I Believe God

I Believe God
Acts 27:20-25

Sermon by Jack Nazary

Pleasant Hill Baptist - Elkin, NC
Midway Baptist - 1986
Yockanookany Baptist - 1990
West Jackson Baptist - 1988
Ridge Church - 1994
West Carthage Baptist - 1995

Introduction: How many times many of us who claim to believe the Bible really do? Mental account only! Why? Have been taught from childhood?

I believe the Bible as very Word of God with all my heart as...William Jennings Bryon said he believed it - Scopes trial in Dayton, Tn, where he was called to prosecute the case. Clarence Darrow, a brilliant infidel lawyer of Chicago put Byron on the witness stand and began firing questions at him about his belief in the Bible, intending to confuse and make him look ridiculous before a crowded courtroom because of his simple faith in the Word of God. "Tell me," he said, "do you believe everything in the Bible?" "I do, sir, without any question," Mr. Bryon replied. "Do you mean to tell me you believe Jonah swallowed the whale" "No, sir, I do not; for the Bible does not say Jonah swallowed the whale, but that the whale swallowed Jonah, and I believe that. But, sir, I want you to understand that if the Bible had said that Jonah swallowed the whale, I would believe it."

I believe the Bible like that and that God meant every word of it. I think like the teenage girl who was a wonderful Christian, loved the Word of God. Her church called a man out of a modernistic seminary who would read the word and say, "Now the Bible does not mean what it says here." Story of rich man and Lazarus, said did not mean there was real fire in Hell, man actually thirsty, nor his tongue being parched in flame, nor calling for a real drop of water" (then gave materialistic interpretation) After the service, the little girl said, "Pastor, might I ask you a question? I know you are an educated man and I am not an educated girl, but Pastor, I want to ask you one question if I may?" "Why surely you may," he replied. "Now, if the Lord did not mean what He says in the Bible, why didn't He say what He meant?" Not only does the Lord say what He means but He means what He says!

Matthew 5:18 - "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

Acts 27:25

I. I believe all men without Christ are lost.
John 3:3 - Except a man be born-again.
Bad - Lost
Good - Lost

II. I believe God tell the Truth about the Doom of Sinners.
Matthew 25:41 - "Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire..."
Matthew 22:13
Luke 16:22-24
Matthew 13:49-50
Revelation 20:15
Revelation 14:11

III. I believe God will require their blood at our hands.
Ezekiel 33:8
Romans 14:7, 10, 21 - Deals with our responsibility to others an dour influence upon them.

IV. I believe God when He tells us in His word how His people ought to live.
II Corinthians 6:17 - "come ye out from..."
Ephesians 5:11 - "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
James 4:4 - "ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
Hebrews 12:6-8
Hebrews 10:25
1 Corinthians 11:28-30 - "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you - many sleep"

Do you take Christ seriously when He said...Luke 14:33 - "Forsaketh not all that he hath..."
Luke 14:26-27
Discourse on bread of life
"This is a hard saying"
Luke 13:23 - "Lord are they few that be saved?"

V. I believe God is able to save all kinds (manner) of sinners.
Hebrews 7:25 - "He is able to save them to uttermost" Mary Magdalene - 7 devils cast out -