Rational
Biblical (yes the twain do meet) answers to Frequently Asked Questions
that people ask about God.
Aren't Christians
narrow-minded to believe in God over human reasoning?
Being a Christian is just another
religion, isn't it? How do you know that you have the right religion?
Can God make a rock so big He can't lift
it? Or if God is all-loving, why can't He save everyone from Hell?
How can a loving God allow so
much suffering in the world?
How can anyone have a
"relationship" with Christ if he's dead and I haven't seen God lately?
How do you know all of this stuff?
I don't believe in God or hell. What is
the point?
I go to Church and I believe in God, what's
so different about you and your Church?
I (or someone I know) saw an angel (or
Mary, or God) in a vision that told me I am going to heaven (or
something like that), why should I let you make me doubt it?
I went to a church and they said that the
only way I could go to heaven is if God chose me, what does that mean?
Isn't following Christ and the
Bible just another opinion on what is right, and isn't any opinion good
and right?
Isn't religion for the weak minded?
What about the Da Vinci Code?
What gives you the authority to
answer these questions?
What's up with all the different
"versions" of the Bible?
Why are you a Christian?
Why aren't the books of the Apocrypha
in all Bibles?
Why should I become a Christian and
lose my individuality, don't we need diversity?
Why would I want to be a crazy Bible
nut like you, or Ned Flanders?
Your ideas on God offend me, what's
your problem?
The Bible's answers make some
sense, so how would I become a Christian?
Note: If you don't have a Bible, you can look up the verses on
biblegateway.com
if you want to.
Aren't
Christians narrow-minded to believe in God over human reasoning?
I
think it should be obvious to someone who doesn't let their personal
feelings get in the way that it is more narrow-minded to only believe
in what you can see/prove through direct evidence.
Actually, historical and logical arguments have proven to me beyond a
shadow of a doubt that: There are spirits; Yahweh is the creator
spirit; he is worthy of being followed; Jesus is the only "begotten"
son/incarnation of Yahweh; Yahweh has the judicial right to pay for our
sins and accepting that payment in humility is the only just (and
happens to be the only) way to avoid his punishment; Yahweh remains
justified and good in creating humans knowing humans would fall,
because sharing his fellowship creates the best universe (greatest
good).
Being
a Christian is just another religion, isn't it? How do you know that
you have the right religion?
Christianity
isn't just another man-made religion. The Bible gave prophecies of
Christ, and revealed who He was, as part of God, before He became a
man. The whole Bible is a revelation of God as we can understand Him.
Like us He is like our soul, body, and spirit ("trichotomy" view, not
all scholars believe that ), except we are just a pattern after his
3-part nature: God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit
(Matthew 28:19). Many "new-age" or ancient religions have a
triple-goddess or other type of similar god, but this doesn't mean
Christianity copied off of it. It means that the people who made up
these religions have an innate knowledge of the one true God (who is a
"Trinity" as Christians put it) and tried to worship "the gods" in
their own way. This innate knowledge factor may influence some other
religious philosophies too. I remind you that during this time (ancient
times of man) the Lord was at work and in fellowship with people of my
same faith (although not "Christianity" as I know it, since the
Messiah, the Lord in the flesh, hadn't come yet) revealing Himself as
His Word was being written.
(the
word "Him" is capitalized for clarity so you know I'm talking about
God, not that God is male or female as we know it.)
Can
God create a rock so big He can't lift it? Or if God is all-loving, why
can't He save everyone from Hell?
These
questions have been used to say that God isn't all-powerful (or isn't
all-loving). Here is my mathematical answer:
This explanation is more of a joke than anything else. The answer to
this question should be: Don't ask pointless questions that don't have
a real answer. God doesn't fit into your "box" of thinking, but if you
give Him the benefit of the doubt He will prove Himself to you to be
all-loving and all-powerful. If you're still thinking that God is a
maniacal tyrant. Something to think about: perhaps the real question
you need to ask is, "Why would I throw myself into hell to prove that
I'm nicer than God?". Or have you considered the possibity that
experiencing hell in a non-linear form of existence would not be
eternal in "time" but eternal in magnitude? You would basically be
insane after a time anyway since the soul is destroyed (Jesus says, "And fear
not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but
rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Matthew 10:28) also, have you considered the possibility
that you as a human being have no idea what you're talking about when
it comes to justice from an eternal and humanity-encompassing
perspective? Or that you possibly have other emotional problems tied to
the issue of God and are not being fair with the facts? I hope you will
give this more thought, since this is the main issue that prideful
intellectuals have, that's all.
