Over the last four posts, we have been looking at the example of how Jesus prepared the apostles to evangelize His salvation clarion call, why everyone still needs to hear that message in the present age, how to personally evangelize, and finally, how to handle the most common objections people have for not accepting Christ as their Savior. (See Jesus is One Serious Son, The New Boss is the Same as the Old Boss, Do You Know How to Enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and How to Handle Salvation Doubts.)
Now, we are going to learn how to bring our potential converts greater clarity to their doubts concerning deeper aspects of Christian theology. Let’s take them one-by-one:
- ‘I don’t believe Jesus is God.’ Answer: I understand why you wouldn’t. This has been debated for centuries. Let’s let God answer it:
Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness] … Gn. 1:26 AMP
Note that the Amplified translation inserts a triumvirate description in the Godhead. The New King James, Christian Standard, and New Living Translation says ‘us’ instead. You might think that their translations suggest that Jehovah is speaking in a sense of the royal ‘we’. Personally, I don’t think so.
Let’s see what Jesus had to say:
“It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one who thirsts I will give [water] from the fountain of the water of life without cost.” Rv. 21:6. AMP
He repeats this again in Rv. 22:13, referring to the fact that He was present at least when time began, and will be again, when time ends.
Jehovah God says the same thing about Himself in Rv. 1:8. Food for thought.
Let’s listen to Christ again:
“I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!” Jn. 8:58 NLT
Jesus was referring to His heavenly, spiritual, eternal ‘I AM’, suggesting the name of His Father (Yahweh). He also said this:
Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.” Jn. 17:5 NLT
Jesus is placing Himself with His Father before creation began. Thus, He had yet to be incarnated. In that event, Christ was in heaven. So, He must have been a Spirit, because flesh and blood cannot enter heaven.[1]
Now let’s listen to the apostle John:
In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. Jn. 1:1-4. AMP
Whole lot of information there. Again, Jesus was with God before the beginning of creation, before time. And Jehovah designed the universe and created everything through Christ. No mere man could be a part of that process. Also, after the prophets died, we didn’t hear from God until Jesus was incarnated. He became His Father’s voice to His children:
God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in [the voices and writings of] the prophets in many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the truth], and in many ways, has in these last days spoken [with finality] to us in [the person of One who is by His character and nature] His Son [namely Jesus], whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through whom also He created the universe [that is, the universe as a space-time-matter continuum]. The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God’s Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father’s] essence, and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]. When He [Himself and no other] had [by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for sin] accomplished purification from sins and established our freedom from guilt, He sat down [revealing His completed work] at the right hand of the Majesty on high [revealing His Divine authority], having become as much superior to angels, since He has inherited a more excellent and glorious name than they [that is, Son—the name above all names]. Heb. 1:1-6 AMP
At the very least, Jesus was God-like. In fact, we are called to give Christ equal honor.[2] The Ten Commandments tell us to worship God only.[3] However, Jesus also allowed Himself to be worshipped.[4]
For me, if Jesus is not God, He is so much like Jehovah that there is no meaningful difference. However, some church sects present well thought-out objections. Let’s see how they hold up to biblical scrutiny:
First objection: Jesus died; and God cannot die. Answer: Only the human form of Christ died – that part (the perfect, sinless man) was the only acceptable sacrifice, paying for the sins of all humankind. His humanity was trusting Jehovah to care for Him. It was Christ’s ‘God essence’, Jesus’ Spiritual being, that raised Him from the dead, (which only God could do), so that the world could be reconciled to His Father.
Second objection: No one can see God and live.[5] Answer: True. But all the people saw, was Jesus’ human form, until after His resurrection – whereby they witnessed His integrated God-Man self.
Third objection: Jesus was flesh and blood. Answer: Yes, His human part was. The nature of His God-Man self is unknown. But we know that in that form, He could appear and disappear at will. Yet He allowed His apostles to physically inspect Him.[6]
Fourth objection: Jesus prayed to His Father. Answer: True. But that was prior to His becoming His God-Man integrative heavenly self.
Fifth and last objection: Jesus was tempted; and God cannot be tempted. Answer: Christ was tempted in His human flesh. Jehovah wanted His Son to be the High Priest of humankind. The only way to effectively do that, was for Jesus to gain an empathy towards humans by being one. His ‘God essence’ was not involved. God Himself cannot brook sin. This was the only way to ameliorate the human condition.[7]
Ultimately, even if the Godhead is considered as one, we must acknowledge (even if we don’t understand it), that there is some form of tripartite existence within the whole.
