Defending and Commending the Faith With Dr. Joe L. Mott, inviting the atheist, agnostic and skeptic to examine for themselves

Joe Mott
  • 3.3 (7)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Biweekly

Dr. Joe Mott earned his PhD at LSU, and was a distinguished math professor at Florida State University for 38 years years, helping to write 3 math textbooks, and authoring over 30 research articles in math.

  1. Jun 15

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 13 - Six Factors Regarding Darwinism Continued

    References: (1) “On the Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin. (2) The scientists  Fransesco Redi, John Needham, and Louis Pasteur DISPROVED spontaneous generation. (3) Cliff Knecktle says: atheists believe in 6 miracles: (a) Life comes from non-life. (b) Existence comes from non-existence (from the Big Bang). (c) Order comes from chaos. (d) Personal comes from non-personal. (e) Reason comes from non-reason. (f) Morality comefrom matter. In terms of the 6th miracle, do atheists really believe that a stone  can give the 10 Commandments? (4) Despite their obvious differences, creationists and evolutionists do AGREE on several things. For example, they both agree that (a) the universe and life came into existence in the past; (b) these origins were one-time EVENTS, not repeatable by humans, nor were they OBSERVED by any human witness; (c) we do not have and probably never will obtain DIRECT KNOWLEDGE of how these origins occurred, regardless of how many ways we demonstrate that they could have occurred; and (d) individual variation and MICRO-evolution have occurred. (5) But the agreement DISAPPEARS when we bring up the subject of MACRO-evolution. Perhaps it’s advantageous to recall the definitions of these 2 terms. Microevolution refers to SMALL-SCALE evolutionary changes, typically within a SINGLE POPULATION, that occur within a population or species over a relatively short period of time.  In CONTRAST, macroevolution refers to SIGNIFICANT evolutionary changes that occur over LONG PERIODS, often resulting in the emergence of NEW SPECIES. Microevolutionary changes are often DIRECTLY OBSERVABLE and can be EXPERIMENTALLY TESTED, such as coloration of a population. Macroevolutionary changes are typically INFERRED from the fossil record, comparative anatomy, and molecular data, making them LESS directly observable. (6) Darwin ASSUMED the basis of life — the cell — was UNCOMPLICATED, maintaining the cell was essentially a BLOB of material enclosed by a membrane, called PROTOPLASM. But Darwin did not know all the FUNCTIONS of the cell. Neither did he know about DNA. (7) One of the most important causes of the creation/evolution CONTROVERSY is the MISUNDERSTANDING OF WORDS. The word EVOLUTION causes much confusion because of its several meanings, implications, and misuses. When someone asks, “Do you believe in evolution?” Are they asking about the scientifically DEMONSTRABLE changes WITHIN a species (called MICRO-evolution) or of the UNDEMONSTRATED theory of evolution where NEW SPECIES develop over millions of years (MACRO-evolution), or are they asking for both? (8) There is NO CONFLICT between creationists and evolutionists with regard to the 2 lower levels of evolution (that is, individual VARIATION and MICRO-evolution). There is, however, a DEFINITE CONFLICT with regard to MACRO-evolution. (9) I believe it was Stephen Jay Gould, the Harvard paleontologist, who said “Evolution is FACT,FACT, FACT. But if no supporting evidence to substantiate that claim, then it is merely OPINION, OPINION, OPINION. (10) The 3rd tenet of Darwinian evolution is Random mutation. (11) But here is the TRUTH: most mutations are HARMFUL to a creature. So a LARGE NUMBER of mutations would be necessary in order to increase the CHANCES that the mutation would be BENEFICIAL. This increase will give more mutations, but I suspect that the increased number of mutations will actually make it LESS PROBABLE that mutations would be beneficial. (12) The fourth point of the 6 factors is Natural selection.  Darwin observed a STRUGGLE for survival in which the stronger creatures SURVIVED and the weaker ones DIED OFF. This is what he called NATURAL SELECTION. My question is: How do we know the survivors were stronger? With all this RANDOMNESS going on, could it not be that the survivors were just RANDOMLY SELECTED for survival? Could it not be that what looks like STRENGTH actually covers a WEAKNESS? (13) In the 4th chapter of the book “The God Delusion” Richard Dawkins says that natural selection is the ONLY KNOWN SOLUTION to the unanswerable RIDDLE of where the information [of the origin of life, etc.] COMES FROM. Dawkins  also said, “Natural selection not only EXPLAINS the WHOLE of life; it also raises our CONSCIOUSNESS to the power of SCIENCE to explain how organized complexity can EMERGE from simple beginnings without any deliberate GUIDANCE.” Dawkins continues, “But Darwinian evolution, specifically natural selection, …. SHATTERS the ILLUSION OF DESIGN within the domain of biology, and teaches us to be SUSPICIOUS of any kind of DESIGN HYPOTHESIS in physics and cosmology as well.” (14) So Dawkins claims that natural selection is the explanation for the existence of life! That is a STRANGE CLAIM — natural selection only operates after living organisms have produced offsprings. (15) I asked Britannica.com the question: Can natural selection explain the origin of life. Here is their answer: “Natural selection cannot explain the origin of life. The theory of natural selection is a process that explains how SPECIES EVOLVE over time through the ADAPTATION of organisms to their environments.” This is episode 280.

