Our world is home to several major religions with a multitude of factions within them. Christianity is the most diverse, with various forms of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant, and each of these three has a plethora of differing denominations. The next largest belief system is Islam, with Shia and Sunni factions. Then we have Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Atheism, and more. Many people openly confess they have their own personally-devised faith.
"Spiritual, but not religious," is a common refrain today. It's impossible to accurately number the endless proliferation of belief systems in a world of over eight billion human beings. For any thinking person, no matter what his faith, a question must arise: "How do I know that what I believe is true?" After all, doesn't everyone think that what he or she believes is true? But how can this be when we all believe something different? Can we all be right?
This is not a question from which we should shrink. If there is a God, does He accept any and all forms of belief systems? Can we dictate to Him that which He must accept? Think about it my friends. On this Tomorrow's World program, I'm asking and answering the question, "Is what you believe about God true?" And I'll be offering you our free booklet The Bible: Fact or Fiction, so be sure to have writing material available to take down our contact information.
And I'll be back in five seconds to show how you can know that what you believe about God is true. ♪ A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow's World, where today I'm asking and answering the critical question, "How can you know that what you believe about God is true?" Think about it, dear friends. Do you want to come to the end of your life only to find out that you were in error about the very purpose of your existence?
Yet, that must be the case for the overwhelming majority who have ever lived. What other conclusion can we come to when we look at the diverse and contradictory ideas of all the major, minor, and obscure religions extant in our world. Some people contend that all roads lead to heaven, but have you ever applied that logic to Detroit, London, or Beijing? And consider--not all religions agree on what the final destination is, nor on what one must do to get there.
Sheer logic tells us this is nonsense. So, what makes you think that you have the right answer? I've had to ask myself the same question, and frankly, I marvel at how easy it is to find out. However, there are two obstacles we must overcome up front.
Am I willing to sincerely face the question? And, Number 2: Where do I start to find the answer? Let's be honest with ourselves. None of us likes to admit that we're wrong. Christians believe truth is found in Christianity. But within Christianity, Catholics and Protestants believe their faith is correct. Muslims believe Islam holds the truth. Hindus believe Hinduism is the way. And atheists reject the very idea of God. So, whatever you believe, what makes you correct, and others wrong?
Have you taken a serious and objective look at the question and proved it for yourself? Because, if you sincerely question your long-held beliefs, you might not like the answer. And if you don't like the answer, what are the implications? What do you do about it? Will you admit error? Will you make difficult changes? If you're willing to question your long-held beliefs, where do you go to find the answers?
In the remainder of this program, I'll give you three keys to finding the answer to this vitally important question. Key #1: Prove for yourself whether God exists. Belief is one thing--proving your belief is something entirely different. If there is no all-powerful, all-knowing, Creator, there's no need to go further. Each of us is left to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong and what temporal meaning there is to life.
However, if the preponderance of the evidence demands an intelligent Creator, then it behooves us to seek to know Him and discover what He expects of us. Atheists assume they have the answer in evolution, but have they truly questioned that theory? Frankly, the evidence of God is all around us. Why is the moon 1/400th the size of the sun, but at the exact distance to allow for a total solar eclipse? Quite a coincidence.
Why is 70 percent of this planet bathed in water, which brings a multitude of benefits--some obvious, some not so obvious, and some of which we are still discovering? Why is water the only substance that commonly exists on earth as a liquid, solid, and gas? And why does freezing water defy the norm by expanding rather than contracting, allowing ice to float rather than sink? When we look at the perfection that abounds in creatures great and small, we recognize design, functionality, and beauty.
Did, as evolutionists assert, vegetarian, mammalian hippopotami and egg-laying, carnivorous crocodiles truly evolve from a common ancestor 55 million years ago? Why is it that these common ancestors, so vital to evolutionary theory, only exist in artists' imaginations and not in the fossil record? Then there's the whole subject of microbiology and proteins, the building blocks of life. How did DNA--the most sophisticated code known to man--evolve?
Steve Jobs needed intelligent humans to write code, but all code writers together cannot match the sophistication, precision, and conciseness of DNA. And how could evolution occur when DNA needs proteins, yet proteins did not exist apart from DNA? Which came first, and how did one survive while waiting for the other to evolve? In living cells, proteins are assembled by little "machines," which themselves are made of proteins.
Again, which came first, the assembly line or the proteins that make up the assembly line? Mathematically, it's impossible, as even evolutionists admit, for life to spontaneously arise from non-living material. The chance of it happening staggers the mind. It's estimated that the number of atoms in the known universe is 10 to the power of 78-82. That's a one followed by 78 to 82 zeros.
Yet, as evolutionist Bill Bryson explains, the odds of a typical protein self-assembling are one in 10 to the power of 260-- that's a one followed by 260 zeros. Now friends, do you understand what that means? Every time you add a zero, it multiplies the number ten times. So, the odds of just one type of protein self-assembling are--and let this sink in-- not just larger, but literally trillions upon trillions upon trillions of times greater than the number of atoms in the observable universe.
