Navigating the perils of polarization by Torben Bergland
Torben Bergland, M.D., is a psychiatrist and an associate director of the General Conference Health Ministries Department.
“I just want to be an ordinary person!” Those were the emphatic words of my four-year-old niece. We, her uncles, a theologian and a medical doctor, were asking about her aspirations. We were stunned. Don’t you want to be something special, exceptional, best at something? Shouldn’t you at least try to be better than your peers? Just ordinary—that’s so devoid of narcissism!
Extremism becoming mainstream
Dear niece, our world seems to be moving away from the ordinary fast. Polarization is everywhere, especially in politics and religion, at a baffling speed and intensity. Moderates who used to contribute stability through willingness to dialog, negotiate, and compromise responsibly and respectfully, are becoming rare. What used to be fringe and extreme is becoming mainstream with strong opposing currents to be swept up by carrying us away from one another. So far that though we occupy the same space, we are not living in the same reality.
Becoming an extremist may sound like something that requires intentionality and hard work, but it comes rather naturally. Many effortlessly drift into extremism, and when caught up in a current, it may take them very far. As they drift away and any opposing current weakens, they typically become more dedicated and zealous. The purer and more undiluted your current is, the faster and deeper you’ll be carried into extremism. Staying out of extremism is what requires intentionality and effort!
What extremists are
There are many kinds of extremists, but they are surprisingly similar. They may differ wildly in their beliefs and practices, but how they feel, think, operate, and relate to others and their needs and motivations, are much the same. Beneath the surface, you’ll often find a desire to affirm a sense of superiority or escape from a sense of inferiority. These are typical manifestations of narcissism.
Extremists do not recognize how ordinary we all are and that we can have community despite our differences. They typically see others as inferior to themselves and diversity as a threat to their existence.
Life as an extremist
Becoming an extremist is easy, but living as one is hard. They so narrowly define how everybody should think and act that nobody is capable of complying perfectly. In the discrepancy between what they proclaim, pretend to be, and what they indeed are, there is worry and stress about being found out and lying to themselves and others to cover up the gap. They partially deny any guilt and shame they feel for being “fake.” The rest they project on others. They may consistently, without evidence, accuse others especially the ones they define as enemies, of the “sins” they themselves are guilty of. When encountering an extremist obsessed about some sin or fault in others, I wonder what they themselves are fighting or covering up. Though they are typically critical and harsh toward anyone, they are sometimes incredibly tolerant of evils committed by their allies.
Dear niece, as you probably have realized by now, psychologically, morally, and relationally, the lives of extremists are quite messy. Being “ordinary” is the best way to go if you want peace, happiness, and genuine love.
Becoming an extremist is easy, but living as one is hard.
Torben Bergland
Extremism Self-Test
If you want to see how you “extreme” you are, try the extremism self-test.
Use it to see how you measure up. These are the attitudes, convictions, and behaviors you need to cultivate if you are going to become a genuine extremist. Remember, supremacy is what you’re really after. The ideology is secondary, a means to gain and portray supremacy. With extremists, sometimes the only visible ideology is “Self.” But, of course, you should make it appear as if ideology is what it’s all about. That was Lucifer’s strategy in heaven, and it still works surprisingly well.
You should start with the characteristics listed first and then build step by step. Unless you have laid a firm foundation by taking the initial steps toward extremism, you probably won’t master the advanced ones. But, as I’ve said already, many of these traits come quite naturally to us as human beings. The more you have of them, the easier it will be to develop the others.
Extremism Self-Test*
Yes
No
Us-versus-Them Mentality: Do you often think in terms of “us” (people who are like you and share your beliefs) versus “them” (people who are unlike you and do not share your beliefs)?
Recruitment: Are you actively seeking to spread your views, beliefs, and practices with the intent of making others adopt them?
Certainty: Do you prefer clarity over nuance, quickly form firm opinions and beliefs about most things in life, and feel confident about categorizing them as either good or bad, right or wrong?
Confirmation bias: Do you primarily get information from sources that support and reinforce your beliefs, or those of your group?
Dogmatism: Do you believe your views and beliefs, or those of your group, are absolutely and unquestionably true?
Isolationism: Do you avoid and dissuade interacting with or listening to people or sources who have different beliefs and practices than you or your group?
Supremacy Thinking: Do you believe you or your group are better than others because of what you are, do, or believe?
Enemy Identification: Do you have a clear understanding of who inside or outside your group you can trust, and who is a threat against your interests, beliefs, and existence?
Conspiracy Mindset: Do you believe certain people, groups, or institutions are secretly and maliciously plotting against you, your group, or others?
Propaganda: Do you strategically disseminate information about you and your group with the intent of promoting your interests rather than accurately and truthfully representing a nuanced reality?
Obscurantism: Do you ignore, dismiss, hide, or attack information that refutes your beliefs or critiques your actions?
Dehumanization: Do you consider those who differ significantly from you or your group to be of inferior ability and worth, or inherently evil?
Gaslighting: Do you strategically seek to make people distrust their senses, reason, and memories if these contradict the version of reality you prefer them to have and believe in?
Authoritarianism: If you have the power, are you willing to impose your will against the interests and freedoms of those who differ significantly from you in traits, beliefs, or practices?
Scoring (total)
Interpretation 2 or less “Yes”: Low risk; likely to tolerate diverse viewpoints and perspectives. 3-4 “Yes”: Moderate risk; consider reflecting on the balance and openness in your beliefs and interactions. 5-7 “Yes”: High risk; significant potential for extremist tendencies. Reflect deeply and consider seeking diverse perspectives or professional guidance. 8 or more “Yes”: Very high risk; strong indications of extremist thinking. It is crucial to seek professional help and engage with a broader range of viewpoints.
What extremism leads to
History teaches us of the outcomes of extremism. Extremists, political or religious, grow fruits on the same old tree. Ultimately, they rot as they ripen. What Paul called “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19 ESV) are commonly seen in extremists: “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Gal 5:19-21 ESV). Since there are many kinds of extremists, you’re unlikely to find every sin represented in every extremist, but as it ripens, extremism seldom fails to reveal its sins. Jesus said that “a bad tree bears bad fruit … nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matt 7:17-18 NKJV). If the fruits are bad, we know that the tree is bad.
What being ordinary leads to
Dear niece, if you stick to being ordinary and stay humble and honest, the Spirit may be with and in you. Then, your fruits will grow on a different tree. In Galatians, Paul listed the fruits from the Spirit’s tree: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23 ESV). I’m joyful as I see these good fruits growing in your life more than a decade after that “I just want to be an ordinary person”-conversation.
Prevention of extremism
And, dear reader, if you have lost your appetite for extremism and want to prevent it in yourself and your group, then listen to the counsel of the Spirit: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Phil 2:3 NKJV). What Paul urges here opposes any extremist’s supremacy mindset. There is no supremacy of gender, race, nation, religion, or anything. One human being is never entitled to assert supremacy over another.
Christ came as the servant of all, not the ruler. When the disciples argued about who was the greatest, He rebuked them, saying: “Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27 NKJV). He who was above us took a position below us so He could be with us as one of us. That was the incarnation. “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being” (Phil 2:5-7 NLT).
How different from Lucifer, who said, “I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High” (Isa 14:13 NLT). But the fate of the devil will be the fate of every supremacist: “Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths” (Isa 14:14 NLT).
If you want to be an extremist, be like the devil. If you want to be like Christ, let extremism be far from you. Before God, we are all the same. There is no one or nothing supreme except God; therefore, there’s no justification for extremism.
*This self-test has been peer-reviewed but has not been scientifically validated.
The secular community, as well as Christians, pretentiously poked fun at Harold Camping’s prediction of the “Rapture.” He said it would occur on May 21, 2011. The day came and went as usual.
Now, flashback to 23 years earlier. Charles Hays (a Christian Friend) and I had a daily 15-minute radio program on a small Christian channel in Nashville. We were invited to come on the big secular radio station in Nashville, WLAC, to discuss the prediction of Edgar C. Whisenant, who had sold millions of books about the prediction of the Rapture on September 11 or 13th, 1988. The book was called 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Occur in 1988. We predicted it would not occur on that day. That day also came and went. It was just another day.
Every Christian worldwide knew from the words of Jesus Himself that Mr. Camping’s and Mr. Whisenat’s predictions were in error.
History reveals that second-coming predictions are not a recent phenomenon. According to one source, over 300 dates have been set since the first century, all proving false.
These false claims underscore the need to trust in Jesus’ words, a source of unwavering truth and guidance. Just one sentence from Jesus sets at least one boundary for prognosticators. Most Christians can quote Jesus’ words by heart, a testament to the enduring truth of His teachings!
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only..” Matthew 24:36 (NKJV)
Each false prediction has a detrimental effect on Christians and non-Christians alike. It leads to more people distrusting Christ and the Word of God. A spiritual “crying wolf” kills the idea of preparation for the day when it does come. By then, it will be too late. The wolf will have devoured its prey. The same exclamation of doubting people…the people we are trying to reach…was heard in the first century as well as the 21st Century:
What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 2 Peter 3:4 (NLT)
Nothing has changed. Sunrise, sunset…life continues as it always has. The waiting and false predictions lull people to sleep. Paul said it this way,
For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 1 Thess. 5:3 (NKJV)
The enemy of souls works through man-inspired false predictions to discourage and procrastinate and make people unprepared. But there is a new deception regarding the second coming and the end of time as we know it. It is having the same adverse effects on both Christians and non-Christians.
Setting Event Scenarios-A Growing Deception for 21st Century Christians:
It is not about setting dates but setting events.