How
can a loving God allow so much suffering in the world?
That's
like saying, "how can a really good auto-mechanic allow a customer's
car to crash?"...Even the perfect parents can have a child that chooses
to rebel. You see, God made us with a choice even though we are made in
his image (Genesis 1:27), and as the human race we chose to be sinful.
You say, "but I'm not all that bad, and I still suffer!" Come on now,
everybody has done something wrong, like hated someone or stared in
lust or something. We are all in this together. Because we made the
wrong choices, we suffer the results of our sin, and everyone else's
sin all at the same time. But God loves us and gives us a way out if
you seek Him. This is something you have to leave up to God, and if you
come into a relationship with him you can realize that you don't need
to judge him and that what happens on earth is for the maximum benefit
of people coming into a relationship with him (the most people ending
up in heaven as is justly possible).
How can anyone
have a "relationship" with Christ if he's dead and I haven't seen God
lately?
I
believe that Christ is literally alive and that the spiritual realm is
just as real as the physical. What about Science? Well, science
actually proves that there are other dimensions. We don't know what
that means yet, but it could very well be what we've called "spirit".
So God is a Spirit, one with Christ, and can influence the world and
minds. Also, when I pray it is talking to God, and when I read the
Bible it is as though he talks back. I often see things as blatantly
obvious that people who don't love God can't see
through years of study. This confirms to me through experience that God
speaks to those who are his. There is continuity and incomprehensible
depth to the Bible, which is in itself amazing considering that over 40
authors over 1000 years wrote it.
How
do you know all of this stuff?
Attending
a Christian high school in itself honestly doesn't teach much usually,
unless you have good role models who know something more than wrote
knowledge. I have spent a long time studying religion in ways such as:
reading the whole Bible, observing non-Christian religious teaching
videos, articles, and quotes from religious texts, and searching
religious texts for particular topics. I have spent time studying
philosophy (i.e. Honors Philosophy at college). I spent 2 years at
Philadelphia Biblical University. I left because I wasn't doing well
with a double major in Application Development and Bible, and also
because I didn't want to over-intellectualize things to the point where
my mind would outgrow my heart (that is far to common among students).
Unlike most students however, I have continued my studies beyond what
my professors told me to think. I do all this because I believe it is
the most important thing in life; because what I know about the Bible
and what I tell people can determine their destiny; and because the
Bible says to study to do the work of Jesus. Doing the "work of Jesus"
is not "doing the work for
God" like most world religions do. It is living life with the Holy
Spirit and trying to discern what all the voices in our world come
from--from the spirit of Jesus or from the spirit of Antichrist. As
Solomon said 3000 years ago, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." (Proverbs
4:7). Be sure to question what I say but not by parroting the rhetoric
of your anti-religious high school teachers and college professors. I
hope that both we and they can discuss the real issues and not let
bitterness and dispair cloud our interpretations of reality and the
personal nature of God.
I
don't believe in God or hell. What is the point?
Many
people say they don't believe in God because they are actually just
angry at Him about something. That may or may not be you. In any case,
if you don't believe in God, consider this paraphrase of Pascal's
wager: If God doesn't exist you have nothing to lose by seeking Him,
but if God does exist, then you have everything to lose by not seeking
Him. The wager isn't the end of all questions, but it is enough to
point out the importance of looking into the matter, isn't it?
I
go to Church and I believe in God, what's so different about you and
your Church?
My
church believes the Bible and teaches it literally and not as a
storybook, that's what makes it different. Also, we don't just preach a
feel-good message or a life of rules--we teach having a relationship
with Christ. The best Churches that preach the Bible are Calvary
Church, Nazarene, Community Churches, Chapels, Worship Centers, and all
that other stuff, as long as they are a Bible-believing Church that
preaches the Gospel and not just a bunch of positive-thinking goop or "other new inspired revelations" of
God, or that you must do good to become better (the Bible's message
works (it is is the Spirit of Jesus working) from the inside out, which
is opposite of man-made religion).
I
(or someone I know of) saw an angel (or Mary, or God) in a vision that
told me I am going to heaven or other good news (or something like
that), why should I let you make me doubt it?
