There has been a new term floating around the Evangelisphere (if that’s a word, if it’s not, let’s coin it) in the last few years: “post-Christian.”
FreeThinking Ministries[i] recently changed some verbiage on the website to indicate that the mission of the ministry is to equip the church to engage with the post-Christian culture.
Some might say, “you (FTM) minister to all sorts of people all over the globe. You ought to relate to culture in general” not just the post-Christian parts of culture. Yes, this concern covers both pre- and post-Christian cultures and everything in between. But acknowledging that we live and operate within a largely post-Christian culture is still important if we are to equip the church in the West, and in America more particularly, with relevant strategies for preaching the gospel and discipling believers within it.
Coopting Christian Values
There are many reasons this new dynamic is important, but chief among them is that post-Christian cultures seek to coopt Christian values, redefine them, and use them for their own purposes. This penchant is markedly different from a pre-Christian culture which might have hints of Christian ethics within their culture but without explanation.
“Post-Christian cultures seek to coopt Christian values, redefine them, and use them for their own purposes.” – Josh Klein
Guideposts to the Gospel
In a pre-Christian culture these features can be used as guideposts to the gospel. As former missionary Don Richardson points out in his book Eternity in Their Hearts:
“It was the gospel of Jesus Christ which made the difference for Celts, Norsemen and Anglo-Saxons. And that is exactly what it will take for Asmat headhunter-cannibals (indigenous group in New Guinea)! All someone has to do is go to live among the Asmat and communicate the gospel as effectively as someone once communicated it to the Celts, Anglo-Saxons, and other tribes of Northern Europe!”[ii]
The communication of the gospel to pre-Christian nations is much simpler compared to the work of maintaining the gospel in a Christianized nation. It is simpler, but simple doesn’t mean easy. As someone that has multiple friends in the mission field of pre-Christian cultures I can certainly attest to the fact that it is extremely difficult. It can, however, be much simpler to introduce the gospel and connect the dots in their cultural context than it is to attempt to reestablish orthodoxy in cultures that have moved beyond Christianity.
What is a post-Christian culture?
A post-Christian culture is one that has been reached by the gospel, Christianized (to a large extent) and then sought to leave its Christian roots behind.
All the cultures Richardson mentioned in the above quote have followed this pattern. At one point, these cultures were pagan non-Christian nations only to have the gospel of Jesus Christ rock them and change them for hundreds of years. Then, after Christianity, in large part, brought peace and prosperity they chose to move beyond it and, often, back to their pagan roots, only with a twist. The paganism became more syncretistic or New-Age than it was in 600AD but the reversion back to it is palpable. Sound familiar?
The United States has been on this path for quite some time and so too, a reversion to certain forms of paganism. The hallmarks of post-Christian society are coming to fruition before our eyes and the Church in the west must learn how to respond.
Often, as Don Richardson argues, in non-Christian cultures one can find cultural hooks on which to contextualize the gospel in a way that makes sense and draws people in. In these cultures, there is a clarity on what C.S. Lewis called the Natural Law that even those who had never heard of God or Jesus would recognize.[iii] Even if some of the “Natural Laws” within the culture were twisted by sin, the reasoning behind these cultural expectations were based on objective morality, integrity, and honor.
For instance, in another book called Peace Child, Richardson outlines the way he was able to communicate the gospel with a head-hunting tribe in New Guinea called the Sawi.[iv] The Sawi had a rule of natural law called a “Peace Child” between warring tribes and it was this concept that opened their hearts to the gospel after previously believing that Judas was the hero of the gospel story.
How Post-Christian Culture Differs
The story in a post-Christian culture is very different. The stories of the Bible have been popularized, modernized, colloquialized, and made into idioms. We see this assimilation in all sorts of discourse. When one sports team takes on another that is heavily favored the pundits will often use the phrase, “it’s a real David and Goliath match-up.” Decidedly Christian and biblical principles are popularized and culturized as well, such as the golden rule, which is taken from Matthew 7:12 whether people realize it or not, or “with great power comes great responsibility” which is borrowed and changed from Luke 12:48 and popularized by the Spiderman comic franchise. And that is only to name a select few.
Unbiblical phrases have been mixed with the spiritual cultural ethos as well. Sayings like, “God only helps those who help themselves,” or “don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.”
It is not so much that people in this culture are ignorant about Jesus but that they think they knows Jesus too well already. Jesus as a figure is often popular within the post-Christian culture[v] but ultimately, upon further examination, it is not the same Jesus we find in the Bible.[vi] The exclusivity of Christ is an issue.
Christianity’s Role in a Post-Christian Culture?
A post-Christian culture is aware of the claims of Christianity but finds them only utilitarian. Often, the question becomes not are these claims literally true but rather, are they efficacious? As one pastor, who led a breakout session recently on evangelism in a post-Christian culture that I attended, said:
“It is not that unbelievers in our post-Christian culture want to know if Christianity is true. It is that they want to know if it works. We need to show them that it works.”
– Bob Thune, Within Reach Conference, 19 January 2023.
His diagnosis is correct, but his prescription lacks the call to gospel exclusivity. A lot of different things “work” for a lot of different people. Buddhists would adamantly insist that the spirituality of Buddhism works for them. This same sentiment seems to be share among at least 60% of self-professed Christians who indicate that Jesus is not the only way to God.[vii]
Even in the atheistic sphere this utilitarian philosophy of religion, and Christianity in particular, seems to be making headway. One such view is espoused by Bret Weinstein, a former college professor and avowed atheist. Weinstein argues that metaphorical truths are necessary to order the world even if they are not literally true.
Not True, but Useful
He goes on to indicate that while something may be literally false its usefulness as a heuristic for ordering the world around us should not be discarded. In a conversation with Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris, Weinstein puts it this way:
“If it were true that religious heuristics actually increase wellbeing by allowing people to, on average, operate in the world in a way that increases wellbeing, what would you say about them then?”[viii]
This is utilitarianism. So long as the theological position works for me (or society) it ought to be followed. Unfortunately, many Christians have fallen prey to this line of thinking. They see Bret Weinstein’s refusal to discard religion as a sort of intellectual victory.
If religious belief is simply a useful heuristic for ordering the world it removes the power of the gospel and offers a gospel of its own making. Anything then, can be the gospel, so long as it works for you or for a society. I find Sam Harris’s retort worth considering in this exchange:
“But [belief in God] wouldn’t make sense for the right reason. Useful fictions have to be retired at some point. Useful truths stay true . . . You can have a completely rational conversation, in terms of human psychology, sociology, and what you want society to look like – about moral truths like the corrosive nature of pornography . . . You don’t have to invoke mythology to do that.”[ix]
As much as I hate to admit it Harris is mostly right here. His position is more tenable to the human pursuit of truth than Weinstein’s. While it might sit better with religious pluralists, secularists, and even some Christians to hear that religious thought is still useful to order society insofar as we have no better option, it is less than helpful. Harris is correct, it is either true that God exists, or it is not true, and any opining for metaphorical truths to be embraced to have our cake and eat it too simply makes belief utilitarian rather than necessary.
