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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - How Can I Know Christianity Is The Right Religion? (Part 1)

February 10, 2025 | S25:E70

Robert Jeffress - How Can I Know Christianity Is The Right Religion? (Part 1)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Theology #Salvation #Faith #Christianity #Religion #Jesus #Respect #inActive #Dr.RobertJeffress #RobertJeffress #Tolerance #Apologetics #Savior #FalseDoctrines #FalseGods

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - How Can I Know Christianity Is The Right Religion? (Part 1) | February 10, 2025
  • ♪ music ♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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  • Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory" with
  • 00:00:08.465 --> 00:00:11.534
  • Dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
  • 00:00:14.070 --> 00:00:16.005
  • Again to "pathway to victory."
  • 00:00:16.005 --> 00:00:17.941
  • In our pluralistic society, people from all walks of life
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  • Are invited to participate in mormonism, islam, buddhism,
  • 00:00:21.878 --> 00:00:26.249
  • Judaism, christianity, and everything in between.
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  • And while we celebrate religious freedom and tolerance, not all
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  • Religions are equally valid.
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  • So why do so many people insist that there are multiple paths
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  • To god?
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  • And what are the implications of embracing that idea?
  • 00:00:42.365 --> 00:00:45.668
  • We're answering the question "how can i know christianity is
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  • The right religion?"
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  • On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
  • 00:00:51.608 --> 00:00:59.849
  • Male announcer: it's okay to have questions about your faith,
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  • But you need answers you can trust.
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  • In his book "how can i know?" dr. robert jeffress addresses
  • 00:01:06.022 --> 00:01:09.559
  • Seven of life's most important questions.
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  • If you've ever wondered how you can know the bible is true, or
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  • How you can know if you're going to heaven, this book makes a
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  • Compelling case for answers you can embrace with confidence.
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  • Request your copy of "how can i know?"
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  • When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of
  • 00:01:24.941 --> 00:01:27.844
  • Pathway to victory.
  • 00:01:27.844 --> 00:01:30.513
  • ♪ music ♪
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  • Jeffress: we're in a series entitled "how can i know?
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  • Answers to life's seven most important questions."
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  • And last time we began by looking at the foundational
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  • Question: "how can i know there is a god?"
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  • And we said you can't prove the existence of god, the atheists
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  • Can't prove the non-existence of god, but the real question is:
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  • Where does the best evidence lead?
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  • And when we look at the evidence, we see god's
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  • Fingerprints all over this universe: the existence of
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  • Matter, the design in the universe, the existence of man,
  • 00:02:08.551 --> 00:02:13.156
  • And the experiential argument; if god doesn't exist, why do so
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  • Many people find him anyway?
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  • But even if you can see there is a god somewhere, who is
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  • Responsible for everything we see, the question is: which god
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  • Do we worship?
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  • There are thousands of different gods, who is the right god?
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  • And if you settle on who the right god is, what is the right
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  • Way to worship him?
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  • That's what religion is all about.
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  • It answers the question: how can i have a right relationship
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  • With god?
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  • There are a lot of different ideas.
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  • So out of thousands of gods and thousands of world religions,
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  • How can i know christianity is the right religion?
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  • That's what we're going to talk about today.
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  • Now, some people even bristle at the idea of a right religion.
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  • They say that leads to intolerance.
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  • They think religion is a matter of opinion, like the
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  • Best temperature.
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  • If you ask people, what is the right temperature?
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  • Some will say 72, some will say 68, some will say 76, everybody
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  • Has a different idea.
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  • But there's a difference between asking what temperature do you
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  • Like best, to what is the temperature?
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  • There's one answer to that, it's whatever the thermometer says.
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  • When it comes to religion, people wanna say it's a matter
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  • Of opinion.
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  • But no, it's more in the realm of mathematics; two and
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  • Two--two plus two isn't whatever you wish it were.
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  • Water doesn't freeze at whatever temperature you say, there is a
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  • Precise answer, and that is true in the world of spiritual things
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  • As well.
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  • What is the right way to worship god?
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  • It's not whatever you think is the right way, there's an
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  • Objective answer to that question.
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  • Some people say to preach exclusivity--that any religion
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  • Is the right religion--is, first of all, leading to intolerance.
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  • You know, that word "tolerance" is something that has changed
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  • Its meaning over the years.
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  • It used to be tolerance referred to respect for others people to
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  • Embrace whatever belief system they had; we respect their right
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  • To be wrong.
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  • That's what real tolerance is, respecting somebody's right to
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  • Be wrong.
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  • But that idea has morphed in recent years to be that all
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  • Ideas are equally valid.
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  • Whatever you think to be true is true, and of course, that's a
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  • False idea.
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  • Other people say that exclusivity, saying there's one
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  • Religion, is unnecessary.
