(This is the message I delivered when speaking at a friend's church on 30 June 2013. It could be titled "Answers To Basic Questions About Christianity". I hope you find it enlightening.)
I'd like to thank everyone here for giving me the opportunity to speak today. One disclaimer: I'm much better at writing than public speaking, so please bear with me if I stumble or stutter at times. I hope my words are of some benefit to everyone here today. And really, my words are not as important as what they are based on: God's word, the Bible. As we read in 1 Peter 1:24-25 (NIV): "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever."
I'll begin by reading from Acts 8:26-49 (NIV): "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road - the desert road - that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."
The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing."
A fellow Christian said this to me a few months ago: "I don't understand why they don't get it", meaning "I don't understand why so many people reject the gospel". Some people just don't want to hear it, some don't care, but many more are like the Ethiopian eunuch. He asked a valid question: "How can I (understand) unless someone explains it to me?" We are taught math, science, and English in school. We don't magically understand them, it takes years of study. Therefore, we can't expect non believers to understand Christianity with no explanation, and if we don't explain it to them, who will? Moreover, they need a real explanation. "Because the Bible said so" or "that's the way I was raised" are not sufficient; those are statements and not explanations. Clubbing someone over the head with the gospel won't work either. It didn't work with me when I was a teenager, and I've seen it drive away many of my friends. Some of them have never gone back to church. So how do we explain that our faith is real and not a blind faith? That's what I'm here to talk about: how to answer basic questions about our faith.
The most basic question is this: how do we know God exists? Not from human opinion, but by careful observation of the world around us. Paul says it this way in Romans 1:19-20 (ESV): "For what can be known about God is plain to them (men), because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." The wonders of nature, the miracle of life in its many forms - all these things point to their creator. Could an unbelievably complicated machine like the human body come to exist through random events over millions of years? Believing that is a much bigger stretch of the imagination than a belief in God. It's like believing that you can put all the parts for a mechanical clock in a bag and shake it just right or wait long enough, then open the bag and you'll find an assembled clock that displays the correct time. It just doesn't make sense. Even more baffling is scientists who don't believe in God. Consider the universe and the scientific principles and mathematics that are its foundation. How can a scientist who understands these things fail to see God in them? My education and experience in engineering only reinforce my belief in God. So if someone asks you "how do you know God exists", the answer is simple: open your eyes and look around you.
Now that we understand that God exists, how do we know that the Bible is really his inspired word? How do we know that Jesus was who he claimed to be, the Son of God? If Jesus was who he claimed to be, then the truth of the Bible is clearly evident. That statement is worth repeating. If Jesus was who he claimed to be, the son of God, then the truth of the Bible is clearly evident. I believe a careful examination of the Bible will reveal the answer. These are the areas we need to consider: the prophecies, the miracles, the teachings, and the resurrection.
There are many Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. Let's consider a few. I won't read all of these verses, but rather reference the Old Testament prophecy along with the New Testament fulfillment. Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:18), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2 & Matthew 2:1), preceded by a herald (Malachi 3:1 & Luke 7:27-28), the Son of God (Psalms 2:7 & Matthew 17:5), ministry in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2 & Matthew 4:23), spoke in parables (Psalms 78:2 & Matthew 13:34), rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3 & John 1:11), sneered and mocked (Psalm 22:7-8 & Matthew 27:41-42), resurrected from death (Psalms 16:10 & Acts 13:29-30). Surely these are enough examples to show that Jesus does indeed fulfill the prophecies concerning the Messiah.
Next, let's consider the miracles he performed. How do we know they are real? There are many we could look at, but let's concentrate on one. This miracle is from John Chapter 9, the healing of a man born blind, one of my favorite Bible stories. After Jesus heals him, he is brought in for questioning by the Pharisees, not once, but twice. Perhaps the most telling part of the story is the wisdom of the blind man when questioned by the Pharisees. "A second time they (the Pharisees) summoned the man who had been blind."Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from." The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." I find it interesting that a man who had been blind for so long saw things more clearly than the Pharisees. So how do we know that Jesus came from God? The man who had been blind says it simply and clearly: If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
Next, let's look at the things Jesus taught. Are these teachings from God or just one man's opinion of what is right? Let me read a few of his teachings from Matthew Chapters 5, 6, & 7, the Sermon on the Mount.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
To me, the truth of these teachings is so self-evident it is obvious they come from God. No explanation is necessary. But if you're not sure, look at it this way. These things are so contrary to selfish human nature it is obvious no man would ever think this way. Where else would they come from? They must come from God.
