While this may seem obvious to most people; to more and more it is becoming a challenge.  There are no buildings without constructors, there are no paintings without a painter and there is no universe without a Creator!

Louis Pasteur said, “A little science estranges men from God, but much science leads them back to Him.”

Some of the most intelligent, wise, and creative people in the world did and do believe in God.

Physics: Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Kelvin

Chemistry: Boyle, Dalton, Pascal, Ramsay

Biology: Ray, Linnaeus, Mendel, Pasteur

Geology: Steno, Woodward, Brewster, Agassiz

Astronomy: Kepler, Galileo, Herschel, Maunder

Raymond Vahan Damadian (1936) medical practitioner and inventor who created the MRI.

According to 100 Years of Nobel Prizes, a review of Nobel prizes awarded between 1901 and 2000, 65.4% of Nobel Prize Laureates have identified Christianity in its various forms as their religious preference. Overall, Christians have won a total of 78.3% of all the Nobel Prizes in Peace, 72.5% in Chemistry, 65.3% in Physics, 62% in Medicine, 54% in Economics and 49.5% of all Literature awards. – List of Christian Nobel laureates, List of Christians in science and technology
Perfection doesn’t come from spontaneous chaos.  It is impossible that an accident produced a universe run by such specificity.  The laws that allow science to be studied are solid and stable because someone created them that way.

Points of obvious understanding.
1. Someone created the universe.
“I want to know how God created this world.  I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element.  I want to know His thoughts.  The rest are details.” – Albert Einstein.

“I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.
I therefore beg leave to move-that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that Service.” – Benjamin Franklin

While it seems that neither of these men believed that Jesus was God in the flesh, it proves that even un-Christian men have noted that some god is above all.

2. Humans are different than all other animal life.  No monkey ever built a temple to worship the Creator of life.  No animal has ever searched for his origins.  However humans of every nation, island, and jungle have all searched for and worshiped gods of one kind or another.  Humans are unique!

3. Being that there is a Creator and humans are unique of all the animals, there is therefore a purpose for the existence of humans.  Programmers do not waste their time writing codes that serve no purpose.  Engineers do not spend hours constructing models that they do not intend to gain from.  Humans have a purpose for having been created.

4. This purpose is clearly known by the Creator of humans and therefore can only be perfectly understood by Him.

5. Based on the facts above it is clear that at one time or another, this Creator would have explained why He created these unique creatures.

6. Now search the annals of history for His message.  It would probably explain the origins of life, it would explain purpose, it would explain the future, and probably would give an understanding of the battle that exists between good and evil, as everyone struggles with selfish desires and moral responsibilities.

7. The Bible fits this general description. Now comes the examination of the text.

8. When the Bible is examined it is found to be of supernatural origins. No man could tell the future 100% perfect before it happened, and give such clear understanding of nature and history.  Choose a topic, then take the 10 most intelligent leaders in that field from a variety of countries and write one book with each of them writing a chapter or two.  Without having an editor go through it, this book would certainly contain contradictions and errors based on the differing opinions of the men.  The Bible was handed down by over 40 people over the span of about 2,000 years, and yet it remains faithful.  Science books change every 10 years, but the Bible remains the same.

9. Now we can search the Bible to see how God describes Himself.  Are there 1,000’s of gods, or is there just a negative god and a positive god?  Is He knowable, is He just a force, is He a He?  All these questions can be answered by a simple study of the book He inspired.
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At times the Old Testament showed all of the triune God but it most clearly showed God as one all powerful ruler over the whole earth.

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Isaiah 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Yet the New Testament magnifies God to where it can be seen that this singular God is greater than one particle.  Where the Old Testament said, “..there is no god with me;” the New Testament declares, “...and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” ()  Jesus was not a god with God, Jesus is God with God or in other words a part of God with the triune God.  Where the Old Testament said that God created the heavens and earth by Himself, the New Testament clarifies, “In the beginning was the Word…All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”()

Jesus was prophesied to be God in ; Paul calls Him God in , ; Matthew calls Him God in , Thomas calls Him God in , the Pharisees understood Jesus to be saying that He was God in , and the Father calls Him God in .

Jesus fulfills prophecies that God said He would do.  For example says God would give pastors, yet Jesus fulfills this in .  Jesus is called by the titles God is called by.  Jesus is called; , , , , , and more.  Jesus accepted , Jesus has the characteristics which only God possesses; He is , , , , , and .

Not only is Jesus God, but the Holy Spirit is also called God in .  He is also included in the listings with the Word and the Father in several places; , ; , , , .  He is also included in the group in several places , , , , , & .

