Science Says

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In this clip, talk show host Dennis Prager makes a good point about how many secular people have a blind faith in science.

Christianese

This video makes an excellent point: Christian terminology sounds like a different language to non-Christians.  But an issue with this video is that both guys are speaking Christianese.  Why does Jesus want to have a relationship with people?  What does that mean?  Why should others want to have a relationship with Jesus?  Without such explanations, the sharing of the Gospel makes little sense to unbelievers.

Why Jesus helps Christians avoid Christianese and instead communicate the Gospel is a way that resonates with unbelievers in today’s culture.  Check it out in the sidebar.

Christian and Living Together

Recently I was talking with a guy who claimed to be a Christian and lived with his girlfriend.  He said they were not sexually active because he was disabled.  I asked, “So if you were not disabled, you would be sexually active?”  He said “yes.”

At another time I was talking with a guy who claimed to be a Christian who was living with his fiancee.  He was also having an affair with a woman at work.  He wanted to stop the affair but the woman kept on pursuing him.  So I asked, “If you could stop the affair, do you feel your relationship with God would be ok?”  He said “yes.”

Jesus said that unless we repent we will perish (Luke 13:3).  This repentance must be genuine, for not everyone who claims to be a follower of Christ is saved (Matthew 7:21).  Living together is often called ‘living in sin.”  I call it ‘first degree sinning’ because it is premeditated, planned sinning.

Recently, a politician who claimed to be a Christian was caught cheating on his wife.  He begging for forgiveness and she did so.  But after some time, he asked his wife if he could resume the affair.  She said, “It’s one thing to forgive adultery but another to condone it.”  She ended up soon divorcing him.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God (Matthew 22:37).  Just as the politicians wife realized her husband did not love her, doesn’t God see right through those who claim to love Him but live in sin?  Those living this way risk an eternal divorce from God.  Jesus said we love God by obeying his commandments (1 John 5:3).  Love God – repent and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9).

What about those who have not heard of Jesus?

I was surveying a man named Gil the other day who was a former member of the same church where I had attended for 10 years. My survey question is, “In your opinion, is there one way to heaven or many?” He pointed clearly that the Bible states the need to trust in Jesus for salvation, although as typically is the case, could not explain why the Bible says that. But before I could explain why, he added, “But for those who have never heard of Christ, God will have mercy on them and save them.”

What’s wrong with this?

Is that what the Bible says?

Luke 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Does the Bible address the issue of those who have never heard of Christ?

Romans 1:18-20 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

If God saves all those who have not heard of Christ, then Jesus’ Great Commission is counter-productive. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,…” (Matthew 28:19). More people could be saved by not spreading the Gospel then by doing so. This means the Good News would not be as good as ignorance.

Does God have mercy on those who have not repented and trusted in Christ? I believe so: young children and mentally challenged adults who cannot reason out what Romans 1:18-20 is talking about. But for all others, Jesus is necessary for salvation. This is because all have broken God’s Laws (Romans 3:23) and have earned a death sentence (Romans 6:23). Jesus paid our penalty (1 Cor. 15:3) and those who repent (Luke 13:3) and trust in Him (Romans 10:9) will be forgiven of their sins.

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Cor. 15:3 “…Christ died for our sins…”

Luke 13:3 “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Romans 10:9 “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Surveying with Scott and Holly

I was at the Matthew Alive Festival, surveying nice people like Scott and Holly on the question, “In your opinion, is there one way or many ways to heaven?” This video records their answers and why, in part, they hold them.

To-the-Point Raymond

That’s just your opinion/interpretation

Why Jesus with Adam

Here my friend Adam allows me to role-play through the Why Jesus approach to sharing the Gospel.

Christians need to know the Gospel

In this interview done by WORD FM, J. Warner Wallace of PleaseConvinceMe.com explains why when churches do not adequately explain the Gospel, the distinctiveness of true Christianity is lost.  

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To explain the Gospel in a way that clearly shows the necessity of Jesus for salvation, please get Why Jesus in the sidebar.