It is not enough that a certain belief system works, and the Church must not fall into the trap of trying to prove that it does. Because the gospel only promises things yet to be seen and grasped, it does not prove that life will be ultimately understandable or easy. Buddhism might work inasmuch as one uses it to accomplish inner peace (whatever that means), or structure to the world. Whether it is truly useful or not, however, rests on its being objectively true.
Competing Gospels
In a post-Christian culture, we are struck, not with opposing religious truth claims, but with opposing gospels that promise to bring about hope, satisfaction, and peace. These competing gospels can often invoke the name of Jesus. In fact, progressive Christianity has made its hay on becoming a heuristic style gospel and should serve as a warning to believers embracing Weinstein’s thoughts.
In a post-Christian culture, words like truth, love, hope, and affirmation have all been personalized and redefined to suit our utilitarian mindset. Progressive Christianity, for instance, does not so much ask what is true but offers that whatever feels most loving is true. This is something new to the Western church, and it is a competing gospel that is nefarious because of its ability to morph from person to person under the guise of usefulness.
A post-Christian culture seeks to use aspects of Christianity without maintaining the foundation of it. This idea is not new. In the 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant sought to square the circle of unbelief and the usefulness of Christianity as a moral framework for society.[x] Removing Christ from the center of morality places the individual as the arbiter of it. Kant reasoned that we only know Jesus as moral exemplar because we already have fashioned the highest ideal of what a moral man ought to look like, thus, we judged Christ before he was incarnate.
But this is, of course, exactly backwards to the Christian tradition. Christ is not simply a moral exemplar because we could not imagine a higher moral standard. He is the moral exemplar because He sets the highest moral standard in Himself as He reveals Himself in the scriptures. Objective moral values are discovered not invented.
Revising Christ
A post-Christian culture sheds the skin of orthodoxy, in a sense, and embraces the subjective nature of the moral good. That is to say that Christ is edited by the moral arbiters of the day. Did Jesus ever really say that homosexuality was a sin or that he was divine? A post-Christian culture can construct a morality borrowing from Christianity, secularism, and other religions and superimpose it on itself. We see a rise in moral language, even invoking the name of Christ, at the same time as the normalization of historically immoral behaviors such as polyamory, pornography, and earth worship. It is this propensity of the culture to which I am referring when I say that evangelism and ministry in a post-Christian culture is more complex than within a non-Christian culture.
Often, the language barrier is an issue. When we speak of justice, love, truth, and fulfillment we are speaking cross-culturally, but because of the Christian past, ideas about Jesus have been erroneously imposed on these new definitions. To make headway we must first establish coherent agreement at the most basic levels, but this is made difficult because the culture, allegedly has progressed beyond the need for foundational truths. The truth of the gospel is inverted to focus mainly on self-actualization and feelings of being an authentic self. This inversion might not challenge missionaries and pastors in pre-Christian settings, but it’s a primary concern for those doing ministry within a post-Christian context.
Post-Christianity says, “we tried that already and now we are beyond it.” The challenge for the church is to expose this lie for what it is. How does one move beyond objective reality and truth? Incidentally, “moving beyond it” is more like reverting back to pagan roots. The worship of nature, self, sex, and hedonistic tendencies. These are not new developments, but they are experienced and promulgated anew in a post-Christian context, often maintaining the language of Christianity to bolster the regressive worship.
This shift is recent in the United States. As recent as 10 years ago political candidates from both parties affirmed the classical definition of marriage, the morality of certain sexual standards, and, even if pro-choice, the recognition that abortion was a tragedy and ought to be safe, legal, and rare.[xi]
What are we to do?
Once the culture flipped though, these supposedly self-evident truths were suddenly up for grabs. People that spent their lives arguing for reason and science to be the basis of morality in society suddenly found themselves arguing for forced vaccination[xii] and for transgenderism.[xiii] When you remove the foundation, everything becomes shaky. Then reintroducing that abandoned foundation seems antiquated. So, what are we to do?
The funny thing about a post-Christian culture is that it relies on the insular or adaptive nature of the Church. The post-Christian culture is more than happy to entertain Christians so long as they isolate themselves into their own groups and, all too often, Christians comply. This self-isolation has happened in Europe and England and it’s happening right now in Canada and the United States. As a pastor friend once said to me, “the Christian life is to be personal, but it is not private.”
On the other hand, the church might try to remain relevant by compromising historic truths for cultural cachet. We sacrifice the relevance of the gospel for the relevance of our popularity.
Neither strategy is tenable for discipling the nation. There is another option, but it is not comfortable. Engage with the post-Christian culture without compromise but with understanding (1 Chron. 12:32). There is an opportunity in a post-Christian culture if one is courageous enough to recognize it. But it comes with risk. Risk of denigration or loss of respect. At least for a time. The truth will set us free (John 8:31-32). God will not be mocked and his Church will remain victorious (Matt. 16:18).
Footnotes:
[i] The author, Josh Klein is a staff writer and speaker with Free-Thinking Ministries
[ii] Richardson, Don. Eternity in Their Hearts: Revised, Regal Books, Ventura, CA, 1984, pp. 118–119.
[iii] Clive S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (London, UK: Geoffrey Bles, 1952; digitally republished as public domain, Canada: Samizdat, 2014), 13-22, accessed 25 March 2024 at: https://www.samizdat.qc.ca/vc/pdfs/MereChristianity_CSL.pdf
[iv] Don Richardson, Peace Child (Norwood, MA: Regal, 1985).
[v] https://www.barna.com/research/openness-to-jesus/
[vi] https://www.christianpost.com/news/60-of-young-adults-say-jesus-isnt-the-only-way-to-salvation.html
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] Originally in Jordan Peterson v. Sam Harris debate, moderated by Bret Weinstein. Vancouver BC, Canada: Pangburn Philosophy, 23 June 2018), 01:15:36-01:16:14, accessed 25 March 2024 at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1oaSt60b0om, quoted in https://epiphanyaweek.com/2019/10/20/theism-atheism-and-antitheism-sam-harris-is-wrong-part-3/.
[ix] Ibid., 01:59:03-02:00:11.
