25 TOUGHEST QUESTIONS FOR CHRISTIANS

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Some videos on tough questions and answers go to https://heavenscatalyst.org/truth/hardest-christian-questions/

Here is an audio version of the attached PDF - https://andydell.podbean.com/e/25-toughest-qa-christians-should-know-apologetics/

AUDIO Version (also here)

1. WHY CAN’T EVOLUTION BE TRUE?

There are many reasons, however, it really comes down to the bedrock of Evolution – which is the Theory of Random.  The concept of Random is impossible and doesn’t exist.  For example, if I threw dice I could calculate how it would land every time based on the force, the speed, the angle of the throw and the co-efficient of friction. Random only exists for those who don’t know the formula.  But for the formula to exist in the first place, a set of parameters are needed to be established for the formula to be constructed.  Everything is purposeful.  Nothing ever operates by random so how can evolution be true?  Said another way, if we bang two big rocks together for eternity will there ever be a spark of life? Or if I put pieces of a watch in a bag and swung it around for say 20 Billions of years do you ever think that at one point there will be a fully functional watch in the bag? Really? The theory of evolution takes it even a step further they would say it will turn into a grand father clock by random! 

Here are a few scientific arguments against Evolution:

Fyi - Science can’t prove or account for: math and logic, metaphysical truths, ethical judgements, aesthetic judgements and science itself.

What is the conclusion? The Apostle Paul said, “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1 Cor. 1:27).  “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Rom 1:20-22). Therefore I pray that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling in you (Eph. 1:18) which is found only in Yeshua.

 

2. WHEN WE DIE WE JUST CEASE TO EXIST!

Let’s look at what science says. Science looks at the evidence and then draws a conclusion based on that evidence. The conclusion from the science community is not the extinction of life after death, it is the complete opposite. There are 2 main scientific studies on this very topic.  Out of Body (OBE’s) and Near Death Experiences (NDE’s), these are well documented testified cases.  These are not opinions but facts.  This is where people who have left their body while being operated on, seen their surroundings, seen what was going on, seen some supernatural thing, then came back and shared this with others.  They all share similar things without even speaking with one another.  There are over 20 Million cases in the US alone.  There have been some cases where people, who were born blind, saw their body for the very first time and then described the same events in detail.  Everything that they described was verified to be true.  They could not have described it unless they actually saw it.  There were some people who spoke of being drawn to a white light, others being pulled into a dark crevice. Others spoke about someone speaking to them.  Some saw Yeshua (Jesus) speaking to them.  Now what is in dispute is the interpretation of some of the supernatural events but what is not in dispute is the fact they left their bodies. 

This is what Yeshua said, “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 

Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31).

Now to some of the Christian who didn’t believe there is life beyond death, Yeshua says to you, “As touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err” (Mark 12:26-27).

 

3. PROVE TO ME GOD EXISTS?

Only God can prove Himself to you, the real question is: Do you really want to know and are you prepared to make changes? If you are, ask Yeshua (Jesus) to reveal Himself to you and He will, guaranteed! If you want another answer without asking God, then it is futile. 

However, if you are unable to see the Creator through His creation then let me help you.  Assume you stood in front of a large colourful painting in a museum.  To the right there is an apple tree, to the left a couple enjoying a picnic, in the center a stream flowing and leaves floating in the autumn air.  You notice that there isn’t a name signed on the painting, but you know an artist did it.  It didn’t happen by chance.  The more you look at it the more you appreciate it.  You find yourself saying, “I like this artist”.  Just then the painting pops out like a hologram.  You are impressed and say, “This artist is a genius.” As you move your hand through the hologram the painting engulfs you. As if you are in the painting.  You reach forward and pluck the apple off the tree.  You smell the crisp autumn air as a leaf lands on your forehead.  The couple who are enjoying the picnic to the right, get up and come towards you smiling.  Is this a dream? Who did this amazing work of Art that is beyond your comprehension. Where there is a painting there is an artist, where there is creation there is the Creator.

King David said, “O Yahweh, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You are mindful of him?  And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.  You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.  All sheep and oxen—even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas. O Yahweh, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8)

 

4. ONLY IF I SEE GOD WILL I BELIEVE

Isn’t that hypocritical because you don’t live that way?  Don’t you base your life on your meaning and your ethics, since when can you physically see your meaning or ethics? All you live by are the effects.  You can't see wind, electricity or gravity yet you believe it is there because you see the effects. Something closer to home, you can’t physically see life yet you live by it. For example, if someone dies of a heart attack and you give them a perfectly new heart within an hour, why won't they live or come back to life?  Because the physical can only house and sustain life, it does not give life. Therefore, if you really want to see God then look at the effects of God in His Son, Yeshua. Do some research - has there ever been anyone in history who has been a better example and made a bigger impact than Yeshua? Listen to what He said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me… he who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:6,9).  The real question is - do you believe Yeshua? If you do, you will see the Father one day.  However, if you don’t believe then even if God showed Himself to you, you will still not believe – remember Adam, Eve or Judas.

