Defending the Christian Faith Blog

The Signs of Jesus Christ's Return

3/30/2014

Signs of Christ's return states:

"Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.'" —Acts 1:9-11 Other signs:

The coming of Christ will be instantaneous and worldwide. "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."—Matthew 24:27
The coming of Christ will be visible to all. "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." —Matthew 24:30
The coming of Christ will be audible. "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."—Matthew 24:31
The resurrection of the righteous will occur. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first."—1 Thessalonians 4:16
In one single event, the saved who are alive at Christ's coming will be caught up together with the resurrected to meet the Lord in the air. "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."—1 Thessalonians 4:17 (from Wikipedia online 6/2013)

Please note that the Coming of Jesus Christ is compared to the times of Noah. For it says in Matthew 24:37-39, "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (KJV) This is also consistent with the concept that as Jesus Christ will come to judge all those on the entire earth, so did God judge all those on the entire earth in the time of Noah with a worldwide Flood.

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Flood Stories From Around The World

3/17/2014

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There are stories of a flood similar to the Noah Flood Account found on every continent and many cultures throughout the history of man. They all contain 7-10 common elements. These are: 1) mankind sins, 2) god(s) get angry and plan to destroy mankind, 3) one man or group find favor in god(s) mind(s), 4) god(s) warns this man to build a boat or to flee to a place to escape the judgment, 5) the favored man (or group) take animals (and food) with them,
6) water is used to destroy mankind-in many stories all sinful mankind and other forms of life, 7) the flood comes and destroys the sinful people (except the favored ones) who are saved in a boat or get on a high mountain, 8) the waters abate, 9) the favored man (or group) come out and make a sacrifice, 10) a new group of mankind comes from the favored man (or people).All the stories apart from the biblical Noah Flood Account have certain fantastical components that make them less reliable than the true narrative biblical account of Noah. These anthropological findings are consistent with man developing from a common people group-Noah and his wife and their offspring (whoever was in the Ark). See JGL dissertation on this site.

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When Does A Unique Human Being Begin?

3/4/2014

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When does fertilized human tissue become worthy of "personhood"? many secular ethicists have taken the position that certain physiologic and psychologic characteristics must be present first. Up to that point the manipulation, experimentation, and resultant death of fertilized "clumps of cells" is acceptable as part of the process of improving the knowledge and medical care for those who already meet the requirements for protection as human beings with personhood. It is the opinion of the author of this website that the Bible is very clear as to when human life begins-fertilization of the ovum by the sperm, and that "personhood" begins at that time.
Psalm 139:13-16 KJV (JGL comments in parentheses)
13 "For You formed my inward parts; (Organ development)
You covered me in my mother’s womb.(The embryonic/fetal child in the placental sac.)
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,(The fetal child with the bony frame forming)
When I was made in secret,(Out of sight in David's day.)
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (The fertilized ovum implanted in the uterine wall.)
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.(The embryo without its bony structure.)
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them." (God has had a plan for every embryonic/fetal human being even before fertilization occurred and also before birth.Yet, sadly humans can cut short those plans.Note that development goes from verse 16 to 13)

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The Futility of Origins Research

3/3/2014

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Framing the Worlds by His Words (The Futility of Origins Research)

Billions of US dollars have been spent on “origins” research. Is the focus, regardless of spin off benefits, worth it? The Bible has much to say on this subject, in both the Old and the New Testament.
Consider what the Bible has to say about the “origins” of the earth and universe.

New Testament: Hebrews 11:1-3; 6, 7 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear….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…. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” KJV In the NASB vs. 3 reads, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

Old Testament: Gen.1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Terms: (Strong=Strong’s Concordance; NIDOTTE=New International Dictionary of Old Testament Terms)
New Testament Terms
Faith (Strong 4102) “pis’tis, [from 3982 pitho a prim. verb to convince by argument] “persuasion, i.e. credence; mor. conviction (of religious truth)
Substance (Strong 5287) Hupostasis; setting under support…assurance…substance.”
Worlds (Strong 165)”aion;…prop. an age; by extension perpetuity(also past); by impl. the world….”
Framed (Strong 2675)”katartismos…to complete thoroughly...or adjust,…fit frame (make) perfectly.”
Word (Strong 4487) “rhema…an utterance by impl. a matter or topic (espec. Of narration, command or dispute)…”
Are Seen (Strong 991) “A prim. verb; to look at (lit. or fig.):-behold…perceive…regard, see.”
Not (Strong 3361)” me, a prim. particle of qualified negation…” Made (Strong1096) ginomal;…prim verb; to cause to be…”
Which Do Appear (Strong 5315) “phaino;…to lighten (shine)…appear…be seen…”
Old Testament Terms
Beginning (Strong 7225) “re’shiyth…the first place, in place, time, order…beginning.”
God (Strong 430) elohiym…the supreme God…”
Created (Strong 1254) “bara” NIDOTTE says regarding ‘bara’ “Against this background[polytheism], Gen 1:1 appears as a thunderbolt: Israel's god is exclusive creator and sovereign of the entire cosmos (= "heaven and earth," a merismus) and is fundamentally distinguished from his nondivine creation. Moreover, this creation is entirely "good" (Gen 1:4, 9, 12, 31).”

Comment: The universe, in the beginning, was made by the words of God out of a non-material source. Thus it is futile to pursue research into the beginnings (“origins”) of all things for Paul clearly says it is by faith that we will understand that God created the universe. It was by the words of His mouth and that it was made out of something that is not visible. Man will not find a source for the beginning of the universe through the use of science. In Gen 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth. It is man’s obligation to simply acknowledge Him, in faith, as the Creator, for the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7. In Hebrews 11:6, 7 Noah is praised for his trust and obedience to God.

God Bless,
John G Leslie
7-15-13
Post script: By the very nature of science it can not be used to investigate or define past non-observed events. Science in observational in its very basic construct. See article on Religion, Philosophy, and Science and the Noah Flood Account on this website or online under that title.

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The Signs of Jesus Christ's Return

Flood Stories From Around The World

When Does A Unique Human Being Begin?

The Futility of Origins Research

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