Why We Believe What We Believe (Part 1) || Pastor Kenneth Carpenter
by Kenneth Carpenter
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4, Malachi 2:10, Matthew 22:36-38, Mark 12:29, Genesis 1:1, Exodus 7:1, John 4:24, 2 Corinthians 3:17, 1 Timothy 1:17, John 1:18, Romans 1:20, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 11:27, Genesis 1, Genesis 1:6, Genesis 1:9, Genesis 1:11, Genesis 1:14, Genesis 1:20, Genesis 1:24, Job 38:4-11, John 1:1-5, John 1:14-18, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 1:27, Ephesians 1:11, Romans 4:17, Romans 5:14, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 1:4, 1 Peter 1:18-20, Revelation 13:8, Isaiah 44:24, Job 9:8, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 44:8, Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 45:21

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--why-we-believe-what-we-believe-part-1
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
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if you have your Bibles turn with me this evening to the book of Deuteronomy chapter number six and we're going to begin reading at verse number three Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse number three excuse me verse number four is where I'm going to read and why don't we read it all out loud and read it all together tonight my text starting with here o Israel the Lord our God is one Lord precious God tonight I thank you for your word which is our lamp and our light I thank you Lord for your word for if we didn't have your word God we wouldn't have the knowledge of you I thank you Lord that through faith in your word we have experienced Miracles God I thank you for all that the word teaches us and I pray tonight for the next few moments that you would anoint my heart to teach your people and Lord I'll give you the praise and the honor and the glory in jesus' name I pray amen and amen you may be seated I want to begin a series of lessons tonight and even if the next few weeks I would be somewhere preaching on Wednesday night someone will stand in this pull pit and follow the theme that we have and what I want to begin the series tonight is entitled why we believe what we believe why we believe what we believe the why goes before the what why do you believe what you believe why why now I know the simple answer to that is simply this because the Bible says so because the Bible says so we believe and we teach that there is only one God why why do you believe what you believe that there is only one God the answer would be simple but yet we need to know that it's in the scripture we believe the Bible teaches that there is only one God and the Bible backs that up Deuteronomy 6:4 here o Israel the Lord our God is look at that very simple the Lord our God is somebody say it with me he's he's one he's one Lord ma Malachi chapter 2 and verse number 10 the Bible says have we not not all one father hath not one one God created Created us now you said now brother Carpenter how how relevant is believing that there's one God I I really came tonight to hear something relevant do you understand that believing that there is one God Is So relevant to the rest of the Bible it's so relevant to the rest of the Bible as a matter of fact in all the Commandments that's in the Bible all the many Commandments in the Bible the Bible teaches us that the belief in one God is the first and great commandment of all believing that there is one God is the first and the great commandment of all Matthew chap 22 verse number 36 uh this man was asked or Jesus was asked by this man this lawyer Master which is the great commandment in the law which is the greatest commandment this lawyer asked Jesus uh Master tell me what's the greatest commandment in the law Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart for thy soul with all thy mind this look at verse 38 this is the first and great commandment Mark 12 and 29 the same conversation although recorded by Mark Mark 12:29 Jesus answered him the first of all the Commandments is he o Israel the Lord our God God is one Lord you can't get more relevant than to believe that there is only there's not two there's not three I'm going to tell you if the Bible said here oh Israel the Lord our God is 10 Gods I would be a 10 God preacher tonight I want you to know I I wouldn't be oneless I'd be tless I would I would be I would preach if the Bible said it I would preach it here o Israel the Lord our God is one lord well let's go to the beginning of the Bible Genesis chapter 1 and verse number one Genesis chapter 1 and verse number one it begins by simply saying in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth in the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth now there are those that want to preach and teach that there is a plurality in the godhead that there is one God but yet there are persons three to be exact that are in the godhead and they use for their beginning scripture they use the Hebrew word in Genesis 1:1 the Hebrew word in the beginning God cre created the Heaven and the Earth they use the Hebrew word that's that is for God that means Elohim Elohim and they will they will quickly call to your attention that Elohim is a plural word it is a plural plurality word and to that they are correct it does speak of plurality but it's talking about a plurality of majesty it's talking about a plural plurality of authority it's talking about a a a plurality of God's power and dignity do you know that the Hebrew word for face one face is a plural word the one the the word the Hebrew word for face F A CE is a plural word well why would a plural word be used to describe one