And if we could picture church as were gathering together to be washed by Jesus.

I think that would change the way we view church for so many of us this really sort of leads us into an email that we got from Kelsey. She writes in Romans 213. It says that it's not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God with the doers of the law who will be justified. What your take on this is really interesting.

Here Paul is making a particular point in the early chapters of the book of Romans, and here's what the point is all humanity is guilty before God. Gentiles and Jews. Romans 213 Paul is saying that when it comes to being justified by the law, that is God's perfect standard of righteousness. Only those who do the law can be saved after listening right now and you're wondering do I need to cut in my justified have I kept the law good enough will.

Let me ask you the question. Have you loved God perfectly and perpetually, that is at all times and do you love your neighbor as yourself. If you're honest and I think you have to say. Just like I would have to say no and so by the works of the law no one will be justified, and Ethel Paul goes on to say he he says in Romans 324 by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

We can only be justified by the law.

If we keep the law. The problem is all of us have fallen short of it is a here's what God did and listen closely to this. He sent his son to keep the law perfectly in your place. God did what we failed to do any offers you a righteousness that is in your own through faith in Jesus Christ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans three 2324 is a Celtic Paul highlights our failure to keep the law so that he might point us to Jesus so that we might believe in him and look maybe your listening right now and you feel like you've in living the Christian life trying to earn God's acceptance by your law keeping your tired, your frustrated with your failures.

You feel like God standard is impossible to follow. I want to speak to you.

God sent his son Jesus to obey the law perfectly so that you would be accepted not on the basis of your works, but his and this doesn't mean no go and live like the devil.

It means rest and receive Christ work for you and then follow God as an act of gratitude.

Yeah, that's so beautifully put in. I think that's exactly right. Not saying that you can do this. The whole point is that only the doers of the law will be justified in no one's done it. It's interesting that you know the Jews are clapping and saying yeah you go get them. You know they engage in all kinds of immorality, debauchery, and so forth. Then he turns to the Jews, and he says look you have made God a laughingstock to the Gentiles, you who say do not do this.

Do you do it. Don't you realize you're not saved by having Judeo-Christian values. If you think your justified. The standard is doing everything that the law commands, and you don't your hypocrites.

I think that's exactly right.

And it's tragic that there are many people interpreting as if Paul is saying there are people who are doers of the law. Well, if that's true then we don't need Jesus.

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