Saved By Luck - 2

Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:30-31 ESV)

When told of the good news of the salvation by Jesus Christ, many people like to ask, "What about those who have never heard of Jesus?" They feel like God is so unfair.

If you strike the first prize in lottery, would you ask questions like, "What about the other people who did not strike first prize? God is so unfair! I strike first prize and others don't. Maybe there are those who are dying of cancer and may need the money more than me!" You would never ask this question, right? You just accept the money! And you will thank whatever god, gods or good luck charms that you believe in, right?

Here we are offering something better than money, which you cannot bring beyond the grave. You are offered eternal life. So why is this question asked? Is it not the same for all religions and how they spread? The gospel, religions, ideas and diseases spread in the same way. It depends on population density, geographic location, communication technology and the fullness of time.

Today we have handphones and communication is so easy. Five hundred years ago, even a person as privileged as the emperor of China cannot communicate like us. And neither would he have the chance to hear the gospel.

But you are so lucky today. You heard that Jesus saves! Now is the time of God's favor. Now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Accept it now! Don't wait till tomorrow. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:14). Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household (Acts 16:31).

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 BSB)

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. (Proverbs 16:33 ESV, NIV)

For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One. (Ephesians 1:4-6 BSB)

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV)

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 BSB)

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5 ESV)

Gods of the Gaps

Thus shall you say to them: "The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens." (Jeremiah 10:11 ESV)

Secular humanists believed that gods were created to fill our gaps in knowledge. When they did not know how rain was made, they created a rain god. When they could not explain the thunder, they created a thunder god. As our knowledge increase, there will be less and less requirement for divine explanation. Eventually, when we know everything, god or gods will cease to exist.

And this is exactly what the Bible said about the so-called gods who did not make the heavens and earth. They will vanish from the earth and from under the heavens (Jeremiah 10:11). And exactly as the Bible said, there is one God who stubbornly refused to go away. This is the God that created the heavens and the earth. Till today, science could not come up with a satisfactory answer to creation. So, the God that created the heavens and the earth is still keeping His job.

For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18 NASB95)

Father-in-Law

My father-in-law passed away today at 6 pm Singapore Time 5 pm Vietnam Time in Saigon.

Israel Knows Your Every Move

The king of Aram was enraged because of this matter, and he called his servants and demanded of them, "Tell me, which one of us is for the king of Israel?" One of his servants said, "No one, my lord the king. Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your bedroom." (2 Kings 6:11-12 CSB)

The king of Aram was very angry because all his moves were pre-empted by Israel. As it was, so it is. This time, Israel will never be uprooted again. The LORD has spoken. So, it is not wise to quarrel with your Creator.

I will plant them on their land, and they will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them. The LORD your God has spoken. (Amos 9:15 CSB)

"Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'The potter has no hands'? (Isaiah 45:9 NIV)

Why Science Come from Europe

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. (Psalm 19:1 KJV)

Why didn't modern science develop in China? Why didn't it develop in India? Why did it develop in Europe and why did these men come after 16th particularly 17th century? Why not in the 15th century? This YouTube video gave this answer. Only those with a Christian mindset would believe in these three things that will set the conditions for scientific inquiry:

1. The universe can be understood (intelligibility)
2. We can understand it (capability)
3. It is good to understand it - the intrinsic goodness of knowledge (desirability)

While we take these conditions for granted, societies with a non-Christian mindset may not possess all the three conditions.

Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. (Psalm 111:2 ESV)

Prophecy Proves God is God

I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.' (Isaiah 46:10 BSB)

In this YouTube video, Richard Dawkins admitted in an interview with Peter Boghossian that no evidence could ever convince him that God exists, even if God spoke to him audibly and wrote a message to him in the stars.

So how did God prove Himself to be God? God proved that He is God by establishing the nation of Israel and foretelling their history in His revelation to His prophets. Anyone can do a miracle or write a book. Only God can create a nation and tell its history in advance.

Indeed, ask now from one end of the heavens to the other about the days that long preceded you, from the day that God created man on earth: Has anything as great as this ever happened or been reported? Has a people ever heard the voice of God speaking out of the fire, as you have, and lived? Or has any god tried to take as his own a nation out of another nation - by trials, signs, wonders, and war, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors - as the LORD your God did for you in Egypt, before your eyes? You were shown these things so that you would know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him. (Deuteronomy 4:32-35 BSB)

Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. (Isaiah 44:7 ESV)

Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens." (Isaiah 42:9 NLT)

Tell us the coming events, then we will know that you are gods. Indeed, do something good or bad, then we will be in awe when we see it. (Isaiah 41:23 CSB)

All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. (Isaiah 43:9 ESV)

Truth Veracity and Democracy

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. (2 Corinthians 13:8 BSB, ESV, NIV)

Truth can only be proven. Truth cannot be determined by vote. Even if everyone voted against truth, it is still true. However, truth can be accepted or rejected. If you accept truth, you shall be free. But woe to those who reject truth. Believing in lies is their only alternative.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32 ESV)