    17 min

  2. Jun 8

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 12 - Six Factors Regarding Darwinism

    References: (1) During the 1800s some people believed bats navigated at night by touch, the moon was populated by furry, winged humans, decaying meat spontaneously turned into maggots, grain changed into rodents, and mud became frogs. (2) Scientists Fransesco Redi, John Needham, and Louis Pasteur PROVED that LIFE does not come from NON-LIVING SUBSTANCES, i. e, they proved that spontaneous generation is FALSE. Rather life is a result of the reproduction of PRE-EXISTING life-forms, which can come only through various means like seeds, eggs, or other forms of reproduction. That proof marked a SIGNIFICANT TURNING POINT in scientific understanding, reshaping fundamental biological principles. (3) Allow me to give an almost verbatim essay from gotquestions.org called “Flaws in Evolution.” (4) Gradualism seems to be CONTRADICTED by the FOSSIL RECORD. Organisms appear suddenly and demonstrate little change over long periods. The fossil record has been greatly expanded over the last century, and the more fossils that are found, the more gradualism seems to be DISPROVED. It was this overt REFUTATION of gradualism in the fossil record that prompted the theory of punctuated equilibrium. (5) The fossil record might seem to support punctuated equilibrium but again, there are MAJOR PROBLEMS [with punctuated equilibrium]. (6) While the improbable nature of punctuated equilibrium speaks for itself, scientific studies have also CAST DOUBT on the benefits it would confer. Separating a few members from a larger population results in INBREEDING. This results in DECREASED REPRODUCTIVE ABILITY, harmful genetic ABNORMALITIES, and so forth. In essence, the events that should be prompting “survival of the fittest” CRIPPLE the organisms INSTEAD. (7) Laboratory studies have shown that organisms are capable of ADAPTATION. That is, living things have an ability to shift their biology to better fit their ENVIRONMENT [like the color of peppered moths or the beaks of finches]. However, those same studies have demonstrated that such changes can ONLY GO SO FAR, and those organisms have not fundamentally changed. (8) Long-term evolution, though, requires “macroevolution,” which refers to those LARGE-SCALE CHANGES. Microevolution could turn a wolf into a Chihuahua or a Great Dane. Macroevolution would turn a fish into a cow or a duck. There is a MASSIVE DIFFERENCE in scale and effect between microevolution and macroevolution. This flaw in the theory of evolution is that experimentation DOES NOT SUPPORT the ability of small changes to transform ONE SPECIES INTO ANOTHER. (9) There are those who try to transform the theory from a BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION into a METAPHYSICAL one. Every time a person claims that the theory of evolution disproves religion, spirituality, or God, they are taking the theory OUTSIDE its own limits. Fairly or not, the theory of evolution has been HIJACKED as an anti-religious MASCOT by those that have an AXE to grind against God. (10) Overall, there are many solidly scientific reasons to QUESTION the theory of evolution. These flaws may be resolved by science, or they may eventually kill the theory altogether. We don’t know which one will happen, but we do know this: the theory of evolution is FAR FROM SETTLED, and rational people can question it scientifically. This is episode 279.