Creating man-made scenarios leading up to the Second Coming is equally dangerous as time setting. It is actually the same wolf in different clothing. If the events don’t come true, they produce the same doubt, discouragement, and procrastination regarding preparing for the end of time.
The proof is in the popular Biblical fiction novels written in the last several decades and turned into movies. These have made their authors wealthy, yet none of the predictions have come true. Nor are they likely to come true because mainly because that is not the way God works. I go back to the opening statement to keep the point:
“Trying to navigate end-time events without a fundamental understanding of the Gospel will leave you confused about both.”
I heard of a young man who said, “I will get right with God when I see them building the temple in Jerusalem. If not, I have a second chance during the seven years of tribulation.” Is this safe? Is this right? What if He dies before then? Just as we know no man knows the day or the hour of His coming, there is another equally powerful statement from Jesus:
You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
Matthew 24:24 (NLT)
God’s Prerogative to Bypass
Jesus’ teachings (particularly in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) remind us that we can know His coming is near and inevitable in specific scenes. Nevertheless, we must remain ever-vigilant, as it is within God’s prerogative to bypass the scenarios we might have in our minds.
“…when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.”
Matthew 24:33 (NLT)
Sometimes, we don’t listen to everything Jesus tells us. Look closely at these two verses from Matthew 24
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Matthew 24: 6 (NLT)
How Many Wars are going on now? 32! Since 1300 BC, thousands upon thousands of wars have been fought. This will continue even up to the time Jesus will return. Wars and rumors of wars are nothing new. It will part of the landscape before the Lord comes. We will never reach Utopia.
Will God Shorten the Final Events?
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened. Matthew 24: 22
From the words of Jesus, the answer to this question is “Yes!”
What does this mean? God, in His mercy, may shorten or even change the events of the end times. We have precedence of this in the story of Jonah when God said He was going to destroy Ninevah in forty days:
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai:“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” Jonah 1:1,2 (NLT)
We know the story of how Jonah ran away from God. He may have been thinking, why preach a prophecy of destruction for the people of Nineveh when God had said He was going to destroy it? But Johnah missed the underlying nature of God to save the lost (the gospel!). Eventually, Jonah preaches a message of destruction, but underneath it is the good news of a merciful God.
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”
This time, Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. Jonah 3: 1-5 (NLT)
The Forty Days came and went because they were convicted and repented of their sins. Was it a false prophecy? No. It is God’s prerogative to change end-time events, particularly if the people repent, as did the city of Nineveh.
When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mindand did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. Johah 3:10
Why did God change His mind? It is because He is in the business of saving people! This is the gospel! Salvation! Destruction is not the gospel!
“Trying to navigate end-time events without a fundamental understanding of the Gospel will leave you confused about both.”
This leads us to consider the following question:
What Prompts the Father to Send Jesus Back?
What will push God the Father to send Jesus back to our sinful dying planet and rescue His people? As one reads the Bible, the answer is dynamic but understandable. However, those who don’t understand the gospel often provide multiple one-liners. Here are a few:
The temple in Jerusalem has to be rebuilt. I have looked at this closely and feel confident it is false. It is based on a severe misunderstanding of the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9 and the role of literal Israel. This error helped create scenarios in the minds of second-coming fictional novels written in Lindsay and LaHay’s Left Behind novels.
Christ’s character must be completely restored in His people. Christ’s character is a powerful witness when fully reproduced in His people. This underscores the importance of personal ongoing transformation as a result rather than the idea of salvation by reaching perfection. But I still don’t see from Scripture this as what God the Father is waiting on. Has anyone ever reached this point? We are perfect before God when we ask Jesus to come into our lives, and we believe him.
His righteousness is imputed to us “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. James 2:23
3. Sin will get so bad that God’s wrath will send Jesus to destroy the earth. No doubt, sinful man will grow more and more wicked with each generation. The world is headed to the same point as the antediluvians. “Their thoughts were only evil continuously.” Probably, the most hideous sin of all is the sex trafficking of children. I don’t think Sodom and Gomorrah went this far. It makes most people want to eradicate those who do such things. Immoral sex is like a virus that infects a majority of the world. It is listed as one of the identifying marks of those who perish forever:
4. “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”” Revelation 21:8
The gospel has to be preached to the entire world. This is a solid reason and is true because Jesus said,
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14
Everyone has to have a chance to hear the gospel!
This worldwide gospel preaching event demonstrates God’s power and desire that no one perishes, but all come to repentance. This is why He waits. It is His mercy for us and those we have been praying for!
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3: 9
Jesus did not provide details between the preaching of the gospel to the entire world and His coming. The apostles and disciples, including John, would later provide much more detail in the book of Revelation, which describes the seven last plagues, the time of trouble, the beast and his mark, etc.
All the scenarios above can make us comfortable because none have occurred and are unlikely to happen next week (except for the moral condition of the world)!
The Last Day on This Earth
So, what will the last day be like before the Lord returns? If we are to believe Jesus, It will be a day just like every other one:
“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24: 37-39
This sure sounds like Jesus comes and takes away the saved (Rapture.). But look closely at the same passage in Luke.
And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Luke 17: 26-27
Matthew and Luke are saying the same thing. Those who are not prepared in Christ are taken away in destruction. They are drowned (destroyed) in Noah’s day and destroyed by fire in Lot’s day.
Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
Luke 27 28-29
I hope you don’t want to be taken in destruction but left from the destruction.
But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives should you live?
2 Peter 3: 10-11
Now is the Time to Be Prepared
The point of this writing is this. Being prepared for Jesus’s return, which includes preparing for your death when there are no more changes, is today….
So the question today is: “Are you waiting for certain events to happen before you get serious with God? Will we be found like the person whose home is broken into? Will it surprise us? Are you ready? What will be your response when Jesus comes?
Will it be…
“Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” Revelation 6: 16-17
or will it be…
“Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:9
Will you be going about your regular routine unprepared or will you be going about your routine and prepared?
Jesus tells us we can be prepared now…at this very moment. The gospel and salvation are not complicated if you put your complete trust in Him!
How is your faith in Him? Is your anchor in the solid Rock of Jesus? Be sure your anchor holds the solid rock. In times like this we need a Savior!
Please take a moment to hear George Beverly Shea sing this song (Click Here). Here are a few of the words
In times like these, you need a Savior. In times like these, you need an anchor. Be very sure, be very sure. Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus. Yes, He’s the One This Rock is Jesus, the only One. Be very sure, be very sure. Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these, you need the Bible. In times like these, O be not idle
Be very sure, be very sure Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus. Yes, He’s the One This Rock is Jesus, the only One. Be very sure, be very sure. Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
The bizarre opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics have stirred discussions within the Christian community. Various interpretations of the “Pale Horse and its Rider” from both Christians and others have emerged, characterized by creativity, speculation, and a wealth of imagination in attributing significance to it.
The Pale Horse is one of the four symbolic horses described in Revelation 6. Interpreting its meaning requires sound exegesis and understanding of the context of previous chapters, including the timeline of the Christian church.
A Quick Basis for Understanding Revelation Prophecies
Establishing a solid foundation is crucial as we embark on this brief journey of understanding Revelation prophecies.
The following interpretation of the pale horse is derived swiftly from Biblical texts, not from personal creativity, speculation, or imagination. It relies on the principle of letting scripture interpret itself and aligning it with historical events. Some prophecies have been fulfilled in the past, as confirmed by history. However, as time progresses and prophecies continue to unfold, they merge with our present and extend into our future.
At the heart of the Book of Revelation lies its ultimate purpose- to reveal the nature and character of Jesus. Amidst the myriads of creatures and symbols, the central theme remains Jesus, making Revelation a fifth gospel, presented by the writer John in both symbols and literal statements.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, Revelation 1:1
The concept of “time being near” applied to John (the prophecies during or after his lifetime) as well as to those of us living two thousand years later (the prophecies before, during, and after our lifetime). This is because prophecies are dynamic; some have been fulfilled, while others remain to be seen. This idea is exemplified in a passage that describes a beast that “was” (past tense), “is not” (present tense), and “will come” (future tense).
The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. Revelation 17:8 (NIV)
Secondly, John does not confirm the idea that Revelation cannot be understood or is only for those in the future or the past. Indeed, it is actually the opposite.
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time isnear. Revelation 1:3
If this is settled in your mind, you are ready to open your mind to allowing scripture to interpret itself. History confirms what was the future for John but is the past for us. This will give us confidence that those yet to come are accurate.
Let’s get started. Note that this is a brief study without the context provided by previous chapters of Revelation or the book of Daniel, which also describes some of the things that John saw in his vision, such as beasts that rose and fell over time. Note to reader: An abbreviated Zoom class and Podcast are in the process of being created for the study of Daniel and Revelation. We have done a couple of Zoom classes in the last few years, verse-by-verse, but we feel we can shorten it without losing the impact. If you are interested, leave a comment.
Overview of Revelation 6 and the Four Horsemen
Your Bible may have headings. If it does, you will see that the main topic in this chapter is “Seals.” There are seven seals that the “Lamb” opens.
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Revelation 6:1
Without providing a multitude of proof texts, we can know, with certainty, that the “Lamb” is Jesus Christ Himself. The four horses with their riders are under the first four seals.
1.) The first seal describes the first horse (“white horse “) in verse 2
2.) The second seal describes the second horse (“fiery red horse “) in verse 4
3.) The third seal describes the third horse (“black horse “) in verse 5
4.) The fourth seal describes the fourth horse (“pale horse) in verse 8
These riders have something in their hands and the power to do things. Next time, we will answer the following questions:
1.) What were the horsemen holding?
2.) What power did they have?
