In January of 1936, a young girl named Phyllis wrote to Albert Einstein on behalf of her Sunday school class, and asked, “Do scientists pray?” Her letter, and Einstein’s reply, can be read below.
(Source: Dear Professor Einstein; Image: Albert Einstein in 1947, via Life.)
The Riverside Church
January 19, 1936
My dear Dr. Einstein,
We have brought up the question: Do scientists pray? in our Sunday school class. It began by asking whether we could believe in both science and religion. We are writing to scientists and other important men, to try and have our own question answered.
We will feel greatly honored if you will answer our question: Do scientists pray, and what do they pray for?
We are in the sixth grade, Miss Ellis’s class.
Respectfully yours,
Phyllis
———————-
January 24, 1936
Dear Phyllis,
I will attempt to reply to your question as simply as I can. Here is my answer:
Scientists believe that every occurrence, including the affairs of human beings, is due to the laws of nature. Therefore a scientist cannot be inclined to believe that the course of events can be influenced by prayer, that is, by a supernaturally manifested wish.
However, we must concede that our actual knowledge of these forces is imperfect, so that in the end the belief in the existence of a final, ultimate spirit rests on a kind of faith. Such belief remains widespread even with the current achievements in science.
But also, everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that some spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe, one that is vastly superior to that of man. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which is surely quite different from the religiosity of someone more naive.
With cordial greetings,
A. Einstein
What did Jesus mean when he told Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” We had no part in our physical birth, nor can we have a part in our spiritual birth. It’s a new birth. And that’s the point of the simple analogy. This we call the doctrine of regeneration, which means coming into a new state of things.
What does it mean? It is simply a term that describes the necessity that a person receive:
and you make no contribution to that new birth. The new birth is how we receive salvation. Consequently:
Salvation is not gained by those who try harder.
Salvation is not gained by those who live better.
Salvation is not gained by those who become more moral,
Salvation is not gained by being more religious,
Salvation is not gained by taking religion to its highest level,
Salvation is not gained by forsaking certain vices.
This is the fact from: Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us,”
No, the kingdom of God is not gained by anything a person does. The kingdom of God only opens to those who are born again. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The term is (ανωθεν -anothen) in Greek and it means “from above,” “down from above” so the new birth is a life that comes out of heaven from God.
You have to be given life from above, and there is nothing that you can do spiritually about that any more than you can do about it physically (Romans 6v23, Ephesians 1v8-9). The kingdom of salvation, opens its doors only to those who abandon all human effort as a means of salvation, who cease trying to earn their way in, but who by repentance for sin and faith in Christ, literally are born from above by the power and will of God.
It’s not: What do I do? Where do I go? What more do I need to do? What other thing do I need to do? Or what thing do I need to delete out of my life? What am I doing that I need to stop doing? What am I not doing I need to do? And Jesus says to Nicodemus:
“If you want to enter the kingdom, you’ve got to be born again.” Which is to say, nothing you’ve ever done makes any contribution. As you have not yet received spiritual life through the new birth you are spiritually dead. Therefore everything that you think you have achieved is not acceptable to God.
Jesus ignores Nicodemus’s greeting of “good teacher.” He reads Nicodemus’ mind. He goes right to his mind’s needs because He knows everyone’s mind. He knows what everybody is thinking because He is God. And He shatters in that one statement all the stained glass ideas of religious achievements by stating the need to be born again.
As we have all “come sort of the glory (character/standards) of God” (Romans 3:23), therefore all religious works, all moral works are useless, or impotent, to provide anything by which a man can enter the kingdom. This is the truth of regeneration. And is predicated on the fact that the best that a man can do is not good enough for God. See Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” As a result all our moral works, and all our religion is useless to satisfy or please God. Regeneration or being born again is explained in the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature (or creation)”.
1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again (we have been born again), unto a lively (living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Romans 6:13 (written to believers) “Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead.”
Ephesians 2:4, “God being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead, in our transgressions, made us alive.” It’s always God who makes us alive, who creates us, who gives us
If any man is in Christ, he’s a new creation. Such have been born again; each one is a new creation. Jesus told Nicodemus “You must be born again.” In other words, because of our sin and our state of being spiritually dead, everything you’ve done in the past is useless. It’s all dead works. It doesn’t earn anything with God and so it’s useless. It wouldn’t make any difference if you were a prostitute or if you were the teacher in Israel, we’re all in the same “come short” condition. Because no “good” or “religious” works counts with God; none of that matters. You have to be born again. God has made it wonderfully possible through Christ to be “born from above”.
What did Jesus mean when he told Nicodemus, “You must be born again. We had no part in our physical birth, nor can we have a part in our spiritual birth. It’s a new birth. And that’s the point of the simple analogy. This we call the doctrine of regeneration.
