Is the OT God a monster?

Is the OT God a Monster?

The Question
Many non-Christians think Jesus was a pretty nice guy, but have a real problem with the God of the Old Testament. They hear/read stories of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son or of God sending a worldwide flood and take from them that the OT God is a terrible character. Is it true?

The Answer
Most often, two issues exist with the person who accuses the OT God of being a terrible character. First, they usually have not understood the supposedly incriminating OT accounts and missed the broader message. Second, they think they have the right to judge God, when the reality is the reverse.

God’s actions in the OT must be understood correctly before they can be judged fairly. We don’t have space to respond to every popular accusation against God’s actions in the OT, but we can say that a careful reading of the Abraham/Isaac story (Genesis 22) reveals that God had no intention of having Abraham sacrifice Isaac. Anyone who takes the time to read the entire Old Testament finds that God is good, just, merciful, patient, loving, gracious, etc.

Most accusations against God’s actions in the OT assume that God has the same set of rights and limitations as we do. But God is the Creator and owner of all. God has the right to judge rebels. God has the right to punish His children. God has the right to end a life because all life belongs to God.

Does the Trinity make sense?

Does the Trinity make sense?

The Question
The ‘Trinity’ seems like a really confusing thing to believe in. Christians say that they are monotheists (people who believe in one God), but they also claim that the Father is God AND that the Son (Jesus) is God AND that the Spirit is God. Does this make sense?

The Answer
People like to try and figure things out. We must recognize, however, that if God exists, it will be beyond our intellectual abilities to understand the nature of God. We may come to realize that God exists, but we will probably never fully comprehend how God exists. It is possible that the Trinity makes complete sense even if we (as limited human beings) can’t make much sense of it at all.

The word Trinity is not found in the Bible. It is a word made up by Christian theologians in an attempt to understand what history and the Bible tells us about God. The Bible is clear that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 44:8). But as history unfolded, it became clearer and clearer that this God was a complex being provoking a new term.

The definition of God was transformed by the arrival of Jesus Christ on the earth. Because of His life, words & actions, it became clear to those close to Him that He was the Son of God. Even though the earliest Christians were Jews who believed strongly that there was only 1 God, they began to worship Jesus too.
Before Jesus ascended to the heavens, He promised that He would send the Spirit of God to His followers. This happened on the Day of Pentecost. The Spirit of God entered into the lives of Jesus’ people. Some of these Spirit-filled Christians went on to write the New Testament. The New Testament speaks of the Spirit as a personal being and equates the Spirit with God.

In sum, the Bible teaches there is one God, but there is a relationship within this one God. There is a Father, Son & Spirit. Even though this is difficult for us to understand, it is clearly communicated in Scripture:

 At creation, God said “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis (1:26)

 An angel told Mary that the Spirit would come upon her and she would give birth to the Son of God despite being a virgin because nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:35-37)

 At Jesus’ baptism, the Father spoke of the Son as the Spirit descended as a dove (Matthew 3:16-17)

 When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He told the disciples to make disciples of all people baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son & Spirit (Matthew 28:19)

 Paul writes that God sends the Spirit of the Son to our hearts so that we can call out to the Father (Galatians 4:6)
But it’s one thing to recognize that the Bible teaches that God exists as Trinity (Tri-Unity). It’s another thing to begin to understand why that is important. What is the significance of knowing that God exists as Father, Son & Spirit? We think there are three main marks of significance:

First, we believe the truth is always worth finding out. God has been revealed as Trinity and, thus, the Trinity is something true. Truth always has value even if we’re not quite sure what that value is.

Second, we believe the concept of Trinity helps us to understand the process of salvation. The Father initiates our salvation by sending Jesus. Jesus opens up a way for us to relate to the Father by offering forgiveness through the cross. The Spirit helps us to navigate toward the Father during our lives here on earth.

Third, the fact that God exists as Trinity shows us the importance of relationship. Relationship is not just something God wants, relationship is Someone God is. Since we were made in God’s image, we were made for relationship. There is a loving relationship within God, and so we were created to love and be loved as well.

Many people have tried to figure out the Trinity by comparing it to earthly things that exist with 3 parts (like eggs, triangles, lemonade, etc), but ultimately there is nothing like God. God is unique. If we could completely figure God out, it would mean we were God’s superiors. God is above us and beyond our full comprehension.

How could a loving God allow so much suffering?

How could a loving God
allow so much suffering?

The Question
This question is often referred to as the Problem of Pain. John Stott, a famous Christian theologian, once said this about the issue: “The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith, and has been in every generation. Its distribution and degree appear to be entirely random and therefore unfair. Sensitive spirits ask if it can possibly be reconciled with God’s justice and love.”

The problem of pain is, perhaps, best posed by the Greek Philosopher Epicurus: “Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to; or he cannot and does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, and does not want to, he is wicked. But if God both can and wants to abolish evil, then how comes evil in the world?”