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  • Because after all, they say, all the world religions teach
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  • Basically the same thing.
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  • Anybody who says that has never studied the world religions
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  • Because, in fact, they don't say the same thing.
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  • That's why there are thousands of different religions, because
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  • Of different beliefs, not because of unanimity of belief.
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  • And then thirdly, some people find the idea of christianity
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  • Being the right religion as troubling.
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  • They say: don't you realize, pastor jeffress, there are 8
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  • Billion people who live on planet earth.
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  • Only 2.2 billion can even be categorized as christian, and
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  • That's more because of nationality, where they're born,
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  • Than any personal decision.
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  • But let's be generous, let's say there are 2.2 billion people who
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  • Are christians, that means there are 5.8 billion people who
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  • Are wrong.
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  • How can so many people be wrong?
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  • We'll talk about that in a moment.
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  • And yet, the bible is clear, christianity offers the one true
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  • Way to god.
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  • What is the evidence for that?
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  • Today i'd like you to consider four pieces of evidence that
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  • Lead to the conclusion christianity is the
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  • Right religion.
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  • First of all, the uniqueness of jesus christ.
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  • The uniqueness of jesus christ.
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  • It's interesting, few historians doubt that jesus existed.
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  • Even thomas paine, a well known deist, believed that, even
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  • Though the bible was filled with errors, paine believed that
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  • Jesus was a historical figure.
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  • The problem is thomas paine believed what most people
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  • Believe today: they believed he was a good, moral teacher, he
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  • Was a religious person, he was a great example, but he wasn't
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  • Much more than that.
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  • And yet, jesus claimed a lot more for himself than being a
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  • Good moral teacher.
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  • In fact, jesus made four specific claims during his 33
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  • Years here on earth.
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  • He--first of all, jesus claimed to be god.
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  • Jesus claimed to be god.
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  • No religious leader, no founder of a religion ever claimed to be
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  • God himself, they simply claim to point people to whatever god
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  • They believed was the real god.
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  • For example, muhammad, the founder of islam, said: "surely
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  • I am no more than a human apostle."
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  • And what was true of muhammad was true of moses and confucius
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  • And the lord buddha; they didn't claim to be god, they claimed to
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  • Point people to god.
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  • However, jesus said in john 10:30: "i and the father are
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  • One," he claimed to be the same as god.
  • 00:07:46.889 --> 00:07:50.426
  • Remember in john 14 when philip begged jesus to show him god?
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  • Jesus responded by saying in john 14:9: "have i been so long
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  • With you, and yet you've not come to know me?
  • 00:08:00.770 --> 00:08:04.006
  • He who has seen me has seen the father; how then can you say,
  • 00:08:04.006 --> 00:08:08.878
  • 'show us the father?'"
  • 00:08:08.878 --> 00:08:10.746
  • You remember that after jesus was arrested in the garden of
  • 00:08:10.746 --> 00:08:14.650
  • Gethsemane, he went through six trials in a short period of time
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  • Before he was executed on friday.
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  • The first trial was before the high priest caiaphas.
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  • In mark 14, it was in the middle of the night, caiaphas
  • 00:08:25.895 --> 00:08:29.298
  • Was tired.
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  • He said, "jesus, let's just cut to the chase, are you the son of
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  • The living god or what?"
  • 00:08:33.836 --> 00:08:35.905
  • And what did jesus say?
  • 00:08:35.905 --> 00:08:37.773
  • In mark 14:62, he answered very clearly, "i am."
  • 00:08:37.773 --> 00:08:43.279
  • "are you the son of god?"
  • 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:44.614
  • "i am," jesus said.
  • 00:08:44.614 --> 00:08:47.850
  • That dispels the common idea that's popularized in many tv
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  • Shows or books that jesus never claimed to be god.
  • 00:08:52.221 --> 00:08:56.192
  • Have you heard that before?
  • 00:08:56.192 --> 00:08:57.560
  • "that's just something his followers made up about him
  • 00:08:57.560 --> 00:09:00.463
  • After he died to make a good story even better."
  • 00:09:00.463 --> 00:09:04.200
  • No, jesus said, "i am god."
  • 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:07.069
  • Caiaphas understood that when jesus said, "i am."
  • 00:09:07.069 --> 00:09:11.073
  • "the high priest caiaphas tore his clothes," mark 14 said, "and
  • 00:09:11.073 --> 00:09:15.778
  • He said, 'what further need have we have witnesses?
  • 00:09:15.778 --> 00:09:18.447
  • You have heard this blasphemy; how does it seem to you?'
  • 00:09:18.447 --> 00:09:22.284
  • And everyone there condemned jesus to be deserving of death."
