Apologetics - Faith Mountain

Questions and Objections Part 3
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Christianity is boring.

Then you haven't experienced it. No one who is a Christian will ever say that it is boring.
How do you know? Have you tried it? There are millions of Christians who have a lot of fun being Christian. We just do it with a lot less sin, and therefore, a lot less problems. Maybe its only your problems that keep you from getting bored.
What do you think we do all day, sit around fireplaces and read Bibles? We ski, swim, play sports, read, have friends and problems like anybody else. Christianity is not boring. It is an adventure.
I am an atheist. I don't believe in God.

An atheist is defined in two senses: Someone who says he believes there is no God and someone who simply lacks belief in God. An atheist cannot say he " knows " there is no God because he would have to know all things in order to know if there is or isn't a God. If he says he believes there is no God ask him why he believes that way and begin there. If he says he lacks belief in God, then ask what he " does " believe in and start there. I always get around to the question of, "How did we get here?" Since creation and evolution are the only options, I have something further to work with.

Evolution has a lot of problems with it. It seems to me that it takes a lot of faith to believe that you developed out of ocean slime, simply by chance. At least as a Christian I have the evidence of the resurrection of Christ from eye witnesses as recorded by them in the gospels. Evolution or not, Jesus rose from the dead, said He was God, and forgave sins. I'll put my faith in Him instead of evolution.

An agnostic says he doesn't know if there is or isn't a God. (Usually after saying this I challenge them to explain the prophecies of the Old Testament fulfilled in the New. I state how the Bible is unique that way and that only God can make prophecies that are 100% accurate. Then I ask him to explain how that could be done if there is no God.)
If there is no God as you say, then in the end I lose nothing. But if there is a God like I say, in the end you lose everything.
Why don't you believe in God? Is their any reason for you to intelligently reject His existence? Or, do you simply desire not to believe in Him?
The Bible doesn't attempt to prove that God exists. It simply speaks as though He does. Maybe I can't prove to you there is a God, but I can introduce Him to you through His Son Jesus Christ and you can judge for yourself if the Words of Christ in the Bible convince you of His existence.

(Note: We exist. How did we get here? An atheist's only option would be to say evolution. If you study evolution, by reading Christian books that reveal and document its many serious problems, then you will be able to weaken the atheist's belief in it. The logic is simple: If evolution and creation are the only options, to remove one is to support the other. Therefore, learn as much as you can about evolution. Your witness will be greatly strengthened.
However, evolution does not explain the origin of life, only its development. Discussions on origins of life are interesting in themselves.)
I am trying to be a Christian.
You become a Christian by simply putting your trust in Jesus and His sacrifice for you on the cross. There is no trying involved. If you trust Jesus, if you ask Him to forgive you of your sins and be your Savior, then you are a Christian. It is living like a Christian " after " you've become one that is difficult.
If you believe that in order to become a Christian you must be good, then you misunderstand or don't have a good understanding of salvation. A Christian is a Christian by the gift of God (Rom. 6:23), not the work of man (Eph. 2:8-9). There is nothing you can do to earn salvation or keep salvation. It is simply something God freely gives you. If you want it, confess your sins, repent, turn to God, and trust Jesus as your only Savior. Then, and only then, will you become a Christian.
Please read our section titled: "How do I get to Heaven?" for more answers on this question.
I am already religious.
Who said God wants you to be religious? He wants a relationship with you. Religion is man's attempt to reach God. Christianity is God reaching man. 1 Cor. 1:9 says that God wants you to have fellowship with Jesus. He is talking about a relationship, someone you can talk to. He doesn't want to weigh you down with a bunch of do's and don't's. He wants to extend a loving hand to you and help you live a good clean life. But that cannot be done until the real problem in you is done away with, and that is sin. Sin separates you from God (Isaiah 59:2). If you want salvation instead of "religion," then go to Jesus. Seek Him. He will never let you down.
I see. Where do you attend church?
I don't need God.

If you say you don't need Him, then you believe He exists. If you do, why would you say you don't need Him. Isn't He the One who determines your destiny? Doesn't He have the authority and power to do as He pleases and to send you to heaven or hell? It is foolish to say you don't need the One who is your Creator, who loves you and has provided the way for forgiveness of sin. You need God because only He can cleanse you from your sins.
What do you need? Are you really doing that well without God? Are you happy with the way things are in your life? If you aren't, then you need Jesus. And even if you are happy, you still need Him, because you can't take what makes you happy with you when you die.
I have things I need to do before I become a Christian.

