Are You Right About God? by Feed the Hunger

GOD?

ARE YOU RIGHT ABOUT

A 30-Day Journey by Joseph L. Williams with Dr. Matthew Byrd

GOD?

ARE YOU RIGHT ABOUT

A 30-Day Journey by

Joseph Williams with Dr. Matthew Byrd

Copyright ÂŠ 2019 by Feed the Hunger. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in mechanical or electronic form without the express permission of the copyright holder. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International VersionÂŽ Printed in the USA.

Preface The topic of God can be intimidating. Does God really exist, and if He does, can this be proven outside of the Bible? Is Christianity really the only path to God, or one of many? At one point or another, most people have these questions and many more. The reality is that every topic covered in this 30-day journey has been dealt with extensively by theologians and skeptics alike. They have produced an enormous amount of research in various forms of media to try to either prove or disprove even the smallest of points. As always, you should never take anyone else’s convictions as your own. Study for yourself and take responsibility for your own beliefs and convictions. This study is written both to Christians struggling to some degree with their faith and to non-Christians. It is a formidable task to have two different target audiences, but it is worth the challenge to try to address both. And with the limited space provided, you will have to extend some grace to us. Dr. Matthew Byrd and I are painting with a broad brush. If you are not a Christian, we will often refer to you as a “non-Christian” or “nonbeliever” in the pages that follow. These are not derogatory terms in the least, but merely serve to distinguish between the two audiences throughout this study. You should not feel like you are being disrespected, shamed, or metaphorically beaten over the head with a Bible. No matter what you believe, our hope is that you will at least learn something new every day. You may notice that certain words referring to God are capitalized. This practice is also followed in some English translations of the Bible. It is done out of respect and as a way to clearly identify who we’re talking about. To help with this journey, the content is divided into four sections. The first is called Laying the Groundwork and looks at areas like world religions, the overall message of the Bible, and whether the Bible is credible. The second section is Science Week, where Dr. Byrd looks at topics such as creation, the universe, and science in general. No tough topic or question should be too hard to tackle, so the third and fourth sections are called Stumbling Blocks and Tough Questions.

While we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t address every one of the issues people have, we have selected several of the most notable objections or questions. May this journey help you on your spiritual path.

Table of Contents 7

Introduction Laying the

11 13 15 17 19 21 23

27 29 31 33 35 37 39

GROUNDWORK

First, Some Self-Examination An Overview of Major World Religions Others Related to Christianity The Journey from Genesis to Revelation How the Bible Came to Be Authenticating the Bible The Most Pivotal Issue

Stumbling 43 45 47 49 51 53 55

Christian Hypocrisy Hot-Button Issues Old Testament vs. New Testament God of Wrath, God of Love Contradictions in the Bible My Life, My Way Mad at God Tough

59 61 63

Science

In the Beginning Truths of Creation Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Only Natural(ism) The Ultimate Cause Cosmic Fine-Tuning The Origin of Life The Complexity of the Mind

WEEK

BLOCKS

69 71

QUESTIONS

Is It Logical to Believe in God? Who Is Jesus? How Do You Explain the Trinity? Are There Many Paths to Heaven? Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? Where Do Children Go When They Die? What about Those Who Have Never Heard? Conclusion

Introduction In a country where skepticism and pessimism seem to be on the rise, it is no surprise that these thoughts and feelings have negatively affected Christianity. The number of people who don’t believe in the existence of God is also on the rise in America. Further, most Christians seemingly don’t have the knowledge or confidence to stand up for their belief in God in the public eye. As a Christian myself, I spent most of my life believing that sharing or defending one’s faith meant being able to quote the most appropriate Bible verse at the proper moment. For certain, Christians should know the Bible enough in their minds and hearts for such a practice. However, it is my humble belief that knowing a fair amount of additional information is extraordinarily helpful. We need to be prepared to reason with seekers and skeptics on intellectual and commonsense grounds as well. Jesus even demonstrated this practice through continually sharing practical stories called parables. There are some Christians who believe that quoting the Bible is all that is needed to sway the nonbeliever. Actually, all that is needed is God. He just allows us to help get His story out. My point is this: what weight, if any, does the Bible have if the person you are talking to doesn’t believe in God? At appropriate moments, sharing should include what the Bible says, but reason and evidence should be included as well. This study will seek to offer both of these elements. Proving that God is real and the Bible is true is a daunting task, and this particular 30-day journey you’ve just started will by no means be exhaustive. There are plenty of wonderful and well-rounded pieces of work readily available. I am convicted to share about specific areas in the pages that follow. I’ll get some expert assistance from Dr. Matthew Byrd, a colleague and

good friend who has a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. Together, we hope to make a compelling case for belief in Jesus Christ not only through quoting the Bible, but also through observation, evidence, and reason. To the Christian: The Bible says that a doubting follower of Christ is like a boat constantly tossed around by waves. If you’re being honest with yourself, though, at some point and to some degree, you’ve had doubts about your faith. Perhaps you’ve also felt unprepared to give an answer to a seeker or skeptic. I hope you will find the content that lies ahead to be incredibly beneficial. To the Seeker or Skeptic: One of the main things that defines us as decent and fair-minded humans is the ability to study opposing viewpoints and entertain respectful dialogue. I challenge you to read these pages to better understand why Christians believe what they do. In the process, you might consider the possibility that it may take more faith not to believe in God. Let’s sit down now and reason together. While we can’t have a literal discussion, I encourage you to read these pages and weigh what is being shared with an open heart and mind.

Laying the

GROUNDWORK

First, Some Self-Examination If you are skeptical or cynical about Christianity and the Bible, or even have doubts about your faith, do you know why? It is important to know why you experience negative thoughts, beliefs, and emotions when you hear about God or Jesus. Perhaps a Christian has shamed and condemned you for a choice you’ve made. Maybe the stark hypocrisy of Christians you know (which we’ll look at another day) has jaded your view of Jesus. Maybe you had legalistic parents who made Christianity a religion instead of a relationship, a list of rules you were never able to successfully measure up to. You see, it’s not only important that you know logically and intellectually why you disagree with some or all of Christianity, but also that you be able to honestly examine your heart as to why you are shutting out the claims that Jesus made about Himself. As we get started, here are some important facts for Christians and non-Christians alike to remember about the reality of truth: • • •

Just because you don’t understand something doesn’t change the truth. Just because your feelings have changed about something doesn’t change the truth. Just because you don’t logically agree with something doesn’t change the truth.

For example, let’s say you’re a Christian and you’re married, but believe you have fallen in love with someone else. You believe that because it is “love,” this must make the relationship right. However, the Bible is

clear that adultery is wrong, no matter how confused you are that it is happening, no matter what your emotions are, and no matter how you rationalize going forward with your non-spouse. Adultery is adultery and the Bible says it falls short of God’s target for those who follow Him. Christians (should) believe that the Bible is absolute truth. Well, maybe you’re someone who doesn’t believe there is such a thing as absolute truth. If you are, I’m sorry to inform you, your position is hypocritical. You are claiming an absolute truth by claiming there is no absolute truth! Whether you are a Christian who has lingering doubts or a non-Christian who has large ones, these doubts don’t change the truth. Doubts are not the ace of spades; they are the joker, meant to distract and deceive you for life. There is a story in the Bible about a father whose son was dealing with a tremendous challenge and the dad wanted Jesus to heal him. The father told Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief ! ” (Mark 9:24). This father is like a lot of us if we are being honest with ourselves. We want to believe in God or we actually do believe in Him, but we are human and flawed. Our faith is weak and we waver. Now would be a good time for self-examination. Ask yourself honestly what keeps you from believing. So many people have pain at the source. You’ll never be able to move on and truly consider God until you work to resolve this dark place. Maybe you’re too content, feeling like you’re in charge of your life, or there is a choice you’re making that is in direct conflict with what God says in the Bible. Try to identify the “whys” of your skepticism now—even if you feel justified in your view of Christianity.

An Overview of Major World Religions Perhaps we can all agree on the following statement: individuals have done all manner of evil while identifying as a follower of a particular religion. Larger bodies of religious adherents, be they local, national, or international, have also done horrible things in the name of their god. Civilizations have risen and fallen as a result of these actions. The assumption that many atheists and agnostics then make (I believe rightfully so) is that all religions are flawed. Therefore, it might be helpful to step back from this painful reality and gain a fresh understanding of the main beliefs of some major religions today. We are calling Christianity a “religion” for the sake of simplicity—stay tuned for a better definition. It must also be stated that there are many branches, offshoots, and sects among these religions; we are just painting with a broad brush to make two points at the end: •

•

Islam: Allah is God and Muhammad is his messenger; followers prove their devotion through a disciplined life involving adherence to the Quran and five religious duties (Five Pillars), resulting in paradise after death. Hinduism: There are hundreds of millions of gods and goddesses (polytheism); reincarnation is based on how one lived in their previous life (based on good or bad works, or karma). The goal is to break free of this cycle altogether. Buddhism: Both a religion and a philosophy, it follows the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha, or Enlightened One), seeking to break free from the cycle of life and death based on living a disciplined life. The goal is to reach a state without desire, called nirvana.

•

Judaism: There is one God, and believers are in a covenant relationship with Him through a man named Abraham. Adherents follow the many laws contained in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) and await the Messiah to restore them to their rightful place in the world. Christianity: There is one God (same as Judaism) in three Persons, existing as a Trinity. Believers are in a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus, whom He sent to die for sins. Belief in Jesus, not good works and a disciplined life, is how eternity with God is attainable; followers are also given the Holy Spirit to guide their life. Atheism: Founded on a lack of belief in the existence of any deity, adherents believe that religion is made up by man to guide ethics and values, and there is no afterlife. Agnostics take a less firm stand and believe there is no way to know for sure whether God exists; atheists and agnostics are often humanists (man uses reason to make the world a moral place) or nihilists (life has no meaning).