person's face because that one person's face can take the same face and show happiness or sadness or anger or just being disconnected it's the same face but it shows difference happy sad uh Angry and all of that now we understand that Elohim is a plural term it's talking about God has the power to save and God has the power to heal and God has the power to destroy ask Noah's generation he has all of this power as a matter of fact if you if you would turn with me to Exodus chapter 7 Exodus chapter 7 and verse number one God is speaking to Moses he's went down and demanded pharaoh to let God's people go and in Exodus 7 verse number one it it says and the Lord said unto Moses see I have made thee a god God to pharaoh and Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet do you know the same word God here in Exodus 71 is the same word God in Genesis 1:1 so God said Moses I have made you an eloh him to Pharaoh now no one would say there were three Moses's standing before Pharaoh the plurality of power I have power I have power through God to turn turn the Nile River into blood I have power before God to bring all kind of insects into Egypt I have power of God he saying I have made you an Elohim I have made you one I have made you one of power not a plurality of persons but a plurality of power and Majesty Steph Gil gives a wonderful explanation of God and explaining the Oneness of God Stephen Gill says it's very simple it is God and God revealed it is God and God reveals himself and and as you begin to let that sink into your mind there is only one God and when that one God reveals himself it is God and God it is God revealed what is the father but the one God revealed what is the son but the one God revealed what is the Holy Ghost but the one God revealed they're not three separate persons they're just the revealing of hereo Israel the Lord our God is one John 4:24 gives us the definition of God Jesus gives this definition John 4 24 Jesus says God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth why didn't he say that God is a father why didn't he say God is Father God is son God is the Holy Ghost because that is all God's revealing but when Jesus was saying how to worship he says let me tell you God is a spirit Paul in 2 Corinthians chter 3 and verse 17 Paul says it also he says now the Lord here oh Israel the Lord our God is one now the Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty are you feeling like you're bound up get in the presence of God are you feeling like you don't have any options get in the presence of God because in the presence of the Lord in the spirit where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse number 17 Paul follows along 1 Timothy 1:17 now unto the king Eternal now he's addressing God now he's addressing God now unto the king Eternal Immortal invisible God and God revealed we could never see God unless God would reveal himself why he is the invisible God again verse 17 now unto the king Eternal Immortal invisible the only wise God be honor and Glory forever and ever amen God and God revealed God in his essence of spirit cannot be seen but God reveals himself he is the father of creation he is the son of redemption he is the holy ghost in the church today it is God and God revealed listen to Jesus in John chap 1 verse number 18 listen listen to the listen to John 1:18 listen to listen to John no man has seen God at any time no man has seen God at any time so brother carp I read in the Old Testament where Moses saw God he saw God revealed oh I read where where that he looked upon God he looked upon God revealing himself but no man has ever seen God at any time John says the only begotten son the only begotten son which is in the bosom of the father he hath declared him or he have revealed him now you got to understand brother ericon at the time that John spoke these words John 1:18 Jesus had already ascended back into heaven and so John is is is is writing from the angle that he is already in heaven and he says no man has seen God at any time but the only begotten son which is in the bosom he's back in the bosom of the father he hath declared him or he hath revealed him remember that remember that it is God and it is God revealed Romans chapter 1 verse number 20 Romans 1 and verse number 20 Paul says for the invisible things of him God the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made creation even his eternal power and godhead so that they are without excuse in other words he says the invisible ible God has revealed himself in Creation The Invisible God made himself known by creation you want to have faith in God believe that God is the creator that's why evolution is trying to be pedal it's not so much to steer people away from God as it is to get them to not have faith in God God is so powerful that God created what we see out of nothing the visible God created what we see out of out of nothing let me throw in G Colossians chapter 1 verse number 15 Colossians chapter 1 verse number 15 speaking of Jesus Christ speaking of Jesus Christ who is the image of the invisible God somebody ask who is Jesus you want to give a Bible answer he's the image of the invisible God who is Jesus Jesus Is God revealed the man Christ Jesus Is God revealed Hebrews chapter 11 verse 27 is a is an interesting verse of scripture when we keep dealing with God and God revealed Hebrews 11:27 speaking of Moses by faith he forsook Egypt Moses did not fearing the Wrath of the king for he endured as seeing him who is invisible when did Moses see God what bu what built Moses's Faith to go back down to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh let God's people go I'll