I have
to say that the Bible (Genesis-Revelation) is the only source we have
for the gospel (the good news and God's message) at this time:
Galatians 1:8 (This is Paul the apostle writing) "But though we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we
have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (King
James Version) So you should never trust a source that God
hasn't approved, or you can be sure that it is not from Him. You
shouldn't assume it is true (even if it seems miraculous) if does not
match the rest of what God said (otherwise, how can you know that even
if it is a real that the spirit is trustworthy?).
I
went to a church and they said that the only way I could go to heaven
is if God chose me, what does that mean?
First of all, if they worded it that way, they
might be proclaiming their opinions as fact. It is based on John
Calvin's view of irresistible grace--they say that God chooses who goes
to heaven and who goes to hell, but this is only true in the sense that
"God gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) So though God may choose
whoever he wants to do a certain task on earth, He chooses who goes to
heaven or hell based on who humbly comes to Him and puts their faith in
Jesus Christ for forgiveness.
Isn't following Christ and the Bible just another
opinion on what is right, and isn't any opinion good and right?
If I
say the sky on a clear day over New York City is what we Americans call
"sky blue," and you say it's fluorescent green, is any point of view
right? Some things are the way they are, and what a person decides to
believe won't change the way things are... many people are in denial
about absolutes.
Isn't
religion for the weak-minded?
"Jesse
the Body" of the World Wrestling Federation said, "Religion is for the
weak-minded." Jesse the Body is a pretty cool guy from what I hear, but
this statement isn't very accurate. Some of the world's wisest people
are Christians. I know Christians who practice anything from
landscaping to aids research, and they do a better job at whatever they
do (when they are obeying the Bible to do their best for God's glory)
than many people I know of. Besides my personal experience, many of our
great poets and artists of the past and present are Christians, not to
mention Solomon, who is considered the wisest man who ever lived--he
wrote Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes, all books in the
Bible. "But," the real issue here is, "God chose the foolish things of
the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to
shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27 KJV)
What
about the Da Vinci Code?
Don't
even get me started. I have studied certain passages from the book but
not read all of it. It is a fiction book that sounds really convincing
and uses half truths to make people believe a fantasy, and some people
actually think it is real, which is sad. "Cracking the Da Vinci Code"
might be a good book to help you separate fact from fiction. Feel free
to contact me for any
questions.
What
gives you the authority to answer these questions?
I
don't claim to have any special authority, these ideas aren't new. What
this page does is use the Bible to explain
historical issues and other questions.
What's
up with all the different "versions" of the Bible?
The
Bible wasn't written in English or a modern spoken language, so there
are some different interpretations. Don't go thinking that the Bible
has radically changed since the original writings, or that many of the
Bibles out must be really messed up since they use different wording.
The original text which we have copies of, including the Dead Sea
Scrolls discovered this century (which were copies of the Old Testament
made before Christ came) only vary by less than 1%, and they don't vary
in any doctrine (even in that, it is more true that we have 101% of the
Bible than 99%). As for the Masoretic text (the traditional Hebrew Old
Testament preserved by Jewish tradition), it is an exact match to the
Dead Sea Scrolls save for spelling--this is proof that the Old
Testament has not been tampered with in the last 2000 years. Some of
the more accurate translations are the New Century Version, King James
Version (KJV), NKJV, New American Standard Bible, New Living
Translation and some others. Many people believe that the King James
Authorized Version is the only good translation because they believe
that it used some earlier better texts. However, that isn't accurate
since there have been older texts discovered since that translation was
made. This issue obviously isn't something that should divide
Christians, although it sometimes does (watch out, some people really
get crazy about that issue, I would just leave it alone). Just so I
don't make an issue of it, I am using the New Century Version right
now, because it captures the message of the original languages (instead
of awkwardly trying to translate word-for-word like older translations
such as KJV and NASB, which are helpful in confusing passages like
Romans 7, Matthew 16 where in the original languages sin is identified
as being in the flesh not the born-again spirit).
Why
are you a Christian?
I came
via the fedeism method. I believed the pulpit-pounding preacher when I
was young. But really, the reason I chose later on to make sure this
was for real and that I wanted to follow it was experience. I had a
hunger inside. I tried to fill it with knowledge and
learning...and...it worked; but knowledge can only take you to the
bridge not cause you to walk over. Then I tried to fill it with human
love...and...it worked, even with all the rejection, it somehow worked.