3.) What do these symbols represent?
4.) How do the horses and horsemen relate to each other?
5.) Is all of this future, or has some of it already been fulfilled? What is yet future?
A well-meaning Christian who feels the urgency of the times said,
“We need to be prepared for the end of time.”
An elderly man responded,
“I am prepared.”
This puzzled her. How could he say this? Didn’t he need to start storing food and weapons, get more righteous, keep the law better, go to church more, etc.?
He explained,
“I am prepared, first because of the goodness and grace of God, who wants me to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). It all started when He brought conviction of sin upon me through the Holy Spirit and led me to confess and turn away from a life of sin. His death on the cross for my sins made it clear the penalty for my sins was paid for (Revelation 1:5). I surrendered to the urging of God’s spirit and gave Him my life to be directed by Him (John 16:8). In return, He gave me His righteousness, and I found peace and trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3). I was born again (John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23). I began to think differently and to follow Him (Romans 12:2 NLT). I wanted to learn more about Him and to know Him better (John 17:3, Matthew 11:30. I obey because I want to honor and love Him, not because I have to do it (John 14: 15, John 14: 21). I know Jesus and put all my trust in Him; I am prepared in Him! Anyway, I may not live to see Jesus come. I could die in the next moment, but I am prepared in Him alone. Have I reached perfection of character? No! It is not required that I reach a state of perfection through my efforts. I wear His righteousness by faith (trust) in Jesus alone. Because of Him, I am perfect by His perfection.”
There are those who believe they must attain perfection of character before claiming salvation. I find this belief saddening. They have yet to experience the profound joy and peace that comes from resting in the assurance of God’s work to free us from sin.
______________________________________
Today, most of Christ’s followers know that we live in the days before His return. He has promised to come back (John 14: 1-3), and His word is trustworthy (Titus 1: 1-3, John 17:17). Moreover, the Apostles, Disciples, and Prophets have prophesied about that glorious day when He will return to Earth visibly and powerfully, and all of heaven will be emptied to come to this earth (Matthew 25: 31, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 1:7). This momentous event will mark the end of sin and death for eternity.
He will resurrect the saved of all ages and give all who are “in Him” eternal life (1 Corinthians 15: 50-55 (NLT)1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18. ). Many put a lot of emphasis on the last days and the events surrounding them. It is exciting to learn the details of the prophecies, as long as it is of no private interpretation or embellished (2 Peter 1: 19-21). I am thankful that I belong to a body of believers who do not think they are the only denomination to be saved. We are all “one” in Christ, no matter what church we attend (1 Corinthians 12:12). Jesus came to save individuals, not herds who follow a set of creeds or documented sets of beliefs that a person must confess to become a member of an organization.
Let us be clear: there is only one path to salvation: through Christ alone (Acts 4:12). Not a denomination, not physical preparation, acts of good deeds, or religious forms and ceremonies. His life, teachings, death, resurrection, and ongoing ministry to us on Earth through the Holy Spirit all bear witness to the fact that we are saved from eternal destruction (Romans 8:16). We have the privilege of knowing we have eternal life . (1 John 5:13).
It is not through our works or some diluted grace that allows a person to claim Jesus but to go on living a life of sin (Matthew 7: 21-23 NLT). I am confident that many who know Christ in other churches will concur that the shed blood of Jesus is our sole assurance of salvation in Christ alone, not through any works or achievements in our spiritual journey (Ephesians 2: 8-10).
When we are born again, we are born from the inside out, not through our efforts to clean up the outside and become acceptable to God (Matthew 23:25). We sing about God accepting us just as we are. Jesus died for us when we were still in our sins (Romans 5:8). God slowly changed us so that we now hate the sins we once loved and love the good things we once hated. But Jesus told the highly respected religious leader you must be born again to receive eternal life and be changed (John 3:3). We need a new starting point. When this happens by the act of the Holy Spirit, our journey with Jesus begins not when we graduate from our religious schools.
The chart below helped me understand this journey. It includes the possibility of turning from Jesus and returning to a life of sin. This happened to me, but God would not leave me. I returned, but some of my brothers did not (2 Peter 2: 20-22, Luke 11: 24-26).
The picture is divided by a line. The top part is salvation, and the bottom is a condition the Bible calls lost.
The squiggly line represents our life journey, full of ups and downs. Even after we are born again, we are guaranteed troubles, doubts, and challenges.
On the left is our start. We are all born as sinners because we come from a long line of sinners.
As life continues, we live lost lives due to heredity and bad choices. We are selfish. As the popular song goes…”We are born this way!”
But, because of God’s love for us and His amazing grace, God draws us to Him with His kindness. We learn of Him and hear the good news about salvation. We become convicted about our sins and realize we can do nothing without Him.
We surrender to God’s pull towards Him, confess that we are sinners, and repent (turn away from sin to God). We invite Him to control our lives. Then, we are baptized as our first act of following God’s word and obedience. We are saved from the wages of sin that cause death! The baptism doesn’t save us. We are saved before we go down in the water. Our baptism is the public display of an inward experience in Christ.
Our lives are his workmanship. He molds and shapes us through life experiences. A preponderance of our life’s journey reveals evidence of Christ in our lives.
We can, however, become discouraged and leave God if we choose to. God never interferes with our choices, and we may even return to the life we died to. We are lost again.
But greater is God than the sin we are living. We can get tired of sin, realize what we have done, and return to Him like the prodigal son. We doubt the Father will take us back, but we are surprised that He comes running to us and throws a party! (Luke 15: 11-32 NLT). God will forgive us 70 X 7 (Matthew 28: 21-22 NLT).
Our second time around makes us even stronger.
Even though we may have never become completely like Christ, ultimately, we have His righteousness, which gives us title to eternity and the city of God.
Salvation and preparation are found only in Jesus, who leads you on your journey. We have eternity to contemplate the sacrifice of the Heavenly Trio and continue to experience sanctification.
1.) The disciples were gathered on the first day of the week behind closed doors for fear of the Jews. They were not together to worship a risen Savior. It would be later that evening before Jesus appeared to them. Jesus would give them a Scripture study that told of the prophecies about Himself. Thomas wouldn’t see Jesus for eight more days. Then he would believe with the others.
3.) Jesus would stay on the earth, teaching the disciples and Apostles, for forty days before ascending to the Father, promising He would return “in like manner.”
5.) Our entire faith rests on Jesus rising from the dead. If He didn’t, we are still in our sins, our faith in Jesus is futile, and all our friends and family who were believers have perished. Also, it would mean all the eyewitnesses are liars.
6.) Paul tells us that we are not to mourn for those who die in the Lord as those who mourn and have no hope. Hope in the coming of the Lord and our resurrection.
7.) Our comfort concerning those who have died and slept in the Lord is that Jesus will come again with the shout of the Archangel, and they will rise from the grave. If we are alive, then we will meet the Lord in the air. It is then we will be with the Lord forever. He will take us to where He is now (Heaven, aka Paradise). It is these words that should comfort us and other believers.
Paul’s greatest desire was to know the power of the resurrection and to experience it. Is that your desire, too? You can ask the Lord to come into your life if it is. Then follow Him wherever He leads you. You, too, can experience the resurrection when you fall asleep in Christ.
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another, I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
I didn’t know my journey would start when I was so young….
My parents divorced when I was six, and my brother was barely two. I remember when my dad knelt, held me close, and said,
“You can call me uncle now.”
I had no idea what this meant, but I knew it hurt. Soon, my mom, brother, and I moved in with my grandmother. During those early years, my grandmother had a great influence on me for God, but an elder in her church would turn me to atheism even though he thought he was doing the opposite. The questions about God began at age eight.
Mom began working full-time as a switchboard operator for a trucking company. So, for about four years, Ronnie (my brother) and I were raised by our sweet grandmother, whom we called “Mamaw.” She fed us, bathed us, and loved us. Though it seemed large then, the house had only two bedrooms and two showerless bathrooms. I slept in Mamaw’s bedroom on a cot beside an unused fireplace; Ronnie and Mom were in the other bedroom, which was part of an open duplex or apartment.
In her room at night, just before we all retired for the evening, I heard my grandmother talking to God. It frightened me initially, but after a few nights, I felt comfortable listening to her talk to her God as if they were close friends, unlike the elders of her church who prayed to Him with choice, carefully enunciated flowery words.
Though I never looked at her praying, I imagined her sitting on the floor with Jesus as they discussed her family and their problems. As the oldest grandson, my name came up near the end of the lengthy conversation. I could “see” my name floating to the throne room of God the Father, bore on the wings of the Holy Spirit. I liked the God of my grandmother; He seemed likable, but I would meet a new god at Vacation Bible School a few years later. This god, I did not like. He scared me.
Vacation Bible School was fun. I especially liked the crafts. On the last day of VBS, all of us children waited anxiously for our parents to arrive so we could show them what we had made during the week. I had painted a King Edwards cigar box black and put decals and shells on it. It made a perfect jewelry box. My mom loved her jewelry. But, before the moms, dads, and grandmothers arrived, we all met in a little room to hear an elder tell us about the upcoming service and how we could participate. He wanted us to be baptized, so he began to tell us how much Jesus loved us. I knew this God! My grandmother talked to Him every night!
Then, the elder told us what would happen if we were not baptized. We would go to “hell” and burn forever. He described hell in disgusting detail. This didn’t sound like the God my grandmother talked to each night! Something was wrong here. It was my first step toward unbelief. No one, especially my grandmother’s Jesus, could be so cruel as to let all this happen! Was my uncle in hell because he didn’t believe in Jesus but was a good husband and father? Later in my journey, I would figure this out through scripture alone.