So here are the two main points for today about Christianity in particular. First, Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This is in spite of the fact that, through the centuries, man has interjected himself in many ways to turn Christianity into a religion. Second, here is perhaps the simplest explanation of how the Christian life is supposed to be: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8–10). In other words, Christians believe they are saved by faith in Jesus, not by a lifetime of “good” works. Doing good works is a natural overflow or result of following the teachings of Jesus. This is the exact opposite of the world’s major religions. And in contrast to atheism and agnosticism, Christians believe God is the moral compass; man is not capable of fulfilling this role.

Others Related to Christianity It’s important to look not only at a broad comparison between Christianity and other religions, but also at Christianity and other similar “movements.” I’m referring specifically to Catholicism and three religious sects birthed in the nineteenth century: Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Seventh-day Adventism. There are some differences worth noting for your own knowledge. Let me be clear that Christians believe only God knows a person’s heart and whether they truly believe in the salvation Jesus offers through the cross. For example, if a Catholic believes this, they are a Christian according to the biblical definition of a believer (Romans 10:9). Below are some notable differences between these belief systems and what would be called the true Christianity established by Jesus and shared by the early believers. These descriptions are nowhere near exhaustive, but an attempt once again to paint a broad picture: •

Catholicism: Catholics believe that salvation is a process requiring good works in addition to faith, instead of faith alone as the Bible teaches. They approach God through Mary and the “saints” of the past, whereas Christians do so directly. They also believe that the 14 books collectively called the Apocrypha should be considered Scripture, in addition to the 66 books accepted by Protestants (those who originally broke from the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century). The teachings of the Catholic Church, its traditions, and the Pope are considered to have authority equal to that of the Bible.

•

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism): Mormons incorporate the teachings and beliefs of Joseph Smith, a nineteenth-century man who claimed to have had visions from God. They believe that God was originally a man who eventually became God, that Jesus and Satan are brothers, and that human beings can become gods. The Book of Mormon is the only infallible book; in other words, it is the ultimate authority instead of the Bible. Likewise, the Mormon Church has been the only true “church” since the time of the disciples. Mormons believe in three heavenly kingdoms where most of humankind will go based on their degree of faithfulness, but only true Mormons make it to the highest level of heaven. Jehovah’s Witnesses: Started by a man named Charles Taze Russell and his successor, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus is neither deity nor equal to God, but is instead God’s creation. Therefore, they deny the Trinity, just as Mormons do (we will look at the Trinity another day). They have their own translation of the Bible called the New World Translation, and do not celebrate Easter or Christmas because Jesus’ birth and resurrection are not considered crucial, only His death. They believe the kingdom of God was established in heaven in the year 1914, and don’t believe in the existence of hell. Seventh-day Adventism: This movement was started by a man named William Miller, who predicted that Jesus would return in either 1843 or 1844. His successor, Ellen G. White, claimed to have had over 2,000 visions and dreams. Adherents believe worship should take place on the true “Sabbath,” or seventh day (Saturday); that Jesus entered into a second part of heaven in 1844 and began a second phase of work; and that people don’t go to heaven or hell when they die, but remain unconscious until Jesus returns. Groups within the movement hold more extreme views, such as claiming Jesus and the archangel Michael are the same person.

Now that we have this broad overview of other religions and movements similar to Christianity, perhaps it’s best to look next at the overarching message of the Bible.

The Journey from Genesis to Revelation What might be helpful now is to take a wide-angle look at the story the Bible shares from Genesis to Revelation. It is reasonable for the seeker and skeptic alike to know the full story of what they’re interested in or turned off by, don’t you think? “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This is the first verse of the Bible, and it describes a moment in time long past (this will be examined in more detail in Science Week). Then several thousand years ago, God created a man and woman, Adam and Eve. They lived in a paradise on earth called the Garden of Eden in perfect relationship with God and with each other. However, sin entered their hearts and minds and they made a huge mistake. As a result, they were kicked out of the garden, and both they and everyone since has lost true and perfect fellowship with God. Many years passed, and man became wicked—so much so that God sent a flood as judgment (the famous “Noah’s Ark” story). Yet more time passed and man chose the wrong path again. God judged them by changing their language and scattering them throughout the earth. Later, through a Hebrew man named Abraham, God made a covenant and promised to bless the whole world. Abraham had a son, Isaac, who had a son, Jacob (these three are collectively known as the “patriarchs”). Due to a horrible famine, Jacob’s family, now known as the Israelites, settled in ancient Egypt and lived there over 400 years until a man named Moses led them out of slavery. However, they wandered in the desert for 40 years because of the people’s sins (notice this recurring problem?). During this time, God made another covenant and gave Moses many laws for the people to follow, foremost being the Ten Commandments, to

guide them in their daily living and their worship. Relationship with God was maintained by obeying the laws and observing special festivals. God also established that without the sacrifice of innocent blood, the people’s sins couldn’t be forgiven. So a spotless animal, usually a lamb, was chosen to be sacrificed. Keep in mind we are talking about a nomadic people in a more primitive era. For many years, Israelites worshipped God in the tabernacle, a tent that was mobile, just as these nomadic people were. They eventually settled in what was called the Promised Land where they later became a nation ruled by monarchy under God. The tabernacle also became a permanent fixture called the temple. Once again, the Israelites had a hard time worshipping and obeying God. The nation eventually split into two kingdoms: Israel and Judah. Ultimately, both kingdoms fell and the Jewish people would be in and out of captivity, scattered, and without their own nation until AD 1948. There is a gap of more than 400 years between the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, and the first book of the New Testament, Matthew. Hundreds of prophecies in multiple Old Testament books foretold of a Messiah who would come to establish the kingdom of Israel forever, but who would also suffer and die. Most Jews then and now do not believe that Jesus is this predicted Messiah. The New Testament claims otherwise. The first four books of the New Testament, called the Gospels, tell of the life of Jesus and declare He fulfilled every prophecy concerning Him. He was truly God and truly man. After three and a half years of public ministry, Jesus died and was raised from the dead by God. He became the ultimate and final innocent blood sacrifice to cover man’s sins. After Jesus went back to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to guide the daily life of the believer. Salvation was now available to all. The rest of the New Testament records how Christianity initially spread and the various problems and growth pains that arose. It also shares many instructions on how to live by faith and to serve God by serving others. Nearly 2,000 years have passed since Jesus left, and Christians look forward to His Second Coming when He will establish His kingdom on earth forever, reestablishing paradise on earth.

How the Bible Came to Be Most Christians accept it at face value that the Bible is the Word of God, authentic and accurate. We point to Bible verses like 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is God-breathed . . . ,” and Isaiah 40:8, “. . . the word of our God endures forever,” that provide assurance for the believer. Let’s put this to the side for a minute and cover some general facts about the Bible for everyone’s knowledge, regardless of what you believe. The word Bible is from the Latin biblia, which comes from Greek and means “the books.” There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New, all written between 1500 BC and AD 100. In total, there are around 40 authors, 35 of whom we know by name. The books in the Old Testament can be grouped into four categories: Law, History, Prophecy, and Wisdom. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New in Koine Greek (the form of Greek used during the Roman Empire), with a little bit of Aramaic in both. The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, was written just over 400 years before Jesus was born. By 200 BC, the Old Testament was translated into Greek, the language of the day thanks to Alexander the Great’s successful conquests. This translation is called the Septuagint, and is the “Bible” that Jesus, His disciples, and Paul primarily (but not exclusively) used and quoted from. It is often abbreviated LXX (“seventy” in Roman numerals) to indicate the supposed number of translators involved in the process. Let’s look at the New Testament. Most scholars agree that it was written between AD 35 and 95. In other words, the authors of the 27 books wrote them within 60 years of Jesus’ ministry. There were nine authors, and around half of the books were written by a man named Paul.

Three authors were among the twelve disciples and one, James, was the half-brother of Jesus. It was written by baptized Jews who were firsthand witnesses or by those who knew them. The New Testament books can also be divided into four categories: the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), History (Acts), Epistles or Letters (21 books), and Prophecy (Revelation). For the next few centuries, Christians began meeting together and reading these books in various combinations. It became necessary to agree on what was “Scripture” and what was not. The main criteria were whether the books had been written by a close associate of Jesus, had been treated as Scripture by most churches, and whether the content agreed with the content from eyewitnesses. This process took time. It is worth mentioning again another set of ancient writings known as the Apocrypha. The Catholic Church recognizes these books as Scripture, but the early Church and Protestants today treat them only as informative. They are not considered to be “inspired by God” because they don’t meet the criteria just mentioned. The earliest known list containing most of the New Testament books is called the Muratorian Fragment and dates to around AD 170. The earliest known record of all the books of the New Testament is in a letter written by Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, in AD 367. The New Testament of today was finalized and officially recognized over a series of gatherings of Christian leaders (known as Church councils) leading up to the fourth century. The two oldest, most well-known, and most complete copies of the Bible, the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, date back to around this time. Also around this time, a scholar named Jerome translated the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate, or “common,” version). This helped spread the Bible throughout the Roman Empire. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Authenticating the Bible Now that you have a basic overview of how the Bible came to be, you might be asking the next question: Is it reliable? After all, there are no known original texts for any part of the Bible. If they did still exist, just as with items like the so-called Holy Grail, the Ten Commandments, or the Ark of the Covenant, then men would revere and worship them, which to the Christian would be idolatry. Over the centuries, ancient fragments and manuscripts of various parts of the Bible have been found. Perhaps the most famous discovery was the Dead Sea Scrolls in Qumran starting in 1947. They contained parts of nearly all the books of the Old Testament and date back as far as 250 BC. In addition, well over 5,000 Greek fragments and manuscripts with at least a portion of the New Testament have been discovered so far. The earliest date to within 25–50 years of when the original content was produced. Many thousands have also been found in other languages. It has been estimated that up to 99.5% of all ancient Greek manuscripts of the New Testament agree with each other, and where they don’t agree doesn’t create major doctrinal issues. It is worth noting the undeniable fact that the Bible is the most circulated book in history. It has endured tremendous scrutiny over centuries and has impacted more lives than any other “religion.” Over six billion copies of the Bible have been printed. Even though this number does not prove the authenticity of the Bible, it is nevertheless impressive and certainly lends credibility to its relevance in the lives of people from all cultures and throughout every century. It is also important to realize the painstaking process that Jewish scribes

used to make copies of the Scriptures. They had very strict guidelines for the proper type of parchment, quill, and ink. They did nothing from memory but said each word aloud as they wrote it. Their penmanship had to be consistent, every letter and word count on each page had to be a complete match, and an editor also reviewed their work. Although human error in transcribing the text is inevitable, there are so many early copies of every book in its original language (as well as other languages) that they can be placed side-by-side, and the original content becomes quite clear. Further, there are no contradictions in what would be called Christian doctrine, as already mentioned. Let’s compare the Bible to another ancient book represented in archaeology. Homer’s epic poem about the Trojan War, The Iliad, has over 1,800 known copies as of this writing, the earliest of which were produced several hundred years after the original. The number of copies of most other ancient works from the likes of Plato or Aristotle pale in comparison. This is not to question the accuracy of these ancient writings, but to amplify the breadth and depth of evidence for the accuracy of the Old and New Testament. So, you have a choice. You can choose to believe or disbelieve the Bible’s claim to be the Word of God. The point for today is that you should also give serious consideration to the substantial evidence found through archaeological discovery, through the Bible’s circulation, and in the unparalleled diversity of its followers over the centuries.

