7/22/19

"THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER" The Day Of The Lord (3:10-13) by Mark Copeland


"THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER"

The Day Of The Lord (3:10-13)

INTRODUCTION

1. In our previous study, we saw where Peter encouraged us not to be 
   troubled by those who scoff at the promise of the Lord's return:
   a. Remember that scoffers are to be expected - 2Pe 3:1-4
   b. Remember that God's Word is consistent - 2Pe 3:5-7
   c. Remember that God is not affected by time - 2Pe 3:8
   d. Remember that God is longsuffering, not slack - 2Pe 3:9

2. In verse 7, he briefly alluded to what will happen when the Lord returns:

   "But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept in store by
   the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and 
   perdition of ungodly men."

3. It is now in verses 10-13 that Peter describes our Lord's coming in
   greater detail...
   a. An event that is called "the day of the Lord" - 2Pe 3:10
   b. Now, there are some who believe that "the coming of Christ" and 
      "the day of the Lord" are actually two separate events...
      1) That "the coming of Christ" is a secret coming in which He 
         will "rapture" His saints
      2) And "the day of the Lord" is the final day of judgment which 
         occurs much later
   c. But Paul, like Peter, uses these expressions interchangeably...
      1) Having described "the coming of the Lord" and its implications
         for the righteous (1Th 4:13-18), Paul calls it "the day of 
         the Lord" as he discusses the timing of these events (1Th 5:
         1-4)
      2) A similar use of these terms is found in 2Th 2:1-2
   d. So as we turn to our text in 2Pe 3:10-13, we are considering 
      what is true about the coming our Lord Jesus, as promised in Ac 1:9-11

[What does the apostle Peter, who was among those who heard the promise
of the Lord's return as Jesus ascended into heaven, have to say about 
our Lord's coming?]

I. IT WILL BE "UNEXPECTED" (10a)

   A. LIKE "A THIEF IN THE NIGHT"...
      1. Paul used the same expression in 1Th 5:1-3
      2. And so did Jesus, in His Mt. Olivet discourse - Mt 24:42-44
      3. So the Lord's coming at the Last Day will be unexpected, with
         no warning

   B. BUT NOT FOR FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS!
      1. The day of the Lord should not "overtake you as a thief"
         - 1Th 5:4-6
         a. Not because they know the "day or hour" of His coming, nor 
            because of any revelation that pinpoints the time of His coming
         b. But because they heed the command to "watch!" - 1Th 5:6; 
            cf. Mk 13:32-37
      2. However, notice what Jesus said to those Christians who do NOT
         "watch" - Re 3:1-3
         a. They must "remember", "hold fast" and "repent"
         b. Otherwise, the Lord will come upon them as a thief as well!

[So the first thing Peter tells us about the day of the Lord is that it
will come unannounced, like "a thief in the night."  He also tells 
us...]

II. IT WILL BE "CATASTROPHIC" (10b, 11a, 12b)

   A. "THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY WITH A GREAT NOISE" (10b)
      1. While "the heavens" could refer to the atmosphere, I believe 
         it more likely refers to the universe, including the stars 
         (see below)
      2. The heavens will "pass away", or "disappear" (NIV, NEB), 
         "vanish" (MOFFAT)
         a. Consider Mt 24:35; Re 20:11; 21:1
         b. This certainly suggests that Peter is describing an 
            "annihilation" of the universe, and not simply a fiery 
            purification of it

   B. "THE ELEMENTS WILL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT" (10b, 11a, 12b)
      1. The "elements" likely signifies the celestial bodies 
         (sun, moon, stars)
      2. According to Jewish belief, in the last day even the stars 
         will be destroyed - cf. Isa 34:4 (The New Testament 
         Commentary, Peter and Jude, Kistemaker, p. 336)
      3. The term "melt" {luo}, in verse 10...
         a. Means "(lit. or fig.):--break (up), destroy, dissolve,
            (un-)loose, melt, put off"
         b. It is translated "dissolved" in verses 11 and 12
            1) "all these things will be dissolved"
            2) "the heavens will be dissolved being on fire"
      4. The term "melt" {teko}, in verse 12...
         a. Means "to liquefy"
         b. As translated in The Emphasized New Testament (J. B. 
            Rotherham):  "...the elements becoming intensely hot are to
            be melted"

   C. "THE EARTH AND THE WORKS THAT ARE IN IT WILL BE BURNED UP" (10b)
      1. Having described the destruction of the universe, attention is
         now given to the earth in particular
      2. Some manuscripts have the phrase "laid bare" for "burned up"
      3. This has led some to suppose that Peter is describing only a 
         purification of the universe, not an annihilation of the 
         present order
      4. But as we have seen, both the immediate context ("pass away",
         "melt", "dissolve", in 2Pe 3) and the remote context ("pass
         away", "no place found for them", Re 20:11; 21:1) speaks 
         strongly for annihilation - cf. also He 12:25-29

[The "day of the Lord" will truly be a cataclysmic end to the earth and
universe as we know it!

