Dr. Voddie Baucham - Christian Apologetics - Brisbane, Australia.

bori baulkham is a husband father pastor author professor conference speaker and church planter currently serves as pastor of preaching a grace family Baptist Church in Spring Texas he has served as an adjunct professor at the Reformed Theological Seminary that's RTS for many people that probably jump on iTunes and listen to the syllabus there in Houston Texas is also lectured at Southern Seminary dr. Verdi has a gift and expressing with vivid clarity the meaning of the scripture and demonstrating the relevance of God's message for everyday life dr. voting always teaches with an uncompromising footing on the centrality of Christ and the gospel those who hear him preach find themselves both challenged and encouraged dr. bodis area of emphasis is cultural apologetics however he may be teaching all sorts of things as you jump online and listen to his podcast and his sermons that appear there through various books of the Bible and through various topics that have obvious cultural relevance and social tendencies may be sharing on classical apologetics like the validity and historicity of the Bible the resurrection of Christ or teaching on Biblical manhood and womanhood marriage family as he helps everyday people understand God's will through the Scriptures for their lives and thinking biblically in every area of the Christian life dr. Verdi Balcombe holds degrees from Houston Baptist University a BA in Christianity a BA in sociology Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary an m.div southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary a demon an honorary degree from Southern California Seminary a DD an additional postgraduate study at the University of Oxford England Regents Park college dr. vote I'm dr. dr. V about that third time lucky if you news on my last sentence you'd know that I made it so close here we go let's try it again dr. vote though I did it again can I get a volunteer to come and finish this last sentence before I murder this dr. Bodie and his wife Bridget have been married since 1989 and have nine children by God's grace they are passionate home educators and believe fundamentally in the will of God for the family with all that as best I can I do want to present to you our honorable guest dr. Verdi orchim well good evening oh we have to do better than that you have to help me you have to help me you pass my jet lag good evening I see some folks from Toowoomba last night anybody else who was in Toowoomba last night with anybody other initials we're back here okay excellent well we have been here a little over a week we started out in Perth and then had sort of a brief today hiatus in Sydney and then we're in Toowoomba last night here tonight we go from here to Melbourne for a couple of days and then finish on on Easter Sunday in Sydney before we go back home and we have enjoyed our time here in Australia immensely we have been received warmly and have felt right at home and are honored to have shared this time here my assignment this evening was to address an apologetic issue and I want to do that but what I want to do is I there are a number of ways that we can tackle apologetics on the one hand we can tackle apologetics from the standpoint of first let me back up and do this when we talk about apologetics we talk about knowing what we believe knowing why we believe it and being able to communicate that to others in a winsome fashion that that's the simplest definition I can give you of a apologetics doesn't mean apologizing for anything an apology is a defense it comes from the Greek word apologia we find that word in Peters epistles where Peter says that we are always to be ready to give a defense to give an answer to anyone who asks us the reason for the hope that is in us the word that he uses there is apologia it's a reasoned response it's a defense of what it is that we believe so we have to know what we believe we have to know why we believe it we have to be able to communicate that and we have to be able to communicate it in a winsome fashion one way we can deal with that is through dealing with the major issues of apologetics if somebody's asking us what we believe and why we believe it they're asking us about usually Cardinal Christian doctrines and so as a result of that since our faith is a biblical faith it's limited in its scope there are about seven or eight categories maybe nine categories of questions that people will ever ask in an apologetics setting and if you're familiar with these you know seven eight maybe nine categories you can answer questions all day every day from anyone anywhere why because there's a limited amount of claims that we make as Christians which means there are limited amount of questions that will come our way and people are going to ask us you know about the existence of God they're going to ask us about creation they're going to ask us about the nature of God you know question about the Trinity they're going to ask us about Christ they're going to ask us you know about the exclusivity of Christ they're going to ask us about the resurrection of Christ people are going to ask us about the problem of evil and suffering they're going to ask us about the Bible and the authenticity and historicity of the Bible again just a very limited number of categories within those categories people will be people will be creative but just those limited number of categories that's one approach to apologetics and it's probably our most familiar approach to apologetics those categories but there is another approach