Thus, there are 4 claims in play here:
1. God exists
2. God is perfectly good
3. God has unlimited power
4. Evil exists

It seems to many that the first three claims cannot be reconciled with the fourth claim. But the fourth claim feels like the one that is the most evidently true! Is it possible to reconcile the idea of a loving God with the existence of evil (pain, suffering & death)?

The Answer
We agree with John Stott that the Problem of Pain is the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith (and to the belief in God in general). For this reason, we are devoting more room to this issue (usually, each tract tackles two questions). That beings said, we recognize that a subject as big and close to home as this cannot be adequately dealt with in a lengthy book, let alone a single piece of paper. We aim only to provide some helpful starting points.

We believe that the best way to start thinking about a solution to the Problem of Pain is to consider it with a past, present & future Christian perspective.

The Past Perspective
A non-Christian might wonder why a loving God would create a world that was so messed up, but the Christian response is that the loving God did NOT create a messed up world. The Bible says that when God finished creating, the result was ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31). God created paradise.

From a Christian perspective, the Problem of Pain only entered into the world through the Fall of Humanity. When human beings decided to reject God, there were negative results. Humanity began to experience problems like physical pain (3:15), broken human relationships (3:16b), problems with the natural world (3:17-18), and spiritual conflict (3:15 & 23). These problems did not originate with God’s creation, but with the poor choices of humanity.

The Present Perspective
If we only consider the past perspective, however, the Christian answer to the Problem of Pain might seem too easy. Even if we grant that God created a good world to begin with, we may question why God created a world that could go so wrong? Why give human beings the ability to mess up a good world? Why grant free will?

But consider God’s options: 1) He could have created no living beings 2) He could have created good beings without free will 3) He could have created beings with free will. 4) He could have created bad beings without free will.

We can easily recognize that options 1 & 4 would be terrible from a human perspective! Option 2 only looks attractive at first glance. Would we really want to exist without choice? Wouldn’t that make us more like machines than like human beings? It turns out that option 3 is actually the best option.

But even if we say option 3 is to be preferred, we are still left with a number of significant questions. 1) Why doesn’t God give us a slightly different version of option 3 in which the degree and/or scope of pain is lessened? 2) Is there something valuable about suffering that causes God to allow it? 3) How can God observe all this suffering and not do something about it?

As to the first question, who is to say that God hasn’t limited the amount of pain and suffering that we experience? Maybe this is the best version of option 3. The degree and scope of pain and suffering surely is limited.
As to the second question, we need to recognize that many positives come from pain. Everyone from world class athletes to first time mothers realize that much gain can come through pain, but sometimes we don’t recognize this when we are angry with God. Truth be told, most of us can think of good results that came out of painful situations in our lives.

As to how God could sit up in heaven watching all this pain and suffering and not do anything about it, the Christian answer is that God does no such thing. Instead, in Christian theology, God became flesh (Jesus) and suffered an excruciating death on a cross. And because Jesus suffered and died, a future free from such things has been assured for those who find life in Christ.

The Future Perspective
No Christian response to the problem of pain is complete without reference to the future. In Christian theology, God has promised to bring an end to all pain and to death itself. The problem will not last. One should not judge God solely on the present when so many of the promises are focused on the future. And this hope of a future resolution to the Problem of Pain is not a blind hope, but one based God’s established record of keeping promises.

Thus, when we thoughtfully consider all of the above, the Problem of Pain becomes less of an argument against God’s existence and more of an opportunity to reflect who God is, who we are, and where we are headed in light of the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

What if I'm still not sure?

What if I’m still not sure?

The Question
Suppose there is a person who has thoughtfully considered the claims of Christianity, but they still have doubts. Should that person wait until they are absolutely certain that Christianity is true before becoming a Christian?

The Answer
Since becoming a follower of Christ is a life changing commitment, it is necessary to use careful consideration before taking that step. Jesus himself insisted on this when he warned would-be followers about the potential cost of following Him. Christianity is not to be entered into lightly.

That being said, is it necessary to have every question about Christianity answered before committing to Christ? No. In life, we make all sorts of good decisions based on probability rather than absolute certainty.

Whether we are walking down the sidewalk or eating a slice of pizza, we are acting as if the sidewalk won’t collapse beneath our feet and the pizza is not poisoned. Do we know this for certain? No. But, in the absence of legitimate suspicion, such events are so unlikely that we’d be foolish to live in fear.

Responding to the Gospel does not require absolute certainty that Christianity is true, and it will not necessarily erase all doubts. Some people, just because of their personality type, will always have doubts enter their mind. It is completely legitimate to express these doubts to God. The opposite of faith is not doubt, but disobedience.

