Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2025

In 2025, we had unforgettable conversations with some of today’s leading apologists, archaeologists, pastors, theologians, philosophers, and Christian influencers who joined Frank to unpack today’s most compelling arguments and evidence for the Christian faith. From digs in the Middle East to Bible studies and political commentary, we covered a lot of ground and hopefully were able to help you answer some of the questions you’ve asked and encountered surrounding faith, freedom, and philosophy.

We’ve kept up with the biggest news headlines and impact events, keeping you informed and engaged amidst the ongoing culture war from a Christian perspective. And then out of nowhere, we were hit with the most devastating tragedy, the martyrdom of our great friend Charlie Kirk–an event that not only shocked the nation, but by God’s grace, rippled forward to a tsunami of worldwide conversions to Christ.  We’ve grieved together and grappled with the “why” questions, yet we’re still on mission to #makeheavencrowded with a whole new year ahead. If you missed out on any ‘I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist’ podcasts, now’s the time to catch up. We recommend you start with what our statistics say are the most popular episodes of 2025 based on listens and views!

You can view the full playlist on our YouTube channel HERE.

#10. Why the Foundations of Islam Are Now Crumbling with Dr. Jay Smith – Part 2

Why the Foundations of Islam Are Now Crumbling with Dr. Jay Smith - Part 2

What’s behind the mass exodus from Islam? Christian apologist Dr. Jay Smith joins Frank in this two-part series to expose the lack of historical evidence for the world’s fasting growing religion. Watch it HERE!

#9. Charlie Kirk Conspiracy Theories That Lead to Death Threats with Seth Dillon


Babylon Bee CEO and founder Seth Dillon stops by the podcast to discuss why baseless internet conspiracy theories surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death are no laughing matter. Watch it HERE!

#8. Why the Foundations of Islam Are Now Crumbling with Dr. Jay Smith


Part one of this epic conversation with Dr. Jay Smith dives headfirst into growing skepticism surrounding the true origins of Islam. Watch it HERE!

#7. If God, Why Evil? Honoring the Life & Legacy of My Friend Charlie Kirk


In the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Frank delivers his first public speech to answer the ultimate question. Why does God allow evil? Watch it HERE!

#6. MAKE HEAVEN CROWDED and Take a BOLD Stand Christ with Jack Hibbs


With over 35 years of ministry experience, Jack Hibbs joins Frank to reveal the keys to standing firmly for the truth (like Charlie Kirk) in a godless age. Watch it HERE!

#5. What’s Next for Turning Point USA? Continuing the Legacy of Charlie Kirk with Mikey & Rob McCoy


How will TPUSA continue the fight for freedom, faith, and patriotism now that Charlie is no longer with us? Charlie’s best friend and Chief of Staff Mikey McCoy and his father, Pastor Rob McCoy share TPUSA’s plan to carry Charlie’s legacy forward. Watch it HERE!

#4. 12 Biblical Archaeological Discoveries You’ve Never Heard of Before with Dr. Titus Kennedy


Archaeologist Dr. Titus Kennedy shares 12 of the most recent archaeological finds that corroborate people, places, and events documented in the Bible. Watch it HERE!

#3. Behind the Scenes at Charlie Kirk’s Memorial Service


Frank shares what went on behind the scenes leading up to the historic Memorial for Charlie Kirk and why this was the perfect opportunity to share the Gospel with the world. Watch it HERE!

#2. Charlie Kirk Conspiracy Theories? Homicide Detective Speaks Out with J. Warner Wallace


Cold-Case Detective J. Warner Wallace joins Frank to debunk some of the most disturbing myths and conspiracies surrounding Charlie’s death and how criminal investigations are handled prior to the trial date. Watch it HERE!

#1. The Greatness of Charlie Kirk: An Eyewitness Account of His Life and Martyrdom


In the first podcast episode following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Frank gives his eyewitness account of the tragedy while focusing on the power of the Gospel in light of the problem of evil. Watch it HERE!

Recommended Resources:

Answering Islam by Dr. Frank Turek (DVD Set, Mp4 and Mp3)
Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, )
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek 
If God, Why Evil? (DVD Set), (MP3 Set), and (mp4 Download Set) by Frank Turek 

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A Case for an Eternal Hell (Part 1): A Biblical Defense

Recently, the Christian world was abuzz with the news that popular Christian star Kirk Cameron had considered switching his view of hell from the traditional view to annihilationism.[1] While I will not engage the specific comments made by Kirk Cameron on his podcast, I do think that it is important to discuss the topic of hell’s duration, annihilationism, and the traditional view known as eternal conscious torment (ECT). Also, we should note that Kirk is working through his beliefs about hell. Therefore, this article and series are not a response to Kirk Cameron or his beliefs. Rather, the series serves as a necessary engagement on a hotly contested issue.

This article is the first of a three-part series defending the traditional view of hell, otherwise known as ECT. The series will argue that ECT better understands hell from the perspective of Scripture, history, and theological and philosophical understandings of God. In other words, a better case can be made for ECT than other views of hell. I had initially planned to publish this case as a singular article. However, the data grew too large. I acknowledged that the reader would be better served by a series, so we do not get too overwhelmed. A series will help us better digest the material and offer a time of reflection. The first article will review the viewpoints of hell and offer a glimpse of the Scriptural data that supports the ECT view of hell. The second will examine early and major theologians who support the traditional view of hell. The third and final article in the series will review theological and philosophical objections to ECT and see whether they hold as much weight as many purport them to have. Some, not all, annihilationists claim that it is morally reprehensible for God to keep people alive in hell for all eternity.[2] Does the traditional view wreak havoc on the nature of God? Does the Bible suggest that annihilationism is true? While it is not a popular view in modernity, this article will argue that the traditional view of hell is correct and will make a case for the viewpoint by examining material from the Bible, some of the earliest Christian writers trained by the disciples, the four A’s of theology, and the theological and philosophical strength of ECT.

Before we make a case for the traditional viewpoint of hell, it is important to get a lay of the land as it pertains to three major viewpoints concerning the duration of hell. Additionally, it is also important to note that this issue is not what would be considered a matter of heresy. Though the doctrine of hell is extremely important, the doctrine of hell’s duration does not tamper with first-level doctrines that constitute the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Nonetheless, as some have noted, additional discernment may be needed with those who espouse viewpoints that differ from the traditional view, but not by necessity. This is certainly something that should be distinguished on a case-by-case basis. With that in mind, let’s now consider the three viewpoints of hell.

1. The Viewpoints of Hell’s Duration

As I often tell my students, a researcher must first seek to understand the viewpoints on the table before seeking to offer a defense for their own. The same holds true for this theological venture. At the time of this writing, three major viewpoints of hell’s duration have taken center stage: the traditional view, otherwise known as eternal conscious torment (ECT), the annihilationist view (sometimes called conditionalism), and the universalist view.

The Traditional View (ECT)

First, there is the traditional viewpoint called eternal conscious torment. This view holds that hell is an eternal place where the condemned spend an eternity. What this eternity looks like is an area that could be covered in a future article. Nonetheless, as Norman Geisler states, the “doctrine of hell, like the doctrine of the Trinity, was revealed progressively: more implied (implicit) in the Old Testament and more developed (explicit) in the New Testament.”[3]

The Annihilationist View (Conditionalism)

The second viewpoint that has gathered quite a large following, and one that Kirk Cameron now endorses, is called annihilationism or conditionalism. Annihilationism maintains that hell is a place of death for the condemned. That is, the condemned spend a temporary time in hell before being exterminated or non-existent. For the annihilationist, hell is a place where spiritual death occurs, where the condemned become non-existent. Interestingly, though I have not included annihilationism as heretical, it was condemned as such by a synod in Constantinople in 543, the Second Council of Constantinople in 553, and by the Fifth Lateran Council of 1513.[4]

The Universalist View (Universalism)     

The third viewpoint is called universalism. Universalism maintains that the condemned will spend a temporary period of time in hell before they are reformed and restored to a right relationship with God. For universalists, everything will be redeemed and restored back to God’s good graces in the end. Like annihilationism, universalism was also condemned as heretical at the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 and sparked intense debates between the patriarchs of Jerusalem and Antioch, thus showing that just because a view was held by some in antiquity does not mean that it was necessarily viewed as orthodox.[5]

2.Case from Biblical Texts

Since orthodox Christians hold to the inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy of Scripture, it behooves us to begin making a case for ECT from the biblical text. Often, annihilationists will contend that words like “death” and “destruction” should be understood as the literal death or non-existence of a person or thing. While in their normal literal parlance, the terms mean just that, these terms can also be used as euphemisms pointing to something different.

For instance, Jesus used the word “sleep” when he spoke of the death of Lazarus (Jn. 11:11). However, he later confirms that the term “sleep” was symbolic for a physical death (Jn. 11:12-15). Likewise, Scripture may use terms like “death” and “destruction” to refer to something else, something eternal. Let’s examine a few biblical texts.

Daniel 12:2    

“At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt” (Dan. 12:1-2). Daniel envisions a time where the archangel Michael and his angelic forces engage Satan (a.k.a., the “Dragon”) and his angels in warfare. Israel will experience a time of great distress unlike anything the world has ever seen.

After the spiritual combat has concluded, a time of global resurrection will commence. There are good reasons to believe that two resurrection periods commence, one prior to the time of tribulation, and the other preceding the Great White Throne judgment. Nonetheless, Daniel reports seeing the resurrection of the redeemed and the condemned. Both are resurrected to an eternal life somewhere. The redeemed will “awake . . . to eternal life” (Dan. 12:2a) with God. The condemned will awake to “disgrace and eternal contempt” (Dan. 12:2b). In this text, “sleep” is used as a euphemism for physical death (e.g., Jn. 11:11-14; Acts 7:60; 1 Thess. 4:13; 1 Cor. 15:51). In this sense, sleep only refers to physical death. As noted by Stephen Miller and Joyce Baldwin, the text lends no support to the theories of soul sleep and annihilation.[6] Baldwin explains that “the reason for using ‘sleep’ here as a metaphor for ‘die’ is that sleep is a temporary state from which we normally awake, and so the reader is prepared for the thought of resurrection.”[7] The term “contempt” comes from the Hebrew term harapot, which designates a plural of “intensive fullness” of great shame.[8] The term dera’on refers to an “object of aversion” or “abhorrence.”[9] Interestingly, the only other occurrence of dera’on in the Old Testament is found in Isaiah 66:24, which depicts an eternal state, saying, “As they leave, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never go out, and they will be a horror to all humanity” (Isa. 66:24).

Intertestamental Understanding of Hell      

Though not considered Scripture by Protestant Christians, the Apocrypha offers some insight into the understanding of hell’s nature. The writer of 4 Maccabees described hell as a place where “divine judgment delivers thee unto a more rapid and eternal fire and torments which shall not leave hold on thee to all eternity … A great struggle and peril of the soul awaits in eternal torment those who transgress the ordinance of God” (4 Maccabees 12:12; 13:5).

Matthew 22:13      

In a parable, Jesus parallels God the Father with a proverbial king who tells his attendants to “Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 22:13).[10] The act of weeping and gnashing of teeth does not depict someone who has been burned up and no longer existent. Rather, these actions come from someone who remains metaphysically alive. Some will say, “But this may be at the initial moments of hell.” However, there is nothing in the text that suggests that the actions will not continue. Is fire a metaphor for God’s judgment? Or does it speak to an existence without the loving presence of God—a world of chaos and depravity? Those are some considerations for further research.

Matthew 25:41

In Jesus’s Olivet Discourse, Jesus taught that the angels would divide humanity into two sections: those on their right are individuals who had a right relationship with God, whereas those on the left are those who denied God and rejected his grace. After the gathering occurs, the command will be given to the condemned, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!” (Matt. 25:41). We should note that hell was not planned for humanity. It is a place created for the devil and his minions. For someone to reject God’s grace, they essentially say, “I do not want God in my life.” Therefore, God grants them what they desire. That’s why people wind up in hell. More on that in a future article.

Jude 6, 12-13

Jude, likely a disciple and brother of Jesus, offered some strong teachings on hell. He notes that “the angels who did not keep their position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the day of judgment on the great day … [and speaking of those who live in rebellion] These people are dangerous reefs at your love feasts as they eat with you without reverence. They are shepherds who only look after themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn—fruitless, twice dead and uprooted. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever” (Jude 6, 12). In vivid language, Jude acknowledges the darkness of hell and the conscious abiding nature of hell. He notes that hell is a dark place, likely noting that it does not hold the light of God’s glory there.