No wonder Bryson admits: By all the laws of probability proteins shouldn't exist. It's clear that matter came into existence at a point in time, and there's not been enough time for even a single cell to have evolved. So even though evolutionists admit that it is mathematically impossible, they have a standard answer to support their faith in the impossible: We're here, so it happened. Of course, that's a red herring, diverting attention from the relevant question.
Our existence is not in question. The real question is, how did we get here? I'll give you the other two keys needed to know that what you believe about God is truth, but I want to tell you about today's free offer-- The Bible: Fact or Fiction. Christianity, in all its forms, is thought to be drawn from the Bible, but increasing numbers of people, who claim the name of Christ, do not believe this book was inspired by God and they pick and choose which portions of it they care to believe.
The Bible: Fact or Fiction asks and answers whether this book can be trusted. If you prove to yourself that God exists, it's important to ask whether the book claiming to be His inspired word can be trusted. So, I challenge you to objectively search out the answer and The Bible: Fact or Fiction can greatly aid you in your search. So, pick up the phone and order your free copy of The Bible: Fact or Fiction. Or, you can go to our website-- TWTV.org/Bible to order a copy.
And when I come back, I'll give you the second key to proving whether what you believe about God is true. ♪ For today's free offer call... Or go to... This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. If you're calling for the first time, you will also receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's World magazine.
Six inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern culture will help you make sense of your world from a biblical perspective. Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. Call now! Or go to... ♪ On this Tomorrow's World program, I'm challenging you to prove whether what you believe about God is in fact true.
With all the divergent and contradictory faiths in the world, how can you know that what you believe is correct? After all, don't most people think that what they believe is right? Prior to the break I gave you the first key needed to prove whether what you believe about God is the truth or a lie. Key #1 was: Prove for yourself whether God exists. The evidence of God's existence is all around for anyone with an open mind and eyes to see.
In the previous segment I didn't even scratch the surface of all the proofs that God exists. Even apart from microbiology, proofs of God are everywhere. And this is why ancient King David rightly declared... The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." And the Apostle Paul wrote these stern words in Romans 1:18...
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 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."
If you want to know whether your belief system is correct, you need to prove God's existence. That is the first key. The second key is: Prove for yourself whether the Bible is truly the Word of God. Is it not logical to believe that if God exists, that He has a purpose for mankind and that He has not left us in the dark as to what that purpose is? How, if at all, has He revealed Himself to us?
Are we, who are so marvelously and wonderfully made, left to fend for ourselves with no revealed purpose for being? Or has our Creator given us a means by which His purpose is revealed? Time does not allow me to explore every holy book, but I will take time to address the Bible. One unique trait of this amazing book is fulfilled prophecy. No other book so accurately and clearly foretells events that have taken place, events that are currently taking place, and events to come.
We have covered many biblical prophecies in past Tomorrow's World programs and in our literature, but let me focus on one of the most remarkable prophecies-- found in the book of Isaiah. Here, God mocks all pretenders: Isaiah 44:24...
"Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolishness." He then projects into the future, after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, to the time when Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt.
God then names the Gentile king, who will release the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, and he does so 200 years in advance... [God] Who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, "You shall be inhabited," To the cities of Judah, "You shall be built," And I will raise up her waste places....
Who says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, 'You shall be built,' And to the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid.'" The account continues into chapter 45, explaining that Cyrus would subdue nations, and become very rich through his conquests--something that history supports. Let's pick it up in verse 3...
"I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me." Yes, through the prophet Isaiah, God called Cyrus by name and declared what he would do, well before Cyrus was born.
Viewers of Tomorrow's World know there are many other very specific prophecies for the end- time that are being fulfilled, even as I speak: Jerusalem will be a troublesome stone for the world. All nations will be gathered together against the Jews. A Jewish State will wield great military power. There exists instantaneous worldwide communications at the end of the age. And humanity is able to destroy all life from planet earth so says our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Most of you Tomorrow's World viewers are likely professing Christians. There are definite similarities between Christian denominations, but there are also massive differences. How can they all be right? Is "Just believe in Jesus" what the Bible tells us? Or is there more to it? But before answering that question, you must know whether the Bible is the reliable revelation of God. Our resource--The Bible: Fact or Fiction--will help you prove for yourself the answer to this important question.
So, be sure to order your free copy by calling the number on your screen, or going to TWTV.org/Bible. And when I come back after this 15-second break, I'll give you the third necessary key that you need to know whether what you believe is the truth... or not. ♪ This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of the Bible. Call now!
Or go to... ♪ Today, I'm asking the question, "How can you know that what you believe about God is true?" Doesn't everyone think his religious views are correct? Yet how can everyone be right when there are so many different ideas about God and religion in the world? Is there objective truth? And if so, how can you know that you have that objective truth? Thus far, I've given you two of three keys necessary to answer this question. Key #1: Prove for yourself whether God exists.
Key #2: Prove for yourself whether the Bible is truly the Word of God. These two keys prepare the way for the third vital key which can give you certainty that you have the truth, something that eludes so much of humanity. Key #3: Prove from the Bible what Jesus taught and how He lived. Now on the surface, most people think they already know, but do they?