[x] https://philarchive.org/archive/PALCKJ
[xi] https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2006/03/toward-making-abortion-rare-shifting-battleground-over-means-end
[xii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMaHKykfdcQ
[xiii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBl9qwVDvIY
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Was Jesus Intolerant? by Frank Turek (DVD and Mp4)
Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, )
Jesus vs. The Culture by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4 Download, and Mp3
Reflecting Jesus into a Dark World by Dr. Frank Turek – DVD Complete Series, Video mp4 DOWNLOAD Complete Series, and mp3 audio DOWNLOAD Complete Series
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Josh Klein is a Pastor from Omaha, Nebraska with over a decade of ministry experience. He graduated with an MDiv from Sioux Falls Seminary and spends his spare time reading and engaging with current and past theological and cultural issues. He has been married for 12 years to Sharalee Klein and they have three young children.
Originally posted at: Post-Christianity… What’s That? | Free Thinking Ministries
Is Donald Trump Helping or Hurting the Pro-Life Movement? | with Scott Klusendorf
PodcastWhat are we to make of Donald Trump’s recent statements on abortion? Are pro-life Americans winning or losing the battle to protect the rights of unborn children? What is the way forward?
This week, author of ‘The Case for Life‘ and leading pro-life expert, Scott Klusendorf, joins Frank to analyze and unpack former president Trump’s statements regarding abortion and why it has created concern among pro-life advocates. During the episode, Frank and Scott will answer questions like:
Later in the episode, Frank and Scott will examine the concept of incrementalism and how it was used historically to fight slavery in the West. This eye-opening conversation will equip you to defend the sanctity of life as Scott exposes some of the weaknesses in the popular “pro-choice” arguments and explains some of the nuances and strategies needed to push the pro-life agenda forward politically.
Interested in becoming a pro-life apologist yourself? Sign up for Scott’s SELF-PACED online course ‘How to Convince People to be Pro-Life‘ (or wait for the PREMIUM version of the course launching this August!) and tune-in next week for Part 2 of this highly engaging discussion.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Watch the Case for Life video: CaseForLife.com
Scott’s Book: The Case for Life
Scott’s Course: How to Convince People to Be Pro-Life (The Ethics of Abortion)
Critical Thinking: The Secret Weapon of Confident Christians
Theology and Christian ApologeticsAs Christians, developing critical thinking skills and maintaining an informed understanding of our faith is crucial. The world is full of misinformation and uncertainty, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood. It is not enough for Christians to blindly adhere to whatever traditions or practices they have inherited from the past. They should critically evaluate and discern the relevance and validity of these traditions in their present context.
With so many different worldviews competing for our attention, staying engaged and equipped with our beliefs is essential. Without the intellectual stamina to navigate these opposing views, we risk becoming uninformed and ill-prepared to face the challenges of contemporary society.
The Age of Competing Ideas
In a recent interview with John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center, I asked him why so many Christians lack the ability to think critically. His initial response was that many Christians lack the proper training in biblical doctrine and have not been catechized in the basic categories of reality. John added,
I have seen firsthand how a lack of critical thinking about one’s faith can leave a Christian susceptible to false teachings or worldly philosophies. Paul warned in Colossians 2:8, “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (NLT).
We are exhorted by the apostle Paul to “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Christianity is not about unquestioningly accepting things without using reasoning and intellect. Instead, it is about having faith while also engaging your mind.
Not Just Belief, but Informed Belief
Therefore, we must recognize the role of informed beliefs in Christianity and draw on the biblical foundations of critical thinking to equip ourselves with the knowledge necessary to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Critical thinking is a systematic skill that involves analyzing and assessing a particular belief, idea, argument, or issue in an unbiased manner. After thoroughly examining the subject matter, the individual arrives at a conclusion that makes the most sense of and aligns with reality. In Christianity, possessing a biblical worldview means approaching life matters with an understanding of the Word of God and proper discernment that aligns with biblical doctrine.
I like what David Dockery says about the quality of Christians possessing a robust worldview in his book What Does It Mean to Be a Thoughtful Christian?. Dockery writes,
Three Critical Thinking Skills
Applying these three foundational tips in your daily life is an excellent start for developing the art and skill of critical thinking.
I hope you have been challenged to continue developing your critical thinking skills. This will not only keep you informed and prevent you from being deceived, but it will also increase your passion for God’s truth and enable you to become a great defender of the Christian faith. We need more defenders of the faith, and I believe you have the potential to become one!
Recommended Resources On This Topic
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (DVD Set, Mp3, and Mp4)
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
Jason Jimenez is President of STAND STRONG Ministries and author of Challenging Conversations: A Practical Guide to Discuss Controversial Topics in the church. For more info, check out www.standstrongministries.org.
Originally posted at: Critical Thinking: The Secret Weapon of Confident Christians — Stand Strong Ministries
How to Stop Wokeness and Stand for Truth | with Dr. James Lindsay
PodcastAre there any practical ways that Christians and conservatives can stop the encroachment of woke ideology in our schools, businesses, and local communities? While the recent push for DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), critical theory, and transgender ideology may seem impossible to overcome, all hope is not lost!
In the last podcast episode, Frank’s guest, international speaker, author, and leading CRT expert, Dr. James Lindsay broke down the foundational beliefs of critical theory and how this “wokeness” ideology is an exceedingly hostile threat to western civilization and our American freedoms. This week, Dr. Lindsay returns to offer some tips and strategies that you can put in place in an effort to battle this destruction force in the U.S. How did Dr. Lindsay use his creative writing skills to combat woke educators? What’s the best way for Christians to react to provocative events like the recent “Trans Visibility Day” that landed on Easter? How can you use your unique gifts and talents to make a difference? All that and more will be discussed in the conclusion of this essential two-part series!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Connect with Dr. James Lindsay online: New Discourses
Book: The Queering of The American Child
Post-Christianity… What’s That?
Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian ApologeticsThere has been a new term floating around the Evangelisphere (if that’s a word, if it’s not, let’s coin it) in the last few years: “post-Christian.”
FreeThinking Ministries[i] recently changed some verbiage on the website to indicate that the mission of the ministry is to equip the church to engage with the post-Christian culture.
Some might say, “you (FTM) minister to all sorts of people all over the globe. You ought to relate to culture in general” not just the post-Christian parts of culture. Yes, this concern covers both pre- and post-Christian cultures and everything in between. But acknowledging that we live and operate within a largely post-Christian culture is still important if we are to equip the church in the West, and in America more particularly, with relevant strategies for preaching the gospel and discipling believers within it.
Coopting Christian Values
There are many reasons this new dynamic is important, but chief among them is that post-Christian cultures seek to coopt Christian values, redefine them, and use them for their own purposes. This penchant is markedly different from a pre-Christian culture which might have hints of Christian ethics within their culture but without explanation.