Revelation 14:10-11  

In Revelation, John notes that the beast will “also drink of the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest, day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark of its name” (Rev. 14:10-11). Here again, the anguish of hell does not cease. Obviously, hell is not a place where anyone wants to be. But remember, God did not design hell for human beings. It is designed for the devil and his angels. To go to hell means that a person resists and rejects the goodness of God and willfully chooses to live their eternal existence away from their loving Creator, apart from God’s kingdom, and willfully rejecting God’s loving watch care. If you are blaming God at this point, let me evoke my best impression of R. C. Sproul and inquire, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!?” Of course, I say this jokingly. But still, how can we blame God for something a person willfully chooses? To reject God is to choose Satan. If that’s the state you want, you cannot blame God for that.

Revelation 20:10, 13-15        

In what I call the judgment chapter of Revelation, Satan’s ultimate demise is shown as he will be “thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). The redeemed and condemned have been resurrected to a new eternal body by this point. Then, when judgment is meted out by God at the Great White Throne judgment, death and Hades gave up their dead” (Rev. 20:13). Note here that death is used to speak of those who are living, yet living without the graces of God. Each one of the dead are consciously judged, indicating that the term “death” is used metaphorically and not metaphysically.

After God delivers his judgment, “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14-15). Since God’s presence permeates the entire new creation, the judgment and Lake of Fire constitute another realm “outside the geography of the new universe,”[11] a place of utter darkness. This ultimate separation from God’s grace and presence is rightly called a second death, because the existence of its residents is without God’s protection, lovingkindness, and glory.

The writer of 2 Baruch of the intertestamental period teaches that righteous will enjoy rest and great blessings in the new creation for “to them shall be given the world to come, but the dwelling of the rest who are many shall be in the fire” (2 Baruch 44:15). In 4 Ezra, one pleads with God for forgiveness, and God told him, “I will show you that also, but do not include yourself with those who have shown scorn, or number yourself among those who are tormented” (4 Ezra 7:75).[12]

Conclusion

As has been shown, a strong case can be made for the traditional ECT viewpoint of hell. Not only do the writers of the New Testament hold this view, but it was also reflected in the writings of the Old Testament and the theologians of the intertestamental period. Granted, ECT is not the most comfortable position to hold. I found myself thanking God for his salvation as I wrote this piece. However, we must ask whether the traditional ECT view comports with the biblical data. Most assuredly, ECT does reflect the overarching theme of the biblical teaching on hell.

Even still, our case continues in our next article with an examination of the views of hell espoused by some of the most important theologians of history. We will look at the theology of those who were impacted by the disciples of Jesus before looking into the theological viewpoints of hell among those who are some of the most important theologians of Christian history.

References:

[1] Kirk Cameron and James Cameron, “Are We Wrong about Hell?,” Dangerous Conversations: The Kirk Camron Show, episode 86, YouTube.com (December 4, 2025), https://youtu.be/_RflbA8Vt_Y?si=asm4iytTdxkM_V9j

[2] Chris Date, “Chris Date’s Second Rebuttal to Jerry Shepherd,” Theologyinthe Raw.com (March 11, 2016), https://theologyintheraw.com/chris-dates-second-rebuttal-to-jerry-shepherd/ .

[3] Norman Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Four: Church, Last Things (Minneapolis: Bethany, 2005), 328.

[4] Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Four, 391; See also John Wenham, “The Case for Conditional Immortality,” in Universalism and the Doctrine of Hell, Nigel M. de S. Cameron, ed (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992), 28; and F. L. Cross, Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 2nd ed (London: Oxford University Press, 1978), 328.

[5] David Griffith, The Great Divide and the Salvation Paradox (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2022), Logos Bible Software.

[6] Stephen A. Miller, Daniel, vol. 18, New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 1994), 316; Joyce G. Baldwin, Daniel, vol. 23, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1978), 204.

[7] Baldwin, Daniel, TOTC, 204.

[8] Keil, Daniel, 483.

[9] Miller, Daniel, NAC, 316.

[10] Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville: Holman, 2020).

[11] G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans, 1999), 1061.

[12] The intertestamental texts are added to show the viewpoints of hell among those between the period of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Recommended Resources: 

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

If God, Why Evil? (DVD Set), (MP3 Set), and (mp4 Download Set) by Frank Turek 

Why Doesn’t God Intervene More? (DVD Set), (MP3 Set), and (mp4 Download Set) by Frank Turek

Why does God allow Bad Things to Happen to Good People? (DVD) and (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek

 

Dr. Brian G. Chilton (PhD, Liberty University) is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. He serves as a hospice chaplain and an Adjunct Professor of Apologetics for Carolina College of Biblical Studies, a Dissertation Mentor/Adjunct Professor for Liberty University in the PhD in Applied Apologetics program, and an Adjunct Professor/Dissertation Reader at Carolina University in the DMin program. Dr. Chilton’s primary area of research is on early Christianity, oral traditions, NT creeds, the blend of divine sovereignty and human freedom, and near-death experiences (NDEs).

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/45X6yqO

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Do the Crusades Prove that Christianity is Evil?

There have been many reasons people have refused to take on the Christian faith since the time Christ was on earth. Some couldn’t believe in miracles. Some rejected Jesus’ claim to be the only way to God. Others didn’t want to abide by God’s rules for living and chose to risk the threat of an eternity separated from their Creator.

Today, those reasons seem to be less cited by those who reject or leave the faith. When you read or hear the stories of many who “deconstruct” their faith or deny Christianity, the reason often comes down to one central idea: Christianity is “evil”. The Crusades are pointed to as evidence that Christianity is used for conquest and subjugating people. Is this true? How should a Christian respond to this?

Caveats

This can be an extremely emotional argument for some people, and I want to make a few things clear. This article is to serve in no way to justify any immoral or unethical act by anyone claiming to be a Christian, ever. It is also an extremely small summary of a very long and complex history. That said, if people use the idea of the crusades as evidence that Christianity is evil, a Christian should be able to grapple with the question.

A Very Brief Summary of the Crusades

It should be remembered that the story of the Crusades was not only about the Christian faith. An objective reading of history shows that this was a struggle between two faiths, Christianity and Islam. Islam came about in the 7th century AD, long after Christianity had become a common faith all over Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, joining pagans, polytheists (Romans, Greeks), and other worldview groups that typically existed in relative peace by the 7th century

There were eight individual military campaigns deemed by historians as “The Crusades”. They occurred between 1096 and 1270. The Crusades were initiated at times by church leadership, at times by kings, and at times by diplomats. The first Crusade (The Prince’s Crusade, 1096) was actually in response to aggression by Muslim forces that attacked Christians on pilgrimage to the holy lands, and in response to a request for aid from Byzantine Christians who were dealing with Muslim aggression from the Turks. Jerusalem was captured by the Christian crusaders, and protective forts were established to allow for safe pilgrimage from Europe to the holy land.

This led to a back-and-forth between Christians in “Crusader States” and Muslims seeking to exert their dominance in those regions. The successive Crusades were almost always in one way or another called in response to cities or regions that had fallen to Muslim conquerors following the first Crusade. (1) In the end, the areas the crusaders were able to temporarily control for a time largely fell to Muslim armies.

Notable Atrocities

Even though the Crusades were usually in response to Muslim advances, Christians committed acts that are widely condemned by historians as atrocities during the Crusades. In addition to civilians, Jews, pagans, and Christian “heretics” were also put to the sword by crusaders at various times in some of the campaigns. Notable massacres occurred in Jerusalem in 1099 and in Constantinople in 1204. That said, atrocities were not limited to Christian crusaders. Muslim forces were known to enslave, rape, and murder Christian civilians and hostages in the course of their advances. While the body count is very much in dispute, the accounts from eyewitnesses in that era from both Christian and Muslim sources tell a very dark story of humans mistreating other humans.[i] (2)

Summary of the Summary

Despite recent scholarship that attempts to paint the Crusades as nothing but bloody, unjustified aggression by colonializing Christians, it is well documented that the Crusades are more accurately described as an attempt by Western European Christians to respond to centuries of Islamic wars of expansion, reclaim the control of the holy land, and check the expansion of Islamic control in the East.[ii] (1) An objective view of history tells us that both the Christian and Islamic faiths were responsible for their shares of ungodly behavior. The fact that some crusaders committed atrocities should not be left out of any conversation about the Crusades. That should also be true for the acts of those with whom they fought. The story of the Crusades deserves a fair hearing with all of the evidence available for context.

Bad Religion?

Acknowledging that some Christian crusaders committed atrocities, should we deduce that the religion itself is evil? As Christian Apologist Frank Turek often argues, when someone plays Mozart poorly, you don’t blame Mozart. Where Christians sinned, Christians sinned. This is not an exclusive feature of the Crusades, and Christians (including yours truly) sin to this very day. But that does not affect the message of the namesake of Christianity.

Compared to What?

I would also expect that the honest critics would consider the actions of non-Christians who have also done evil in the name of things like progress, socialism, humanism, and other systems that sought (or seek) to conquer or eliminate people groups. Atheistic socialist regimes like Russia, China, and other countries are credited with killing more than 100,000,000 people in the 20th century alone.[iii] (3) This is a far more bloody history than anything the Crusades could be charged with. If that is life without Christianity, I will take Christianity. How does the atheist defend non-Christian atrocities?

One could easily write many, many books about all the evils committed by Christians since Christ last walked the earth. And it is worth remembering that Christ is far more knowledgeable of all of the sins committed by Christians than we are. How saddened and angry He must be with us for the way we have treated our fellow image bearers, and for the way we have failed to love others as He loves us.

The Christian can and should acknowledge the wrongdoing of other Christians at any time, but they are certainly justified in also pointing out that there are no perfect non-Christians either. This can be a way to help people understand a point so apparent throughout the Bible, and summed up in the passage that states, “there is none who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1-3). Now, we can talk about the good news.

The Good News

Christians must remember that the object of our faith is not the perfect behavior of 12th-century knights, or, for that matter, 21st-century pastors and priests. The object of our faith is not in how well Christians behave. The object of our faith should be Jesus Christ and His perfect life, death, and resurrection, displaying the willingness of God to save us from our sins by our faith in Him and His work.

There is no need for anyone to lose trust in Christ, even when we lose trust in Christians. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. No amount of other people’s sins will allow you or me to be considered sinless. But Christ lived a perfect life, told us to love God and one another, and died to save any who would repent and follow Him. So, consider your own sins, and seek Christ for yourself, being confident that we are all guilty and in need of what only a loving Creator could do through His Son’s death and resurrection.

References:

[i] Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Crusades. In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved October 14, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/event/Crusades

[ii] Ibrahim, R. Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West. Grand Central Publishing, 2018.

[iii] Rummel, R. J. Death by Government. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 1994.

Recommended Resources:

What is God Really Like? A View from the Parables by Dr. Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3, and Mp4)

Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)        

How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek

Stealing From God by Dr. Frank Turek (Book, 10-Part DVD Set, STUDENT Study Guide, TEACHER Study Guide)

 

Tony Williams is a retired police officer from Southern Illinois and currently lives in Kentucky with his family. He has been studying apologetics in his spare time for two decades, since a crisis of faith led him to the discovery of vast and ever-increasing evidence for his faith. Tony received a bachelor’s degree in University Studies from Southern Illinois University in 2019. His career in law enforcement has provided valuable insight into the concepts of truth, evidence, confession, testimony, cultural competency, morality, and most of all, the compelling need for Christ in the lives of the lost. Tony plans to pursue postgraduate studies in apologetics in the near future to sharpen his understanding of the various facets of Christian apologetics.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/3NO4vPG

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Scott Adams and Death Bed Conversions

Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip died recently, and reports are saying that he had a death bed conversion. Lord willing, he meant it. I enjoyed his cartoons. He had some clever commentary. But of course, no amount of good works, humor, or wit can get anyone to heaven. I hope for his sake that his last rites were sincere, and that I’ll be able to meet him in heaven one day. Death bed conversions however pose a real problem.

The problem isn’t about the fact that they happen. That’s not a problem for Christian theology. We teach that salvation isn’t earned as a reward, it’s a received gift. So, death-bed conversions are possible even for people who’ve lived a long and rebellious life. Just ask the thief on the cross. God’s grace allows for all sorts of people to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and NO ONE is good enough to deserve heaven. So, that’s not the problem.

The problem with death bed conversions isn’t about justice or grace, it’s about pragmatics. There are some looming practical problems for anyone who is planning to save their Christian conversion till after they’ve lived life on their own terms.

1. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

You don’t really know when you’ll die. Your doctor might say you have 6 months or 60 years to live, but honestly, not even tomorrow is guaranteed. That’s why Paul “today . . . is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).

2. You might not want to when the time comes.

Over the course of your life you’re cultivating your own character, for good or bad. You might think you’ll convert on your deathbed because, for now, you plan to “Live it up,” sow your wild oats, or some pithy nonsense like that. But, in the course of your rebellion you’re building moral momentum in a certain direction to where you just won’t make that turn, and do the right thing, even when your eternal life is on the line. Or, if you’ll pardon the mixed metaphor, you may think you’ll turn over the wheel to Jesus once you’re done driving, but you don’t realize after a lifetime of hogging the steering wheel you’ll never want to let someone else drive your life.

3. You might not be able to, when the time comes

There’s no guarantee that willfully rebellious people will somehow have the will-power and the prevenient grace to loosen their stiff neck, and soften their hard heart, to finally respond – on their death bed – to the gospel that they’ve been rejecting all their life. Now God can soften even the hardest heart, but that’s a literal miracle and we cannot assume that we can twist God’s arm and force him to perform a miracle to transform our hearts AGAINST OUR WILL That kind of work is God’s fiat, His choice, His rules. We don’t get to tell God what to do especially not after rejecting his gracious offers repeatedly assuming the window of opportunity would stay open to us forever.

4. You might be bargaining with a fake Savior

What makes you think that you can “bargain” with the literal King of Kings, the sovereign ruler over all the universe, and the resurrected God-Man who died on a cross to prove once and for all that his sacrificial love cannot be questioned and His infinite merit is our only hope of salvation? What makes YOU think you can bargain with HIM? If you think Jesus is some kind of roadside vendor to where you can haggle with Him over matters of eternity, you aren’t talking about the real Jesus. Sure, you might envision Jim Cavezil, on a bloody cross, or maybe some patchwork Sunday school version of Jesus H. Christ. But if you think he enacted the Gospel, written in his own blood, so that you could bargain with him for a “better deal” then you don’t understand the Gospel, you don’t know who you really are, and you don’t know who you’re dealing with.

5. God cannot be mocked.

When we finally understand who God is, and what he’s done for us, and the great gift He’s offering us, the only proper response is to receive that gift in grateful humility. But what if someone were to reject that gift saying, “I’m not interested right now, but try me again in a few years.” Every time we reject God’s gift of salvation, we are insulting the gift-giver, making a mockery of the Gospel, deluding ourselves into thinking that our self-sufficiency and personal plans are somehow more valuable than eternal glory. We cannot safely assume that we can mock God repeatedly and get away with it. For now, God might be keeping our hearts just soft enough to respond to the Gospel, but He is well within his rights to let us finally have the hard-heart we’ve been training for all these years.

Death bed conversions do happen sometimes. I pray Scott Adam’s conversion was sincere. God’s grace can save lifelong sinners, young believers, teenage Jesus freaks, gang members, murders, rapists, and that’s just biblical examples. He can save all sorts of people from every life circumstance. But, please please be warned. Every day you spend rejecting God’s saving grace you are training yourself to reject Him on your last day. If you’re planning to “live it up” and then, on your death bed, pray a little prayer sneaking into heaven by the skin of your teeth, then you might have been bargaining with a fake savior. No one gets to have salvation on their own terms. That was never an option. God is liable to grant you the locked door you’ve been asking for every time you rejected Him before.

“The times of ignorance God overlooked,
but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
Acts 17:30 (NIV)

Recommended Resources: 

The Great Book of Romans by Dr. Frank Turek (Mp4, Mp3, DVD Complete series, STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, COMPLETE Instructor Set)

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)      

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide

Debate: What Best Explains Reality: Atheism or Theism? by Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, and Mp3 

 

Dr. John D. Ferrer is an educator, writer, and graduate of CrossExamined Instructors Academy. Having earned degrees from Southern Evangelical Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he’s now active in the pro-life community and in his home church in Pella Iowa. When he’s not helping his wife Hillary Ferrer with her ministry Mama Bear Apologetics, you can usually find John writing, researching, and teaching cultural apologetics.

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Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?

Most Christians will struggle, at least once, with the issue of losing their salvation. For some people this struggle becomes a lifelong trial of frustration and anxiety. Some protestant denominations, including Methodists and Lutherans, teach that it is possible to lose your salvation. But other denominations, such as Presbyterians and Baptists, teach that once you become a Christian, you can never lose your salvation. So, who has the final say in such matters? We should always look to God and His Word as our first and final authority. He has given us His instructions in the Bible, and we’re responsible to study it diligently so we know the truth. In this article I will make the case that the Bible teaches that a Christian cannot lose their salvation.

What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?

First, let me explain exactly what it means to be a Christian. A Christian is simply someone who has been reconciled to God by repenting of their sins and placing their trust completely in Jesus Christ for their forgiveness. I’m using the term ‘repent’ here to mean when someone recognizes they’ve made moral mistakes and turn to God with a desire for Him to rescue them from their evil ways and transform them into a godly person from the inside out. In other words, a person needs to come to grips with the fact that they’ve sinned against a holy and righteous God. While they may not have committed sins as bad as some other people, repentance means recognizing your own internal rebellion against the God who created you. Our condition is hopeless, and if left alone we’d be completely lost and unable to make things right with God on our own. We should admit we deserve God’s punishment for our sin, which is eternal death, forever separated from the God of all good things. There’s nothing anyone can do on their own to fix their relationship with God, a relationship that’s been broken because of our sin. Every single person since Adam and Eve has been in this same unfortunate condition.

“Just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12, NASB).

A Christian is also someone who has heard of God’s great love for them. Through a pastor, a close friend, a book, or some other means, they have been exposed to God’s solution to their sin problem. They’ve learned that, because God loved us so much, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to become the sin bearer for the entire world. This Person, who was born two thousand years ago, was fully human and fully God at the same time. He lived the perfect life that we all failed to live. Then He died on the cross to take the penalty of God’s punishment for the sins of the whole world.

“Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:9-10).

Lastly, a Christian is someone who, after hearing this good news, placed their trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. Instead of trusting in their own efforts to please God, they humbly admitted their sin and put their faith in Jesus alone to make things right between them and God. Trusting in Jesus isn’t a work or a task you do to earn forgiveness; it’s simply a way to receive God’s gift of forgiveness absolutely free. The Bible says when someone does this, they are immediately reconciled with God as He removes all the sins from their account, past, present, and future.

“And [I] may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9).

Many other things happen at that instant in time someone trusts in Christ. The Bible calls it being “born again” because, at that moment, the Holy Spirit indwells you and gives you supernatural power. These powers won’t enable you to fly through the air or lift a car over your head; the supernatural powers from the Holy Spirit are actually much better than that! What the Spirit’s power does is enable you to live for God with your whole life, to turn from sin and selfishness so you can walk with Jesus every day and grow more like Him in all of His kindness and love. Christians still make mistakes, of course, but God works in their life to empower, teach, and correct them, preparing them to spend eternity with Him loving God, loving others, and being loved in return. Sometimes in the Bible this is referred to as the Holy Spirit producing “fruit” in a Christian’s life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desire” (Galatians 5:22-24).

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Four Reasons Salvation Cannot Be Lost

Now we come to the question of whether or not a Christian can lose their salvation. There are several places in the Bible that help explain why this is not possible. Below we’ll look at four of them:

1. Salvation Is a Free Gift

First of all, we need to remember that salvation is a free gift from God with no strings attached. Since a Christian didn’t earn salvation by performing good works to begin with, but by putting their trust in Christ, it’d be very strange indeed to think salvation could be lost based on performance. We can’t lose our salvation because of any sin or bad thing we may do because salvation is not by works but by faith. God tells us, however, that after He saves us He then empowers us to do good works for others which He’s planned out before we were even born.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

2. You Can’t Walk Away

But couldn’t someone just stop trusting Jesus? No. The Bible teaches that once a person puts their trust in Jesus as their Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in that person and supernaturally protects them from ending their faith in Jesus.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time“ (1 Peter 1:3-5).

To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 24-25).

The Holy Spirit that indwells you when you first become a Christian is described in the Bible as a pledge or “down payment” you receive from God here on earth. A person is often required to pay a pledge or down payment at the beginning of a loan as a promise that they’ll pay the rest of it later or else they’ll lose what they’ve already put down. The Spirit plays a similar role in that His indwelling of a Christian functions as a pledge or a promise of more things to come when we die and go to heaven. Surely we know God will give us what He’s promised, but He’s gone further in giving us a down payment to show He can be fully trusted.

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of you salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

3. Satan Can’t Take Your Salvation Away

Could Satan or some demonic power take our salvation away? To do so they would have to be more powerful than God Himself!

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:27-30).

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31-39).

4. The Elect Are Kept by God

This last reason is a bit deeper theologically, but the concept isn’t too hard to grasp if you think through it carefully. First, read these verses:

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30).

The doctrine of election is a very deep subject, and good Christian theologians take different positions on how best to understand it. I myself affirm what’s called “conditional predestination” or “conditional election,” that God chooses to be saved those who meet the condition of putting their faith in Christ through the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. (To read more about that, see here: Election: God’s Right to Choose.) But regardless of what your position on election is, nearly all Christians agree that the Bible teaches that in eternity past God knew who would become Christians. It’s important to note that these people God knew would be Christians by putting their faith in Christ aren’t better than other people because faith isn’t something we can boast about. Faith doesn’t earn us salvation; faith is only a way to receive salvation. God desires all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4) and offers salvation to everyone, but only those who trust Jesus will have their sins forgiven. He knows who these people are and has predestined that they become like Jesus Christ in character and in love. These verses from Romans 8:28-30 are referred to sometimes as the “unbreakable golden chain” because those He foreknew, He then predestined, He then called, He then justified, and He will glorify. There is an unstoppable progression of events from faith to heaven (glorification) that nothing can stop because God orchestrates the process from beginning to end. We can be sure of our glory in heaven because the God who knows all things has predestined it.

Some “Problem” Passages

Now with all that said, there are some verses in the Bible that make it seem like Christians can fall away from the faith and lose their salvation. For example, consider the following:

Can People Partake of the Holy Spirit and Not Be Saved?

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6).

A person like this may have experienced the mighty ministry of the Holy Spirit convicting them of their sin and encouraging them to trust Jesus, but if they resist and reject the Holy Spirit, then there is no other alternative but to pay for their own sins by being eternally separated from God forever. These warnings should be taken very seriously but not because they’re teaching that people can lose their salvation. Verses like this are warning people not to reject the Holy Spirit’s wooing and empowerment to trust in Christ. In other words, these verses are describing people who resist the empowerment of the Holy Spirit when God was drawing them to salvation. This empowerment from the Holy Spirit is described in Hebrews 6:4-6 as being enlightened, tasting of the heavenly gift, being partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasking the good word of God and the powers of the age to come. All of these descriptions help us understand just how powerful the Holy Spirit’s empowerment is when the Spirit is drawing someone to trust in Christ. However, according to these verses, this empowerment can be resisted. If someone resists this empowerment from the Holy Spirit and refuses to trust in Christ, then there is no hope for their salvation. This is similarly described in Acts 7:51.

“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did” (Acts 7:51).

Perhaps Someone Only Claimed to Be a Christian

The Bible also talks about people who claim to be Christians for a time but really aren’t.

The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21).

Such people claim to have trusted in Jesus, but in reality they haven’t. Some people know that their claim is false and they’re just faking it. Others may have actually deceived themselves into thinking they trusted in Christ, but in reality they haven’t really put their faith in Him. This is a scary concept, and that’s why the Bible repeatedly tells us to examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith.

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

But what do you examine? How can you measure faith? Faith is simply trusting Jesus, and that is what makes you a Christian to begin with. We can’t see this born-again experience take place because it’s a spiritual transformation, but we can see the effects of it in a person’s life. Jesus explained it to Nicodemus in John 3 using wind as an example. We don’t see wind itself, but we see the effects of it: bustling leaves, swaying branches, knocked over garbage cans! In the same way, we don’t see the new birth when someone becomes a Christian, but we see the effects of it in their life. This is caused by the Holy Spirit, who transforms them from the inside out by empowering them to change their sinful and selfish ways and instead live a life of serving and loving others.

“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

Do We Have to Do Good Works to Maintain Salvation?

