One-Minute Evidences

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One-Minute Evidences
Supporting Christianity

Are there short but good answers to questions people ask about the Christian faith? Of course! After all, our task is to sow seeds of faith, not to bury seekers with information.

Blinded Minds

But first, remember that nothing happens without prayer. We can't "make" you or anyone else see what we call "truth" just because we present good reasons for our faith. After all, God respects your freedom and choices. Besides, we are told that Satan is the ruler of this world (Jn 14:30) who has blinded the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor 4:4). Some people are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"…(2 Tim 3:7-9). That means we are influenced by several forms of spiritual propaganda

Keeping this in mind, the following provides you and potential seekers with a list of typical questions with short answers. Please contact us if you need more information.

Common Questions

Ready Responses

Now let's get to work. No need to memorize lots of Bible verses and hard things. Perhaps we could just try to learn one or two points for each question and add our own thoughts to it when the occasion warrants it.
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1. Is there a God?

We believe there is a God because of the evidence of design. The more we learn about science the more we realize that complicated systems and processes could not have happened by accident no matter how much time may have passed. For example, there is enough information capacity in a single human cell to store the Encyclopedia Britannica 3 or 4 times over. The famous software developer and skeptic Bill Gates stated that, "Human DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software we've ever created." That's something!

Besides, nothing is caused by nothing (no-thing). Nothing can "do" nothing, either. Logic tells us that all effects must have a cause. This is called the Cosmological Argument: Everything that had a beginning had a cause. The universe had a beginning. Therefore, the universe had a cause. People of faith believe the most rational explanation or cause is God.

2. What makes you think Jesus is God?

- Jesus rose from the dead with many convincing proofs - documentary, legal, historical and archaeological. Even his disciples and numerous witnesses to the resurrection died for their belief - yet we know that people don't knowingly die for a lie! All other great teachers in world history rest in their tombs. Christ alone overcame death permanently and we know that only God holds power over life and death.

- Jesus himself said "I and the Father are one" (Jn 10:30). His enemies, the Pharisees, understood - they wanted to stone him to death for blasphemy.

- Jesus healed the sick, forgave sins, performed miracles and did other things only God could do. Even enemies wrote that Jesus was a "sorcerer" who did "magic tricks" (thus affirming His existence and special abilities).

- Jesus fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies proved to have been written hundreds of years before his birth. One astounding proof is Jesus' fulfillment of the prophet Daniel's precise prediction concerning the exact date of the Messiah's final entry into Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25-26).

3. How do you know Jesus really lived?

We have the evidence of the New Testament including a lengthy genealogy of Jesus (which is an ancient birth-certificate and form of I.D. found in Matthew 1) plus 39 sources outside the Bible that attest to the life and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth. These include historical mention and the writings of other credible witnesses.

4. What makes you think there is only one way to God?

The Bible says there is only one way to God and there are many evidences to back-up the truth of the Bible. Jesus himself said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). That isn't an inclusive or tolerant statement. We aren't saying it. Rather, Jesus made this claim about Himself.

5. What's the Trinity? It isn't even in the Bible, is it?

It's true the word "Trinity" isn't in the Bible. But, the idea of the Trinity is:

- The book of Philippians says Jesus was in the form of God yet He emptied himself and became like us (chapter 2). If you were God how else could you best communicate with other life forms unlike you? The best way would be to become one of "them" and speak in their language to communicate with them what you want them to know.

- In the book of Isaiah the Messiah is called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace" (Isa.9:6). Here we find the Father, the Son (Prince of Peace), and the Holy Spirit (Wonderful Counselor). That's the "Trinity."

6. How can the Bible be the Word of God?

The Bible is a supernatural book.

-The 66 books in the Bible were written by more than 40 authors over a span of at least 1600 years. Yet, it is a coherent, unified message. (Try that with an encyclopedia or any other human book - they change and need to update their content every year).

-There are over 300 prophecies about Jesus in the Bible proved to have been written hundreds of years before he was born. We know this because of archaeological finds like the Dead Sea Scrolls which were dated as early as 270 B.C.

-Plus there are more than 25,000 archaeological finds proving true the historical, geographical and cultural accounts found in the Bible, and there are thousands of additional prophecies concerning peoples, nations and world events - some coming true before our very eyes today. No other book in world history claims this kind of verifiable, miraculous accuracy.

7. What about all the contradictions in the Bible?

Please name those supposed "contradictions." All too often what appear to be contradictions are just errors or difficulties in translation. Remember, the Bible was written in ancient Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. We need educated translators to put the Bible into readable English. Sometimes they make mistakes or don't translate clearly. Finding out what the original Greek or Hebrew really said usually clears up these supposed problems. That's why in over 2,000 years no one has "proved" a significant contradiction yet that disproves the Bible, although many have tried.

8. Don't you think the Bible changed over hundreds of years?

No. It's true there are hundreds of translations into different languages made over hundreds of years. But, we have thousands of accurate Greek and Hebrew copies of the Bible that prove it hasn't changed.

For example, before 1947 our oldest copy of the Old Testament was dated around 1,000 A.D. But, in 1947 we found the Dead Sea Scrolls which contain the Old Testament dated over a hundred years before the time of Christ. The ancient Old Testament from the Dead Sea Scrolls is identical to the 1,000 A.D. copy! The only changes are a few "ands" or something like an "e" added to a few words. That's NO change in over 1,000 years!

9. Can you really believe in miracles?

The skeptic's problem usually isn't with "miracles." It's most often due to a limited view of God. His or her God is too small. If there is a God who sustains trillions of swirling galaxies then He is able to intervene in our world to do whatever He wants whenever He wishes.

