Defense of the Divine - The Bible's Credibility Part 2 - Cypress Crossings Christian Church

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Defense of the Divine - The Bible's Credibility Part 2

Is the Bible morally reprehensible?

August 4, 2024 • Eddie Bowman • Deuteronomy 23:15–16, 1 Samuel 15:1–3, Genesis 15:16, Deuteronomy 9:4, Ephesians 6:5

1. Accusation: “The Bible isn’t good because of all the genocide”

Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” (1 Samuel 15:1-3)

However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God. (Deut. 20:16-18).

In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” (Genesis 15:16)

After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. (Deuteronomy 9:4)

Accusation 2: The Bible isn’t good because it doesn’t condemn slavery.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. (Ephesians 6:5)

“‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. (Leviticus 25:35-37)

“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. (Exodus 21:5-6)

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. (Philemon 1:17-18)

If a slave has taken refuge with you, (referring to foreigners) do not hand them over to their master. Let them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they choose. Do not oppress them. (Deut. 23:15-16)

We can be confident that the Bible is morally good - live like it

Defense of the Divine - The Bible’s Credibility Part 4

August 18, 2024 • Eddie Bowman • Isaiah 61:2–3, Romans 1:24–25, Revelation 22:1–2, John 3:16–17

1. The Bible speaks about the beauty we experience. One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in his Temple. (Psalm 27:4) The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (Isaiah 61:2-3) So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; (Ecclesiastes 3:11) 2. The Bible speaks about the brokenness that we experience. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25) At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing. (Judges 21:25 MSG) “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) 3. The Bible speaks about the redemption that we need. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17) This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

Defense of the Divine - The Bible’s Credibility Part 3

August 11, 2024 • Eddie Bowman • Genesis 7:11–12, Genesis 7:20, Matthew 24:37–39, John 19:33–34, Matthew 27:62–64

Accusation 1: “There was no worldwide flood.” In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month - on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And the rain fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights. (Genesis 7:11-12) “The waters rose and covered the mountaintops to a depth of more than fifteen cubits.” (Genesis 7:20) The Mountains were covered? Is the Bible the only text that talks about the flood? As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:37-39) Accusation 2: “There is no evidence that Jesus resurrected.” Did Jesus die? But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (John 19:33-34) An empty tomb? The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:62-64) The Bible is not fabricated history, but true history.

Defense of the Divine - The Bible's Credibility Part 1

July 28, 2024 • Eddie Bowman • Luke 6:22, 1 Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 3:16–17, Matthew 27:32, John 19:16–18

1. The differences aren’t contradictory; they’re complimentary. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. (Matthew 27:32) So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (John 19:16-18) “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:5-8) Jesus died. He was buried. He resurrected. 2. Textual variants exist in the text, but don’t alter the message of the text. Blessed are you when people hate you when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. (Luke 6:22) “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil.” (Luke 6:22) 3. If we are confident in the reliability of the Bible - read it! But in your hearts revere 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 (1 Peter 3:15) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)