Should this be cause for despair?  Not at all, for Peter also tells us 
that...]

III. IT WILL "USHER IN A NEW ORDER" (13)

   A. "A NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS"
      1. This "new order" is described more fully by John in Re 21:1-5
      2. It includes "the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of 
         heaven" for which...
         a. Old Testament saints looked forward - He 11:10,13-16
         b. New Testament saints were said to seek - He 13:14
      3. Indeed, this "new heavens and new earth" with its "heavenly 
         city" is the ultimate destiny of the redeemed!

   B. "ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE"
      1. We look forward to this "new heavens and new earth" because of
         God's promise
      2. Which promise?  The only promise made concerning such things 
         prior to Peter and John's is that found in Isa 65:17-25;66:22-24
         a. In which the same themes are discussed as those found in Re 21-22
         b. But in language and figures that would have provided 
            special comfort to the Israelites of Isaiah's day
      3. If Peter is indeed alluding to the promises of God through
         Isaiah, there is an important implication...
         a. Isaiah not only foretold events pertaining to the
            "inauguration" (the first coming) of the Messianic age
            - e.g., Isa 2:2-4; 7:14; 9:6-7
         b. Isaiah also foretold events pertaining to the "culmination"
            (the second coming) of the Messianic age 
             - e.g., Isa 65:17-25; 66:22-24
         c. And some passages in Isaiah - e.g., Isa 11:6-9...
            1) Which the premillenialist applies to a 1000 year reign
               on earth
            2) And some amillenialists apply to the current "Christian age"
            ...may in fact have reference to the "new heavens and new 
            earth" of which Peter and John speak!

[In any case, we certainly have the promise of Peter and John of the 
"new heavens and new earth" as found in the New Testament.

And without question an important implication of this promise which 
will be fulfilled in the day of the Lord is that...]

IV. IT SHOULD INSPIRE HOLY LIVING (11b, 12a)

   A. WE OUGHT TO BE PEOPLE OF "HOLY CONDUCT AND GODLINESS" (11b)
      1. Everything we may acquire in this life will be "dissolved" 
         (our wealth, our fame, our physical relationships)
      2. The only thing that has "promise of the life to come" is 
         GODLINESS - 1Ti 4:8
      3. HOLY CONDUCT is able to "store up...a good foundation for the 
         time to come" - 1Ti 6:17-19

   B. WE OUGHT TO BE "LOOKING FOR AND HASTENING THE COMING OF THE DAY 
      OF GOD" (12a)
      1. If we "look for new heavens and a new earth" (v.13), we 
         should certainly "look for...the coming of the day of God"!
      2. Indeed, we should "hasten" the coming of that great day!
         a. It may be that "hastening" means "earnestly desiring" the 
            day of the Lord
         b. But it can also mean in this passage "to speed its coming"
            1) Is it possible to shorten the time set for the coming of
               the Lord?
            2) If the delay is due to God's longsuffering so that men 
               can repent, what if they repent?  Would there be reason 
               to delay any longer?
         c. Not only can we pray for the Lord to come (1Co 16:22), 
            but Peter says elsewhere that we may do something to speed 
            His coming! - cf. Ac 3:19-21
            1) "Repent therefore and be converted..."
            2) "...that He may send Jesus Christ..."

CONCLUSION

1. According to Peter, then, "The Day Of The Lord" will be...
   a. A day that is unexpected
   b. A day that will be cataclysmic
   c. A day that will usher in a new order
   d. A day for which we ought to look and hasten

2. Peter does not describe all the events that will occur on thatday...
   a. He says nothing about the resurrection, though that is clearly implied
   b. He says little about the judgment per se, though it too is an 
      important feature
   ...but what he says is adequate to encourage us to consider how we 
   shall respond

3. How shall we respond to the words of Peter?  I know of three 
   possible ways...
   a. We can mock them
   b. We can ignore them, delaying obedience, and likely be found unprepared
   c. We can humbly heed them, responding to God's longsuffering 
      through obedience to the gospel
   -- Just as there were three different reactions to the preaching of
      Paul - cf. Ac 17:30-31

Dear friend, how will YOU respond...?


