WhyIBelieve.org

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

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 2

The Top Ten Questions of the Christian Faith Answered

Good Enough – Can’t I make it to Heaven if I’m ‘good enough’?10

The Trinity – Isn’t it a contradiction and a ‘made up’ doctrine?9

Crutch – Isn’t Christianity a crutch for weak minded people?8

Miracles – How can educated people believe in miracles?7

Exclusivity – Aren’t Christians intolerant for claiming that Jesus is ‘the only way’?6

Hell – How could a loving God send people to Hell for eternity?5

Biblical Contradictions – Don’t they make the Bible invalid?4

Heathen – Are those who have never heard the Gospel lost forever?3

God – Where did God come from?2

Evil – How can an all-powerful and all-good God allow evil and suffering?1

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 3

#10 – Can’t I Make It To Heaven if I’m ‘Good Enough’?

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

“To Make It To Heaven, All I Have To Do Is “Be Good”

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 4

#9 – Isn’t the ‘Trinity’ a Contradiction, and a ‘Made Up’ Doctrine?

Page 4

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)

“After all, the word ‘Trinity’ isn’t even found in the Bible!”

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 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!

“We have this hope as an anchor to the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews

6:19

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’?

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?

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 6

#7 – How Can Educated People Believe in Miracles?

Since He created Nature, He can do anything within

it that He pleases! The question becomes ‘why

would He’?.

If God exists, then by definition He is Supernatural, meaning ‘outside of nature’

God’s activities in the Bible had to do with

some sort of Revelation to His people…

Notwithstanding the claims of Miracles today

‘Extraordinary’ or ‘Repeatable’ Evidence is by definition not required.

Natural Law vs. “God of the Gaps” vs. Predictions

Isn’t This Really Just a Question of the Nature of God?

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”

John 1:14a

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 7

#6 – Isn’t Christianity Intolerant for Claiming to be the ‘Only Way’ to God?

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”

“I am the way, the Truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 8

#5 – How Can a ‘Loving’ God Send Someone to Hell for Eternity??

What is Hell Anyway?

Torture? Physical / Spiritual?

Purpose Wasted…

Who Decides Who Goes There?

“God is Love” vs. Holy Wrath God’s Nature Demands Perfection

The Greatest Violation…A Choice… “Thy Will Be Done…”

'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

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 9

#4 – Isn’t the Bible Full of Contradictions, So Therefore it is Not Reliable?

A Difficulty is NOT Necessarily a Contradiction…

“At dinner last night I sat next to Uncle Joe…”

Are there four different Gospel accounts?

Writers Perspective

“Go jump in a lake!” Did Jesus rise on the 2nd

or the 3rd Day (Friday to Sunday?)

Cultural UnderstandingsInterpretation Difficulties

“You cannot legislate morality.”

Are there 2 different creation stories?? (Gen 1:1-2:3 vs 2:4-9)?

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…

Everybody in our culture knows what I

mean when I say that! You just need to

understand our culture a little better!

Separate, but equally legitimate meanings

(e.g. a double meaning?)

1) Don’t force your morals on me!

2) You cannot force people to be moral!

1) Account of all creation

2) Focused discussion about the creation / worth of mankind

Matt: Jews, emphasize OTMark: Miraculous deedsLuke: Care and concernJohn: Jesus’ deity

Everybody in ancient Jewish Culture knows I

meant 1-Friday, 2-Saturday, 3-Sunday!

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 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

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 11

#2 – Where Did God Come From? aka: Who/What Created God?

Observe Nature

We see that everything that has been created has a beginning/cause

This is a question about the Nature of God…

Supernatural Prime Mover

So…Something, outside of nature, had to start it all off

“I am who I am”

Exodus 3:14b

So – asking for the cause / beginning of an “uncaused

cause” is a category mistake

Impossible Infinite

Regress

But if we look back in time we see an infinite regress, which is impossible

God is an “Uncaused

Cause”

Since this cause is outside of nature, it does not necessarily require a beginning

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 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?

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 13

#1 – The Problem of Evil

Theodicy: “God Justified”

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’?

Considerations Regarding Evil

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?

The Logical Problem of Evil Solved

Alvin Plantinga

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 14

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?

#1 – The Problem of Evil

Moral Evil: That which Man does to 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

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 15

#1 – The Problem of Evil

Natural Evil: That Which Happens to Us Within Creation

...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

Fire, Earthquakes, Tornados, even Death

Examples

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

Why Does It Happen?

Fire, Hot/Cold, Plate Techtonics, etc etc etc

Consistent Laws of Nature

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 16

#1 – The Problem of Evil

Existential Evil: Living with Personal Suffering

Displays our Faith in Action

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!

But It Happened to Me!

Someone suffering needs comfort, not philosphy

It WILL Happen to YOU! Get ready for the storm BEFORE it happens

Two Important Facts

“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

WhyIBelieve.org

Page 17

#1 – The Problem of Evil

Christianity is UNIQUE

"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

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)