Guideposts to the Gospel
In a pre-Christian culture these features can be used as guideposts to the gospel. As former missionary Don Richardson points out in his book Eternity in Their Hearts:
The communication of the gospel to pre-Christian nations is much simpler compared to the work of maintaining the gospel in a Christianized nation. It is simpler, but simple doesn’t mean easy. As someone that has multiple friends in the mission field of pre-Christian cultures I can certainly attest to the fact that it is extremely difficult. It can, however, be much simpler to introduce the gospel and connect the dots in their cultural context than it is to attempt to reestablish orthodoxy in cultures that have moved beyond Christianity.
What is a post-Christian culture?
A post-Christian culture is one that has been reached by the gospel, Christianized (to a large extent) and then sought to leave its Christian roots behind.
All the cultures Richardson mentioned in the above quote have followed this pattern. At one point, these cultures were pagan non-Christian nations only to have the gospel of Jesus Christ rock them and change them for hundreds of years. Then, after Christianity, in large part, brought peace and prosperity they chose to move beyond it and, often, back to their pagan roots, only with a twist. The paganism became more syncretistic or New-Age than it was in 600AD but the reversion back to it is palpable. Sound familiar?
The United States has been on this path for quite some time and so too, a reversion to certain forms of paganism. The hallmarks of post-Christian society are coming to fruition before our eyes and the Church in the west must learn how to respond.
Often, as Don Richardson argues, in non-Christian cultures one can find cultural hooks on which to contextualize the gospel in a way that makes sense and draws people in. In these cultures, there is a clarity on what C.S. Lewis called the Natural Law that even those who had never heard of God or Jesus would recognize.[iii] Even if some of the “Natural Laws” within the culture were twisted by sin, the reasoning behind these cultural expectations were based on objective morality, integrity, and honor.
For instance, in another book called Peace Child, Richardson outlines the way he was able to communicate the gospel with a head-hunting tribe in New Guinea called the Sawi.[iv] The Sawi had a rule of natural law called a “Peace Child” between warring tribes and it was this concept that opened their hearts to the gospel after previously believing that Judas was the hero of the gospel story.
How Post-Christian Culture Differs
The story in a post-Christian culture is very different. The stories of the Bible have been popularized, modernized, colloquialized, and made into idioms. We see this assimilation in all sorts of discourse. When one sports team takes on another that is heavily favored the pundits will often use the phrase, “it’s a real David and Goliath match-up.” Decidedly Christian and biblical principles are popularized and culturized as well, such as the golden rule, which is taken from Matthew 7:12 whether people realize it or not, or “with great power comes great responsibility” which is borrowed and changed from Luke 12:48 and popularized by the Spiderman comic franchise. And that is only to name a select few.
Unbiblical phrases have been mixed with the spiritual cultural ethos as well. Sayings like, “God only helps those who help themselves,” or “don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.”
It is not so much that people in this culture are ignorant about Jesus but that they think they knows Jesus too well already. Jesus as a figure is often popular within the post-Christian culture[v] but ultimately, upon further examination, it is not the same Jesus we find in the Bible.[vi] The exclusivity of Christ is an issue.
Christianity’s Role in a Post-Christian Culture?
A post-Christian culture is aware of the claims of Christianity but finds them only utilitarian. Often, the question becomes not are these claims literally true but rather, are they efficacious? As one pastor, who led a breakout session recently on evangelism in a post-Christian culture that I attended, said:
– Bob Thune, Within Reach Conference, 19 January 2023.
His diagnosis is correct, but his prescription lacks the call to gospel exclusivity. A lot of different things “work” for a lot of different people. Buddhists would adamantly insist that the spirituality of Buddhism works for them. This same sentiment seems to be share among at least 60% of self-professed Christians who indicate that Jesus is not the only way to God.[vii]
Even in the atheistic sphere this utilitarian philosophy of religion, and Christianity in particular, seems to be making headway. One such view is espoused by Bret Weinstein, a former college professor and avowed atheist. Weinstein argues that metaphorical truths are necessary to order the world even if they are not literally true.
Not True, but Useful
He goes on to indicate that while something may be literally false its usefulness as a heuristic for ordering the world around us should not be discarded. In a conversation with Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris, Weinstein puts it this way:
This is utilitarianism. So long as the theological position works for me (or society) it ought to be followed. Unfortunately, many Christians have fallen prey to this line of thinking. They see Bret Weinstein’s refusal to discard religion as a sort of intellectual victory.
If religious belief is simply a useful heuristic for ordering the world it removes the power of the gospel and offers a gospel of its own making. Anything then, can be the gospel, so long as it works for you or for a society. I find Sam Harris’s retort worth considering in this exchange:
As much as I hate to admit it Harris is mostly right here. His position is more tenable to the human pursuit of truth than Weinstein’s. While it might sit better with religious pluralists, secularists, and even some Christians to hear that religious thought is still useful to order society insofar as we have no better option, it is less than helpful. Harris is correct, it is either true that God exists, or it is not true, and any opining for metaphorical truths to be embraced to have our cake and eat it too simply makes belief utilitarian rather than necessary.
It is not enough that a certain belief system works, and the Church must not fall into the trap of trying to prove that it does. Because the gospel only promises things yet to be seen and grasped, it does not prove that life will be ultimately understandable or easy. Buddhism might work inasmuch as one uses it to accomplish inner peace (whatever that means), or structure to the world. Whether it is truly useful or not, however, rests on its being objectively true.
Competing Gospels
In a post-Christian culture, we are struck, not with opposing religious truth claims, but with opposing gospels that promise to bring about hope, satisfaction, and peace. These competing gospels can often invoke the name of Jesus. In fact, progressive Christianity has made its hay on becoming a heuristic style gospel and should serve as a warning to believers embracing Weinstein’s thoughts.
In a post-Christian culture, words like truth, love, hope, and affirmation have all been personalized and redefined to suit our utilitarian mindset. Progressive Christianity, for instance, does not so much ask what is true but offers that whatever feels most loving is true. This is something new to the Western church, and it is a competing gospel that is nefarious because of its ability to morph from person to person under the guise of usefulness.
A post-Christian culture seeks to use aspects of Christianity without maintaining the foundation of it. This idea is not new. In the 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant sought to square the circle of unbelief and the usefulness of Christianity as a moral framework for society.[x] Removing Christ from the center of morality places the individual as the arbiter of it. Kant reasoned that we only know Jesus as moral exemplar because we already have fashioned the highest ideal of what a moral man ought to look like, thus, we judged Christ before he was incarnate.
