“I Have Some Questions For You…”

1. “I Have Some Questions For You…” The TOP TEN Questions of the Christian Faith Answered

2. The Top Ten Questions of the Christian Faith Answered 6 4 7 8 5 9 10 2 1 3 Hell – How could a loving God send people to Hell for eternity? God – Where did God come from? Heathen – Are those who have never heard the Gospel lost forever? Biblical Contradictions – Don’t they make the Bible invalid? Exclusivity – Aren’t Christians intolerant for claiming that Jesus is ‘the only way’? Evil – How can an all-powerful and all-good God allow evil and suffering? Miracles – How can educated people believe in miracles? Crutch – Isn’t Christianity a crutch for weak minded people? The Trinity – Isn’t it a contradiction and a ‘made up’ doctrine? Good Enough – Can’t I make it to Heaven if I’m ‘good enough’? Page 2

3. #10 – Can’t I Make It To Heaven if I’m ‘Good Enough’? “To Make It To Heaven, All I Have To Do Is “Be Good” You May As Well Believe In Santa! • Where does it say you can be ‘good enough’? • Wishful Thinking • How Good Is Good Enough? • Infinity! • Causes Apathy or Worry • Bottom Line: Made Up Belief “…no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” Romans 3:20 “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12 Page 3

4. #9 – Isn’t the ‘Trinity’ a Contradiction, and a ‘Made Up’ Doctrine? “After all, the word ‘Trinity’ isn’t even found in the Bible!” • Is an ‘implied doctrine’ – derived directly from the Bible’s statements • Is not a contradiction, is a descriptive statement of essence • One God (what), in Three Persons (who) • One God in Three Gods would be a contradiction • Examples of descriptive statements of essence in everyday life: • Families (4 persons (whom) in one family unit (what)) • Orange (3 items (peel, pulp, seed) in one essence) • Time (Past, present, and future = Time) And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'  (Matthew 3:16-17) Jesus’ Own Words: “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”  (Matthew 28:19) Page 4 Page 4

5. #8 – Isn’t Christianity Just a Crutch for the Weak Minded? aka “Isn’t Christianity Just ‘Wish Fulfillment’”? • This charge commits a logical error: “The Genetic Fallacy” • It attacks intent, not the merit of the faith – so lets get to those! • Besides, if Christianity is indeed true, it would make sense that we would desire it! • Worst of all for this argument against Christianity is that it backfires against the arguer. • Doesn’t he realize that the non-believer just ‘wished’ that Christianity is not true? • But most of all, Christians openly admit that we are a fallen and desparate people, in need of help! • Can a non-believer truly claim we are not fallen? • Who would deny a broken person support, aka ‘crutch’? “We have this hope as an anchor to the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19 Page 5

6. #7 – How Can Educated People Believe in Miracles? Isn’t This Really Just a Question of the Nature of God? If God exists, then by definition He is Supernatural, meaning ‘outside of nature’ Since He created Nature, He can do anything within it that He pleases! The question becomes ‘why would He’?. Supernatural Purpose ‘Extraordinary’ or ‘Repeatable’ Evidence is by definition not required. Natural Law vs. “God of the Gaps” vs. Predictions God’s activities in the Bible had to do with some sort of Revelation to His people… Notwithstanding the claims of Miracles today Evidence Revelation “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John 1:14a Page 6

7. #6 – Isn’t Christianity Intolerant for Claiming to be the ‘Only Way’ to God? “I am the way, the Truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6 Jesus Said So! • These are Jesus’ words, not ours! Is He a liar or lunatic? Tolerance? • Is simply a Truth Claim – are the other religions ‘intolerant’ too? • Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Atheism, even Bahai’ Test It! • Lets’s talk about the evidence for Christianity… • “Do you have a better alternative”? The Truth Hurts! • We are simply telling ‘the Truth’! • “Not telling you would be insensitive” • “You decide for yourself – as the Spirit moves you” Page 7

8. #5 – How Can a ‘Loving’ God Send Someone to Hell for Eternity?? 'As surely as I live', declares the sovereign Lord, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.' Ezekiel 33:11a What is Hell Anyway? Who Decides Who Goes There? • Torture? • Physical / Spiritual? • Purpose Wasted… • “God is Love” vs. Holy Wrath • God’s Nature Demands Perfection • The Greatest Violation… • A Choice… “Thy Will Be Done…” Page 8

