from
Nothing to Paradise
in 4 Easy Steps
Pictures created by Google Gemini
There is a God
(vs. Atheism -> no God)
Where did our Earth and Universe come from? A supernatural God?
• Science has discovered that our Earth and Universe had a beginning.
• Where did Matter and Energy come from?
• Where did Plant, Animal, and Human life come from?
• Plants and animals have a positive complementary existence.
• The Earth has been beautifully engineered and built to support life.
Atheism? We assume Matter and Energy always existed?
• But, this assumption violates the Law of Entropy, a well-established scientific law.
• And, if atheism were true, then all we have, and all we are, is Chemistry?
• Everything we think, say, and do is predetermined by the Laws of Chemistry, i.e., we are “pre-wired”!
• Men and women are only walking/talking collections of molecules with no free will or minds of their own?
• Is there no love, justice, or heroes?
• Is there no good or evil?
• Is this who we really are?
Stephen Hawking (1942-2018)
• Chairman of the Physics Department at Cambridge University.
• Considered the greatest physicist of our day, and was a prominent atheist.
• In his “Final Theory” he wrote that Gravity created the Universe! But, he doesn’t say where Gravity, or Matter, came from?
• This theory is not widely accepted by his peers.
Affirming a negative
• Logically speaking, one cannot prove a negative (e.g., “there is no God”). Let’s, for a moment, assume there is a God.
There is a God
(vs. Atheism -> no God)
Where did our Earth and Universe come from? A supernatural God?
- Science has discovered that our Earth and Universe had a beginning.
- Where did Matter and Energy come from?
- Where did Plant, Animal, and Human life come from?
- Plants and animals have a positive complementary existence.
- The earth has been beautifully engineered and built to support life.
Atheism? We assume Matter and Energy always existed?
- But, this assumption violates the Law of Entropy, a well-established scientific law.
- And, if Atheism would be true, then all we have, and all we are, is Chemistry?
- Everything we think, say, or do is predetermined by the Laws of Chemistry, i.e., we are “pre-wired”!
- Men and women are only walking/talking collections of molecules with no free will or minds of their own?
- Is there no love, justice, or heroes?
- Is there no good or evil?
- Is this who we really are?
Stephen Hawking (1942-2018)
- Chairman of the Physics Department at Cambridge University.
- Considered the greatest physicist of our day, and was a prominent atheist.
- In his “Final Theory” he wrote that Gravity created the Universe! But, he doesn’t say where Gravity, or Matter, came from?
This theory is not widely accepted by his peers.
Affirming a negative
- Logically speaking, one cannot prove a negative (e.g., “there is no God”). Let’s, for a moment, assume there is a God.
Where can we learn about God?
The Bible is True
(Bible references given)
The Bible is the oldest and most cherished Book ever written, and it tells us about a supernatural God!
• It has been translated into 450 languages and the New Testament section has been translated into 1600 languages (Institute for Religious Research).
• It is cohesive, even though it was written by 40 different authors (in 66 individual “books”) over a 1600 year period of time.
• Literally, billions of people over the years have found the Bible to be truthful and beneficial to their lives.
• Many people have died to save and preserve it.
Moses has been credited with writing Genesis, the first book of the Bible, and the book which introduces God and creation:
• Moses was the leader of the Israelites around 1500 BC. Moses led them out of Egyptian slavery.
• Because people lived to be 900+ years old right after creation, and assuming an approximate 4000 BC creation date and Biblical genealogy, there are only 5 people generations between Adam (creation) and Moses!
• Therefore, creation facts could have easily been communicated to Moses.
• Would you forget the story of creation if you knew it?
Facts in the Bible have been proven to be correct by archeology many, many times:
• A Google search reveals many examples.
• The Museum of the Bible in DC has many physical examples.
• “Patterns of Evidence” by Tim P Mahoney reveals physical evidence of the Israeli Exodus from Egypt in 1500 BC.
• Dead Sea Scrolls, dated 100-300 BC, contain a copy of the current book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah was actually written about 700 BC.
• No significant Bible facts have ever been disproven.