    16 min

  3. Jun 1

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 11 - Comments About Evolution

    References: (1) Nancy Pearcey, a fellow of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and author of several books including “Total Truth,” “Finding Truth,” and “The Toxic War on Masculinity.” (2) Bassett Maguire, a biology professor at the University of Texas, “admits that the (peppered) moths were STAGED, and the embryos were EXAGGERATED. Maguire told a reporter: “But the examples DON’T REALLY MATTER SO MUCH as the CONCEPTS THEY TEACH! The icons represent FLAWED but nevertheless HISTORIC MOMENTS in science,” he said, “and the concepts they ILLUSTRATE REMAIN VALID.” (3) I do not understand what Professor Maquire meant by what fraudulent concepts teach. If they are fraudulent then they are FALSE, and it is best that you ELIMINATE THESE TOXIC THOUGHTS from your mind because it can lead you down the wrong path. (4) Dr. Caroline Leaf in her book “Who Switched Off My Brain?” said, “Remember, our BEHAVIOR follows our THOUGHTS, not the other way around. Analyzing and addressing our thoughts are KEY COMPONENTS of conquering the habits and behaviors that seem to hold us HOSTAGE. (5) Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) was an English writer and philosopher and author of “Brave New World.” (6) Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–1895), was an English biologist and anthropologist renowned for his work in comparative anatomy and his relentless and public defense of Darwin’s theory of evolution. (7) Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) was the grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley and the son of Leonard Huxley and Julia Arnold, with siblings and descendants who also achieved prominence in science and literature. (8) Thomas Henry Huxley’s MOST FAMOUS MOMENT came during the 1860 Oxford debate with the Christian Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, the son of William Wilberforce, the man who ALMOST SINGLE-HANDEDLY got Great Britain to dismantle chattel slavery in Great Britain’s empire. (9) Even if you lose a debate to someone who defends a FALSE SYSTEM, that doesn’t make the false system TRUE. (10) Few statements about MODERN UNBELIEF are as REVEALING as what philosopher Thomas Nagel’s famous confession about God in his book “The Last Word: “I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that.” (11) But despite of his atheism, Nagle writes in his powerful book “Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception Of Nature Is Almost Certainly False” saying that the modern MATERIALISTIC APPROACH to LIFE has conspicuously FAILED TO EXPLAIN such central mind-related features of our world as CONSCIOUSNESS, INTENTIONALITY, MEANING, and VALUE. (12) Since we are discussing Darwinian evolution, we need to get an idea what Darwin thought about evolution. There are at least 6 factors that show how the process of Darwinian evolutionary system works. a. Common descent with modifications. b. Spontaneous generation. This is episode 278.

    18 min

  4. May 25

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 10 - Darwinian Evolution’s Frauds and Hoaxes