The Most Pivotal Issue As previously mentioned, thousands of independent copies of the Bible have been discovered. Further, archaeology only continues to validate the people and places mentioned in the Bible, not disprove their existence. So if you believe the Bible to be a historically accurate document, then it must also be taken seriously as a record of the claims of eyewitnesses who saw Jesus alive after His death (2 Peter 1:16). This is the most pivotal issue. Most of these New Testament accounts were written within a generation after they happened. The number of eyewitnesses grew in the 40 days that Jesus was seen before He ascended to heaven and included: • • • • • •

the women at the tomb (Matthew 28:8–10; Mark 16:9–11; John 20:11–18) 2 disciples going to Emmaus (Mark 16:12–13; Luke 24:13–35) 11 disciples and others (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36–49; John 20:19–31) 7 disciples fishing (John 21:1–25) 11 disciples before His ascension (Matthew 28:16–20; Acts 1:3–9) 500 believers (1 Corinthians 15:6)

It is worth mentioning that this last verse is part of a creed quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3–7. While 1 Corinthians was written about 20 years after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, most biblical scholars and Church historians agree that this portion originated within just a few years after Jesus (sometime in the AD 30s). Here are three of the verses: For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: [creed begins] Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures [Old Testament], that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and

that he appeared to Cephas [Peter], and then to the Twelve. . . . Why is the dating of this important? It backs up the claim of Jesus’ disciples that His resurrection was true from the get-go. They repeatedly saw Him with their own eyes in the days following His death, and many later believed the testimonies of the numerous eyewitnesses. This passage also dispels the belief that Jesus’ life attained mythical status over a long period of time. Further, the Old Testament prophecies alluded to in 1 Corinthians 15, such as Psalm 16:10 and Isaiah 53, coupled with many eyewitness accounts, would have carried tremendous weight in the ancient world, as it should now. Whether you believe in Jesus’ resurrection or not, perhaps you can at least appreciate the results. His life and message were so compelling that His disciples and generations of believers since have been willing to sacrifice their very wills and lives to tell others about Him. Sure, there are examples of people in groups, sects, and cults who are willing to die for their beliefs. You might argue that, on a larger scale, Muslims are the same way with their faith. Here’s a primary difference to consider: Jesus’ message was one of love. It is not to be spread through conquest and violence—although some misguided people through the centuries have tried to do so in the name of Jesus. However, they did not receive this direction from the Bible. God is sovereign, which means He is supreme or all-powerful. People are also called to believe by faith in Jesus. It might appear that these two realities contradict each other. While God is in full control and knows the past, present, and future, it seems we also have the choice whether to believe in Him. It can be challenging to understand how the supernatural gift of salvation works. The point for today is that Christianity is built around Jesus’ resurrection. It is the most pivotal issue to consider.

Science

WEEK

In the Beginning Genesis 1:1 is probably the best known verse in the Old Testament. It makes a seemingly simple statement: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Yet these few words, along with the chapters that follow, have been a source of debate and speculation over just how and when God did this creating. Did it take place stepwise over the course of six 24-hour days? Did it unfold slowly over a long period of time? Is Genesis even talking about time? Today, we will look briefly at four views of creation held by Christians. My goal is not to argue for one view over another. This is because Christians throughout the ages have been unable to agree on the issue. And, importantly, which view you adopt does not change the reality of human sinfulness and the need for redemption through Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that it is more important to recognize that God created than to know precisely how God created. Creation in six 24-hour days: Sometimes called Young Earth Creationism, this view proposes that God created space, time, and a habitable Earth—complete with fully formed humans—within six normal, 24-hour days approximately 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Proponents of this view argue that it follows a literal, plain-language reading of Genesis, interpreting the Hebrew word for day, yom, as a 24-hour day. They also argue that this understanding of Genesis best fits an initially perfect world unstained by sin and death. Creation over a long period of time: Known as Progressive Creationism, the most popular version of this position sees the six days of Genesis 1 as corresponding to six consecutive, potentially overlapping “ages” in which God continually created. It is based largely on an under-

standing of yom (Hebrew “day”) as a long but finite period of time, up to millions of years. Like Young Earth Creationism, Progressive Creationism denies evolution as the means of generating new species. Supporters claim that this viewpoint agrees with accepted scientific measurements of Earth’s age, while maintaining the biblical sequence of creation events. Evolutionary creation: Often known as Theistic Evolution, this view does not correlate days of creation with distinct periods of time, but claims that God created life continuously over billions of years through biological evolution. While there is much diversity within this position, supporters generally accept that all species descended from a common ancestor, yet only humans are made in the image of God. They believe this viewpoint best fits the scientific evidence and that Genesis should be interpreted nonliterally. Framework interpretation: This view, sometimes known as the Literary Framework Interpretation, presents creation week as a figurative representation of God’s creative activity. Days 1–3 prepare creation for its inhabitants, while days 4–6 populate creation with its inhabitants. Day 1 (light) corresponds to day 4 (sun, moon, and stars), day 2 (sea and sky) to day 5 (sea creatures and birds), and so on. Proponents of this view argue that it fits the unique literary structure of Genesis 1 and best harmonizes with the account of the creation of human beings in Genesis 2. The Framework view does not address day length, age of the earth, or evolution. As you can tell, these views are quite different from one another. And there is often great emotion involved in defending strongly held beliefs. Disputes may cause skeptics to doubt the Genesis creation account altogether, and make Christians wonder if they will ever agree on the subject. But it need not be a source of endless contention. Tomorrow we will examine some truths common to all four viewpoints, and how it is possible to have a rich understanding of creation regardless of one’s beliefs over how it happened.

Truths of Creation Yesterday we looked briefly at some common, but divergent, views on creation held by Christians. Regardless of which viewpoint you adopt, certain themes come through loud and clear when reading the amazing Genesis account. Within just the first verse are at least four profoundly important truths. Let’s take them one at a time. In the beginning: This one phrase conveys an astounding reality that we take for granted in today’s modern scientific world. For a large part of human history, stretching back at least to the ancient Greeks, it was simply understood that the universe had existed for all eternity. The concept of an ultimate beginning was laughable—after all, how could the world we see, hear, smell, and touch ever not have existed? What could be before the beginning? Yet, breakthrough discoveries in cosmology within the last century all but require our universe to have had a beginning. It is astounding to think that this truth was present in the Genesis creation account for the last three thousand-plus years, but only found scientific support within the last hundred. God: Genesis 1:1 does not try to prove God’s existence—it is just assumed. God (in Hebrew, Elohim) does not have a past, a beginning, an “origin story,” or anything like that. God is self-existent, possessing a quality theologians call aseity, which means, unlike us and our universe, God does not rely on anything or anyone for His existence. Even more intriguing, God alone is self-existent. Christians aren’t just making this up. Beyond what Scripture teaches about the nature of God, reason dictates that an uncaused, eternal Being be the ultimate cause of everything that is finite. Otherwise, the Creator Himself would have a cause that required an explanation. More on this in a couple of days when we con-

sider the opposing viewpoint. Created: The form of the Hebrew verb bara (“to create”) used in this verse refers to God bringing about or making some new thing. In Genesis 1:1, the new thing just happens to be the entirety of space, time, energy, and matter. Not bad for one small word, huh? Since God needed no starting material to work with, this type of creation is referred to as ex nihilo, Latin for “out of nothing.” Other ancient cultures had creation accounts as well, but those accounts began with preexisting material that various gods fashioned into land, seas, creatures, etc. The Genesis account is shockingly different. Psalm 33:9 recalls the creation of the earth: “For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” The heavens and the earth: While “heavens” and “earth” in Genesis 1:1 have their respective meanings of sky/outer space and our planet, when used together in the Bible, “heaven(s) and earth” refer to the entire created order. Heaven represents all that is above, while earth represents all that is beneath. Nothing gets left out. It is the way God chose to explain to the ancient Hebrews that He created literally everything. In the New Testament, Jesus uses this same phrase to indicate the permanence of His teachings: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Even though Christians may not agree on the details, we can all stand in awe of just what God has done in bringing the universe into existence by His command. Genesis 1:1 is a great verse to use in conversation with skeptics, because its ten short words (in English) contain deep, thought-provoking insights into the very nature of reality.