But this is, of course, exactly backwards to the Christian tradition. Christ is not simply a moral exemplar because we could not imagine a higher moral standard. He is the moral exemplar because He sets the highest moral standard in Himself as He reveals Himself in the scriptures. Objective moral values are discovered not invented.
Revising Christ
A post-Christian culture sheds the skin of orthodoxy, in a sense, and embraces the subjective nature of the moral good. That is to say that Christ is edited by the moral arbiters of the day. Did Jesus ever really say that homosexuality was a sin or that he was divine? A post-Christian culture can construct a morality borrowing from Christianity, secularism, and other religions and superimpose it on itself. We see a rise in moral language, even invoking the name of Christ, at the same time as the normalization of historically immoral behaviors such as polyamory, pornography, and earth worship. It is this propensity of the culture to which I am referring when I say that evangelism and ministry in a post-Christian culture is more complex than within a non-Christian culture.
Often, the language barrier is an issue. When we speak of justice, love, truth, and fulfillment we are speaking cross-culturally, but because of the Christian past, ideas about Jesus have been erroneously imposed on these new definitions. To make headway we must first establish coherent agreement at the most basic levels, but this is made difficult because the culture, allegedly has progressed beyond the need for foundational truths. The truth of the gospel is inverted to focus mainly on self-actualization and feelings of being an authentic self. This inversion might not challenge missionaries and pastors in pre-Christian settings, but it’s a primary concern for those doing ministry within a post-Christian context.
Post-Christianity says, “we tried that already and now we are beyond it.” The challenge for the church is to expose this lie for what it is. How does one move beyond objective reality and truth? Incidentally, “moving beyond it” is more like reverting back to pagan roots. The worship of nature, self, sex, and hedonistic tendencies. These are not new developments, but they are experienced and promulgated anew in a post-Christian context, often maintaining the language of Christianity to bolster the regressive worship.
This shift is recent in the United States. As recent as 10 years ago political candidates from both parties affirmed the classical definition of marriage, the morality of certain sexual standards, and, even if pro-choice, the recognition that abortion was a tragedy and ought to be safe, legal, and rare.[xi]
What are we to do?
Once the culture flipped though, these supposedly self-evident truths were suddenly up for grabs. People that spent their lives arguing for reason and science to be the basis of morality in society suddenly found themselves arguing for forced vaccination[xii] and for transgenderism.[xiii] When you remove the foundation, everything becomes shaky. Then reintroducing that abandoned foundation seems antiquated. So, what are we to do?
The funny thing about a post-Christian culture is that it relies on the insular or adaptive nature of the Church. The post-Christian culture is more than happy to entertain Christians so long as they isolate themselves into their own groups and, all too often, Christians comply. This self-isolation has happened in Europe and England and it’s happening right now in Canada and the United States. As a pastor friend once said to me, “the Christian life is to be personal, but it is not private.”
On the other hand, the church might try to remain relevant by compromising historic truths for cultural cachet. We sacrifice the relevance of the gospel for the relevance of our popularity.
Neither strategy is tenable for discipling the nation. There is another option, but it is not comfortable. Engage with the post-Christian culture without compromise but with understanding (1 Chron. 12:32). There is an opportunity in a post-Christian culture if one is courageous enough to recognize it. But it comes with risk. Risk of denigration or loss of respect. At least for a time. The truth will set us free (John 8:31-32). God will not be mocked and his Church will remain victorious (Matt. 16:18).
Footnotes:
[i] The author, Josh Klein is a staff writer and speaker with Free-Thinking Ministries
[ii] Richardson, Don. Eternity in Their Hearts: Revised, Regal Books, Ventura, CA, 1984, pp. 118–119.
[iii] Clive S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (London, UK: Geoffrey Bles, 1952; digitally republished as public domain, Canada: Samizdat, 2014), 13-22, accessed 25 March 2024 at: https://www.samizdat.qc.ca/vc/pdfs/MereChristianity_CSL.pdf
[iv] Don Richardson, Peace Child (Norwood, MA: Regal, 1985).
[v] https://www.barna.com/research/openness-to-jesus/
[vi] https://www.christianpost.com/news/60-of-young-adults-say-jesus-isnt-the-only-way-to-salvation.html
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] Originally in Jordan Peterson v. Sam Harris debate, moderated by Bret Weinstein. Vancouver BC, Canada: Pangburn Philosophy, 23 June 2018), 01:15:36-01:16:14, accessed 25 March 2024 at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1oaSt60b0om, quoted in https://epiphanyaweek.com/2019/10/20/theism-atheism-and-antitheism-sam-harris-is-wrong-part-3/.
[ix] Ibid., 01:59:03-02:00:11.
[x] https://philarchive.org/archive/PALCKJ
[xi] https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2006/03/toward-making-abortion-rare-shifting-battleground-over-means-end
[xii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMaHKykfdcQ
[xiii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBl9qwVDvIY
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Was Jesus Intolerant? by Frank Turek (DVD and Mp4)
Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, )
Jesus vs. The Culture by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4 Download, and Mp3
Reflecting Jesus into a Dark World by Dr. Frank Turek – DVD Complete Series, Video mp4 DOWNLOAD Complete Series, and mp3 audio DOWNLOAD Complete Series
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Josh Klein is a Pastor from Omaha, Nebraska with over a decade of ministry experience. He graduated with an MDiv from Sioux Falls Seminary and spends his spare time reading and engaging with current and past theological and cultural issues. He has been married for 12 years to Sharalee Klein and they have three young children.
Originally posted at: Post-Christianity… What’s That? | Free Thinking Ministries
One Nation Under Wokeness | with Dr. James Lindsay
PodcastIs there an all out assault on common sense in the West? Over the last decade or so, proponents of “wokeness” have asserted crazy ideas like “men can get pregnant”, “whiteness is evil”, the extermination of Jews “from the river to the sea”, and kids should be sterilized through “gender-affirming care.” Where are these bizarre ideas coming from, what are they rooted in, and how are they shaping the future of America?