    References: (1) Charles Darwin, whose evolutionary manifesto, “On the Origin of Species,” was first published in 1859 and is now said to be the most influential book in the world, besides the Bible. (2) “Situation Ethics: The New Morality” by Joseph Fletcher. (3) Nothing causes such CONSTERNATION to the Christian faith more so than Darwinian evolution. After all, the term goes hand in hand with naturalism, materialism, secular humanism, agnosticism, atheism, Nazism, and communism, all of which is a curse to Christianity. To be sure, some of Darwin’s discoveries are well proven and offer NO THREAT to the Christian worldview. For example, natural selection is an observable, proven design that allows species to ADAPT to changing environments. This is the so-called micro-evolution. (4) Evolutionary thinking discusses 2 separate things: process and origin. And these 2 ideas can easily cause confusion. I am open to the idea that evolution as a PROCESS, but not as an idea about origins. For example, organisms like dogs can change colors, height, weight, etc., but they still remain dogs. That is micro-evolution. (5) Evolution in terms of origin is NOT SCIENCE, rather it is a PHILOSOPHY of science which says that behind the process there is NO INTELLIGENT MIND. But there is NOTHING SCIENTIFIC about such a declaration. Evolution in terms of origin says everything happens by CHANCE. One of the dilemmas of evolutionary theory is that it forces people to conclude that the cosmos in all of its complexity came into being by chance. Nobel Prize winner Jacques Monod affirms “CHANCE ALONE is at the SOURCE of every innovation, of all creation in the biosphere. PURE CHANCE, absolutely free but BLIND, is at the very ROOT of the STUPENDOUS EDIFICE of evolution.” (6) The famous theologian R. C. Sproul said, “If CHANCE exists in any size, shape, or form, God CANNOT exist. The two are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. If chance existed it would destroy God’s sovereignty. If God is not sovereign, he is not God. If chance is, God is not. If God is, chance is not.” (7) Fraud is especially a problem to support Darwinism and, especially in this field, it tends to take DECADES to root out fraud. Hundreds of well-documented cases of fraud have been discussed in the literature (For example, Jerry Bergman, “Evolution’s Blunders, Frauds and Forgeries,”and Adler, “Stories of Hoaxes in the Name of Science.” (8) These frauds and hoaxes include the Piltdown Man, Nebraska Man, Java Man, Peppered Moths, Haeckel’s Embryos, Archaeopteryx, Darwin’s Tree of Life, Miller-Urey Experiment, and the ultimate “Monkey to Man” parade of male monkeys to apes to a clearly male human being. (9) “Total Truth” by Nancy Pearcey. (10) If a principle is FALSE, then restating it in everyday language DOES NOT MAKE IT TRUE. Biologically speaking, it is SIMPLY INCORRECT to say that we all start out as something less than human. The embryo is HUMAN FROM DAY ONE — a viable organism whose identity and preciousness remain intact as it develops. (11) After a skull was discovered in Neanderthal Valley in 1856, evolutionists suggested the Neanderthals were primitive ape-men. To make matters worse, the skull was dated at 36,000 years old, allowing it to fit neatly into the evolutionists’ timeline between Neanderthals and modern man. Later it was discovered that the fossil was actually the remains of a MODERN MAN AFFLICTED with rickets and osteoporosis. This is episode 277.

    17 min

  5. May 18

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 9 - Critique of Postmodernism and Darwinian Evolution

    References: (1) “The Closing of the American Mind” by Allan Bloom. (2) Roughly stated, modernism affirms the existence of ABSOLUTE TRUTHS. Postmodernism affirms the POLAR OPPOSITE: the nonexistence of absolute truths. (3) The fact that postmodernism has SUCCEEDED in uprooting modernism within an entire culture is therefore a NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENT, a feat that NO OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL SYSTEM or religion had previously been able to accomplish. Almost everything, especially issues in the realm of moral and social VALUES, are being RECONSIDERED from the postmodern RUBRIC. Many of the conclusions now being drawn in the CONTEXT of postmodernism DIFFER markedly from the previously drawn conclusions of modernism. (4) For those unfamiliar with the term, METHODOLOGICAL NATURALISM is the human endeavor of explaining everything in terms of NATURAL CAUSES and natural causes ONLY. (5) The new conclusions emerging from within PM have shocked many people. Rather than assimilating into the new morality, some people, including Christianity itself, have begun to form a new COUNTERCULTURE. Like the OT prophets they are foretelling the impending DOOM upon Western culture unless culture turns back, repents from its DALLIANCE with PM and once again proclaims the existence of absolute truth, all is LOST. (6) Though modernism affirms Enlightenment’s idea where REASON is EXALTED, but the REAL CRUX of the issue is that SUPERNATURALISM is DENIED. (7) Can you imagine a world without measurement or weight, a world without system standards of any kind? Think what would happen if there were no alphabet, no metric system, no currencies, no time measurement. Imagine if 1+1 didn’t equal 2. A world without standards is — rather — a world in which there are many standards defined by PERSONAL PREFERENCES, however the person sees fit. (8) Even the most avowed secularist and relativist is likely to agree to certain MATHEMATICAL LAWS or physical laws are reliable across time and cultures, such as the PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM, Newton’s LAWS OF MOTION, or the law of GRAVITATION ATTRACTION. But all the same people will contradict themselves and say there are NO ABSOLUTES. They will say that morality cannot be considered absolute and unchanging. Our culture has gone from having a decidedly defined understanding of right and wrong to adhering to a “WHATEVER GOES” worldview. Moral RELATIVISM rules the day now. (9) The second of the 3 dissenters is Charles Darwin. In 1859 he added insult to injury with his monumental book, “The Origin of Species.”Darwin undermined the CHRISTIAN VIEW of God as a creative and moral authority. (10) The Bible says, “Wisdom is justified by all her children” (Matt. 11:19; Luke 7:35). Let’s consider the children of Darwin’s theory of evolution. If a loving, almighty God made man, then human life is VALUABLE and SACRED. But if Darwin’s theory of evolution is true, then we are simply the product of TIME AND CHANCE, and there is NO MORALITY and NO INTRINSIC WORTH of human life. (11) Darwin’s evolution frees sinful man to do as he wishes — and to whom he chooses. Darwin himself understood this. He wrote in his Autobiography that one who rejects God “can have this RULE OF LIFE, as far as I can see, ONLY to follow those IMPULSES AND INSTINCTS which are the STRONGEST or which SEEM TO HIM to be the best ones.” (12) It was Darwin’s theory — carried to its logical conclusion — that led to the death 6 million Jews in the Holocaust and the untold deaths of Christian people at the hands of German Nazis. This is episode 276.