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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The Universe—A “Waste of Space”? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=1207


The Universe—A “Waste of Space”?

by Dave Miller, Ph.D.


“The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be” (Sagan, 1980, p. 4). So begins Carl Sagan’s immensely popular book and PBS television series, Cosmos. A more atheistic, humanistic, materialistic declaration could not be spoken. Sagan (1934-1996), who was an astronomer at Cornell University who lived his entire life resistant to the possibility of God and an afterlife, maintained his unbelief—in the words of his third wife—“unflinching” to the end (Sagan, 1997, p. 225). She, herself, finds comfort after his passing “without resorting to the supernatural” (p. 228).
When people reject or avoid the implications of the created order—i.e., that it is logically the result of a Supreme Creator—they have inevitably “exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). Skeptical of the survival of the Earth at the mercy of Homo sapiens, Sagan turned his attention to an almost obsessive dedication to finding answers and solutions from life forms beyond Earth. In his own words: “In a very real sense this search for extraterrestrial intelligence is a search for a cosmic context for mankind, a search for who we are, where we have come from, and what possibilities there are for our future—in a universe vaster both in extent and duration than our forefathers ever dreamed of ” (Sagan, 1973, pp. ix-x).
Less than a year after his death, Hollywood released a movie (on July 11, 1997) based on Sagan’s novel, Contact (1985). The film’s central character, Dr. Eleanor Arroway (played by Jodie Foster), is surely the embodiment of the formative experiences, philosophical perspectives, and spiritual beliefs of Sagan himself. On three separate occasions in the film, a pseudo-intellectual remark, obviously designed to defend the naturalistic explanation of the existence of the Universe while ridiculing the Christian viewpoint, is offered up to viewers. As a child, “Ellie” asks her father if life exists out in the Universe, to which he responds: “Well, if there wasn’t, it’d be an awful waste of space.” As an adult, she converses with Palmer Joss (played by Matthew McConaughey), and, staring up at the starry Puerto Rican sky, expresses her confidence in the evolution of other life forms elsewhere in the Universe: “If just one in a million of those stars has planets, and if only one in a million of those has life, and if just one in a million of those has intelligent life, then there are millions of civilizations out there” (as cited in Bohlin, 1998). [Of course, the scientific evidence does not support this conclusion—see Bohlin, 2002]. Ellie is pleasantly stunned when Joss repeats the same line that her father uttered to her when she was a child. Near the close of the film, Ellie speaks the line again to a group of school children when asked if life exists in space.
This triple declaration was obviously intended to offer a “logical” proof that, rather than looking to some supernatural Being Who is transcendent of the Universe, humans had best recognize that the only life beyond planet Earth are those life forms that have evolved (like our own) on other planets in far off galaxies. The materialist is forced to follow Sagan’s presupposition: life must exist elsewhere in the Universe since there is no God. If there is a God Who created life only on Earth, then He was guilty of poor teleological design—creating a vast physical realm that serves absolutely no purpose—and thus producing a nearly infinite realm of “wasted space.”
But wait! The Bible long ago anticipated the skepticism of the materialist astronomer. At the creation of the Universe, God said: “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth” (Genesis 1:14-15). The luminaries that God made included the stars: “God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night” (vss. 17-18). One very specific function of the stars that occupy space far beyond our solar system is illumination (cf. Psalm 136:9). They are “light-bearers” (Keil and Delitzsch, 1976, 1:56; Leupold, 1950, p. 71).
Another very specific purpose of the vastness of space is seen in the multiple declarations regarding the infinitude of God and the evidence that points to His existence, His glory, His eternality, and His power. Paul affirmed very confidently that “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). It is absolutely incredible—and, according to Paul, inexcusable—for a rational human being to contemplate the magnitude of the Universe and the vastness of space, and then to reject the only logical, plausible explanation for it all: God. Indeed, atheism, evolution, and humanism are simply more sophisticated forms of the polytheism that has plagued humanity for millennia. Moses warned the Israelites of this very thing: “[T]ake heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage” (Deuteronomy 4:19). Evolutionary astronomy assigns an inflated value to the vastness of space by postulating that it can provide mankind with an alternative explanation for the existence of life—an explanation that absents God. Any such postulation ultimately amounts to idolatry.
David, too, paid homage to the glory of the Creator, as evidenced by the eloquent symphony of the majestic Universe that is played perpetually—twenty-four hours a day:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat (Psalm 19:1-6; cf. 74:16-17; 136:7-8).
Separate and apart from the latest evidence that confirms the movement of the Sun through space (see Thompson, 2001, p. 46), these verses reaffirm the fact that the created Universe loudly announces the existence of the Universe-Maker. David also declared: “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, You have set Your glory above the heavens! …When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:1,3). God “stretched out the heavens like a curtain” (Psalm 104:2). No wonder even a philosopher on the order of Immanuel Kant observed: “Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and more steadily we reflect on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me” (as quoted in Geisler, 1983, p. 59).
A third biblical explanation for the creation of the vast Universe was hinted at by God Himself in the attitude-adjusting lecture He delivered to Job: “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion? Can you lead forth a constellation in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you fix their rule over the earth?” (Job 38:31-33). Notice the action terms that are used to refer to the movement of the constellations: bind, loose, lead forth, and guide. Observe also the “laws of the heavens” and their relationship to “ruling over the earth” (see Gaebelein, 1988, 4:1037,1042). These verses imply that the heavenly bodies have been deliberately orchestrated, modulated, and regulated by the Creator to serve a purpose or purposes far beyond our present understanding. The text seems to hint that Earth’s status, with its living beings, is somehow affected by the phenomena of the cosmic bodies. Even as the comprehension of scientists has been lacking through the centuries on many features of the physical realm, only eventually to discover the meaning that lay behind observable phenomenon, even so our present comprehension of space is woefully inadequate to justify passing judgment on the intentionality and teleology that lie behind many astronomical phenomena.
Evolutionists have far better arguments with which to attempt to prop up their atheistic stance (the “problem of evil” being the strongest, though refutable—see Warren, 1972). The “wasted space” argument is anemic, pitiful, and hardly worthy of rebuttal. However, since they brought it to our attention, the Christian is once again reminded of the unfathomable attributes of the great God Who stands above and beyond this vast physical realm. The immensity and vastness of the Universe only spurs the rational mind to marvel at the One whose own metaphysical transcendence surpasses the visible. In the words of the psalmist: “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness (145:5-6). “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:4-5). Isaiah agreed: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power” (40:26).