But then when I became more sure that the Spirit of Jesus was really
truly a being within reach and that he wanted to be my friend, I
realized I was depriving my maker of his right to be my friend. That
worked too...but now I began to heal inside, and I wasn't depriving
Jesus of his right.
Why
aren't the books of the Apocrypha in all Bibles?
The
Apocrypha is a collection of Jewish history that is not revelation from
God. The books of the Apocrypha aren't in the Jewish Old Testament, the
Scriptures of the early Church, or most modern Bibles other than the
Roman Catholic Bible, although the Roman Catholic Church uses those
books for some of their church doctrine. They added the Apocrypha to
their official Bible at the Council of Trent around 1500 A.D. when they
had started the Indulgences (pay for sins with money). Since then they
have ended the Indulgences but kept the Apocrypha, which they believe
supports their pre-existing doctrines of prayers for the dead,
purgatory, celebacy, and giving alms to get to heaven. Even these
interpretations are a stretch, and don't necessarily even actually
exist in the passages they cite. I don't know whether all of these
doctrines still exist in the Roman Catholic Church, or which ones the
Apocrypha supports if any.
Why
should I become a Christian and lose my individuality, don't we need
diversity?
I am a
Christian and I am the same person I was before, except that I am not a
slave to doing what I feel like doing when it is the wrong or hateful
thing. There is plenty of diversity within the body of Christ, and even
if everyone in the world followed the Lord, our world would function
fine... In fact better, because people would love each other instead of
being greedy just to get above everyone else. This is not because you
magically change into a completely new person as
soon as you turn from your sin and are "born again" (John 3), it means
that with effort and only with the help of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13,
Ephesians 1:13), after you are "born of the spirit," you can be what
God made you to be in whatever area of life you are in because you are
no longer spiritually dead in sin. (see John 3:5, it might seem a
difficult but it's pretty simple.)
Why
would I want to be a crazy Bible nut like you, or Ned Flanders?
Sorry,
I'm not a crazy Bible nut like Ned Flanders, who is just a funny
cartoon character who even I make fun of... (see www.fox.com/thesimpsons/).
I just follow the Bible and read as much as I can, so I can serve God
better in my life. In fact I don't know every verse in the Bible, and
most of the verses here I had to look up on bible.gospelcom.net to find
the verse I was thinking of, although I wish I did know them better.
Your
ideas on God offend me, what's your problem?
First
of all, their not just my ideas. Second of all, the truth always
offends when you're not with it. Like if someone says my pants aren't
socially acceptable, I don't just say "well you're a jerk," ...I change
my pants so I don't look stupid, although in that kind of thing I might
wear them anyway because I don't care... but anyway the point is that
if this offends you, all I have said here is reflecting the Bible's
message so if you reject it, you are rejecting God, not me. (see 1
Thessalonians 4:8 ...weird name for a book huh? It was written to the
church at Thessalonica in Greece)
How
would I become a Christian?
Noone
makes you a Christian, it is between you and God. Below explains from
the Bible how God insists is the only way we can come into a right
relationship with him, us being imperfect and him being perfect.
To get
anywhere, you have to trust that the Bible is God's book. The Bible was
written over a period of about 1,600 years by 36 to 40 different people
who God chose. Even Jesus said "...the word which you hear is not Mine
but the Father's [God's] who sent Me."(John 14:24) Because I have
forgiveness from God, I know for sure that I am on my way to heaven and
you can know for sure too if you are right with God. That is why these
verses are in God's word:
Romans 3:10 "As it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one:"
3:23 "For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God;"
5:8 "But God commendeth [or
demonstrates] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us."
6:23 "For the wages of sin is
death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord."
Without
God's forgiveness every person deserves death -- and the second death
which is hell (Revelation 21:8).
10:9 to 13 "...if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference
between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto
all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved."
Jesus,
To summarize: God's son, came to die in our place as a sacrifice for our sin, and he
rose again conquering death. If you believe on Him and ask him to
forgive you of your sin he will forgive you and you will know for sure
that you are saved from the punishment of sin, which is death and hell.
Religion doesn't save you, God does.
This is the truth of the Bible,
and this is God's way for you to be saved, from the punishment we all
deserve.
If you would like to know more or have another
question, please ask below.
If you don't have a Bible, you can visit BibleGateway
and type "Romans" or another book to see the rest of
the book of the Bible I referred to.
You can also type any other references
(like "Revelation 21:8","John 3:16") to see the verse.
Contact
(KJV
translation was used in preceding quotes)