    17 min

  6. May 11

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 8

    References: In this episode, Dr. Joe L. Mott explores the shift from modernism to postmodernism, identifying how society moved from exalting human reason to denying the existence of objective truth altogether. By examining the Greek origins of the word "truth" in the Gospel of John, Dr. Mott reveals that God’s Word is not merely a collection of true statements, but the ultimate reference point for all existence. He provides a sharp critique of pluralism, the idea that every perspective is equally valid, and demonstrates how a worldview without absolute truth eventually destroys our ability to communicate and understand the world around us. -- Postmodernism is defined as a philosophy that denies objective or absolute truth, especially regarding religion and spirituality. -- While modernism exalted human reason and science while denying the supernatural, postmodernism was born out of disillusionment when those promises failed to improve humanity. -- Pluralism treats truth like a preference for an ice cream flavor, suggesting that no one can ever be wrong, which ultimately renders "truth" meaningless. -- The Bible is the final standard of truth (alathia), meaning it is the reference point by which every other claim must be measured. -- Postmodernism is logically self-defeating because it affirms one absolute truth: the statement that there is no absolute truth. -- The Gospel of John stands in direct opposition to postmodern thought, using words for "truth," "testimony," and "knowing" hundreds of times to emphasize objective reality. -- Without an objective truth outside of ourselves, we are left only with subjective experiences, which destroys the possibility of meaningful communication between people. Scriptures for Further Study -- John 17:17 -- John 18:37 -- John 14:6 -- John 8:31-33 -- Mark 1:15 -- Luke 13:3-5 -- Revelation 1:8 This is episode 275.