  • 00:09:22.284 --> 00:09:27.123
  • He didn't go to the cross--he wasn't crucified for saying,
  • 00:09:27.123 --> 00:09:30.760
  • Turn the other cheek, nobody was offended by that, he was
  • 00:09:30.760 --> 00:09:34.997
  • Crucified for claiming to be god.
  • 00:09:34.997 --> 00:09:38.100
  • Secondly, jesus claimed to forgive sins.
  • 00:09:38.100 --> 00:09:41.637
  • No other religious leader ever claimed the ability to forgive a
  • 00:09:41.637 --> 00:09:45.508
  • Person of their sins.
  • 00:09:45.508 --> 00:09:47.510
  • For example, buddha said: "in reality there are no living
  • 00:09:47.510 --> 00:09:52.181
  • Beings to whom the lord buddha can bring salvation."
  • 00:09:52.181 --> 00:09:56.385
  • But jesus claimed he had that authority, he claimed the
  • 00:09:56.385 --> 00:10:00.423
  • Ability to forgive sins.
  • 00:10:00.423 --> 00:10:02.324
  • Remember when the disciples brought the paralytic man to
  • 00:10:02.324 --> 00:10:05.695
  • Jesus to be healed?
  • 00:10:05.695 --> 00:10:07.430
  • Mark 2:5 says: "and jesus seeing their faith said to the
  • 00:10:07.430 --> 00:10:11.100
  • Paralytic, 'son, your sins are forgiven.'"
  • 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:15.071
  • That incensed the religious leaders, and they asked, "why
  • 00:10:15.071 --> 00:10:18.541
  • Does this man speak in this way?
  • 00:10:18.541 --> 00:10:20.976
  • He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but god?"
  • 00:10:20.976 --> 00:10:27.049
  • Jesus consistently taught that his primary purpose in leaving
  • 00:10:27.049 --> 00:10:31.454
  • Heaven and coming to the world was to provide a way of the
  • 00:10:31.454 --> 00:10:35.391
  • Forgiveness of sins.
  • 00:10:35.391 --> 00:10:37.293
  • In luke 19:10, he said: "for the son of man has come to seek and
  • 00:10:37.293 --> 00:10:42.064
  • To save those who are lost."
  • 00:10:42.064 --> 00:10:44.700
  • Jesus claimed to be god; he claimed to forgive sins;
  • 00:10:44.700 --> 00:10:48.604
  • Thirdly, he claimed to conquer death.
  • 00:10:48.604 --> 00:10:52.708
  • No other religious leader claimed the power to conquer
  • 00:10:52.708 --> 00:10:56.746
  • Death, but jesus did.
  • 00:10:56.746 --> 00:10:58.481
  • In fact, it was central to his teaching.
  • 00:10:58.481 --> 00:11:01.016
  • In matthew 16:21, matthew writes: "from that time, jesus
  • 00:11:01.016 --> 00:11:06.589
  • Began to show his disciples that he must go to jerusalem, and
  • 00:11:06.589 --> 00:11:11.093
  • Suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and
  • 00:11:11.093 --> 00:11:14.130
  • Scribes, and be killed, and raised up on the third day."
  • 00:11:14.130 --> 00:11:18.868
  • In fact, jesus taught that the signal proof that he was who he
  • 00:11:18.868 --> 00:11:23.506
  • Said he was would be his resurrection from the dead.
  • 00:11:23.506 --> 00:11:28.177
  • Remember matthew 12 verses 38 to 40?
  • 00:11:28.177 --> 00:11:32.381
  • "some of the scribes and pharisees said to jesus,
  • 00:11:32.381 --> 00:11:35.084
  • 'teacher, we want a sign from you.'"
  • 00:11:35.084 --> 00:11:37.620
  • You talk about this messiah stuff, we want a sign that you
  • 00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:41.724
  • Are really the son of god.
  • 00:11:41.724 --> 00:11:43.692
  • "jesus answered and said to them, 'it's an evil and
  • 00:11:43.692 --> 00:11:46.662
  • Adulterous generation that craves for a sign; and yet no
  • 00:11:46.662 --> 00:11:50.232
  • Sign shall be given to you but the sign of jonah the prophet;
  • 00:11:50.232 --> 00:11:54.069
  • For just as jonah was three days and three nights in the
  • 00:11:54.069 --> 00:11:57.840
  • Belly of the sea monster, so shall the son of man be three
  • 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:01.844
  • Days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'"
  • 00:12:01.844 --> 00:12:04.480
  • In other words, "here's the sign you're looking for; jonah was in
  • 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:08.551
  • The belly of that great fish for three nights, i'm going to be
  • 00:12:08.551 --> 00:12:13.088
  • In the grave for three days and three nights before i arise
  • 00:12:13.088 --> 00:12:17.726
  • From the dead."
