The Case for Faith

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The Case for Faith
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Everyones Starting Point!

• A bright young man was taken to visit Albert
  Einstein. After a short visit, they walked out
  onto the porch and the young man pointed to a
  tree. "Dr. Einstein, do we know that tree is
  there?" "Only by faith" he replied.

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Bible Faith

• What is faith? It is the confident assurance
  that what we hope for is going to happen. It is
  the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
  Hebrews 111 NLT

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Our Presupposition!

• Anyone who wants to come to God must believe
  that there is a God and that he rewards those who
  sincerely look for him. Hebrews 116 (LB)

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The limits of reason

• God does not expect us to submit our faith to
  him without reason, but the very limits of our
  reason make faith a necessity.

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The Great Wager

• If I believe that there is a God and there really
  is no god, I have nothing to lose.
• If I believe that there is no god and there
  really is no god, I also have nothing to lose.

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Wager continued

• If I believe that there is no god and there
  really is a God, I have everything to lose and
  nothing to gain.
• If I believe that there is a God and there really
  is a God, I have everything to gain and nothing
  to lose.

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Alternatives?

• Paganismmore than one godnone all-powerful,
  none all good, and some are evil. Greeks and
  Romans
• Animismgods and evil spirits are in or around
  all living things.
• Deismgod got everything started and then he
  walked away.
• The Enlightenment. Some of Americas early
  leadersnot all.

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Alternatives?

• Pantheismgod is in all living things. (Hindus)
• New Age-ismwe are all gods (Mormons,
  Scientology,)
• Theismthe God of the Old Testament without the
  Holy Spirit and Jesus. (Judaism and Islam)

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Christian Faith

• Knowledge of essential facts.
• I passed on to you what was most important and
  what had also been passed on to methat Christ
  died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.
  4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead
  on the third day, as the Scriptures said. 1 Cor.
  153,4

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Faith

• Agreement that these facts are true.
• For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is
  Lord and believe in your heart that God raised
  him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is
  by believing in your heart that you are made
  right with God, and it is by confessing with your
  mouth that you are saved. Romans 109,10

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Saving Faith

• Acting on those facts.
• Yet to all who received him, to those who
  believed in his name, he gave the right to become
  children of God. John 112

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Believe to Understand

• Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore
  seek not to understand that you may believe, but
  believe that you may understand. Augustine