Does this mean we are saved by faith but to keep it we must do good things? No. We are saved by faith alone, but after we become a Christian the Holy Spirit changes our life from the inside out. It’s not about cleaning up our lives to look better on the outside. God gives us a new heart so that we want to live for Him and love other people. We should never look to good works in our life as things that earn or merit us God’s love but as evidence that Holy Spirit is really in us and transforming us. If you find that your life hasn’t changed at all since you became a Christian, then you should carefully consider if you’ve truly trusted in Christ as your Savior. It might be the case that you only said you trusted in Christ to impress others, to fit in with a particular group of people, or to alleviate peer pressure from friends or family.

James 2 discusses how our good works serve as evidence our faith is genuine. It’s important to start with James’ question: “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14). It’s a rhetorical question, and the obvious answer is no, that kind of ‘faith’ can’t save him because, as James goes on to explain, it’s a ‘dead faith.’ The hypothetical person ‘says’ they have faith, but they really don’t, and this is evident because of a lack of good works in their life. James’ point throughout this section in James 2 is that this “false dead faith that can’t save” isn’t a real, true faith. He’s describing a false faith, and the evidence it’s false is that it hasn’t produced a changed life, that is, it hasn’t produced good works. So James is describing a faith that cannot save someone. He’s describing a false faith claim (someone who ‘says’ they have faith), a dead faith, and the evidence that it’s false and dead is that it doesn’t produce works. According to James, it’s that type of faith, a false, dead faith, that cannot save.

James here is explaining that if someone has no good works, then that’s evidence their faith is false and dead; they’ve ‘said’ they have true faith, but they really don’t. Conversely, the good works which a Christian does are evidence that their faith is true saving faith. Good works in the Christian’s life are evidence of God’s empowering grace to live a godly life, which they receive only as a result of putting their faith in Christ for salvation. Paul said something similar in Galatians:

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:16-23)

When someone truly puts their faith in Christ, then God changes them from the inside out, and their life changes accordingly in that the Holy Spirit produces fruit in their life; that is, they engage in good works by God’s empowerment to live a godly life. That’s all that Paul meant when he wrote that what matters is “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Jesus also talked about how we can know whether or not someone has true faith by their works:

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20).

Jesus taught that false teachers will be known by their bad fruit and true teachers will be known by their good fruit. Similarly, James 2 is saying that if someone is a Christian, if they have true saving faith, then there should be fruit that functions as evidence that the Spirit is working in their life. One of James’ main messages throughout his letter is that Christians should “prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22-25). Thus, we can be confident that he’s not talking about doing good works to earn salvation (or earn the right to keep salvation) but is explaining that how people live their lives will be evidence as to whether or not their faith is genuine, real, true faith or if it’s a dead, unreal, false faith.

James illustrates his point in James 2:15-16 with an analogy of someone who “says” they’re concerned about a person who doesn’t have proper clothing and daily food but yet doesn’t do anything to help the person. The fact that he doesn’t do anything shows that his verbal claim of being concerned is hollow, unreal, and false. Similarly, if someone’s life hasn’t been changed at all by God’s empowerment, that can show that his verbal claim of having faith in Christ is hollow, unreal, and fake.

It is in this context that James goes on to drive home the point that good works in the lives of Christians are evidence of true faith. In other words, good works are the way to prove, or “show” evidence of, someone’s true faith that saved them. That’s why James wrote that someone can “show” their faith by their works (James 2:18). He argued that “faith without works is useless” (James 2:20), not only because it’s false and dead and thus can’t save but also because it provides no evidence of someone’s salvation; it can’t “show” that their faith is real. However, if someone “says” they have faith in Christ and is doing good works, then those works can be seen by others and considered as evidence that their faith is genuine and real. James then uses Abraham and Rahab as examples of how this plays out in practice.

Does James Say that Salvation Is Not by Faith Alone?

First, James affirmed salvation by faith apart from works when he, like Paul, pointed out that the Old Testament taught that “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (James 2:23). However, James explained that Abraham’s faith was evidentially justified by his action of being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. James isn’t using the term ‘justified’ in this context to talk about salvation or to mean ‘to be made righteous’ like Paul often uses the term ‘justified.’ No, James is using the term ‘justified’ here to talk about how evidence justifies a certain conclusion. For example, a judge in a courtroom may say that the large amount of evidence justifies his conclusion that someone is guilty. Similarly, James is saying that good works in someone’s life serve as solid evidence that justifies concluding that the person is a Christian, that they have true saving faith. That’s what James was getting at when he wrote that “faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected [evidenced]; and the Scripture was fulfilled [justified, i.e., shown to be true by the evidence] which says, ‘and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,’ and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:22-23). In other words, Abraham’s good works were evidence that showed he had truly believed/trusted in God. James concluded that a person’s salvation is “justified [evidenced] by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24), for we can’t ‘see’ a person’s faith, but we can see the works that a true faith will produce. In the same way, James explained that Rahab’s salvation was “justified [evidenced] by works” (James 2:25) when she protected God’s messengers. Both Abraham and Rahab showed evidence of their true faith, and the salvation that results from true faith, through their good works.

On the flip side, if someone ‘claims’ to be a Christian and yet there’s no evidence of good works in their life, then that might be evidence they’ve made a false claim about being a Christian. The reason this is the case is that when someone becomes a Christian by putting their faith in Christ, God then transforms them into a new, morally better person from the inside out. This transformation includes God giving them an inclination to do good works and empowering them with the ability to do them. So, if I have a friend who claims to be a Christian, but I don’t see God’s transforming work in his life, it would be appropriate for me to be concerned and lovingly talk to him to make sure that he hasn’t falsely claimed to trust in Christ when, in fact, he really hasn’t. People make such false claims for various reasons: to get people to stop bothering them, to appease others, to impress folks for whatever reason, to get a job, to convince someone to date them, etc. Jesus talked about this in Matt. 7:15-23 when he warned of false teachers who claim to be Christians in order to take advantage of people. Jesus explained that we will be able to spot them by their bad works, i.e., their lack of good works. That’s the point James was making when he wrote that “faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:17). That is, if someone ‘says’ they have faith but there are no good works in their life, then that’s good evidence that their faith is dead, that is, that they have no true saving faith in Christ at all; it’s a ‘false, dead faith.’

Lastly, it’s important to note that false, dead faith might include believing some true facts about Christianity. This was the point James was making, that mere intellectual agreement on a set of facts isn’t true saving faith, when he wrote to his hypothetical objector that “you believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder” (James 2:19). This is a type of dead, useless faith; it’s merely intellectual assent, but since it’s not true saving faith/trust, it produces no good works in someone’s life. Real, true saving faith is not merely intellectual assent that certain facts are true; that would be a type of dead, useless ‘faith.’ As I noted above, faith is trusting in Christ, which includes repentance.

What If I Still Struggle with Sin?

In light of the four reasons we looked at above for believing someone can’t lose their salvation, it’s best to understand these falling away verses such as Hebrews 6:4-6 as referring to those people who pretended to be Christians but then later it became obvious they were faking it. Many of these verses are God’s way of trying to reach those who claim to be Christians but really are just faking it. However, these verses have also caused true Christians a lot of anxiety about whether or not they really are saved when they continue to struggle with sin. This can become a difficult and complex issue that we have to take seriously. We don’t want to be too easy on ourselves and not take our sin seriously. But at the same time we don’t want to be too hard on ourselves and question whether or not we’re really saved every time we struggle with sin. Overall, it’s best to evaluate our lives over the long run and see if there’s evidence the Holy Spirit is transforming us into a more godly person. This doesn’t mean that we’ll ever achieve perfection in this life, but there should be a steady growth in the fruit of the Spirit. And when we do sin, we should immediately recognize it as such, confess what we’ve done, pray to God for empowerment to do better, and consciously choose to trust that Christ’s work on the cross guarantees our forgiveness. At all times keep in mind that it is your faith in Christ that has fixed your relationship with God, not your good works, and you can never lose your salvation no matter how badly you mess up.

“The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. …This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us“ (1 John 1:4, 1 John 3:23).

Is it our responsibility to go around and examine other people to see if they are real Christians? No! The verse says to examine yourself, not others. And remember that Christians still sin and make terrible moral mistakes sometimes. There are certain times where it can be more obvious that someone was faking it when they claimed to be a Christian. For example, it can become more obvious if they completely turn their back on Christianity and go back to living their sinful lifestyle.

“They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).

But even true Christians can go through a period of strong rebellion. So, when we see someone completely turning their back on Christianity, it might be that they never were a Christian to begin with, or it might be the case that they are truly a Christian but are just going through a time of strong rebellion. We can’t know people’s hearts for sure; only God can. But we can know for sure that if someone truly puts their faith in Christ for salvation, then they can never lose that salvation.

Conclusion

If you are struggling over whether or not someone can lose their salvation, go to the Bible for your answers. In His Word God explains you cannot lose what He has freely given you. The falling away verses such as those in Hebrews 6 come from God’s compassionate heart that desires all people to be saved. They are warnings to those who are pretending to be Christians but who haven’t really put their faith in Him yet. If that describes you, delay no longer! Trust in Jesus today and be fully confident that you rest secure in His love and forgiveness.

Recommended Resources:

The Great Book of Romans by Dr. Frank Turek (Mp4, Mp3, DVD Complete series, STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, COMPLETE Instructor Set)

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)      

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide

How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek

 

Adam Lloyd Johnson has served as the president of Convincing Proof Ministries since 2023. Prior to that, Adam was a university campus missionary with Ratio Christi at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has also taught classes for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has spent time living and teaching at Rhineland Theological Seminary in Wölmersen, Germany. Adam received his PhD in Theological Studies with an emphasis in Philosophy of Religion from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2020. Adam grew up in Nebraska and became a Christian as a teenager in 1994. He graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and then worked in the field of actuarial science for ten years in Lincoln, Nebraska. While in his twenties, he went through a crisis of faith: are there good reasons and evidence to believe God exists and that the Bible is really from Him? His search for answers led him to apologetics and propelled him into ministry with a passion to serve others by equipping Christians and encouraging non-Christians to trust in Christ. Adam served as a Southern Baptist pastor for eight years (2009-2017) but stepped down from the pastorate to serve others full-time in the area of apologetics. He’s been married to his wife Kristin since 1996, and they have four children – Caroline, Will, Xander, and Ray. Adam has presented his work at the National Apologetics Conference, the Society of Christian Philosophers, the Evangelical Philosophical Society, the International Society of Christian Apologetics, the Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith, the American Academy of Religion, and the Evangelical Theological Society. His work has been published in the Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics, Philosophia Christi, the Westminster Theological Journal, the Canadian Journal for Scholarship and the Christian Faith, the journal Eleutheria, and the journal Religions. Adam has spoken at numerous churches and conferences in America and around the world – Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, Boston, Orlando, Denver, San Antonio, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. He is the editor and co-author of the book A Debate on God and Morality: What is the Best Account of Objective Moral Values and Duties? published in 2020 by Routledge and co-authored with William Lane Craig, Erik Wielenberg, J. P. Moreland, and others. He is most recently the author of the book Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality published by Kregel Academic in 2023.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/4pzpW4l

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If Life Ends at Death, Then Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, for Tomorrow We Die

The book of Ecclesiastes is notoriously difficult to interpret. In this article I share my best attempt at understanding and explaining what this book is about.

Many have argued that the main message of Ecclesiastes is that we shouldn’t look for meaning and purpose in this world or in this mortal life. While that might be a valid application of the truths found in Ecclesiastes, I don’t think that is its primary message. It seems to me that the main purpose of Ecclesiastes is to teach the following conditional:

If life ends at death, then life, and the toil of this life, is vanity because it’s fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd.

Yes, one of the applications we can learn from Ecclesiastes is not to look for ultimate meaning in this life or the things of this world. But I think more so the main message we’re supposed to take away from Ecclesiastes is that death is horrific. In this regard it’s a treatise on how terrible, crushing, horrific, awful, and unsettling death is. Death causes life to be meaningless. Thus, it fits into the overall corpus of Scripture in that it helps us to understand that death, which is the result of our evil choices, is terrible and destructive. Ecclesiastes helps us see how serious and terrible God’s punishment for us, death, truly is. The more we understand how crushing death is, the more we’ll appreciate God’s victory over death and the eternal life He offers us freely through faith in Christ.

Someone may say, “Well, wouldn’t Solomon know that life doesn’t end at death, that there’s life after death?” Maybe and maybe not. God’s revelation is progressive in that He has given more details over time. It’s easy for us to know about life after death now because we have all 66 books of the Bible. But remember that Solomon didn’t have the New Testament, and not even all of the Old Testament had been written during his time. Thus, it might be the case that Solomon didn’t know there was life after death. There are even hints throughout Ecclesiastes that Solomon was uncertain about whether or not there was life after death (Eccl. 2:15-17, Eccl. 3:18-22, Eccl. 4:2-3, Eccl. 6:3-6, Eccl. 7:2, Eccl. 9:5-6, Eccl. 9:10). Also, even if Solomon did know that there’s life after death, he might still have decided to write Ecclesiastes to drive home in a powerful way this true conditional statement: “If life ends at death, then life, and the toil of this life, is vanity because it’s fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd.”