One Bible story describes a man who had substantial doubts, but he also had a growing belief that Jesus was who he claimed to be. When he finally met with Jesus, he honestly stated “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” We can be honest to God about our doubts even as we grow in our faith.

Can you prove that God exists?

Can you prove that God exists?

The Question
Isn’t belief in God simply a matter of faith? Many people in today’s world choose to believe things based only on actual evidence and solid argumentation. Can you prove that God exists? Or is belief in God a blind leap?

The Answer
Some people think of proving something as showing it to be 100% certain, but clearly very few things, if anything, fall into the category of certainty. The truth is that we base our lives on high probabilities, not certainties.

To prove something simply means to establish its truthfulness through sound argument. We do believe such arguments for theism (belief in God) exist and that they demonstrate the truth of theism beyond reasonable doubt. Below we will briefly explain seven of the strongest arguments that set out to prove God’s existence.

#1 The First Cause Argument
Any sane person would agree with the law that anything that begins to exist has a cause. Most people now agree that the universe at some point in the past began to exist. Therefore, the universe must have a cause. We can rightfully label that cause the Creator. This argument doesn’t give us very much information about the Creator, but it shows that the Creator is a necessary reality. There must be a first cause, a reality that does not have a beginning.
#2 The Design Argument
Any careful observer recognizes that the universe displays a high degree of apparent order/design. This could be explained either by chance or by actual intelligence behind the design. But it is so statistically improbable that chance can account for the order/design we observe that intelligence becomes a superior explanation. That intelligent designer can be labeled as God.

#3 The Conscience/Morality Argument
Throughout time/space human beings have shared a common sense of right and wrong. Despite recent attempts to show otherwise, the atheistic view cannot adequately explain the source of our morality. Theism can and does explain it. The source is God.

#4 The Desire Argument
Every natural desire that human beings have corresponds to something real that can satisfy the desire. Yet most will admit that they have a natural desire for something more than this world can offer. The most probable explanation for this is that there does exist something beyond this world.

#5 The Prophecy Argument
The Bible contains many bold predictions that came true in history. Isaiah spoke of Cyrus’ decree to rebuild Jerusalem more than 100 years before Cyrus was even born (Isaiah 44:28). Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born in the little town of Bethlehem some 700 years before the birth of Jesus (Micah 5:2). Thus, their claim to be inspired by God was verified by the accuracy of their predictions. Therefore, God exists.
#6 The Experience Argument
Many people throughout human history through to today claim to have an experience with the divine. One could argue that it is highly improbable that all such people have been utterly mistaken. It is far more likely an explanation that a divine being exists and has been experienced.

#7 The Jesus Argument
Jesus Christ claimed to be God. He demonstrated his trustworthiness through his life & teachings and his claims were verified through miracles and his resurrection from the dead. Given these realities, it is far more likely that Jesus was who he claimed to be than any other option. If Jesus was who he claimed to be, then there is a God.

One could say that none of these arguments, by themselves, prove the existence of God with certainty. But we could say that these arguments (and there are others), taken together, make a very strong case for the existence of God. Belief in God, then, need not be a blind leap of ignorance, but a logical step of faith.

What evidence is there that Jesus rose from the dead?

What evidence is there that Jesus rose from the dead?

The Question
The Bible itself states that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then the Christian faith is not a faith worth having (1 Cor. 15:14+17). What evidence supports the incredible claim that Jesus rose from the dead?

The Answer
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is, indeed, the core doctrine of Christianity. And because it is such an extraordinary claim, it is understandable that one would doubt it in the absence of evidence. But we believe the resurrection of Jesus is, by far, the best explanation for three strands of evidence.

The first strand of evidence is that the tomb was empty. This fact of history has been explained in a number of ways:

~ Maybe Jesus only fainted on the cross
~ Maybe the disciples stole the body
~ Maybe they went to the wrong tomb
~ Maybe it was Jesus who died on the cross

But all of these explanations, once considered, are quite unreasonable. Roman soldiers knew how to crucify people and make sure they were dead. The tomb was well guarded. The Jewish and/or Roman authorities would have quickly corrected a case of mistaken location, as they would have a case of mistaken identity.


The second strand of evidence is that of the appearances. This fact of history (that many claimed to have seen the risen Jesus) has also been explained in various ways:

~ Maybe they actually saw a look-alike
~ Maybe they hallucinated
~ Maybe they really saw a ghost of Jesus
~ Maybe it was a mass conspiracy

But, again, all of these explanations are harder to believe than the biblical account. Could a look-alike have truly tricked Jesus’ family and friends? Could so many people hallucinated the same thing (even the one’s who were skeptical) at different times and places? Why would they use the word ‘resurrection’ (which referred to a material body) to describe a ghostly appearance? And why would they die for a lie (most of Jesus’ followers died for their belief that he rose from the dead and was the King of kings)?

