The Manner of Christ's Coming - SFC2204

SPEAKER A Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. SPEAKER B Would you like to better understand the Bible? How can you grow as a Christian and find personal peace? What happens at the second coming of Jesus? What is the relevance of Bible prophecy today? How do you identify a cult? What happens when you die? Here is your opportunity to find answers to these and many other questions by exploring 30 not only relevant, but life changing topics that await your discovery. Welcome to search for certainty. SPEAKER C I'm glad you could join us. I'm your host, Gayl Fong, and with me in the studio today is Hana Nakagawa. Welcome, Hana. SPEAKER D Thank you, Gayl. SPEAKER C We are so glad you could join us. And we're going to be studying right now the manner of Christ coming. Such a wonderful hope for the future. As the world races into this new millennium, have you ever considered what our greatest need is? What do men and women living in the 21st century need most? If you were starving to death, it might be food. If you were homeless, it might be a place to live. If disease ravished your body, it might be medicine. If you were lonely and discouraged, it might be love. Is there one thing if you had it, that could take you through any difficulty you might face in life? Is there one thing that can make the human spirit sore? All over the world, people are desperately looking for hope. Someone has well said what oxygen is to the lungs, hope is to the human spirit. Hope boils up our spirits. It lifts our vision from what is to what will be. It is a candle in the darkness. It provides encouragement for the future. And the Bible is filled with the best hope of all, the hope of our Lord's return. Well, before we begin this wonderful Bible study, Hana, would you open in prayer for us? SPEAKER D Sure. Let's pray. Lord, Heavenly Father, we want to come to you and praise you, Lord. You are God who give us hope. Lord, as we open our Bible today and learn about this great hope that you are coming back soon, I pray that you will pour your Holy Spirit upon us, lead us and guide us. And please, Lord, touch our heart. Pray all these things in Jesus precious and loving name. Amen. SPEAKER C Amen. Thank you so much, Hana. Well, to begin this amazing study, we're going to look in the Bible in the Gospel of John john, chapter 14, verses one to three. What hopeful promise, Hana, did Jesus give in these verses? SPEAKER D Yes, john 14, one to three. The Bible says, let not your heart to be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare place for you. And if I go and prepare place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. That where I am, there you may be also. SPEAKER C What a wonderful promise. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C I love that verse. And I love it where Jesus says, and receive you to myself. Did you know in the Greek that means to hug you to myself? Wow. And that's the blessed hope. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, he assured his followers, I will come again. The fact that Jesus is coming to the world a second time is as certain as the reality that he lived on this earth 2000 years ago. There is hope on the way. Well, Hana, in the book of Titus, titus, chapter two and verse 13, which we find in the New Testament, what does the apostle Paul call the second coming of Christ? SPEAKER D Yes, it says verse 13, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul said, it is a blessed hope. SPEAKER C I love that too. In more modern translations, I think it also puts it as a happy hope. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C It really lifts your spirits when you think of it. It's a very positive hope that we can look forward to. Well, right throughout the Bible, there is this living hope. And if we turn back our pages to the Old Testament, to Psalms chapter 50 and verse three, written by David, what assurance does the psalmist David give us regarding our Lord's return? Thank you, Hana. Psalms, chapter 50 and verse three. SPEAKER D Yes. The Bible says, our God shall come and shall not keep silent. A fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempest all around him. SPEAKER C Wow. David wrote that so many thousands of years ago. Yes, Bible writers down through the ages have predicted the coming of the Lord for every prophecy. Hana, in the Old Testament predicting the first coming of Jesus as a babe in Bethlehem's, manger, there are eight on the second coming of Christ. His coming is mentioned in every book of the New Testament except the little Book of Philammon. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C That's amazing. Don't you think God truly wants us to keep that wonderful hope in our minds? SPEAKER D Yes. Amen. SPEAKER C Well, Hana, in Acts chapter one, verses nine through to eleven, how will Christ return when he comes to this earth? Will his coming be a real literal event or simply a spiritual coming into our hearts? What does the Bible say? SPEAKER D Yes, act, chapter one, nine to eleven, it says, now when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. SPEAKER C Wow. So, Hana, that Scripture is telling us that Jesus'ascension to heaven, it was real. It wasn't just a figment of their imagination. SPEAKER D That's right. Disciples were looking at Him literally. They saw their eyes. Yes. SPEAKER C And his return will again be a very real and literal event. SPEAKER D That's right. Because it says, Saul, come in like manner. It will be the same way. SPEAKER C I love that. It's amazing how God sent his angels, two angels, to come down and give them that assurance as Jesus left them. Well, how many people, Hana, will see Jesus when he comes. Revelation, chapter one and verse seven. SPEAKER D Yes, it says, Behold, he's coming with a cloud and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the Earth will mourn because of him. Even so. Amen. SPEAKER C That's amazing. So according to the Bible, those who are alive, everyone will see Him, both the righteous and the wicked who were living on planet Earth. When Jesus returns in the clouds of heaven, when he returns, they will see Him. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Every living inhabitant of the globe will witness the second Advent. Christ's return will overshadow every other event on planet Earth. And there is a lot happening at the moment, but this is going to be something that will bring so much hope to this planet. No one will need to tell you when Jesus returns, you will see his coming. But Hana, there was a little even those who pierced Him. I thought we could just chase a little rabbit there and just have a look at that verse. Because Jesus did make a promise to those that were part of his trial where he was being questioned. Perhaps we could just have a little look there in Mark chapter 14 and verse 62. Mark, chapter 14 and verse 62. SPEAKER D Okay, Jesus said, I am and you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming with a clause of heaven. SPEAKER C So this was Jesus words to the high priest as you read the verses before there, where they asked him that question, are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed? And here Jesus assures them he is by saying, you will see me coming. Now, they have gone to rest, but they will be raised to actually see Jesus coming. Just like every word of God is true, god's word is truly a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C So be a very visible event. Well, what does the Bible compare Jesus coming to in the book of Matthew? In Jesus own words? In Matthew chapter 24 and verse 27? SPEAKER D Yes. The Bible says, for as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of man be. SPEAKER A Wow. SPEAKER D As the lightning. SPEAKER C That's very visible. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C I don't know. We've been in some thunderstorms. They have some great thunderstorms and lightning storms in summer throughout the years. And you can pull the curtains across, you can try and sleep, but when that lightning comes, you can still see it through the curtains. SPEAKER D That's right. It is, yeah. SPEAKER C Very bright and very vivid, very impactful. So that's something that always comforted me as a child, that we won't miss it. That's the Bible says, we will see it. We are alive at that time. We will see it. Will Christ's return be a secret silent coming first? Thessalonians 416 and 17. We're letting the Bible speak first. SPEAKER D Thessalonian chapter four, verse 16 and 17. It says, for the Lord himself would descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. SPEAKER C Wow. There's a shout there's a trumpet that's through Jesus'coming will be like a mighty blast of a trumpet. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Everyone everywhere will hear it. Did you ever learn to play the trumpet, Hana? SPEAKER D Not really, but, yeah, I guess trumpet is the most, I would say very noisy or loud instrument. That probably if I practice at home, my mom would not like that. SPEAKER C But Hana, you play a guitar beautifully. SPEAKER D Oh, piano. SPEAKER C And piano as well. You're very musical. In my family, my two girls, they chose a trumpet for school band. SPEAKER A Yes. SPEAKER C And their dad plays a trumpet. SPEAKER A That's right. SPEAKER C So we did have quite a bit of noise and it was a noisy noise, but as they grew older, they made a delightful noise. SPEAKER D Imagine the sound of God. Trumpet of God. That would sound amazing. SPEAKER C It's going to be so majestic, Hana. I can't wait to hear it. And I know that many will be looking forward to hearing that audible sound, because as that verse says also, that the dead in Christ will rise first. And as they hear the voice of God and the trumpet yes, they will recognize his voice. Well. Who will return with Jesus when he comes in? Matthew, chapter 16 and verse 27. Is he returning by himself? What does the Bible say? SPEAKER D For the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works. So Jesus is coming back with his angels. SPEAKER C Imagine that Jesus'second coming with will be the mighty climax of all the ages and he will be surrounded by all his holy angels. And if we try to imagine that glorious scene and what it would be like, I don't know what you think of in your mind. I think of fireworks, perhaps, as we do on New Year's Eve. But it'll be nothing like Jesus returning with all the angels of heaven. SPEAKER D Yes. Wow. SPEAKER C I think in the Bible, when two angels came down to roll back, one rolled back the stone where Jesus lay in the tomb, and that whole regiment of soldiers fell down at their glory. We can only imagine, when all the angels return, what a magnificent sight that would be. Something this world has never seen. SPEAKER D It is beyond our imagination. We cannot describe with voice. SPEAKER C It truly is. And you know, Hana, I was thinking, someone once asked me, well, how is it possible for every eye to see Jesus? Yes, because we're all living all over the Earth. How can they all see Him? But there is something called the celestial equator, and the Bible talks about Jesus and talks about heavenly bodies. And there is a space in the Orion. That constellation is actually seen in the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. Could it be that our Lord will return with all the angels of glory through that space in the Orion, which, as he circumnavigates the earth, every eye would see him? SPEAKER D We cannot know yet. SPEAKER C We cannot limit what God is capable of doing. But every word of God is true. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C And will be fulfilled. Well, how does the Bible describe the awesome majesty of our Lord's return? Matthew 24 and verse 30. SPEAKER D It says then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the claws of heaven with power and great glory. SPEAKER C Amen. So Jesus came silently once. Although angels sang Glory to God in the highest, in shepherd's fields outside of Bethlehem, only a few had any idea that the baby born in Bethlehem was the eternal Son of God. But when Jesus comes the second time, he will come, Hana, as you just read there, in power and great glory, in spectacular splendor visible to the entire world. SPEAKER D Wow. It's not going to be a secret. It's not going to be a silent. SPEAKER C No secrets there with the Lord. He wants us to know. It will be visible. Yes, it will be audible if someone tells you that Christ's coming will be in secret. Question should we believe it? Matthew, chapter 24, verses 23 to 27, the words of Jesus himself. Thank you, Hana. SPEAKER D Then if anyone says to you, look, here is the Christ, or there, do not believe it. For false Christ and false prophet will rise and show great signs and want us to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore, if they say to you, look, he's in the desert, do not go out or look, he's in the inner room, do not believe it. For as the lightning come from the east and freshest to the west, so also would the coming of the Son of man be. SPEAKER C Amen. So it's interesting that in those verses Jesus repeats those words do not believe it. Do not believe it. He says, yes, he does not want us to be deceived. SPEAKER D That's right. He already earned us. So that we will know, because we know that every eye will see. If someone said, oh, did you know that Jesus is no. No. It's not true to not believe it, because every eye will see. SPEAKER C Amen. Thank you, Hana. Wow. If we read on, what thrilling climatic event will take place when Christ returns. Turning to the book of one Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 51 to 53. This is mind boggling. Thank you, Hana. SPEAKER D Yes. The Bible says, behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. SPEAKER C Wow. There is a promise of physical change here. SPEAKER D That's right. Wow. SPEAKER C And the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed in a moment. The twinkling of an eye is like the tucking of your eyelash. SPEAKER D Wow. That's how fast and this body is the perfect body that does not going to get sick or to die or to have bad eyesight. Yeah. SPEAKER C It's amazing. This verse gives so much hope. SPEAKER D Amen. Amen. SPEAKER C Something we will study a little further in our studies as we continue as well to unpack that verse in the future. SPEAKER D I have a friend who had a bit of accident. He lost his few fingers in that accident and he went to kids camp and kids asked him, so is your finger going to grow again? And he answered, not here, but when Jesus comes back, my body will be renewed new. My finger will be renewed new. So there's a great hope in that. SPEAKER C That's wonderful hope. Wonderful hope in the word of God. Wow. I'm so glad your friend knows the Lord. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Can trust his word. Hana, would you also read for us in first thessalonians chapter four and verse 16 to 17? Because these verses, which we read a little earlier, also tell us about this climatic event. SPEAKER D Yes, verse 16. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of an archangel, and with a trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ who rise first, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. SPEAKER C There's so much to meditate and unpack in this verse. It's interesting because as you were reading before, about where Jesus said, if someone says I'm in the desert, don't go, or the secret place, don't believe it. Because here the Bible tells us where we will actually meet Jesus. SPEAKER D Yes, in the air. SPEAKER C His feet won't touch the ground at his second coming, but we will meet him in the air. And he even gives the order of the grace will open first, and then we who are alive and remain will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Wow. Hana, would you also read verse 18 there? SPEAKER D Yes. Therefore comfort one another with these words. SPEAKER C It's meant to comfort us. Give us that hope. It's that blessed hope. God keeps his promises. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C We can trust God's word. Everyone on Earth will have one of two reactions. When Jesus comes, what will the reaction be of the lost? Revelation 614 to 16. SPEAKER D It says then the sky recedes as the scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountain and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the rough of the lamb. SPEAKER C Do they sound like they're excited to see the returning? SPEAKER D No, no. They are calling mountains and rock and said, fall on us and hide us. They just don't want to see the King of King Jesus. They just hide themselves from Him, and even they want to kill themselves. SPEAKER C Wow. They must be just so filled with guilt and fear that the unsaved run from the Christ who loves them and longs to save them. They've rejected his mercy, turned their backs on his love. Yes, they're now frightened. They flee to shield themselves from his glory. What a tragic ending. What will the reaction of the righteous be? The ancient book of Isaiah in the Old Testament, chapter 25 and verse nine. SPEAKER D It says, and it will be said in that day, behold, this is our God. We have waited for Him and he will save us. This is the Lord. We have waited for him. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Amen. SPEAKER C It's just the opposite. SPEAKER D Yes, they are rejoicing. They have been waiting so long to see Jesus and they are so happy. SPEAKER C Amen. The saved long for his return. Their hearts are filled with joy. He's their friend, their savior, their lord and their king. They delight in his presence here and will delight in it through all eternity. They've chosen to believe his promise, and his promise that he will come again to accept his invitation to them, to accept Him as their Lord, as their Savior, as their coming King. Well, when is the time to prepare for the coming of the Lord? What does Paul write in the New Testament? In two Corinthians, chapter six and verse. SPEAKER D Two, Hana, it says, for he says, in an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. SPEAKER C Wow. So that's very powerful verse there. SPEAKER D That's right. It says, Today is the accepted time. SPEAKER C It's easy to procrastinate. SPEAKER D That's right. We always wonder there will be a better time to accept God, but Bible says it is, today is the time. SPEAKER C Yes. And interesting, that word now is there twice. Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation you find in the Bible. If something's mentioned twice, then it's adding importance to that concept of preparedness today. Don't put off till tomorrow. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Sadly, people do, and we do that with different things in life. I had a friend, one of my friends, when I was much younger, and I remember that they said, well, when I'm older, I'll come back to God, and I just want to do my own life now. I don't believe that person has ever really come back to really making God their friend. And it's a choice. God never forces us. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C But there is so much joy in choosing Him. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Because we really, truly don't know how long our life will be. SPEAKER D Amen. That's right. We never know what would happen tomorrow. Even today. We don't know. Day by day, we choose God. We have given the opportunity to choose Him. We never know the future. SPEAKER C And for our listeners, I pray that you would hear God's voice calling you through this verse, now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. Well, what event does Jesus liken to his coming and why? Matthew, chapter 24, verse 42 to 43. In Jesus own words. Thank you, Hana. SPEAKER D He said, Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the Master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Interesting. SPEAKER C It is very interesting. And it's interesting, too, because Jesus likened his coming to a thief breaking into a house. That's right. This does not mean that Christ will come secretly. It means he will come swiftly, quickly, at a time we least expect, because. SPEAKER D We never know when thief will come. And it's the same way we never know when Jesus will come. SPEAKER C That's so true, Hana. And in a previous Bible study, we looked at the signs of Jesus coming. SPEAKER D We can tell that Jesus is near. SPEAKER C That his coming is coming close. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C But no one knows the day nor the hour. SPEAKER D No. SPEAKER C So there's a need for, since Jesus is coming unexpectedly, Hana, what counsel does he give us in Matthew 24, verse 44 yes. SPEAKER D Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. SPEAKER C Wow. SPEAKER D Yes. He said, Be ready because we don't know when, but if we are ready today, we can watch and wait for Him. SPEAKER C Amen. That need to make that decision today, not to put it off, to be ready for the coming of Jesus. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Means to eagerly anticipate his coming. It means a heart longing for his return. It involves a life committed to doing his will. Love for Him leads us to long to be with Him throughout eternity. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C He's patiently waiting for each one of us to recognize how much he loves us. And this promise, as we began, is meant to be one of hope. A happy hope to boy up our spirits. Because this world has very dark times in everyone's lives. There's mountains and there's valleys. But this hope boys us along. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Just like your friend who lost his fingers, the tops of his fingers. There's a hope for renewal. There's a hope that God is coming and will keep his promise. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, we always like to make a decision when we study God's Word. And there is a decision here. And it says, I accept Jesus as my personal Savior, and today surrender my life to Him. I long to see Him come soon. I believe Jesus coming is the brightest hope for our world. I pray as you're listening in, that this would be your heart longing to accept Jesus as your personal savior and that you would accept that hope that he offers to you today. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And I accept that. SPEAKER D Yes, me too. SPEAKER C Amen. Well, let us close in prayer. Our dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this blessed hope that you have given to us in Your Word. Because your word is true and faithful. Your Word is truly a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. And today, Lord, we ask take our lives just now. Make them yours. Fully yours. We know you desire to save us and we desire to live with you forever. So Lord, prepare us and comfort us and give us Your strength. And give us, Lord, a greater desire to know you, because Your Word gives us so much hope. And we ask this for the pardon of our sins in Jesus'most worthy name. Amen. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, Hana, I've really enjoyed our Bible study today, and we thanked our listeners for joining us as well. SPEAKER D Yes, thank you so much. SPEAKER C This is one of my most favorite subjects in the Bible. I love to meditate on the return of Jesus, and we pray that this will give you so much hope in this world that has so much sadness and grief and pain. But this study will lift your spirits today, and we pray that God be with you and go in peace until our next study. We invite you to come back and join us again. Thank you. SPEAKER A Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and I light unto my path. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. SPEAKER E If you have questions or comments about any of the programs you've heard, you can call three 3ABN Australia Radio within Australia on 024-97-3456, or from outside of Australia on Country Code 612-497-3456. Our email address is [email protected] that is radio at the number 3abnaustralia.org.au Our postal address is 3ABN, Australia, Inc. PO. Box seven five two. Morisset, New South Wales 2264, Australia thank you for your prayers and financial support. SPEAKER F Coming don't you see in yonder cloud with 10,000 angels round him see how they my Jesus crown I am bound for the Kingdom. Will you go to glory with me? Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Don't you see the saints ascending? Hear them shouting through the Jesus smiling trumpet sounding now his glory they will get I am down for the. SPEAKER A Will. SPEAKER F You go to glory with me? SPEAKER A Hallelujah. SPEAKER F Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. SPEAKER A Hallelujah. SPEAKER F Don't you see the heaven open hand? The saints in glory shout the triumph bursting round you glory, glory everywhere. SPEAKER A I am out for the King. SPEAKER F Will you go with me? Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hope raise the Lord. SPEAKER A JN's album pillars. SPEAKER G Of our faith vol. Two that was don't you see my Jesus coming? Coming up next, Marley de Fong will sing I Want to Go to Heaven. SPEAKER A Close savanna pick a never fading flower from the mountain over King the temple of my God. SPEAKER C I want to go. SPEAKER A To heaven where all is light and glory. How I long to be with Jesus. How I long to be. Sometimes I think that I can stay here no longer. I feel very lonely here, for I have seen a better land. And oh, that I had wing like a dove. Then would I fly away and be afraid. Want to go to heaven I want to hear the voice of Jesus say you have washed your blood stood this way for the truth. When I get to heaven, I'll cast my crown at Jesus be town to praise his name forever. Oh, he's done so much for me. Sometimes I think that I can stay here no longer. I feel very lonely here. For I need a better land and know that I had wings like a dust then would I fly away and be. SPEAKER G Welcome to answers to the big questions. I'm your host, Allen Sonter, and I'm glad you could join me. In the last episode, I talked about whether one religion is better than another. Some suggestions were made to help us decide the answer to this question. Though of course, much more could be said about the issue in my Answers to the Big Questions. In this series, only a brief outline of the subjects is possible, but I invite you to contact me at three ABN if you have further questions. Today's question is one which most of us have asked at one time or another. While we've considered some aspect of this question in previous episodes, in this series, today we'll attempt to give an answer that deals specifically with the question. There are two parts to the question, so let's start with the first part. Where did we come from? Nobody alive. Today has firsthand experience of the beginnings of the human race. We can only learn from the sources that claim to know the answer. There are two main sources to which people go to look for answers to such questions science and religion. When we ask science where we came from, we really find no answers because science depends on observation and interpretation. As noted above, no scientist alive has ever observed the beginning of the human race. So the best a scientist can do is to observe so called evidence