Time marched on for my brother and me. I went through elementary school, high school, and eventually to college. In an ancient history class, I learned more than history; I learned about atheism directly from an atheistic professor. He made sense to me as I considered the contradiction of the two gods I had met when I was younger: one very loving and the other watching to ensure I was good or I would burn forever.
At age 18, I married a sweet, petite Christian gal. We had three lovely children, but before that, we had some tough times and separated for a while. When I returned, she (Julie) had been attending some “evangelistic” meetings. I instantly began to make fun of her, telling her how silly it was to believe such nonsense. I harassed her so much that she threw a dare at me.
“Eddie, if I am wrong, take this Bible and my notes and prove me wrong.”
My snarky response was, “Sure, this will be easy.”
For months, I went to the library for secular information (no web back in 1975) and began to read the Bible and her notes. Quickly, I realized my attack had to be on this character, Jesus. He had made some bold claims about Himself. So, it came down to three questions:
1.) Did He exist? That was an easy question, even in secular history.
2.) Was He all He claimed to be? and
3.) What was I going to do with what I learned? I had no idea.
The primary and most critical question was, “Is He, or Isn’t He? The following is just a small portion of my journey to know for myself about Jesus without the influence of denomination, tradition, or opinion. The result? I fell in love with Jesus and was baptized into His church, His body. Julie was right. I was wrong. My personal story is in my second book, “The Pig Returns To Its Mud.”
Along the way, I realized that, as followers of Jesus, we must be united on the core beliefs based on God’s grace, compassion, and love expressed perfectly through Jesus. This is where God’s power is most effective. People can know the real Jesus for themselves if they only take time to look and hear. Too many beliefs, opinions, and traditions block out the sunlight of truth as found in Jesus.
I will likely step on some toes in this book, but I pray that the initial pain will turn into something that will help the reader understand Jesus, as revealed by the prophets, kings, disciples, and apostles. This is my source material. While other “holy books” are written by one man, the story of Jesus is written by 35 to 40 men throughout thousands of years. That should tell us something.
I have settled these questions about Jesus. My atheism changed to a full-fledged believer in Jesus because I searched for the truth, and God directed my paths. He does this for everyone who will search with “all their heart.” It is not a casual search. There are obstacles along the way.
The journey continues. I am by no means perfect, but He is! He is worthy. I am not. I hope that as you read this, you will discover Jesus’ reality and His faithfulness, whether you are a believer or not. The reward will be greater than you can imagine. Thank you, Julie. May you rest in peace knowing God Himself directed your dare. He knew what I needed.
“And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” John 17:3 NLT
Introduction
The world is full of, to use an old Yiddish word, “Shysters.” There are a multitude of con artists, liars, and cheats who are typically motivated by money, fame, self-gratification, or even worship! The knowledge of a person’s true identity can have life-and-death outcomes.
As I write this, countless writers and speakers are making money and fame from conspiracy theories, health-related topics, and merchandise that have no basis in facts, science, or common sense. They exist off the pocketbooks of the naive, uneducated, and those without critical thinking abilities. Deception includes marketing products, broadcasting news, education, music, and, of course, philosophy. These “industries” make billions of dollars of their victims each year.
Recently, I heard of a woman whose name I will not mention. She writes books and charges money to her fans to listen to her speak on various naturalistic remedies for almost every ailment, including cancer. You would think she would be a doctor or someone with excellent credentials and that her presentations would include facts and figures to demonstrate her success rate. On the contrary, this person failed in the medical industry and has been banned in several countries because of her unfounded and often dangerous instructions. What confounds me is that she packs the house whenever she speaks! Those in her audience are the anti-doctor, anti-vaccine, anti-science, anti-everything they don’t like. In my opinion, it would seem that if we want something to be correct, we can find those who will help us feed our disillusionment. Instead of searching for truth systematically, they search for confirmation from flawed information, reasoning, or feelings. This routine has been going on since the beginning of time.
Then comes Jesus onto the scene. In one of His prayers, he boldly states, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 A knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ leads to eternal life. If this is true, we need to know if He is true. Is He, or isn’t He?
He walks, talks, teaches the ordinary people, and tries to reach the religious people who feel they have everything to know about Jehovah. The religious leaders, the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees prided themselves in thinking they had God all figured out and processed the authority to speak on behalf of God and express His will. But Jesus claimed to be four things. He states, without hesitation, that he is “ The way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father (Jehovah) except through me (Jesus).” John 14:6
The question is, “Is He? or Isn’t He? Is Jesus like one of the many Shysters of history and today that prey on the naive, uneducated, and those without common sense? Either Jesus is all He claims to be, or He is not. His statement in John has no middle ground or room for compromise. He is either the only way, or He is not. His disciples took three and a half years to conclude that Jesus was real. What convinced them to die for their faith in Jesus as “… the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16 was not in wars between cultures but at the hands of those of their culture who hated them. What convinced them should also convince us, although we aren’t able to physically handle and touch Him as they did. They could rightly say, we have “…heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—” 1 John 1:1We cannot.
However, others existed before Jesus was born who never saw or touched Him but saw Jesus in the future. These were the many prophets, kings, and inspired writers of the Old Testament. On the other hand, modern society has had all this testimony from people for many generations. Those before Jesus looked forward in faith; the disciples and apostles lived by faith at the moment, and we today live in faith, looking back at the record of those before us. There is a need to study these patriarchs to determine Is He, or Isn’t He. As we discover Jesus, our faith will grow in Him. Therefore, we can say, “Little time with Jesus and the Bible will result in little faith in Jesus. Conversely, much time with Jesus and the Bible will result in much faith in Jesus. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17
After the resurrection of Christ, Jesus first saw Mary and then showed up on a dusty road talking with two men who thought he was a stranger who just happened to walk up and begin a conversation. They were walking away from the discouragement and sorrow of Jerusalem on a journey to a new beginning in Emmaus,
As they walked along, Jesus gave them a study from the scriptures. What is unusual about this study was that there was no New Testament pocket Bible for Jesus to pull out of His robe because printing, as we know it, had not been invented. Still, even more important, the New Testament had not been written yet! So, this was a “Scripture” study from what we call the Old Testament and what the modern Jews call the Tankah. It contains the writings of the many prophets and inspired writers. Something happened to these men that greatly increased their faith in Jesus and set their hearts on fire: “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27. Jesus did this from memory!
The men were familiar with these writings, but now they had meaning about Christ (the long-awaited Messiah). Their eyes were opened, and their hearts were greatly encouraged by Jesus because they had heard Him and later looked across the table at Him! They were so amped up that they ran back the seven miles to Jerusalem to find the other eleven disciples behind closed and locked doors, afraid of what might happen to them. (A side note from a former runner: If they were seven miles away and ran back within the hour (Luke 24:33), this was equivalent to less than a seven-minute mile pace. That is fast! I’ll bet today’s runners could not do that in a robe and sandals!)
When these two speed-runners made it back to Jerusalem and found the original disciples, they noticed they weren’t gathered to conduct Sunday worship in honor of the resurrection. No! They were in a state of disbelief and thought that the body of the One they loved was dead in a tomb in the beginning stages of decay (John 20:9). Just as our two runners show up, Jesus pops into the sealed room. The disciples think He is a spirit! (Luke 24:37). After inviting them to touch him, He said some critical words for us to hear that I will discuss later. “Look at My hands and My feet. See! It is I, Myself! Touch Me and see for yourself. A spirit does not have flesh and bones as I have.” Luke 24: 39
Then, Jesus did something that conflicted with their expectations of a resurrected immortal body: He asked for food, and they gave him fish and a honeycomb, and he ate it in front of them! (Luke 24: 42, 43). What does that say about our resurrected immortal bodies and our heavenly experience? At the very least, we will have bodies that enjoy eating, and we will live in flesh and bone bodies! Our bodies will be just like His! I don’t know about you, but that is much more exciting than sitting on a cloud plucking a harp as a ghost! “…we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2
So, after the short meal, Jesus conducts the second Scripture study of the day. This time, He has the eleven disciples plus the two believers who ran back to Jerusalem from seven miles away in less than an hour. Wow! I’m still amazed by their athleticism, but I digress.
Jesus expands the scripture study to include the Psalms (These are the poetic books of the Bible that include Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.). From these writings of thirty-five men, he showed them “all the things that must be fulfilled” about Him! Luke 24 44, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” Luke 24 45. After this study, Jesus covered all of the Old Testament divisions: The first five books of the Bible (Law of Moses), the major and minor prophets (the Prophets), and the poetic books (Psalms). Jesus is there in those many books! How could we miss that? It may be because we are not looking or want it to be true.
Is He or isn’t He all those things written in the Scriptures and the eyewitnesses of the New Testament? For us to know that Jesus is all He claims to be, our eyes must be opened to understand the scriptures. Otherwise, we will be like the pious religionists who knew and practiced religion the way they desired it to be, with all the trappings of pride, power, and control. They didn’t want Jesus to be faithful. They wanted a king to come riding on a white horse into Jerusalem with a giant sword, chopping off the heads of the Romans whom they despised.
There is danger in creating a Jesus we want rather than what He really is. What He is can be found in the Old and New Testaments, not by a popular speaker, philosopher, or even our particular religion/denomination or set of beliefs.
I take this journey as a person wanting to discover the depth of the Jesus of Scripture, not of my denomination (not that they are bad) nor of what I want Him to be. At whatever point I am along the way, I desire to feel the presence of Him in my life. That is enough even if I never have enough time to reach my literary and study goals, I hope you will join me in this Jesus Journey and that Scripture and the Holy Spirit will lead us into a deeper understanding of the One who claims to be the way, the truth, and the life.
Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. Isaiah 46:9
The God (Jehovah), who claims to have created everything, claims exclusivity. He says there is “none like me.” But others make the same claim. How can we know the truth about the real God with so many choices? Can there be many gods?
Elijah gave the people a choice between a false god and a true God:
“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 1 Kings 18:21
Most of the people of Elijah’s time were on the side of the prophets of Baal. It is an exciting story to see how proof was provided to those who were deceived by the hierarchy of religion to believe in a non-existent god. The story is recorded in 1 Kings 18: 1-40.
Anyone can claim to be God. Anyone can claim to “know the truth,” even non-believers, i.e., Atheists. Agnostics may say, “There is no such thing as truth,” or “Truth is whatever you want it to be.” “You have your truth, and I have mine.” These phrases are an easy, neat, clean set of words that are opinions without any meaning or proof. They have no basis in reality and are lazy world views. Reality states that a truth is true whether we like it or not. The law of non-contradiction states that two opposing claims cannot both be true.
The World of Gods.
In this section, we will explore the world of gods, those claiming to be gods, and those claiming to have the truth. Our objective is to ask the real God to stand up and give us some reason to believe he is the real God.
This is such a massive topic. This is by no means an exhaustive study. Nevertheless, I want to ensure that facts are carefully explored with proper and fair use of resources. So, hang on, here we go. Let’s start by asking quantitative questions: How many gods exist worldwide? How many religions? How many groups claim to have the truth? This will give us the scope of all this.
Below is a ranked listing of the major religions and the estimated number of followers according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
I am including Atheists as a religion. Like some religions listed below, they do not believe in any god but have a belief system and faith in their philosophy and worldview. Like many churches, Atheists are Evangelical. They often try to proselytize others through campaigns, books, meetings, merchandise, social media, etc. They claim to know the truth!
The less biased researches regarding the number of Atheists vary, but several sources put the number at about 1. 4 million or 2% of the population worldwide. It is very complex to identify an unbeliever or an Atheist, but even the higher numbers put them at a low percentage of the world’s population. Based on these numbers, they would rank about #17 on the list below.
World Religions and Approximate Number of Followers:
Christianity: 2.1 billion
Islam: 1.3 billion
Hinduism: 900 million
Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
Buddhism: 376 million
African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
Sikhism: 23 million
Juche: 19 million
Spiritism: 15 million
Judaism: 14 million
Baha’i: 7 million
Jainism: 4.2 million
Shinto: 4 million
Cao Dai: 4 million
Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
Tenrikyo: 2 million
Atheists: 1.4 million
Neo-Paganism: 1 million
Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
Scientology: 500 thousand
Within each religion are thousands of “denominations,” “factions,” or “sects.”
World Christian Encyclopedia estimates there are 33,000 Christian denominations alone! (World Christian Encyclopedia by Barrett, Kurian, Johnson Oxford Univ Press, 2nd edition, 2001).
In the Christian world, there is a split between the Roman Catholic church and those churches that “protested” against the tradition and misuse of the Bible and power.
The Atheists like to use these numbers as “proof” that “God is imaginary.” The inference is that if God were real, there would be only one religion and one truth. In a perfect world without any enemies, this might be so. I must admit that all their claims about God and truth are difficult arguments to address if it weren’t for the Bible.
Other arguments by unbelievers start with the same type of reasoning. “If” God were real, why is there so much suffering in the world? “If” God is real, why are there so many wars and death? Again, the implication is that God would not allow any suffering or death at all, and again, this is a difficult question to answer. But there is an answer.
We have a couple of options to address such difficult questions. We can put our heads in the sand and enjoy life as it comes to us and be placed in our graves after our time on earth. Such is the philosophy and the battle cry of the Atheist, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” This attitude was that of the rich fool Jesus described in Luke 12: 13-21 parable.
And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now, take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ Luke 12 19
The more aggressive evangelical atheist tries to convince others that because mankind is in such an emotional need of a higher power, they create God in their own image. Their fervent dedication to atheism is to destroy religion, which they see as harmful to society. Indeed, they have a good case as you consider the many wars, death, and destruction caused by “religion.” Many believers are confused by the terror on this earth, but I am not sure embracing their philosophy would make the world a better place and stop war. To them, the concept of God is a crutch for the weak-minded. It is about men controlling other men and wealth. It appears to make sense. Their formula for the existence of life and purpose is simple:
No one + nothing = everything (Evolution), which means:
No god + no purpose = no meaning to life (Enjoy while you can.)
After many years on this earth and many experiences, I have discovered that people with no answers can make themselves look intelligent by asking questions without easy answers.
Example: A young man doesn’t know why the country fell into a recession, so he asks, “Is this really a recession? Has the government manipulated the numbers for political reasons?” These types of questions bring doubt and no real answers. It only adds to the confusion.
Just as Atheists don’t have an answer for the many religions, their question brings doubt about the reality of a Creator God, but no real answers or proof of the “no-God” theory. They only have circumstantial evidence with their twist on its interpretation. But the same is true for the believer.
Undoubtedly, there is an element of deception in religion and philosophy. However, the atheist believes all religions are false and have deceived all men. But what if one of these gods is the real God, and how would you know? This is what we will explore.
A scientific approach to discovering the real God would be to seek evidence and the claims of those claiming to be gods. Then, interview them and their followers to see if the real God is there. But what criteria would you use to determine who is true and who is false? What would be your basis for truth? We need to consider this in our search.
There was a popular TV show back in the 60’s called To Tell the Truth. Three contestants would be introduced, and all three would claim to be a particular person who had performed some unusual feat. For example, the show would start with all three contestants saying, “Hello, my name is John Smith; I swam the English Channel with my hands tied behind my back.”
The celebrity panel of four would ask each contestant questions, observe their body type (typically, swimmers are athletic-looking), and evaluate their answers. The contestants’ motivation was to deceive the four celebrities. The more celebrities who guessed incorrectly meant more money for the contestants. Of course, they had to lie or make up an answer sometimes. However, the real John Smith could not lie.
When the celebrities were finished asking questions, they would vote on who they thought was the real John Smith based on the contestant’s answers to questions and their physical appearance. Sometimes, it was unanimous; other times, the votes were split. After all the questioning, the moment would come when the Emcee would ask,
“Would the real John Smith please stand up?”
Imagine the celebrities’ surprise when the best-lying contestants deceived them! This was a lot of fun, but it has a simple basis for answering our question about the real God.
First, if we want to know the truth about God, we must be willing to ask questions and seek answers rather than just guessing without some basis. Many people don’t want to know the truth or have no motivation to pursue it. They are comfortable with their head in the sand.
Is it possible that the real God wants us to know the truth?
In our search, are we willing to accept things that cut across our philosophy, set of beliefs, or worldview? This is important. Otherwise, we can mutate into close-mindedness or dogmatism. We can feel we know everything and nothing new can be learned. I know people like this in the church. They know and understand the doctrines…maybe they could even recite the entire Bible, but the abstract thinking and the more profound appreciation for God are overlooked by knowledge. As Paul said it this way,
“…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3: 7
A good place to start is to examine the claims of each god. As mentioned above, a few religions have leaders who do not claim to be gods but instead promote a particular philosophy about living and life. Philosophies are highly subjective. Many are nice-sounding words, but examining and testing for truth would be challenging.
Let’s try to start with the claims of each god or philosophy. We would need to study the answers to our common questions and compare them. Also, we would need to see if they have done anything that would demonstrate god-like qualities or evidence of truth.
We must be willing to submit to the idea that some liars in the group have a hidden agenda for their followers. There is truth, and there is error. We will talk a little about absolute truth later.
Perhaps only one is telling the truth. But keep in mind the law of non-contradiction. Two who contradict each other can’t both be right. The claim that all are right and there are many paths to eternity cannot be correct because of the contradiction of the claims on how to get there. Of course, the atheists take the simple way out and claim all are liars, a very lazy, snobbish way of thinking.
Many unbelievers would also ask, “Why is there a need to do such a complicated, time-consuming search?” Why doesn’t God just show up at the World Cup Soccer matches and say,
“Hello everyone! I am the real God, and to prove it, I will predict the winner, the score, and other facts you can’t possibly know.” Even this would not convince many because they would claim mind manipulation. One of my friends pointed to the deception in the last days by the beast of Revelation 13. So how does someone become convinced they are following the real God?
Let’s take the “To-Tell-The-Truth approach to finding the real God. The question as to “why” a search is needed is again typical of the person who has no answers and is not willing to do honest research or keep an open mind. So, they ask difficult questions without easy answers to bring doubt and get the seeker off course because they are trying to protect their philosophy. So, for now, we will ignore those types of questions.
Why are people a member of a particular religion or denomination?
Could we assume that people in these different religions are of that faith because they studied and selected that religion due to their research or because they were born into it?
If you are born in the Middle East, you will likely be Islamic. If you are born in the southern states of the US, you are likely to be a Protestant Christian. You will likely be the same if your parents were Baptist, Methodist, Church of Christ, etc.
It would be safe to assume that our religion and denomination are determined chiefly by our ancestry, location, and environment. Family roots and race is the most potent reason for someone’s religion. People say, “If it was good enough for grandma, it is good enough for me.”
Of our 21 “religions” listed above, how many claim to have a god?
Some religions, such as Hinduism and Shinto, have thousands of gods. Some have no gods but are led by gurus, teachers, philosophers, or politicians, such as Buddhism, Sikhism, Juche, and Jainism.