This week, international speaker, author of ‘The Queering of The American Child,’ and leading expert on Critical Race Theory, Dr. James Lindsay, joins Frank to discuss the calculated attempt by socialists (and other Marxists in disguise) to establish a modern utopian society and take down all of western civilization through woke propaganda, immigration, and destroying the economy. During the podcast, Frank and Dr. Lindsay will answer questions like:
Dr. Lindsay’s knowledge and expertise on the subject of CRT has caused him to reject it completely and to sound the alarm on it through his now famous speech at last year’s European Union Parliament, his appearances with Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, and also through his own podcast called ‘New Discourses.’ Throughout the episode, he’ll lay out the worldview of CRT and Marxism, the ultimate goals of wokism, and the potentially devastating impact that it will have on free nations. Why is America the primary target and what did Jesus have to say about these issues? All this and more will be addressed in Part 1 of this crucial discussion!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Connect with Dr. James Lindsay online: New Discourses
EU Speech: Woke: A Culture War Against Europe
Article: Queer Theory is the Doctrine of a Sex-Based Cult
Truth Matters
1. Does Truth Exist?The world defines truth as relative and subjective: “You have your truth, I have my truth.” It is customizable to one’s preferences and lifestyle. Definitive or absolute truth is considered offensive to the culture at large. This confusion over truth is further fueled by social media. Liking, sharing, retweeting, and posting happen with the click of a button. To promote and defend “your truth,” all you have to do is open an app on your phone. Though some may suggest that our culture is more unified based on the controversial matters of our day, I would argue that we are walking in greater disunity than ever before.
Can’t We All Just Coexist?
The Coexist bumper stickers often seen on the back of vehicles advertise that all religions are equal with a mutually unifying end. To argue against this can be considered hate speech in some spaces. The irony in this pop-culture view of truth, however, is that the major world religions have some profound differences that mutually exclude the other. It does not take very long to find contradictions between Mormonism and Islam.
Furthermore, there are particular instances of absolute truth that no logical person could deny. Gravitational pull or mathematical equations are proven true with singular explanations and sums. Your trash pick-up being on Monday is a fact. If you decide to put your garbage can at the curb on Tuesday because that is your truth, you will be disappointed to find overflowing trash the next day. Yet, the larger issues in life take on a whole different meaning to the word “truth”.
Scriptural Definition of the Truth
In John 14, Jesus names himself to be the way, the truth, and the life. The familiar passage goes on to say that no one accesses the Father except through Christ. Anyone claiming another means to heaven apart from Jesus the Messiah is promoting a lie.
Upon the trial and accusation of Christ, just before his crucifixion, Pontius Pilate asked the question “What is truth?” (John 18:38). The question is still being asked centuries later, and the answer remains. Jesus, being God himself was, is, and always will be the truth. Our triune God displays the reality of truth. The Holy Spirit leads the Christian into all truth (John 16:13). God the Father never lies, He fulfills all His promises (Numbers 23:19). Jesus the Messiah is the only true path to restoration and eternal life (John 3:16).
Why Truth Matters
In 2022, I prepared for an unmedicated birth. Among many things, I conducted research and read books about the goals I had for labor. I found myself needing to carefully filter content that included New Age and witchcraft practices. Much of what I came across revolved around feelings of empowerment and self-expression. However, bringing a new baby into the world is a complete act of surrender to the Creator of the universe. It is emptying oneself to rely solely on Christ. It is for the glory of God that none may boast.
Satan strives to keep us in a feelings-based mindset. He convinces us that life is about us and the benefits we can receive. Faith in Christ must extend beyond feelings to facts. Otherwise, we blend in with the culture around us. It was invaluable to study the creation account in Genesis and to spend time prayerfully considering the heart of God as our due date neared. In Scripture, we unfold the truth of Christ and are changed to reflect him. We exist for the singular purpose of glorifying Jesus our Lord.
To distinguish truth as absolute and to follow Christ with wholehearted devotion is the greatest threat to Satan. He is unbothered by “his truth” and “her truth.” He is, however, thrown off his high horse when a people boldly stand for and confidently share the truth.
Living Transformed by the Truth
As said in Matthew 7, there is one path to heaven, and it is indeed narrow (Matt 7:13-14). To say that Jesus is the only way may feel a bit too exclusive and limited to an on-looking unbeliever. Therefore, it is deemed best to reject singularly defined truth. As Christians, we are to take up our cross, forgoing anything within us that does not align with the will of God by bringing his name glory. The word “cross” in Matthew 16:24 means only one thing. In the first century, a cross represented death by crucifixion. Though the emblem of the cross is undoubtedly viewed through a lens of agape love, it very much signifies death. The Christ follower is to die to themselves and the sin that so easily entangles. Though actions based upon one’s personally determined truth are appealing for a time, there will inevitably be an ongoing search for more apart from an intimate relationship with Christ the King.
Subjective Truth is Unloving
Affirming the idea of truth being subjective is one of the most un-loving things we can do. If Jesus is the only way to the Father, and therefore eternal life, we have the tremendous responsibility of shutting down every other notion besides the inspired Word of God. Speaking the truth means that we know the truth. In Philippians 4, Paul the Apostle provides a beautiful list of things to think about in combating anxiousness (Phil 4:16-17). From a prison cell in Rome, he tells the church to remember that which is true. In doing so, we remember the very nature of God. All that God is, he is truly. He is true love, true kindness, true mercy, true forgiveness, true hope, true life, true light, true grace, true rest, true wisdom, and the list goes on. When we think about the trueness of God, anxiety and fear diminish. How profound and contradictory to the rest of society when a person chooses to humbly submit to the revelation of God as the only means to authentic understanding and perfect clarity.
The Truth is Transformative
A belief in the one truth that exists is transformative. We are brought to life upon our confession of faith and trust in Christ. Manifestation says, “Believe in me and my ability”, but transformation says, “Believe in Jesus and his sovereignty.” Jesus being the truth means that we acknowledge our limitations and humbly submit to the Lord who has none. John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Believing and abiding in the infallible, inerrant, and inspired Word of God is the most freeing thing a person can do. The shackles we were once bound by are broken by belief in Jesus Christ. This is the good news of the Gospel, and it is available for all people, everywhere. Sharing the truth in boldness is a radical act of love.
Our world measures truth based on personal preference and ideology. It is ever-changing and regularly modified to best please mankind. Freedom is miraged by temporary happiness and affirming acceptance. Freedom in its truest form is found in one place; it exists in one person. His name is Jesus, and it is in his presence that we walk in perfect clarity. His presence abides in us, and we have the unique privilege of inviting others to dwell with Christ who is our peace. There is no greater combat against division than Divine intervention.
God is not the author of chaos or confusion. We do not have to question right from wrong or good from bad. His Word makes it clear. In both our belief and our obedience, we are blessed beyond our comprehension by the Lord of Hosts. The truth found in Scripture is both life-giving and life-changing. Second Timothy reminds us that the entirety of the Bible is useful for teaching and training us to look more like Christ (2 Timothy 3:16-17). All sixty-six books hold tremendous weight and power in our lives still today. As we learn it on an individual basis, we are drawn closer to the heart of God, and our belief is confirmed time and time again. Let God’s truth transform you because it is the only thing that will.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek
Is Morality Absolute or Relative? by Frank Turek (Mp3/ Mp4)
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Annie Brown has joined us as Content Coordinator working with the Truth That Matters team. In this role, Annie will be creating written content meant to edify and equip lay learners and scheduling content channels as needed. In addition to being a student at SES, Annie has a B.S. in Family & Child Development from Liberty University. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Truth That Matters Team at SES. Using my passion of writing to prayerfully bless others excites me, and I look forward to what the Lord has in store.”