    19 min

  7. May 4

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 7

    References: (1) Chapter 53 of the Book of Isaiah. This chapter is known as the “Suffering Servant” passage in the Bible, which describes a FIGURE who suffers for the sins of others. Christians INTERPRET this chapter as a PROPHETIC DESCRIPTION of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, highlighting key parallels between the text and the RECORDED EVENTS of the crucifixion. (2) Isa. 53 refers to the crucifixion of Jesus so CLEARLY that Judaism is THREATENED and MORTIFIED by its contents that Christians refer to it as proving that Jesus is the Messiah. Judaism voices a STRONG OBJECTION that Isaiah 53 proves Jesus is the Messiah. But they have COMPLETELY ELIMINATED this chapter from their OT scriptures because Christians use it so tellingly to Judaism’s CONSTERNATION. (3) If we study Isa. 53 and interpret every phrase as a prophecy about Jesus being the Suffering Servant then we observe at least 30 prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. That’s more than anyone can tolerate in a short episode. So allow me to give just 6 such prophecies. A. Verse 3 states that the suffering servant is “despised and rejected of men.” This is mirrored in the New Testament, where Jesus is rejected by many, including the religious leaders and many of His own people. John 1:11 informs us, “He came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him.” This description closely matches the Gospel accounts. Even at His trial before Pontius Pilate, the crowd chose BARABBAS over Him (Luke 23:18; Acts 3:13-15). This rejection fulfills Isaiah’s portrayal of a Suffering Servant. B. Verse 5 mentions that the servant was “wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Christians interpret this as a DIRECT REFERENCE to Jesus' CRUCIFIXION, where He is seen as the ultimate sacrifice for sin as 1 Peter 2:24 relates. C. Verse 7 — “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter.” This is reflected in Jesus’ silence during His trial before the high priest and before Pontius Pilate. D. Verse 8 says “He was ‘cut off’ from the land of the living.” Daniel 9:26 predicts the Messiah will be “cut off,” a reference to the crucifixion. Arguably the most amazing prophecy in the Bible is Daniel’s prophecy that reveals the exact week when Jesus died on the cross in Jerusalem. This is announced in a message given to the prophet Daniel and recorded in book of Daniel 9:24-27 and is identified as the ‘Seventy weeks prophecy.” If you wish to understand more about this, contact Doug Apple at Wave 94. E. Verse 9 states, “And they made His grave with the wicked — but with the rich at His death.” This is paralleled in the New Testament, where A RICH MAN and a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea, asked for Jesus’ body so that Jesus is buried in his new tomb carved out of stone (Matthew 27:57-60). F. Verse 10 states, “But the LORD was pleased to CRUSH Him, putting Him to GRIEF; If He would render Himself as a GUILT OFFERING.” God the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as an OFFERING. There is ONE GREAT EVENT in the world’s history, ONE GREAT TRANSACTION, ONE GREAT OBSERVATION that attracts more ADMIRATION than any other day of the year except possibly the celebration of His birth. That EVENT, that TRANSACTION, that OBSERVATION is the DEATH of our Lord Jesus Christ. If Isaiah 53 gives us 30 prophecies fulfilled by Jesus that means that the probability that can happen is 1 in 2^30 or approximately 1 in 10^9. (4) Taking verse 10 as our GUIDE, let’s visit Mount Calvary and look more concertedly on Him who died upon the cross. A. Notice first of all, the CAUSE of Christ’s death — Literally it pleased Jehovah to bruise Him. B. Secondly, notice the REASON for Christ’s death — “When You (Jehovah) shall make His soul an OFFERING for sin.” Christ died because He was an offering for sin. Jehovah PREDETERMINED the ORIGIN of Christ’s death. C. Thirdly, notice the EFFECTS and CONSEQUENCES of Christ’s death. Another phrase is too important to leave out: “He (Jehovah) shall see His seed.” Jehovah was looking at His own Son who as a human would die on the cross. (5) The faithful reader of the Bible looks BEYOND the Roman SPEAR which opened Jesus’ side where blood and water flowed out. He looks BEYOND the HAMMER and NAIL which bound Jesus to the cross. He looks BEYOND the Jewish taunts, jeers, and mockery and arrives at the conclusion that the creator God Yahweh MADE THE DECISION to send Jesus to the cross. (6) Peter in his sermon on the day of Pentecost proclaimed “Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by MIRACLES, WONDERS, and SIGNS which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves KNOW — Him, being DELIVERED by the DETERMINED PURPOSE and FOREKNOWLEDGE of God, you have taken by LAWLESS HANDS, have CRUCIFIED, and PUT TO DEATH; whom God RAISED UP, having LOOSED the pains of death, because IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE that He should BE HELD BY IT” (Acts 2:22b-24). (7) The foundational principles for redemption from sin are UNMISTAKABLY put forward to us: A. Sin deserves and demands punishment because it is an OFFENSE to God. B. God MUST PUNISH a person for sin UNLESS someone else will take your place. C. The provision and acceptance of a SUBSTITUTE for sinners is an act of God’s GRACE. D. Jesus Christ is THE MOST FITTING PERSON to be a SUBSTITUTE since He lived a sinless life and had nothing of His own that required God’s wrath: no DEBT, no GUILT, no SEPARATION from God, no BONDAGE, no UNGODLINESS, no UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, nothing at all deserving of God’s DISPLEASURE. E. Jesus did SUFFER in the place of all those who ever have believed on Him in the PAST, all those who do believe on him in the PRESENT, and all those who ever shall believe on Him in the FUTURE. F. Jesus did SUFFER in the place of all those who ever have believed on Him in the PAST, all those who do believe on him in the PRESENT, and all those who ever shall believe on Him in the FUTURE. This is episode 274.