A third strand of evidence is the emergence of Christianity. How does one explain the spread of the good news that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead if the last event in his life was his death on a Roman cross? How does one explain the millions who testify to a relationship with Jesus?

To make matters worse (for those doubting the resurrection), one must come up with a theory (or combination of theories) that reasonably explains all three strands of evidence. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). In our opinion, it is much more reasonable to believe that Jesus really did rise from the dead, as the Bible records.

If Darwin was right, is Christianity wrong?

If Darwin was right, is Christianity wrong?

The Question
In his 1859 book On the Origin of Species Charles Darwin developed the theory that simple life (like that of a microbe) evolved/changed through time into more complex life (like that of a man). To put it simply, this theory suggests that the accumulation of tiny changes over millions of years can account for the origin of a complex species like humanity.

If Darwinian evolutionary theory is true (and many suppose that it is) doesn’t this render God obsolete? Why should I believe in a Creator if Darwin can adequately explain the origin of species?

The Answer
To answer such questions, we first must understand the limits of the theory of evolution. Darwin’s theory offers a possible explanation of how a complex species came about, but it actually has nothing to say in regards to the origin of life in general. In other words, the theory suggests how microbes might become men, but it has no explanation for where the microbes came from.

Because of this, many people who believe in Darwinian evolution still believe in God. They believe that God was necessary to initiate the process of evolution. This view is known as Theistic Evolution.

But despite the confidence of many of its leading advocates, we are not convinced that Darwin’s theory best explains the evidence. While some Christians can be labeled as Theistic Evolutionists, others consider the Theory of Evolution to be fatally flawed on the basis of science and/or Scripture.

Some of the Christians who deny Darwinism agree with him that the earth is very (millions and millions of years) old. They believe the scientific evidence supports this and they suggest that each day of the creation week (Genesis 1) represented a long span of time. This view is known as the Day-Age Theory.

Other Christians reject the popular belief in evolution AND the popular belief that the earth is old. They believe the evidence demonstrates an ancient catastrophe (Noah’s flood) and not an ancient age (millions of years). This position is often referred to as Young-Earth Creationism.

In sum, then, Christianity does not stand or fall on the truthfulness of Darwin’s theory or popular ideas about the age of the earth. If Darwin was right, we still need an explanation for the original species and for the existence of matter itself! But Darwin’s theory has a lot more holes than we are sometimes led to believe.

Christianity stands or falls, not on the truthfulness of the Theory of Evolution, but on the truthfulness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Why do Christians ignore some Old Testament Laws?

Why do Christians ignore some Old Testament Laws?

The Question
The Old Testament/Covenant contains 613 laws, but even a casual observer can recognize that Christians don’t even attempt to keep them all. For example, most Christians don’t eat a kosher diet or keep the Sabbath day (Saturday) separate. Isn’t it incredibly arbitrary for Christians to pick some laws and ignore others?

The Answer
The truth of the matter is that Christians are not directly bound to any of the 613 Old Testament laws. Christians, by definition, are people who are directly bound to Christ and his complete authority.
Certainly Christ repeated some of the 613 laws (and that is why Christians obey some of them). But other laws were not re-instated under Christ’s administration. Many Christians have come to understand why certain laws were not re-instated.

In general, the Old Testament/Covenant contained 3 different kinds of laws. Some laws were moral in nature (do this, don’t do that), some were instructions regarding religious rituals (sacrifice this, don’t sacrifice that), and others were national in character (lead like this, don’t lead like that).

When we examine which laws Jesus repeated/re-instated, it is not surprising to find that they were the moral laws. After all, what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong no matter what administration you are under.

But Christ did not command his people to keep the Old Covenant religious rituals or national laws. Why would he? The religious rituals of the Old Covenant were symbolic of Christ. Once Christ had come, the symbols were no longer necessary. And the civil laws were meant for leading the people of Israel, but the New Covenant is not centered on an individual nation.

In most cases, common sense makes clear which laws are moral and, therefore, still in effect and which one’s are not. Christians, then, are not necessarily arbitrary in their submission to certain Old Covenant laws and their lack of submission to others. They are submitted to the law of Christ.

How could a loving God send people to Hell?

How could a loving God send people to Hell?

The Question
Many non-Christians hear two consistent messages from vocal believers. First, they hear that God is love. Second, they hear that if one doesn’t become a Christian, this loving God will send them to a place called Hell where they will be tortured in fire forever. For many, these 2 messages seem to be contradictory. How could a loving God send human beings to an eternity of flames?

The Answer
Thoughtful Christians have responded to this important question in two very distinct ways. Some attempt to defend the two doctrines (God’s love & eternal torment) as non-contradictory. Others, however, have suggested an alternative fate for the wicked. In what follows, we offer a defense of the doctrine of eternal torment along with two alternative views held by some Christians.