I’ve come to this conclusion about the main message of Ecclesiastes in part because Paul seems to teach the same conditional truth in 1 Corinthians 15—“If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor. 15:32b). Below, I’ll include the pertinent verses from 1 Corinthians 15 so you can see how closely Paul’s message here is to the main message of Ecclesiastes. I’ll underline the sections that are especially pertinent to understanding Ecclesiastes.

1Corinthians15:12

“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. . . . 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death . . . .32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die . . . . 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

In 1 Cor. 15 Paul affirmed the conditional truth of Ecclesiastes (if life ends at death, then life, and the toil of this life, is vanity because it’s fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd), as can especially be seen when he wrote, “If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor. 15:32b). But then Paul pointed out that the first part of this conditional hasn’t been met – life doesn’t end at death. That’s because the dead will be raised. And Paul argued that in light of this, our toil in this life is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58b). In other words, both of the following conditionals are true:

  1. If life ends at death, then life, and the toil of this life, is vanity because it’s fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd. Both Ecclesiastes and Paul affirm this truth.
  2. If life doesn’t end in death because the dead will be raised, then life, and the toil of this life, isn’t fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd. Ecclesiastes affirms this implicitly at the end of chapter twelve, but Paul affirms it explicitly.

Here are various ideas found throughout Ecclesiastes that reinforce its main message, which is “If life ends at death, then life, and the toil of this life, is vanity because it’s fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd.”

  • Solomon explains his purpose was to try and “see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives” (1:3).
  • IF life ends at death, then all of our effort and work is in vain ( 1:3).
  • IF life ends at death, then there’s never any ultimate satisfaction in life ( 1:8).
  • IF life ends at death, then chasing accomplishments is futile because no matter what you accomplish, in a few hundred years no one will remember you ( 1:11, Eccl. 4:15-16, Eccl. 9:13-16).
  • IF life ends at death, there’s no meaning to our efforts and work because they’re mostly driven by selfish ambition and jealousy of others ( 4:4).
  • IF life ends at death, there’s no ultimate meaning in riches because you can’t take them with you to the grave ( 5:13-17).
  • IF life ends at death, there’s no ultimate satisfaction in riches because no matter how much you accumulate, you’ll always want more ( 4:7-8, Eccl. 5:10-12, Eccl. 6:7).
  • IF life ends at death, then building wealth is futile because when you die, it all goes to someone else, and you can’t control whether or not that person will be an idiot ( 2:4-12, Eccl. 2:18-24).
  • IF life ends at death, then you might as well eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die. There is no lasting ultimate meaning, however, in these activities ( 2:1-3).
  • IF life ends at death, being wise has no advantage over being foolish because the wise and the foolish both end at death ( 2:13-17, especially Eccl. 2:16).
  • IF life ends at death, then there’s no real advantage in being wise or righteous ( 7:15-17).
  • IF life ends at death, then there is no rhyme or reason to life’s random events ( 3:1-8, Eccl. 9:1a, Eccl. 9:11-12, Eccl. 10:8-11, Eccl. 10:14, Eccl. 11:1-6).
  • IF life ends at death, then there is no ultimate justice, for in this life bad people often prosper and escape punishment whereas good people often suffer and are oppressed ( 3:16-18, Eccl. 4:1-3, Eccl. 5:8-9, Eccl. 7:15-17, Eccl. 8:9-14, Eccl. 9:2-3, Eccl. 10:5-7).
  • IF life ends at death, then it’s actually wiser to mourn over your mortality than to eat, drink, and be merry ( 7:2-4).
  • Death is destructive, seemingly random, and no one has control or authority over it ( 8:7-8a).
  • The aging process, which is part of death, is devastating, ugly, frustrating, humiliating, and wretched ( 12:1-8).

Sections in which Solomon encourages the reader to “enjoy life” (Eccl. 2:24-26, Eccl. 3:9-15, Eccl. 3:22, Eccl. 5:18-20, Eccl. 8:14-15, Eccl. 9:7-10, Eccl. 10:19, Eccl. 11:8-10) are not positive encouragements to enjoy the gifts God gives us in this life; rather, they are actually sarcastic jabs similar to the statement “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Of course we should enjoy the gifts God gives us in this life, that’s a true statement, but that’s not the point that Solomon is making in Ecclesiastes. Below are the verses that lead me to believe Solomon is making sarcastic jabs similar to “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.” I’ll underline the words that seem to indicate he’s being sarcastic:

There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. Eccl. 2:24

There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun. Eccl. 8:14-15

Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. Eccl. 9:7-10

Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility. Eccl. 11:8

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. Eccl. 5:18-20

In relation to these verses from Eccl. 5:18-20, it’s important to note that a recurring theme throughout Ecclesiastes is people occupying themselves with meaningless pursuits in this life to keep them busy so they don’t think about more serious things like mortality and the meaning of life. If life ends at death, it will be a frustrating waste of time to try to figure out the ultimate meaning and purpose of life. This is because if life ends at death, there is no ultimate meaning to life. Don’t even think about such things but instead just occupy your time with eating, drinking, and being merry (Eccl. 1:13-18, Eccl. 2:10-12, Eccl. 5:18-20, Eccl. 7:13-14, Eccl. 7:23-25, Eccl. 7:27-28a, Eccl. 8:14-17).

Solomon seems exasperated by trying to figure out these deep things about ultimate meaning and concludes it’s a waste of time. We’ll never be able to figure it out, so don’t even try. Just eat, drink, and be merry, and that’ll keep you from wasting time trying to understand what you’ll never be able to figure out. Trying to unlock this mystery will just make you frustrated and depressed so, instead, occupy yourself with eating, drinking, and being merry for tomorrow we die. Again, I see this as a sarcastic jab in light of his overall message that if life ends at death, then life is vanity because it’s fleeting, futile, meaningless, and absurd. This is especially driven home in Eccl. 6:11b-12a: “What is the advantage for mankind? For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow?”

Many have argued that the main point of Ecclesiastes is found in Eccl. 12:13: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” However, it seems to me that this is merely the main application of the book, which follows from the actual main point of the book that’s found in Eccl. 12:14: “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” In other words, if life ends at death, then we might as well live it up, eat, drink, and be merry, because, after all, you only live once! But because life doesn’t end at death, we can be assured that God will judge us in the next life for all we do in this life. In light of that truth, the application then follows: we shouldn’t merely live it up, eat, drink, and be merry, but instead keep God’s commands, not only out of fear of judgment for the bad things we do, though that should motivate us, but also out of the expectation of reward for the good things we do.

It might be tempting to think that Christians, since we know life doesn’t end at death, don’t have much to learn from Ecclesiastes. Keep in mind, however, that one of the major points of application from Ecclesiastes is that it’s a terrible mistake to look for ultimate meaning and purpose in this world. And unfortunately, Christians often make that mistake; I know I do. We focus too much on success or achievements in this life, or we fixate on accumulating wealth, or we try to find fulfillment in power, influence, and fame. This even happens for those of us in ministry. I confess that I’m very achievement-oriented, and so I tend to seek fulfillment in accomplishments like degrees, ministry positions, getting a book published, speaking at a conference, etc. But if I’m not careful, those things can become more important to me as ends in themselves instead of merely means to serve other people.

When we tend to seek ultimate meaning and purpose in this world, we often end up frustrated and depressed like Solomon in Ecclesiastes because, as this book teaches us, there’s just no lasting fulfillment in this transitory life. So, Ecclesiastes can be a huge help in fixing our thinking and reminding us that true meaning is found in loving God and loving others, for that’s what we were created for. In this regard the main application of Ecclesiastes is similar to what Jesus taught: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21).

It’s interesting to note that Western culture eventually came to this same conclusion, namely, that if this physical life is all there is, then life is utterly meaningless. This was the eventual conclusion of Modernism, that we’re merely the result of an accidental, haphazard process of evolution and there’s no meaning to life except to eat, drink, and procreate. This conclusion threw Western culture into an existential crisis in the 1800s, as Ecclesiastes teaches it should, and it was out of this crisis that Postmodernism was born. The key driving idea behind all of the Postmodern movements, starting with Romanticism in the early 1800s, culminating with Existentialism in the mid-1900s, and continuing through to today, is this: there is no objective meaning to life, but don’t despair, you can create your own subjective meaning by following your heart. I’m sure Solomon would find that idea absurd and futile. I know I do.

Adam Lloyd Johnson has served as the president of Convincing Proof Ministries since 2023. Prior to that, Adam was a university campus missionary with Ratio Christi at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has also taught classes for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has spent time living and teaching at Rhineland Theological Seminary in Wölmersen, Germany. Adam received his PhD in Theological Studies with an emphasis in Philosophy of Religion from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2020. Adam grew up in Nebraska and became a Christian as a teenager in 1994. He graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and then worked in the field of actuarial science for ten years in Lincoln, Nebraska. While in his twenties, he went through a crisis of faith: are there good reasons and evidence to believe God exists and that the Bible is really from Him? His search for answers led him to apologetics and propelled him into ministry with a passion to serve others by equipping Christians and encouraging non-Christians to trust in Christ. Adam served as a Southern Baptist pastor for eight years (2009-2017) but stepped down from the pastorate to serve others full-time in the area of apologetics. He’s been married to his wife Kristin since 1996, and they have four children – Caroline, Will, Xander, and Ray. Adam has presented his work at the National Apologetics Conference, the Society of Christian Philosophers, the Evangelical Philosophical Society, the International Society of Christian Apologetics, the Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith, the American Academy of Religion, and the Evangelical Theological Society. His work has been published in the Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics, Philosophia Christi, the Westminster Theological Journal, the Canadian Journal for Scholarship and the Christian Faith, the journal Eleutheria, and the journal Religions. Adam has spoken at numerous churches and conferences in America and around the world – Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, Boston, Orlando, Denver, San Antonio, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. He is the editor and co-author of the book A Debate on God and Morality: What is the Best Account of Objective Moral Values and Duties? published in 2020 by Routledge and co-authored with William Lane Craig, Erik Wielenberg, J. P. Moreland, and others. He is most recently the author of the book Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality published by Kregel Academic in 2023.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/4515xOn

 

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What is the Gospel?

Recent events have shaken the world. The various murders, and specifically the assassination of Charlie Kirk, have left many Americans with questions of justice, the future, and truth. Our world has never seemed so dark, and the divide in America has never seemed so wide. Yet despite the horror and darkness of the past few weeks, hope is on the horizon. Revival. Never, in recent years, has the Church had such a potential harvest laid at our feet. God is truly turning evil to good with millions of Americans returning to church for the first time (Gen 50:20).

If revival is coming, we must be ready. We need to be prepared for the harvest (Luke 10:2). But how do we prepare? What is our greatest tool? The Gospel. Why is the Gospel so important? “It is the power of God for salvation” (Rom 1:16; ESV)

Hearing and responding to the Gospel in faith is how we enter God’s kingdom, making it the most important message one can hear. If we want to fan the flames of revival, it is vital that we know the Gospel fully so that we can share it with those who need it.

So, what exactly is the Gospel? I argue that, in general, the Gospel has eight essential parts, nine if you include the foundation; that the subject of the Gospel is Jesus and the Kingdom of God. [1]

The Gospel

Jesus:
Jesus is the foundation of the Gospel. The entire Gospel revolves around him. The four gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are centered around the man who is Jesus of Nazareth.[2]

Is the Christ (Messiah-King)
The first fact that must be understood about Jesus is that he is the Christ. Christ is not a last name, but rather a title. The title Christ labels Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, the anointed one, the long-awaited King. In his gospel, John tells his readers that this gospel was written to convince them that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). Each gospel labels Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah.[3]

Jesus being the Christ is essential to the Gospel. Jesus himself proclaimed the Gospel that the kingdom of God is near.[4] If there is a kingdom, there is a king. That king is the Christ, the Messiah, making Jesus the king of the kingdom of God (1 Timothy 1:10). We can also know his title as Christ is important because in every Gospel presentation, he is named as Jesus Christ, or Christ Jesus.