It’s Only Natural(ism) Think of all the -isms you encounter on a daily basis. The addition of -ism to a word often indicates a set of beliefs or doctrines centered on that particular concept: Buddhism, environmentalism, communism, heroism, and so on. While most of these -isms aren’t relevant to anyone outside a particular field, there is one that we must firmly grasp before we go any further: naturalism. Whether you’re a Christian or a non-Christian, you might encounter this term in discussions about how our physical world came to exist and function. Let’s start with some definitions. Broadly speaking, naturalism is a worldview that accepts only natural causes resulting from natural laws acting, well, naturally. Those who subscribe to naturalism are called naturalists. We’ll now define three types of naturalism, as one of our goals is to clarify terms so Christians and skeptics can have constructive conversations. Epistemological naturalism (the Greek word epistēmē means “knowledge”) is the position that knowledge only comes through scientific investigation of the natural world. Anything that cannot be studied or empirically proven is considered speculation. A serious fault with this view, however, is that its foundational truth claim (“knowledge only comes through scientific investigation”) is itself not provable scientifically. It is simply assumed to be true without any supporting evidence, meaning that, by its own definition, it is speculation! Because it is self-defeating, epistemological naturalism is not a logically consistent approach to knowledge. Metaphysical naturalism (metaphysics is the study of the nature of reality) claims that the only things that exist are things we can touch,

see, or measure—in short, only the physical world exists. A spiritual being like God is not even a possibility, and miracles are simply out of the question. Our beliefs and feelings, along with truth, reason, and other abstract concepts, are just byproducts of evolution and have no intrinsic value. A purely natural world has no purpose or goal, and no life (including human life) is significant in any meaningful way. In today’s skeptical culture, metaphysical naturalism is regarded as intellectually fashionable—a liberation from the superstitious world of religion. Many who embrace this form of naturalism do so out of a desire to avoid a world with a just God who will someday judge them. But at what cost does this supposed freedom come? Methodological naturalism sounds similar to metaphysical naturalism, but its meaning is quite different and it deserves a quick mention here. It is the belief that questions about nature are best answered using scientific methods. Most Christians who pursue science would agree that methodological naturalism is a reasonable way to discover the nuts and bolts of how our world works because it is limited in scope. It does not rule out the existence of nonphysical things like truth, reason, miracles, and, most importantly, God. Neither does it claim that natural causes are necessarily the best explanations. It only affirms that natural laws should work consistently and continually whenever and wherever we look. So, what should we make of these terms and definitions? First, it is important to clearly identify what is being discussed. Unfortunately, switching terms midstream or playing word games often clouds an issue. Second, we must proceed gently and graciously when confronting naturalistic viewpoints, making sure we are “relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace” (2 Corinthians 1:12).

The Ultimate Cause Yesterday, we looked at three types of naturalism. Metaphysical naturalism is the greatest challenge to Christian belief, so this will be our focus. (Going forward, “naturalism” will specifically mean “metaphysical naturalism.”) Today we will look at some real-world implications of naturalistic reasoning as we examine a profound question about origins. Where did the universe come from? Chances are, at some point in our lives we have each asked this question, or a variation of it. What we’re really asking is twofold: Did the universe have a beginning, and if so, what caused it? According to naturalism, there are three options: 1. The universe had no beginning. 2. The universe had a beginning but no cause. 3. The universe had a beginning and a (natural) cause. Until the last century or so, option (1) was a serious contender, as most scientists believed the universe was eternal. Since only things that have a beginning need a cause, asking about the cause of an eternal universe would be pointless. Modern cosmology (the study of the origin and nature of the universe), however, thoroughly debunks an eternal universe. There is solid evidence that the universe itself is expanding at an ever-increasing rate. What does this have to do with a beginning? If you could travel backward in time, you would see this process running in reverse—the universe getting smaller and smaller. Eventually, you would arrive at a point that, odd as it sounds, has no space. In other words, space (and everything in it) has not always existed. Since there is a beginning, we can now ask about a cause. Option (2) boldly attempts to avoid a cause by claiming the universe just came to be, no cause needed. Everything we see, including all space,

matter, and energy, started existing on its own at some point in the past. If you think this is absurd, you’d be right. How many things can you name that have a beginning but no cause? If the universe is somehow an exception to this most basic principle, then that exception would also require a naturalistic explanation. Currently, option (3) is popular among naturalists who admit that the universe has both a beginning and a cause. However, according to naturalism, the cause of the universe must itself be another natural cause, which also had to have a natural cause, and so on. This results in a never-ending regression that fails to address the ultimate cause of all these causes! The hope is that you will be too confused to notice the lack of a coherent argument. Fortunately, Christianity offers a different answer: a transcendent, self-existent Creator God freely chose to bring the universe into existence out of nothing. Yes, this is by definition a supernatural cause. Partly due to the influence of naturalism on our culture, supernatural causes are often excluded from the discussion. However, the word supernatural simply means “above, outside, or beyond nature.” Christians are not naturalists, so they are not bound by the self-imposed rules of naturalism; rules like “supernatural causes are not possible.” Properly defended, supernatural causes are just as legitimate as natural causes. In the case of the origin of the universe, a supernatural cause (i.e., God) is the far better option because of its simplicity and its power to explain what we observe. What is more reasonable—a single, eternal Being, or an endless regression of causes; a Creator, or a universe that pops into existence on its own? Naturalists’ rejection of anything outside nature is a strong philosophical position that cannot be proven. It must be taken on faith.

Cosmic Fine-Tuning Since the advent of modern science, both skeptics and Christians have noticed something peculiar about our universe. It seems that everywhere we look, the underlying physical principles that govern nature are precisely balanced to allow intelligent life to exist. The term for this “just so” aspect of reality is fine-tuning. Here are a few examples: •

•

Ratio of neutron-to-proton mass: Protons and neutrons are particles found in the nucleus of an atom. The mass of a neutron is just slightly greater than the mass of a proton. If the neutron’s mass were different by even a tiny fraction, the ratio of hydrogen to helium in the universe would be altered, chemistry would fail, and life would not exist. Strength of gravity: If the force of gravity were any weaker, nuclear fusion would not occur in the center of stars and the universe would be cold, dark, and lifeless. If gravity were any stronger, stars would burn hotter and much more quickly, exposing planets to intense heat and radiation and making life impossible. Cosmological constant: The cosmological constant refers to the minuscule amount of energy that exists in the vacuum of space and contributes to the expansion of space itself. If this energy were different by as little as one part in 10120 (one followed by 120 zeros), a habitable universe would not exist. For comparison, randomly choosing one particular atom out of all the atoms in the universe has a one-in-1080 probability—a trillion trillion trillion times more likely than the cosmological constant being what it is by chance.

Scientists studying fine-tuning have found dozens of “coincidences”

that favor life, ranging from the composition of subatomic particles to the distribution of galaxies in space. Astronomer Hugh Ross has identified at least 150 fine-tuned parameters that each must fall within a narrow range for life to be possible anywhere in the universe. What’s more, many of these parameters interact with one another, meaning a slight change in one would potentially disrupt numerous others. Once it was recognized that fine-tuning is a built-in feature of the universe, attempts were made to explain why. We don’t have room here to go into all the proposed explanations, so we will discuss the two most popular: chance and design. Chance is exactly what it sounds like: out of all the possible values for each physical parameter (like the strength of gravity, the mass of a neutron, etc.), our universe just happened to get the right combination for life to exist—we’re simply that lucky. The obvious objection is that it is vastly improbable this would happen by chance; calculating odds is futile because the numbers are outside of our comprehension. At this point, naturalists often turn to what is known as the multiverse (multiple universe) theory to deal with the probability issue. According to this theory, there have been an unknown number of universes that did fail to get the combination right and were therefore lifeless. We just happen to be in the one that worked. Conveniently, the multiverse theory is not able to be tested because we cannot observe other universes. Design is an altogether different explanation: God, in His perfect knowledge of what would happen under any given set of conditions, rationally tailored the universe for life at certain times and places. There is no need for a trial-and-error approach, no need for millions or billions of failed universes. As God Himself declares, “I make known the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10), and He has “established the laws of heaven and earth” (Jeremiah 33:25). If you’re a Christian, take a moment to reflect and thank God for the intricate detail with which He crafted the universe. If you’re a skeptic, consider whether a roll of the cosmic dice is really the best explanation for our existence—or if it is possible that more is involved.

The Origin of Life Over the last couple of days, we’ve looked at topics relating to our physical universe—where it came from and how it is designed for life. Today, we will tackle biological origins, once again examining both the naturalistic and Christian viewpoints. We won’t spend much time talking about evolution itself (there are plenty of materials available on the subject), but instead we will zero in on a fundamental assumption of evolution—the origin of life. According to naturalism, approximately four billion years ago the chemical building blocks of life somehow interacted with each other to produce the first, simple form of life in a process called abiogenesis. Once life emerged from the so-called “primordial soup” (which scientists now doubt ever existed with the types and concentrations of chemicals required for life), evolution took over and produced the abundant diversity of life we see today. While this makes for a neatly packaged story, the reality is that such a history of life is filled with insurmountable probabilities. Here are just a few of the necessary conditions that must be met to build even the simplest single-cell organism: • • • •

Amino acids available in a sufficient variety and at the correct concentrations for protein synthesis to occur (plus machinery to catalyze protein synthesis) Lipid molecules of sufficient type, size, and strength to form hydrophobic membranes to contain chemical reactions An energy source powerful enough to catalyze chemical reactions, but gentle enough not to destroy the products of those reactions A stable means to store, retrieve, and process information (like

• • • •

DNA or RNA, which would also need to evolve) A mechanism to import nutrients and export metabolic waste An environment with enough mixing to exchange nutrients, but calm enough not to wash away molecules needed for subsequent reactions Protection from extreme heat, salinity, ultraviolet radiation, etc. The ability to reproduce

Each of these alone would be fantastically improbable, but naturalism goes further and assumes all these conditions were met at the same time, in a precise order, and in the same place, with absolutely no outside intervention, design, or purpose! If you’re skeptical about all this, you’re not alone. Some naturalists, troubled by the implausibility of their own theory, have gone so far as to conclude that life did not arise on Earth, but actually began somewhere else in the universe and hitched a ride here on a comet, asteroid, or other space rock. However, this fails to solve the problem of abiogenesis; it only moves the problem somewhere else. Fortunately, there is a solution that doesn’t require such extreme leaps of reason. Creating life and millions of species is not only unproblematic for God, but it is something in which He delights. Regardless of how God created, Christians can agree with an Old Testament man named Job, who declared about God, “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind ” (Job 12:10). The three things missing in the naturalistic view of the origin of life—a God (the Creator), a goal (the purpose, or “end” of Creation), and glory (of mankind, created in the image of God)—are what make the Christian worldview of origins both rational and intellectually satisfying.