  • 00:12:17.726 --> 00:12:19.061
  • Now some of you may say, well, preacher, that certainly is
  • 00:12:19.061 --> 00:12:21.363
  • Reading a lot into what jesus was saying.
  • 00:12:21.363 --> 00:12:24.633
  • No, even his enemies understood that he claimed to have the
  • 00:12:24.633 --> 00:12:29.205
  • Ability to conquer death; that was going to be the proof of
  • 00:12:29.205 --> 00:12:32.875
  • Whether he was the son of god or not.
  • 00:12:32.875 --> 00:12:36.478
  • And that explains why on the saturday after he was crucified
  • 00:12:36.478 --> 00:12:40.983
  • On friday, when his body was placed in the tomb, the
  • 00:12:40.983 --> 00:12:44.954
  • Religious leaders went to pontius pilate with a request to
  • 00:12:44.954 --> 00:12:49.491
  • Keep the grave secure; keep jesus in that tomb, whatever
  • 00:12:49.491 --> 00:12:55.431
  • The cost.
  • 00:12:55.431 --> 00:12:57.199
  • Matthew said it this way in matthew 27, beginning with verse
  • 00:12:57.199 --> 00:13:00.169
  • 62: "now on the next day, that is the day after the
  • 00:13:00.169 --> 00:13:04.406
  • Preparation," that saturday after the crucifixion on friday,
  • 00:13:04.406 --> 00:13:08.377
  • "the chief priest and the pharisees gathered together with
  • 00:13:08.377 --> 00:13:12.081
  • Pilate," the roman procurator, "and they said, 'sir, we
  • 00:13:12.081 --> 00:13:16.852
  • Remember that when jesus was still alive, that deceiver said,
  • 00:13:16.852 --> 00:13:21.991
  • 'after three days, i'm going to rise again.'
  • 00:13:21.991 --> 00:13:25.461
  • Therefore, pilate, give orders for the grave to be made secure
  • 00:13:25.461 --> 00:13:30.099
  • Until the third day.
  • 00:13:30.099 --> 00:13:32.034
  • Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and
  • 00:13:32.034 --> 00:13:36.505
  • Claim that he has risen from the dead, and the last deception
  • 00:13:36.505 --> 00:13:41.243
  • Will be worse than the first.'"
  • 00:13:41.243 --> 00:13:43.679
  • Pilate acquiesced.
  • 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:45.481
  • He realized what a tremendous blunder it would be if he
  • 00:13:45.481 --> 00:13:49.018
  • Allowed that body to be stolen, and then his disciples were to
  • 00:13:49.018 --> 00:13:52.655
  • Go around claiming, "see, he did what he said he would do."
  • 00:13:52.655 --> 00:13:56.959
  • So pilate gave the religious leaders a roman guard unit of 16
  • 00:13:56.959 --> 00:14:01.363
  • Men to keep that grave secure.
  • 00:14:01.363 --> 00:14:05.434
  • Now, whether you believe jesus really rose from the dead or not
  • 00:14:05.434 --> 00:14:10.272
  • Is a matter for another sermon.
  • 00:14:10.272 --> 00:14:12.041
  • There is ample evidence, lots of evidence, that jesus did rise
  • 00:14:12.041 --> 00:14:16.912
  • From the dead on the third day.
  • 00:14:16.912 --> 00:14:18.781
  • You know what the greatest piece of evidence is?
  • 00:14:18.781 --> 00:14:23.118
  • Nobody's found the body of jesus yet in 2,000 years.
  • 00:14:23.118 --> 00:14:27.256
  • I mean, he didn't die secretly, he died publicly.
  • 00:14:27.256 --> 00:14:31.060
  • He wasn't buried in an undisclosed location, everybody
  • 00:14:31.060 --> 00:14:34.096
  • Knew where he was.
  • 00:14:34.096 --> 00:14:36.131
  • And yet, jesus rose from the dead, that tomb was empty on
  • 00:14:36.131 --> 00:14:40.769
  • Easter sunday morning.
  • 00:14:40.769 --> 00:14:42.638
  • The fact is, if the romans had known where that body was, if
  • 00:14:42.638 --> 00:14:47.977
  • The jewish leaders had known where it was, they would have
  • 00:14:47.977 --> 00:14:50.746
  • Gone to get it as soon as they could.
  • 00:14:50.746 --> 00:14:52.881
  • They would have rolled it through the streets of
  • 00:14:52.881 --> 00:14:54.650
  • Jerusalem, and christianity would be dead at its outset.
  • 00:14:54.650 --> 00:14:59.288
  • But you know why they haven't found the body?
  • 00:14:59.288 --> 00:15:01.557
  • It's not there; he has risen from the dead just as he
  • 00:15:01.557 --> 00:15:05.961
  • Promised he would.
