April 2000 New Horizons

Why We Believe in God

by Alan D. Strange

We believe in God because God has revealed himself to us. How has God revealed himself? He has revealed himself in creation (which we call general revelation ) and in the Holy Scriptures (which we call special revelation ). General Revelation In Psalm 19:1 we read that God has revealed himself in creation itself: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork." We also read in Romans 1:19-20 that "what may be known of God is manifest.... 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." This general revelation of God in creation is objective: God has so shown himself in nature that everyone who denies him is "without excuse" (vs. 20). Everyone knows God because of this revelation. Indeed, God has revealed himself not only externally in creation, but also internally. All men have the witness of God in their conscience, having "the work of the law written in ... Read more

Is There a God?

by Robert H. Tanzie

Christian faith is as much caught —in the church, in the workplace, and amid the varied joys and trials of this journey we call life—as it is taught in the academy. Few people move from living under the wrath of God to knowing the grace of God as the result of a lecture. Nevertheless, Christian faith is to be taught. We are commanded by our God to love him not only with our heart, soul, and strength, but with our mind as well. Therefore, a lecture on the topic "Is There a God?" is most appropriate in a divinity school. The apostle Peter exhorts us, "In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander" (1 Pet. 3:15-16). I am aiming my remarks this evening primarily at those of you who are divinity students or are presently ... Read more

Resurrection Encouragement

by Larry E. Wilson

When Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, he was in a Roman jail, expecting to be put to death. He could have listed compelling reasons to throw in the towel. Do they sound familiar? The church was in trouble. Persecution was rearing its ugly head. False teachers were chipping away at the gospel. Seemingly strong believers—even leaders—were turning away. God's people seemed all too ready to allow themselves to get derailed. Would the church survive? Will the church survive today? But, by the grace of Christ, Paul never lost hope—not for himself and not for the church. In the face of such discouragements, the apostle exhorted his son in the faith to stay faithful. Stay faithful to the church! Stay faithful to the gospel! Stay faithful to Jesus Christ! How? Through Paul's exhortation to Timothy, the Holy Spirit encourages us to look beyond ourselves, to look beyond our circumstances. He urges us to consciously shift our hope back to the exalted Christ, to the One who can make us more ... Read more

My Thoughts As I Awoke This Morning

by SuAnne (Murphy) Davids

The destructiveness of alcohol has found me once again. It has been thirty-five years since my last experience. It began for me as an infant, when my mother was in the grip of its addicting, magnetic pull. I, along with an older brother, was placed in a foster home as a result. But the destruction that could have been mine was turned into good. I was adopted and raised in a loving, stable family environment. The ruin, I know, was felt by my mother, whose alcoholism cost her the opportunity to raise and love two of her children. By the time sobriety found her, we were rooted in a new family and she no longer had the opportunity to be a parent for me or my brother. Now I look to the present, at the age of thirty-six, with three boys of my own. Sixteen years ago I married an alcoholic, but the pain of his drinking then was not as bad as it is now. There were many hard times early in our marriage, but he found the true source of healing in Jesus Christ. Recently, however, my husband began to test the waters ... Read more

Doctrine 101: Sin

by Edward N. Gross

It is difficult to overemphasize the importance of our having an accurate and adequate perception of sin. Since sin is the real and ultimate problem facing us, a true definition of it is crucial. False views of sin lead to false plans of redemption from it. If liberationists are right and sin is primarily physical and social oppression, then salvation is achieved by overthrowing oppressive, greedy institutions and regimes. If the essence of sin is self-denial or passivity due to patriarchal conditioning, as today's radical feminists insist, then salvation consists in overthrowing those Scriptures or systems that would subordinate women to men in any way. But if sin is essentially a state of rebellion against, and alienation from, a holy God, as the Bible teaches, then salvation consists in rescuing the rebels and removing the alienation between God and us. Just as false views of sin lead to false views of salvation, so an inadequate estimation of sin leads to an inadequate estimation of that which saves ... Read more