Finally, let's consider the resurrection. How do we know it really happened? For that matter, how do we know that not only the resurrection but also the miracles and the teachings are real and they're not just fairy tales? Because of the reliable witnesses who testify to these things. And why are they reliable? I look at it this way: when someone tells you an unusual story, and you're not sure if it's true, you always ask yourself: what does this person have to gain by lying to me? What would be his motivation for lying to me? In this particular case, what did the apostles have to gain by spreading the gospel? Was it money or fame or honor? No, their reward for spreading the gospel was persecution and death. So why would they make up such a fantastic story if it caused them so much misery? The answer is obvious: they didn't make it up. Here's another point: After Jesus was crucified, the apostles went into hiding (John 20:19 tells us "the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews"). But then, a few days later, they're preaching the gospel openly in Jerusalem. They saw what happened to Jesus; they had to know they were risking their lives by proclaiming the gospel. What could have caused such a change? Was it because they had seen the risen Lord? Of course - how could it be anything else?
Now we can explain to someone how we know (a) that God exists (b) that the Bible is God's true & inspired word and (c) that Jesus was the son of God who died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. One last question: a difficult one that is commonly asked by non believers, so I'm going to cover it at length. Why is there so much suffering in the world? Doesn't God care? Why doesn't he do something about it? First of all, we have to realize that while bad things do happen for no apparent reason, many times suffering is not the result of God's indifference but rather men's actions. God has given us all free will and sometimes we make terrible choices. Whether it's war or crime or just stupidity, innocent people suffer because of other people's bad decisions. Have you ever known an addict? I've known a few, and most of them think their problems in life are caused by other people, when in reality their substance abuse is the root of all their problems. Not only do they suffer because of their addiction, but their loved ones suffer as well. Sometimes they steal or kill to support their addiction, and as a result even more innocent people suffer. That's only a drop in the bucket compared to the suffering caused by the leaders of Nazi Germany. Even today, we see famine not from natural causes but rather from third world warlords who use food as a weapon to control the population. Rather than ask why there is so much suffering in the world, a better question might be: why does God give men free will when their actions have the potential to cause so much suffering? Because God wants us to choose to follow him; he doesn't force us to do so. Since we have a choice, we can also choose evil and follow our own selfish desires rather than God. Because we all have free will, he will justifiably hold us accountable for our actions, good or bad. Even if someone gets away with murder in this life, they cannot escape God's judgment in the next life. We would also do well to consider this: our faith and the blood of Christ are the only things that protect us from God's righteous judgment, since "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, ESV).
So we see that suffering is often the result of men's choices rather than God's indifference. Yet there is much suffering in the world for no apparent reason. Innocent children get sick and die; good people suffer terrible illnesses; the elderly and their families struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Bad things happen to good people. Consider Job who was upright and blameless and yet God allowed him to suffer. In Job 1, Satan challenged God's claim that Job was righteous, countering that Job was only righteous because God had blessed him so much. In other words, Satan claimed that Job was not inherently righteous; he was only righteous because there was a payoff for being righteous. God knew that Satan was wrong, but to prove it God allowed him to test Job within specified limits. Job lost his possessions, his children, and his health and yet he refused to curse God or turn away from him. Therefore, Satan's claim was false. Job was truly righteous - his circumstances (good or bad) had nothing to do with it. We also note that God put limits on Satan's ability to test Job; therefore, God has Satan on a leash and will not allow us to be tempted beyond certain limits. As we read in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV): "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
Since Job knew nothing about God's arrangement with Satan, he was filled with bitter anguish. His friends were sure he has done something wrong. Why else would God punish him so? Job knew they were wrong; he had done nothing to deserve this. All Job wanted to know was this: why me? Why am I being treated so unjustly? I deserve an explanation. I want to talk to God face to face so I can get some answers. Then God appeared in a whirlwind to confront Job. Basically, he tells Job "You want me to answer your questions? Answer a few of mine first, and then I'll be happy to answer your questions." In Job 38 through 41 (ESV), God challenges Job with many questions, such as "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements - surely you know!" "Will you put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?" "Who then is he who can stand before me? Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine." Notice what God doesn't say: he doesn't tell Job why he suffered, he doesn't address Job's questions, and he doesn't explain himself or Satan's role in the matter. God doesn't owe Job an explanation, instead he's reminding Job of this fact: "I'm God, and you're not".
After God questions him, Job realizes how foolish he was to question God. In Job 42, he replies to God: "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.' I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." In the end, Satan, Job, and Job's friends are silenced, and God is vindicated. Not that God needed vindication (after all, he's God), but he was vindicated nonetheless.
Job's story teaches us so much. Job was caught in the middle of the struggle between God and Satan, subjected to unseen forces acting at a level beyond his understanding. This struggle continues today, and we are part of it just as Job was. The stakes are high: our eternal souls. Satan will assault our righteousness with everything at his disposal, but we know that regardless of the trials we face, if we trust God and serve him only we will prevail, but only because the Lord himself was willing to suffer death on a cross so that Satan could be defeated. So back to our original question: why is there so much suffering in the world, and especially why did our Lord who was without sin have to suffer so much for our sakes? Sometimes it's a result of our bad choices, but sometimes it's necessary to accomplish God's purpose in the world. If God himself took the form of a man and willingly accepted death on the cross, how can we say he is unfair when we suffer? As we read in Hebrews 12:7-11 (ESV): "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