REFERENCES

Bohlin, Ray (1998), “Contact: A Eulogy to Carl Sagan,” [On-line], URL: http://www.probe.org/docs/contact.html.
Bohlin, Ray (2002), “Are We Alone in the Universe?”, [On-line], URL: http://www.probe.org/docs/lifemars.html.
Gaebelein, Frank E., ed. (1988), The Expositor’s Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
Geisler, Norman L. (1983), Cosmos: Carl Sagan’s Religion for the Scientific Mind (Dallas, TX: Quest).
Keil, C.F. and F. Delitzsch (1976 reprint), Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Leupold, Herbert C. (1950 reprint), Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
Sagan, Carl (1997), Billions and Billions (New York: Random House).
Sagan, Carl (1985), Contact (New York: Simon and Schuster).
Sagan, Carl (1980), Cosmos (New York: Random House).
Sagan, Carl, ed. (1973), “Introduction,” Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence [CETI] (MIT Press).
Thompson, Bert (2001), In Defense of the Bible’s Inspiration (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), second edition.
Warren, Thomas B. (1972), Have Atheists Proved There Is No God (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press).

The Universe Just Got Much Bigger—On Paper by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=1016


The Universe Just Got Much Bigger—On Paper

by Kyle Butt, M.Div.


Every now and then I come across an article on modern “scientific” findings that absolutely stuns me, not necessarily because of the newest “findings,” but because of how casually information that was declared to be so scientifically accurate can be disregarded with a few computer keystrokes. Last week research was discussed that will forever change the way we look at the Universe (if you read the right article), and the irony is that you probably are not even aware of it.
For many years, cosmologists (scientists who study the Universe and its supposed origins) have explained to us that our Universe appears to be approximately 28 billion light years across. A light year is the distance light travels in one year. Since light travels at about 186,000 miles per second, the distance it covers in one year is about 5.9 trillion miles. That means if light were to start at one end of our Universe, travelling 186,000 miles per second, it would take 28 billion years to get to the other side. At least that is what we have been told for about a decade.
New studies, however, indicate that cosmologists have been wrong, on a grand scale, about the size of our Universe. Last week, Ed Oswald wrote an article for Yahoo! Tech titled, “How Big is the Universe? Attempting to Answer One of Astronomy’s Most Complex Questions.” In the article, he explained the complicated processes of how cosmologists attempt to measure the size of the Universe. Using the latest information, he wrote, “Physicists…now believe the radius of the observable universe is now roughly 46.5 billion light years away.”1 That is much bigger than we were told it appeared in years past. But Oswald does not stop there. He goes on to make clear that the galaxies that we see at the edge of our Universe are too “well-formed” to have appeared immediately following the Big Bang. (He incorrectly assumes the reality of the Big Bang.)2 That being the case, he mentions researchers at Oxford who believe that our Universe could be “as big as 250 times the size of our observable universe. Try to wrap your mind around that.”3
So what does all this mean? First, it shows us the serious limitations of science. We are often told to bow to the modern dating methods of the Universe, conform to the “real science” that proves the Bible false, and admit the validity of “current scientific findings.” Yet, we learn every day how limited and incorrect these often are. We are told that such is the nature of science; that it is a “self-correcting” endeavor, so that the most current material must be accurate. That simply is not the case. Many times, what passes for science in cosmology is not self-correcting, it is self-refuting. What we learn from situations in which the size of the Universe can greatly expand on paper is that those researchers who purported to present scientific facts about the Universe’s age, size, or composition were giving us nothing of the sort. They were wrong, the whole time. What happens, then, to the person who demanded that we shove the “modern scientific findings” into the biblical account and make it fit? He is left holding a battered Bible in one hand, and useless, “outdated” (read that as false) cosmology in the other.