What does it mean? It is simply a term that describes the necessity that a person receive:
a new birth,
a new life,
a new nature,
a new disposition,
a new character,
a new mind from God
and you make no contribution to that new birth. The new birth is how we receive salvation.
Salvation is not gained by those who try harder.
Salvation is not gained by those who live better.
Salvation is not gained by those who become more moral,
Salvation is not gained by being more religious,
Salvation is not gained by taking religion to its highest level,
Salvation is not gained by forsaking certain vices.
No, the kingdom of God is not gained by anything a person does. The kingdom of God only opens to those who are born again. The term is (ανωθεν -anothen) in Greek and it means “from above,” “down from above.”
You have to be given life from above, and that’s not something that you can do spiritually any more than you can do it physically. The kingdom of salvation, opens its doors only to those who abandon all human effort as a means of salvation, who cease trying to earn their way in and literally are born from above by the power and will of God.
It’s not: What do I do? Where do I go? What more do I need to do? What other thing do I need to do? Or what thing do I need to delete out of my life? What am I doing that I need to stop doing? What am I not doing I need to do? And Jesus says to Nicodemus:
“If you want to enter the kingdom, you’ve got to be born again.” Which is to say, Nothing you’ve ever done makes any contribution. Everything you are needs to be dead. Everything you have achieved needs to die.
Jesus ignores Nicodemus’s greeting of “good teacher..” He reads Nicodemus’ mind. He goes right to his mind because He knows everyone’s mind. He knows what everybody is thinking because he is God. And He shatters in that one statement, about the need to be born again, all the stained glass ideas of religion.
All religious works, all moral works are useless, impotent to provide anything by which a man can enter the kingdom. This is the truth of regeneration. And is predicated on the fact that the best that a man can do is wretched, that all our moral works, and all our religion is useless to satisfy or please God.
Regeneration or being born again is explained in the bible. In 2Corinthians 5:17, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature,” “new creation,”
1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again.”
Romans 6 “Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead.” “Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead.”
Ephesians 2:4, “God being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead, in our transgressions, made us alive.” It’s always God who makes us alive, who creates us, who gives us
If any man’s in Christ, he’s a new creation. You’ve been born again; it’s a new creation. Jesus told Nicodemus “You must be born again,” in other word everything you’ve done in the past is useless. It’s all dead works. It doesn’t matter, it’s useless. It wouldn’t make any difference if you were a prostitute or if you were the teacher in Israel, you’re in the same condition. Because none of that counts; none of that matters. You have to be born again. Born from above.
In Adam and Eve mankind rebelled against God. All are born into the world in sin and under condemnation. Sin separates from God. The consequence of sin is physical and spiritual death. An eternal hell awaits those who remain in a state of sin and rebellion.
God in His grace has made a way for man to be reconciled to Him. By dying on the cross as a substitute for sinners, Jesus Christ provided the only way for those who repent to be forgiven for their sins. Heaven is the destination for those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.
Jesus is alive and in His gospel offers spiritual life and a new relationship with God. To receive this life the sinner must do two basic things:
Turn from his sin and self-centered life and follow Jesus as Lord.
Trust that Jesus has done everything needed for our acceptance by God.
Acts16:31 declares: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
Here are the steps one must take in order to experience salvation.
Admit that you are a sinner – Romans 3:23
Realize that the penalty of sin is eternal death – Romans 6:23a
Acknowledge that there is nothing you can do to save yourself – Romans 3:20
Realize that Christ has paid the penalty for sin – Romans 5:8-9
Repent (turn from) of your sin – Luke 13:3
Believe in (turn to) Jesus Christ alone for salvation – Romans 10:9
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:23a
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 3:20
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”
Romans 5:8-9
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”
Luke 13:3
“I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Romans 10:9-10
“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Illustration: I often use the ABC’s of the gospel:
1. Admit that you are sinner and repent.
2. Believe in Christ as your Savior and the Lord who forgives all sin.
3. Confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and ask Him to come into your life as the only one who can give you the gift of eternal life. (Rom. 10:9,10)
The believers’ mandate originally given by our risen Lord in Matthew is very evident in Romans 10:14, 15, “How then shall they call upon Him whom they have not believed? How shall they believe in whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” This lays out the gospel mandate. In order to be saved, people have to believe. In order to believe, they have to know what to believe. In order to know what to believe, there has to be somebody who tells them. And in order for there to be somebody who tells them, somebody has to be sent. That’s really our mandate.
That sums it all up. There is no salvation apart from the gospel. No gospel, no salvation. You must know the truth and believe the truth. And to know the truth and believe the truth, you have to hear the truth and therefore somebody has to bring it to you.
