A plea for Australia
Our nation Australia is on the verge of rebelling against God’s design and order for marriage. With the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Bill Shorten, spearheading changes to the definition of the marriage act – from being between a man and a woman, to that of a union between two people! This is due to be tabled in our parliament as early as the beginning of next week.
In the wake of this rebellion against God’s design for marriage and family is that the Christian faith is constantly ridiculed on all electronic media without any consideration for the views opposing these changes to the marriage act.
It seems as though debate, discussion; any alternate view is disallowed on the grounds of ‘religious fundamentalism’ or a lunatic Christian fringe. The basis of all derision of such Christian values being that the Bible is ‘old fashioned’ and simply a book of man’s old thoughts and ideologies. There is NO respect shown in any manner for the Christian faith or values and the Bible being the inerrant Word of God.
What has happened to our nation?
Is the Bible authoritative?
Does it need defending?
The great preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, said it well: “There is no need for you to defend a lion when he’s being attacked. All you need to do is open the gate and let him out!”
One of the most powerful claims to the Bible’s infallibility, inerrancy and authority is its effectiveness. The prophet Isaiah aptly describes the ability of Scripture to get results when he said, Isa 55:10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,
Isa 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
The Bible does what it says it will do! It changes people’s lives!
Science for example, the hydrological cycle. Rain or snow falls to the ground and runs off into streams, which runs into rivers, which run into the sea. Water evaporates from the surface of the ocean and returns to the clouds, where it become rain and snow which falls to the ground. This is what Isaiah said….
Archaeology proves the Bible’s accuracy. William F Albright, recognized throughout the world as the leading Palestinian archaeologist of the twentieth century, attests that there is little doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historical accuracy of the Old Testament tradition. For example, higher critics of Scripture doubted the Bible’s description of King Solomon’s wealth. But Archaeologist Henry Breasted, between 1925 and 1934, unearthed the remains of one of Solomon’s “chariot cities” at Megiddo on Northern Palestine.
Breasted found stables capable of holding 400 horses, also the remains of barracks for Solomon’s chariot battalions, which were stationed to guard a strategic path at Megiddo. Nelson Gluek, another archaeologist, found the remains of a huge refining factory for copper and iron, two metals Solomon used when bartering for gold, silver and ivory – See 1 Kings 9:28; 1022.
Theses are just a few examples of archaeology confirming the authority of the Bible.
Biblical prophecy is probably one of the strongest arguments for the validity of Scripture.
Peter W Stoner, a scientist and mathematician, utilized what he called “the principle of probability”. This principle holds that if the chance of one thing happening is one in M and the chance of another happening is one in N, the chance that they both shall happen is one in M x N. This equation is used in fixing insurance rates.
Stoner asked 600 of his students to apply the principle of probability to the biblical prophecy of the destruction of Tyre – see Ezek 26:3-16, which claims seven definite events:
1. Nebuchadnezzar would take the city.
2. Other nations would help fulfil the prophecy.
3. Tyre would be flattened like the top of a rock.
4. The city would become a place where fishermen would spread their nets.
5. Tyre’s stones and timbers would be laid in the sea.
6. Other cities would have great fear because of Tyre’s fall.
7. The old city of Tyre would never be rebuilt.
Using the principle of probability in a conservative manner, the students estimated the chances of all seven events occurring as described at one in 400 million, YET ALL SEVEN DID OCCUR!
Stoner’s students did a similar study on the prophecy that predicted the fall of Babylon – see Isaiah 13:19.
They estimated the chances of the Babylon prophecies occurring at one in 100 billion, but everything stated DID COME TO PASS!
To say the Bible is not the Word of God is simply an ignorant excuse of the truth.
The steps that Australia is about to take in regard to the destruction of the true definition of what marriage is, follows in the tragic footsteps of the re classifying of what constitutes a family.
Paul tells us, 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, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 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, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 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; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
So why this blog?
We the Church, have a task, an enormous responsibility that is to preach the Word of God, the good news of the Gospel of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. But our preaching needs prayer! Much prayer!
Our nation is about to be overshadowed with a cloud that has never before covered our land.
The problem is sin but thanks be unto God, Jesus Christ’s death on the cross has the power to cleanse a repentant man or woman from all sin!
May God help us to live for Him today in truth, in love and in the power of His Word.