Evidence That Demands A Verdict
John 20:30 – 31
By: JB Hall
Introduction: Josh McDowell wrote a book titled ‘Evidence That Demands A Verdict’. I’d like to borrow that title today. I’d like to preach a message with that same title: Evidence That Demands A Verdict.
Today there is much talk about faith and its role in our lives. Political candidates all speak of their faith and the role each thinks his/her faith should play as they govern. People often speak of faith as if it is an end in itself; as if faith is the principle factor, regardless of what that faith is in.
But, genuine faith, faith that will provide a real benefit to you, must be based in reality. You’ve heard me preach many times that the object of our faith determines the worth of our faith. Faith that is not based in reality is a presumptive leap into the dark that can, and will, provide absolutely no benefit whatsoever to the possessor of such a faith.
So, when someone talks about their faith, find out what their faith is in; what is the basis for their faith; just what do they believe in, and what do they believe about what they say they believe in. This careful examination of their faith will help you to know if their faith is a faith of real substance, or if it is an empty faith that cannot profit them or those who follow their faith.
This morning I’d like us to examine Biblical saving faith, and just what is involved in this kind of faith. For after all, this is the only kind of faith that will provide one with deliverance from his/her sins, and from eternal damnation.
1. There is an unseen reality.
A. One thing that poses a real problem for atheists, that atheists really struggle with, is the existence of an unseen reality, a reality that exists beyond the tangible realm.
B. They have difficulty believing that anything exists that cannot be observed or experienced with their natural senses.
C. We’re going to see how this belief, in itself, is really a leap of faith.
D. Biblical saving faith requires our faith to be placed in a real God; not just a conceptualized god who does not really exist, one that is just a figment of our imagination.
E. 1 Chronicles 16:26 says, “For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.”
F. Here, there is a distinction made between the real God Who made the heavens, the One Who created us and all things; and the gods that are simply the creation of man’s active imagination.
G. These conceptualized gods are called idols.
H. Psalm 115:4 – 7 describe these imaginary gods, these idols, like this, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.” “They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:” “They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:” “They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.”
I. So, whether one believes in no god, or in a false, imagined god; neither faith is able to profit him.
J. It is only when one believes in the one and only real God, the God Who made all things; that his faith profits him.
K. The fact that the true God is unseen makes Him no less real.
L. Biblical saving faith then, must be placed in an unseen reality; the existence of a God we cannot see; but Who really exists.
2. Any reality will be supported by evidence.
A. You’ve heard it said that there is no perfect crime.
B. I watched a show one night on which the commentator said, “People lie but science doesn’t.”
C. What he was saying in essence was that people will lie to conceal the reality of what happened; but the evidence will always expose the truth.
D. Therefore, there is no perfect crime because evidence of the reality of what happened exists, and when discovered, examined, and understood, will always expose the truth.
E. In the same way that investigators can uncover the facts about a crime by the evidence that supports those facts, the truth of an unseen reality can be determined by supporting evidence; for existing reality always produces supporting evidence to its existence.
F. This begs the question: What evidence is there that will support the fact that an unseen God exists?
G. First, the tangible creation is irrefutable evidence of His existence.
(1) Romans 1:20 says, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
(2) Psalm 19:1 & 2 state, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.”
(3) Psalm 19:3 further states, “There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”
(4) In other words, these evidences cross all language barriers, testifying to all peoples with equal clarity, and irrefutable evidence of the existence of the glorious unseen God.
H. Second, The words of the prophets testify of His existence.
(1) Hebrews 1:1 says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,”
(2) When the rich man in hell requested that father Abraham send one back from the dead to testify to his brothers, in John 16:31 Jesus said that father Abraham replied “…If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
(3) So, the prophets provided powerful evidence to those they personally spoke to; but also through their writings to those who will hear with faith today!
I. Third, Jesus was the express image of God in human flesh.
(1) John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
(2) Hebrews 1:2 & 3 say, “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…”
(3) So, Jesus Christ, Who was the Word made flesh, the express image of God’s person, has now come into the world personally and spoken to us: again, irrefutable evidence of God’s existence.
J. So, irrefutable, undeniable evidence of God’s reality exists in the witness of the tangible creation, the spoken word of God through the prophets, the written Word of God, and finally the appearance of God in human flesh on planet earth, the Lord Jesus Christ.
K. So, with the existence of such indisputable, incontrovertible evidence all around us; we are left without excuse for not believing in the existence of the unseen God.
L. Refusing to believe He exists then, has become a choice; not a refusal based upon a lack of supporting evidence.
3. Biblical saving faith begins with believing in the existence of God; but then must go on.
A. In Hebrews 11:6 we see that faith begins when man believes that God exists.
B. It says, “…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is…”
C. But then, once we have accepted the truth about God’s existence, faith must proceed on to believing “…that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
D. What does this faith, this believing that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, involve?
4. Biblical saving faith believes that man has an unseen problem.
A. God says man has a problem that is unseen; but that is just as real, even more real, than physical problems that are easily recognized.
B. That problem, according to the Word of God, is sin.
C. What is the supporting evidence that this sin problem actually exists?
D. In Genesis 3:6 we’re told that Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, of which God had promised “…in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17b)
E. Because of this direct disobedience by Adam, we are informed that this brought death upon all men.
F. Romans 5:12 says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
G. There is no other plausible explanation for the aging process and the subsequent death of every person, except that it is the result of man’s sin.