for possible beginnings of human life and other forms of life as well, and interpret this evidence using principles of interpretation developed by observing the world around us. Most scientists believe that there's no God, so they set about looking for evidence they can interpret as indicating that life began without the intervention of God. The most common belief by modern scientists is that man evolved from lower forms of life and that these forms of life evolve from still earlier forms until we go right back to the beginning, when life arose spontaneously from nonliving matter in some kind of primordial soup. Scientists who accept this theory then have to come up with evidence to support their ideas. The theory I have briefly described is called the Theory of Evolution, and it was championed by Charles Darwin from about the 1840s. He worked out his theory after observing that some birds in the Galapagos Islands had different shaped beaks from others. And he believed that the different beaks had evolved to enable the birds to cope with different environmental factors experienced by the birds over time. Darwin knew nothing of the highly complex cellular structure of living things or of the information contained in DNA which enables living organisms to replicate themselves. Had he known about such things, he would probably never have launched theory of evolution. But because he knew nothing of modern biological science, he taught his theory, which at the time was thought to be possibly plausible. Because his ideas provided a way of explaining the origins of life without needing a creator God. Many in the scientific world accepted them gladly, and they rapidly spread throughout the scientific community. Once these ideas had taken hold, there were many scientists who would be ready to defend them against anyone who suggested that God was the Creator. It appeared that there were only two options either God created life or life evolved without God. It's my belief that theory of evolution would never have taken hold if scientists in Darwin's time had known. What we now know of biological science as the theory is totally untenable. Given what we now know, it's simply not possible for more complex forms of life to develop from simpler forms because the more complex forms require more information in the DNA and the more information requires intelligence. And without an intelligent God, there's no source of intelligence from which the needed information can come. But once science had accepted Darwin's theory. The efforts of scientists were focused on finding evidence to support the theory. So when our understanding of DNA and other aspects of genetics was presented to evolutionists, they tried desperately to prove that their theory was correct, despite the evidence against it arising from genetics. So evolution still has millions of followers who are intent on defending their theory against any evidence creationists may present. To the contrary, almost every law of biology, chemistry and physics would have to be broken if evolution was true. Take just one example the law of Entropy, also known as the Second Law of thermodynamics. It states that as one goes forward in time, the net entropy that's the degree of disorder of any isolated and closed system will always increase or at least stay the same. Entropy is simply a measure of disorder and affects all aspects of our daily lives. Put simply, the Law of Entropy says that everything tends to break down or fall to pieces unless it is maintained by the input of someone's effort. But according to evolution, over vast periods of time, living things became more complex and order increased. That is simply not possible according to this law. On the other hand, those who believe that God created everything in the universe can point to a great deal of evidence that indicates the activity of a creator in the origins of life. The complex designs of living things, the ability of living organisms to reproduce themselves, and the evidence of fossils and geology for a comparatively recent creation and a catastrophic worldwide flood all lead the OpenMined observer to conclude that living organisms, including human beings, were designed and created by an intelligent being that we choose to call God. We can see that science has no satisfactory answer to the question, where did we come from? So let's look to religion for an answer. After all, religion is the source of our ideas about things we cannot understand by observing the world around us. When we study various religions, we see that each religion has its own answer to this question, ranging from the dreamtime stories of the Australian Aborigines to the tribal stories of people in many cultures, and to the beliefs of Hindus, Buddhists and others. Then there is the teachings of the Bible, which tell us in the first two chapters of the Book of Genesis just how humans were created by God. In the first episode of this series, we gave evidence for believing that the Bible is God's message to us. So here we will focus on what the Bible says about where we came from. In Genesis one, verses 26 to 29, we read the account of the creation of humans, which reads as follows then God said, Let us make human beings in our image to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground. So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them. Then God blessed them and said be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky and all the animals that scurry along the ground. Then God said look, I have given you every seed bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky and the small animals that scurry along the ground. Everything that has life. And that is what happened. This account is straightforward and tells us that God made humans and gave them a plant based diet. Also tells us that God gave the animals a plant based diet. Then, in the second chapter of Genesis, in verses 718 21 and 22, we read how God made man and woman. Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils and the man became a living person. Then the Lord God said it's not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib and brought her to the man. These verses continue telling us that this is why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife. And the two are united into one, which it tells us in verse 24. It's interesting to learn that God's account of the beginning of human life includes an explanation of how the two sexes began and of the beginning of the marriage relationship, which, of course, provides for humans to reproduce themselves. The theory of evolution has no plausible explanation for the continuation of the race. So we can answer the question where did we come from? Quite simply, we were created by God when he made life on the earth. I believe this happened about 6000 years ago, based on the chronology of the Bible. Now let's look at the second question where are we going? In episode four of this series we looked at the question what is death? And on the face of it, it looks quite simple. We will all eventually die, go to sleep to await the resurrection. If we have accepted the salvation Jesus offers us we will be brought back to life at the first resurrection, when Jesus returns. Or if we have rejected the salvation Jesus offers, we will sleep till the second resurrection when we will be brought back to life to face the judgment for all our rebellion against God. But what happens then this is where the difference between those who have accepted Christ and the salvation he offers and those who have chosen to live for themselves becomes very clear. In episode six of the series, we told something of the future of these two groups. But we need here to say something about what causes us to be in one group or the other. The difference is a matter of our choice who we choose to worship. Jesus offers us a gift, salvation and eternal life if we worship him. But not all accept this free gift. If we live our lives to bring the greatest joy to the most people, we will choose to allow Jesus to control our lives and all that we do. This means living unselfishly as Christ lived. As the Bible writer the Apostle Paul put it in his letter to the Church at Galatia in chapter two and verse 20 my old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, so I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. It's only if we really love Jesus that we will be happy to worship Him and have him in control of our lives. It is this idea that Christ lives in the one who accepts his free gift of salvation that makes the life of the Christian so different from that of the person who wants to live for himself or herself. Someone who chooses to live for selfish pleasure or gain will not be happy to have Christ in control of the life. So such a person will not accept the salvation offered because although it costs no money, it means giving Christ control of our lives. So the two ways to live are very different, and the final end of each is also very different. The difference is in who we worship. For the person who is happy to worship Christ and have him in control of his or her life, the end is the first resurrection at Christ's second coming and a place in the new earth that Christ will set up on this earth after sin has been completely eliminated. That person will live forever in that wonderful world where everyone worships God and loves Christ and one another. For the person who chooses to worship the rebel Satan and live for self. The end is the second resurrection after the end of the thousand years, the millennium during which time God and his people are in heaven judging those who have rejected Christ while Satan and his angels are restricted to this desolate earth with no one to tempt. Then when those who have lived for self and chosen to worship Satan are brought back to life in the second Resurrection, they join Satan and his angels in an attempt to take the Holy City which comes down from heaven with Christ and his people. Their attempt to take the city ends when God destroys both Satan and his followers in a lake of fire, which destroys all sin and sinners and cleanses the earth of all the effects of sin. God then makes the whole earth new and sets up his government here on this earth. All of this is described in chapters 20 and 21 in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. So our options are live forever, loving and worshipping God, or worship Satan and die in the lake of fire, which is called the second death, from which there is no resurrection. My listening friend, please accept the joy of having Christ live in your heart. His presence gives meaning to life and fills your life with joy and love. Living for self leads to sorrow and death. Please choose life. You've been listening to answers to the big questions. I'm Allen Sonter and I hope you can join me again next time. SPEAKER C You've been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.