D o e s

1
D o e s
God
D O E S
Care?
Answering the So What? Question about
Christianity
2
Does God Care about Me?
3
What is Deism?
Deism is the belief that a single God created the
universe, but asserts that He is not active in
His creation nor cares about it. Deists deny
the presence of miracles, the divinity of Christ,
any revelation from God, and any concern of God
regarding mankind.
4
Deism is refuted by the already covered points

1. God has performed verified and recorded miracles
   in this world
2. God revealed His Word to selected individuals who
   recorded His revelation
3. God entered into this world in the form of a Man
   who showed us the face of God

But problems still exist as to if God really
cares about man
5
The Problem of Evil
If a God who cares exists, when why does evil
exist?
6
The Problem of Evil Why did the Tsunami Happen?

• The evolutionist/scientific naturalist cant ask
  the question because the animals did better than
  the humans during the crisis. If macroevolution
  is correct and were the higher species, then why
  did that happen? If survival is the mark of
  superiority, why did the lower survive and not
  the higher?
• The philosophical naturalist cant ask the
  question without using a moral framework. And
  this is what he denies because everything in this
  world is random and has no meaning. It is a
  self-defeating proposition there is no ultimate
  moral reference in an amoral universe.
• The Buddhist and Hindu dont ask the question
  because for them it is karma those who died got
  their just desserts.
• The Muslim doesnt ask the question because for
  them it is the will of Allah he brought this
  disaster about.

7
The Problem of Evil Why did the Tsunami Happen?
So who is asking the question? Only a person who
assumes a Christian worldview asks the question
of why there is evil in the world
8
C. S. Mills argument against God

• If God were all-good, He would want to defeat
  evil
• If God were all-powerful, He could defeat evil
• But evil is not defeated
• Therefore, this all-good and all-powerful God
  does not exist

If the premises of a logical syllogism are true,
the conclusion naturally follows and must be true.
9
Did God Create Evil?

• Evil is not a thing, but a privation in a thing
• Evil is a missing element in something that was
  originally good and perfect
• Evil is a deviation from the way things ought to
  be
• Evil is a corruption in something and cannot
  exist on its own
• Therefore, since evil is not a thing, God did not
  create it

But what about Isaiah 457?
10
So where did evil come from?

• The origin of evil can be found in the misuse of
  freedom
• Freedom is a good thing but by definition
  necessitates a choice
• To choose love means allowing the possibility to
  choose to hate
• Evil was manifested a self-determined act of free
  will

Sin occurs when the will exceeds understanding -
Descartes
11
What about the evil inside of man?
Those who argue about evil in the world rarely
turn their gaze inwardly. Rather than focus on
the evil out there what about the evil in the
heart of man?
12
Two Absurdities

1. The absurdity of good and evil in the world
2. The absurdity of good and evil in man

Both must be understood and reconciled, not just
the first one
13
Mans Dilemma
Man can be both noble and cruel. How did he get
that way?
Option 1
Option 2
?
Today
Today
Change
No Change
Original
Original
14
Mans Dilemma
In Mary Shellys (who was not a Christian) book
Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein is a doctor who
creates a perfectly benign and peaceful being.
The more the creation observes human behavior,
the more it begins to mimic human behavior and
starts to become evil. The creation confronts
the doctor and tells him that when he was brought
into this world, he didnt understand why people
needed government and controls and police, but as
he observed people and read history, he turned
away in horror at what man was capable of.
People could be kind, but also evil. Why both
where does that capacity come from? The creation
concludes this you were created in the image of
a perfect being, and youve fallen away from it.
15
Mans Dilemma the Biblical Perspective

• Man is fallen Genesis 3
• Man is corrupt Jeremiah 179, The heart is
  more deceitful than all else and is desperately
  sick who can understand it?
• Man is separated from God Romans 3
• Man is incapable of working to make things right,
  with himself or with God

Man needs two things (1) Reconciliation with God
(2) Freedom from sin
16
Mans Dilemma the Cure

• The penalty of sin was satisfied at the cross
  (Romans 518)
• The reconciliation of man was accomplished at the
  cross (Romans 510)
• New life was given to man via Christs life
  (Romans 510)
• Freedom from sin will be achieved when each
  believer is glorified (Romans 830)

17
Mans Dilemma Why do Christians still sin?
Romans 720, But if I am doing the very thing I
do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but
sin which dwells in me.

1 John 5 18, We know that no one who is born of
God sins but He who was born of God keeps him,
and the evil one does not touch him.

