Archives For Apologetics

Not Seeing Anything Does Not Disprove the Existence of the Supernatural

December 12, 2020

Many people think that seeing is believing. As a result, they hold that their never having seen supernatural beings with their own eyes disproves the existence of the supernatural.

Scripture, however, provides several remarkable passages that show that not seeing anything does not disprove the existence of the supernatural.

Balaam and His Donkey

Numbers 22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

Numbers 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

For some time, Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord, but Balaam did not. Had someone asked Balaam whether there was an angel before him, he would have responded that there was not.

Only when the Lord opened his eyes did he see the angel of the Lord. Balaam’s not seeing the angel earlier was not proof that there was no angel present.

Elisha and His Servant

2 Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Faced with a dire threat, Elisha’s servant only saw the enemies’ forces surrounding them. Only after Elisha had prayed did the Lord open the servant’s eyes to see the supernatural forces that also were all around them. His not having seen them earlier was not at all an indication that they were not there.

Daniel and Those with Him

Daniel 10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Although Daniel saw a profound vision, the men with him did not see it even though it was real. Had they testified that they did not see anything at that time, their testimony would not have been proof that the supernatural does not exist.

Paul and Those with Him

Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus

When the Lord appeared to Paul and those who were with him, only Paul saw the Lord. Although the men who were with him did hear a voice, they did not see anyone.

Even though the Lord was present with them all, they did not see Him, as Paul did. Their testifying that they did not see anyone would have been a faulty testimony that no one was there with them.

Conclusion

In four explicit passages, Scripture reveals that various people did not see anything when there were supernatural beings actually present with them. These passages show that not seeing anything does not disprove the supernatural.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Apologetics, Theology
 permalink

Why No One Should Believe in Reincarnation

June 6, 2020

Reincarnation is a very widespread religious view. Those who believe in it hold that our souls were pure to begin with, but because of the bad deeds that we have done in our previous lives, we are trapped in an ongoing cycle of birth-death-rebirth-death etc.

This cycle continues because of our bad deeds that we have done in previous lives, do in our current lives, and will do in our future lives.

In the following figure, I symbolize the pure soul with a cloud that has no black spots (karma from our bad deeds). Each blue arrow signifies a cycle of being born, dying, and then being reborn.

 

Because of the bad deeds that are attached to our pure souls, we continue in this cycle.

What People Believe about Deliverance from Reincarnation

Only when through being reborn numerous times and doing more good than evil in each future live will we get rid of all our bad karma. When we do that, our pure souls will be delivered from reincarnation and go to nirvana (symbolized by the cloud going up until it is one with the sun).

 

To many people, this explanation makes sense. A closer look, however, shows why this explanation is not true.

Why Reincarnation is Not True

Look carefully at the following figure. Had our souls originally been pure to begin with, we would never have entered into this cycle (symbolized by the red “x” on the first blue arrow).

 

Instead, the pure soul, because it would have no karma attached to it from any bad deeds that it would have done, would immediately go to nirvana. Because it would be pure to begin with, it would never enter the cycle of reincarnation!

No one should believe in reincarnation because what is taught about it is not true. Had our souls been pure to begin with, they would never have been trapped in such a cycle.

The Truth about Us

The Bible teaches that it is appointed to man once to die and then the judgment. According to God’s Word, reincarnation is not true. We only live once in this life and then we will stand before God the Judge of all.

God tells us that we must accept the truth that we have all sinned and come short of His glory. We cannot be liberated from the sins that we have done by doing more good deeds than bad deeds.

We will not have many future lives to purify ourselves completely so that God will not judge us. No one should believe in reincarnation!

Appeal

We all need to have all our sins forgiven. God promises forgiveness to all who repent toward Him and believe in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Believe in the gospel of God and His Christ and be saved today!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Apologetics, Evangelism, Theology
 permalink