 

5. WHY DOESN’T GOD SHOW HIMSELF PHYSICALLY?


He has through Creation, through Scripture, through Israel, through His Son Yeshua and His people. Why are you so blind?  Is this question an excuse to rebel?  When God the Father physically shows Himself then your choice is up and judgement starts – trust me you don’t want the question to be fulfilled. Do you think seeing Him physically will change your heart for eternity?  Remember, God did show Himself to Adam and Eve in the beginning, however that made no difference they still rebelled! Another was Judas, he walked with Yeshua for 3 years, seeing the amazing miracles, and yet he too rebelled. Why?  Because of pride and ungratefulness. 

If you haven’t thought about this before, think about eternity.  Eternity is a long time. Would you want to spend eternity with people who would grow to hate and despise you?  Obviously not, so how would you test them and get rid of their rebellion before they stay with you? God is seeking those who seek Him. If they seek Him, He will reveal Yeshua to them so that they can get rid of their rebellion.  If they believe Him and follow His Word now, when they don’t see Him, how much more will they when they see Him one day?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John 3:16-20). 

After Yeshua was resurrected physically, Thomas His Disciple, still didn’t believe. Yeshua appeared to Him and said, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed!” (John 20:29). 

 

6. ISN’T THE BIBLE A MYTH OR FAIRY TALE?

No myth or fairy tale would have well documented historical facts, places, people and events that actually existed.  Written at the moment and within that century of the events.  The Bible is all centered around one man – Yeshua the Messiah.  So if anyone wants to find out about the Bible let them first explore Yeshua.  As they say, you can tell the size of a ship by the wake it leaves, the larger the wake, the larger the ship.  There has never been a person greater on this earth than Yeshua – in terms of His impact on the world throughout the centuries, His influence on helping humanity, His definition of love, His realisation on the value of life, and His determination on eternity (beyond death). You may ignore one or two of these, however even one of them is sufficiently significant to prove that He is the Greatest!. 

Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian of the 1st Century, also wrote about Jesus and His impact (Antiquities 18:63-64), "At this time there was a wise man called Jesus, and his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. Many people among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified, and to die. But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah (the Christ), concerning whom the prophets have reported wonders. And the tribe of the Christians, so named after him, has not disappeared to this day.”

One has to pause here and ask themselves - What more would you need to convince you that the Bible is the Word of God? 

 

ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORICAL FACTS.

People discovered to be true through Archeological discoveries: Roman Emperors: Caesar Augustus, Tiberius, and Claudius; Roman governors: Pontius Pilate, Serguis Paulus, Gallio, Felix and Festus; Local rulers: Herod the Great, Archelaus, Herod Antipas, Philip, Herod Agrippa I, Herod Agrippa II, Lysanias and Aretas IV; High priests: Annas, Joseph Caiaphas and Ananias; Prominent women: Herodias, Salome, Bernice and Drusilla. And just recently archaeologists discovered the supposed bones of the chief prosecutor at that trial of Jesus, the High Priest Joseph Caiaphas, inside an ossuary (a stone chest used to store bones from burial sites).

Places discovered to be true: Ur (Genesis 11), location of Hittites (Genesis 15:20) and cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which were violently destroyed (Genesis 19).  Ancient Babylonian records describe a confusion of language, the account described in Genesis 11:1-9.  They spoke of a worldwide flood in the list of “Sumerian Kings” on stone (2200BC).  Plagues in Egypt “Ipuwer Papyrus” (1440BC) and the resulting Exodus (Exodus 12:40-41). 

 

RELIABILITY OF COPYING.

The copying reliability of the Old Testament was compared to the Dead Sea scrolls – a span of over 1,100 Years (Ben Asher/Leningrad codex 1008AD to Dead Sea Scrolls 100-300 BC). There are some minor things different like text style, the Masoretic Text added vowel points, few changes in prophetic words (easily identified) but the vast majority 99%+ the exact same message.  As for the New Testament, there are currently more than 5,300 manuscripts, some fragments dating back to less than 100 years after Yeshua’s resurrection!  We have full manuscripts dating back to the 3rd to 5th Century AD.  This is 200-400 years after Christ.