  • 00:15:05.961 --> 00:15:09.064
  • But even if you don't believe that, the point is jesus is
  • 00:15:09.064 --> 00:15:14.670
  • Still the only leader, the only founder of a religion who
  • 00:15:14.670 --> 00:15:18.540
  • Claimed the ability to conquer death.
  • 00:15:18.540 --> 00:15:21.543
  • That's what makes christianity unique.
  • 00:15:21.543 --> 00:15:24.146
  • And fourthly, jesus claimed that he would return to judge
  • 00:15:24.146 --> 00:15:27.383
  • The world.
  • 00:15:27.383 --> 00:15:28.751
  • No other religious leader made that grandiose claim that he
  • 00:15:28.751 --> 00:15:32.755
  • Would come after death, back to the earth, to judge the world.
  • 00:15:32.755 --> 00:15:36.825
  • But that's what jesus taught in matthew 25, beginning with verse
  • 00:15:36.825 --> 00:15:40.129
  • 31: "when the son of man comes in glory, and all the angels
  • 00:15:40.129 --> 00:15:44.666
  • With him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
  • 00:15:44.666 --> 00:15:47.336
  • All the nations will be gathered before him; and he will separate
  • 00:15:47.336 --> 00:15:50.906
  • Them one for another, as the shepherd separates the sheep
  • 00:15:50.906 --> 00:15:55.177
  • From the goats."
  • 00:15:55.177 --> 00:15:56.845
  • Now, some religious leaders teach that their exception or
  • 00:15:56.845 --> 00:16:01.116
  • Rejection by god is dependent upon their rejection or
  • 00:16:01.116 --> 00:16:07.322
  • Acceptance by whatever god they believe in.
  • 00:16:07.322 --> 00:16:11.160
  • But jesus is the only founder of a religion who said a person's
  • 00:16:11.160 --> 00:16:15.664
  • Eternal destiny depended on what people do about him.
  • 00:16:15.664 --> 00:16:21.236
  • Jesus said, "whether you go to heaven or hell is going to be
  • 00:16:21.236 --> 00:16:24.807
  • Judged by what you do with me.
  • 00:16:24.807 --> 00:16:27.409
  • Do you accept my claims or not?"
  • 00:16:27.409 --> 00:16:29.878
  • In john 3, verses 17 and 18, jesus said: "for god did not
  • 00:16:29.878 --> 00:16:34.450
  • Send the son into the world to judge the world, but that the
  • 00:16:34.450 --> 00:16:38.153
  • World might be saved through him."
  • 00:16:38.153 --> 00:16:40.122
  • That verse confuses people, oh, jesus doesn't judge; no, jesus
  • 00:16:40.122 --> 00:16:45.094
  • Does judge, but he doesn't judge us when we're dead--after we're
  • 00:16:45.094 --> 00:16:49.731
  • Dead--to say, oh, was he a good person or a bad person?
  • 00:16:49.731 --> 00:16:53.135
  • We've all been judged already.
  • 00:16:53.135 --> 00:16:55.537
  • We've all been judged as guilty before god: "for all have sinned
  • 00:16:55.537 --> 00:16:59.675
  • And fallen short of the glory of god;" that judgment has already
  • 00:16:59.675 --> 00:17:03.345
  • Been made.
  • 00:17:03.345 --> 00:17:04.680
  • The reason jesus came to earth the first time was to offer
  • 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:07.483
  • Salvation from that judgment, to offer the salvation, the
  • 00:17:07.483 --> 00:17:11.587
  • Forgiveness of sins.
  • 00:17:11.587 --> 00:17:13.388
  • Verse 18 says: "he who believes in jesus is not judged; but he
  • 00:17:13.388 --> 00:17:18.360
  • Who does not believe has been judged already, for he does not
  • 00:17:18.360 --> 00:17:22.131
  • Believe in the name of the holy begotten son of god."
  • 00:17:22.131 --> 00:17:25.367
  • In john 18:24 jesus said: "therefore, i say to you that
  • 00:17:25.367 --> 00:17:29.338
  • You will die in your sins; for unless you believe that i am
  • 00:17:29.338 --> 00:17:33.275
  • He," the messiah, "you will die in your sins."
  • 00:17:33.275 --> 00:17:37.579
  • In his book "the world's living religions," robert hume notes
  • 00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:41.917
  • That the nine founders of nine of the most popular
  • 00:17:41.917 --> 00:17:45.387
  • Non-christian religions, every one of those founders, went
  • 00:17:45.387 --> 00:17:49.358
  • Through a period of doubt in his life about who he was, he went
  • 00:17:49.358 --> 00:17:53.295
  • Through a time of seeking the light, the truth.
  • 00:17:53.295 --> 00:17:57.466
  • But not jesus.