Was sent by God the Father
Jesus’s close connection to God the Father is found in every gospel and is what gives authority to Jesus’s ministry. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus states,

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matt 11:25).[5]

Jesus makes several statements indicating that he was sent by God for a purpose. John 3:16, “that he gave his only Son,” is a clear example. Jesus mentions the Father sending him again in John 5:24, “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.”

Took On Human Flesh           
How was Jesus sent? What was his arrival like? Jesus came through the virgin birth, taking on the form of a man. John gives one of the clearest statements of God becoming man in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. As John clearly states at the beginning of the chapter, “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Word is later identified as Jesus. One only needs to look at the birth stories found in the other gospels to see a clear image of Christ coming in human flesh.

Looking beyond the four gospels, Paul also confirms that God, the Son, took on humanity. Paul writes in a hymn that Christ took on “the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phi 2:6-7). In having Christ take on human form, God has revealed himself to us. Christ is the ultimate image bearer of God.[6] We cannot perfectly bear God’s image as Christ can.

Willingly Died for the Sins of Mankind
There are three important parts of Christ’s death. One is that Christ willingly died for mankind. Matthew writes that Jesus, though asking the Father if there was another way, was willing to obey the Father’s will to go to the cross (Matt 26:39).[7] In John’s gospel, Jesus mentions his upcoming death many times. He even states that his soul is troubled, but because he came for this purpose, he will not turn away from it (John 12:27).

The second part is that Christ actually died. Every gospel mentions his death on the cross in clear terms.[8] Every time the Gospel is preached, Christ’s death is mentioned.[9] In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul retells the Gospel, and the first part he mentions is that “Christ died” (1 Cor 15:3). We find this also in Acts during Peter’s first sermon after the ascension of Christ, after Pentecost. Peter tells the crowd that Jesus was crucified and killed as part of the plan of God (Acts 2:23).

The third part pertaining to Christ’s death is that he died for the sins of mankind. His sacrifice for sins is typically mentioned in tandem with his death. Paul writes that “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3). Though sins are not explicitly mentioned, Jesus says in two of the gospels that he is dying for mankind. Matthew quotes Jesus as saying that he came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28).[10]

Was Buried
At first glance, his burial may look like a minor point, but it gives evidence of his physical death. His burial is mentioned in every gospel after the crucifixion narratives.[11] Paul mentions it when he retells the Gospel to the Corinthians, “that he was buried” (1 Cor 15:4). Paul also mentions Christ’s burial in Colossians to show the connection between our baptism with the form of Christ’s life (Col 2:12).

Was Resurrected by God
Just as the death of Christ is essential to the Gospel, so also is his resurrection. After all, as Paul wrote, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14). If Christ was not raised from the dead, then our faith is false. Christianity is false. This is a major reason why his resurrection is so important.

All four gospels write about his resurrection, with John’s gospel giving the most information about his post-resurrection appearances.[12] Christ’s resurrection is actually mentioned more than his death, demonstrating the importance of his resurrection to the Gospel.[13]

Ascended Into Heaven at the Right Hand of the Father
The ascension, though important, is an often-neglected part of the Gospel. Many often end the Gospel message at the resurrection, but the importance of the ascension cannot be emphasized enough. Two of the gospels mention his ascension at the end of their narrative, often after he gives a commission to his disciples.[14] Luke also describes the ascension of Christ in Acts, just before the event at Pentecost (Acts 1:6-11).

During his earthly ministry, Jesus himself foretells his ascension back into heaven at the Father’s side.[15] Paul also mentions the ascension of Christ. He writes, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Phi 2:9). His ascension back into heaven is his exaltation. God exalted him and gave him the throne (Matt 26:64). His ascension indicates the success of his work on earth, and it inaugurates his kingly reign. When Paul retells the Gospel in Romans 1:3-4, Christ’s ascension, that is, his enthronement and declaration as the Son of God, is the climax.[16]

The apostles emphasize this in their sermons in Acts. Peter mentions several times within the first several chapters.[17] What is also neglected about the ascension is that it is only because Jesus is now king that he can “give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). As king and Lord, Jesus has the ultimate authority to forgive sins.

Will Return as Judge 
Now that Christ is the reigning king, the final part of the Gospel is his second coming as Judge. Jesus tells of his second coming and the future judgment. Matthew writes,

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left” (Matt 25:31-34).

The end of the book of Revelation speaks of this judgment. John quotes Christ as saying, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done” (Rev 22:12).

Peter also preaches about this. In teaching Cornelius, he tells him that Jesus has been appointed by God to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). As the reigning king, Jesus has the authority to judge all of mankind. It is this judgment that will result in the final destination of every person. Those who are in Christ will be with him forever, and those who oppose him will be cast into the lake of fire.

Conclusion

The Gospel is all about King Jesus and the work he has done and will do. King Jesus has come, by the Father’s will, to die for the sins of mankind. He was raised back to life from God, as vindication of his ministry, ascended back into heaven, and is now reigning on the throne of God as our King and Judge.

There is a revival coming. We need to know the Gospel. Whether you use this summary of the Gospel or read the gospels until you know the story by heart, we need to be able to teach it at a moment’s notice. For it is not only our responsibility to give our allegiance to King Jesus, but to spread his Gospel far and wide, giving all people the chance to give their allegiance.

Thomas Moller writes for FreeThinking Ministries on topics including suffering, theology, and cultural engagement. He brings a thoughtful perspective to difficult questions and helps believers think more deeply about faith and life.

References: 

[1] My work here was inspired by Matthew Bates’s work in his book Gospel Allegiance. Though my parts do not conform exactly with his own summation of the Gospel, his structure did influence mine. Matthew W. Bates. Gospel Allegiance (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2019), 86-87.

[2] Matt 1:1; Mark 1:1; Acts 1:1; John 20:30-31

[3] Matt 1:1, Mark 1:1, Luke 4:41

[4] Matt 4:23; Mark 1:15

[5] Also found in Luke 10:22

[6] 2 Cor. 4:4; Col 1:15

[7] This same prayer is mentioned in both Mark and Luke (Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42).

[8] Matt 27:45-50; Mark 15:33-37; Luke 23:44-46; John 19:28-30

[9] Rom 1:4; Col 1:18, 2:13-14; Phi 2:8; Heb 2:14-17

[10] This saying is also found in Mark (Mark 10:45).

[11] Matt 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23: 50-56; John 19:38-42

[12] Matt 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:11-18

[13] Bates, 95.

[14] Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53.

[15] John 6:62, 7:33-34, 20:17; Luke 24:49

[16] Bates, 97.

[17] Act 2:33, 5:31, 7:56

Recommended Resources:

The Great Book of Romans by Dr. Frank Turek (Mp4, Mp3, DVD Complete series, STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, COMPLETE Instructor Set)

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)      

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide

Reflecting Jesus into a Dark World by Dr. Frank Turek – DVD Complete Series, Video mp4 DOWNLOAD Complete Series, and mp3 audio DOWNLOAD Complete Series

 

Thomas Moller writes for FreeThinking Ministries on topics including suffering, theology, and cultural engagement. He brings a thoughtful perspective to difficult questions and helps believers think more deeply about faith and life.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/4aGhtIG

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Was the Messiah Predicted in the Old Testament?

In Galatians Paul wrote that the Law served as a “tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). Even though Paul was specifically referring to the Mosaic Law, the same could be said concerning the Old Testament as a whole. The Messiah, His person, His work, and His ministry were anticipated through allusion and imagery, not the least of which was the establishment of a theology concerning substitutionary atonement. This laid the groundwork for understanding our need for a Messiah because it explained how we came to be the wretched beings that we are, why God’s moral righteousness means our situation is so dire, and what must be done to reconcile us back to the loving relationship with God we were created for.

Beyond providing a general framework of anticipation for “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), the Old Testament also makes very specific predictions concerning the Messiah. When the first few disciples encountered Jesus after He had been baptized by John, they exclaimed, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45). The purpose of this article is to consider several of these specific predictions and show how Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled them.

General Prophecies

Many Messianic prophecies are general in nature and could be argued to be so to such a degree that they lack strong evidential value. For example, many Christian theologians believe that the first reference in Scripture to a coming Messiah was given shortly after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.[1] As part of God’s punishment on the serpent for his involvement in the Fall, God said to him, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel” (Gen. 3:15).

Considering that the rest of this indictment dealt with the serpent’s physical form, and especially since he was cursed to crawl on his belly as opposed to ostensibly walking upright, some, including John Calvin, have wondered if this enmity should be taken more literally. Namely, that the descendants of the woman, being humans in general, would be at odds with the descendants of the serpent, or snakes in general. Since they have been banished to the lowly position of crawling on the ground, the discord between the two descendants could simply be that snakes will bite people on the foot and they in turn will step on their heads. In other words, some believe this should be taken literally instead of spiritualizing it as referring to a future Messiah.

Paul does seem to allude to this as a Messianic prophecy in the New Testament when he writes, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20). However, here it is the church, the followers of Christ, who will crush Satan. Another possibility is that it has a literal fulfillment in terms of humans with snakes and a spiritual fulfillment in terms of Christ and Satan. Many Old Testament prophecies have similar near-term fulfillments in addition to far-term fulfillments. For example, in Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 22:18, God promised Abraham that through one of his descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed. This was fulfilled in the near term when “the people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth” (Gen. 41:57) in addition to being fulfilled in the long term by the Messiah when he provided salvation to the world (Gal. 3:8).

More Specific Prophecies

If the prophecies thus far discussed seem too nebulous, Daniel’s prediction concerning the precise time Messiah would arise should alleviate any qualms. Daniel was told by the angel Gabriel that “from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks” (Dan. 9:25). This decree was given by Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 445 B.C. (Neh. 2:1-8); hence, this is the starting point of Daniel’s prophetic timetable.

After the beginning of the seventy weeks is established, we can dial the clock forward from there to discover exactly when the time of Messiah was supposed to have taken place. From Daniel’s perspective this was obviously a prophecy of coming events, but we can look back in history and see its fulfillment. After the decree is issued to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, there will be seven weeks, which is forty-nine years, and then sixty-two weeks, which is 434 more years, for a total of 483 years until Messiah.[2]

The term Messiah is an adjective that means anointed. Specifically, Daniel refers to Him as Messiah the Prince. This is not a fairy tale prince as we think of it but instead is the ruler or leader of a people, much like a king. It is at Jesus’ triumphal entry when He, in fulfillment of Zech. 9:9, is presented to the nation Israel as their anointed King (cf. Matt. 21:1-11). Since we began our starting point at 445 B.C., it would at first seem the only thing left to do is to come forward 483 years. Doing so brings us to AD 38 but unfortunately this is after the crucifixion of Christ.

However, it’s important to consider how the Jews calculated their calendar years. Walvoord explained that “it is customary for the Jews to have twelve months of 360 days each and then to insert a thirteenth month occasionally when necessary to correct the calendar. The use of the 360-day year is confirmed by the forty-two months of the great tribulation (Rev. 11:2; Rev. 13:5) being equated with 1,260 days (Rev. 12:6; Rev. 11:3).”[3] Robert Anderson has used such a methodology to determine that the 483 years culminated “in A.D. 32 on the very day of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem shortly before His crucifixion.”[4] There is some controversy over Anderson’s calculations, but “the plausibility of a literal interpretation, which begins the period in 445 B.C and culminates just before the death of Christ, makes this view very attractive.”[5]

It seems to me that this prophecy is incredibly impressive. It even predicts that the Messiah would arrive sometime in the AD 30s. After all, Daniel’s prophecy isn’t about days but seven-year periods (what Daniel calls ‘weeks’). In other words, if someone predicted a meteor would fall from the sky and break my arm next month, I would be impressed whether that happened at the beginning of next month or the end of next month. Similarly, since the time period Daniel’s prophecy uses is seven-year periods, I would be impressed as long as the Messiah appeared within the seven-year period in which He was predicted to arrive.

Daniel’s prophecy continued by stating that after the sixty-two weeks (Dan. 9:26) the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing. After the second of the first two periods are over with, so after 483 years from when the seventy weeks begins, it is said that the Messiah just introduced in verse 25 will be cut off. This term is most often used to refer to cutting something down but is also used to mean “killed” in the Old Testament. It also says he will “have nothing” (Dan 9:26), possibly in the sense that what was entitled to him as Messiah he will, in fact, not receive. How could the Messiah accomplish all of these things listed in Daniel 9:24 by being cut off, i.e., killed? Another remarkable Old Testament prophecy, Isaiah 53, explains how this will happen. Therefore, I agree with Walvoord when he wrote that the “natural interpretation of verse 26 is that it refers to the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross.”[6] (For a more detailed explanation of the prophecy of “seventy weeks of years” in Daniel 9, refer to “Seventy Weeks of Years: A Commentary on Daniel 9:24-27.”)