to apologetics and that is based on what's called our meta narrative or our overarching story it is our explanation for why things are the way they are and this is a very compelling way to approach apologetics because ultimately people reason from their from their worldview people look at the look of the world through a particular lens and they understand everything through that particular lens so when they're dealing with these various issues they are dealing with these issues through the lens of their worldview if their worldview is not biblical it is inconsistent and it is inferior okay no I don't say that to be arrogant I say that because I believe in God and I believe that God has revealed himself in His Word therefore if God is real and if God has revealed himself in his word then any worldview that is not based upon that will be inconsistent and it will be inferior fair enough okay so if we understand this then we know that people are going to have inconsistencies in their worldview and ultimately what's going to have to happen because of their inconsistencies and because of the inferior nature of their worldview they are going to have to borrow from well they don't plan to give it back they don't have to steal from the biblical worldview okay for example you know people will say you know there there's some issue that people you know are up in arms about and they'll talk about the way people you know ought to be treated and I'll talk about how we ought to be you know kind to one another or we ought to take care of the poor or we ought to do this or we ought to do that generally speaking those are things that they stole from the Christian worldview so they don't want to accept Christianity but they want to make arguments based on the Christian worldview so in order to do this kind of apologetics oftentimes what we do is we end up telling our meta or our overarching story as it is applied to particular issues I want to give you an example of that if you open your Bibles to Colossians chapter 1 when you look at Colossians chapter 1 there's a very interesting pattern here Paul deals with what I believe are life's ultimate questions every person who has ever lived or will ever live is dealing with these four questions they may not ask them in a formal way but everyone is dealing with these four questions and they are number one Who am I number two why am I here number three what is wrong with the world and number four how can what is wrong be made right those are the questions that we're asking in one form or another I'll say them again number one Who am I Who am I so that goes to the nature of man right that goes through our origins who who am i number two why am I here what is the meaning of life right we all know that question right what is the meaning of life question number three what is wrong with the world because it's obvious that something's wrong with the world right you don't have to be here long to figure out that there's something wrong with the world and number four how can whatever that is be made right two main competing worldviews in the in the world today when you especially when you talk about the West the two main competing worldviews are Christian theism obviously and secular humanism those are the two main competing worldviews and so what I'd like to do is I'd like to take these four questions in turn and first answer them from the perspective of secular humanism and then answer them from the perspective of biblical theism of Christian theism now answering them from the perspective of Christian theism I'm going to answer them right from this passage of Scripture okay first from the worldview of secular humanism secretary Minh ISM the question is Who am I secular humanism has a very simple answer to this question and the answer is you are a cosmic joke you are an accident you are the result of random evolutionary processes there is no rhyme or reason for your existence there is no purpose for your existence you just are you you you are who you are and what you are because this is what this phase of evolution has brought us at this particular time that's secular humanism 'he's answer and it's the only possible answer that can be consistent with secular humanism if you believe in evolution if you believe that there is no god if you believe that then ultimately you must believe that we are the result of random evolutionary processes now that brings with it a whole series of problems we don't have time to deal with those tonight but for now let's just leave it at that Who am I I'm the result of random processes that's that's hugely problematic it's usually problematic I find it quite ironic for example that in schools we want to teach children that they are the result of random evolutionary processes and particularly Darwinian evolution and the survival of the fittest those that are strong dominate the weak and then they want to get get onto children when the strong ones dominate the weak ones and say that's not right well why well because you should treat one another with respect whoa why I'm an accident they're an accident the accident made me stronger than them therefore I'm supposed to dominate them what else makes sense why should I treat the weaker with respect let's get rid of the weaker so that we give us sure in the next phase of evolution right that's the only thing that makes sense according to the Darwinian worldview however they steal from our worldview are inconsistent with their inferior worldview and try to bring our values to bear second question why am I here why am I here well if I'm the result of random