The late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith asked: If Jesus of Nazareth were to return to the earth today, would He recognize the religion that is using His name? Would He be shocked to find that His professed followers believe doctrines totally contrary to what He taught, observe different days of worship and different customs, and--most importantly--have a totally different concept of God and of His purpose than Jesus and the original Apostles did?
When we compare modern professing Christianity, we find a religion in many aspects different from Jesus, His Apostles, and the early Church of God. No wonder Jesus gave false Christianity as His first sign of the end of the age. Matthew 24:4-5... "And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name [that is claiming they represent Him], saying, 'I am the Christ,' [in other words admitting that Jesus is the Christ or the Messiah] and will deceive many." Jesus challenged the people, even in His day: Luke 6:46... "But why do you call Me "Lord, Lord," and do not do the things which I say?" Yes, people call Jesus their Lord or Master, but do they really do what He taught?
Or do they reason around clear statements, such as this one found in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17-18... "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
Since time is limited, let me ask some serious questions for serious students of the Bible: Why don't professing Christians observe the seventh-day Sabbath that Jesus and His Apostles did? It is recorded three times that Jesus is "the Lord of the Sabbath," so why do people call Sunday, the Lord's day, when the Bible never does? Why is the birth of Christ celebrated on the birthday of the sun god, Mithra?
Why is the name of a pagan fertility goddess Ishtar (or Easter) attached to a most sacred Christian holiday? Why is Easter celebrated with fertility symbols such as eggs and rabbits-- something absolutely missing from the New Testament? And why are holidays originating in paganism substituted for the Holy Days Jesus and His Apostles kept? Just because we have believed something from an early age does not make it true.
Yet, how many are willing to challenge long-held beliefs passed down from generation to generation? There is God-ordained objective truth and you can know it, if you're willing to dust off your Bible and search it out. But you must first know that this book is reliable and reveals God's will for mankind. To help you do so, we are offering our eye-opening resource--The Bible: Fact or Fiction. It can be yours absolutely free for the asking.
Members of the Living Church of God, our co-workers, and donors have paid for the phone call, the printing, and the postage so that there is absolutely no cost to you and no one will ask you for a donation. So pick up the phone and call the number on your screen to receive your free copy of The Bible: Fact or Fiction. And when I come back, I'll read to you what scholars say about how the Christianity of the Bible is not the same as that which most people think it is.
♪ For today's free offer call... Or go to... This clear and straight-forward resource will help you understand this vital truth--straight from the pages of the Bible. If you're calling for the first time, you will also receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's World magazine. Six inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern culture will help you make sense of your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. Call now! Or go to... ♪ Before the break, I told you I would read to you what scholars say about Christianity as it has come down to us today. My guess is that if you are a viewer of Tomorrow's World, you believe in one form of Christianity or another. Probably only a very small percentage of our audience identifies as non-Christian.
That's why I have focused on the God of the Bible. Nevertheless, that does not negate my first two keys to know whether what you believe is true. You must: Key #1: Prove for yourself whether God exists. Key #2: Prove for yourself whether the Bible is truly the word of God. But when we come to key number 3 for a professing Christian audience, people become emotional and defensive. Pride gets in the way.
Most people would rather believe their long-held beliefs are right than admit error and change. But do you realize that God tells us that Satan has deceived the whole world, and Christianity, the most diverse of all world religions, is the largest belief system in the world. According to one source, it is estimated that Christianity will have over 2.63 billion adherents by the end of 2024. Which form of Christianity do you subscribe to?
With so much diversity within this largest of all religions, how can they all be right? Would it surprise you to know that according to many scholars, very few people today follow the founder of Christianity?
Respected mainline Protestant scholar Jesse Lyman Hurlbut points out that it didn't take long for Christianity to take a wrong turn: "For fifty years after St. Paul's life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest church-fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul."
More pointedly, philosopher and theologian Søren Kirkegaard wrote: "The Christianity of the New Testament simply does not exist.... what has to be done is to throw light upon a criminal offense against Christianity, prolonged through centuries, perpetrated by millions (more or less guiltily), whereby they have cunningly, under the guise of perfecting Christianity, sought little by little to cheat God out of Christianity, and have succeeded in making
Christianity exactly the opposite of what it is in the New Testament." And as noted historian Will Durant explains: "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it." Key #3 is: Prove from the Bible what Jesus taught and how He lived. Every denomination in professing Christianity claims it has the truth, but the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:4... "He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." Are you dear friends walking in the steps of Jesus? Are you sure? Prayerfully read your Bible and prove it for yourself. Also, be sure to order your free copy of The Bible: Fact or Fiction. It'll encourage you to know that you can rely on its words.
And join us next week when Wallace Smith, Rod McNair, and I bring you more good news of the Kingdom of God, explain exciting end-time prophecies, and reveal the plain truth straight from the pages of the Bible. See you next time. ♪ For today's free offer call... Or go to... Call today and join millions around the world who are turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times. The preceding program is produced by the Living Church of God. ♪