Unfulfilled Prophecies

It should also be noted that there are numerous Messianic prophecies that the historic Jesus of Nazareth did not fulfill literally. For example, many of the prophets said the Messiah would be “given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him” (Dan. 7:14) and that He would rule over a “kingdom which will never be destroyed” (Dan. 2:44). Among those who believe the Old Testament is God’s inerrant Word, there have historically been three ways to interpret this situation.

First, some have concluded from this that Jesus of Nazareth was not the true Messiah and are still looking for His arrival. Orthodox Jews today would obviously fall in this category. Second, some have affirmed Jesus as the Messiah and claim He fulfilled these types of prophecies not literally but spiritually. For example, some Christians, such as preterist theologians and some covenant theologians, hold that with the kingdom prophecies, the “the inference is to a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly one.”[7] In other words, Jesus spiritually rules today as the King of people’s hearts. They refer to other various New Testament texts such as Col. 1:13, Mark 1:14-15, John 18:36, and Rev. 1:9 to support the idea that the Messiah’s kingdom is only spiritual. Third, some believe that Jesus qualifies as the Messiah because of all the literal prophecies which He did fulfill and then look still to the future for Him to fulfill the others literally as well. These Christians, such as dispensational theologians, believe that someday Jesus of Nazareth will return and rule the world from David’s throne in Jerusalem.

An important question in this disagreement between Christian theologians is this: are there any precedents in Biblical prophecy for two events being described as seemingly taking place simultaneously, or continuously, but that we know from their fulfillment actually occurred at different times with a chronological gap in between? Jesus Himself seems to propose this understanding of Isaiah 61:1-3 where the first half of the sentence concerns the proclamation of good news and freedom and the second half discusses God’s day of vengeance. Jesus read the first half of this section in the synagogue and explained He was the fulfillment (cf. Luke 4:18-19), but He ended the quote before it talked about vengeance. Therefore, it seems at least reasonable to expect that Jesus will eventually fulfill all the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah in a literal sense.

References:

[1] Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2006), 610.

[2] [Editor’s Note: The word translated as ‘weeks’ is actually “sevens.” So, seven “sevens” would be forty-nine sevens, and sixty-two “sevens” would be 434 years. Together those equal 483 years.]

[3] John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1989), 228.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid., 229.

[7] Jessie E. Mills, Jr., Daniel: Fulfilled Prophecy (Bradford, PA: International Preterist Association, 2003), 18-19.

Recommended Resources:

Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (mp4 Download)

The Top Ten Reasons We Know the NT Writers Told the Truth mp3 by Frank Turek

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide

Old Testament vs. New Testament God: Anger vs. Love? (MP3 Set) (DVD Set) (mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek 

 

Adam Lloyd Johnson has served as the president of Convincing Proof Ministries since 2023. Prior to that, Adam was a university campus missionary with Ratio Christi at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has also taught classes for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has spent time living and teaching at Rhineland Theological Seminary in Wölmersen, Germany. Adam received his PhD in Theological Studies with an emphasis in Philosophy of Religion from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2020. Adam grew up in Nebraska and became a Christian as a teenager in 1994. He graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and then worked in the field of actuarial science for ten years in Lincoln, Nebraska. While in his twenties, he went through a crisis of faith: are there good reasons and evidence to believe God exists and that the Bible is really from Him? His search for answers led him to apologetics and propelled him into ministry with a passion to serve others by equipping Christians and encouraging non-Christians to trust in Christ. Adam served as a Southern Baptist pastor for eight years (2009-2017) but stepped down from the pastorate to serve others full-time in the area of apologetics. He’s been married to his wife Kristin since 1996, and they have four children – Caroline, Will, Xander, and Ray. Adam has presented his work at the National Apologetics Conference, the Society of Christian Philosophers, the Evangelical Philosophical Society, the International Society of Christian Apologetics, the Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith, the American Academy of Religion, and the Evangelical Theological Society. His work has been published in the Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics, Philosophia Christi, the Westminster Theological Journal, the Canadian Journal for Scholarship and the Christian Faith, the journal Eleutheria, and the journal Religions. Adam has spoken at numerous churches and conferences in America and around the world – Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, Boston, Orlando, Denver, San Antonio, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. He is the editor and co-author of the book A Debate on God and Morality: What is the Best Account of Objective Moral Values and Duties? published in 2020 by Routledge and co-authored with William Lane Craig, Erik Wielenberg, J. P. Moreland, and others. He is most recently the author of the book Divine Love Theory: How the Trinity is the Source and Foundation of Morality published by Kregel Academic in 2023.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/49OfHVC

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Ambiguous Islam

[Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in 2011 in Christian Research Journal, vol. 34, no. 6, and reprinted online in 2014 at: https://www.equip.org/articles/ambiguous-islam/. Any additions are in [brackets]].

Usama Bin Laden was a moderate. Right?   

Was he not a tragic peace-loving hero with a grand vision for a democratic Afghanistan? Like a photograph overexposed, zeal overcame him, his greatness o’er shadowed by bright dots of violence. Seal Team Six made sure his violence met violence and his vision was ended. We might expect that portrayal from Afghan extremists or Hamas radicals. But that’s also the Bin Laden you find in the short-lived May 4 press release from moderate group Muslim American Society (MAS). They say of him, “I do not believe that any human being relished the terror and the loss of blood that came with his death.” [1] Cooler heads prevailed and MAS retracted this press release six days later. Smart move. This statement does not officially reflect MAS. But this press release does show that MAS either has a bad jokester in its midst, or there are sympathies for UBL [Usama Bin Laden] among its members. MAS has already raised concern elsewhere for, apparently, serving as a public front to the political-Islam group the Muslim Brotherhood.[2] Bear in mind that MAS is the largest official Muslim advocacy group in America.

Consider another case. The popular U.S. based group CAIR, the Council of American Islamic Relations, lost in court when accused of financial ties to (Palestinian terrorist group) Hamas. CAIR has yet to call Hamas or the Lebanon-based Hezbollah “terrorist organizations.”[3] Having headquarters in Washington DC and branches in twenty US states, CAIR is a major player. CAIR and MAS are two of the biggest, most respectable Muslim organizations in America, and even they cannot shake the burrs of extremism. These two groups illustrate Islam’s often-futile effort to be moderate. To many of us, “moderate Islam” looks oddly plastic, like fake food. Many try to cook up a “moderate Islam,” palatable to the world and authentic to Muslim tastes, but MAS, CAIR, and others have already spit in the soup. Consider some of the following attempted recipes.

AVERAGES

“Moderate Islam” could mean the majority of world Muslims caught straddling non-Islam and fundamentalist Islam. They don’t speak Arabic, live under sharia law, or promote religious violence.[4] Otherwise they may be poster-children for Islam. This is moderation by averages.

The problem with this definition is that if a person qualifies as Muslim, his religion must qualify as Islam. But Islam isn’t defined by how some Muslims happen to act, but by texts, traditions, and Muhammad’s example. The Islamic world could stray from orthodox Islam and yet there would remain, in texts and traditions, a way to tell Islam from imitations. A self-proclaimed Muslim may claim nonviolence, but claims count little if he’s also a “hardened secular” (i.e., Tarek Fatah).[5] Unless one’s religion is Islam, he hardly counts for moderate Islam.

NONVIOLENCE

Others aren’t “average,” they just reject violence while supporting most everything else of radical Islam. These questionable “moderates” may advocate worldwide Muslim expansion so long as it’s nonmilitant; forcing nations into sharia law, so long as it’s nonmilitant; and attacking Judeo-Christian influence in the western world, so long as it’s nonmilitant.

However, people may be peaceable themselves, but dangerous in other ways. They may justify Islam’s bloody history of militant expansionism. They may support Sharia law, anti-Semitism, or suppression of women. This sense of “moderate” isn’t helpful. Such “moderates” stretch the term beyond credulity.

Equally guilty are those who stoke and those who light the flames. One supposed bridge builder, Muslim Abid Ullah Jan, swears off Islamic violence in one turn, but in the next employs the same rhetoric typical of jihadists. He says Islam was not behind the 2006 terrorist plots in Toronto and London and then proceeds to list (purported) beliefs he shares with terrorists: “9/11 was an inside job” and “[George W.] Bush and [Tony] Blair are neck deep in the blood of innocent Muslims”; Israel is an “illegitimate racist state”; “the present world order is unjust”; “aggression and oppression” such as American “colonial fascism…should be resisted”; and “Muslims…should struggle to live by Islam, free from colonial interference.”[6] He does reject murdering “innocent civilians.”[7] But in distributing guilt so broadly, no innocents remain. Now, I’m not attempting to justify the present world order, and Jan does well in saying it’s wrong to murder innocent civilians, but his words serve to inflame and aggravate while he indicts all of America and all of Israel as guilty. Does that justify the murder of Americans and Jews? The silence is deafening.[8]

Jan’s “moderation” is more dangerous than helpful. He translates “jihadism” into “freedom fighting” and “the American way” into “terrorism.” Yes, he rebukes violence against “innocent civilians,” but American military aren’t civilians, so they can be killed justifiably, whether or not they are on duty. American causes, by his thought, are borne out of oppressive colonialism, so American causes deserve violent opposition. Jan goes farther than modest critique, stretching his anti-Americanism to cover most every American cause that can be named. His “moderate” positioning dissolves to nothing. Jan’s rhetoric is dangerously immodest and hardly “moderate.” Relabeled dynamite is no less explosive. If Jan does not want to start more fires, he should speak with more light and less heat.

MODERATELY MUSLIM

Still others see “moderate” as a compromise, like “halfhearted” or “nominal.” Turkey’s prime minister, [Recep] Erdogan, explains, “The term ‘Moderate Islam’ is ugly and offensive; There is no moderate Islam; Islam is Islam.”[9]

Despite objections, the lingo has stuck. The public has appropriated the term. Plus, Erdogan is arguably Islamist himself (depending on one’s definition), representing a far more fundamentalist and Islamocentric Turkey than the prior (modern) heritage of [Mustafa Kemal] Ataturk.[10] “Moderate” may be offensive to him, but apt for other Muslims who distrust Hamas more than he does or who prefer the “old” Turkey.

While some take offense at the term, perhaps it need not offend. “Moderate” is relative to whatever it divides. It need not divide committed Muslims from noncommitted Muslims. A Muslim may be committed and willing to die for the faith but would never kill for the faith. One may be extreme about learning Arabic but moderate about sharia or jihad. The elephant in the living room is not “extremely faithful” or “extremely peaceful.” The elephant is terrorism; that’s the extreme.

IS “MODERATE” ISLAM REAL?          

Admitting the elephant in the living room, and that it’s wearing a bomb vest, it’s evident we probably wouldn’t be debating this phrase if not for jihadism. At minimum, “moderate” means peaceable, broadly nonviolent in word and deed. This person opposes forced conversion and militant expansion, and allows violence only for self-defense or for [restrained] police and military [measures]. Still, we must ask, Is “Moderate Islam” a Muslim category or is it more diplomacy obscuring danger with thin veneers of misinformation?[11] Scholarly talk persists, often to legitimize “moderate” Islam, but rarely does it drown out the militant minority that has hijacked the conversation.

Surely the extremists aren’t all of Islam; that’s evident. But they are some of Islam. So the suspicion remains. Perhaps the “moderate” category is a foreign intrusion, not a native distinction. Even with the important contributions of Islam in world culture, those would seem to be the attractive face splattered in blood after centuries of violence.[12] Were such violence a medieval memory, this question would be outdated. But hostilities are hot. The search for a moderate Islam is as important as ever.

Scholars such as Muqtedar Khan (Debating Moderate Islam) and Daniel Pipes (Militant Islam Reaches America) say moderate Islam is possible, and Islam can trade its masked militancy for enlightened lenses. Zuhdi Jasser (the film Third Jihad), a Muslim, actively campaigns against jihadism. Yet others, such as Wafa Sultan (A God Who Heals) and Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Infidel and Submission), living under threat of death for leaving Islam, argue that Islam is fundamentally violent, peaceable only in its compromised forms. While it’s true that at least one (small, lonely, but encouraging) Muslim organization openly rebukes jihadism (Free Muslim Coalition[13]). Islam does not seem reformed enough in width or depth to escape that reputation. Whatever innovations Islam has had, a dogged contingency of fundamentalist militant Islam persists, linking it back to terrorism.

IS MILITANCY HERETICAL?