Romans 724-25, Wretched man that I am! Who will
set me free from the body of this death? Thanks
be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then,
on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving
the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh
the law of sin.
18
C. S. Mills argument against God

• If God were all-good, He would want to defeat
  evil
• If God were all-powerful, He could defeat evil
• But evil is not defeated
• Therefore, this all-good and all-powerful God
  does not exist

yet
19
The Promise for Today and the Destiny of Evil

• Romans 828, And we know that God causes all
  things to work together for good to those who
  love God, to those who are called according to
  His purpose.
• Revelation 2010, And the devil who deceived
  them was thrown into the lake of fire and
  brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet
  are also and they will be tormented day and
  night forever and ever.
• Revelation 2014, Then death and remember what
  caused death and Hades were thrown into the
  lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake
  of fire.

20
The Promise for Today and the Destiny of Evil

• An omni-benevolent God has a good purpose for
  everything.
• There is some evil for which we see no good
  purpose.
• Therefore, there is a good purpose for all evil,
  even if we do not see it.

21
The Promise for the Defeat of Mans Evil and Sin
Justification
Sanctification
Glorification
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined
to become conformed to the image of His Son, so
that He would be the firstborn among many
brethren and these whom He predestined, He also
called and these whom He called, He also
justified and these whom He justified, He also
glorified. Romans 829-30
22
Mans Meaning What is the Meaning of Life?
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, Vanity
of vanities! All is vanity. Ecclesiastes 12
23
(No Transcript)
24
Mans Meaning What Comprises Meaning?

• Sense of wonder removes boredom and monotony
• Knowledge of Truth supplies freedom
• Experience of Love greatest of all things
• Confidence of Security enables peace

25
Mans Meaning What Comprises Meaning?
Wonder Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Romans 1133
Truth you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 831
Love In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 410-11
Security Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 51
26
Mans Meaning The Place of Worship
I thought of it worship in terms of
compliment, approval, or the giving of honor. I
have never noticed that all enjoyment
spontaneously overflows into praise unless
(sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring
others is deliberately brought in to check it.
The world rings with praise - lovers praising
their mistresses, readers their favorite poet,
walkers praising the countryside, players
praising their favorite game - praise of weather,
wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges,
countries ... I had not noticed either that just
as men spontaneously praise whatever they value,
so they spontaneously urge us to join them in
praising it! Isn't she lovely? Wasn't it
glorious? Don't you think that magnificent? My
whole, more general, difficulty about the praise
of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as
regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight
to do, what indeed we can't help doing, about
everything else we value. Fully to enjoy is to
glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is
inviting us to enjoy Him. C. S. Lewis
27
How do you define pleasure?
Pleasure is getting more than you expect.
- Neurobiologist
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine, according to his
power that is at work within us, to him be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Apostle
Paul, Ephesians 320-21
28
Mans Meaning What is the Meaning of Life?
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is
fear God and keep His commandments, because this
applies to every person. For God will bring every
act to judgment, everything which is hidden,
whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes
1212-14
The intertwining of meaning and destiny
29
Mans Destiny Where is Man Going?
Gods plan for history
(Creation
Eternity)
Linear
VS.
Cyclical
Pantheistic Faiths Karma, etc.
Stoics/Nietzsche Eternal Recurrence
30
Mans Destiny The Paths
Enter through the narrow gate for the gate is
wide and the way is broad that leads to
destruction, and there are many who enter through
it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow
that leads to life, and there are few who find
it. Matthew 713-14
31
Mans Destiny The Promise
For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish, but have eternal life. John
316
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes
and there will no longer be any death there will
no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain
the first things have passed away. Revelation
214
32
Mans Destiny The Choice
If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the
Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will
serve whether the gods which your fathers served
which were beyond the River, or the gods of the
Amorites in whose land you are living but as for
me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 2415
He who believes in Him is not judged he who
does not believe has been judged already, because
he has not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. John 318
33
Does God Care?

• He cares enough to overcome the evil in this
  world and the evil in every human heart
• He cares enough to save man from his dilemma of
  being lost
• He cares enough to give meaning and purpose to
  everyone who He saves
• He cares enough to equip you to spend eternity
  and enjoy everlasting life with Him
• He cares enough to give you freedom and choice

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty
hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper
time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He
cares for you. 1 Peter 56-7
34
Last Puzzle Pieces are in Place

• We know our life has meaning To discover our
  Creator, live as He has intended, and glorify
  Him.
• We know our destiny God has destined all those
  who trust Him to obtain everlasting life and live
  with Him in eternity.

35
The End of the Worldview Maze

• Absolute Truth Exists
• Reason and Religion are Compatible
• God Exists
• God can be Known
• Jesus is God
• God Cares for You

Christianity is True
Knowing all these thingsWhat are you going to do
about it?
36
D o e s
God
D O E S
Care?
Yes, He does