For perspective: There are 251 copies of the works of Julius Caesar, the earliest is 950 years after he wrote them. There are 109 copies of the historian Herodotus, the earliest from 1,400 years after he wrote them. Archaeologists have found about 1,800 manuscript copies of the works of Homer.  Homer was around 800BC but the earliest recording of his work are a few lines on tablet 1,100 years later (300AD) but the earliest copy of his work 800-1000AD!  No way to validate accuracy.  Yet nothing comes close to the accuracy of the copying of the Bible.

The Bible is the only Book that has been translated into more languages than any other. Most of the so-called “great” books have been translated into 5-10 languages but the full Bible has been translated into more than 670 languages (the NT over 1,000 languages). The Bible was written by more than 40 writers, who came from every walk of life: fishermen, kings, philosophers, tax collectors, poets, musicians, statesmen, scholars, priests, shepherds, etc. Written in many different styles – songs, parables, narrative, legal, poetic, historic, romantic, biographic, autobiographic, prophetic, satiric and allegoric. Written during the largest spectrum of circumstances and emotions; joy, war, sacrifice, famine, prosperity, conviction, persecution, yet the message stays consistent and without contradiction throughout. It has been proven time and again that the only contradiction has been found in one’s understanding.  The Bible has more critics than any other book ever written; yet it is the only book that silences these critics with facts. This is further evidence that God wants people to know His Word.

 

SUPERNATURAL.

Most people believe the natural events but can’t wrap their mind around the fact that God did and does miracles.  They don’t understand if there are no miracles why believe.  There are many supernatural events in the Bible that are recorded in other sources too? Here are a few:

Creation account in Genesis 1, also in the Ebla Tablet. “Lord of heaven and earth: the earth was not, you created it, the light of day was not, you created it, the morning light you had not [yet] made exist.”
Flood destroying the world Genesis 6-8 also found in the “Sumerian Kings”. 
The plagues God poured out on Egypt (Exodus 7-12 dating back to ~1450BC), are also recorded in the Egyptian Hieroglyphics called “Ipuwer Papyrus”.

God’s Word tells us that the earth was one mass that split apart after the flood ~2300 BC (1 Chr. 1:19 – dating back to ~500BC).  It was only very recently that people have been able to prove that the earth was at one point - one mass that split apart.
God’s Word says that the physical world is made up of frequency – God “spoke it” into existence (Gen.1; Heb. 11:3 – dating back to ~4,000BC), scientists have only recently proven that all physical is made up of a variation of frequency and that nothing is truly solid.
God revealed to Isaiah that the earth was round (Isaiah 40:22 dating back to ~700BC) and to Job that it hung upon nothing (Job 26:7 dating back to ~1900BC).  Only recently scientists have discovered this.  However, for centuries prior, Greek philosophers and religions either believed that the earth was flat with an end point, or it was on some kind of giant or animal. 

 

FUTURE EVENTS.

The Bible contains many prophecies that have been fulfilled, and some still to come. Here is one of the macro prophecies written before they came to pass - The rise and fall of the 5 EVIL Empires/Kingdoms before Christ comes to reign over the earth. Daniel had been given the prophecies of the last 5 Evil Empires that God would allow to rule over His people. Why would God allow His people to be ruled by Evil? Because of their rebellion against Him. Now when Daniel (~600BC) prophesied (Dan. 2:14-45), he was in one Evil Empire and four had not yet come. Babylon 606BC (Dan. 1:1), Media-Persia 536BC (Dan. 5:28; 8:20; 9:24); Greece 336BC (Dan. 8:21; 10:20), the Roman Empire (Dan. 9:25), and one is yet to come (Dan. 2:33-45). There is more on the last Empire but if one doesn’t believe what is proven why would they believe something that is yet to come. 

 

WRITTEN BY MAN BUT INSPIRED BY GOD.

God literally told people many times what to write, what they saw, what they feel, what to do, why they are to do what they need to do, how much He loves them – all centered on Yeshua. 

Besides the historical facts, the amazing impact it has had on the world, supernatural events, the fact that Yeshua Himself, the greatest man in History acknowledged many books and prophets, how do we know the writers were inspired by God?  The ultimate truth test is putting God’s Word into practice and seeing the results.  If it isn’t from God then nothing will happen but if it does, then don’t credit coincidence, be honest and give God credit.

What gives one nation more strength than another? It is not money or military might but wisdom. Wisdom is not knowing everything but knowing the right thing at the right time to implement it.  In the Bible there were many situations where the odds were against God’s people, yet they were victorious. Why are people today running to Christian founded countries to escape from the disaster in their own countries, like the Islamic countries, Hindi or atheistic countries?! Why do Christians out give, out help any other person or religion on this planet!  When the authority of the country is founded on Yeshua, then the land is blessed by God.