tell you what it was it was God and God revealed well when did God reveal himself to to Moses the burning bush it was there at the burning bush that God in a burning bush said I am that I am and that is my name God revealed himself to Moses through the burning bush now how does God reveal himself to us today God re that's why that's why Wednesday night bible study church is so important we are trying to find God but we're not going to find God outside of his word now please get that you're you're in a search for God you'll never be satisfied I'll never be satisfied we'll never find God material things will not make us happy Fame and Fortune will not make us happy the only way we find God is through his word that's why the study of the word is so important he reveals himself through his word let's go to Genesis 1 verse one again in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and the Earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and the the underline them if you write in your Bible underline it right now and God said and God said that's powerful words that's powerful words you can say something and there's no power to it I can say something and there's no power to it but when God says something When God Says something and God said let there be light and what happened church and there was light Genesis 1:6 and God said let there be a firmament Genesis 1:9 and God said let the waters under the heaven Genesis 1 111 and God said let the Earth bring forth grass Genesis 1:14 and God said said let there be lights in the firmament Genesis 1:20 and God said let the waters bring forth abundantly Genesis 1:24 and God said let the Earth bring forth the living creature do you see the power that is in God's word you have God and God revealed how does God reveal himself through his word look at creation every bird that you hear Sing is a testimony to the power of God's word the beautiful mountains that we're surrounded around with is a testimony to the power of God's word the power that is in God's word well job he got to a place that some of us get to sometimes we get to questioning God and um well old job got to questioning God he he just got to questioning God and God got fed up with it and in job 38:4 God just said all right Mr Know It All job can I tell you can we all humble ourselves tonight and admit we know nothing except it be through this word you know what makes us wise God's word God's word makes us wise all right Mr job I've heard enough of you I want to ask you a few questions God starts in verse four where were where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth declare if thou Hast understanding who hath laid the measures now now God is talking to the knit all job who hath laid the measures thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched the line upon it where upon are the foundations thereof fastened and who laid the Cornerstone thereof when the morning Stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for Joy or who shut up the sea with doors when it Break Forth as if it had issued out of the womb when I made the cloud the Garment thereof and the thick Darkness a swaddling band for it and break up for it my decreed place and set bars and doors and said he says I control the earth I control the water don't look at the banks of the Atlantic at the East Coast don't look at the east coast and say you you you you caused the Atlantic Ocean not to come any further I'm going to tell you it's not the East Coast it was the god that created the East Coast because God said God said look at verse 11 God said and said hither too shalt Thou come but no further and here shall thy Pride proud waves be stad said God said you waves are going no further you're going no further over here I'll create a band of of moisture I'll do all of this all of creation is a testimony to the power to the power of God's word to the power of God's word now let's go to an interesting book The Book of John in the New Testament John chapter 1 verse number one it's going to sound familiar it's going to sound familiar in the beginning wait a minute stop where does that sound familiar at our Bible starts off by saying in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth but can I tell you something God's creation of this Earth was only part of his purpose the Earth isn't the fullness of the purpose of God God had a great purpose that was far beyond trees and mountains and days and nights and seasons in the beginning John 1:1 in the beginning was the word was the word this he this excuse me this Greek word w Rd simply means thought plan and idea thought plan an idea in the beginning was the thought plan theide idea and the thought planned the idea was with God and the thought planned the idea was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him or that word by there means through all things were made by the ultimate plan of God becoming a man the ultimate plan the the ultimate plan was that God would become a man all things were made by or through him and without him was not anything made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of men the light shineth in darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not in Genesis we have literal darkness in John we have spiritual darkness in Genesis we have God who is light invading darkness in Genesis we have God made flesh invading the darkness of the Demonic Powers upon the earth going on down to verse number 14 of John 1 John 1 14 and the word thought planned the idea and the word the thought planned the idea was made flesh the thought planned the idea was made made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld remember remember