evolutionary processes my purpose is to consume and enjoy that's my purpose my purpose is to satisfy my desires that's my only purpose satisfy my desires okay perhaps to satisfy my desires and reproduce but that would be a desire as well so ultimately the answer to the question is to consume and enjoy in an effort to satisfy my desires that's why I'm here that's why I exist okay always more always more the famous quote from Lee Iacocca the former head of Chrysler back in the heyday of Chrysler he turned Chrysler around and he was making money hand over fist and Lee Iacocca was once asked how much money would be enough and his response was just a little bit more always just a little bit more that's the idea in secondly secular humanism you're here to consume and enjoy well according to the secular humanism what's wrong with the world we look around the world and there's obviously something wrong what is wrong with the world well what's wrong with the world is that people are either insufficiently governed or insufficiently educated that's what's wrong with the world you either don't have the right information or you don't have the right oversight that's what's wrong with the world okay how can what is wrong be made right you need more information more education and you need more and better government that's our answer to everything no actually it's not it's not our answer to everything it's our answer to everything all right in Texas err thing is greater than everything okay that's how answer to everything all right it's always the answer yeah whatever it is you know it's someone who has a problem with violence what are they they need anger-management classes right as a person who has addiction what would they need they need some kind of therapy some kind of what's the therapy going to do it's going to give them coping skills which is basically information on how to deal with their problem they are insufficiently educated or they need more government we need more minders of course the problem with that is who's minding the minders amen so there it is Who am I I'm the result of random evolutionary processes why am I here to consume and enjoy and satisfy my desires what's wrong with the world we are either insufficiently governed or insufficiently educated how can what is wrong be made right we need information and oversight that's the answer straight across the Western world that's the answer and everything that we do falls right in line with that kind of thinking and it doesn't matter how often we're proved wrong we continue down that same road what do we need what we need to be better educated we need more information really is that is that really correct has has more information made us better than our ancestors it's made us more efficient at killing one another I mean we used to have to stand there you know face to face take out swords and do the nasty business of slaughtering one another now we have drones and we don't even have to be there and we can kill one another by the thousands by the millions if necessary with the push of a button much more sophisticated but is that better there must be a better answer and in fact there is if you join me here in Colossians chapter 1 beginning in verse 15 we'll take those same four questions and we'll take them in turn and we'll see what the answers are and how they differ from secular humanism remember the first question Who am I secular humanism says on the result of random evolutionary processes and it presents tremendous problems the most tremendous problem that it presents is in the way that we interact with one another the way that we treat one another the way that we value one another but what does Christian theism said verse 15 he is the image of the invisible God interestingly enough the question is Who am I and the answer begins with he is that's okay that's important he is the image of the invisible God talking about Christ here the firstborn of all creation for by him all things were created in heaven and on earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him so second of humanism says I am the result of random evolutionary processes Christian theism says I am the crowning glory of the creation of God I'm not just creation of God crowning glory of the creation of God human beings of a height the apex of creation there is nothing on this planet more significant than we are and that is because we are made in the image of God himself we have inherent dignity inherent Worth and inherent value because we are made in the image of God we are not merely evolved animals we are other we are different than we are separate from and stewards over and we do have inherent dignity and inherent value and inherent Worth and that's what secular humanism is lacking however secular humanism tries to operate in accordance with is principal from our worldview and we want to tell little Johnny Johnny you don't mistreat little Suzy why why shouldn't I what what answer consecutive humanism possibly come up with Christian theism has an answer because she's made in the image of God now this is very important on a number of levels when you think about issues of our day first of all when you think about individuals who are vulnerable among us those at the beginning or at the end of life this issue is crucial secular humanism has no problem destroying through abortion those at the beginning of life who can't speak for themselves or destroying through euthanasia those at the end of life who cannot speak for themselves Christian theism says those individuals are made in the image of God himself and they have