9. #4 – Isn’t the Bible Full of Contradictions, So Therefore it is Not Reliable? A Difficulty is NOT Necessarily a Contradiction… Interpretation Difficulties Writers Perspective Cultural Understandings • “You cannot legislate morality.” • Are there 2 different creation stories?? (Gen 1:1-2:3 vs 2:4-9)? • “At dinner last night I sat next to Uncle Joe…” • Are there four different Gospel accounts? • “Go jump in a lake!” • Did Jesus rise on the 2nd or the 3rd Day (Friday to Sunday?) Everybody in ancient Jewish Culture knows I meant 1-Friday, 2-Saturday, 3-Sunday! Everybody in our culture knows what I mean when I say that! You just need to understand our culture a little better! Matt: Jews, emphasize OT Mark: Miraculous deeds Luke: Care and concern John: Jesus’ deity I sat next to Uncle Joe AND Aunt Martha, I just chose to tell you about Uncle Joe because it was relevant to my story… • Account of all creation • Focused discussion about the creation / worth of mankind • Don’t force your morals on me! • You cannot force people to be moral! Separate, but equally legitimate meanings (e.g. a double meaning?) Page 9

10. #3 – What About the Heathen? Are They Automatically Condemned? Just Because They Never Had the Chance to Hear? • ALL are condemned • NOT because we haven’t heard, but because we all sin Jesus is the ONLY Way! “…God our Savior …wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:3-4) • God seeks us • Has given us ALL General Revelation • Precedent: Job, Abraham, Moses! GRACE! "Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciousness also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."  Romans 2:14-16 Page 10

11. #2 – Where Did God Come From? aka: Who/What Created God? This is a question about the Nature of God… We see that everything that has been created has a beginning/cause So…Something, outside of nature, had to start it all off So – asking for the cause / beginning of an “uncaused cause” is a category mistake Supernatural Prime Mover Impossible Infinite Regress God is an “Uncaused Cause” “I am who I am” Exodus 3:14b Observe Nature Since this cause is outside of nature, it does not necessarily require a beginning But if we look back in time we see an infinite regress, which is impossible Page 11

12. #1 – The Problem of Evil Several Different Views, Each Requiring Unique Answers Logical Problem • If God is all powerful and all loving, why does He allow evil to exist? • If God created everything, and evil exists, did God create it? • How could He if He is all-good? Moral Evil • Evil that arises out of someone’s conscious ‘choice’ Natural Evil • Evil that comes about by ‘natural’ acts (e.g. not moral acts) • Tsunami, tornado, fire, earthquake, etc etc etc Existential Problem • Why did my daughter have to suffer and die? Page 12

13. #1 – The Problem of Evil Theodicy: “God Justified” Considerations Regarding Evil • Does it truly ‘exist’? • Or is it the ‘absence of good’? • Do we see in all of nature the ‘potential’ for evil? • Is it a ‘cause’ or an ‘effect’? • Is it ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’? The Logical Problem of Evil Solved • The “Best Possible World / Free Will ” Defense • Free will requires choices and consequences • God cannot violate His nature (logical consistency) • A ‘greater good’ may be His desire • Value Issues? What value is placed on infinity? Alvin Plantinga Page 13

14. #1 – The Problem of Evil Moral Evil: That which Man does to Man • The evidence is overwhelming that mankind can do evil things • Indeed, doesn’t it seem that MOST evil in the world is caused by man? Indicts Who? • But why is this a Problem for the existence of God? • Men CHOOSE to be evil to each other for myriads of reasons It’s MAN’s Fault! • If God stopped us from being evil, He would violate our free choice • Our evil actions are evidence of our fallen nature – a signal for us to look beyond ourselves and repent Survival of the Fittest? • It also drives us back toward the question: What is Evil without a transcendent benchmark (e.g. God’s will)? • Majority vote? Result of evolution? • If so, then nothing is TRULY and INHERENTLY evil Page 14

15. #1 – The Problem of Evil Natural Evil: That Which Happens to Us Within Creation Examples Why Does It Happen? Consistent Laws of Nature • Fire, Earthquakes, Tornados, even Death • God created a world to enable our existence AND our free will • Laws of nature must be constant or there would be no consequences for our actions • Fire, Hot/Cold, Plate Techtonics, etc etc etc ...giving a child a pair of ice skates, knowing that he may fall, is a very different matter from knocking him down on the ice."  Phillip Yancey; Where Is God When It Hurts Page 15

16. #1 – The Problem of Evil Existential Evil: Living with Personal Suffering Displays our Faith in Action But It Happened to Me! Two Important Facts • A chance to see what we are really made of…what our beliefs really are. • Reality: We are here to serve, not be served! • Am I being ‘punished’? • Is it ‘too much’ to bear? • Is it ‘not fair’? • Reality: It‘s only by Grace that we survive at all! • Someone suffering needs comfort, not philosphy • It WILL Happen to YOU! Get ready for the storm BEFORE it happens “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Page 16

17. #1 – The Problem of Evil Christianity is UNIQUE Christ is Right Here Along With Us! • We acknowledge the need • We understand the nature of the World • One of the ways He shows us His love! • The ultimate comfort… • "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”(Hebrews 2:18) "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  "Neither this man nor His parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.  As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me."  John 9:2b-3 Page 17