H. So death is one strong evidence of man’s sin problem.
I. Psalm 58:2 says, “Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.”
J. Here we see that violence, the harming of one another without self-defensive purposes, is another supporting evidence that man has a sin problem, a problem of wickedness.
K. In Exodus 20:1 – 17 we find the 10 commandments that form the basis of the whole law.
L. These commandments frame righteousness toward God and toward our fellow man.
M. When we view ourselves in light of these commandments, we find that we all fall short; leaving us with undeniable evidence that we must then be sinners.
N. So, man’s unseen problem is sin; and is supported by overwhelming evidence of its existence.
5. Saving faith recognizes there is a consequence to man’s sin problem.
A. In Romans 5:12 we see that because of Adam bringing sin into the world, and death by sin, that this “…death passed upon all men…”
B. Romans 6:23a plainly says, “For the wages of sin is death…”
C. So, physical death is a resulting consequence of the existence of the unseen problem of sin.
D. But, we know that this death is not just physical death, although physical death is the result of sin.
E. This sin also includes another unseen consequence: spiritual death.
F. Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
G. So, spiritual death, which is much more serious because it carries eternal ramifications, is the product of this sin problem man has.
H. Physical death, which is the precursor to eternal spiritual death, is strong evidence that this spiritual death is real.
I. Again, we have unquestionable evidence that man’s sin carries with it a very serious consequence; the consequence of not only physical death, but also eternal spiritual death.
6. Biblical saving faith believes God has provided a remedy to relieve man of this sin problem and its subsequent eternal ramifications.
A. Our text verse, John 20:31 says, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
B. In this verse we learn that all that John has written, was written so that we might have indisputable evidence of Jesus’ qualification to be; and His being; the substitutionary sacrifice that has paid completely the wage required for man’s sin problem; and that man can be relieved of that debt when he allows that payment to be applied to his life.
C. So, Jesus is God’s remedy for man’s sin and death problem.
D. What is the evidence that Jesus has the power to remove man’s sin from him?
E. The changed lives of men who were vile offensive sinners are powerful evidences of Jesus’ ability to remove the sin problem.
F. The fact that many have chosen to suffer rather than deny their faith; and that many have chosen even to die rather than deny their Lord serves as other powerful evidences that Jesus can remove the sin problem.
G. But, his resurrection from the dead was the most convincing evidence that He has the power to forgive sins.
H. Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dewelleth in you.”
I. Hebrews 9:24 says, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”
J. Only by the one true sacrifice could One enter into heaven, into the very presence of Almighty God.
K. Thus, Jesus having entered into heaven is the strongest evidence yet that His sacrifice provided the remedy that would take away man’s sin problem.
7. Saving faith believes that God will apply this remedy to all who believe.
A. The greatest evidence that this is true is that the Word of God makes this promise.
B. Thus, we have to accept this truth by faith.
C. When faith is exercised, we find that the evidence has supported the absolute reality.
D. If we are unwilling to believe the evidence God has so graciously placed into our hands to read for ourselves, we will never accept the existence of the reality of salvation made available to man, in Jesus Christ.
E. The atheists make their mistake because they too have to accept the fact that God does not exist, by faith.
F. Their faith is placed in the fact that nothing exists beyond the tangible realm; that no unseen reality exists beyond what they can observe and experience with their natural senses.
G. The problem with this faith is that it has no evidence to support its reality.
H. Thus, they arrive at their conclusion by blind faith; faith that has no basis in reality, or supporting evidence to corroborate their confidence in what they believe.
I. So we see that atheists have a faith; it is just not a faith that is based in reality.
J. Rather, it is based in a blind leap of faith into a concept with no substantiation for their belief.
Let’s Review:
Biblical saving faith is based in reality, with irrefutable, undeniable supporting evidence to confirm the existence of this reality.
Atheists make their mistake by presuming that nothing exists beyond the tangible realm beyond what they can observe or experience with their natural senses. By accepting this notion, they refuse to consider overwhelming, irrefutable evidence to the contrary; and in so doing, establish a presumptive faith based on a lie.
Idolaters, those who believe in a false god or a false religious system, make a similar mistake. They too take a blind leap of faith, believing something conceived by human contrivance to be true with no supporting evidence to corroborate their belief. These too, have placed their faith in a god or system based on falsehood.
• We have seen the evidence of God’s existence; and we have seen the evidence of what He says in His Word about man and life. We said that it is evidence that demands a verdict. What verdict is demanded then, other than that we acknowledge the existence of God?
• The verdict we must reach, in addition to the fact that God exists, is that man’s sin problem exists, that the only remedy for its relief is Jesus Christ’s payment of death for him on the cross, and that God is willing to apply that remedy to all who believe this reality to be true..
• The evidence has now been presented. This evidence demands a verdict. You cannot walk away and postpone your verdict, for in so doing, you have arrived at a verdict. Your verdict then, is that you do not accept the evidence that God has presented about His Son and the work He has done for you.
• On the other hand, if you accept the evidence as being true, your verdict demands you place your faith, your trust, in this Jesus about Whom the evidence has been presented.
• So, what’s your verdict? Will you accept the evidence and trust this Jesus, this God the Son, to be your personal Savior this morning? Or, will you refuse to believe the evidence and trust this Savior? What is your verdict?