inherent dignity and inherent Worth and inherent value and they are to be protected because of the image of God that they bear and so secular humanism goes on destroying and not valuing and Christian theism doesn't allow that not only individuals at the beginning or at the end of their life but also individuals who have difficulties frailties so the woman goes into her doctor and the doctor wants to do screening and the doctor does screening and comes back and says your baby has a chromosomal disorder and will likely be born with Down syndrome in many parts of the Western world in 90% of those cases that's a death sentence for that baby because they're going to be born with Down syndrome because we say an individual Down syndrome is not worth being born or individuals with other maladies and difficulties we say you're not worth being born your life is not worth living because of this particular malady Christian theism knows no such thing Christian theism says we're all imperfect in some way amen we're all marred in some way and once you start down that road where does it end that individual though imperfect is made in the image of God and beyond being made in the image of God that individual offers to the rest of us an opportunity to demonstrate grace and mercy and kindness see that's what Christian theism says these are not the only areas what about the area of the distinction between men and women it is Christian theism that has brought women the greatest level of equality and dignity that the world has ever seen I am amazed by Western feminists just blown away by Western feminists who do not acknowledge this fact where else are they going to go where is it better Christianity all of a sudden is just evil religion because of the way women are viewed or women at your timeout but what were you going to go are you going to go to the Middle East where there are honor killings and young women are dragged in the streets and stoned by their family members and honor killings is that where you're going to go are you going to go where women walk several feet behind men is that where you're going to go are you going to go to cultures where widows were routinely burned on the funeral pyres of their husbands until not that long ago in places like India is that where you're going to go what part of the world pray tell and what religion will you look to to compare with what the Christian West has done as it relates to the dignity of women it is unparalleled it is unmatched anywhere else in the world there's nothing like it anywhere else and it is the Bible that has done this the Bible where Adam looks at Eve having been brought to him and says this is at last bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh she should be called aja because she was taken from each she is she's one of me inherent dignity inherent value inherent Worth made in the image of God not less than this is what Christianity does secular humanism can't do this secular humanism has no answer for this secular humanism cannot understand why men ought to treat women the way the Bible says they're to be treated that they're to be cherished as a weaker vessel that they're to be nurtured that they're to be sacrificed for that they're to be appreciated that they're to be honored you don't get that from secular humanism you can't get that from secular humanism if your worldview is secular humanism women are to be used not received but but but they don't want that they want dignity and value and equality but they're secular humanists then you can't have it in secular humanism so what do they do they steal from our worldview and then curse it in the process what about racism what about racism secular humanism has no answer for racism in fact evolutionary thinking is at the core and foundation of the most heinous racism that the world has ever known the idea that we all evolved from lower my mates and that the darker among us are closer to those lower primates than the lighter among us these are the ideas that has led to some of the most heinous acts of racism that the world has ever known Christian theism says we are all of one blood we all come from two people all the different ethnicities come from Noah's boat where Noah and Shem and ham and Japheth and their wives are the progenitors of every ethnicity the world over there is but one race we don't have multiple races of people there is but one race of people there are multiple ethnicities but there is but one race folks if we weren't of the same race we couldn't reproduce with one another do you realize that if you literally had different races of people they couldn't reproduce with one another but it's because we are the same race that any ethnicity can reproduce with another ethnicity because we are of the same kind speaking biblically and everything reproduces according to its kind the Bible has an answer for this the slaughter of people because of their ethnicity this is something that Christianity has changed in the world the enslavement of people because of their ethnicity this is something that Christianity has changed in the world there are slaves the world over right now more slaves right now that at most other times in human history none in the Christian world the overwhelming majority in the Islamic world why because our worldview won't tolerate it our worldview can't tolerate it this is the great irony when the secular humanists complain about Christianity is this how we answer the first question Who am I I am the crowning glory of the creation of God the second question why am I here second of humanism says I'm here to