again what I'm teaching God and God revealed and we beheld his glory we saw it we saw his glory the glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth John bear witness of him and cried saying this was he of whom I SP spake he that cometh after me is might as preferred before me for he was before me and all his fullness have we all we received Grace for grace for the law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ no man has seen God at any time the only begotten son which is in the bosom of the father he hath declared him and I I got to tell you tonight right now my heart's overflowing because I'm so glad for the truth of God 's word I'm so glad that we're not tied up in some ancient ritual that has so messed up the godhead and so brought confusion to this world are you not thankful tonight that you know that you know what you believe and you believe what you know and come on aren't you glad it come out of the Bible tonight aren't you thankful that it came out of the Bible tonight I guess I'm like one of these ball players on the floor or when they make a good shot I need you to cheer I'm doing this right but my heart truly is full Genesis chapter 1:26 many have tried this verse here if they're not if they if they don't take the word Elohim the plurality many come trying to prove plurality of persons of the godhead and they'll say it's right here and God said and Elohim said let us make man in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the foul of the air and over the cattle and over all the Earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth they say that let us make man that let us make man they say that's a conversation of What's called the the Divine Trinity of persons each person co-equal that means that each person of the their godhead are each equally powerful coeternal that means each is as old as far as Eternal would mean and uh Co co-equal co-eternal and they said this is a conversation being held on these three separate persons here let us make man but it would seem that Genesis 1:27 brings the streching heart to that for if that would be so Genesis 127 if there were plurality of persons in the godhead Genesis 1:27 should read like this so God created man in their own image in the image of God created them him okay male and female created them them you're you're laughing at that because it is a laughable matter you see when when God said let us make man there are many reasonable Bible explanations for the let us make man who was who was God talking who was God talking to well Ephesians chapter 1 and one or excuse me Ephesians chapter 111 offers the perfect answer to let us make man because a plurality of persons uh do not accurately present what is going on here and for a number of reasons okay okay I'll give you this for a number of reasons if God is a plurality of persons if God is a plurality of persons and Adam was made in the image and the likeness of God how many Adams should be created three all right which would have meant that they would have need three EES all right all right but there was only one man it was only one man created so let's get let's let's go back to uh Ephesians 1:1 well who is he talking to when he says let us make man the Bible speaking of Jesus Christ says this in whom also in Jesus in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will God had a plan I'm going to tell you creation the ultimate purpose of creation is not seasons and it's not so that we can breathe air and exist as humans God created the Earth for his ultimate plan of becoming a man and becoming Our Savior now he counseled with his own will I have said many times in my in out loud just speaking out not speaking to any one let's go on now let's go on now and yall are just hoping there's not three of me I mean you're praying to God there's not three of me but because I use the term let us go on now does it mean that I'm talking about a plurality of persons well let's let's look at Romans chapter 4 verse number 17 for a moment describing describing God describing God now this is the conversation that God had with Abraham and Sarah when they were Barren and and God spoke to them when they were Barren and the Bible says in Romans 4:17 as it is written I have made thee a father of many nations now they're Barren they don't have any children and God says God says everybody say God said God God said I have made thee a father of many nations not I will make you but I have already made you in my mind God says you are already a father of many nations let's read on before him whom he believed in other words he's speaking this to Abraham and Abraham standing before God even God and it describes him here even God who quickeneth the dead that means bring brings life to the dead not only that but look at this and God calleth those things which be not as be not as though they were now hold that thought God speaks of things which are not because God doesn't dwell and I could preach a sermon God doesn't wear a watch when God speaks he speaks out of Eternity he speaks out of past present and future God speaks of things which are not as though they were God speaks of things that are not as though they were now getting back to let us make man Romans 5:14 Romans 5:14 nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression Adam's transgression talking about the man Adam who is Adam who is the figure of him that was to come Adam was the figure of him that was to come so when God said let us make man in our image in our likeness in the mind of God he had already became flesh he had already became man and he would he already said let us make man after our likeness and after our