Furthermore, the better we understand the Universe, the more we realize that atheistic, Big Bang explanations are not scientifically adequate to explain its origin. Before this latest “discovery,” the atheistic understanding of the origin of the Universe already had a real problem explaining how a tiny “singularity” could explode and bring into existence a 28-billion-light-year Universe. Now the problem has been further compounded, since the Universe appears to be much larger, maybe even 250 times bigger for all we know. Atheism’s conundrum is that to get a 93-billion-light-year Universe from a tiny singularity violates the Law of Cause and Effect that says for every material effect there must be a cause that was greater than it. What in the world is big enough to give us a 93-billion-light-year Universe? A tiny singularity smaller than the period at the end of this sentence is not a legitimate, scientific answer.
The apostle Paul wrote, “For since the creation of the world His [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead.” The only plausible explanation for a Universe that is 93 billion light years across is an eternal, all-powerful Creator.

ENDNOTES

1 Ed Oswald (2016), “How Big is the Universe? Attempting to Answer One of Astronomy’s Most Complex Questions,” Yahoo! Tech, https://www.yahoo.com/tech/big-universe-attempting-answer-one-230016820.html.
2 Branyon May, et al. (2003), “The Big Bang—A Scientific Critique,” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=1453&topic=57.
3 Ibid.

The Universe and Its Laws by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2206

The Universe and Its Laws

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


In a recent issue of New Scientist titled “How the Universe Got Its Laws and Our Surprising Role in Shaping Them,” Paul Davies of Arizona State University made some observations that creationists find noteworthy, given his prominence as an evolutionist. He described the alleged 13.7 billion-year-old Universe (2007, 194[2610]:30), which supposedly is the result of mindless, naturalistic, random processes, as “uniquely hospitable” (p. 30), “remarkable” (p. 34), and “ordered in an intelligible way” (p. 30). He admitted to the many examples of “uncanny bio-friendly ‘coincidences’” and “fine-tuned properties” of the Universe (p. 30). He then wrote: “Like Baby Bear’s porridge in the story of Goldilocks, our universe seems ‘just right’ for life. It looks, to use astronomer Fred Hoyle’s dramatic description, as if ‘a super-intellect has been monkeying with physics’” (p. 30).
Still, although Davies admitted that it appears a being of “super-intellect” lies behind the law-driven Universe, he pressed on to find a natural phenomenon to explain “why the universe is as it is” (p. 31). To Paul Davies and other evolutionary scientists, any explanation outside of nature itself is a cop-out. The laws of physics that govern the Universe, and that “are strangely independent of the universe,” must have a naturalistic explanation. So how did the Universe get its laws?
Davies conveniently suggested that we must abandon the orthodox view that the laws of physics are immutable and universal. “Laws” of physics must be considered “flexi-laws.” If you concede this possibility, then the “laws of physics are inherent in the physical universe, and emerge with it” (p. 33, emp. added). The laws “start out unfocused, but rapidly sharpen and zero in on the form we observe today as the universe grows” (p. 33). “[W]ith flexi-laws,” Davies suggested, “the way lies open for a self-consistent explanation” (p. 34).
The fuzzy primordial laws focus in on precisely the form needed to give rise to the living organisms that eventually observe them. Cosmic bio-friendliness is therefore the result of a sort of quantum post-selection effect extended to the very laws of physics themselves (p. 34).
In other words, the laws of physics just evolved to their current status like everything else in the Universe.
While several evolutionary scientists around the world continue to spend countless hours and untold amounts of money “attempting to place the concept of flexi-laws and quantum post-selection on sound mathematical footing” (p. 34), the fact remains that laws of science are called “laws” for a reason: there is no known exception to them. In truth, Davies’ thoughts are no more rational than those of biologists who testify to the law of biogenesis, but then conclude that millions of years ago life must have spontaneously generated.
Davies and others apparently cannot tolerate the thought of the absence of a naturalistic explanation for the origin of our law-driven Universe. When all naturalistic explanations fail to clarify what exists, instead of rationally concluding what such results imply (i.e., that their must be a Supernatural explanation separate and apart from the physical Universe), men like Davies simply come up with another new complicated theory that defies both natural law and common sense.
Naturalistic explanations for the Universe and its laws leave an explanatory void that only a Supernatural Being (i.e., God) can fill. Indeed, laws demand a lawgiver. “The things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, emp. added).
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20, emp. added).