Many are recent “religions” such as Spiritism, Baha’i, Cao Dai, Tenrikyo, Neo-Paganism, Rastafarianism, and Scientology, which just started in the last couple hundred years.
Some are very nationalistic, such as Zoroastrianism. They attempt to reason to a conclusion rather than search the evidence.
One last question: What if there is an enemy to truth? Would it be natural for that enemy to use deception to steer people away from the truth, especially if he knew there was a source of truth?
Let’s compare the top two religions in the world and their leaders. We will examine the claims of Jesus, Muhammad, Jehovah, and Allah in the next chapter.
In Part 1, nine barriers to belief were described. There are more, but those probably cover almost all the excuses to believe in a Creator God. I, personally, used several of them (if not all) when I was an atheist. If you haven’t read Part 1, please stop here and go back to our first discussion.
Most unbelievers hardly ever consider this question. Since they can’t see a physical form or hear a literal voice, belief in God takes a backseat to the things of earth that can be seen. The catchphrase, “If I can see it, I won’t believe it” is the rule.
Generally, this is not a bad rule to live by, but it can’t be all-encompassing because we believe things we can’t see every day. Here are a couple of simple examples:
We can’t see wind, but that doesn’t keep us from believing there is wind and using it to our advantage. In other words, we believe there is wind because we see the effects, e.g., trees bending, leaves and paper being scattered, a roof blown away by a strong wind, etc. This would be circumstantial evidence. No one knows its origin or its creation, but we know it’s there.
We couldn’t see the virus vaccine injected into our arms when we got the COVID shot. It took much faith to believe in its existence and the scientific studies to show it would protect us from the effects of the virus, not to mention the faith we had to exercise regarding the quality control of the manufacturers, suppliers, and the ability of the doctors to inject me correctly. We couldn’t see every point in its delivery to us, but we believed it. Some people’s lack of faith led them in the opposite direction.
The “I can’t see Him” excuse is hypocritical; at the least, since we often exercise faith in things, we can’t see without worrying too much about it.
The last article made this critical point:
If you don’t want to believe in a Creator God, you can find many personal excuses to be an unbeliever.
Consequently, a search will likely never be executed. But if you want to know the truth about anything, you will search for it. In some cases, it will take priority over all the other menial things in your life.
In Part 1, we learned that there is substance and evidence to provide a basis for belief and faith in God. Paul wrote this significant passage about faith. It is not blind!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
This doesn’t sound like someone closing their eyes and chanting, “I do believe. I do believe,” to work up faith. Real confidence in the existence of God is based on proof and not just a mental exercise and personal feelings. You can’t “whip up” faith. There is nothing wrong with searching for proof of God’s existence…If you want it.
In the article following this one, we will explore the circumstantial evidence. But I want to cut right to the heart of the matter. It has to do with hard evidence that could be used in court.
Jesus and The Old Testament:
The first hard evidence is Jesus: He is either all He and the disciples claimed, or He pulled off the biggest scam in world history. When I first started to explore the Bible and ancient history, this derogatory statement about deception was my platform to attempt to prove to my Christian wife that she was fooled into believing in Jesus.
I can hear you saying, “Men wrote the Bible to control people.” I felt the same. We could add this to the excuses described in Part 1, but how do we know if we never investigated it to begin with? Often, we, as humans, believe the reasoning of someone else and rest our faith in his or her words. This is also a fault of believers.
If you are still with me, let’s go to the number 1 hard proof of God’s existence and His character:
Jesus, the Messiah, is described many times in the Old Testament, written hundreds of years before He came on the scene. I was surprised by this discovery because I thought He was the product of some idealistic New Testament disciples:
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Luke 24: 44-45
Let’s examine this closely. First, the setting for this passage was the third day after the Friday resurrection (33 AD). On the first day of the week (Sunday evening), when Jesus appeared, for the first time, to the cowering, fearful disciples hiding behind closed doors. They were terrified of dying the same way as Jesus (crucifixion). But then, Jesus suddenly stands before them!
Then, the same day in the evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
John 20:19
After eating broiled fish and honeycomb (See Luke 24: 41-43), Jesus gave the disciples a Bible study.
…He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Luke 24:45
Jesus then proceeded to show how all the things written in the three divisions of the Old Testament, or Tanakh (as the Jewish people call it today), were fulfilled or will be fulfilled about Him.
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Luke 24:44
The three divisions of the Old Testament Jesus mentioned are:
Law of Moses-The first five books: (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Jesus is there in promises to Adam, Eve, Jacob, Esau, Abraham, and all the others. He is also the point of the sacrificial laws and allegorical stories about Him, such as the story about Joseph.
The Prophets: This includes the books of all the major and minor prophets, starting with Isaiah through Malachi (the last book of the Tanakh). 16 books of the Bible written over hundreds of years by different authors. They didn’t write philosophy; they wrote what they saw, and there was little possibility of collaboration or scheming.
Psalms: This includes not only the book of Psalms but also the poetic book of Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes Proverbs.
What a Bible Study that would have been! The disciples had all the hard evidence of witnesses by seeing and eating with Jesus, the Creator God in human flesh (See John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1). In addition, they were briefed on the mysteries about Jesus that they couldn’t see in the Tankah. This is a point to remember. Real faith (belief and trust) will come when we study the Word of God, particularly the prophecies:
So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
Romans 10:16-18 (CSB)
Your faith will either grow or diminish based on how much serious time you spend studying and contemplating God’s word. A little time in God’s word equals a little faith. Much time in God’s word equals much faith. It will grow strong and rooted if you exercise what you have learned.
An interesting note here is that Jesus had given this same Bible study earlier in the day to two discouraged disciples on their way to Emmaus. Jesus suddenly appeared (walking up from behind) as a stranger. Later in the evening, He revealed Himself to them at the evening meal. Based on the distance traveled, this Tanakh study likely lasted about three hours—the approximate time for a casual, thoughtful walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus (about 7 miles). You can read the complete account of this Bible study as they walked in Luke 24: 13-35. Here are just a couple of highlights:
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained so that they did not know Him.
These disciples were so discouraged! The eyes filled with discouragement can not see Jesus. The two travelers do not recognize him. The One they had placed all their trust in and hope had been nailed to a rough Roman cross! They were leaving the city of discouragement (Jerusalem) and traveling to Emmaus to start their lives over. Then, without praying, only indulging in their self-pity and discouraging conversation, Jesus suddenly appears from behind.
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded (explained) to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
v. 25-27
Jesus gently reminds them that they had failed to believe the prophets when they spoke about His sufferings. As good Jews, they expected the Messiah to be a commander of an army who would free Israel from their enemies, in particular Rome. Sometimes, we want the Bible to say what we want it to say. We want a Messiah on a white horse to come to free us from oppression! To clear up their misunderstanding, Jesus gives these two disciples a Bible study about “Himself,” starting with Moses (The first five books of the Old Testament) and the Prophets (16 books of prophecy written over hundreds of years!).
A subtle point in this story is the care Jesus has for a small audience of two people. He is very personable, addressing our own personal discouragements! Also, we don’t find these two men praying. Instead, they were extremely downcast and talked about it openly. Misery loves company. Then Jesus shows up from behind them. He sneaks upon them! They were not expecting anyone. Sometimes, God knows what we need to get us out of the funk. He does it when you least expect it. But spending time learning from God’s word about Jesus will lift your spirits as it did with these men. They exclaimed:
And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
v.32
Our hearts are not encouraged by religious creeds, cermonies, and traditions…only Jesus and the scriptures do we find the soul’s satisfaction.
Author
A word of encouragement to those who are at their lowest in worrying and doubt: this is when Jesus will suddenly appear…without any pleading prayer. Not in a large group, but just you. Why? Because He knows your specific need and what you must do to find peace. He loves you deeply! In our darkest hour, Jesus can be the nearest to us, unseen as a stranger, ready to give you the words of life. Just listen and be revived by His presence. Then, seek to know Him more.
The point is that Jesus is not just another prophet or good person. His advent was predicted by at least 48 major prophecies found in the Old Testament. There are more, but we will start here. The odds of Jesus fulfilling just eight prophecies are astronomical, aka as impossible unless it is 100% accurate:
Born in Bethlehem,
Preceded by a Messenger,
Enter Jerusalem on a Donkey,
Betrayed by a friend,
Sold for 30 pieces of silver,
Money is thrown into God’s house and used to buy the Potter’s field,
Silent before His accusers and
Crucified between two thieves
The odds of accidental or planned events by just one man are 1 in 10 to the 17th power. Or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That number is 100 quadrillion.
If you include the 48 major prophecies, the odds are 1 in 10 with 157 zeroes behind it.
Eyewitnesses
There were many eyewitnesses of Jesus’ activities at His first coming to the earth. The disciples created a case for Christ. They saw and touched Jesus. Here are a few examples of their case statements:
John:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
1 John 1:1
Note: John describes Jesus as the “Word” in his gospel (See John 1: 1-18). In this passage, we learn about the divinity of Jesus as the Creator!
Peter:
For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we told you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
2 Peter 1:16
Unlike circumstantial evidence, there were many eyewitnesses!
Doubting Thomas
Thomas had separated himself from the other disciples for eight days. When they finally saw him again, the believing disciples said,
We have seen the Lord!”
John 20:25a
But Thomas was like most of us, i.e., “I won’t believe unless I see Him myself.”
“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John 20: 25b
Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord’ and my God!”
John 20: 27-28
Thomas was finally satisfied by what he saw. He had found His Lord and God. Jesus encourages us who have not seen as did Thomas:
“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29
We may not be able to see Jesus and have the people’s direct experience of Jesus’ day, but we have enough reasons to believe the testimony of those who did. There are even more than just His disciples who experienced Jesus in person!