The Complexity of the Mind Have you ever thought much about your mind? The mere fact that you can do this is significant. The human brain is a bewildering collection of interconnected partsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a biological computer, if you will. Yet, we know that the brain is more than the sum of its parts because it contains our mind, which is the seat of our reasoning, emotions, and perception of the world. As you read this, billions of cells in your brain called neurons are collecting signals from all over your body, processing them, and coordinating a response within milliseconds. Millions of blood vessels keep the brain supplied with oxygen and glucose, while removing metabolic waste products. Non-neuronal cells act as scaffolding, keeping everything in place and spacing cells at an optimal distance from one another. Thoughts move through the brain in a delicate dance of electrical and chemical signals. Electrical impulses travel along extended neuron branches called axons until they reach the end of the cell, where they stimulate the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters cross the gaps between cells and are picked up by neighboring neurons, which convert them back into electrical impulses, and the process continues. The image of our brain as a computer has been taken to the extreme by molecular biology. It is tempting to reduce our thoughts to nothing more than molecules in motion. Indeed, naturalists have done just this, viewing the brain as a machine that takes in information, does some chemistry, and puts out a solution that (hopefully) helps us survive. This is an example of reductionism, the belief that complex living systems can be explained in purely physical terms.

However, a reductionist view of the human mind leads to a troubling conclusion. On one hand, we trust our minds to provide us with a truthful account of the world. On the other hand, we could never know for sure that our perception of the world isn’t some kind of chemical illusion. If naturalism tells us “the brain is just a bunch of jostling atoms,” can we even trust that statement? What if that idea itself is only the atoms talking? Christians have long viewed the mind in different terms than the reductionist view of naturalism. The mind is a non-physical part of our being that is above or beyond the physical mechanisms of neurons and electrical signals. It is a tool given by God to comprehend the reason, logic, and knowledge with which He has endowed His creation. Importantly, the rational nature of the creation exists independently of our minds. If none of us were here, the universe would still make sense. The implication of this is that we do not invent or develop concepts like truth, morality, and God; we only discover what is already there. The unique role of the mind is evident throughout the Bible. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind ” (Matthew 22:37; the Greek word for mind here is dianoia, which means the faculty of deep thought and reflection). Elsewhere, Paul uses a related Greek word (nous, meaning the capacity for perception and understanding) to indicate that our minds can and should be oriented toward God: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind ” (Romans 12:2a). It’s up to you which view you take of the human mind: a merely physical collection of atoms that may or may not accurately inform us about the world; or a conscious, rational, non-physical component of our selves that recognizes and enjoys the world which God has made.

Stumbling

BLOCKS

Christian Hypocrisy I hope you were stimulated and challenged as you considered Dr. Byrd’s scientific and rational explanations of key topics. Now we move on to some of the main stumbling blocks that people may have with Christianity. Those who call themselves Christians can be some of the worst examples of how to live like Jesus. I’m sure you know a few, perhaps several. Further, all manner of ill has been done by people throughout the centuries in the name of Christianity. There’s no denying it. Those who claim to use Jesus as the example for their life have acted in direct opposition to what He said and did. They have twisted verses in the Bible to justify all kinds of outrageous behavior from adultery to abuse to murder. Christians are known for their hypocrisy. They say one thing and do the exact opposite (Romans 2:1). As a result, skeptics have deemed the Christian life to be a fraud and the actions of so-called Christians to be the proof. After all, how could their faith be real when they boldly live in contradiction to it? (Perhaps this standard should extend to politicians or those in Hollywood. They constantly and publicly claim the moral high ground while their actions stand in direct conflict with their words.) Lest you and I think we are any better, we are most definitely hypocritical in certain areas of our lives. For example, perhaps you tell your child not to curse, yet you do so when they’re not around. Maybe you sit in judgment of a friend talking poorly about another friend, but you will do the exact same thing without hesitation. So if we’re being honest with ourselves, I think you would agree that in the heat of the moment or under the right circumstances, we’re capable of acting in contradiction to our words and beliefs quite easily. Here is what I urge you to consider: just because a Christian is a hypocrite doesn’t negate the validity of their beliefs. In other words, Chris-

tians believe the Bible is truth even if they do a poor job of living the life that Jesus calls them to live. Look at it this way, if a doctor you know is terrible at his job, do you then believe that all health care is bad and invalid? You might be surprised (and maybe relieved) to learn that Jesus was kind to the sinner and harsh on the religious. Over and over again in the first four books of the New Testament, called the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly called out the religious leaders for their self-righteous behavior, but was much more encouraging to the “sinner.” There was a prophet in the Old Testament named Jeremiah who summed up man’s heart well: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ” (17:9). But that doesn’t change anything. God directs us to “be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Don’t let the word holy scare you. It simply means being devoted to trying to make decisions in line with what the Bible says. In the midst of hypocrisy, Christians can live with hope and peace. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This act changed everything. We are not saved because of what we do, but because of what Jesus did. Even though we are all hypocrites on some level, Christian and non-Christian alike, we shouldn’t strive to be.

Hot-Button Issues Today, I’m not going to try to convince you whether certain social issues are right or wrong. If you are a Christian, the Bible is very clear on just about any issue facing us today. For example, I could list multiple Bible verses demonstrating that abortion and gender confusion are wrong. I could also try to present arguments based on reason and evidence. There are extremely strong opinions to be found in opposition. Perhaps you have one. First let me say that Christians in particular should never be afraid to deal with hot-button issues. Issues like gender identity and abortion are very divisive in our culture. In many cases, people with opposing views are incredibly passionate in defending their feelings on these matters, and this spills over into animosity from both parties against each other. These are tricky waters for everyone to navigate. However, there is another way I would like for us to spend our time today. So if you will bear with me, I have two tremendously important truths about Christianity to share, regardless of which side you might take on a particular issue. The first truth is this: the Bible is clear that all sin is wrong. God set the standard; it is not up to me or any other Christian. Perhaps if we were in charge, we would have made different choices for the world, but we’re not in charge. Although God set the bar, He has given us the monumental gift of making personal choices. We get to choose how we live and whether we try to avoid sin. And while all sin is wrong, there are different degrees of negative consequences. For example, murdering one person (or many) is certainly worse than just hating them. Committing adultery has more consequences than just imagining it—even though they’re both wrong. Look at this list of sins that Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10:

sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, men having sex with men, stealing, greed, drunkenness, slander, and fraud. The point to make here is that adultery is listed with stealing, homosexuality with lying. All sin is the same in that it all falls short of God’s standard; it is all wrong. The second point is even more crucial: Christians are called to love everyone, especially those we may see as opposing us, or those who see us as opposing them. There are lies being perpetuated in our culture and media that being against homosexuality or transgenderism is equivalent to intolerance and racism, or that being against abortion is the same as hating women. These statements are simply not true, and it is incumbent upon Christians to speak up for the truth, but to do so with love flowing from our hearts and mouths. To the Christian, all life is precious, whether it is a baby in the womb or a woman who chooses to have an abortion, whether it is a man honoring his marital vows or sleeping with someone else, regardless of gender. All should still be loved by the Christian. Let’s conclude with a hypothetical scenario that may actually be a reality in your life. Let’s say that you have a good friend who is living as a homosexual and you have another friend who is cheating on their opposite-sex spouse. What’s the difference? If you are a Christian, you know the Bible says both are wrong. You also know that you are called to love both of them. Therefore, it is a very delicate matter how you (Christian) handle your relationship with them. You shouldn’t hide your biblical convictions, yet you must navigate these relational waters with extreme care. Anyone you know in a lifestyle of sin should know that you love them and that you stand with biblical truth. If you are a non-Christian in disagreement with a Christian, I encourage you to reciprocate with respect and love.

Old Testament vs. New Testament One of the big stumbling blocks for non-Christians can be the perceived conflicting messages of the Old and New Testaments. This can also breed some confusion within Christians who don’t actively seek a fuller understanding of the Bible. The Old Testament is composed of 39 books written over the course of a thousand years. It’s pretty impressive to think that such a compilation could be bound together through time! To make matters more interesting, the books are not in chronological order and contain different genres of literature such as prophecy, history, and poetry. One of the two main issues brought against the Old Testament is the contrast between the laws of the Old Testament and the grace of the New Testament. Skeptics question how this can be so. God seemingly tells people to behave one way in the Old, while Jesus teaches another way in the New. The Old Testament was written over a period of human history far removed from our own and to people living in much more primitive times. This is not to say there are no applicable teachings to be found for us today. However, God ruled and judged people and civilizations harshly, and guided His people differently than He does now. Why? This was before He sent Jesus down from heaven, which changed the course of human history. The first five books of the Old Testament were written by a man named Moses under the inspiration of God. These books contain the laws that the Hebrew people were to follow. They didn’t do a very good job of it and often faced the consequences on a personal and corporate scale. Before we point fingers, though, this is still true of all people of the

world today, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ” (Romans 3:23). Therefore, man desperately needed a path to salvation. Many but certainly not all Christian scholars agree that there are three types of law in the Old Testament: civil, ceremonial, and moral (these categories may overlap in some cases). The ceremonial laws dictated how ancient Israel was to worship God. The civil laws guided their daily living. And the moral laws were permanent commands by God. While all these laws were written to a different culture in a different era, the principles behind a portion of them can still guide us today. Scholars believe the civil laws expired when Jewish government ceased to exist. The ceremonial laws were fulfilled when Jesus came. The moral laws are still in place. I think most morally minded people would agree that the Ten Commandments are still a totally valid and applicable source of guidance in the present day. Here is just one example of a law no longer applicable. Perhaps you’ve heard that Old Testament law did not allow the eating of pork. God established this because it was unclean; it was particularly unhealthy for the people of the day to eat creatures that had indiscriminate diets. However, we know from an episode in the life of Peter in Acts 10 that God liberated everyone from the burden of this particular law. The New Testament is abundantly clear that God sent His Son, Jesus, to fulfill the laws of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17). As mentioned in the first week of this study, there was an Old Testament law that the blood of an innocent animal had to be shed for the people’s sins (Leviticus 16:18–19). It came to fulfillment when Jesus shed His blood and died on the cross (Hebrews 10:10). He became the final sacrifice needed. “So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