REFERENCES

Davies, Paul (2007), “Laying Down the Laws,” New Scientist, 194[2610]:30-34, June.

Teachings of Jesus (Part 18) Sign of Jonah Luke 11:27-32 by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1828

Teachings of Jesus (Part 18) Sign of Jonah

Luke 11:27-32
After Jesus drove a demon out of a man, some of His skeptics accused Him of freeing him by the power of Beelzebub, or the prince of demons. They were basically accusing Jesus of being in league with the devil.
After giving a short discourse on how illogical that kind of thinking was, He lets them know the reason why He is able to drive the demon our was because He was simply more powerful than the demons and their master.
In a brief parable, in vss. 24-26, He also lets them know that once a person is set free from that which bound him, one needs to protect himself by filling himself with good and holy things and not stay unoccupied for long. Otherwise the person may find themselves enslaved again. Simply put the devil is not going to just leave you alone just because Jesus set you free but will do his best to find a way get control and enslave you once again.
After this discourse a lady in the crowd was very moved and had something nice to say. But rather than just accepting what she had to say as a complement He came back with another teaching.
11:27-28 says “As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.””
Please don’t under estimate the value of what Jesus said here. I believe it’s one of the most important teachings we find in the Bible. There is none more blessed than those who, #1 have the opportunity to hear the word of God. And #2, are wise enough to obey it.
There are untold millions who never had the opportunity to read or hear God word. Not knowing the truth many have floundered about not knowing the purpose of life and why we are here, and many have gone as far as creating their own religion with made up Gods.
Many times we just take it for granted just how blessed we are to have such free access to God’s word and the freedom and ability to study it.
But it’s one thing to read it, hear it, and study it, and it’s quite another thing to obey it. I believe Jesus wanted them and us to know that’s where one is really blessed, by obeying it.
There have been many who have read God’s word, studied it for years, and maybe even memorized it. But because they have fallen short of obeyed it, they short change themselves of one of the greatest blessings one could receive. Sad to say many of these people are in churches each Sunday.
What Jesus has to say next section deals with this issue. He says in Vss. 29-32 “As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.”
Talk about calling the kettle black. He said, “This is an wicked generation.”  After performing this wonderful miracle, and after confronting His critics about their false accusations. Jesus can see the crowd increasing in size. Maybe they were wondering ‘What is He going to do next… I want to see.’
Did you ever notice how much people like to be entertained in one way or another. I always thought if you could invent a new form of entertainment you’d make a fortune. People almost seem starved for entertainment. I guess that’s why movies and television are such a hit. TV is a fairly easy and inexpensive form of entertainment. I read some interesting stats this week:
  • Children aged 2-11 watch over 24 hours of TV per week, while adults aged 35-49 watch more than 33 hours, according to data from Nielsen that suggests TV time increases the older we get.
  • The average American watches more than five hours of live television every day.
  • Once we pass 65, we watch more than seven hours a day.
–          The average American also spends, an hour using the Internet on a computer, an hour and seven minutes on a smart phone and two hours, 46 minutes listening to the radio.
Well back in Jesus’ time they did not have television, the internet, radios, and smart phone. So when someone special or interesting came to town, especially if they could put on a performance of any kind, well people would flock to see them.
But Jesus gave them a earful when He called them a wicked generation. ‘Basically All you want to see is a miraculous sign but none will be give to you except the sign of Jonah.’
And then He goes on and says, “30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.”
Do you remember the story of Jonah? Most of us remember the story of how Jonah was swallowed by that big fish because He was trying to run from the Lord and his duty and responsibilities which the Lord gave him; and that was to go and preach to those evil people in Nineveh.
Well, he was humbled and learned a lesson down in the belly of that fish and ended up in Nineveh and preached a very short and to the point message from the Lord. He basically preached, “At the end of forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
It goes on to say in chap. 3, The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, put on sackcloth, and sat on ashes. He issued a proclamation and said, “In Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles: No human or animal, cattle or sheep, is to taste anything; they must not eat and they must not drink water. Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly to God, and everyone must turn from their evil way of living and from the violence that they do. Who knows? Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we might not die.” 10 When God saw their actions—they turned from their evil way of living!—God relented concerning the judgment he had threatened them with and he did not destroy them.”