Psalm 2:12 says, “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.”  So why do some reject God’s message when there is so much evidence? Yeshua said, ‘For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them” (Matt. 13:14-15). Paul says that "People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:1-5). “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

 

7. DO YOU BELIEVE JONAH WAS SWALLOWED BY A WHALE, REALLY?

Yes, if it was possible then it wouldn’t be a miracle from God!  If the Bible had no supernatural events, why would anyone need to believe this God?  Isn’t the supernatural the proof that God exists and reaching out to those who want to know Him!?  There are bigger miracles than Jonah, how about getting all the animals to the ark, parting the red sea that they walked through on dry land, keeping the sun in the sky for nearly a day, making the sun rotate go backwards, making a person born blind see, making the maimed whole, walking on water, dividing 5 loaves and 2 fish amongst 5,000+ people that they were filled, and raising the dead etc.? Even the plagues in Egypt are miracles, however these are also backed up in the Egyptian Hieroglyphics called “Ipuwer Papyrus”.  God did it because “with” God all things are possible.

 

8. WHY DOESN’T GOD STOP RAPE & THE KILLING OF THE INNOCENT?

Why is there suffering in this world? Why do bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people? Surely, if God can do anything, why doesn’t He stop rape, sickness, murder, accidents, bloodshed etc.? These are age old complicated questions, but the very nature of the last question suggests that questioner is more loving and more righteous than God and voids man of any responsibility.  But for the questioner who is not self-righteous and does not believe they are more loving than God, there are primarily 2 ways of answering this question: 1) the Nature of God through creation and 2) the Word of God.  Here we will explore the Nature of God

THE NATURE OF GOD

Romans 1:20-21 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

God has given mankind ‘Freewill’. Freewill to sin, to oppose God, and to receive the consequences for the choices made by self and others. To remove this free will is to destroy mankind, and specifically to go against true love.  For example; which one of the following four created scenarios would enable people to voluntarily express the most love to God and to others? Here are the 4 potential worlds:

  1. No creation at all (no love);
  2. The ability to only choose good and God, basically robots (no freewill, no love);
  3. The ability to choose good or evil, but God stops every evil action or accident just before it happens. This would cause people to resent God for continually intervening and stopping them – e.g. it would be like having someone in your house, following them all the time and stopping them each time they did anything wrong… This would be forced love and instead of love, hatred would grow; or
  4. The world that we have today, where there is free will to love God or not, chose evil or good (Deut. 30:19), but we live with the consequences.  Why did God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the Garden of Eden instead of hiding it somewhere? In order to give complete freewill to love and obey Him or not – total transparency – total love.

This is the ultimate environment to express love voluntarily to God and others! It is obvious that God’s will is not always being done on earth, that’s why Jesus told us to pray: Matthew 6:9-10 “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”. Why does one need to pray for something to happen on earth if it is already being done? Therefore, suffering is evidence that God has given free will to mankind and how mankind has abused this. For example, who kills more innocent lives today, more than any disease or natural disaster in history? Humans – millions of children are murdered each year through “legalized” murder called abortion.  What happens if God stopped them every time they murdered their child, how do you think they would respond?

 

9. SURELY GOD CAN DO ANYTHING, THEREFORE WHY DIDN’T HE STOP THIS OR THAT?

There are primarily 2 ways of answering this question: 1) the Nature of God through creation and 2) the Word of God.  Here we will explore the Word of God.

THE WORD OF GOD

Although we serve an almighty, powerful God, the Creator of all things, He has also set rules that He has chosen not to go against.  Therefore, God cannot do anything He wants, as He has limited Himself by His own Word and will not break it (Psalm 138:2; Amos 3:7). Here are a few examples from Scripture:

In conclusion, freewill has caused much suffering and pain on the earth.  Many times that pain and suffering is not through a fault of our own but through the actions of freewill of others.  Freewill also allows us not to be robots but allows us to truly self-examine, recognize the void, recognize our or others rebellion through the choices we and others make and ultimately call out to God to help us.  Prayer bridges the gap between the natural and supernatural.  One day we will see how many things God did to stop catastrophes because of the prayer of those in Christ. 

 

10. PEOPLE WANTED TO FIND MEANING SO THEY CREATED GOD!

God was always there but people's rebellion for centuries has been to replace God. It is people who started created meaning without God.  So it is the other way around. Atheism is newer than Theism. Inherently people know of God, however people are taught there is no God by some evil educational institutions. Some things to think about:

But the real question is – are you trying to avoid God?