Many biblical prophecies have come true; 2 major, indisputable ones are:
• Jeremiah 25:11 – predicted 70 years of captivity of Israel in Babylon. Israel was freed unexpectedly by the Medes and Persians when they conquered Babylon 70 years later.
• Micah 5:2 – predicted Jesus the Messiah (Savior) would be born in Bethlehem, an inconsequential little village in southern Israel. And Jesus was born there 700 years later!
• Google can find a lot more.
Christianity is the belief that the Bible is true
The Bible is the oldest and most cherished Book ever written, and it tells us about a supernatural God!
- It has been translated into 450 languages and the New Testament section has been translated into 1600 languages (Institute for Religious Research).
- It is cohesive, even though it was written by 40 different authors (in 66 individual “books”) over a 1600 year period of time.
- Literally, billions of people over the years have found the Bible to be truthful and beneficial to their lives.
Many people have died to save and preserve it.
Moses has been credited with writing Genesis, the first book of the Bible, and the book which introduces God and creation:
- Moses was the leader of the Israelites around 1500 BC. Moses led them out of Egyptian slavery.
- Because people lived to be 900+ years old right after creation, and assuming an approximate 4000 BC creation date and Biblical genealogy, there are only 5 people generations between Adam (creation) and Moses!
- Therefore, creation facts could have easily been communicated to Moses.
Would you forget the story of creation if you knew it?
Facts in the Bible have been proven to be correct by archeology many, many times:
- A Google search reveals many examples.
- The Museum of the Bible in DC has many physical examples.
- “Patterns of Evidence” by Tim P Mahoney reveals physical evidence of the Israeli Exodus from Egypt in 1500 BC.
Dead Sea Scrolls, dated 100-300 BC, contain a copy of the current book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah was actually written about 700 BC.
- No significant Bible facts have ever been disproven.
Many biblical prophecies have come true; 2 major, indisputable ones are:
- Jeremiah 25:11 – predicted 70 years of captivity of Israel in Babylon. Israel was freed unexpectedly by the Medes and Persians when they conquered Babylon 70 years later.
- Micah 5:2 – predicted Jesus the Messiah (Savior) would be born in Bethlehem, an inconsequential little village in southern Israel. And, Jesus was born there 700 years later!
- Google can find a lot more.
Christianity is the belief that the Bible is true
Christianity Is Real
(Bible references given)
Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, was such a singularly significant person that his life inspired a new Calendar. The world transitioned to a new age in history because of the life of Jesus! There became a BC (Before Christ) and an AD (Anno Domini – Year of our Lord).
In addition to the Bible, there is a much larger number of ancient manuscripts about the life and death of Jesus Christ than there is about Plato or Socrates (Google Gemini).
When Christianity is considered in a very broad way, it helps, and explains, the human existence better than any other belief system. The emergence of Western Civilization is a good evidence of this:
• A large number of people were given access to the Bible beginning in the 1400 to 1500s with the invention of the Gutenberg Press.
• Martin Luther, William Tyndall, Casiodora de Reina, and Pierre Olivetan led the way to translate the Bible into the “commoner” languages of German, English, Spanish, and French, respectively.
• Isaac Newton, a Christian, discovered the Laws of Motion and many other important physical laws in the 1600s. He credited the Bible with inspiring and helping him in his work. The Laws of Motion were foundational and motivational to the Industrial Revolution.
• Other scientists also discovered important laws during this time period, and scientific knowledge rapidly advanced.
• The Industrial Revolution began in the 1700s and it has given more blessings to mankind than any other cultural change in history.
The USA, probably the most Christian country that ever existed, has given more freedom, comfort, and security to its citizens, and also, to much of the rest of the world, than any other country in history:
• Throughout history, millions and millions of people have publicly testified to the enormous benefits of being a Christian.
• Christianity treats women (vs. men) with respect and dignity, recognizing their complementary biological equality and spiritual equality.
• Christianity has a savior, Jesus Christ, and can satisfy a man’s and woman’s desire to live forever (Rev 22:5).
• Christianity offers forgiveness and eternal life – a very loving and generous conclusion to everyone’s life (I Thes 4:17).
After Jesus left this world, all of his 12 disciples were martyred. Why would they do this if they did not believe in the authenticity of Jesus and his resurrection? The Bible reports that over 500 people saw Jesus alive after the crucifixion (I Cor 15:6).
There are still some unanswered questions about Christianity. But, all belief systems (religions, etc.) have unanswered questions. Many times, Christianity is challenged, but other belief systems are not:
• Atheism – Where did the matter and energy in the Universe come from?
• Hinduism – teaches that a person should not try to improve himself or herself?
• Buddism – teaches that a person should eliminate all desire.
• Islam – treats women very differently than they treat men.
Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, was such a singularly significant person that his life inspired a new Calendar. The world transitioned to a new age in history because of the life of Jesus! There became a BC (Before Christ) and an AD (Anno Domini – Year of our Lord).
In addition to the Bible, there is a much larger number of ancient manuscripts about the life and death of Jesus Christ than there is about Plato or Socrates (Google Gemini).
When Christianity is considered in a very broad way, it helps, and explains, the human existence better than any other belief system. The emergence of Western Civilization is a good evidence of this:
- A large number of people were given access to the Bible beginning in the 1400 to 1500s with the invention of the Gutenberg Press.
- Martin Luther, William Tyndall, Casiodora de Reina, and Pierre Olivetan led the way to translate the Bible into the “commoner” languages of German, English, Spanish, and French, respectively.
- Isaac Newton, a Christian, discovered the Laws of Motion and many other important physical laws in the 1600s. He credited the Bible with inspiring and helping him in his work. The Laws of Motion were foundational and motivational to the Industrial Revolution.
- Other scientists also discovered important laws during this time period and scientific knowledge rapidly advanced.
- The Industrial Revolution began in the 1700s and it has given more blessings to mankind than any other cultural change in history.
The USA, probably the most Christian country that ever existed, has given more freedom, comfort, and security to its citizens, and also, to much of the rest of the world, than any other country in history:
- Throughout history, millions and millions of people have publicly testified to the enormous benefits of being a Christian.
- Christianity treats women (vs. men) with respect and dignity, recognizing their complementary biological equality and spiritual equality.
- Christianity has a savior, Jesus Christ, and can satisfy a man’s and woman’s desire to live forever (Rev 22:5).
- Christianity offers forgiveness and eternal life – a very loving and generous conclusion to everyone’s life here on earth (I Thes 4:17).
After Jesus left this world, all of his disciples were martyred. Why would they do this if they did not believe in the authenticity of Jesus and his resurrection? The Bible reports that over 500 people saw Jesus alive after the crucifixion (I Cor 15:6).
There are still some unanswered questions about Christianity. But, all belief systems (religions, etc.) have unanswered questions. Many times, Christianity is challenged, but other belief systems are not:
- Atheism – Where did the matter and energy in the Universe come from?
- Hinduism – teaches that a person should not try to improve himself or herself.
- Buddism – teaches that a person should eliminate all desire.
- Islam – treats women very differently than they treat men.
How can I become a Christian and know that I am a Christian, and that I will go to God’s Paradise when I die?
Paradise
(Bible references given)
The all powerful and loving God of the Bible wanted to have a relationship with living beings who had similar qualities as he did, e.g., a free will, self-awareness. So he created a man and a woman in his own image. He told them to have children. He also created a beautiful place on the earth for them to live. This beautiful place he called the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden had everything they needed to live and be happy (Gen 1-2).
God also planted a tree in this garden to give the man and woman an opportunity to prove their gratefulness and faithfulness to him. God told them they could eat anything in the garden they desired except the fruit from this one tree. If they did eat from this tree, they would severely damage their relationship with him (Gen 2:16-17). The man and woman wanted to be faithful to God, but, Satan, an evil spirit and God’s enemy, tricked the man and woman, and they ate fruit from the forbidden tree (Gen 3:1-7). This disobedience was systemic and insidious, and their punishment for this disobedience would be eternal death for the man and woman, and all who would be born to them, all of mankind.
God knew from the beginning that the man and woman would not be able to resist the temptations that Satan presented to them, so God created a secret plan (see below) to save the man and the woman. A loving God would not have created the man and women if he didn’t have a plan to save them. This plan would heal their damaged relationship with him. God would then be willing and able to provide help for them to live on this earth until they died. Also, and infinitely more important, this plan included an opportunity for them to live with God forever (after they died on this earth). And, God would build them an even better place to live called heaven (Rev 21:1-5). Heaven would be a perfect place to live forever, a place with no evil spirits, a Paradise!
God’s secret plan to forgive and save mankind was to provide a substitute for them that would take the punishment for their disobedience (Isaiah 55:8,9). God’s requirement was that the substitute had to be human and had to be perfect. With a virgin woman, God created a son, a God-man. He was God because God was his father, and man because a woman was his mother (Luke 1:31,35, I John 4:9)! This God-man was both God and man. He was perfect and his name was Jesus.
Jesus grew up and lived a loving and perfect life as described in the Bible. He used his Godly power to help and cure many people from many different illnesses. But, he was rejected by his own people and, as God knew he would be, was horribly crucified on a Roman cross as a sacrifice and punishment for all of mankind’s disobedience. Jesus, even knowing the horrible death he would die, wanted to be obedient to his Father and willingly sacrificed his own life (Luke 22:42). Just as God loved people, so Jesus did also (John 15:9). Because Jesus was innocent, God used his life-giving power and brought Jesus back to life (I Cor 15:4-6, Eph 1:20, Matt 28, and many others). He is alive today and is preparing a Paradise for people to live in (Rev 21:1-5).
Jesus’s sacrifice was sufficient punishment for all of mankind. He said “It is finished” as he died on the Roman cross (John 19:30). Jesus asks only one thing from each person, that they sincerely believe in his sacrifice for their disobedience. Since mankind was designed to have a relationship with God, God wants us to sincerely believe in Jesus’s sacrifice, and, in this way, heal our damaged relationship with him (John 3:16, Rom 10:9-10). He will help us do it, if we prayerfully ask him to help us (James 4:8, Isa 65:24).
Some people casually say they believe in Jesus’ sacrifice without sincerely meaning it. This is offensive to God because his son Jesus did actually and horribly sacrifice his life for us. The Bible says God does not accept a casual “belief”, and Jesus’ sacrifice is then not a valid payment for their disobedience (Rev 3:15,16). We ourselves would be offended if someone casually thanked us for a big sacrifice that we made for them. We would probably say that they were not sincerely thankful for our sacrifice.
What does it really mean to sincerely believe? Well, gravity is a good example of something we sincerely believe in! We always behave like gravity is real and we are careful not to fall down and get hurt. We also sincerely believe that the sun will come up in the morning. We sincerely believe our cars will take us where we want to go. Etc.
How would someone try to behave if they really did sincerely believe that Jesus’ sacrifice was the punishment for their own disobedience, and that this meant they could have help in this life, and live forever in a Paradise? The person would:
- be very grateful,
- regret their past disobedience,
- want to read the Bible and learn more about God,
- love God, and desire to live a loving, helpful life as Jesus did,
- want to be friends with other believers, Christians,
- want to tell others about Jesus’ sacrifice for them,
- look forward to Paradise, knowing that someday they will die and go there.
If you are in doubt about Christianity, please consider 3 additional thoughts:
Pascals Wager – a famous historical argument, states that man bets his life on heaven or hell! This means, logically speaking, if there is any possibility that there is an eternal heaven and an eternal hell, then a person should do everything he can in this temporary life to increase his chances of going to an eternal heaven, and to reduce his chances of going to an eternal hell.
Scientific Method – has proven to be a very good, if not the best, known method to discover truth. The actual procedure has several steps, but in this
document we have already done the earlier steps in the preceding pages, and we only need to do the experimental step which is TRY IT!
If you would like some help to sincerely believe in Jesus’ sacrifice for your life, please attend a Bible-teaching church where there are some men and women who can consult with you and help you. If a Bible-teaching church is not available to you, then begin reading the Bible yourself. God will honor you and help you understand and sincerely believe it. You may want to start reading the Bible in Genesis or Luke.