Originally posted at: https://ses.edu/truth-matters/
7 Archaeology Discoveries Associated with the Life (and Death) of Jesus | with Dr. Titus Kennedy
PodcastWhat historical evidence is there for people like Peter, Simon of Cyrene, Pontius Pilate, Jesus, Caiaphas, and other key figures in Jesus’s crucifixion? Seven people who had something to do with the trial of Jesus have been found through archaeology! Moreover, excavations in Israel have unearthed numerous archaeological finds that corroborate precisely what’s recorded in the Bible. But what if excavations in Israel are just the tip of the iceberg? Beyond Israel, has the wider ancient world yielded artifacts that shed light on the biblical narrative? And what about Jesus? Is there any archaeological evidence that leads us back to Him?
For this midweek podcast episode, Frank invites author and field archaeologist, Dr. Titus Kennedy, to talk about his brand-new book ‘The Essential Archaeological Guide to Bible Lands: Uncovering Biblical Sites of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean World.’ In the book, Dr. Kennedy explores the various archaeological discoveries across the entirety of the ancient world that provide evidence for the historical accuracy of the Bible. During the episode, Frank and Titus and answer questions like:
Recognizing the great significance of the evidence that has been located in places like North Africa, Rome, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia, Titus has written this book as a modern resource for an area of archaeology that has gone relatively untouched for the past 30 years! This episode barely scratches the surface of what’s uncovered in the book so be sure to grab your copy of ‘The Essential Archaeological Guide to Bible Lands.’ And if you desire to go even deeper in exploring biblical archaeology, enroll in the brand-new online course called ‘Reasons for Faith‘ where Dr. Kennedy will serve as one of the LIVE instructors along with Dr. Stephen Meyer!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Buy Dr. Titus Kennedy’s new book: https://a.co/d/hBSZQS5
Join Dr. Titus Kennedy LIVE in ‘Reasons for Faith’!: https://bit.ly/3U0p63V
Why Do You Call Yourself a Christian?
Theology and Christian ApologeticsHave you ever heard the tale of the elderly woman who wanted to restore an old painting and… well, didn’t?
Meet Potato Jesus. The woman’s intentions were noble. I certainly respect her heart. But that doesn’t change the fact that she is not an artist and did not restore Martinez’s work. Just because she intended to do something and thought she was able, that didn’t turn her into an artist. Desire and good intentions aren’t enough.
Nowadays, anyone can set up a page and identify as whatever they want. But taking a name for ourselves doesn’t make us that thing. We still have to be it or become it.
Two Ways to Identify
We can identify ourselves in two ways: “I’m x, and by that, I mean this,” and “I’m x, and I think this word accurately fits or describes x.” Too often, people identify as something because they think that’s how they are supposed to identify, and then they try to describe it. I think a better way would be to figure out who and what we are, then figure out what best names or describes that. This will prevent us from accidentally using words that don’t really fit.
I’m a human. I am a member of the human species, so human is an accurate word to describe me. But I’m also a hobbit. I’m kind of short, round, a little hairy, and I love food and books. I’m also part Scottish but don’t identify as Scottish: I am not a Scotsman. I have some lineage through some ancestor, but I’m not from Scotland, I don’t speak Scottish or Gaelic (or any other dialect/language from there), I don’t wear kilts, I’ve never been there, neither of my parents have ever been there (I think?). So, it would be true to say I have a Scottish history, but not that I am Scottish. Calling me Scottish would give more incorrect information about me than correct information.
Let’s move from regular descriptions to something more controversial: religion.
Religious Identity
The word “Muslim” means “submission” or “submission to God.” I don’t, however, follow Muhammad or Allah of the Qur’an. So even though the definition, “submission to God,” is technically a fitting description of me, “Muslim” would not be a good description of me, nor do I feel it would be respectful to Muslims for me to use that term.
But Christian is a good description of me. Why? What’s different? That requires a little history:
The word Christian comes from the Greek word christos, or maschiach in Hebrew, meaning the “Messiah” or “the anointed one.” The Messiah refers to the character foretold by the prophecies given by Israelite poets and prophets found in the Jewish Tanakh, or Old Testament. As a Christian, I believe Jesus fulfilled those prophecies and is the Anointed One, the Jewish Messiah. That’s why I call myself a Christian, a follower of Jesus the Christ who fulfilled those prophecies.
That’s why I believe using the word Christian to describe me is appropriate.
Why do you identify as a Christian?
If you identify as a Christian, why? What about your beliefs or life makes you think, “Christian is a good description of what I believe and do”? Let’s take a few example answers to see why this is important:
Let’s try some harder questions:
What about those (and so many similar answers) is best, or accurately, described by the word Christian? Any?
Let’s try something different: I trust Jesus with my life. Okay, now we’re getting somewhere.
So, if those answers won’t work, what will? Let’s see what the earliest historical records about Jesus talked about:
So, Why do you identify as a Christian?
Editor’s Note: If you have read this far, and now you’re not sure what it means to be a Christian or if you’re a Christian, then there’s no time like the present to make it right. You can trust in the Biblical Jesus to forgive you, to save you, and lead you. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). You can also go here to find out more: “A Simple Explanation of How to Be Saved”. Trusting your life in Jesus’s hands is like a gateway into a whole new world, complete with a new outlook on life, a new way to live, and a new hope for the future. Please make sure, today, that you are right with God
Footnotes:
[1] Image Source: ABCNews
Recommended resources related to the topic:
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
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
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As a Christian apologist, David Wolcott has contributed research to Mama Bear Apologetics, Alisa Childers, Natasha Crain, Crossexamined, and more. Focusing on primary-source research of Progressive Christianity and understanding the Bible in the original cultural contexts, he is on a four-year plan to learn how to read eight languages, including biblical Hebrew and koine Greek. David is an avid reader of all kinds of books, and is passionate about helping Christians learn to apply the wisdom shared through many excellent books via his Academy at thedavidwolcott.com.