  • 00:17:57.466 --> 00:17:58.834
  • From the time he was 12 years old, he understood and vocalized
  • 00:17:58.834 --> 00:18:02.804
  • Exactly who he was.
  • 00:18:02.804 --> 00:18:04.573
  • He didn't search for the light, he said, "i am the light!"
  • 00:18:04.573 --> 00:18:08.777
  • "i am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in
  • 00:18:08.777 --> 00:18:12.681
  • Darkness, but will have the light of life."
  • 00:18:12.681 --> 00:18:16.418
  • This is what makes jesus unique: his unique claims.
  • 00:18:16.418 --> 00:18:21.557
  • You can't say he was just a good man, because he claimed a lot
  • 00:18:21.557 --> 00:18:25.827
  • More than that, a whole lot more.
  • 00:18:25.827 --> 00:18:28.096
  • And that leads to what is known as c. s. lewis's
  • 00:18:28.096 --> 00:18:31.133
  • Famous trilemma.
  • 00:18:31.133 --> 00:18:33.235
  • C. s. lewis rightly pointed out that being a good, moral teacher
  • 00:18:33.235 --> 00:18:37.639
  • Is not an option because jesus claimed to be god, to forgive
  • 00:18:37.639 --> 00:18:41.710
  • Sins, to conquer death, and to come back and judge the world.
  • 00:18:41.710 --> 00:18:46.648
  • So, given what jesus claimed, you can only come to one of
  • 00:18:46.648 --> 00:18:50.419
  • Three conclusions: one conclusion you can make about
  • 00:18:50.419 --> 00:18:53.889
  • Jesus is that he is a liar.
  • 00:18:53.889 --> 00:18:57.059
  • That is, he made all of these claims, but he knew they were
  • 00:18:57.059 --> 00:19:00.429
  • False, so jesus is a liar.
  • 00:19:00.429 --> 00:19:04.633
  • How many of you today would be willing to stand up and say
  • 00:19:04.633 --> 00:19:08.203
  • Jesus christ is a liar?
  • 00:19:08.203 --> 00:19:11.740
  • How many of you are certain enough about heaven and your
  • 00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:16.345
  • Eternal destiny that you'd be willing to stand up and call him
  • 00:19:16.345 --> 00:19:20.549
  • A liar?
  • 00:19:20.549 --> 00:19:22.684
  • Do you think jesus is a liar?
  • 00:19:22.684 --> 00:19:25.520
  • Well, if he's not a liar, then lewis said another alternative
  • 00:19:25.520 --> 00:19:28.957
  • Is he's a lunatic.
  • 00:19:28.957 --> 00:19:31.426
  • He would have the mental ability of a poached egg, lewis said.
  • 00:19:31.426 --> 00:19:35.731
  • He made all these claims because he really thought they were
  • 00:19:35.731 --> 00:19:38.900
  • True, he was deluded.
  • 00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:40.669
  • He thought he was the son of god, he thought he would
  • 00:19:40.669 --> 00:19:43.038
  • Conquer death.
  • 00:19:43.038 --> 00:19:44.373
  • Now, again, from what you know about jesus, do you believe
  • 00:19:44.373 --> 00:19:48.076
  • Jesus was a madman, a lunatic?
  • 00:19:48.076 --> 00:19:52.281
  • Well, if he's not a liar, he's not a lunatic, everybody knows
  • 00:19:52.281 --> 00:19:57.052
  • He lived and made these claims, the only other alternative is he
  • 00:19:57.052 --> 00:20:02.257
  • Is who he said he was; he is the lord, he said these things
  • 00:20:02.257 --> 00:20:06.962
  • Because they're true.
  • 00:20:06.962 --> 00:20:08.864
  • That's what makes christianity unique.
  • 00:20:08.864 --> 00:20:13.368
  • Now, that leads to the second distinguishing thing about
  • 00:20:13.368 --> 00:20:16.905
  • Christianity: the teaching of jesus.
  • 00:20:16.905 --> 00:20:20.509
  • Now, if jesus--will you follow me on this, if jesus is right
  • 00:20:20.509 --> 00:20:24.613
  • About who he is, then it means we better pay attention to what
  • 00:20:24.613 --> 00:20:28.684
  • He says about everything.
  • 00:20:28.684 --> 00:20:30.686
  • Because if he's telling the truth about his own identity,
  • 00:20:30.686 --> 00:20:33.989
  • Everything else he speaks about is true as well.
  • 00:20:33.989 --> 00:20:36.692
  • So what did jesus have to say about this idea of exclusivity?
  • 00:20:36.692 --> 00:20:40.862
  • Did jesus believe that there are many ways to heaven?
  • 00:20:40.862 --> 00:20:44.966
  • Did jesus believe all different world religions are kind of like
  • 00:20:44.966 --> 00:20:48.704
  • Different pathways up the same mountain that lead to the
  • 00:20:48.704 --> 00:20:51.440
  • Same truth?