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:17-21).

 

11. I’M A GOOD PERSON, I WILL GO TO HEAVEN

If some random person knocked on your front door and said, “I am a good person therefore I should stay at your house?” What would you say? No. So why do you expect God too? Now if you had a good relationship with them, and they wouldn’t hurt anyone in the house, then maybe you would allow them to stay.  However, if you don’t know them then you would not, no matter how good they say that are. 

Now lets talk about being good. Compared to others you might be good, but according to God’s standard you are not. Test yourself on 2 of the 10 commandments: Have you ever lied? Have you ever stolen? Everyone has and this makes you a lying thief.  This is only 2 of the 10 commandments. God’s standard through Yeshua is much higher.  Have you ever looked at someone’s wife or husband other than your own to lust after them? If you have, you have also committed adultery and this makes you a lying thieving adulteress. The point is everyone has fallen and all need to be cleansed of this rebellion.  There is only one soul cleaner that has the power to cleanse us, that is, Yeshua God’s Son. Now if you reject Him then there is no cleansing but a fearful expectation of receiving the consequences for that rebellion.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). 

 

12. WHY DOESN’T GOD JUST GET RID OF EVERYONE’S SIN WITH A WAVE OF HIS HAND?

He can’t because He has given freewill to mankind and they have chosen to reject Him and His counsel. Therefore the only way to be reconciled to Him is use freewill to accept His only plan of reconciliation.  “Whoever believes in Yeshua (what He did and what He said) should have eternal life” (John 3:15).  Could God have made it any easier than to simplify surrender/believe/trust Yeshua? Isn’t the simplicity showing the goodness and the love God but people’s continual rejection showing their rebellion towards Him?

The whole world has been bitten by the serpent of sin and all need the antidote.  Yeshua is the only antidote to save mankind from their sin and reconcile them to God.  There is no other way.

Yeshua said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18).

 

13. ISN’T YESHUA LIKE ALL OTHER RELIGIOUS FOUNDERS?

Firstly, Yeshua is not a founder but THE answer to life. He is the real deal, all others are at best imitators. Secondly no one claims to have a personal relationship with God, only Yeshua does:

The Messiah said, “YHWH possessed me in the beginning of his way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was” (Prov. 8:22-23).

John said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

Paul said that Yeshua “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled” (Col. 1:15-21).

 

14. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YESHUA IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD?

What would Yeshua need to do to prove that He was the only way and have you asked Him?  If you have, has there ever been a greater person on earth than Him, if there is let’s compare that person to Yeshua? Remember this acronym LIVE FOR UP.

L - He provided the deeper true meaning to Love – Love your enemies (Matt. 5:44), forgive people their trespasses (Matt. 6:14), do unto others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:31) etc.

I - In only 3 years of ministry, He Impacted billions of people through the centuries.

V - He gave Value to human life – humans are more valuable than animals (Matt. 10:31) and told us to feed the poor, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, visit and heal the sick, visit those in prison (Matt. 25:35-36), correctly guide children and protect them (Matt. 18:5-10) etc.

E - He provides Everlasting hope and peace to all those who believe on Him (John 6:29; 3:16).

 

F - He clearly predicted Future events like the temple’s destruction in Jerusalem (70AD) within that generation (Luke 19:41-44; 21:6,32).

O – He is the Only way to God, He declared, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  NO ONE comes to the Father EXCEPT through me” (John 14:6).  Yeshua doesn’t provide the option to be just a good prophet or teacher, we either believe He is the only way or we don’t. Do we trust ourselves more than Him? I think not.

R - He Resurrected Himself in His physical body 3 days after His death (Matt 28:9-10; John 20:11-18). His Disciples and followers who ran from the persecutors when Yeshua was killed, gladly gave their lives weeks later, declaring He was risen. If you were in their shoes and ran for fear of death, what would make you go back to the same persecutors, willing to lay down your life to tell them that He has risen? The Disciples saw Him after His resurrection.  They spoke with Him, ate with Him for many days.

U - He provides an Ultimatum to believe Him, not an option. Yeshua said, “Ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). This is what King David said centuries before, “Kiss the Son, lest He (God) be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Ps. 2:12).

P - He was Prophesied centuries before His coming. Yeshua fulfilled so many prophecies that the probability that He is the only Way to God is infinite. Even if we removed all the prophecies of supernatural events (virgin birth, made the blind to see, deaf hear, raise the dead, resurrection etc.), the probability that Yeshua is the Messiah is at least ten to the power of eighteen!  No one’s life has this kind of guarantee than Him, therefore surrender to Him while you have breath! Here are some of the prophecies:

FYI – some other prophecies:

Yeshua said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev. 3:20-22).