The gospel is the power of God for salvation. No one has ever been saved apart from the gospel since the coming of Christ and since His death and resurrection. No one can be saved unless they hear. No one can hear unless somebody preaches. And there’s no one to preach unless someone is sent.
And when you take the gospel, it is necessary that a clear explanation of the gospel be made. That’s why study is so important. There are so many inadequate representations of the gospel such as, in Greece where there’s a fast growing movement among so-called evangelicals that denies that Jesus actually came in the flesh.
It is necessary that we get the right message and that we get it accurately. And that’s why study is absolutely critical. You can’t have a caricature of the gospel, you can’t have bits and pieces of the gospel that have been floating around and amalgamated themselves into some syncratistic kind of understanding that is inadequate. It must be the gospel, it must be the true gospel and it can be nothing but the gospel.
The world is full of religion. There are religious people all over the planet. They are passionately religious. You see it all the time. You see religious Hindus in the media all the time. You see religious Buddhists. You see religious Muslims all the time escalating in their exposure to the world. You see religious Roman Catholics. You see religious New Agers, religious spiritualists, religious Protestants, even religious so-called evangelicals who have some kind of longing to gain heaven and no God. But unless they know the truth, it’s all useless.
Nobody ever sought for the truth more zealously than the Jews did. And, in fact, they had the Old Testament, to begin with, it was to them that God gave the covenants and the adoption as sons and the promises, gave them the scriptures. They had rabbis, scribes, Pharisees, experts in the study of Scripture, self-appointed, self-styled, self-confessed experts. In fact, they substituted the traditions of man for the Word of God. That was Jesus’ own indictment.
Not everybody’s going to believe, verse 16 says, they didn’t all heed the glad tidings. Even Isaiah said, “Lord, who has believed our report?” first verse of chapter 53. Not everybody’s going to believe. That doesn’t change our responsibility. So you go back to your responsibility in verse 17, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ.”
So as a true believer, you start with the word of Christ, you study the word and confront the culture and preach so the people can hear and believe and call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. This is Christ’s mandate. This is our mandate. This is our responsibility and joy.
A spell to cure warts (by washing ones hands in a silver basin by moonlight)
A spell for curing a toothache
A spell for curing cramps
A spell for dealing with a swarm of bees
A spell for finding buried treasure
A spell for remembering things
A spell for forgetting things
A spell to know whether someone was telling the truth
A spell for conjuring or preventing weather patterns including: Wind, fog, snow, sleet or rain
A spell for producing an enchanted sleep
A spell for turning a human head into a donkey’s head
A spell for making oneself beautiful beyond the lot of mortals
A spell for knowing what others were thinking of you
A spell for the ‘refreshment of the spirit’
A spell to make things invisible
A spell to make hidden things visible
A spell for changing the appearance of persons
“Lilith was a succubus, that is, a female demon that has intercourse with men while they sleep, and later kills their progenty. Lilith in Babylonian and Assyrian myhology was a ravenus sexual entrepneur. In legend lilith was Adam’s first wife. She supposedly had riotus erotic adventures with fallen
1. Was Lewis a Bible believer?
By: Mike Gendron; ©1999
Totally foreign to most Catholics are three promises Jesus offers to repentant sinners who trust Him as their Lord and Savior. They are: 1) the complete forgiveness of sins; 2) the imputation of His perfect righteousness; and 3) the assurance of eternal life. Mike Gendron explains how important these promises are in becoming a more effective Witness for Christ.
Contents
1 Witnessing Effectively to Roman Catholics
1.1 Establish Authority for Truth
1.2 Define Terms Biblically
1.3 Begin with the Bad News
1.4 Stay Focused on the Gospel
1.5 Offer What Jesus Offers
1.6 Call for Repentance
1.7 Use the Word of God
1.8 The Roman Road
Witnessing Effectively to Roman Catholics
Have you ever witnessed to a Catholic and sensed that your Gospel presentation was no different from what they already believed? If so, here are some biblical principles that will help you witness more effectively. To begin with, it is important to know that for many Catholics, their religion is a very important part of their culture and family history. Indoctrination for most Catholics begins at a very young age and usually includes an education at Catholic schools. This often produces a fierce loyalty to their church and a faith that is ultimately in their church rather than in Christ. Given these predispositions it is important, whenever witnessing to Catholics, to do so with prayer, patience, love and humility.
Establish Authority for Truth
In any witnessing opportunity, a major issue that needs to be dealt with is authority. Resolve the question: “In what or in whom will you trust for your eternal destiny?” Each person ultimately must choose between man and his teachings or Jesus and His word. To choose the latter is the safest and wisest decision anyone will ever make because Jesus is the truth (John 14:6); His word is truth (John 17:17) and He came to testify to the truth (John 18:37). Furthermore, every religious leader must be held accountable to Scriptural authority (Acts 17:11). No man or pope is infallible (Gal. 2:11-14) and tradition must never suppress the authority of God’s word (Mark 7:7-13; Col. 2:8).