Paul and the Other Disciples, Plus More Than 500 People, Saw the Resurrected Jesus!
The converted religious zealot, Paul, summarizes the eyewitness accounts described above in his letter to the Corinthians many years after the resurrection:
“…He was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas (one of the disciples walking to Emmaus), and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also….
1 Corinthians 15: 4-8
Often, people who are religious need an encounter with Jesus to make their religion real and valuable to others. Just because someone goes to church and is active in it does not make their experience real.
Conclusion
It is in Jesus that we can find hard evidence of the existence and, more importantly, the true character of God. The prophecies tell of His first and second coming. The second coming prophecies are just as numerous as the first!) Most have already been fulfilled. Even the conditions of the last generation are described in detail. There is no other religious man, god, or self-proclaimed deity/philosophy with prophecies fulfilled precisely and clearly as written by multiple prophets than Jesus.
There were many eyewitness accounts of Jesus and the events of His life on earth. Because of what they saw, especially the resurrected Jesus, they went from fearful, discouraged unbelievers to men and women who proclaimed Jesus boldly, even to the point of torture and death.
If you want to know what the Creator God looks and acts like, look to Jesus. The doubting Phillip wanted to see God the Father. He said that would be enough for the other doubting disciples.
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…
John 14: 8,9
The character of love, compassion, forgiveness, and sacrifice of God the Father can be seen in the life of Jesus! They don’t have different personalities. Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one.”
John 10:30
Learning about Jesus is a study of a lifetime. So you have plenty of material. This material includes nature and the life we see around us.
Next time, we will examine the circumstantial evidence of God’s existence in what we see daily. Until then, the question remains,
“What will it take for you to believe in God?”
But just believing He exists is not enough. At some point, as you seek His guidance, you will learn to trust in Him and take Him at His word. As a result, you will find fellowship and peace in Him.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27
Won’t you start that journey today? Contact me if you have questions or if I can help in any way.
“No, I can’t prove He exists, but I believe He does.”
Why would someone believe in something they can’t see? The more important question is, “What if it could be shown without a doubt that He exists and that the Bible is His reliable source of truth? What would you do?”
Since this is all about questions and doubt, let’s start with a personal question:
What do you need to believe God exists?
What would it take for you to believe a Creator God exists? How could you become convinced or satisfied with God’s existence? Maybe it’s direct physical evidence, like in a murder case where you have DNA, a weapon, a video, and witnesses. That would be a slam-dunk case. Wouldn’t it? If God showed up at your house or office as would a flesh and blood friend and say to you,
“Hello, I am God, and I am here to answer all your questions.”
Then, He proceeded to answer the “why?” questions about losing a loved one, or He let you in on the solutions to world troubles. Would you believe He exists? What if He could tell you the secrets of your life that only you knew? Would you become a believer, then?
Let’s imagine on a grander scale. What if He showed up at the Super Bowl this February, hovering in clouds above the 50-yard line on international TV, and said,
“Listen up, everyone, I am God, there is no other like me, and I can prove it. I will predict the game’s score and the exact time each team scores. Further, I am giving you the final stats of the game before kick-off.”
Would that be enough proof for you to become a believer? How would it affect your life?
Perhaps you are a highly educated Ph.D. scientist with an understanding of the details of the biology of life. What would satisfy you that God exists and He originated all life and knows more than you do? What if He explained how He created the universe and life and gave you formulas you had never considered?
Would all of this be enough?
What would you do with this knowledge if you could be totally satisfied with God’s existence and ability to create everything from nothing? Sadly, most would probably say,
“That’s great! Now I got to go back to work.”
If it could be proved to you, without a doubt, of God’s existence, would you become a believer and seeker of Him and truth?
Most would say,
“No, I am too busy with my life.”
Is it possible that unbelief is not because of a so-called lack of evidence but of something else? Many people do not want there to be a Creator God for various reasons, but mostly because they love their lives, as degraded as they may be. Could it be that we feel God would restrict our joy in life? Then, how about the big question of moral absoluteness and accountability for our actions?
I propose to you that belief is not so much about proof of His existence as is the perceived inconvenience it would cause in our daily lives. But having said all this, let’s continue with the elements to prove either circumstantially or directly His existence. Let me say from the start that I have empathy for the unbeliever, having once been one.
There are many reasons why people chose to believe there is no God and that all of the earth’s events are random and unmanaged. This is where we will start. Let’s take a look at the reasons given for unbelief in a creator God.
Barriers to Belief
1.) Unwillingness to Investigate
Evidence of God’s existence starts with a willing search. You can’t find or learn something if you don’t want to look. Many don’t want to look at it either due to time or just not being interested. The result is quick opinions about something they know very little. They become subject to theories that fit their desire.
Not true is the popular unbiblical saying, “Faith is blind.” A biblical definition of faith is based on the wide-open eyes of substance (confidence) and evidence (tangible). That great religious writer, Paul, who was on his way to persecute Christian believers, said to the Hebrews:
Now faith is the substance (*confidence) of things hoped for, the evidence (*circumstantial and real, tangible) of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
*Parenthetical additions from the original Greek words for substance and evidence: hypostasis(substance) andelegchos(evidence)
God evidently cares about you getting the evidence, but if you don’t want it, there will be no way for it to help. Herein lies the problem with a believer trying to prove God exists. It probably doesn’t matter much if the person does not want there to be a Creator God. So, the substance and evidence are unimportant to them, and they may never start a journey to find the truth. Why? It could be many personal reasons related to lifestyle, perception of what it means to be a believer, peer pressure, etc.
Probably the most significant barrier to belief in God centers on suffering in the world. In all fairness to the unbelievers, there are many things in life on this planet that create unbelief in a Creator God. Even full-blown believers think about these things, but unlike the unbeliever, they have read and understand the words of the prophets about the fall of mankind, sin, the love of God, redemption through Christ, and the path mankind has been on for thousands of years.
2.) Suffering in the World
“If there is a God, why is there so much pain and death in the world?
Suffering and death result from many things other than simply wearing out from old age. Here are some examples: chronic physical and mental pain, continuous wars, bad accidents, mental breakdowns, violent crimes, child and spouse abuse, poverty, and hunger; oppression and persecution of those who feel superior… the list of sufferings that precede death goes on and on.
The death of a loved one, a small child, a toddler, or a young person affects most of us tremendously. The pain is sometimes unbearable. Some will turn to alcohol or drugs to ease the pain.
This typical objection to the existence of God almost always starts with an “If” followed by a “why.” “If” there is a God, then “why” is there suffering in this world? “If there is a God, “why” did He let my mother die?” “If” there is a God, “why” do I struggle all the time?
The insinuation from this question is that “if” God is good and in control, then none of these things would be present on earth. Therefore, everything that happens is by man’s doing or the evolution’s cycle of life, suffering, and death. The unbeliever reasons, “Everything is by chance or coincidence.”
So, this type of thinking requires life on earth to be like heaven, where no one dies or suffers, and everyone is happy.
It is not hard to see something terribly wrong on planet Earth. We have come to expect death, dying, and suffering, but was this God’s plan? What happened? The Bible has the answer, but it is not what most people want to know.
3.) The Actions of Unconverted Believers
The unloving, critical, judgmental nature of people in church or in public can do more to convince an unbeliever that God doesn’t exist or, at the least, not want a part of it. So, they will retreat to friends and flock together in their community where love is expressed. The wars and death in the name of religion just add more fuel or reasons to conclude those Christians, Muslims, etc., are just nuts.
4.) Science
Scientists use systematic principles and procedures to solve problems or gain knowledge by collecting data through observation and experiment. Then, their hypotheses are tested. Science has benefited society in many ways. It has made life easier, safer, more convenient, and extended life and its quality.
But, when it comes to the study of origins, some data is skipped over or maligned. The intelligence (Creator) factor is removed, and we wind up with supposed evidence that interprets life’s beginnings according to man’s desire to dismiss the miracle of creation, procreation, and God. It is thought that God and science have nothing in common, even though some see evidence that God is the originator of all laws that science depends upon.
Evolution has moved from interpretive science to exact science in the minds of many. Mankind’s self-education through the study and observance of nature concludes something different from an intelligent Creator.
God can’t be put in a test tube, but his fingerprints and DNA can be found there. Nevertheless, if a scientist does not want to believe, evidence will not convince them. They will always lean towards theories that fit their worldview and justify their lifestyle/worldview. And, to be honest, it works the same with the Creationist. It is difficult to be purely objective.
5.) Philosophers
It has been estimated that there are over 3,000 philosophers worldwide. Among them are different teachings on life, its beginnings, and endings. Is everybody right? Can error and truth coexist? Evidently, it does in the minds of some people. But logically, the truth is no less true, and error is no less wrong.
Listening to other people who are, or seem to be, experts (pundits) in their field and their reasoning can lead us to form similar opinions that may be right or wrong about many things, including God and the Bible. There are “non-pundits” (famous people such as actors and musicians, etc.) who are not necessarily learned but have opinions that carry weight with those who admire them..
6.) Deception
If you have read the Bible, even casually, you know that deception (for humans) started in a garden, runs through history, and ends with worldwide deception. Satan is called “the father of lies” (See John 8:44). Satan enticed the first couple with a false promise of eternal life and becoming like God (See Genesis 3:4-5). There are many (worldwide) who believe themselves to be God or have received some special revelation. They gather gullible followers without an anchor. These self-proclaimed gods prey on those who have no confident answers and are looking for convenient, self-satisfying truths about life.