  • 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:52.808
  • Or like others say, different religions are like different
  • 00:20:52.808 --> 00:20:55.444
  • Tributaries that flow into the same river and lead to truth?
  • 00:20:55.444 --> 00:20:59.715
  • What did jesus say about exclusivity, there being one way
  • 00:20:59.715 --> 00:21:04.419
  • To heaven?
  • 00:21:04.419 --> 00:21:05.754
  • Well, first of all, jesus taught there are two possible eternal
  • 00:21:05.754 --> 00:21:09.524
  • Destinations for people.
  • 00:21:09.524 --> 00:21:11.360
  • There are two possible destinations, not one;
  • 00:21:11.360 --> 00:21:14.796
  • Everybody's not going to the same place when they die.
  • 00:21:14.796 --> 00:21:17.599
  • Everybody's not going to heaven.
  • 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:19.601
  • Jesus said in matthew 25:46: "the unrighteous will go away
  • 00:21:19.601 --> 00:21:24.606
  • Into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
  • 00:21:24.606 --> 00:21:30.278
  • Jesus taught there is both a heaven and a hell.
  • 00:21:30.278 --> 00:21:34.616
  • If you get mad about hearing from me about hell, don't direct
  • 00:21:34.616 --> 00:21:38.887
  • Your anger toward me, send a letter to jesus about it, he's
  • 00:21:38.887 --> 00:21:42.991
  • The one who talked about hell.
  • 00:21:42.991 --> 00:21:44.459
  • In fact, jesus had more to say about hell when he was on earth
  • 00:21:44.459 --> 00:21:48.964
  • Than he did about heaven.
  • 00:21:48.964 --> 00:21:50.699
  • Jesus taught there are two possible destinations, not one.
  • 00:21:50.699 --> 00:21:54.669
  • Secondly, jesus said--this will blow your mind--the majority of
  • 00:21:54.669 --> 00:21:59.141
  • Mankind will spend eternity in hell.
  • 00:21:59.141 --> 00:22:02.844
  • Jesus said there are only two roads: one leads to heaven, one
  • 00:22:02.844 --> 00:22:06.748
  • Leads to hell, and more people are on the road to hell than
  • 00:22:06.748 --> 00:22:10.118
  • Are on the road to heaven.
  • 00:22:10.118 --> 00:22:11.653
  • Where does he say that?
  • 00:22:11.653 --> 00:22:13.021
  • One place is matthew 7, verses 13 and 14: "enter through the
  • 00:22:13.021 --> 00:22:17.993
  • Narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that
  • 00:22:17.993 --> 00:22:22.197
  • Leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
  • 00:22:22.197 --> 00:22:26.034
  • But the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to
  • 00:22:26.034 --> 00:22:29.304
  • Life, and there are," what?
  • 00:22:29.304 --> 00:22:31.973
  • "few who find it."
  • 00:22:31.973 --> 00:22:35.277
  • Again, people ask: how could so many billions and billions of
  • 00:22:35.277 --> 00:22:38.480
  • People in the world be wrong about religion?
  • 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:41.082
  • It's troubling to think, and i acquiesce it is troubling to
  • 00:22:41.082 --> 00:22:44.119
  • Think, that the majority of people are on the road to
  • 00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:47.189
  • Eternal destruction, but jesus said that's exactly the way it's
  • 00:22:47.189 --> 00:22:50.892
  • Going to be.
  • 00:22:50.892 --> 00:22:52.260
  • The way to heaven is a narrow way, few are those who will
  • 00:22:52.260 --> 00:22:56.031
  • Find it.
  • 00:22:56.031 --> 00:22:57.399
  • In matthew 7, verses 21 to 23, jesus said: "not everybody who
  • 00:22:57.399 --> 00:23:02.003
  • Says to me, 'lord, lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but
  • 00:23:02.003 --> 00:23:05.941
  • He who does the will of my father who is in heaven.
  • 00:23:05.941 --> 00:23:09.678
  • Many will say to me on that day," the judgment day, "'lord,
  • 00:23:09.678 --> 00:23:13.415
  • Did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out
  • 00:23:13.415 --> 00:23:16.618
  • Demons, and in your name perform many miracles?'
  • 00:23:16.618 --> 00:23:19.821
  • And then i will say to them, 'i never knew you; depart from me,
  • 00:23:19.821 --> 00:23:24.993
  • Those of you who practice lawlessness.'"
  • 00:23:24.993 --> 00:23:29.030
  • Jesus said there are two possible destinations; there are
  • 00:23:29.030 --> 00:23:32.634
  • More people headed toward the wrong destination than the
  • 00:23:32.634 --> 00:23:35.837
  • Right one.