Define Terms Biblically
Make sure you have agreement on the meaning of essential terms of the Gospel because the Vatican has redefined many of its key words. To a Catholic: “justification” is not God declaring one righteous but the process through which one becomes righteous; “sin” is not always mortal because lesser sins do not cause death; “repentance” is not a change of mind but penance or punishment Catholics must do to be absolved of their sin and “eternal life” is not eternal because it terminates whenever a mortal sin is committed.
Begin with the Bad News
What does God’s justice demand as punishment for sin? In all my years of asking Catholics this question, not one has ever given the correct answer. The truth must be made known—God imposes the death penalty when His law is broken. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). The second death is the eternal lake of fire where the unredeemed will pay the eternal punishment for sin (Rev. 20:14). People must first understand they are condemned before they will see their need for a Savior. They must know they are hopelessly lost before they seek God’s provision.
Stay Focused on the Gospel
It is so easy to get lost in the complexity of the Catholic religion. Therefore, avoid any trails that lead you away from the saving power of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16). Proclaim the sufficiency of Christ—His perfect and finished sacrifice (Heb. 10:10-14), His grace (Rom. 11:6), His word (2 Tim 3:15), His righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30) and His intercession (Heb. 7:25). This is of utmost importance because Rome adds so much that denies Christ’s sufficiency. To His word they add tradition; to His headship they add the pope; to His unique role as mediator they add Mary; to His finished and complete sacrifice they add the Mass; to His high priestly office they add the confessional box; to His righteousness they add their own; to grace they add merit; to faith they add works and to heaven and hell they add purgatory. It is only when Jesus is presented as the all-sufficient Savior that Catholics can be called to repent of these ungodly perversions of the Gospel and be saved by Christ alone.
Offer What Jesus Offers
There are three promises Jesus offers to repentant sinners which are totally foreign to most Catholics. They are: 1) the complete forgiveness of sins; 2) the imputation of His perfect righteousness; and 3) the assurance of eternal life. These promises are foreign to Catholics because their church opposes them with a vengeance. Any Catholic who believes these promises of God is condemned with anathema by his church councils (Trent and Vatican II). Rather than trust Jesus for the complete forgiveness of sins, Catholics look to purgatory and indulgences to pay for the residual sin and punishment that still remain. Rather than receive the perfect righteousness of Christ by faith, Catholics seek their own righteousness through good works and sacraments. And finally, rather than believe God’s promise of eternal life, Catholics are taught they are committing the “sin of presumption” if they claim to know with certainty they have eternal life. By offering Catholics what Jesus offers, we are proclaiming the Good News which has never been proclaimed from their church. Clearly, for a Catholic to believe the Good News, they must repent of the false gospel of works. Only then will Jesus save them completely and forever and only then can they stand before a Holy God in the perfect righteousness of His Son.
Call for Repentance
Since grace is the only means by which God saves sinners, anyone who attempts to merit salvation actually nullifies God’s grace (Rom. 11:6). We must, therefore, persuade Catholics to come to Jesus with empty hands of faith. One illustration that has been effective in doing this is to imagine a set of monkey bars suspended over hell. Catholics are hanging and swinging from different rungs labeled baptism, good works, sacraments, indulgences and the Mass because they are taught that these things will keep them out of hell. Now picture Jesus suspended between them and hell saying: “I am the only one who can save you but I can’t until you first let go.” For Catholics this is a giant step of faith because it goes against everything they have been taught. If they are still hanging on when they die, it will be too late. They must let go and believe Jesus will save them before they perish. This is a picture of the very first command of Jesus when He said, “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15).
Use the Word of God
Finally, always remember to use the word of God. It is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). Let it speak for itself. Avoid using your own words because they are void of power. Ask Catholics to read selected Scriptures out loud and then ask them to tell you what God is saying through His word. This eliminates your interpretation and removes you from the middle. A good way to get them into the Bible is to ask them how they hope to get to heaven. If they give the wrong answer, ask them if they would like to know the only way, according to their own Bible. If they say “yes,” take them to The Roman Road, an excellent outline to follow because it presents the bad news first, then the Good News!
The Roman Road
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18).
There is none righteous, not even one (Rom. 3:10).
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).
The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).
The second death is the eternal lake of fire (Rev. 20:14).
But God demonstrated His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).
God justifies (believers) as a gift, by His grace, through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24).
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. (Rom. 10:9-10, 13).
Those God justifies He glorifies. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:30, 35-39).
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