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In the video below, Ray Comfort from the Way of the Master has a conversation with eighteen-year-old Josh. Josh makes a few statements which show the general misunderstanding that today’s young people have about Christianity and truth. Notice a few key misunderstandings Josh mentions:
1. One can “try God”
Josh seems to think you can try a religion in the same way you try on a new outfit. I’m sure he took it a little more seriously than that, but here’s the point: he “came to Jesus” for a therapeutic reason, not to be rescued from the depths of his sin. Josh said he accepted Christ and was baptized shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But then he fell away because he didn’t “feel anything.” Matthew 10:22 reads: “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” This is Jesus speaking. Jesus NEVER suggested to anyone to “give Him a try.” Instead, He firmly stated that there is only one cure for what ails mankind (sin), and that is repentance and forgiveness through an exclusive relationship with Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate. Either Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, once and for all, or He is not. This not a subjective (relative) truth, it’s objective. (Fodder for another post)
2. The way to be accepted by God is to “be as good as you can be”
When Ray pressed Josh on what it means to “be as good as you can be” and how do you know if you are, Josh did not have an answer. This is a common misconception about Christianity, again rooted in relativism. Jesus never called people to be “as good as they can be” so that He will accept them in the end. Jesus told people to do good works while on this earth, but as a result of our relationship with Him, not as a way to earn favor with God. The author of Hebrews wrote that ” by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Heb. 10:14, NIV) Perfection is for heaven; striving for holiness is an evidence of faith in trust in Jesus, not a work performed in hopes of earning a pass through the Pearly Gates.
3. I can come to God on my own terms
No, you can’t. This is another common misconception. When asked by Ray when he will finally repent of his sins and trust in Jesus, Josh said “when I’m hurting the most.” I completely understand that people reach out to God in their most desperate time of need. The Prodigal Son did so. I did as well. Those desperate times have a way of opening our spiritual eyes and ears to that we can see and hear from God and respond to Him. Revelation 3:20 states, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (NIV) None of us asked God to knock on the door of our heart. Each person has rejected Him (Rom. 3:23). Therefore it’s only on His terms that we can return to Him. God is the instigator; without His willingness to rescue sinful people from certain death, we would have no hope. But we can have fellowship with God again (i.e. eat with Him) when we set our sinful ways aside and trust in God’s ways, which have been clearly revealed in His Word-Jesus and the Bible.
Below is a link to my review of Ravi Zacharias’ book Jesus Among Other Gods. It’s an impressive treatment of the exclusive claims of Jesus that He is the One and Only True God. This is an assertion that gets people riled up on face value alone. But don’t let your presuppositions stop you from exploring the issue. Because of his unique background, Zacharias is able to give a fair and thorough treatment of the question.
My review is found here: Jesus Among Other Gods review
You can see the Amazon reviews here: Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message
Below is a link to an article I wrote about the problem of evil. Many people have concerns about how to harmonize the existence of God with the existence of evil. This article, admittedly philosophical in nature, may help get you started if you would like more study on this important issue.
Question: based on the article, how might you approach a conversation with a non-theist on this issue?
The following is a guest post by Rev. Patrick Lengel:
The other day I had the opportunity to sit down with a couple Jehovah’s Witnesses. I love blasting their ideas out of the water and winning the argument. I often times approach these discussions with the proverbial Clint Eastwood stare and an attitude saying, “Go ahead, make my day.”
After the discussions the other day I was thinking about the conversation and how I could have done things differently…what I could have said to weaken their perspective and strengthen the Christian perspective. Then it struck me…why do I love these debates and discussions?
I knew that even though I love sharing the Gospel, when I have the opportunity to talk with someone with an opposing religious worldview, I really enjoy winning that argument. I take vindication knowing that my worldview is correct and that theirs is wrong.
But, am I right in doing that?
We are to be about proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Apologetics is a tool for that but should not be the end all. Good apologetics should help prepare the soil to receive the Gospel.
So what can we do as we utilize apologetics in sharing the Gospel to ensure that we don’t make the Gospel a game to be won?
1) Remember, God is the one that changes people and, biblically speaking, He does not do it through our intelligence but in our weakness.
2) We need to love the ones we talk to and desire them to receive eternal life.
3) We need to be humble…even when we can win the argument, the Gospel is our main calling. Instead of going for the jugular, go for the heart.
Remember, sometimes Winning is Loosing, especially when we make the Gospel a Game.
Now, go out and serve your King.
Patrick Lengel is a church planter in Bluffton, South Carolina and the tired dad of four young kids. You can contact Patrick at BikerChurchUSA@gmail.com or at 803-917-5404.
When I took up motorcycling, I made sure I was prepared. One of the best ways to do that is to take a course from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. I still think every day about the safety principles I learned from that course. I use the safety check and start-up procedure they teach. I feel prepared for every ride, while knowing that unexpected things can still happen.
One of the acronyms I was taught in the beginners course I took is S.E.E. I think if it on every motorcycle ride. It stands for:
Scan - Evaluate - Execute
This acronym makes me think about my life verse, which is 1 Peter 3:15. It reads, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (NIV)
“S” for scan means we need to scan our world, our country, our state, our city, our neighborhood, our schools, and our workplaces for opportunities to make Jesus Christ known. We also need to scan for false teachings and false worldviews that put roadblocks in front of people getting to the “foot of the cross.” This scanning process takes discernment, which is given by the Holy Spirit.
“E” for evaluate means we need to evaluate how to share with people. A couple of key words in the verse is “gentleness” and “respect.” Nobody likes being confronted with the possibility that their worldview is false. They feel like they are “being judged.” A winsome tactical approach is needed. Christians need to prepare for effective conversations with people who need Christ, which takes work and preparation. That’s why the verse says to “always be prepared.”
The final “E” stands for execute. In the end, after the praying and preparing, Christians need to get out and “do.” They need to be people of action. The verse talks giving an answer. That implies taking the knowledge from the scanning and evaluating and executing it. The person who puts all of these elements together is the person who understands the heart of apologetics.
As a student of apologetics, it’s easy to feel good about gaining philosophical knowledge and learning how to defend the Christian faith. But the best student is the one who puts the knowledge into practice. You don’t need an advanced degree for that. You just need (spiritual) eyes with which to SEE and (spiritual) feet to bring the message to those who need it.
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