God of Wrath, God of Love I mentioned yesterday that there are two main issues that skeptics raise about the Old Testament. Even Christians grapple with them. The first was the contrast between the laws of the Old Testament and the grace of the New Testament. Perhaps an equal or even greater issue that skeptics have with the Bible concerns some of the decisions God made and actions He took during the time period of the Old Testament. For example, at times God is described as angry and vengeful, which seems at odds with how both He and Jesus are in the New Testament. So, with our commitment not to shy away from any stumbling blocks, let’s dive right in without holding back. The following are some specific instances of people being on the receiving end of God’s anger. Almost all of mankind was wiped out during the great flood of Noah’s day. God completely destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. He sent plagues on Egypt. Men, women, children, the elderly, the sick, and others were all affected. Lest we think this is isolated to the Old Testament, there are examples of Jesus getting angry in the New Testament. He got angry with the religious leaders of the day (Mark 3:1–6). He angrily overturned the tables of the money changers in the Jewish Temple and used a whip to drive them out (John 2:13–17). In actuality, the Bible claims that God’s wrath is not flawed, but driven by righteousness and justice. There are several Bible verses, such as Deuteronomy 9:7–8, Nahum 1:2–3, Psalm 7:11, Romans 1:18, and Hebrews 10:30–31, that demonstrate this. The writers of the Old and New Testaments never expressed in the least the thought that God’s anger was wrong. If God exists and He is perfect, then it is illogical to believe that

His anger/vengeance/wrath is a flaw. He can’t be perfect and imperfect at the same time. This reality doesn’t exist in the natural or human realm either. It is important to reiterate another reality: humans can’t possibly have a true grasp on God. It is illogical to believe that finite creatures understand with full clarity how an infinite God acts. Finite creatures have finite knowledge. Therefore, there is a lot that we don’t know that He knows. There are countless factors in every decision of His that we cannot possibly fathom. Lastly, if God is unchanging, then His character doesn’t change either. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has always required the shedding of blood to forgive sins. The difference is this: in the Old Testament forgiveness was achieved through the blood sacrifice of a lamb. In the New Testament it was achieved through the blood sacrifice of Jesus. That is why He is sometimes referred to as the Lamb (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18–19). We will cover the topic of trying to understand God’s actions more in the final section, Tough Questions. For now, I encourage you to read chapter 3 in the book of Romans. Here, Paul, who is a converted Jew, contrasts the righteousness and wrath of God with man’s inability to measure up, and describes how Jesus closed this seemingly impossible gap by fulfilling the laws of the Old Testament.

Contradictions in the Bible Some skeptics like to make the statement that the Bible has contradictions, saying one thing in one place and something else in another. However, they can rarely give specific examples. There is just an assumption that the Bible is old and so it has errors. They’ve also heard this claim mentioned so often that they conclude it must be true. First, it is important to realize that issues like apparent contradictions or the omission of certain details do not equate to error. There are other factors to be considered, such as the target audience of a particular book, whether certain wording is to be taken literally or figuratively, and what the context or the purpose was in writing each book. Let’s look at three examples of differences found in the New Testament. The first is the genealogy of Jesus in the books of Matthew and Luke. Luke records the family line starting with Jesus and going backward all the way through David, the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob), and Adam to God Himself, 77 names in all. Matthew’s list goes from past to present, starting with Abraham and ending with Jesus, 41 names in all (many differing from Luke’s account), spanning 2,000 years. Biblical genealogies can differ depending on their function and are created for religious, legal, or domestic reasons. Names are sometimes left out to highlight the connection of a descendant to a particular ancestor. Matthew is targeting a Jewish audience, and is seeking to prove that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah descended from Abraham and David. Luke is writing to Gentiles (non-Jews) and is seeking to be as thorough as possible in proving that Jesus is the Son of God. There are multiple other reasons that could be listed. Let’s now look at the popular example of Peter’s denial of Jesus after

His betrayal. While it is recorded in all four Gospels, Mark seems to contradict the other three. The other three Gospels clearly state that Peter would deny knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crows (that is, before morning). Mark states this would happen before the rooster crows twice (14:30). These accounts are complementary to each other, stating the same thing in different ways. Those who have raised chickens (like me) know that roosters crow at various times, especially after midnight to before daybreak. An expression of this era, “before the rooster crows,” refers to this last window of time as people are about to get up for the day. Jesus is stating that prior to the rooster(s) crowing before daybreak after this long horrible night, Peter would deny Him three times. Mark is being more specific with the crowing, probably because he was close to Peter, and Peter had shared greater details with him about this fateful night. Lastly, here is another quick example. After Jesus’ death, the disciple Judas hanged himself (Matthew 27:5). But in Luke’s account in the book of Acts, Judas fell headfirst to the ground and his body burst open (1:18). Which is correct? Is the Bible sharing conflicting information? The purpose behind these details gives the answer. Matthew is demonstrating the remorse of Judas and how he committed suicide. Luke (who was a doctor) is sharing what happened after the hanging. Sorry to get graphic here, but Judas’ body was left hanging to decay and bloat in the hot sun. At some point the body fell, whether the branch or rope broke, or the rope slipped off. Then you know what happens. Let’s quickly move on! We could try to tackle each supposed example of the Bible being inconsistent or contradicting itself. The point for today is that each concern can be sufficiently addressed if one is willing to do some digging. The question is, Are you willing?

My Life, My Way It seems that most people who either don’t believe in God (atheism) or don’t follow Him (believe, but reject) are this way for one of two reasons: pain or sin. These two driving forces seem to be much more prevalent than logic and reason in turning someone away from God. Tomorrow we will look at the problem of pain; today, let’s talk about the word sin. This is simply a thought or action contrary to what the Bible says is right. Sin is like an archer missing a target. We fall short of God’s standard. The reality is that a lot of sin can be fun and/or self-serving. For example, lusting after someone gives you a rush. Constantly eating too much yields short-term pleasure. Most would agree that neither of these actions contribute to a healthy lifestyle. There are many other examples that could be listed, but we’re not trying to single out particular sins here. As we’ve mentioned, all sin misses God’s target for man. The reality is, to one degree or another, all of us choose sin on a daily basis. The difference between Christians and non-Christians is that Christians are supposed to try to resist sin. They can only do that with the help of God. For the sake of further understanding, everyone assume for a second that God exists. He created Earth and He created humans. He also gave humans the gift of free will. They can and do make thousands of their own decisions each day. Now, you might argue that an all-knowing, all-powerful God controls everything and we only think we have choice. If that were true, we would not be humans, but robots. God also decides what is right and wrong. Christians don’t decide this. They do not impose their own morality on the world (unless it is a false morality found outside the Bible). Christians try to adhere to God’s standards and encourage others to do the same. Having said this, Christians

mess up, and mess up a lot. We each also have certain tendencies and weaknesses toward certain actions that don’t line up with God’s standards. Sometimes we resist these tendencies, and sometimes we fail. That’s why we need a Savior. God, in His infinite love, allows man to choose Him, accept the salvation that comes through Jesus, and try to follow the standards that Jesus taught and exemplified. Christians are not saved by “doing good” and avoiding sin. Instead, we strive to live right in God’s eyes, demonstrating that we love Him and want to serve Him by serving others. In the process, life becomes so much more rewarding. Here is the point for today, briefly summed up: One of the main reasons people choose not to follow Jesus is because they enjoy being in charge of their own life and doing things their way. They are enjoying something that God calls sin, and they want to keep it that way. Is it possible that this is true for you?

Mad at God Today’s stumbling block is something Christians and non-Christians alike can relate to: being mad at God. This might seem like a crazy statement since atheists don’t believe in God and agnostics aren’t sure about Him. Hang with me here and allow me to try to explain. As a Christian, I have noticed that the topic of God brings out a lot of strong emotions in nonbelievers. Perhaps you’re aware of this, regardless of which side of faith in God you land on. Why should someone get mad at something (or Someone) they don’t believe exists? Why can’t they just brush it off as silly, blind faith in an imaginary being? This is why in the first week of our journey we asked you to do some self-examination. Why do you believe what you believe? It’s imperative that you’re clear with yourself. So I am asking you to define why you believe what you believe. As a nonbeliever, is your disbelief in God based on logic or on emotion? What has happened in your life that has helped cement this disbelief ? It usually doesn’t take long to get hurt in this life, and deeply hurt at that. This is why we refer to the “innocence” of childhood and hope that our own kids have this preserved as long as possible. Inevitably, though, the pain hits, and it hits like a sledgehammer. Let me give you an example from my own life. My children were 15 and almost 12 when my dad died the morning after my father-in-law’s funeral. In the span of one week, my kids lost both granddads. The funerals were only four days apart. Even as a Christian family, those were dark days, and it felt like a part of us died during that time, too, never to be recovered. At this moment, I’m sure something from your own life has come to mind that either tested your faith or killed it. Maybe someone abused you. Maybe a parent tried to metaphorically shove the Bible down your

throat and withheld love when you didn’t comply. Maybe you watched a loved one suffer terribly. There is no end to the horrible scenarios. The reality is, we inhabit dying bodies in a dying world. This truth can be depressing and harsh, and we can turn our anger toward God. This was certainly the temptation for our family. It can even lead us to stray or fall away from our faith in Him. Maybe this is the case for some of you reading this. Maybe you’ve become so disillusioned by the pain that you’ve lost faith in God and no longer believe He loves you. Maybe you’re not so much an atheist as you are someone who has spiritually just given up. Or maybe your faith was killed before it even started. The wound was too early or too strong. Whether you believe in God or not, it is important to face the pain. As Christians, we believe the greatest healing that can take place in this life is through faith in God, even when we don’t understand. And I can honestly tell you that there is a lot in this life that I do not understand. There are so many questions I have that won’t get answered in this life. But I have come to a place of peace, knowing that God is the same God He was before I was hurt. We’re all broken people. The question is how much we can be healed. We have a choice of where to look for that healing.