 

15. WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS?

First understand that we are all sinners and no one is righteous before God (Rom. 3:23; 6:23).  God who is rich in love and mercy, knew we couldn’t help ourselves, so He executed the plan to reconcile us back into His presence – known as the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The plan that was executed is Yeshua, His name means “Yaweh sets free.”  YESHUA is the only plan and way for God to reconcile mankind to Him (Eph. 2; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:4; Rom. 5:8; 8:3).  To elaborate: Yeshua’s blood paid for our sin (Rom. 3:25); Yeshua’s suffering cancelled the curse on our life and instead of God’s wrath we have His favour (Gal. 3:13); Yeshua’s death paid for our separation from God (1 Pet. 3:18), His resurrection paid for our reconciliation to God (Rom. 5:10); Yeshua sent Holy Spirit (John 15:26) to enable us to know God personally (Gal. 4:6), to live righteously (Ezek. 11:19-21; Eph. 2:10), and empowered us to share Yeshua with others (Acts 1:8).  Paul said, “I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:1-6).

So how do we do to have access to this plan? “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:9-13).  However like Yeshua said, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46; Matt. 7:21-27).

 

16. SURELY GOD COULD COME UP WITH ANOTHER WAY THAN KILLING HIS SON, HE IS GOD?

Freedom is never free, it comes at a cost.  God couldn’t do it another way.  If it was possible He would of come up with another plan when Yeshua asked Him.  The reason is, God told Adam if he rebelled against His word Adam would die. Adam and mankind did rebel against God and were doomed forever.  So God needed to KILL His Word (Sacrifice His Word) so that those who accept the sacrifice would be saved by it.  Just like an avalanche about to wipe out a village, and the only thing that can stop it, is another force of equally strength – another avalanche.  Those who move to the safety of the second avalanche will be protected, those who ignore the sound of the first will be consumed by it.

Similarly, remember how the people rebelled against Moses and God? God sent snakes to bite them.  Then people wanted to repent so God told Moses to make a snake – the same thing that bit them and put it on the stick.  When they look on the snake on the stick they would be healed (Numbers 21).  Yeshua said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14).  The same Word of God that Adam rebelled against, is the same Word He received the consequences is the same word God took and sacrificed.  So that those who repent and accept God’s sacrifice of His Word (His Son), He will be acquitted of their sin and be reconciled.

 

17. WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT YESHUA LIKE IN THE KALAHARI – DO THEY AUTOMATICALLY GO TO HELL?

Understand that Yeshua did not come to condemn the world as the world is ALREADY condemned and going to Hell! For all have sinned and fallen short before God. God in His mercy provided Yeshua as the only antidote for sin. He is the gift that God has given to free people from their sin.  All they need to do is accept His gift and not make up their own way of salvation.  Why do they reject it? Because of their self-righteousness, tradition or ….! Now if people don’t share the antidote with others, make others aware, whose fault is it? If people reject the antidote because of tradition or self-righteousness, whose fault is it?

What happens if someone has never heard of Yeshua and then dies? It is obviously true that not everyone has heard of the gift of God through Yeshua but that is not an excuse because everyone through history is aware of God.   “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools (Rom. 1:20-22).  Therefore, all are aware of God but not all seek Him - how sad. If they seek Him today, He will reveal Yeshua to them – either through His people directly, indirectly or through dreams.

If they seek Him and die without the opportunity to accept Yeshua as their Lord and Saviour they will not go to Heaven at that moment but a place called Death (place of nothingness) where they will remain until Judgement Day. Those who did not seek after Him or rejected Yeshua will go to Hades (place of torment – Luke 16:19-31) until judgement day. On Judgement Day it will be way more tolerable for those who haven’t heard of Yeshua and yet sought God than those who have heard of Yeshua and rejected Him (Matt. 11:20-24; Luke 12:48; Rev. 20:11-14).

 

18. AREN’T ALL RELIGIONS THE SAME – DON’T THEY ALL LEAD TO GOD?

No, all religions don’t even claim to lead to God except for Christianity.  Atheists claim oblivion after death.  Buddhist and Hindu religions claim a person is reincarnated, and that they will eventually get absorbed into the cosmos, where they will no longer exist.  Islam claims that only the best people who follow Islam get to Heaven but God is not there, He is absent and not relational, and there will be virgins awaiting them.  Only Christians claim to go to Heaven where God is, where they will talk with God.  Christians are not only with God in the future, but also with Him right now on earth.  Therefore, do all religions lead to God?  Absolutely not, they don’t even claim that.  There is only One who claimed to lead to God now and for eternity – just like Yeshua said (John 14:6).