Were that militancy a baseless offshoot then we could slough it off as cult aberration—like Christianity rejecting Mormon polygamy. That practice does not fall within historic Christianity.

But jihad is Islamic. It is an Arabic term with a well-known dual meaning of greater jihad (inner struggle of self-discipline) and lower jihad (militancy against former and non-Muslims). Its roots run deep in the Qur’an and Hadith.[14] Historically there’s a rich tradition of Islam spreading the faith coercively in threats and warfare. Today, numerous bomb attempts and hijackings often begin with shouts of “Allahu Akbar.” Border violence, like in Chechnya, is often jihadist. Iran’s aggression is hardly a secret. Militancy in Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Syria, and Libya is well known. The newly reopened Gaza Strip [as of 2011] promises anti-Israel violence.[15] Pakistan arose from violent Islamic independence movements. Nigeria is torn over sharia courts. Recent riots in France were by largely disenfranchised Muslim youth who saw France’s ban on head wraps as “just cause” for violence (see Surah 17:33).

These scenes on the world stage are diplomatic nightmares and to even begin understanding them, we must understand the doctrine of jihad. Islam traditionally teaches (1) land claims by Islam cannot be revoked;[16] (2) Islam will spread and conquer the world;[17] and (3) God uses His followers to advance His kingdom through warfare.[18]

POINTING FINGERS   

One may try to justify immoderate violence as the backlash from American or colonial abuses. But Islam is older than these. Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan)—these are historical newborns. Islam was violently engaged with its neighbors before Columbus set sail and many centuries before modern Israel was formed. Jihadist roots are centuries deep before the Declaration of Independence was a glimmer in our founding father’s eyes. Of course, superpowers get no free pass, but neither should their supposed victims be allowed free rein for destructive responses. Even if America needs housecleaning, jihadism, with blood spattered throughout its own house, is in no condition to condemn the structures built by others. Jihadism must justify itself as an independent entity, not as a fruitless visceral reaction with cures more brutal than any disease.

Violence is the native history of Islam no matter its neighbors. The Prophet Muhammad himself, living by the sword as much as the word, led seventy-four raids, expeditions, and battles.[19] Sure the Qur’an has peaceable passages (4:36; 5:32), but Muslim scholarship widely admits they are trumped or “abrogated” with militancy by the later Medinan verses.[20] After Muhammad, Islam continued its militant spread through his successors. Though Islam is not supposed to force conversion (2:256), countless people have faced the trilemma: (1) pay the jizya (subjugation tax ransoming one’s life), (2) convert to Islam, or (3) die. Moreover, I know of no widespread reformation where Islam outgrew its old warring ways. Whenever a peaceable Muslim seedling sprouts, roots movements, like weeds, sprout up to choke back its growth.

So we see that militancy is a common ingredient in historic Islam. There may be a strand of nonviolent, moderate Islam but there is good reason to doubt its claim over all Muslims given Islam’s bloody text and traditions. Islam needs real reformation if the world is going to take seriously its claims of peace and moderation.

REFERENCES:

[1] [Editor’s Note: “The quote, ‘I do not believe that any human being relished the terror and the loss of blood that came with his death,” is part of a retracted press release issued by the Muslim American Society (MAS) on May 4, 2011, following the death of Usama Bin Laden. The press release was later withdrawn by the organization.” Source: Google AI.]

[2] Noreen S. Amed-Ullah, Sam Roe, and Laurie Cohen, “A Rare Look at Secret Brotherhood in America,” Chicago Tribune (online), 19 September 2004. Accessed 22 October 2011 at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/chi-0409190261sep19,0,3008717.story.

[3] CAIR has become known, of late, as a front organization for Hamas, according to testimony from FBI Agent Lara Burns in a juried trial on anti-Israeli terrorism (Jason Trahan, “FBI: CAIR is a Front group, and Holy Land Foundation Tapped Hamas Clerics for Fundraisers,’” Dallas Morning News (online), October 2008; http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/fbi-cair-is-a-front-group-and.html, (Accessed October 29, 2011). For more discussion of CAIR as a front organization for Hamas and its unwillingness to call Hamas and Hezbollah “terrorist organizations” see the website www.anticair-net.org.

[4] Dr. Wafa Sultan suggests Islam is fundamentally Arabic in its culture and language; yet ninety-five percent of Islamic teaching remains untranslated in the Arabic (Dr. Wafa Sultan and Dr. Daniel Pipes, “Moderate Islam: Western Ally or Western Myth?” [debate], December 1, 2009, FORA.tv.; http://fora.tv/2009/12/01Moderate_Islam_ Western_Myth [accessed December 20, 2010]). She estimates eighty percent of world Muslims are non-Arabic in descent, language, and location and so have only a compromised sense of Islam (ibid.). It’s well known that many Muslims do not read or speak Arabic. That language barrier enables theological compromise. “Arabic unified the Muslim countries as it spread to every land that embraced Islam.…Muslim societies that are ignorant of Arabic are in general less knowledgeable about Islam…[and] more prone to stray from the straight path.” (Fatima Barkatullah, “Arabic: The Key to Understanding the Qur’an,” Islamic Network [UK], n.d.; http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=503&category=2 [accessed December 20, 2010]).

[5] Tarek Fatah, “From an Ex-Muslim True Islamophobia,” National Post, March 12, 2010, http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/ fullcomment/archive/2010/03/12/tarek-fatahfroman-ex-muslim-true-islamophobia.aspx (accessed December 20, 2010).

[6] Abid Ullah Jan, “Why the Terrorist Plots Are False,” Media Monitors, August 13, 2006; http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/34172 (accessed December 1, 2010).

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid. Jan’s words might be read in a moderate way, except his overall tone is blatantly inflammatory. Moreover, this tactic of qualifying people and civilians with “innocent” (as opposed to guilty people or civilians) has been exposed already with CAIR. CAIR coordinated a fatwa stating, “Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives. There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civilians’ life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is haram or forbidden – and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not martyrs.” (CAIR, “25 Facts about CAIR,” CAIR.com;  http://www.cair.com/AboutUS/ 25FactsAboutCAIR.aspx (accessed October 22, 2011). This language sounds innocent enough until it is shown that CAIR has refused to call Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist organizations. Those two groups have claimed responsibility for dozens of known terrorist attacks. But, apparently, CAIR refuses to consider those activities as “extremism” or “criminal.”

[9] Recep Tayyip Erdogan, interview (Milliyet, Turkey: Kanal D, August 21, 2007); http://www.thememriblog.org/turkey/blog_personal/en/2595.htm (accessed December 1, 2010).

[10] Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, president of Turkey from 1923–1938, modernized Turkey. Despite his influence, Turkey has become Islamocentric under Erdogan through his Hamas affiliations and sympathy for sharia law (Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalomattis, “Why Westernized, Secular and Democratic Turks Voted for Erdogan,” American Chronicle, July 23, 2007, http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/32902. See also, “Turkey’s Erdogan Bears Responsibility In Flotilla Fiasco” (editorial), Washington Post, June 5, 2010, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/04/AR2010060404806.html).

[11] See Ibn Warraq,“The Dogmatic Islamophilia of Western Islamologists,” New English Review (April 2010); http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/61227/ sec_id/61227 (accessed December 22, 2010).

[12] The Muslim Renaissance is a case in point.

[13] http://www.freemuslims.org/. See also the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQHYbguJkKM.

[14] Jihad, abrogation, and interpretation are much debated. Nevertheless, there are allegedly 164 verses from the Qur’an (not counting the Hadith) that support militant jihad. See Yoel Natan’s lists at http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Themes/jihad_passages.html. Examples include: Surah 2:190–191: “Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you…191 and slay them wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out.” (Qur’anic quotes are from the Yusuf Ali translation [2001] unless otherwise noted.) Surah 2:216: “Fighting is prescribed for you.” Surah 9:5: “Fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war).” Surah 9:14: “Fight them [unbelievers] and Allah will punish them by your hands.”

[15] [Editor’s Note: The October 7, 2023 war in Gaza confirms that suspicion]

[16] Surah 9:39. “Agreed are the Salaf, the Pious Predecessors [early Caliphate], all people of understanding, and the Muhaditheen that in all ages of Islam: ‘That if a piece of Muslim land the size of a hand span is infringed on, then jihad becomes Fard Ayn (global obligation) on every Muslim male and female.” Shaheed Abdullah Azzam, “Defence of the Muslim Lands” (Brothers in Ribatt translation), n.d.; http://www.kalamullah.com/ Books/defence.pdf (accessed December 26, 2010).

[17] Surahs 61:9, 48:28, and 9:33.

[18] Surah 9:14.

[19] James Arlandson, “The Truth about Islamic Crusades and Imperialism,” American Thinker, http://www.americanthinker.com/2005/11/ the_truth_about_ islamic_crusad.html (November 27, 2005).

[20] Surah 2:106, 16:101, 13:39. Arthur Jeffery, Islam: Muhammad and His Religion (Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1958), 66.

Recommended Resources:

Answering Islam by Dr. Frank Turek (DVD Set, Mp4 and Mp3)

Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)        

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)      

How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek

 

Dr. John D. Ferrer is a speaker and content creator with Crossexamined. He’s also a graduate from the very first class of Crossexamined Instructors Academy. Having earned degrees from Southern Evangelical Seminary (MDiv) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM, PhD), he’s now active in the pro-life community and in his home church in Pella Iowa. When he’s not helping his wife Hillary Ferrer with her ministry Mama Bear Apologetics, you can usually find John writing, researching, and teaching cultural apologetics.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/4oiQHJH

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The Role of Apologetics in Student Ministry

I have recently become involved in student ministry as a Family Life Pastor over the last few months. As a trained academic with a PhD in Apologetics, I wondered how much of my training I would really be able to use in this capacity. Would students care about apologetics? Would they even need it? What I quickly learned is that apologetics can and really should have a major role in student ministry.

Students Have Access to More Challenges than Ever Before          

As someone that had mainly been involved with college students for the past decade plus, I was shocked at some of the questions that I received within weeks at the new ministry. One student said she had seen someone on TikTok claim that the New Testament was untrustworthy. Others asked about things like, Can I believe the Bible? Why is the Bible important? How do I even know that God exists? These are students between 12-18 years old. However, because of the wide impact of social media and the internet, they had been exposed to ideas that previous generations had not been hit with until much later in life.

Students Have Questions and Doubts About Their Faith and Identity       

Another thing that quickly came to my attention was the fragile state of many students’ faith and their confusion about their own identity. This is not limited to my own youth group; these questions and struggles are common throughout this age. Students have questions about why they should trust a Bible that attacks things like transgenderism or homosexuality. Why should they trust the Bible over other ancient texts, or even why should they trust any religious system at all? Gone are the days in America or the West at large where parents and pastors can take for granted that their kids will be predisposed to accept Christianity over other religious systems or secularism in general. This really hits home for students that have friends or family members that are a part of the LGBT movement. They struggle with saying the Bible is correct and their friend or family member is wrong. The days of saying, “Well, the Bible says so,” and expecting that to be an adequate answer to questions is long gone.

Apologetics Can Have a Major Positive Impact in Student Ministry          

Apologetics can become a major tool in the toolbox to counter this change in the culture and student ministry. Explaining to students why we can trust the Bible and why it is the Word of God can go a long way in giving the Bible the credibility they need to challenge the objections of their friends. Apologetics can explain how and why these students were created, that they were created in the image of God, and that God loves them and cares for them. This gives them a renewed sense of purpose in their lives, something that the secular world has tried to eliminate through things like nihilism and evolutionary theory. Indeed, don’t think your students are ever too young to learn some basic apologetic arguments and defenses of their faith. The odds are, they are already struggling with many of these issues in their own lives, even if they don’t know how to ask the right questions or where to look for the right answers. The time is now!

Recommended Resources:

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek 

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist’ [FOUR unique curriculum levels for 2nd grade through to adult] by Frank Turek 

Stealing From God by Dr. Frank Turek (Book, 10-Part DVD Set, STUDENT Study Guide, TEACHER Study Guide)

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl (Book)

 

Daniel Sloan is an Assistant Professor at Liberty University. He was mentored by the late Dr. Ed Hindson. After Dr. Hindson’s untimely passing, Dr. Sloan was allowed to teach some of Dr. Hindson’s classes. In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Sloan serves as an Associate Pastor at Safe Harbor Community Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. Daniel graduated with his PhD in Theology and Apologetics from Liberty University. His research and expertise is in Old Testament studies. He and his wife, Natalie, live in Lynchburg, Virginia. Along with his extensive knowledge of the Bible, Daniel is an avid sports fan.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/487YFzi

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