Tough

QUESTIONS

Is It Logical to Believe in God? Similar to stumbling blocks are tough questions that we have all grappled with at one point or another. It’s important to mention once again that people on both sides of today’s topic have debated Christianity for centuries. In our case, trying to prove the existence of God in this limited space doesn’t do justice to the argument. But we have to try, so let’s consider whether it is logical to believe in God. Atheism is on the rise in America. Today’s youth seem to be disenchanted more than ever with “religion” and with God. Many university professors in particular go beyond their areas of expertise and seek to indoctrinate college students with their personal beliefs—Hollywood perhaps even more so. The young and impressionable are being told that there is no absolute truth. One man’s truth is not truth for another. This is called relativism, the mindset that we have the ability to create our own truth. A similar viewpoint is pluralism, the conviction that all viewpoints are equally valid and true and therefore should be accepted. There are some who take it even further into radical subjectivism, which is the belief that we can create our own reality in our minds. Well, which view is correct? It is logical to believe in absolute truth. In order to deny absolute truth, a person has to claim the absolute truth that there is no absolute truth. Perhaps one of the best laws of logic to bring into the conversation here is the Law of Non-Contradiction. In essence it states that if something is true, it can’t also be false. “A” can’t also be “non-A.” Any given statement can’t be true and false at the same time and in the same sense. For example, a circle (A) can’t also be a square (non-circle, or non-A).

Let’s put this into the context of Christianity. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God who died for the sins of man. Either He was or He wasn’t. He can’t be the Savior to some and not to others. Christians believe He came to save all mankind. He can’t be lying to some and telling the truth to others. The Savior can’t also be the Non-Savior. We’ll look at this more tomorrow. Let me appeal to you from another logical position. If you were to take a look at all the cultures of the world, you would see that they have something in common. To one degree or another, they all have a similar moral law. There is an innate knowledge of right and wrong found in every society and civilization in history, without exception. How is it possible that cultures on opposite sides of the globe and separated by thousands of years could come up with relatively similar moral standards (such as murder being wrong)? Christians believe that because moral law is universal, there must be a moral Lawgiver who put this moral compass within man, namely, God. It is the most logical explanation for the existence of common morality. The point for today is that Christians believe the Bible is true, but also that it is logical to believe in God. I encourage you, Christian or not, to examine your own philosophical views on life and consider where your beliefs might be contradicting themselves.

Who Is Jesus? For the last two thousand years, people from nearly all cultures and ethnic groups have wondered who Jesus was and is. Was He a myth, a great teacher, a fraud, or something else? There is no record in the Bible that anyone believed Jesus was just a good Teacher, nor did He claim this about Himself. True, He was a rabbi in the Jewish sense, but He claimed to be something more. There is also no evidence that Jesus was simply a legend. The New Testament in general and the four Gospels in particular are not written in a way that portrays Jesus as a made-up person or different than the Jesus of history. Nor do they paint Jesus in the way that the legends of old were described. There is a long-standing argument used to evaluate whether Jesus is who He says He is. It is called the Liar-Lunatic-Lord trilemma. This line of reasoning was popularized by C.S. Lewis, a former atheist. Jesus was either a pathological liar, an attention-starved lunatic, or actually God. First, it’s important to establish that Jesus was a real person. Even if you’re an atheist or agnostic, you’re ignoring significant evidence if your reason for not being a Christian is that you think Jesus is a myth. There is far too much evidence that Jesus actually existed. Maybe you’re not aware of it. It should come as no surprise that evidence for Jesus’ existence is found in the Bible. The Old Testament foreshadowed His coming through hundreds of prophecies. The New Testament documented His life and teaching. It was mainly written by firsthand witnesses. Let’s say, however, that you chose not to give any weight to the accounts in the Bible. What about secular sources who recorded that Jesus was real? Would you give them credence? Here are some accounts for you to consider. Keep in mind that many of them did not view Jesus in a

positive light, but they were not refuting His existence either. Thanks to the Romans and their commitment to recording history, we have some sources to look at. For example, Josephus, a Jewish-Roman scholar, and Tacitus, a Roman historian, both mentioned Jesus. In his Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus wrote about the death of James, the brother of Jesus “who was called Christ.” Tacitus defined “Christians” in The Annals: “Their name comes from Christ, who, during the reign of Tiberius, had been executed by the procurator Pontius Pilate.” Jesus also claimed to be the Son of God. He claimed to have the power to grant eternal life. Jesus would have to go down in history as the world’s most effective liar if He was a fraud. Think about it. He was so compelling that He convinced those closest to Him that He was God. They knowingly and enthusiastically propagated faith in Him to the point of being willing to die. Maybe Jesus was just plain crazy. Yet, Jesus exemplified and lived out what He taught. This goes against the conclusion that He was a lunatic and/or a liar. He also didn’t pursue the things that liars and megalomaniacs usually pursue—namely, money, power, and inappropriate behavior. He behaved quite the opposite. After only three and a half years of ministry, Jesus was crucified and buried. The Bible claims—and Christians believe—that He was resurrected. If this was a giant fraud or fable, how can anyone explain the explosive growth of Christianity that took place in the years, decades, and centuries to come? If Jesus is not Lord, then it is simply the greatest hoax in all of human history.

How Do You Explain the Trinity? The reality of the Trinity is hard to explain in the natural realm and must ultimately be accepted by faith. Christian and non-Christian alike struggle with wrapping their minds around it. However, no hard topic should be off-limits, so let’s give the Trinity its due attention. First, it’s important to accept that our finite minds are trying to understand the infinite, the physical is trying to grasp the metaphysical, and the natural is trying to define the supernatural. God is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnipresent (in all places at all times), and we are nowhere near this. So all definitions or word pictures will fall short. There is no equivalent in the human realm. Can we agree on this? Here is the basic definition of the Trinity, however hard it may be to wrap our minds around. God exists in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And yet, they all have the same divine nature, or essence. They are all God. The word Trinity is not found in the Bible. It is a word that man has used to explain God as He is mentioned in the Bible. So what are some ways we can try to understand it? Perhaps you’ve heard the analogy that the Trinity is similar to water. It can exist in three different forms (solid, liquid, and gas), but remains the same chemical (water). Another example is a man. He can be a father, husband, and grandfather—three different roles, but the same being. Still another example is playing a three-note chord on the piano. There are three distinct tones, yet they work together to produce a unified sound. The reality is that there is no proper way to explain the unseen with the seen, but these limited analogies can help. Regarding the primary roles of the Trinity, God the Father sent Jesus

the Son to die for the sins of man. After the Father raised Jesus from the dead and the Son ascended back to heaven, the Holy Spirit was given to all Christians to guide their daily living. How do we know the Three have the same nature (i.e., are all God)? There are certain verses in the Bible that explain it as such. For example, Genesis 1:26 states, “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.’” Notice the words here are unmistakably in plural form. The Hebrew word for God as Creator (Elohim) is also plural. In John 10:30, Jesus declares, “I and the Father are one.” They are united in essence and nature. How do we know they are three distinct Persons? There are also verses that clearly identify each of them individually. Matthew 28:19 encourages Christians to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus gives a description of the Three and their roles in John 14:15–17: “If you love me [Jesus], keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” Do you at least begin to understand the Trinity, as limited as our human minds are? God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as three distinct Persons, but they are united with the same nature. They are One.

Are There Many Paths to Heaven? Are there many paths to God? At least on some level, I think most people want this to be true. Most of us have friends and family we deeply care about who are traveling different religious paths than our own. We can’t bear the thought of them suffering for eternity in some awful place, so we convince ourselves of their eternal safety. Well, is belief in Jesus the only way to heaven? For Christianity to claim that it is the only true path to heaven can certainly sound like arrogance. With the number of “believers” or Christians compared to the world’s overall population, how can it be that only a portion have figured out the right path? If you refer back to the Overview of Major World Religions, this cursory summary demonstrates fairly dramatic differences. These religions do not hold the same beliefs, monotheistic or not. Buddhism doesn’t believe in God. Hindus believe everything is God. So if you believe that all religions are merely paths to the same God, your belief flies in the face of their differences. Another distinct difference must be emphasized whether or not you agree with Christianity. In every other belief system, a person is striving for goodness and to be found worthy of paradise, or some greater reward, or just finishing their life well. Christianity claims that people find salvation only through faith in Jesus, not through good works. We strive to do good works as a result of salvation, not in order to reach it. What does the Bible claim exactly? In John 14:6, Jesus states, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” God the Father lives in heaven, so Jesus is saying that belief in Him is the only pathway to heaven. All other religious leaders who have existed claim to

know the truth and point you to it. Jesus went the ultimate step further and claims to be the truth. All other religious leaders died and stayed dead. Only Jesus claimed resurrection—and for the purpose of providing the path to salvation. Further, the book of Acts records this statement by a disciple of Jesus named Peter: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name [Jesus] under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved ” (4:12). So whether or not you agree with Christianity, you have to at least concede that the Bible lays claim to the exclusive path to God. As we’ve stated, the God of Christianity allows for choice. If He didn’t, He would have made everyone mindless robots that served Him and Him alone. Personal faith requires a choice be made. When personal choice is involved, how many are willing to pursue the answer at all costs? Most people are caught up with just trying to survive or make their lives more comfortable. Still, at some point, people begin to ponder the deeper questions of life, such as how the universe came to be and if there is a higher power. Perhaps the pondering is brought on by a health challenge or external crisis. The question is, Will you consider that Jesus is the only answer, the only path to heaven?