 

19. DON’T ALL RELIGIONS HAVE THE SAME FUNDAMENTALS OF LOVE?

I heard someone once say, “A Rose is a Rose, and a Rose by any other name is still a Rose.”  To which I responded, “Not if you are selling an artificial Rose, and deceiving them that it is a Rose!  If it doesn’t smell like a Rose, feel like a Rose, look like a Rose, it is not a Rose!”

The fundamentals of each Religions are different – let’s explore Atheism, Buddhism, Islam and Believers in Yeshua.

The motivation of love is different therefore the actions will depend on this.  For example:

 

20. IF WE ARE PREDESTINED BY GOD, HOW DOES FREEWILL PLAY A ROLE?

 

Romans 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

 

God obviously knew people would come to Him, so He planned to redeem them and enable them to conform into the image of His Son.  If a person buys a Ford car, it could be said that the Ford Company predestined that people would buy it or else they wouldn’t make it.  Similarly, there is a 4-stage process in accepting Jesus the Messiah as Lord (Owner) and Savior. Some elevate one part and ignore the others which drive confusion:

 

  1. God’s Plan/ Predestine, His Desire: God created the plan, it is His plan not ours, He made Jesus available to all (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). Jesus is God’s plan.

 

  1. God Calls/ Draws/ Convicts/ Invites: Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus by convicting them of sin (John 16:9; Matthew 22:3-4; 9-10; Isaiah 65:1-2), we are unable to draw ourselves because we are consumed by sin (Eph. 2:3).

 

  1. Freewill that God gave us: God gives us the opportunity to accept Jesus or reject Him, to eat or not eat. God doesn’t make them call upon Him, this is something we need to do! (Acts 17:30; John 6:28-29; Romans 9:32-33; 10:9-10, 13, 17; Matthew 11:28; 23:37; 1 Peter 1; Matthew 22:5-6; Ephesians 1:12; 1 Timothy 4:10).  IF we accept Jesus, then we are chosen by God, (Matthew 22:10, 14), betrothed/ engaged/ virgins ready for the marriage (Matt. 25:1-12), not married yet.  If we reject Jesus, then we are rejected by God (John 3:36; Matthew 22:8; Isaiah 65:12).  Therefore, not everyone who is called is chosen because of freewill (Matthew 22:1-14).

 

  1. Sealed by Holy Spirit: Those who are chosen are sealed and empowered by Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; Acts 2:38) to do good works (Ephesians 2:8-10; Ezekiel 11:19-21).  They are justified and glorified through Christ (Romans 8:30) so that the end state is being conformed into the image of His Son Jesus (Romans 8:29). 

 

In summary Paul says in Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Plan of God), for it is the power of God unto salvation (God calls and empowers through Holy Spirit) to everyone who believes (exercising freewill that God gave us)”.

 

 

21.  IF GOD IS A GOD OF LOVE WHAT ABOUT THE GENOCIDE THAT HE TOLD ISRAEL TO DO?

God is just and very merciful. Do you know of anyone who would feed those who hates them? God lets the rain fall on the just and unjust. God had told the Canaanites to leave the area as it belonged to Israel, even Rahab knew it. God had given the Canaanites (those who lived in the region God had given to Israel), 40 years to get out but they still refused. They refused to leave but attacked the Israelites. Therefore, God told Israel to wipe them out. He never told them go to another region to wipe them out like Islam. But Israel didn’t wipe the people out, therefore these people became thorns in Israel’s sides, for example, Haman who was a descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekites.

 

22. HOW CAN A GOD OF LOVE AGREE WITH SLAVERY BY GIVING INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO BEAT THEIR SLAVES?

It is important to always remember that God is more merciful and righteous than anyone. Understand that slaves in Israel is not like slavery in modern day movies, the feudal system or like the slave trade of history.  For example, in Israel, people who stole and kidnapped people for the purpose of slavery would be put to death. A Master-Servant relationship in the Scripture was essentially a community service to uplift the poor in Israel specifically.  It was to avoid people dying in the streets, giving them a sense of purpose. Lev. 25:17 “Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God.”

People entered into this self bonding contract when they couldn’t feed themselves, their families or pay their debts.  They would then approach someone who could afford to pay their debt on their behalf, feed them, and protect them.  In exchange, the servant would work for that person until their debt was paid or other specific circumstances (see below), at which point they would be free from their contract.