The Holy Spirit is personal, He is not just a force or power.  Personality has 3 main characteristics; knowledge, feelings, and will.  A body is just part of a person, as Christians we believe .  To be a person does not mean to have toes, eyes, and hands, but to have personality.  There will come a day when we are  and yet we still have personality, we still exist.

So does the Bible say the Holy Spirit has personality, does He have knowledge, feelings, and a will?  The time will not be taken here to show the quantity of references given to support this, but we will show that the Holy Spirit does possess all of these personality traits.

• • He has a mind or thoughts according to and 
    • • He has a will according to
        • • He has feelings accoridng to  and

            Next the Holy Spirit does things that only a person can perform. He , He makes , and He .

            Thirdly the Holy Spirit takes the office of a person.  Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would be a comforter like Him.   The Greek word for is a word meaning another of the same kind as in Allotropes as contrasted to of a different kind as in heterosexual.  The Holy Spirit is another comforter of the same kind as Christ.

            *some of the previous points are taken from R.A. Torrey’s sermons in the book titled “The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does.”

            R.A. Torrey said, “If you think of the Holy Spirit as so many Christians do today as a mere influence or power, then your thought will constantly be, “How can I get hold of the Holy Spirit and use it?” But if you think of Him in the biblical way, as a person of divine majesty and glory, your thought will be, “How can the Holy Spirit get hold of me and use me?” – The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does

            The Trinity works together throughout the Bible.

            From the first chapter and the first book of the Bible to the last the Trinity is seen working together as a unity; humbly preferring and admiring the other above themselves.

            The Father draws people to the Son, the Son points them to the Father, the Father said “this is my Son in whom I am well pleased”, the Son said “the Father is greater than I”, the Holy Spirit points to the Son and joins the bride in encouraging others to come to the Son, yet Jesus said it was necessary for Him to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come.  And to tie it all up Jesus said that we should be one as they are.  Had Jesus just been subordinate, then this is just instruction for us to be subordinate, however if He is God, then it means that we should put others above ourselves and no one has a value above another, which is what Jesus taught.

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It would be nice if everyone would simply express facts, but the difficulty is that facts are influenced by the environment around them.  What did he say? how was it interpreted? what was his intent? was there motivation behind what was said?  All these factors and more go into the great study of the past.

Jerome once was very strong on the idea that Matthew’s gospel was originally written in Hebrew and that it still existed in his days.  Quotes can be taken from some of his early writings that claim this point very clearly.

“Matthew also called Levi, apostle and aforetimes publican, composed a gospel of Christ at first published in Judea in Hebrew for the sake of those of the circumcision who believed, but this was afterwards translated into Greek though by what author is uncertain. The Hebrew itself has been preserved until the present day in the library at Caesarea which Pamphilus so diligently gathered.” – De Viris Illustribus, 3 (393 AD)

However after he had personally seen and translated this, his mind changed.

“In the Gospel which the Nazarenes and Ebionites use (which I have lately translated into Greek from the Hebrew, and which is called by many (or most) people the original of Matthew)…” – Commentary on Matthew XII (398 AD)

“In the Gospel according to the Hebrews which is indeed in the Chaldaean and Syriac speech but is written in Hebrew letters, which the Nazarenes use to this day, called ‘according to the apostles’, or, as most term it, ‘according to Matthew’, which also is to be seen in the library of Caesarea, the story tells: ‘Behold, the mother of the Lord and his brethren said unto him, ‘John Baptist baptizeth unto the remission of sins; let us go and be baptized of him.’ But he said unto them, ‘Wherein (what) have I sinned, that I should go and be baptized of him? unless peradventure this very thing that I have said is a sin of ignorance.” – Against Pelagius 3 (415 AD)

His language changed from a statement of fact to a statement of the majority’s opinion.  Depending on what someone would want to prove they could choose the quote that serves their purpose.  For example Jehovah’s Witnesses when making their attempt to prove their ideas say, “We can be sure that the Apostle Matthew included the name of God in his Gospel.  Why? Because originally it was written in Hebrew.  In the 4th century, Jerome, translator of the Latin Vulgate, says, “Matthew who is also Levi, and who from a publican became an apostle, at first composed a Gospel of Christ in Judea in the language and characters of Hebrew…It is not known with sufficient certainty who had it and then translated it into Greek.  The Hebrew itself is conserved to this day in the library of Caesarea.” – The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever 1984 (translation from the Italian version).

This type of dilemma is played out a thousand times in the writings of history.  Was King James a homosexual or did the man that first accused him have a grudge against him, did Origen really talk about infant baptism or did Rufinus add this into his Latin translations of Origen’s work?  Is the earth 70,000 years old, 2 billion, or 4.6 billion years old?  Science taught all three at different times.

