Ten Reasons to Believe in the Christian Faith
-
Lesson OneThe Credibility of Its Founder5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson TwoThe Reliability of Its Book, the Bible5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson ThreeIts Explanations for Life5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson FourIts Continuity with the Past5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson FiveIts Foundational Claim of Resurrection5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson SixIts Power to Change Lives5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson SevenIts Analysis of Human Nature5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson EightIts View of Human Achievement5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson NineIts Impact on Society5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Lesson TenIts Offer of Salvation5 Activities|1 Assessment
-
Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity|1 Assessment
Participants 399
Discussion Questions
Christian Learning Center › Forums › At the beginning of this program we learned: “People have many reasons for rejecting the Christian faith. Some may admire Christ but dislike His followers. Others find it difficult to accept any faith that claims to be the only way to God. Why would anyone limit themselves to only one of the world’s great religions?” How valid are each of these objections? What is your response to each?
Tagged: CA201-01
-
At the beginning of this program we learned: “People have many reasons for rejecting the Christian faith. Some may admire Christ but dislike His followers. Others find it difficult to accept any faith that claims to be the only way to God. Why would anyone limit themselves to only one of the world’s great religions?” How valid are each of these objections? What is your response to each?
Amber Segna replied 3 days, 15 hours ago 116 Members · 118 Replies
-
I can understand why people may admire Christ but dislike his followers. The works, the fulfilled prophecies, the heart of Christ…there is so much to admire. Unfortunately, however, we live in a world where many don’t do as they say, but expect others to. They lack proper respect for Christ and fail to see the witness they portray to others. They don’t make others want to be called “Christian” as their behavior is not christlike. And some really push back and resent biblical truth that Jesus is the only door to God. They find it restrictive and almost self righteous. However, again, if they can’t believe Jesus believe the works…the proven firm foundation that He is. He was able to back up EVERYTHING He said. No word He spoke ever fell to the ground but it had life and it accomplished much.
-
The fact that many admire Christ while they dislike his followers is quite understandable, since they consider Jesus to be just a great moral teacher. They like his teachings and dislike his followers because they find those followers to be either disobedient to their Lord or too pretentious in claiming that only Jesus is the way to salvation.
People find it hard to believe in the Christian faith as the only way to God because it seems unreasonable for them that the God who has created all humans would have defined just one way to go to him. They prefer to see God as an inclusive Being and not an exclusive one.
I respect these objections, yet I believe that Christ is a trustworthy Lord and Saviour because of what the Bible tells about him; his words and works testify his deity, and since he is true and reliable, there is no doubt that he is the only way to God.
-
The disdain towards claiming to be the only true way to God is due to the postmodern climate today that says that all truth is relative. However, postmodernism is a self-contradictory philosophy, because the “all” in its belief is already a belief in an absolute truth.
That people like Christ but dislike his followers is more understandable, because some people can be hurt by hypocrites in the church. However, theirs is a very illogical reaction to truth, because the despicability of a person doesn’t necessarily make his religion despicable. Jesus himself told his disciples to listen to what the Pharisees taught, but not to follow what they did.
-
It is valid to have doubt or questions concerning Christian faith. Faith, the hope in something we can’t see, do, have, receive, or give, evidence. Because of our nature, it is easier to believe once it is seen. Jesus was performing unbelievable miracles that could not be explained. Even today, if those events occurred, some would have reservations of its truths.
Some believe that we (people/humans/man) have the power to do without the help of others. Jesus is untouchable and can’t be seen by the human eye. Due to those limitations, belief for some is often questioned. As a result, rejection is established.
It is our mentality that there is more than method to complete a task. Jesus saying that the only way to His Father is through him peaks the interest of how can reach this goal another way. Not having options can is uncomfortable. Accepting what another man says as the only option leads the curiosity why and considering His process is selfish. Having variety is of benefit to us and provides a sense of a control. Not fully following God’s way displays we don’t need Him and our alternate solution is wiser solution.
-
God is a jealous God. He wants our complete and total dedication. We can’t worship other gods or deities or add God to a shelf where other idols and gods share a place with him. Jesus claims to be the great “I am,” not simply another prophet or teacher. Jesus tells us in the greatest commandment that we must love our Lord our God with all our heart, strength, and mind. God wants our hearts to focus on him and not have another god, whether that be money, sex, power, or any of the other distractions we as humans find ourselves pulled towards.
Regarding followers, humans are humans, and we are all fallible. We all sin and make mistakes. It is very easy for non-believers to say well, you say you are a Christian, but you don’t act like one. Which, of course, is quite difficult. We all sin, and we all get upset and angry at times.
The hard part of being a Christian is truly following Christ, walking in the way God asks us to in Micah 6:8. Can we truly walk in Christ’s way? Can we act like Christ and become humble and loving servants? It is difficult, and as St. Francis said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”
Again, God is a jealous God; he asks us to dedicate our lives to him, and so we can’t simply say we are Christians if we believe in him, but also believe in or follow other religions, prophets, or great teachers.