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? This is a good question: Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do “innocent” people get caught in the crossfire? If God is the One who creates earthquakes and tornadoes and other natural disasters, why would He allow them to kill multitudes of people? Why does God allow evil and war? There are so many questions. For years, these kinds of questions have kept people from really believing and trusting in God. Let’s look to the Bible for some answers, so you can understand how Christians are to deal with this. When a man named Job found out that all his children had been killed when a violent wind caused his house to collapse, he mourned. No doubt “Why, God?” had crossed Job’s mind. Many “whys” are recorded throughout the Old Testament book that bears his name. But his prayer to the Lord after this family tragedy is most interesting and holds some keys to dealing with hardship: “‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (1:21–22). There are a few things we can learn here. First, we came into this world with nothing, and we’ll leave with nothing. How God fulfills His purpose in our lives is up to Him. Job understood this, even though he was grieving. “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.” Most of His purposes and plans will not be understood in the present. So, we must rest in this fact when what appear to be unfair hardships or “untimely” deaths occur. Second, Job didn’t blame God. He knew better. Through his pain and

grief he knew that God’s ways were higher than his ways. He knew God was incapable of wrongdoing. God has a plan for this world and for each life that only He knows and only He can carry out. Christians believe that we must trust Him all the way to the grave. Lastly, we live in a fallen and sinful world where bad things happen to both good and bad people. Jesus warned us that our lives would be filled with trouble (John 16:33). Therefore, it is somewhat futile to try to figure out the answer to a “why” question. We may not know whether God is bringing judgment, or something bad is happening because we live in an imperfect and flaw-filled world. So don’t try to figure out how an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God works. It is impossible. Have you struggled with this issue of why? Our family did after my dad and father-in-law died just days apart. The key is to have faith in God’s master plan that He is intricately weaving throughout history. Find peace in the fact that He doesn’t desire that anyone should die without believing in Him. It takes faith to believe that God is in control, and that He has a purpose for everything. It is certainly okay to be sad and even upset when hardship and tragedy happens, but don’t turn your anger toward God. Christians believe that we will one day understand why He chose and acted and judged the way He did. God never meant for man to experience pain and death. Adam and Eve were to live forever. God gave man and woman the ability to make choices. Unfortunately, they chose sin, and that sin is present in the hearts of all people. As a result, God told them, “For dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19). It is, however, important to remember that there are no innocent people. The book of Romans tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ” (3:23). As much as we wish it were true, nothing in creation, from the greatest to the least, measures up to God’s standard.

Where Do Children Go When They Die? Let’s build off yesterday’s tough question. Today, we are dealing with a sensitive question that many skeptics ask: Do children and infants go to heaven or hell when they die? More specifically, Does a loving God send children to hell? In Christian circles, this often brings up an issue called the “age of accountability.” In other words, how old must a child be before God holds them accountable for understanding what it means to be saved? When do they know enough about God to exercise faith in Him? First, we must once again acknowledge that God is a God of love who “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). He doesn’t want “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b). We must also repeat the last verse shared yesterday, that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ” (Romans 3:23). We are all “sinful at birth,” even from the moment of conception, according to Psalm 51:5. This is because we are a fallen race, fallen ever since Adam and Eve blew it in the Garden of Eden. However, just because babies are sinful, it doesn’t mean they can comprehend it. There are some Bible passages worth investigating. King David had a child with a woman who was not his wife, and the baby boy died. After he mourned, he stated in 2 Samuel 12:23, “Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” David knew he would be reunited with his son in heaven. In Deuteronomy 1:39, the Lord told Moses that his successor, Joshua, would lead the Hebrew people to what was called the Promised Land. God told Moses, “Your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land.” Here, the Lord is establishing that, until a certain age, chil-

dren don’t have a proper understanding of morality, and thus God’s standards. The prophet Isaiah gave a message to King Ahaz of Judah about a boy soon to be born. Twice, the passage in chapter 7 refers to an undefined point when “the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right ” (verses 15 and 16). What this age is for knowing right from wrong is unknown. One could argue that the Jews believe the age of accountability is around 12 or 13. At this age, they are expected to fully observe Jewish law. It is important to note that on multiple occasions Jesus esteems the simple faith, humility, and unassuming nature of children, and declares that we must exemplify these traits to enter heaven. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). On a similar occasion, Jesus told the disciples, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). These verses certainly point to children being in heaven. As we conclude, let me encourage you to place your trust in a God who is loving, but also righteous and just. He will make the right decision with the fate of each person who has ever lived, no matter their age.

What about Those Who Have Never Heard? Today’s question goes beyond “Why would a loving God send people to hell?” to a question specifically about those who have never heard of God. In the most remote places on earth, how can people even get a chance to learn about God, much less understand how to “be saved?” Paul declares in Romans 1:20 that God has revealed “his eternal power and divine nature” to earth’s population, “so that people are without excuse.” Everyone lives in God’s creation, so, at some point, everyone will speculate as to how creation and all that is around them in nature came to be—or, more importantly, Who brought it into being. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states that God has “set eternity in the human heart,” even if people don’t fully understand it. There is a thirst deep inside everyone that only God can satisfy (John 4:1–14). Jesus said the entrance to heaven is narrow and “only a few find it ” (Matthew 7:13–14). This means that the majority of people will not believe in Him. We may not understand why God would make it so—much less like it—but it is true nonetheless. (Remember, our feelings don’t dictate truth.) All mankind is sinful from birth (Psalm 51:5) and falls short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23). God is loving, but also holy, just, and righteous (Isaiah 5:16), so to allow a sinful person into heaven goes against everything He says in the Bible. How could it be okay to absolve anyone of personal responsibility? If lifelong ignorance were a path to heaven, then the worst thing a Christian could do is tell someone about Jesus. As we saw yesterday, God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but does want all people to be saved. There was and is no way for humans to be made right with God without a blood sacrifice to atone for man’s sin (Hebrews

9:22).

Salvation is only attainable through belief in Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection (Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5). It is the only way to heaven. This is the claim of Christianity. Jesus tasks Christians with spreading the message of salvation to the world (Matthew 24:14; 28:19; Acts 1:8). Therefore, a nation or ethnic group’s failure to know about Jesus is at least partially due to believers failing to tell them. Many believers who complain about the unfairness of God are the very ones responsible for not obeying this directive from Jesus. They are instead staying at home and living their own lives. There is hope that God will respond to the seeking of any and every individual on earth. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart -” (Jeremiah 29:13). Hebrews 11:6 further echoes: “Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” See the story of Cornelius in Acts 10 as an example. God has a plan for the entire world, including the most remote ethnic groups. Although man falls short of God’s standards, God made a path to salvation through His Son, Jesus. As a result, those who seek Him will indeed find Him. The Christian can and should have faith that a perfect and holy God who is loving, righteous, and just will sort everything out as it should be. In the meantime and with a sense of urgency and passion, the believer must share about Christ with others, from their own street corner to around the world.

Conclusion So there you have it. We hope that you have been enlightened and encouraged to some degree, regardless of what you believe. Thank you for taking the time to read what two Christians believe about God—both from what the Bible says and from reason and evidence. We have tried our best in the space provided to present a strong case for belief in God and His Son, Jesus. In Christian circles, a Greek word is used to describe the defense of one’s faith. It is apologia, from which we get the word apologetics. Unfortunately, this word sounds like “apologize,” and this is what followers of Christ are not and should not be doing. That is why we haven’t used this word in our journey together. Rationally and respectfully sharing in favor of the Christian faith has been our goal. This journey was not necessarily meant as a be-all and end-all closing argument to win over the seekers and skeptics, but a helpful step on everyone’s journey, Christian and non-Christian alike. Here is the inescapable reality regarding belief in Jesus Christ: rationale will only get you so far. At some point there is a measure of faith required to believe in Him. I get it; we are talking about believing in Someone who lived two thousand years ago and barely owned a thing. We have no original texts for any book in the Bible. And the claim that Jesus made is the most audacious in history: you can be saved for eternity by believing in Him. Jesus is clear that you are not saved by doing good works, despite your schooling and your occupation pushing you to produce acceptable performances. Jesus already died for every bad thing you ever did or ever will do. And then God the Father raised Him from the dead. This act defeated death and its grip on your soul—but only if you believe. This is the ultimate act of faith. Hundreds of millions through the ages, perhaps

more, have made that step of faith. And yet, the majority do not choose to believe. To the Christian, we hope that you have been encouraged in your walk with God, that you have been empowered to study further on your own, and that you are more confident in your dialogue with others. Reject the doubt and believe by faith, going forward better equipped to reason with others. If you are a non-Christian, we hope you have felt you were treated with respect, and that you have reciprocated with a mind and heart open to the possibilities. In eternity, each person will be in one of only two groups: those with God and those away from God. This is the simplest description of the difference between heaven and hell. God loves you so much that He provided a path to heaven. Here it is, simply explained in Romans 10:9: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The gift of salvation, just like God’s love, is free. We hope you will consider taking this step of faith and believe.

GOD?

What do you think about

Life confronts us with many “big questions.” Some of the biggest deal with God: Does He really exist? If He does exist, can that be proven? Can Jesus be the only path to God? Are You Right about God? is a 30-day study that speaks both to Christians and to those skeptical of the faith. Our goal is to challenge you to evaluate your own beliefs using the Bible, observation, evidence, and reason. To the Christian: If you’re being honest, at some point you’ve had doubts about your faith. Perhaps you don’t feel prepared to answer tough questions, or aren’t sure why you believe what you believe. I hope you will find this study to be incredibly beneficial in your growth as a Christian. To the Seeker or Skeptic: You may have been turned off to God by something you’ve seen, read, or been told. I challenge you to examine with an open mind why Christians believe what they do, even if they fail to live it out consistently. In the process, you might consider that it could take more faith not to believe in God.

About the authors Joseph Williams serves as CEO of Feed the Hunger (feedthehunger.org), a Christian mission organization based in North Carolina. He is ordained and has been in full-time ministry for almost 25 years, traveling for the sake of the Gospel to 40 countries. He has written numerous books, devotionals, and studies to help followers of Christ grow in their walk with the Lord, and to reach nonbelievers with God’s Word (all available materials free upon request). Joseph is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Ministry at Piedmont International University. Matthew Byrd received his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and did his postdoctoral work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is currently completing his Master’s degree in Ministry at Piedmont International University and enjoys studying the interface of science and Christian faith.