consume and enjoy I'm here to satisfy myself until I die all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things hold together and he is the head of the body the church he is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in everything he might be preeminent hallelujah why do I exist for the same reason every other created thing exists to bring glory and honor to the triune God that's why I'm here that's why I exist I do not exist for me see secular humanism tells me to look inside for the answer to that second question while I here look inside what do you want that's why you're here Christian theism is the exact opposite why am I here look out you are here at the behest of another you're here because the Creator created you like he created all things for his glory for his glory I love the children's catechism that we do with our children because who made you God made me what else to God make I made all things why did God make you and all things for his glory it's wonderful it's wonderful before they can even understand the words before they can even say the words properly they're beginning to see this picture that we were created to bring glory and honor to the triune God that's why you're here that's why you exist if there's an amazing thing that happens you see I not only answer this question this way for myself what why am I here why was I made why was I created I was created to bring glory and honor to God but this also goes back to the first question because now I look at others and I say you two were created to bring glory and honor to God and you are not like me because having all individuals who are exactly the same would mean that God would have billions of people on planet Earth bringing him the exact same kind of glory he's too glorious for that he has to have his glory refracted from all angles and from all circumstances in order for us to even begin to approach the glory of which God is worthy and so he is glorified by all and through all and in all whether great or small whether healthy or infirmed whether black or not quite as black we exist to bring glory and honor in Christ that's why we're here and we sift everything that we do through that very lens but by the way this is that this is why we have ethics right this is why we think ethically about everything that we do what does God say about this and how can I bring God glory in this or that whatever area of life this is aesthetics when we think about aesthetics it's this principle that brings us the idea of aesthetics beauty is in the eye of the beholder that's a lie from the pit of hell I don't get to determine what is beautiful the Creator determines what is beautiful how do I know what is beautiful by looking at what the Creator creates and when I create things that are in keeping with what the Creator creates I'm creating things that are beautiful his creation is orderly in not chaotic Amen so now we can actually have aesthetics and we can talk about standards for things like beauty because if all things exist to bring glory and honor to the triune God we can easily ask the question is that something that would glorify God third question what is wrong with the world verse 19 for and him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile all things whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross and you you can stop there which was what's wrong with the world and you there's the answer what is wrong world.you I mean me too but mainly you you who once were alienated hostile and mind doing evil deeds what is that sin sin is what's wrong with the world Who am I I'm the crowning glory of the creation of God why am I here to bring glory and honor to the triune God what's the matter I don't do what I was created to do that's what's the matter I am here to bring glory and honor to God and instead I am alienated from God I am hostile towards God and I am engaged in deeds that God has determined are evil that's what's wrong with the world that's it that's it by the way you can't educate that away a man you can't govern that away you can't do it you can't do it when you educate a sinner you just get an educated Center amen we just become more sophisticated in the way that we sin that's all you get when you educate a sinner when you govern a sinner a sin just goes underground until it finds another way to express itself but it will find a way amen it's like water you can think you got it bottled up you just give it time it'll work its way through rock it will find a way and this is what is wrong with the world all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God all we like sheep have gone astray each of us had turned to his own way that's what's wrong with the world we are sinners God is holy and he is just and he is righteous and God is glorious and we owe him our worship we owe him our obedience and yet we worship the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever and we suppress the truth and our unrighteousness this is what's wrong with the world by the way not just in terms of the evil that we see man commit against man but even in terms of the natural disasters that we see don't forget that when the fall came and Adam receives the curse God says cursed is the ground because of you why there's cyclones because Adam sinned why are there earthquakes because adam sinned volcanoes because adam sinned ouch because adam said the entire world was affected by man's sin so when i say what's wrong with the world i mean literally everything that's wrong with the world as a result of Adam's sin and it is compounded by your sin and mine and