With the advent of the web, the number of self-proclaimed philosophers/gods/pundits has reached a staggering level of exposure. Instead of one serpent, there is a whole nest of them all over the world.
Substance and evidence by the false gods are missing. In its place is charisma and power. Following is a very small list of so-called gods on earth; some are dead. No denomination or nationality is exempt from cultic offshoots. (Source: www.monitor.co.ug). Note: the multitude of podcasts, YouTube, and web personalities could be included, but it would take too much time to list them.
Owobusobozi Bisaka– (former Catholic who received a “revelation” and started his own denomination).
Moon Sun Myung-(former Presbyterian. He also received a “revelation,” founded the Unification Church)Inri Christo-Looks a lot like the classic pictures of Jesus and uses some of His teachings.
Sergei Torop founded the Church of the Last Testament. He is a former policeman who was fired after insisting he was Jesus and began to impersonate him with long hair and flowing robes.
Arrifin Mohammed started the sect called The Sky Kingdom. A former Muslim, he claims to be Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Shiva, and the supreme deity of all religions.
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda-Jose founded Creciendo Gracia (Spanish for Growing in Grace) church in the US. At first, Miranda, who is from Mexico, claimed to be Paul, a leading figure of the Bible.
David Koresh, a former member of an offshoot of Seventh-Day Adventists called Shepherd’s Rod, also known as Davidians. Shepherd’s Rod founder was Victor Houteff, whom the worldwide Seventh-Day Adventist Administration excommunicated in 1930.
Marshall Applewhite, founder of Heaven’s Gate, based his beliefs on a mixture of Christian Eschatology and mysticism. He convinced his 38 followers (and himself) that the comet Hale-Bobb was accompanied by a spaceship that would take them from this world, but to get aboard, they needed to leave the physical body through death.
7.) A Multitude of Religious Denominations
Numbers vary and go as high as 30,000 distinct denominations. If you want your head to spin, see the details about the plethora of world religions and denominations on Wikipedia). Most of these folks were born into their particular denomination. Some convert, I am sure. But most would feel they have the truth about God. But how can everybody be right? Solomon, the wise man of God, cautioned,
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 14:12, 16:25
8.) There is No Absolute Truth
This mass confusion has led many to say, “There is no absolute truth.” But is that true, absolutely? If “yes,” then that statement contradicts itself. If the answer is “no,” then there must be absolute truth out there somewhere.
Some proclaim, “I have my truth, and you have your truth.” Does this mean that everyone is right and nobody is wrong? Is that even possible? Do feelings determine truth? I can feel that I can fly, but if I jump off a skyscraper, the truth about gravity will have people scrapping me off the sidewalk.
9.) Reliability of the Bible
This is an often-used excuse for unbelief. It is usually stated by those who have only heard things and never researched or studied themselves. This we will explore later.
Summary
There is a multitude of reasons for disbelief. This planet is in chaos. Wouldn’t you agree? We could study each philosopher, each deity, and each denomination, but that would take more than a lifetime. The truth is out there. God is out there, too! But what will it take to convince you?
Jesus is the most influential religious leader of all time. He and his disciples made some fantastic claims. Jesus Himself said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,”John 14:6
This exclusive claim is either true or it is false. If you believe it to be true, you will have reasons for the hope that is within you. If you believe it is false, you, too, must have evidence. But you won’t know until you search the Bible alone. Deception awaits you if you research the web or read books that claim Jesus is false. You are also in danger listening to family and friends. It is only in the writings of approximately 40 writers whom God inspired to write or were eyewitnesses of Jesus. The story of Jesus is not limited to one writer as it is with others who claim to be God. The proof is in the Bible, which covers thousands of years from creation to destruction.
Are you willing to give Jesus and the Bible a chance? Do you want to follow the evidence and its conclusion? If not, you have wasted your time reading all this. But if you are willing and have an open mind, the truth will set you free from doubt and set you on a new, satisfying journey in life.
We have looked at some barriers to belief. Next time, we will look at sources for truth and belief in God. These things put before me reasons to believe. Hopefully, it will provide the same for you. But it is your choice.
What is the very last sign before the end comes? It is this: the gospel of Jesus will be preached to the whole world. Listen to the exact wording from Jesus’ prophecy:
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24: 10-14
Notice the phrase, “as a witness.” Is it the preaching that is the witness or is it the people who are witness to the power of God? It is the latter! Image a world-wide spreading of the gospel which results in multitudes repenting of their sins and asking Jesus into their lives then producing the fruits of a new heart. These converted believers go out to witness and to preach. Preaching and witnessing go together otherwise; it is just a bunch of sermons.
Contrast this group with the generation existing at that time:
And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then, many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 24: 10-14
Just before the completion of the gospel going to the whole world, Jesus describes the generation that we now live in…
“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. “
Matthew 24:10:14
I can’t think of a better description of our society at this moment. People who are easily offended, betraying each other, hating, lawlessness, people no longer capable of loving others. Our newspapers, newscasters, movie producers, and social media confirm this to be true. Jesus said this would be the condition of society just before the end comes.
An Overly Sensitive Civilization
America and the world have become a “sensitive society.” Laws are passed, and pressure is brought to bear to force every person never to offend anyone. Will laws and protests get the desired result? No!
Political correctness has become the new commandment of lawmakers and a Godless press. Everyone’s words (especially those in the public eye) are measured, analyzed, and judged unfairly…primarily for political and power gain. Lawyers have become the ones carrying the big stick to threaten and force people back into line so no one is offended; otherwise, the offenders will risk life, property, and reputation.
Who are the ones on the list we are not to offend?
Certain Ethnicities
Sexual Preference and Gender Identification
Religious Preference, other than Christians
Rioters and Looters-Many state politicians say they are justified and should not be condemned.
Organizations with deceptive messages
People with opposite beliefs about the topic of freedom and values
Who does not make the list?
American Caucasians
Men
Heterosexuals
Traditional male and female families
Followers of Christ
Jesus said, in the last days, people would be offended and His followers would be hated:
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets (teachers) will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound,the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 34:9-14
A blessing is given to those not offended by Jesus:
“…blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Matthew 11:6
The Solution:
The solution is obvious when we consider and understand the truth about the human heart. Everyday people are born in this world who will reset the chain of sin and wickedness.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9.
“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23
Jesus said the answer to our society’s ills is found only in the change of the heart…a different way of thinking and doing things:
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3
If you have been born again, you will love all those on the list of the easily offended. But, generally, you won’t be loved back. You will be hated and persecuted anyway. Will that offend you?
You will see in everyone a bit of God’s image. They will be respected and loved even though you don’t agree with them. Here are our orders as followers of Christ.
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you,do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Matthew 5:44.
Can you do this?
Are you doing as Jesus instructed, or are you following the example of those easily offended….looking for ways to retaliate…to “one-up” them?
Do Not Be an Offender
We should be careful not to offend anyone if it is in our power, even in our habits. The Apostle Paul even encouraged us to not offend in things like what we eat or drink. Paul makes reference to this thought in Romans over the debate of food sacrificed to idols.
“It isgood neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Romans 14:21
It is not God’s will for us to cause anyone to stumble, or be offended, or made weak. In another place, Paul said,
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,just as I also please allmenin allthings,not seeking my own profit, but theprofitof many, that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33
Paul tried to “please all men in all things.” Paul was a people-pleaser! His desire was to put others above himself so “they may be saved.” Winning theological arguments or diet is not as important as winning souls.
Paul makes the point of not offending someone who invites you to dinner:
If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.
1 Corinthians 10:27
Vegetarians, can you do this? Yes! Go back to your diet the next day. Do not offend your host! A soul is more important than your food!
This was in the context of food sacrificed to idols. But, the main message is this. Don’t let your religion get in the way of saving and encouraging someone.
Christians That Offend:
Christians can be offensive in one of three ways:
Because people hate your leader, Jesus.
Because we tell them the truth about sin and its wages. (But even in this, we are to be harmless as a dove and wise as a serpent.” “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless[a] as doves.” Matthew 10:16
Because some of us are too religious, You may have heard of some people who are “so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good.” These are more interested in winning a theological debate than winning a soul for Christ. These are usually a denominationalist. They say things like, “My church is the right church, and everyone else is going to hell.” Or they are so consumed by being religious through useless forms and ceremonies to score points with other people or God Himself.
In Jesus’ day, there was a religious group who were offended by the words of Jesus over traditions:
When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
But He answered and said,“Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”
So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” Matthew 15: 10-20
The religious people were offended because their tradition of ceremonial washing of hands before eating was ignored by Jesus and His disciples. Why? Because it was a useless act of worthless religion.
Jesus was Offended
The most striking example of someone who was truly offended yet did not retaliate was Jesus in His final hours, where he was beaten, whipped, and made fun of. Even as He was dying on the cross, he prayed for His enemies. One author described Jesus this way:
“The Savior made no murmur of complaint. His face remained calm and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus prayed for His enemies, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” His mind passed from His own suffering to the sin of His persecutors and the terrible retribution that would be theirs. No curses were called down upon the soldiers who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers, who were gloating over the accomplishment of their purpose. Christ pitied them in their ignorance and guilt. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness,—”for they know not what they do.” Desire of Ages. P. 744
My friends, we live in a sensitive society. People are easily offended. As a result, we see hatred, division, murderers, hate, and racism growing at an alarming pace!
Our best response is to try to not offend anyone
Through the power of Christ, don’t be easily offended
When we are offended, pray for our enemies:
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”
Matthew 5:44
As you see the madness of this world, don’t be down, you followers of Jesus,. Look up!
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
Luke 21:28
We are one day closer to the return of Christ than we were yesterday.