  • 00:23:35.837 --> 00:23:37.205
  • Thirdly, jesus offers the exclusive way to heaven.
  • 00:23:37.205 --> 00:23:44.679
  • Jeffress: the exclusivity of christ is not a popular message
  • 00:23:45.847 --> 00:23:49.150
  • In today's inclusive society, but jesus is the one who said:
  • 00:23:49.150 --> 00:23:54.389
  • "i am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to
  • 00:23:54.389 --> 00:23:58.293
  • The father except through me."
  • 00:23:58.293 --> 00:24:01.530
  • Before we wrap up today's program,
  • 00:24:02.297 --> 00:24:04.366
  • I want to share the incredible impact
  • 00:24:04.366 --> 00:24:06.535
  • Our faithful partners are making.
  • 00:24:06.535 --> 00:24:08.803
  • Through your ongoing support,
  • 00:24:08.803 --> 00:24:10.705
  • You're pointing others to jesus christ,
  • 00:24:10.705 --> 00:24:13.642
  • Like keith who lives in oklahoma.
  • 00:24:13.642 --> 00:24:15.744
  • He recently wrote and said,
  • 00:24:15.744 --> 00:24:17.779
  • "i've listened to 'pathway to victory' for a while now,
  • 00:24:17.779 --> 00:24:20.949
  • And your teaching has helped me
  • 00:24:20.949 --> 00:24:22.450
  • Get through a lot of personal problems.
  • 00:24:22.450 --> 00:24:25.020
  • Your studies in the bible have shown me that jesus christ
  • 00:24:25.020 --> 00:24:29.090
  • Is the true lord and savior,
  • 00:24:29.090 --> 00:24:31.293
  • And that in him and through him, nothing is impossible."
  • 00:24:31.293 --> 00:24:36.197
  • Thanks for writing this encouraging note, keith,
  • 00:24:36.197 --> 00:24:39.034
  • And thanks to our faithful team of supporters
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  • Who are helping us share the hope and truth of jesus christ
  • 00:24:41.369 --> 00:24:45.140
  • In a waiting world.
  • 00:24:45.140 --> 00:24:46.875
  • Now stay right there.
  • 00:24:46.875 --> 00:24:48.209
  • I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
  • 00:24:48.209 --> 00:24:50.912
  • In just a moment.
  • 00:24:50.912 --> 00:24:52.480
  • [narrator] if a friend or one of your children
  • 00:24:53.381 --> 00:24:55.283
  • Came up to you and asked,
  • 00:24:55.283 --> 00:24:56.718
  • "how do you know christianity is the right religion?"
  • 00:24:56.718 --> 00:24:59.621
  • Could you give a clear and credible answer?
  • 00:24:59.621 --> 00:25:02.357
  • We'd like to send you a book from dr. robert jeffress
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  • Containing answers to life's seven most important questions.
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  • It's titled "how can i know?"
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  • If we're honest, every one of us
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  • Has questions about our faith, questions like,
  • 00:25:13.001 --> 00:25:15.904
  • "how can i know the bible is true?"
  • 00:25:15.904 --> 00:25:18.206
  • Or, "how can i know god exists?"
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  • In my book, "how can i know?"
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  • I tackle seven important questions
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  • And provide biblically-based answers
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  • You can embrace with confidence.
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  • [narrator] seven straightforward answers
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  • To seven pressing questions.
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  • The book "how can i know" is yours today
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  • When you give a generous gift
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  • It's not a sin to have doubts.
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  • Sometimes doubt is a prerequisite to genuine faith.
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  • [narrator] thank you for investing financially
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  • In "pathway to victory."
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  • Your partnership will help our ministry
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  • Broadcast god's truth on television, on radio, and online,
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  • Addressing doubts, clearing, confusion,
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  • And transforming lives
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  • Through the bold, biblical teaching of god's word.
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  • ♪ music ♪
  • 00:26:22.070 --> 00:26:23.505
  • The bible is clear.
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  • The only way to god is through his son jesus christ.
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  • Today we began looking at common objections
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  • To the exclusivity of christ.
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  • We also looked at the first of four distinguishing features
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  • That make christianity different
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  • From every other religion in the world.
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  • And next time, we'll explore the teachings of jesus,
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  • The teachings of the new testament,
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  • And how jesus offers a unique solution to man's dilemma.
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  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
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  • In our series "how can i know."
  • 00:26:55.503 --> 00:26:59.174
  • It's grace, grace.
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  • And when you think about it,
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  • That is the distinguishing feature.
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  • There are thousands of religions in the world,
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  • Only christianity says it's my grace.
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  • [narrator] set your dvr and join us next time
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  • For part two of the message
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  • How can i know christianity is the right religion,
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  • Here on "pathway to victory."
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