Like what? Why do you need to do these things before you come to God? Are they bad things or good? If they are bad, then you shouldn't do them. If they are good, why can't you become a Christian and then do them?
Nothing you can do could be more important than your relationship with God. To put Him off is unwise. What if you die before you become a Christian? Then you would be eternally without hope.
Your statement implies you believe following God will mean you won't be able to do the things you want to do. If that is true, then that means the things you intend to do would displease God? Are you saying you prefer to do something God wouldn't want you to do? If that is so, you are willfully sinning against God and putting yourself in a dangerous situation. That is all the more reason you need His forgiveness.
I prefer to remain open minded.

Open mindedness means looking at everything honestly. Are you willing to do that with Christianity? Do you want to see what Jesus has said and learn about what He can offer you?
If you say you are going to remain open minded and not accept Christianity, then in reality you are being very closed minded. Maybe Christianity is true. Your open-mindedness could keep you from discovering it.
I already believe in God.
Are you living your life as if that were true? Does your belief in God affect the way you live or do you still do entirely as you please?
If you say you believe in God, then how do you know what He wants for you? Are you in contact with Him? Do you just trust whatever you feel is right?
The Bible says the Devil believes in God (James 2:19) and he is lost. If all you do is simply believe that God exists, then you are no better off than he is. It is not intellectual acknowledgment of God's existence that God wants, but your accepting the sacrifice Jesus made on behalf of sinners that pleases God. Simply believing is not enough. You must choose to follow Him.
It is not " that " you believe; it is " who " you put your faith in. Who is this God you believe in? Is He the Christian one? Is he Allah? Is he from another planet? Is he whatever you feel is right? Is he loving? Believing in God is fine unless your god is false. The important things is that you must believe in the true God, not a false one, and the true one is found in the Bible.
I'll choose God later.
If you won't choose Him now, what makes you think you'll choose Him later? The longer you go without God, the harder it will be for you to come to Him. The longer you sin, the harder your heart will become and the further from God you will be (Heb. 3:13). To wait is to invite damnation. God calls you to repent from sin now, not later. Which will you choose?
If you say you will choose Him later, do you admit then that you need Him now? If so, then why do you wait? You might die soon and then it would be too late.
There are too many hypocrites in the church.

Church is a good place for hypocrites, as well as liars and thieves. It is there where they will be exposed to the Word of God and learn that hypocrisy is wrong. For you to judge those in the church is to condemn yourself, because we are all hypocrites in one form or another. Your recognition and condemnation of it tells me you know it is wrong. Is it hypocrisy to point a finger at the church full of sinners when you yourself are one as well?
It has been said that you must be smaller than the thing you hide behind. Are you hiding being the hypocrisy of others to keep you out of church? You must realize that you are responsible for yourself and God won't ask others about you on judgment day. He will come to you and ask you to give an account for your life. The hypocrites in the church will also stand before God, with or without you there.
People don't counterfeit pennies. Why do you think there are hypocrites? Because Christianity is valuable.
Why are we here? Or, Why did God make us?
God made us so we could glorify Him and have fellowship with Him (1 John 1:1-3). He made Adam and Eve and put them in the garden and then He walked in fellowship with them. He gave them the greatest thing they could have, His love and presence. After they sinned, God said, "Adam, where are you?" God sought Adam. In Exodus 25:8 God said to Moses while Israel was in the wilderness, "And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them." In the New Testament in John 1:14 it says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us..." God seeks our presence. He wants to have fellowship with us. He made us to give us His love and enjoy His presence. But, man sinned and separated Himself from God. That is why Christ died for sins, that our fellowship with God would be restored.
What about those who have never heard the Gospel?
That is a good question. The Bible says that God is a just God. We know that whatever He does is right. When it comes to those who have never heard the Gospel, He will do what is right, whatever that is. But as for you, you have heard the gospel and He will judge you according to how you respond. He is calling you to repentance, to turn from sin and come to Him.
In Romans 2:11-16 it speaks about those who have never heard the Law of God and how they will be judged according to the law that is written in their hearts. The Law written in their hearts is the knowledge of right and wrong. Perhaps God's judgment of those without a proper knowledge of Him is included there where it says that they will be judged according to their own consciences that "bear witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them." All I know is that God will do what is right and the only way to have your sins forgiven is through Jesus.
Jesus is only one of many great men of history.
Granted, Jesus was a great man of history. That is a fact. But, He is different from all the other great men of history. How many great men of history rose from the dead, calmed a sea, walked on water, raised others from the dead, healed sickness, and forgave sins? There aren't any others that I know of. Do you know of any? These things make Him more than great. They make Him special and unique.
You are right, Jesus was a great man. But let me ask you. If He were great, would He lie? Of course not. If He were great, would He be insane? No. You see, Jesus said He was God (John 1:1,14; 10:30-33; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8). If He were lying, we shouldn't listen to Him and we couldn't call Him great. If He were insane then we shouldn't listen to Him and again we couldn't call Him great. If He is great, then He must be telling the truth. And He was great, right?
John 1:1 Verse 14 says, "and the Word became flesh..." The Word is Jesus.