“When did you stop beating your wife?” If you ask this question to a husband who has never beaten his wife, his only possible answer is to deny the legitimacy of the question. Similarly, if you ask “How could a loving God send people to hell?” a Christian has the right to deny the legitimacy of the question since, it may be argued, the wording doesn’t match with reality. Most Christians who believe the doctrine of eternal torment do not believe God sends anyone there. People choose Hell by rejecting God.
Defenders of the doctrine of eternal torment might also suggest that those with this objection are giving too much weight to God’s love in comparison to God’s justice. If there was no punishment, the question could be turned on its head to ask, “How could a just God let the wicked go free?”

Finally, those compelled to defend the doctrine of eternal torment might suggest that the fiery imagery associated with hell is symbolic rather than literal. It is, they suggest, symbolic for the fact that unbelievers will spend eternity separated from God.

While these 3 defenses of eternal torment may satisfy the objections of some, others (Christian and non-Christian alike) insist that problems remain. Many people (again, Christians and non-Christians alike) are unaware that there are alternative Christian thoughts about the fate of the wicked.

One alternative to eternal torment may be called conditional immortality. This view insists that eternal life is a gift given to believers and not natural to humankind. Upon death, an unbeliever could be punished in accordance with their sins (for a time, not an eternity) and then simply cease to exist.

Another alternative may be described as universal reconciliation. In this view, the wicked are punished after their deaths, but God’s purpose in the punishment is to bring them to repentance. When that happens, they are forgiven by Jesus and welcomed into eternity with God.
It is important to note that those holding these alternative views do not necessarily do so simply to avoid the question at hand. Both these alternatives had supporters in the early church and attempt to support their views with the Bible and reason. But if true, these alternatives do resolve the main objection raised by this question.

In sum, the Bible leaves room for a variety of interpretations as to what happens to unbelievers when they die. In the end, if there really is a God who is loving and just, we can trust that this God will deal lovingly and justly with all people even if we do not know exactly what form that will take.

What about those who have never heard?

What about those
who have never heard?

The Question
The Bible clearly states that Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6), the only name by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12), and the only means to eternal life (1 John 5:11). But what about people who have never even heard of Jesus? Do they miss out on God, salvation & eternal life just because they were never presented with the necessary information? If so, isn’t that unfair?

The Answer
There are 2 issues involved in this question. First, certain people are being thought of as innocent due to their levels of ignorance. Second, God’s justice is being disputed. Both issues require a closer look.

Before accusing God of injustice, we should be clear about the levels of ignorance and innocence attached to the persons in question. According to the Bible, just because a person has never heard of the story of Jesus doesn’t mean they haven’t been given information about God.

The Bible says that the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). In other words, creation itself points to a Creator. Paul says that God’s existence and even some of God’s attributes can be clearly discerned from creation (Romans 1:20).


But beyond creation pointing to the existence of a Creator, we also have a conscience that points to the Creators moral standards. Across the globe a general sense of right and wrong is agreed upon.

Because people have creation and conscience pointing them toward God, even people from isolated tribal groups are without excuse when it comes to responding to God’s natural revelation.

The question becomes, if a tribal member did respond positively to creation and conscience, could they be saved despite their ignorance of Jesus? The Bible doesn’t address this question directly, but the answer may very well be yes!

If God chooses to save such a person, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they found some other way to be saved than by Jesus. It may simply mean that Jesus saves them despite their ignorance of His name. Just because they were ignorant of Jesus doesn’t mean Jesus was ignorant of them. The Bible says that Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). If they were seeking truth, they were seeking Jesus all along!

In the end, we can trust that God will make the right decisions. God knows our limitations. He will judge people according to how they have responded to the revelation they did receive (Proverbs 24:12).

Not all Christians would agree with this response to the question. But from our point of view, this answer makes the most sense of God and the relevant Bible passages.

Can you prove that Jesus actually existed?

Can you prove that Jesus actually existed?

The Question
It has recently become popular among atheists and skeptics to bring into question the very existence of Jesus. Can we really be confident that there actually was a historical person in the 1st century that corresponds to the character Christians claim as their forgiver and leader? Or is Jesus just another legend that developed over time without any real basis in reality?

The Answer
Before we begin to provide evidence of Jesus as a historical figure, we should stop and ask ourselves what kinds and what degrees of evidence we should expect to find for a 1st century character like Jesus.

It would be easy to over-estimate Jesus’ fame amongst his contemporaries. In fact, his public ministry lasted less than 4 years. During this time, his travels only extended about 120 miles north to south and about 30 miles east to west. There were no TV interviews, podcasts to download from the internet, and he never self-published a book.

In a sense, then, we should be quite surprised to find any evidence of a 1st century Jewish teacher who died in the beginning years of his ministry. But in another sense, if Jesus really was God in the flesh, did miracles, and rose from the dead, one would think he would leave behind a historical trail!
Indeed, Jesus left a large literary legacy. The problem is that most atheists and skeptics deny that the bulk of these documents are admissible as evidence on the grounds that they were written by believers (for example, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John).