    16 min

  8. Apr 27

    False Ideas About Truth - Part 6

    References: (1) I claim that the NT passes the 4-fold test for the RELIABILITY of witnesses articulated by the former Los Angeles police department cold-case detective J. Warner Wallace. Much like in a courtroom trial the questions are asked: Were the witnesses PRESENT to be able to observe what they claim? Was their testimony CORROBORATED by an independent source? Was their testimony ACCURATE by other measures? Finally, were the witnesses BIASED against the defendant? (2) past episodes of this program I have demonstrated that the NT passes the 3 HISTORIOGRAPHICAL tests for the reliability of ancient literature, namely, (1) the biographical test, (2) the internal test, and (3) the external test. (3) Moreover, the NT also passes 3 logical tests of AUTHENTICITY: (a) It is historically ACCURATE. (b) It is CONSISTENT with itself with NO CONTRADICTION in teaching or fact. (c) It gives insight by information that would be IMPOSSIBLE to get from any other source but from God. (4) Not so long ago the idea that the Bible, much less the NT, would have anything USEFUL to say to tell us about history in the secular world was considered RIDICULOUS. Historical criticism claimed that WRITTEN LANGUAGE didn’t even exist at the time of Moses. Also they skeptically OPPOSED the biblical references to CITIES like Sodom and Gomorrah or PEOPLE like the Hittites. All of those things critics considered only MYTHS and LEGENDS. (5) In 1964 archaeologists began to excavate a Middle Eastern ruin named Tel Mardikh. There they found the remains of an ancient city called Elba. By the 1970’s, over 7,000 clay tablets were discovered that showed a highly developed form of writing was in use nearly 1,000 years prior to Moses. (6) It is not uncommon to hear skeptics claim that the Bible is FULL OF CONTRADICTIONS. The Bible, however, has a DIFFERENT VIEW. In Psalm 126:6 David declared, “The words of the Lord are PURE WORDS, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (7) There is a phrase I learned in college that has stood the test of time. The phrase goes like this, “A TEXT without a CONTEXT is a PRETEXT for a PROOFTEXT, that is, it leads to a disastrous interpretation. (8) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus quoted Exodus 21:23-25 where He said, “You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you NOT TO RESIST an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matt. 5:38-39). (9) Exodus 21 tells us that God was laying down the CIVIL LAWS to govern the NATION of Israel. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was directing His comments to the lives of INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE. The fact of the matter is there are certain rights and privileges that are APPROPRIATE for a government that are NOT APPROPRIATE for the average person. For example, if someone robbed your house, the civil authorities can track down, arrest, try and toss the criminal in jail. That is considered JUSTICE. But for you or me to hunt down the burglar, tie him up and imprison him in a basement for 5 years would be considered KIDNAPPING. From God’s point of view, justice was to be swift and the punishment should fit the crime. But in personal dealings, God’s people were to be characterized by MERCY and COMPASSION, not by an instant desire for REVENGE. (10) Although this passage Isa. 53 sounds like it came from one of Jesus’ disciples, it was written 700 years before the birth of Jesus. The supernatural nature of PREDICTIVE PROPHECY confirms that the Bible is in fact the Word of God. This is episode 273.

    16 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3.3
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Dr. Joe Mott earned his PhD at LSU, and was a distinguished math professor at Florida State University for 38 years years, helping to write 3 math textbooks, and authoring over 30 research articles in math.

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