Q&A

In this section, let’s address some of the more common objections to the Good News.

“Christians are really just hypocrites.”

Hypocrites are people who pretend to be something they really aren’t. We trust that someone will act according to what they say.
When this doesn’t happen the results can be hurtful.

We have all encountered hypocritical behavior. And unfortunately, the Christian community is not immune to this disease.

But did you know that the person that every Christian claims allegiance to, Jesus Christ, reserved some of his harshest criticism for hypocrites.

Christians may or may not represent Jesus properly, and the reality is there will always be some hypocrites in the Church.

The real question is not the hypocritical behavior of some Christians but was Jesus himself a hypocrite?

If you research any credible historical documents, including the Bible, you will find no evidence of this at all.

As a matter of fact, the Bible calls Jesus “perfect” in every way.

Why is this important? The example of love and integrity that Jesus set is the one that every true Christian should strive to follow.

 

“What about the so-called atrocities Christians have committed in history?”

In some circles, Christianity gets blamed for quite a few things. This would include religious wars, the Crusades, witch burning, and even slavery.

Once again, like the hypocrite question, these were so called believers who did not practice true Christianity and perpetrated evil.

Keep in mind though, in spite of the bad behavior of some so called Christians, no other religion in the history of the world has done more good for social causes.

Countless universities, hospitals, orphanages and charitable relief centers have been the direct result of the giving of sincere and caring Christians.

No other religion can compare.

 

“Religion is just a crutch.”

Some critics have charged that religion, especially Christianity, is an invention designed for weak people who can’t deal with life’s pressures.

Here’s the catch:

To imply that non-religious people are not leaning on something is misleading. 

Dependence on drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sex, money and unhealthy relationships, demonstrate a different kind of “crutch.”

On the contrary, Christianity does not create co-dependency but gives empowerment to overcome life’s challenges without the destructive behavior that most people turn to.

 

“Being a good person is all that really matters.”

There are two simple challenges to this mentality.

The first is who determines what good really is? (Please visit understanding Evil) Good means different things to different people.

Hitler thought it was good to kill millions of innocent Jews.

And when you really think about it, being good shouldn’t be the ultimate measure of one’s life because no one can be good all the time. No one is capable of perfection.

Secondly, as lofty and admirable as this statement is, what if being good is not all that God requires of us for to gain eternal life?

Maybe God’s plan for us has to do with something called the Good News.

Better check the Good News link out!

 

“What about those who have never heard about Jesus?”

The Bible clearly states that God is a God of mercy and compassion.

Critics claim that if indeed God has imposed a plan to rescue us that this eliminates some from the possibility of eternal life and happiness.

Keep this in mind when it comes to what the Bible says about God:

Those who truly seek Him will find Him! (Math:7:7-8)

In other words, God makes this simple promise to all of mankind:

Whoever really wants to find Him, will!

 

“The Bible is filled with errors.”

This tends to be a common charge among critics. At first glance, there may appear to be some discrepancies, but when you really research the Bible and study its passages, there are no contradictions.

Inerrancy, the claim that the Bible is without error, is not just a theory about the Bible.

As matter of fact it is what the Bible says about itself.

Regardless of the objections that might be raised, not one irreconcilable error can be found in its pages.

Please visit the Bible link to learn more.

 

“Christianity is so narrow minded in thinking that Jesus is the only way to God. What about all of the other religions?”

Yes it’s true. Jesus did make such a claim. The Bible records this astonishing statement in the book of John:

“I am the way, the truth and the life, no one can get to the father (God) except through me.” (See the book of John 14.6)

At first glance, this does seem to be quite an exclusive, arrogant statement. In a world culture bent on accepting every one and everything this comment can’t help but be politically incorrect.

But is it? What if this statement of Jesus is really true? Would telling the truth be politically incorrect or narrow minded?

Consider this illustration.

Imagine yourself trapped in a burning house. It’s just a matter of time before you and everything else in it is destroyed.

Although the house is burning, there is a door that leads to safety. This door is the only way out in order to be saved from the burning flames.

There is only one problem. The door is locked!

Hanging on the wall next to the door are several keys. Only one of the keys is the right key that will open the door.

Here is the catch:

You only have one chance to pick the right key that unlocks the door. Once a key is inserted into the lock it cannot be removed!

Let’s imagine each key represents the religions of the world including Christianity.

All of a sudden a stranger appears in the midst of this life threatening crisis and offers his help.

The stranger grabs a particular key and confidently asserts that the key that he is holding is the only key that will open the door.

Think about this:

Would you consider the stranger an arrogant person because he said he knew which key was the right key? Would this person be narrow- minded because he did not hold all the keys equal in value?

Or would you consider him someone who had an incredible life -saving piece of information? A true saviour, risking his own life, in order to save yours, by showing you the right key to safety.

 

How cruel would this stranger be if he knew the right key but refused to help you?

If it were true that there is only one key that opens the door, how priceless would it be to have someone show you the right one?

This is exactly what Jesus did!

He came to a hurting and dying world, torn and twisted out of the plan of God, in order to give us the only key to the doorway that leads to freedom and an abundant life.

Jesus proclaimed that he alone held the key to eternal life. This makes him either the true savior of mankind or an arrogant, self-righteous lunatic. He is one or the other.

The simple decision is whether to believe him or not.

Let’s return to the illustration for a moment.

A stranger is standing before you with one of the keys in his hand. He informs you that the key he is holding is the only key, which will open the door, and he offers it to you.

Your whole life is riding on the decision to believe that the key he is holding is the one key that unlocks the door!

How do you know if you can even trust this stranger? Could he be lying?

You only have one chance to pick the right key, so you look the stranger in the eye and ask him two critical questions.

“Who are you and secondly, give me some reason to believe that the key you are holding is the right key which opens the door?

Although an illustration, the principles behind it are true. Jesus came to the earth answering both of these important questions.

 He boldly stated that he was the Son of God.

Jesus also made the astonishing claim that only by believing in Him could we escape the effects of pain and suffering in this life.

Through Him alone was the way to God.

He would prove his claims by the miracle of His resurrection from the dead.

None of the so-called leaders or prophets of other religions have come back from the dead once they died. This is what separates Jesus from everyone else claiming to have the answers to life’s greatest questions.

And this is the very reason you can believe that what he said is true!

 

Did you know there is as much evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead as there is any other historical fact of human history?

The claims of Jesus Christ are so compelling that they demand a response from everyone.

Was Jesus simply a narrow-minded teacher who did not respect other religions?

Or…

Was he truly God’s Son, and as the Bible says, loved you and I so much that he literally laid down his life in order to show us the way to his Father? (Please see the book of John 3.16)

Are you ready to Choose? Check out this link to learn more!

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