Jonah and his message from God had become a sign to the Ninevites of their impending doom and that they needed to change. Getting swallowed by that fish wasn’t a sign for the Ninevites, that was to humble Jonah. Jonah and his message from God was what they needed, and what they chose to do next determined their fate. They could have ignored Jonah and God’s word, but instead they decided to change their lives, unlike many of the Jews in Jesus’ time.
And so Jesus goes on say, 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.”
I can almost hear Jesus saying, ‘I can’t believe you guys. God’s one and only son is here in your presence, your Messiah, and all you want to see is another miracle? What about wanting to hear God’s word and then obeying it? Are you all that shallow?’
And what I learned from this lesson and what I would like to share with you today is that we have to careful not to be as shallow.
What we do here should not be all about seeking to be entertained. There are some churches out there that do their best to entertain members with professional musicians and amusing preachers, skits and having give-a-ways to keep their attendance up. Why? Because they know that people like to be entertained, they crave it. Is good Christian music and socially pleasing sermons pleasing to the ear? Of course they are. They are meant to be. I would imagine that there are some musicians and preachers that serve in this capacity and believe they are using their talent to Glorify God.
But members going to church and Christianity itself should never be about seeking to be entertained. What you get out of gathering together as a church to worship should take a far second place to what you come to give when you gather together.
The very idea and definition of worshipping God means to adore, show honor, respect, to pay homage to our Lord and God. That’s the primary purpose why Christians should gather together. Because we love and appreciate God and that which He has done for us, we gather to offer up prayer thanksgiving, and songs of praise. The Hebrew letter also mentions the fact that while we gather it is important that we also encourage and support one another.
And I believe that the good feelings you get from going to church should come from that fact that you are drawing closer to God and other members who want to do the same, not because you were entertained by a cute sermon or musical performance; both of which were foreign to first and 2nd century Christian church.
And like Jesus said, we are blessed if we “hear the word of God.”  I believe that’s why it’s important to hear God’s word read each Sunday and hear a good Bible based sermon which is meant to help you understand what God is saying in certain passages like this. But hearing the Word is one thing, and I believe Jesus wants us to know that real blessings comes when a person takes God’s owrd to heart and does his or her best to obey it.
So my encouragement this day is; try not to fall into the trap of seeking to be entertained when it comes to church and your Christian walk. We also live an evil generation that’s looking for miraculous signs and wonder, and wants to be entertained. But the wonderful miraculous sign has already been given; Jesus rose from the dead.09 If we believe and obey God’s word He will wipe away every sin that we have ever committed, and one day those who choose to obey will be gathered together with Him in Glory. And yes, you will be blessed.
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566
All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com

The hour of His judgment has come by Roy Davison

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/judgment.html

The hour of His judgment has come

Maybe we should write on our calendar: Appointment with God - any day now! “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’” (1 Peter 4:17, 18).

All of us are accountable to God.

Life is passing by. The time of judgment is drawing near. God allowed John to look into the future and see the day of judgment: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).
Every person who has ever lived, will stand before God in judgment. Since Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the Serpent, man has been trying to blame someone or something else for his deeds. But God holds each person accountable for his own actions and words.
Jesus warned: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36, 37).
This is a sobering thought. We are responsible for every word we speak! Not satisfied with the superabundance of idle words in real life, we have even made talking machines: radios, TVs, computers, DVD and mp3 players, to name a few. Who is responsible for the words spoken by these machines? Those who create the content are, of course, responsible for creating the content. But we who operate the buttons, keys and mouse are responsible for what is actually seen and heard. Since we must give account for every idle word, will not God hold us responsible for the words and images we produce with our machines?
We have an appointment with God: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28, 29).