But we should question this automatic dismissal of the Gospels. Indeed, believers wrote them, but these believers were also Jesus’ contemporaries and, in many cases, eyewitnesses to the events of his ministry. Very few ancient figures have as much written of them by contemporaries as Jesus.

Even if we dismiss the Gospel records, though, we are not left without evidence of Jesus’ existence. As a matter of fact, we have confirmation of Jesus’ life from 2 major Roman historians (Tacitus and Suetonius) and 1 major Jewish historian (Josephus) from the late 1st century.

Truth be told, even if we only accepted antagonistic sources like those mentioned above, we would still know the following pieces of information about Jesus:

1) Jesus was a 1st century figure
2) Jesus taught in Palestine
3) He performed extraordinary works
4) He was sentenced to death
5) Some claimed he rose from the dead

Thus, when we speak of Jesus as a historical figure, we are on solid ground. To question his existence is valid, but the investigation yields clear results. His historicity is beyond reasonable doubt.

Why are there so many denominations?

Why are there so many denominations?

The Question
Christians claim love and unity. But when we look around town, we see all sorts of churches divided from one another. If Christians can’t even get along with each other, why should one be interested in what they have to say about love and unity, let alone God?

The Answer
We have neither the space nor the brainpower to give justice to a complete answer for this question, but there are a few important realities to keep in mind.

First, we have to make sure that we aren’t seeing division where there is really only the appearance of division. Just because there are distinct pieces of property in a geographical area doesn’t mean the Christians in those locations are necessarily divided from each other.
Many churches have good relationships with other local churches in their neighborhood. In such cases, the appearance of division due to separate locations is simply deceiving.

But let’s be honest, a lot of the apparent division between supposedly Christian churches is more than superficial. Many people have visited a church only to hear negative comments about the church down the street or across town. It’s a real problem.

In short, it’s a people problem. Some pastors have joked that leading a church would be great if it weren’t for the people! The truth behind the joke is that a church is, among other things, a group of flawed human beings.

One specific problem is the abundance of nominal (in name only) Christians in churches. A true Christian is someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ (who did indeed call His people to love & unity). But it is easy for individuals or entire groups to label themselves as Christians and yet not really be followers of Christ. Such people might bring division and give Christianity a bad reputation. They often do.

A second explanation has to do with the fact that even genuine Christians sometimes sin and bring division. This is what Paul was addressing in 1 Corinthians 1:11-13. The people of the church were quarreling and aligning themselves with different church leaders (like Paul, Apollos or Peter). Paul’s response was to remind them that they were all to be followers of Christ.

Christianity today struggles with something similar to the Corinthian context. There are people who are more aligned with men like Luther, Calvin or Wesley than they are with Christ. I find it very hard to see a significant difference between the two situations. It was a shame then and it is a shame today.

In sum, then, the answer to the question is quite complex. In most ways, it is a downright shame that Christianity is so marked by visible division. Even if the problem of nominal Christianity went away, genuine Christians must learn to better maintain unity in the face of genuine differences over disputable matters. Christians agree on the basic points of belief and this should provoke a spirit of unity.

As hard as it may be, you shouldn’t let people who are just pretending to be Christians determine your thoughts about genuine Christianity. And, even though it may be even harder, you shouldn’t let the inconsistent behavior of some Christians influence your thoughts about what Christ is really like.

The church, as we see it, is collection of people who call themselves followers of Christ. In many ways, it is a broken institution just like most/all other institutions in this world. But within that institution, there are many authentic followers of Jesus who are truly interested in His kind of love and His kind of unity.

Maybe you can be part of the answer to this important question!

If they find life on other planets, is Christianity proven false?

If they find life on other planets, is Christianity proven false?

The Question
Most atheists believe in aliens and it is quite consistent for them to believe in this way. Atheists generally believe that, if the conditions are right, life can emerge from non-life without the aid of a divine being. Add to this the enormous size of the universe and, from their perspective, there must be E.T. life somewhere(s) beyond our present day vision.

If we are alone it would be very difficult for atheists to explain why that is. But is the reverse true? If we do find life on other planets, would that be hard for Christians to handle?

The Answer
Those atheists who think the discovery of life on other planets would somehow disprove Christianity (or religion in general) have always perplexed thoughtful theologians. Neither the lack of life nor the abundance of life would be a shock to the Christian worldview. Let me explain.

Suppose we never discover life on other planets (or somehow proved that it didn’t exist). This shouldn’t surprise Christians since we do believe that the creation of life requires a divine source. Since we aren’t told that God created life on other planets, it is quite possible (maybe even probable) that it doesn’t exist.

On the other hand, the Bible doesn’t tell us everything that God has ever done. It is written to the people of earth. Since we know God was fond of the idea of creating various forms of life on this planet, it wouldn’t shock us at all if God has also created life across the universe.