10. How is a Virgin birth possible?

If modern doctors can fertilize an egg and implant a fetus into the womb of a single Mom, then God can implant a special fetus in the womb of Mary. Remember, He created the entire process of biological reproduction.

11. What about other faiths and their traditions?

It's true there are other faiths that provide good principles for living and high moral standards. But, only one offers a Messiah who rose from the dead and a book proved to be supernatural like the Bible.

12. Do you really believe in heaven or hell?

Yes. Many students are introduced to the idea of other dimensions or worlds through their physics or science classes. If science can speak of other worlds or dimensions then one can believe the Bible when it speaks of heaven or hell that may exist in other dimensions, too. Jesus spoke more about hell than he did of heaven. I think we should take him seriously.

13. Do you really think Satan is a real person?

Yes. Although Satan is a spiritual being and we can't see him, he hates God and demonstrates his own existence by trying to wipe-out the Jews and Israel throughout world history. He didn't want the Messiah to appear in the first place and he is trying to prevent the Messiah from returning to earth. The existence of anti Semitism, ghastly incidents like the Holocaust and the world's nations trying to "wipe Israel off the map" are proof of the devil's existence. Another proof is world hatred of Christians and revulsion at the name of "Jesus." (Why not hatred of the name "Buddha" or hatred of speaking the name of "Allah?") While we can't see Satan we can watch the effects of his deeds on the nightly news.

14. What about those who have never heard the gospel?

God is fair and just. He says that he rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6). Remember that the God who controls trillions of swirling galaxies certainly has the power to get word to anyone who sincerely wants to know him! He can use missionaries, a Bible, radio or television, the internet, the appearance of an angel or a vision (as he has purportedly done for several new converts in Iran where there are no missionaries). Read Romans 1:18-20. God reveals Himself to everyone. He does this through the creation and in our hearts. We all know what is right and wrong. This includes everyone - even those who never heard the Gospel. The Bible says that God will judge the heart of every person so that no one is without excuse.

15. Why would a loving God permit evil and suffering?

If God were to rid the world of evil and suffering He would have to destroy you and me and all the human populations on the earth. We are the ones who hate each other, murder and cause wars, build machines that destroy, genetically and chemically fool around with food crops that may cause cancer and do other despicable things.

Instead, he is showing us great mercy to allow us to live. God gives us revelation about our fallen nature and tells us that a spiritual being, Satan, currently rules the planet. That rings true for me - the daily news is awful. His Word tells me this will change one day and He will give us new physical bodies without pain, a new, beautiful earth and a new universe. That's worth waiting for. The Bible says that God is patient and "longsuffering." He puts up with evil for a period so that humans can turn to Him. He is giving your children's children a chance to be with Him for eternity.

16. Isn't there a conflict between science and the Bible?

While the Bible isn't a science text it is nonetheless accurate when it refers to scientific matters. For instance, the Bible says the earth is round (Isaiah 40:22) when other cultures believed the earth was carried on the back of a gigantic turtle. One passage says the earth is suspended in space (Job 26:7). Several verses note the universe is expanding (being stretched out). Another verse says the sun orbits our galaxy (Psalm 19:6). The Bible says that time is relative in several passages like 2 Peter 3:8. You can find many more verses like these from creation science-related websites.

17. How can you really believe in a resurrection of the dead?

At one time this was a difficult issue for skeptics. But, now we know that if scientists can "clone" from DNA material a human being or an animal that has died, then it is easy to believe God can bring back to life any dead humans or biological life forms he wishes! All He needs is the information contained in our DNA if that is the method He will use. In the case of Christians, God promises us new bodies with supernatural abilities just like Jesus (1 Cor 15). Awesome!

18. Why do I need to be saved? Saved from what?

The Bible tells us, "No one is righteous - not even one….No one does good, not a single one" (Ro 3:10-18). This is hard for most seekers to hear. But, if we're completely honest with ourselves we'll come to the same conclusion. For instance, have you ever wished someone would fail? Do you resent your neighbor's new house? Are you even a tiny bit happy when a jerk has an accident or loses his job? Have you ever lied to someone?

We're all imperfect. None of us is righteous enough to live forever with God in a new heavens and earth (Rev. 21). Most of our failings are a part of "original sin" or "total depravity." Original sin is apparently a part of our DNA make-up. It's a genetic problem. Furthermore, the Bible makes it clear that we will have this propensity towards sin until we are "changed" in the rapture or taken-up to be with the Lord (1 Cor. 15:51; 2 Cor. 5:8). Because of our sins we will all die. The Bible says it this way, "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ro. 6:23).

You can't save yourself from death or original sin and neither can I. So how can we be saved from genetic sin and death? We must believe that Christ the Lord took the penalty for our sins. He died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead. Certainly His resurrection proves that Christ alone has the power to conquer death and sin.

This gospel message is found in the earliest Christian creed recited at least 20 years before the New Testament was written (1 Cor. 15:2-6). Belief in this core gospel message means that we will go to heaven, be given bodies that won't die, and we will have eternal life. In other words, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:20).

Halleluiah!

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Suggested On-line Resources:

www.AlwaysBeReady.com (Good list of books, DVDs&tapes).

www.JohnAnkerberg.org (articles&answers, tapes, DVDs).

www.CreationScience.com (Center for Scientific Creation).

www.Reasons.org (Astronomer Hugh Ross).

Author Valorie Mays Emilio holds an MA in History from UCLA and a V.O.M. Certificate in Persecuted Church Ministries from Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Ken Emilio received his BS from CSULB and an MA in Biblical Studies from Louisiana Baptist University. He is the Director of the Gospel Rescue Mission in Grants Pass, Oregon.