Where do we come from?
1. Random accident
2. Designer
Who are we?
1. A collection of molecules
2. A significant creature with an eternal soul
If 1 is true, what is purpose of life?
1a. Hedonism- “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die!” O’D’s pleasure centres.
1b. Altruism (enlightened hedonism!)
If 2 is true, what is the Designer like?
2a. Impersonal, like a force (Buddhism). Can’t know ‘it’, can’t worship ‘it’. In fact, ‘it’ is less than us, because we regard something with a consciousness and a personality to be greater than something without. We return to 1!
2b. Personal, with a character and a mind.
If 2b is true, what kind of God is s/he?
2bi. Polytheistic- many gods (Hinduism, Greek mythology). Even though many of these gods are personal, they often behave in ways that we would not even respect in humans, let alone in gods. They are hard to look up to. Because there are so many, and because they contradict one another, it is hard to want to worship any of them.
2bii. Monotheistic- one God (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). How do we choose here? Some propositions
If there is a Creator God, we expect Him to be
• Loving
• All-powerful
• Omnipresent
• All-knowing
• Just, good and holy
But there is a problem with the last one in particular- we’re not just, good and holy! The problem of SIN
Therefore, the very God we would like to believe in cannot have dealings with us!
Why I believe Christianity is true
• Judaism talks of this God. The Jewish God has all the same characteristics as the Christian God. The Books of Moses and the OT look forward to a coming Messiah who save people from their sins. But no Messiah has come, so Judaism is still separated from God.
• Islam also talks of this God, and shares many characteristics, though love is somewhat removed from the equation. Of the 99 Muslim names for God, not one of them is Father. There is a distance in the relationship. That’s not surprising, since there has been no reconciliation.
• Christ. Romans 3:19 onwards.
JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY FOR GOD AND MAN TO BE RECONCILED. HE OFFERS TOTAL FORGIVENESS BY HIS SUBSTITIONARY SACRIFICE.
Illustration: the book.