Thus, both possibilities seem to fit within the Christian worldview. And it seems that both possibilities are fascinating.

Did God show favoritism by choosing Israel?

Did God show favoritism by choosing Israel?

The Question
The Bible says that God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11), but this seems to contradict the fact that God specifically made a covenant with the people of Israel in the Old Testament. As a British journalist once wrote: How odd of God to choose the Jews. Is this an inconsistency?

The Answer
Most everyone who thinks God’s fairness is brought into question by the covenant made with Israel fails to understand two realities: 1) The purpose of the covenant
2) The definition of true Israel

The purpose of God’s covenant with Israel was never to heap blessings on them alone. God said to Abraham, I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:2-3). Israel was chosen for the purpose of reaching the whole world with the good news of God’s love.

By Jesus’ day, many of the Jewish authorities had forgotten this commission to be an access point between God and humanity. Rather, they viewed their selection as a mark of superiority or special privilege. Christians often make this same mistake in regard to their calling, but this mindset was never God’s intention.
Furthermore, it is important to understand God’s definition of what makes someone a true Israelite. Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel, was not chosen on the basis of blood or culture. He was chosen on the basis of faith (Romans 4:3). What makes someone a true descendant of Abraham is not that they have the same DNA as Abraham, but that they have the same faith!

One day Jesus was speaking to physical descendants of Abraham who thought they were part of the covenant on the basis of shared blood and culture. Jesus recognized that they were Israelites in the natural sense (John 8:37), but then questioned whether or not they were Israelites in the spiritual sense (John 8:39). By the end of the conversation, Jesus declared that their true father was actually Satan (John 8:44)!

Paul, too, recognized that some Israelites were only Jewish in the flesh (Romans 2:28, 9:6), but that it was much more important to be a Jew by the Spirit (Romans 2:29). If we have faith, we are truly Abraham’s children (Romans 4:16). It doesn’t matter if we are Jews or Gentiles, if we have faith in Jesus Christ, we are heirs to the promises (Galatians 3:26-29).

When Peter came to know these truths, he was able to say: I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right (Acts 10:34-35).

Who Made God?

Who made God?

The Question
Most people take it for granted that everything has a cause. If the kitchen stinks, it may be because someone left leftovers on the counter or forgot to take out the trash. But we all agree that there is a reason why the kitchen stinks!

Christians often point out that creation also has a cause. Creation exists because a Creator created it. If you were to find a working watch in the middle of the desert, you would never claim that the wind and the sand just happened to put it together. You’d reason, rightly, that someone had made the watch. The world is much more complex than a watch and so it is reasonable to think that someone made the world as well. This evidence for God is sometimes called the design argument.

But a skeptic might respond, “If the design of a complex creation makes you think there is a designer, then who made God? After all, surely a being like God is more complex than a watch or even a world!” In fact, this is the very argument made by one of the world’s most famous atheists in his best selling book The God Delusion.

But it is also a question asked out loud by little children and, we suspect, pondered by thoughtful adults. Who made God? How is it possible that God has simply always been?

The Answer
If you’re looking for a short answer to the first question (who made God?) then the answer is nobody. God is, by definition, the un-made Maker, the un-caused Cause, the un-created Creator.

But how can this be? How could someone so complex simply exist? The first question is answered by the doctrine of God. The second question wants to know the details.

The important detail here is the wording of the problem. It is not technically true that everything has a cause. Scientifically, we can only insist that everything that has a beginning has a cause. Big difference!

There is plenty of evidence that the universe had a beginning (even most atheists will now grant this point). So what do they think caused the universe? Most would suggest something called Big Bang Theory. But who/what caused the big bang?

It becomes obvious that something had to exist originally without a cause. Christians call this something a Someone: God. God is someone who had no beginning and, therefore, needs no cause. God is eternal. Granted, God’s eternal existence is hard to fathom, but that shouldn’t be surprising. After all, God is awesome!

To our minds, it makes a lot more sense to believe in an eternal God than to believe in eternal matter. What do you think?

From Sinners to Saints (4:17-5:20)

Questions to Consider

1. Are these 6 sins present in our world today?

Sexual Impurity 19, 3, 5
Lying/Falsehood 25
Anger 26, 31
Stealing 28
Coarse Joking 29, 4
Drunkenness 5:18

2. Are these 6 fruits present in the church today?

Holiness 24
Truthfulness 25
Kindness 32
Hard-Work/Charity 28
Edifying-Talk/Thanksgiving 29, 5:4, 19-20
Spirit-filled-ness 5:18

3. How clear is the contrast b/w the world & church?
- Are the 6 sins present in the church?
- Are the 6 fruits present in the world?
- A lot of this depends on one's definition of 'church'
- In my opinion, the church is watered down and the church is flavored up since the 1st century (b/c of disobedience to Christ and the influence of Christ respectively)