we're all guilty we're born in it as the psalmist would say born in sin and shaped in iniquity I've often said that people who don't believe in original sin don't have kids we have to teach them all most everything we don't have to teach them to sin the last question how can what is wrong be made right go back to 19 for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile all things whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross and you who were once who once were alienated and hostile in mind doing evil deeds he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him if indeed you continue in the face faith stable and steadfast not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven and of which I Paul became a minister how can what is wrong be made right the gospel that's how the gospel the gospel who started with Isaiah statement all we like sheep have gone astray it was a turn to his own way what's the rest of that but God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all the gospel we started with Paul's statement that we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but but that's not all we find in Romans is it I am not ashamed of the gospel why because it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe to the Jew first but also to the Greek the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us that we might become the right of God in him Christ died for sin once for all but just for the unjust in order that he might bring us back to God the gospel the gospel the gospel this is our hope this is how we are reconciled this is how we are transformed this is how we are washed this is how we are cleansed this is how we're made whole it's the gospel it's the finished work of Jesus Christ and notice what he says here he says through him to reconcile all things to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven making peace by his blood by the blood of the Cross you were alienated hostile in mind engaged in evil deeds but he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death how through the cross that's how through the cross this is how God could be both just we find this in Romans 3 and the justifier of the one who places faith in Christ Jesus you see we have a dilemma here's the dilemma God is holy and he is just and he is righteous by the way we know this no matter what your worldview we know this one of the first phrases that kids learn how to say is that's not fair we know it in our bones we know that when wrong is done it must be set right but here's the problem we know this out there but we ignore it in here you see when you do wrong I know in my soul that something needs to happen to make that right you need to pay but when I do wrong you need to understand I didn't really mean it if you can't say Amen you ought to say ouch and so we know we know if God is holy and God is just sin must be punished all sin everywhere if sin goes unpunished God is not just if he is not just he is not God so what's to be done other religions the world round have basically the same answer it's a bit of an oversimplification but when you boil it down here's the answer in other religions you need to have a religious experience they'll define that in different ways and then once you've had that religious experience you need to do more good things than bad things and then hope for the best one you die that's the answer of every other religion you need to have a religious experience and then from that moment forward do more good things then you do bad things and hope for the best when you face God there are a couple of problems with that problem number one I can't be good amen I tried it I can't be good and then here's what I know when I am good I'm proud of the fact that I'm good and being proud is not good therefore I'm bad again here's the second problem what about all those things I did before I had my religious experience is good what what what about those things Christianity has a different answer and the answer is penal substitution arey atoning death of Jesus Christ who was absolutely perfect in every way whose death was a propitiation which means that it satisfied the righteous wrath of God that every human being agrees must exist God was completely and utterly satisfied with Christ on the cross and he demonstrated that through the resurrection of Jesus Christ his death was payment the resurrection was the receipt when Christ died infinite holiness infinite righteousness infinite purity was laid down on behalf of finite sinners and the payment was more than enough so that God could stand all at once completely justified because he poured out his wrath on sin those who come to Christ and repentance and faith are found in Christ we were in Christ on the cross and God has punished our sin in Christ and therefore he can still stand as a just and holy and righteous God and yet be merciful and forgive sinners who otherwise have no hope of ever being forgiven because of this vicarious death because our righteousness is imputed to Christ our sinfulness is imputed Christ and his righteousness is imputed to us and it is this double imputation that allows us to stand before God forgiven that my friends is the gospel and that is how what is wrong is made right and then there's this beautiful picture verse 22 he has now reconciled you in his body of death a body of flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him it's an amazing statement not just of the weary slaves of God but that we might be presented to the Father by the son holy and blameless and above reproach what an amazing picture of