Jehovah declares Himself as one God.[8] We see Him and His Son separately in the prophet Daniel’s heavenly vision.[9] During Jesus’ baptism, we see the three (God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit) separate, but all together. [10] Jesus said that He required His Father’s power to accomplish anything; but that was referring to when He was manifested in the flesh.[11]
Jesus said that His Father was greater than He was.[12] We may consider that in the light of God being the integrative head of the whole Godhead; but that’s only conjecture on my part. Finally, we have the anguished outcries of Christ on the cross, but that was from the pain He was experiencing in His human flesh.[13]
All these Scriptures infers a closeness between the Father and the Son that we may never understand until our heavenly appointment.
As always, meet your potential convert where he or she is at, present your case, and the Holy Spirit will lead them to their needed understanding.
Well, our first deeper theological objection took a lot of sorting out, yes? Let’s consider a second one:
- ‘I believe that when you’re dead, that’s it. Done. No hereafter.’
The question of whether there is life after death has been pondered in the minds of humankind since the beginning of their cognizance. Fortunately, God has left us a rich treasure chest of knowledge regarding the true nature of His eternal disposition of the dead.
The first thing to understand, is that everyone is resurrected:
…the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Eccl. 12:7 AMP
Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Dn. 12:2 NLT
“…the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.” Jn. 5:28, 29. NLT
It’s clear that there are only two paths for God’s eternal disposition of resurrected humankind – heaven or hell. We cannot sugarcoat this in our evangelizing. The good news is that the hearer learns that they are in complete control over how he or she positions themselves.
You can ignore God’s instructions for how to live your life, which constitutes disobedience to His commands, resulting in living out your eternity in God’s contempt, without love or any chance of redemption. It begins with Christ’s second advent, when He takes the throne of judgment: (Straight from Jesus’ mouth)
“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.’ Mt. 25:41 NLT
“If your eye causes you to stumble and sin, throw it out [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]! It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm [that feeds on the dead] does not die, and the fire is not put out.” Mk. 9:47, 48. AMP
You are either following God or chasing after the devil. There is no in-between. What happens when you choose God through Christ?
“All the prophets testify about Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him [whoever trusts in and relies on Him, accepting Him as Savior and Messiah] receives forgiveness of sins.” Acts 10:43 AMP
“The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” Jn. 3:36 CSB
‘Eternal life.’ Yes, there is a heaven:
…the day you die is better than the day you are born. Eccl. 7:1 NLT
For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off. Pr. 23:18 NKJV
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Rv. 21:1 – 4. CSB:
Here is another very common theological objection:
- ‘Why does a good God allow such injustice, cruelty, and suffering?’ Answer: God did not plan a world with these conditions. He first created a paradise.[14] Nor did He design evil. In fact, He can’t, being a Holy God.[15] All He asks of us is obedience, because He knows what is best for us.[16]
God’s hands are tied when we turn our backs on Him. He will not violate our free will, because He wants us to freely choose to love Him. We are not expressing love when we disobey, and we are left to experience that which we have brought upon ourselves. Adam and Eve perpetrated the ‘original sin’ which exposed every subsequent generation to the effects of the corruption of the heart.
And people have been rebelling against Him ever since. They choose Satan and are doomed to perish if left to their own misconceptions.[17]
The devil and his followers are doomed to eternal judgment.[18] The only way out of that is to embrace Christ as your Savior.[19]
Lastly, let us consider the final objection:
- ‘Christians don’t act any better than non-believers’: Answer: Unfortunately, many times that is the case. We all must battle our sin nature, and we all will lose some of those skirmishes.[20] That’s where true repentance garnishes forgiveness from Christ.[21]
Well dear readers, I hope you feel better equipped to share the gospel. What a privilege it is, to contribute to another soul, through serving the living, loving God and His Son.
Goodnight and God Bless.
[1] 1 Cor. 15:50
[2] Jn. 5:22
[3] Ex. 20:4, 5.
[4] Mt. 14:33; Jn. 9:38
[5] Ex.33:20; Jn. 1:18; 6;46; 1 Jn. 4:12
[6] Mt. 28:16 – 20; Lk. 24:13 – 35; Jn. 20:19 – 23; 20:24 – 29; 21:1 – 14.
[7] Ps. 110.4; Zch. 6:13; Acts 3:26; Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:14, 15; 6:20; 7:11, 26 & 27
[8] Dt. 6:4; Is. 46:9
[9] Dn. 7:13, 14.
[10] Mt. 3:16, 17.
[11] Jn. 5:19, 20.
[12] Jn. 14:28
[13] Mk. 15:34
[14] Gn. 1:28 & 2:8
[15] Job 34:10
[16] Lv. 25:18
[17] 2 Cor. 4:3, 4.
[18] Jn 12:31
[19] Jn. 14:6
[20] 1 Kg. 8:46
[21] 1 Jn. 5:18