Question from a reader:
Why should I believe in your version of Christianity over all the others? Because the Bible says so? Your opponents would say the same thing. Christians everywhere are all pointing fingers at each other, threatening one another with the prospect of burning alive forever. Your god is either sadistic or incompetent—writing a book subject to multiple interpretations and if you get the wrong one it's off to the eternal barbecue. Christians can't agree on how to get to Heaven. So why should I believe in the Bible?
Answer from Doreen Button, EPM staff:
You’ve asked common questions with what appears to be some sweeping assumptions and opinions, and I’m guessing, anger toward Christians in general.
Because I don’t know the basis for, or the truth of, statements like “Christians everywhere…threatening one another…” or “Christians can’t agree…” I’ll simply say that I think you might be lumping true Jesus followers in with other non-orthodox religious groups who talk about Jesus and also add embellishments (i.e., extra “prophets” or “teachers” whose words are given equal footing to Scripture and doctrines which are Bible teachings plus manmade additions to attain Heaven).
Your most important question is your last one, so I’ll focus on it: “Why should I believe in the Bible?” Because it’s God’s Word. We humans like to make things messy because we lost our ability to love God and love each other when we turned our backs on Him. The Bible, from beginning to end, is the story of Him reaching out to us, offering everything we need to restore our relationship with Him.
Unfortunately, it’s also the story of how humans continuously turn back to our own ways of living and turn our backs to Him. He created us. He knows how we’re wired. Going off on our own to live apart from Him is like trying to operate a blow dryer by plugging it into a toaster—useless at best and devastating at worst. We’re only wired to plug into Him.
If you take the time to look through history at people who truly emulated Jesus, you’ll find lives of peace. You’ll witness people who cared for others in amazing and inexplicable (apart from God’s goodness) ways. It’s much easier to find examples of people who’ve run their own kingdoms and see the horrors that’s caused on both micro- and macro-levels. If you’re not a Jesus-follower, take a good look at your own life. Does it embody the “peace that passes understanding”*? Do you “overflow with hope”*?
I’ve lived my own way. Wouldn’t go back to that for anything. I am totally, head over heels in love with Jesus and it would take me hours to describe how that’s changed absolutely everything in my life…the way I think, how I feel, how I react to both good and bad situations…
But don’t take my word for it. Read the Bible from cover to cover for yourself, looking for examples of the ways He is reaching out to us in love. You can find no-cost access to dozens of translations through YouVersion or other Bible apps. Pick a translation that’s easy to read and challenge God to reveal Himself to you through it. When you’ve finished, let me know what you think and how many of your questions it’s answered.
*These are from Bible passages: Philippians 4:4-9 and Romans 15:13.
Photo: Unsplash