There were 2 types of types of contracts in Israel – Israelites who were servants to Israelites; and Foreigners who were slaves (Lev. 25:44-45) to Israelites.  There were 2 kinds of Israelite servants:  1) those who “sold themselves” to another Israelite.  If they sold themselves into servanthood, they would serve until the start of the Year of Jubilee (50th Year), where they were then set free (Lev. 25:40-41, 48-52). 2) Israelites “who were sold” by their Israelite or Foreigner to another Israelite Master.  When this happened, their time was reduced, they were obligated to work until the first Sabbath Year (7th Year of Israel calendar) (Deut. 15:12-13).  The servant then had the option to stay if they preferred the employment of the master.  Then the servant would have their ear pierced as a sign (Deut. 15:16,17).

However, Foreigners who dwelt amongst the Israelites could be property of the Israelite and wouldn’t be set free per the Jewish calendar (Lev. 25:44-46).  They and their children were permanently owned by the Israelite to be left as an inheritance to their children, or sold (Lev 25:45-46).

What happened if a servant refused to work or played the sick card in order not to work?  God provided direction for the judges in the law so that the owner would not get punished if the servant received a beating. God did however, put restrictions on the beating – don’t kill the servant.  If they did, then the owner must die. Or if a body part is injured and is unrepairable (like a tooth or an eye) then the owner is obligated to set the servant free. In other words, the owner will lose the money he paid for that servant (Exo. 21:20-21, 26-27).

 

 

23. DOES GOD KNOW WHO WILL BE SAVED AND WHO WILL NOT BE SAVED?

 

This is not a question that we should be pondering on or asking, as it is not for us to know. In Romans 10”6-7 Paul said, “Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:), Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)”. However, I have given some thought to this question but my actions are not dependent on it. My responsibility is to trust God with His plan, and do what He has asked me to do. As an aside, what I have discovered is that sometimes God has chosen NOT TO KNOW the outcome of some people in Scripture.  Here are 3 examples (there are many others):

 

  1. God chose Saul as Israel’s king and then repented for making Saul king, as if He didn’t know He would rebel (1 Samuel 15:11).
  2. The Lord promised that He would take Israel into a land flowing with milk and honey (the Promised Land) (Exo. 3:8; 13:17) but most of those who heard the promise, including Moses, didn’t enter.
  3. Genesis 6:5-6 God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. It is as if God wished he had not made man on the earth. Did God know mankind would do this or did He choose not to know for His own sake?I believe the latter.The key message we need to understand is that God’s desire is that no one perishes but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:3-4)!

 

24. WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO BECOME A BELIEVER EXCEPT NOT TO GO TO HELL?

To experience love, joy and fullness by having a relationship with the One who created all things we enjoy: beach, sun, rain, food, water and the ones we love.  Love being the strongest force on the planet and love isn't an atom or molecule or else it would be sold.  Love comes from the Creator, so if one wants to experience true love and fulfillment they need a relationship with the Creator - there is only one way. Repent and accept Jesus as the antidote for their sin.

 

25. 10 QUESTIONS TO ASK NON-CHRISTIAN FRIENDS IN RETURN.

Here are some of the toughest Christian questions for atheists or agnostics. Some questions may not be answered, so add "hypothetically" to encourage a response.

1. What is the meaning of life? If it's happiness or procreation, isn't that merely self-gratification? Is this truly the essence of life? Don't selfless acts hold a greater sense of meaning than personal gain? If so, are selfless acts the meaning of life? Doesn't a deep personal relationship with someone provide a greater sense of meaning than selfless acts? What better personal relationship than having one with the One who made us? Wouldn’t this be the meaning of life?


2. Is there such a thing as conscience to navigate good from evil? If so can this be proved by science?

3. What are the odds that life formed without a Creator? Give a % from 0-100%. If less than 100%, why doubt? If you've never sought, how do you know?.

4. If you were heading to Hell instead of Heaven after death and could change it, would you want to know? If no why and if yes what have you done to find out?

5. Do you desire a relationship with the Creator?

6. Have you sincerely asked God to reveal Himself, genuinely seeking to know Him, rather than just His existence?

7. Has anyone in history impacted the world more than Jesus, who even shapes our calendar? If so, why not heed His teachings and if not, who has had a greater impact - impacting society, morality, sciences, arts, philosophy?

8. This life tests us for eternity. If you were choosing people for eternity, what qualities would you seek? If goodness, how would you know and would you let someone stay forever just because they're good? Even Satan believes he is good.

9. What would it take for God to get your attention without appearing physically?

10. When you face God one day, what excuse will you give for rejecting Jesus? - Blaming His absence when you didn't seek Him, trusting others' opinions over seeking truth, claiming insufficient evidence while not living by facts, or challenging God's role in suffering?