The problem is that all opinions are based on limited facts that are available.  The millions of events that occurred in and around the situation that developed the thoughts of what one man said yesterday are unknown, not alone what someone said 1,000 years ago.  That is not to say that attempts should not be made.

We see history from a certain perspective.

1. We believe that God exists and has given His will to us.  He is the only one with all knowledge, and therefore His writings are not tainted with the limitations which man’s writings are.

2. When men disagree with God, we believe God. This is not an excuse for ignorance or stupidity.  Men’s opinions change by the week and science changes by the hour, God does not.

In 1968 Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a medical doctor and former Air Force Colonel, wrote a book called Aerobics.  He wrote about his findings from a study using the results of over 5,000 test subjects from a wide range of lifestyles.  He performed scientific studies and measured oxygen intake and the remaining oxygen exhaled from his subjects.  He organized and calculated all the data.  Then he put forth his idea to ensure the best way to exercise to get the most benefit for your body.  He says, “And the key to the whole thing is oxygen.”  This book was very popular.  Many people read this book and applied his suggestions to their lives.  In 1994 Dr. Cooper authored another book called Antioxidant Revolution.  In the introduction he says, “Readers of my previous books know that I have always emphasized the importance of aerobic exercise as the foundation of any preventive medicine or wellness program.  That basic recommendation has not changed.  Yet as more research has been conducted, it has become clear that an appropriate exercise prescription becomes more complicated-especially when you take into account exposure to free radical “triggers” such as overtraining.”  He says in the book, “…I have concluded that there is more to the story than I had originally thought.”  And, “…research has emerged showing clearly that not all oxygen is good oxygen.”  What a shock.  Many people had trusted in his scientific study to tell the truth.  Yet it is not really his fault, all observation is based on the information that is available; which is what Dr. Cooper admits in this statement from Antioxidant Revolution, “Admittedly, much of this information is speculative and based to some extent on anecdotal information.”  So he corrects what he wrote 26 years ago with information that is sketchy or subjective.  Some people may laugh at the lack of intelligence that existed in 1968 or even 1994.  “Science has progressed so much in the last 20 years.”  Just realize that in the next 20 years they will laugh at the limited knowledge of today.

3. While not ignoring the words of men, we look in history for the promises of God.

We believe in the promises of God.  We are not looking for God’s word in a cave or a library in the Vatican.  We believe that we possess the very words of God which have passed the test of time.  The materials they were printed on have been used and deteriorated, but accurate copies have been made and God’s words have passed through the centuries to today.

So it is that we claim with honesty our method of historical studies.  We encourage you to not just trust the words or any man, but to search for yourself.

1 John 5:9, “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater…”
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The definition of the word shows that a church is a called out group of people.  The church that Jesus started was a called out group of believers.

Luke 6:13  And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples…

The church is not a building, it is not bricks and stones, it is people.  However it is not just one person that is called out.  The word means the gathering of those who have been called out.

Based on it’s definition there are three main parts to the church.

• The caller
• The calling
• The called

In analyzing these points throughout the Bible, it is clear that the church could be divided into two groups.  Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible says, “The ekklesia of the New Testament embraces both the total body of Christ (including living and departed believers) and individual local assemblies, with the main emphasis being placed on the latter meaning.  This position is held by most Bible students.“

Group 1 is made up of all believers and Group 2 are the local individual assemblies.  Now the three parts of a church can be more thoroughly discussed by the their parts.

1. The Caller.
The caller is God.
For group 1 the caller is God.

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

It must be remembered that Christ did not come to start the church.  He came unto Jews.  He was faithful to their festivals.  He was a Jew.  He started the church because of the failure of the Jewish system, and out of compassion for the sheep without a shepherd.  The church took the place of the Jewish synagogue. (Not the temple)

Luke 6:13  And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples…

Matthew 4:18-22  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.  (19)  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  (20)  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.  (21)  And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.  (22)  And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Matthew 9:35-38  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  (36)  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.  (37)  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;  (38)  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

While Jesus is the one calling out, the New Testament constantly calls the church, the church of God.

Acts 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

1 Corinthians 1:2  Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

Also 10:32, 11:22, 15:9

John 15:16-19  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.  (17)  These things I command you, that ye love one another.  (18)  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  (19)  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

However as this message was spread throughout the world there were formed other churches.  All of these churches were local groups of called out believers.  It should be remembered that during the beginning years of Christianity when the divide started between those who believed Jesus was the Messiah and the other Jews they were not called Christians right away.

While the Bible uses the illustration of a building to describe the church; the church is not a building made of physical stones, nor is it pews, or song books.  The church is people.  The church was not built and completed, it is still being built.  It is always growing so that even today Jesus is still building His church.
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