image he was already speaking as though the Holy Ghost had already overshadowed Mary and that God had already been born and that God was already in human flesh in the man Christ Jesus let us make let us make man now when we speak about God speaking in eternity in eternity P the plan that God had in eternity P Ephesians chapter 1 verse number four and I'm going to go very quickly I want to I want to end in light of some business we're going to do tonight I want to end a little early Ephesians 1 and4 according as God according as he hath chosen us the church God has chosen us the church in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and Without Blame before him in love before one star was in the sky before any creation God already had a plan and that plan was that God would have a people but not just a created people but a redeemed people a church God would have it was already see we think of God like we think of ourselves we're all we're always reacting you know we always go through life and this happens and we we we react to this and that happens and we react to that there's no reaction to God before God ever said let there be light in the original creation God already had all of this in mind God already had all of this all planned out that's why our faith ought to be God God knows what's best for us oh why don't you commit your life 100% to God God knows the best for our lives oh yes he does oh yes he does let me read Ephesians 1:4 again according as he ha chosen chosen us the church in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and Without Blame before him in love 1 Peter chapter 1 verse number 18 1 Peter 1:18 for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers in other words you wouldn't redeem by material things but look at verse 19 but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot look at verse 20 closely who verily was foreordained who was Jesus was for orain when before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you it was God and it was God revealed it was God in eternity and he revealed himself as the father of creation it was God in eternity and he revealed himself as the son of redemption in in the man Christ Jesus it was God and God revealed as the baptism of the Holy Ghost in the church today I'm so glad that he is God Revelation 13 and8 talks about a people that worship the Antichrist it says in Revelation 13:8 and all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship Him speaking of the Antichrist whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the lamb slain from when from the foundation of the world now if you take it literal you have Christ crucified if you have a Christ before Bethlehem you listen to me tonight if you have a Christ before Bethlehem then you have a Christ that's crucified twice once before before the foundation of the world and once at Calvary 2,000 years ago but if you understand the Bible correctly you understand that Christ was the plan of God he was the word of God the thought the plan the idea and the thought the plan the idea came to existence about 2,000 years ago when the Holy Ghost overshadowed a little virgin Girl by the name of Mary and she conceived in her womb and brought forth the Son of God the Bible teaches nowhere a plurality of persons in the godhead or I Isaiah 44:24 I'm going to wrap this up tonight Isaiah 44:24 thus sayith the Lord thy Redeemer and he that formed thee from the womb I am the Lord that maketh all things he that stretcheth forth the heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the Earth by myself I don't know what people that want to prove a plurality of persons in the godhead do with let us make man when God says no there wasn't a plurality of persons I did it alone I did it by myself job 9 and8 talks about God and says which alone spreadeth out the heavens and treadeth upon the waves of the sea Isaiah 446 thus sayith the Lord the king of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last and beside me beside me there is no God Isaiah 44 verse number eight fear you not neither be afraid have not I told thee from from that time and have declared it ye are my Witnesses is there a god beside me there is no God there is no God God I know not any can I tell you tonight very simple if you know more than one God then you claim to know more than God cuz he said if there's another God I don't I don't know I know I know not any Isaiah 45 and5 I am the Lord there is none else there is no God beside me I GED thee though thou Hast not known me Isaiah 452 21 till ye and bring them near yay let them take counsel together who hath declared this from ancient times who ha told it from that time have not I the lord and there is no God else beside me just God and a savior there is none else beside me it goes on it goes on and on and on and so could I would you stand with me right now you're thankful that you know the truth of why we're going to start a series of lessons why we believe why we believe what we believe father I love you tonight I thank you almighty God creator of Heaven and Earth of the revelation of who you are now Lord tonight help help us God not to fall prey to ignorance help us God not to fall prey that this teaching doesn't really matter as long as we as long as we just believe and all of that God if we don't believe that there is only one God we will be led astray in many other directions Lord but Lord I pray tonight that I'll be a teacher of your word god teach the people the right way that Lord that we'll know why we believe what we believe I'll give you praise and I'll give you honor thank you tonight in Jesus wonderful name we pray amen and amen everybody said amen