He is Risen! Examining the Evidence for the Resurrection with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie
PodcastHow did an itinerant preacher, born into poverty and raised in an obscure village, a man who never wrote a book or had a formal education, who was betrayed by his friends and ultimately crucified on a rugged cross, rise to become THE central figure in human history? Jesus of Nazareth has left an undeniable mark on the world and all of western society, surpassing the influence of any other person who has ever existed. But is it possible that the story of Jesus and His resurrection was invented by the authors of the New Testament?
He is risen! In anticipation of Easter Sunday, Frank invites the skilled Christian apologist and evolutionary biologist, Dr. Jonathan McLatchie, to make the case for the resurrection through the exploration of New Testament scholarship. McLatchie, who’s done a number of debates in defense of the Christian faith, will share his insights on the evidence for the resurrection, the reliability of the New Testament, and point out the significance of some of the details found in the Gospels and the book of Acts. During their conversation, Frank and Jonathan will answer questions like:
McLatchie will also walk us through his two-step approach of defending the resurrection by using what’s called the maximum data case. Later in the episode, Dr. McLatchie will talk about his online ministry that aims to mentor Christians and ex-Christians who are struggling with doubt by offering live interaction with experts in various fields of Christian scholarship. Be sure to visit TalkAboutDoubts.com to learn more about this ministry and consider enrolling in the brand-new LIVE! online course called ‘Reasons for Faith‘ launching on 4/27, where Jonathan will join Dr. Stephen Meyer and a team of other leading apologists during livestreamed lectures to expound upon the best historical, scientific, philosophical, and archaeological evidence for the Christian faith!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Jonathan’s website: https://jonathanmclatchie.com/
Jonathan’s ministry: Talk About Doubts
Join Jonathan and Dr. Stephen Meyer LIVE! in ‘Reasons for Faith‘
Dismantling Doubt
4. Is the NT True?Is God really there for me? God, do you see? Do you hear my prayer? Experiences such as job loss, broken relationships, mental illness, or any unyielding pain can stir up questions of doubt. Doubt is standing at your door desiring to chip away at your faith. During these seasons of sorrow and pain, many days can be filled with questions like: Why are you silent? Why didn’t you save them? Why won’t you show them they are wrong? Will you resolve the situation? When you feel as if there is no answer, doubt festers. Is what I believe true? Lest someone think that non-religious persons are different, C.S. Lewis’s personal comment is very instructive.
Evidence can aid in dismantling doubts, and though far from being exhaustive, this article will highlight three reassurances that can start the process of dismantling those doubts about Christianity.
Evidence Reassures
When you doubt, remember you are not alone. Recall John the Baptist who appears to be wrestling with doubt while he is in prison. Although he had baptized Christ, he is later taken to prison and questions if Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew writes, “Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” (Matt 11:2-3; NASB). We don’t know exactly what John was thinking, but we do know he is seemingly doubting. Jesus lovingly responds without rebuke and instead sends word of the miracles. Matthew writes, “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt 11:4-5). The miracles are delivered as signs of comfort to reassure, strengthen, and dismantle the doubt John is experiencing.
Evidence Reminds
Now you might be wondering, where is my miracle to solve my pain and sorrow? It’s possible John the Baptist could have asked the same question. C. S. Lewis notes it seems easy to believe when you are not the patient, but suppose you are in surgery with a good surgeon with wholly good intentions. Lewis writes, “If he yielded to your entreaties if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to that point would have been useless.“[2] God reminds
us in pain that he is with us and doing something, just like he was with Joseph in the Old Testament (Acts 7:9; 2 Cor 4:16-18; Rom 5:3-5). Remember when Job was suffering, and his wife wanted him to curse God? He asked a significant question, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity” (Job 2:10)?
In times of questioning and doubt, who is Jesus? He is the Son of Man who came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt 20:28). His life reminds us of his love for us. The eyewitness accounts remind us that Jesus, too, suffered for a little while, but ultimately, He conquered death. 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 spotlights the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Paul writes to remind the believer that Cephas, James, the Twelve, and more than five hundred brothers, and sisters witnessed Christ overcoming death.
Evidence Transforms
The disciples in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 are the same disciples who had earlier abandoned Jesus during his trial before his crucifixion. The ones that lacked the courage to stand with Jesus possibly due to their doubts or uncertainty. What changed? Jesus’s disciples and Paul were transformed after their encounter with the risen Jesus. They became bold witnesses willing to die for Christ. Paul changed from persecuting Christians to sharing the gospel with the world. Why would anyone be willing to face persecution or die for something that is untrue? Sean McDowell attests regarding the Apostles of Christ historically “The evidence shows that some really died as martyrs, and that none recanted.”[3]
Transformation for people happens all the time; what is different about the disciples? They were eyewitnesses; they did not believe in a tradition. They believed what they saw firsthand. Too, these transformational encounters with the risen Jesus provide hope for us in our doubt. John is providing encouragement to the followers of Jesus stating, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). It is so we may know and believe. This is encouragement for all believers.
Summing it all up
In conclusion, please note this is not a one-stop article that erases all doubt or pain, but it is a reminder that you are not alone in your doubt, and contemplating the evidence can reassure, remind, and transform our hearts through the work of the Holy Spirit. God is there for you and uses human agents in the Church to encourage us as we wrestle with doubt. People have wrestled with the ways of God throughout the Psalms and many other pages of the Bible. But hopefully, as you work through your doubts, this evidence can play a role in strengthening the weary traveler. The disciples testify to the risen Lord. He will one day establish a government with perfect justice and love. He will wipe away every tear, and suffering will be no more; doubt will be gone. Until then, don’t lose heart in your doubts; wrestle through them and ask God to dismantle doubts by reassuring, reminding, and transforming you to see with his eyes and heart.
Footnotes
[1] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1952), p. 123.
[2] C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed (New York, NY: Harper One, 1961), 43.
[3] Sean McDowell, The Fate of the Apostles (Burlington, VA: Ashgate Publishing, 2015), 260.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek
The New Testament: Too Embarrassing to Be False by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3, and Mp4)
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)
When Reason Isn’t the Reason for Unbelief by Dr. Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Oh, Why Didn’t I Say That? The Hiddenness of God: Why Isn’t God More Obvious? by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp3, and Mp4 Download
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Deanna Huff is a wife and mother. She has been teaching and training for the last twenty years equipping people to know their Christian faith and share it with others. She has led many seminars for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Ladies Retreat, and the State Evangelism Conference. She taught high school students for ten years at Christian Heritage Academy, in Bible, Universal History, Apologetics and Philosophy. Deanna is a Ph.D. candidate in Apologetics and Theology at Liberty University. She holds a Master of Theology in Apologetics and Worldview from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma.
Originally posted at: https://bellatorchristi.com/2024/02/04/dismantling-doubt/