We will be judged by the things written in the books.

“And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:12). If we are wise, we will be concerned about the content of those books!
Jesus said: “If anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:47, 48).
The word of Christ will judge us on the last day! Yet many people spend little time or effort to learn what the Holy Scriptures say. And others who know what the Scriptures teach, reject and ignore the word of God. How unwise this is. We are rushing toward the day of our death, rushing toward the day of judgment when we all must give account to God.
Conscious of the coming judgment, Paul wanted to please God, and he encouraged others to do the same: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:9-11).

The wicked will be punished.

On earth, many who commit atrocities go unpunished, but no one will escape the judgment of God. The “righteous judgment of God” is coming “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:5-9).
John was shown a vision of eternal punishment: “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name’” (Revelation 14:9-11).

Political rulers who wade through blood to come to power will not escape the judgment of God.

Dirty politicians, unrighteous judges and crooked police who pervert justice will not escape the judgment of God.

La Casa Nostra Mafia families who corrupt whole nations and destroy millions of lives with drugs and immorality to enhance their ‘own thing’ will not escape the judgment of God.

Executives who enrich themselves and their companies at the expense of the poor, and have little concern for the welfare of their workers will not escape the judgment of God.

Industrialists who rape the earth and poison the environment to line their pockets, will not escape the judgment of God.

Manufacturers and users of guns, bombs and land mines that maim and destroy men, women and children will not escape the judgment of God.

Shady businessmen and dishonest workmen who cheat customers and employers will not escape the judgment of God.

Men and women who commit fornication and adultery, who destroy families, and make children insecure will not escape the judgment of God.

Abortionists, child molesters, murderers, thieves and liars will not escape the judgment of God.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1:18). “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:28-32).
Now you may be thinking: “I’m glad I’m not a terrible person like that! Since I don’t do real bad things, I’m ok with God.” But any bad things done separate one from God.

All are sinners and can be saved only by Christ. 

Some people think that just because they are religious they are saved. That is what the Jewish people thought in the time of Christ. But listen to what He told them: “There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish’” (Luke 13:1-5).
Only through Jesus can we escape condemnation on the day of judgment: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith” (Romans 3:22-25). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
We deserve to die because of our sins. Jesus, who was without sin, died in our place to pay the penalty for our sins, so we can be forgiven. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27, 28).
Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).
After His resurrection, Jesus told His followers to proclaim this good news to everyone: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15, 16). “Gospel” means “good news.”
When Peter was asked “What must we do?” he replied: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).
After being born again of water and the Spirit (John 3:3-5), the redeemed dedicate the rest of their lives to serving God: “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:17-23).

Yes, the hour of His judgment has come.

We are all accountable to God for what we have done. One day we must stand before His throne to be evaluated on the basis of what is written in the books. We are all sinners and need salvation that is available only through Christ. To escape condemnation, we must repent, confess our faith in Him and be baptized for the forgiveness of our sins. Then we must dedicate the rest of our lives to serving God. 
“I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people - saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water’” (Revelation 14:6, 7). Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers, unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Thankful by Gary Rose



Bruce Arnold sent me this picture the other day; wow, that’s hot. And I thought the summer in Florida was almost unbearable. Central New Jersey is worse this year. At that moment I remembered: No matter how bad things seem, someone is worse off than you are and I should be thankful.

The Psalmist has said…


Psalm 118 ( World English Bible )
 1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
for his
loving kindness endures forever.
  
2 Let Israel now say
that his
loving kindness endures forever.
  
3 Let the house of Aaron now say
that his
loving kindness endures forever.
  
4 Now let those who fear Yahweh say
that his
loving kindness endures forever.


Loving kindness” is just another way of saying “Mercy” and God shows his mercy to us in many ways on a daily basis. Do we have enough food to eat, a place to live, or a job to go to. Many, many people long for these things. In fact, Americans are truly blessed among all the peoples of the earth.

Today, I will try to appreciate the 90 plus temperatures of Florida, knowing that there are other places who have to endure temperatures far worse. I will remember that God is merciful to me in a host of ways and that his mercy is in fact, loving kindness. Praise God for all the good that HE does for me everyday; and let me be truly thankful!