Declared To Be The Son Of God With Power

Temple Baptist Church - 7-16-2017

Romans 1:3-4

Introduction:

A.  There are many religions in the world so what makes one or ours the right one?  I have been asked that question on more than one occasion and am glad that my salvation has a firm foundation.

B.  Let me answer the question of what makes a religion the right one.

1.  Logical Consistency.  The claims of a belief system must logically cohere to each other and not contradict in any way.  Let me give you an example:  Buddhism’s end is to rid oneself of all desires and, yet, one must have a desire to rid oneself of all desires, which is contradictory to their own belief.

2.  Empirical Adequacy.  There must be external evidence to support a belief system.  The Bible is historically correct, medically correct, and scientifically correct on things that were not discovered or did not happen until thousands of years later.

3.  Existential Relevancy.  The belief system must be relevant to the times in which the reader lives.  It must set forth good answers for the questions of life and living along with an example or clear path to follow.

C.  What makes ours the right one?  There are many things that make Christianity different from all other religions but I will name only a few. 

1.  God created the heaven and the earth!  The Theory of Evolution raises more questions than it gives answers.  It also “flies in the face” of the proven Laws of Thermodynamics by defying them.  Their theories are constantly evolving whereas Biblical Creation is a constant.  No other religion gives such a profound statement of the true beginning.

Genesis 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2.  God loved man before man loved God.  Most religions portray their “god” in a very negative light.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

3.  Sinful man could not merit his salvation.  All other religions are based upon “do” instead of “done.” with God through works or personal righteousness. 

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

4.  God died for man instead of man dying for God.  The most blaring such religion is that of Islam.

Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

5.  God seeks sinners instead of sinners seeking God.  God has made Himself available through His creation

Luke 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Romans 1:20-21  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world 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 that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

People reject the light of creation because they do not want there to be a God.  I often quote George Wald, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1967.  "There are only two possibilities as0 to how life arose. One is spontaneous generation arising to evolution; the other is a supernatural creative act of God. There is no third possibility. Spontaneous generation, that life arose from non-living matter was scientifically disproved 120 years ago by Louis Pasteur and others. That leaves us with the only possible conclusion that life arose as a supernatural creative act of God. I will not accept that philosophically because I do not want to believe in God. Therefore, I choose to believe in that which I know is scientifically impossible; spontaneous generation arising to evolution." (Wald, George, "Innovation and Biology," Scientific American, Vol. 199, Sept. 1958, p. 100)

6.  Salvation is through faith in Christ Jesus alone.  Jesus Christ, plus nothing—minus nothing—mixed with nothing.

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7.  Salvation is a personal relationship with God.  That is about as good as it gets!  I am His and He is mine.

2 Timothy 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

8.  The Christian’s beliefs are found only in the Bible.  Most religions it is a book coupled with ritual, other means of revelation, or other persons.  Everything that we believe is found in this blessed old King James Bible.

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

9.  The Declaration that Jesus is God by His resurrection from the dead.  The only “spiritual leader” that died and rose from the dead by His own power.

John 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: