Translations

Friday, April 02, 2021

ATHEISTS' DAY, GOOD FRIDAY, RESURRECTION SUNDAY (published 4-2-2021)

Introduction

The time is right for a deeper article. The focus is on the everlasting, not on the temporal.

Atheists' Day

Apparently, Atheists' Day is an actual day for atheists. According to one website, it is April 1st every year (unofficially). According to an atheist website, however, it was 3/23/21 this year. I think that atheists are confused.

Mrs. Appalachian's 2008 Honda Civic has acquired a ding on the right front passenger door, on the top frame for the window. I had noticed it late, on 3/31/2021, while placing our new automobile insurance documents in her car and my truck – after she'd gone to bed.

On Thursday, 4/1/2021, before she left for work, I asked about the ding. She speculated that it had been there a month or so. She wasn't at or in the car. She had noticed it, without telling me. I had been checking our car, over the last several weeks, as I do at times. I had not noticed the ding before. Well, it must have been the ding leprechaun that did it.

Later, on 4/1/2021, when my wife was at work, and I was working at home, I heard a noise. I looked. Amazed, I saw that a 2021 white Nissan Altima had appeared in our driveway! It had appeared out of nothing, from thin air! April fools!

The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'” – Ps. 14:1; 53:1, KJV. That sounded harsh, King David. It was not harsh. It is inspired truth. April 1st is annual Atheists' Day. They are foolish enough to say that they know there is no God. An agnostic speculates whether God exists or not. An atheist is convinced in his foolishness that God does not exist.

From nothing, nothing comes. That is a basic point of logic and common sense. If there was ever a time when nothing existed, then nothing would exist now. Something exists now; therefore, something, or someone, had to have always existed (eternally).

The space time reality, called the universe, has not always existed. The Second Law of Thermodynamics, as well as observation, established this fact centuries ago.

Since the universe is not eternal, then someone must be eternal. That someone is God, in three persons: the Father, the Word who became flesh as the Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

To the lower right of my website, you will find my Religion/Apologetics references. I suggest, for deeper study, that you search those websites, for detailed proof that verifies: the God of the Bible exists, the Bible is his inspired word, and the Word became flesh, as the Christ, who died and rose again – completing God's eternal scheme of redemption.

I have read, written, and spoken (publicly and privately) on the topic many times. I have offered to engage in formal debate with a local atheist. He backed away. If you would like to contact me, for personal conversation, my e-mail address is on my website heading.

A new car does not appear, spontaneously, in the driveway. Something did not come from nothing. The wise KNOW and believe (faith by knowledge, not blind leap) that there is a God.

Good Friday

It is finished, Jesus stated, as he died on the cross (John 19:30). The three words are profound. God's eternal scheme of redemption was finished. Before he created the heavens and the earth, God had always known (as he is omniscient) that his plan to save mankind would happen, in time.

From creation, to Adam and Eve's sin, to the forming of Israel, to the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior – God's eternal plan took time. “It is finished” now. The plan is in place.

Freedom of will grants two choices: accept the Good Lord's free gift offer and live accordingly or reject it. Our Lord opened the door. Have you walked in? Many of my readers have. Some may not have. If you have not, please walk in.

Resurrection Sunday

“Easter” could have origin in a name for a pagan god or gods, or it could have origin in an early German word for resurrection. Answers in Genesis has a detailed article on the topic. (See “Is the Name 'Easter' of Pagan Origin? By Roger Patterson, 4/19/2011.)

The Russian word for “Sunday” translates as “Resurrection.” I choose to call “Easter” “Resurrection Sunday.” The option is not a matter of faith. It is my preference.

It is verified. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ, arose! He was the eternal Word (as the triune God). He had been born of a virgin. He lived. He was God incarnate. He was sacrificed, as the perfect atonement for sin (that had entered this world, by Adam and Eve succumbing to Satan's temptation). HE AROSE! He lived in the flesh again, for several days. He then ascended, to heaven. HE OPENED the door for us to join there.

The atheist has laid an egg. He is wrong. I hope that he discovers the Way, the Truth, and the Life, before it is too late for him. I can help him, if he would ask.

Resurrection Sunday is not an annual celebration only. It is a daily celebration of life – everlasting life.

Conclusion

Temporal life (on earth) is a blink of an eye. We are everlasting creations. We were born (came to exist). We will die physically (our soul separates from our body). Our soul resides in either a place of paradise or torment – until Christ returns (to call everyone “out of the pool”).

The temporal (time) will end. The living and the dead, the dead first, will receive everlasting bodies, and we will go HOME, to our everlasting home in heaven – if we have accepted the Good Lord's free gift offer. If we have not, we will go to everlasting punishment.

Everlasting life is, well, everlasting. We are everlasting creations. I place the good and the bad in life into everlasting perspective, as the apostle Paul has taught us: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17, KJV).

Happy Resurrection Sunday, upcoming, in two days! HE AROSE. HE LIVES. HE LIVES IN ME. Does He live in you?


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Amen, brother! I found your website and read some articles today. God knows why you didn't die in that wreck. Yes, Jesus lives in me! Thanks for your writings, especially on “deep stuff.”