this presentation of us before the father I was born to a single teenage mother she and my father got married because that's what you know you did back in 1969 you got married they didn't stay married very long and so my mother ended up raising me by herself and I knew I knew who my father was and I I even saw him from time to time but I didn't have much of a relationship with my father until later in life later in life God God restored my relationship with my father and it was a glorious thing a glorious thing to have that relationship with him man I'm named after my father hence the junior and my oldest son was named after us and I was already married to Bridget and we had two kids before Bridget had an opportunity to meet my father and so here I was with my father God has restored this relationship and Here I am with my son and I pick up my son and I'm holding my son and I said you don't understand this right now but tre we've gone Dre voting third Gumtree has a trait that right there that's vote Ibaka senior that's my daddy she her granddaddy I looked at my father and I said pops that right there that's 40 bucks on the third that's my son that's your grandson and all of a sudden like a flood this passage came to my mind this picture of Jesus before the Father with me saying son this is your father father this is your son I died to reconcile him to you both my experience and my imagination are incomplete and imperfect and yet overwhelming in light of this truth that Christ because of his finished work presents us holy and blameless before the God of the universe the righteous judge who sees us cling because there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains it's true it's true another hymn writer writes I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful Shore very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more but the master of the sea heard my despairing cry from the waters lifted me now safe am i that's how what is wrong can be made right secular humanism has been weighed and found warning it says that I'm the result of random evolutionary processes says that I exist to consume and enjoy it says that what's wrong with me is that I'm insufficiently educated or insufficiently governed and that the way things in the world can be made right is through me acquiring more information and having more people watching me that doesn't work it doesn't work you know it does Who am I the crowning glory of the creation of God why am I here to bring glory and honor to the triune God what is wrong with the world me I am a sinner who does not do what I was created to do how can what is wrong be made right through Christ and his finished work that redeems me and reconciles me with my heavenly Father and as a result thereof brings me to a place where I actually do bring glory and honor to the triune God just as I was intended to through the person and work of Jesus Christ there's your answer dear one if you are here and you have never come to embrace that truth my prayer for you is that you would flee to Christ my prayer for you is that you would not by the secular humanist lie my prayer for you is that you would recognize that not only has secular humanism been found wanting but you have been weighed and found wanting that you were created to bring glory and honor to the triune God and instead you live for yourself you're alienated from God hostile toward God and engaged in evil deeds this is who you are repent turn from your sin forsake it and hate it because it is displeasing to God and flee to Christ wherein is your only hope find in him your all-in-all trust in him and him alone lay down your arms raise your white flag and be embraced by the one whom you used to call your enemy let's pray our great God and Heavenly Father we confess to you that having been surrounded and engulfed by the poisonous worldview of secular humanism we have embraced and imbibed it in ways that we have not been either willing or able to understand or confess we have tried to live in two worlds we have tried to live in the world that says that we're an accident and that we're here to just enjoy and that if we just had a little more information if we just had a little more education if we just add a little more a little better government that everything would be all right but the fact of the matter is that worldview has been weighed and found wanting as have we the truth of the matter is our only hope is in Christ grant by your grace that we would embrace this hope that we would celebrate this hope that we would proclaim this hope now we would cling to this hope Lord I pray for the ones under the sounds of my voice who have not yet come to this hope that is ours in Christ by your grace would you grant them repentance and faith by the power of your spirit would you make them alive together with Christ when you remove the scales from their eyes that they might turn from their sin and flee to Christ but they might have him as their only hope for he is all we need we ask you tonight to receive this our prayer for we ask it and none other than the name of Jesus our master Savior Redeemer King Lord brother and friend and his name amen

Channel: Hope Reformed Baptist Church

Views: 47,816

Rating: 4.8273382 out of 5

Keywords: voddie baucham, Christian Apologetics, Hope Christian Church, Voddie, Baucham, Christian, Apologetics, Reformed, Baptist, Hope, Australia, Brisbane, Secular Humanism, Event, Springwood (City/Town/Village), Gospel, Grace, Religion, Christianity (Religion)

Id: wRQa4JL3Dw8

Length: 57min 14sec (3434 seconds)

Published: Sun May 18 2014