4. Is the contrast recommended or commanded?
- Commanded (insist, must, do not, get rid of all, not a hint, nothing to do with, be very careful)

5. Why MUST we live in a counter-cultural way?

We know better (4:20)
It’s what we were designed for (4:24)
We’re part of a team (4:25)
The devil wins if we don’t (4:27) a battle, not a war
Failure grieves the Spirit (4:30) you're a marked man
It’s what God does (4:32, 5:1-2)
It’s fitting for God’s people (5:3)
We’ll miss the kingdom otherwise (5:5-6)

Unity & Diversity (4:1-16)

Questions to Consider

1. Ephesians, like many of Paul’s Epistles, divides into two sections (theological and practical). Why does Paul write in this way? What purpose does each section serve?
- Generally, good behavior springs from right belief
- Theology provides the big picture
- Practical teaching provides the step by step instruction ("walk" better picture than "live")

2. What is meant by the term “calling”? What calling had they received? What calling have we received?
- Individual call? No
- Called by name of Father or Christ? No
- Called from future hope, by God in eternity? Yes, I think so (kingdom people)

3. What traits does Paul command them to have? Are these traits natural to humanity?
- Humility, Gentleness, Patience, Bearing one another in love
- These traits were contrary to the 1st century image of the ideal man

4. Is unity easy to accomplish in the church? Why?
- No, it takes great effort
- We tend to focus on the differences
- We should focus on the similarities

5. What is the meaning of the Old Testament quotation in verse 8?
- Very challenging quote of Psalm 68:18 (Paul makes alterations)

6. Why is the punctuation important in verse 12?
- Fatal comma (KJV) allowed some to think ministers alone do the work of ministry (and that only paid ministers are ministers!)

7. Should the church believe in evolution? By what means does/will it evolve?
- Evolution simply means change. The church MUST always be changing/growing in Christ-likeness.

8. What’s the risk in not balancing truth & love? Who do you know that balances these 2 things well?

The Mystery Revealed (3:1-21)

This is a long parenthesis to end the theological section and is followed by a prayer before continues his thought in 4:1.

Questions to Consider

1. Why was this mystery kept secret in ages past?
- Humanity not ready? Tried but not received? Momentum of love?

2. Does Paul genuinely think of himself as the least of all God’s people?
49 Apostle (Gal. 1:1)
55 Least of Apostles (1 Cor. 15:9)
60 Least of God's people (Eph. 3:8)
64 Chief of Sinners (1 Tim 1:15)

3. When was this revelation given to Paul? Why is Paul so significant if it was given to others too?
- Soon after Damascus probably
- He was a Jew schooled in Greek thought and philosophy

4. What is the mystery? Is it all that mysterious?
- Gentiles are welcome in
- See 1 Peter 1:10-12, Romans 16:25, Col. 1:26, 1 Cor. 2:6-10

5. How does the mystery reveal the wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms? Who are they?
- Even angels didn't get it (1 Peter 1:12)
- This was the eternal purpose

6. What does the mystery have to do with freedom and confidence in approaching God?
- Breaks down dividing walls b/w people (Jew & Gentile) and their relationship with God

7. How does the importance of Paul’s message change his thoughts about suffering?
- It was worth it

From Strangers to Citizens (2:11-22)

It seems to me that Paul, here, is assuming that his readers understand the floor-plan of the Jewish Temple. There were Gentile Courts, Jewish Courts & the Holy of Holies. He makes the case, in this section, that the wall b/w the Gentile and Jewish courts has been destroyed and that all people are now equal. Furthermore, the wall between all people and the holy of holies is gone so that all people have access to God's presence.

1. What was our former state and why does Paul insist that we ‘remember’ it?

Separate/Far-Away (12-13) --> Connected/Near (13)
Excluded (12) --> Included (13)
Foreigners/Aliens (12, 19) --> Citizens/Members (19)
Without Hope/God (12) --> Built/Access (18, 22)

2. By what means do people move from the left to the right (on the lists above)? How does this work? (13)
- Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law (breaking wall b/w Gentiles and Jews)
- Jesus fulfilled the moral law (breaking wall b/w people and God)

3. Why was there so much friction b/w Gentiles and Jews? How does the cross resolve this conflict? (11, 14-18)
- Eliminates ceremonial law (Sabbath, Kosher, Circumcision, etc)

4. In what sense did Jesus abolish the law? (15)
- Ceremonial is completed, gone
- Moral is fulfilled, perfected (not removed)

5. Do you see the Trinity in this passage? (18)
By Spirit, through Son, to Father

6. Why so many metaphors?
New Man (15)
Body (16)
Household (19)
Citizens (19)
Building (20)
Temple (21-22)

7. Why are the Apostles/Prophets foundational? (20)