Apologetics – The Lowedown

December 17, 2025December 18, 2025

Why Do Jews Reject Jesus as Their Messiah?

Isaiah 53

¹Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

²He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

³He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

⁵But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

⁶We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁷He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

⁸By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

⁹He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

¹¹After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

¹²Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:1-12, NIV)

The Daily DAVEotional

I saw a post on X.com recently where an influential user listed what he considered the most significant in human history.

Who would you put at the top of that list?

Regardless of your religious views, I think it’s hard to argue against Jesus being the most important figure in all of human history. Incidentally, this user listed Genghis Khan first. Jesus was second on his list.

Jesus and his teachings have literally changed the world. And yet, the Jewish people, his own people, largely reject him. Why is that?

If you happened to be an Israelite living in first century Palestine, you eagerly expected and longed for the Messiah.

The nation of Israel was hundreds of years past its glory days, when it was an independent and respected nation. Now, it was merely one of the many provinces that were subject to Roman rule.

The prophets had foretold of a Messiah, who would one day come and deliver his people and restore the nation to its former glory. At least that was the hope.

Unfortunately, the biblical version of the Messiah did not match the expectations of most Jewish people, who were hoping for a political and military leader who would drive out the Romans, just as the many judges had driven out their oppressors in the early years of their nation’s formation.

This passage in Isaiah 53 gives a much different picture and description of the Messiah compared to the peoples’ expectations.

According to Isaiah, the coming Messiah would not be a person who would stand out. There was nothing physical about the Messiah that would draw people to him. He would be decidedly “normal”.

While the people were expecting a William Wallace type military hero to rally the troops and drive out their Gentile occupiers, this passage shows that the Messiah’s mission would be much different.

Yes, the Messiah would deliver his people; he just wouldn’t deliver them from the enemy they were thinking he would.

Verse 6 lays out the issue – we ALL have gone astray. As a result, the purpose of the Messiah would be to take the iniquity of people upon Himself.

Verse 10 is key because it explicitly states that the Messiah would be a guilt offering. Every Israelite knew that they had to make regular offerings at the temple in order to make atonement for sin. This verse indicates that it’s the Messiah himself whose life would be a guilt offering for the people.

There are a number of verses in this passage that explicitly point to Jesus.

Verse 5 provides one of the clearest references to Jesus’ brutal execution when it says that he was “pierced” for our transgressions. In John’s description of Jesus’ death, we learn that the Roman soldiers were eager to hasten the death of their victims because of the impending Sabbath (see John 19:31-34). It was common to break the legs of those being crucified, rendering it impossible for them to push themselves up to expand their lungs and breathe. Hence, the breaking of the legs brought a swift end to the slow tortures of crucifixion as the victim would immediately die of asphyxiation.

In the case of Jesus. the centurion realized that Jesus was already dead so there was no need to break his legs. Instead, he decided to take his spear and pierce Jesus’ side.

Verse 9 indicates that the Messiah would be assigned a grave for the wicked and the rich. In Jesus’ case, his body was set to be dumped in a pit with other common criminals. But instead, a rich person, Joseph of Arimathea, petitioned Pilate for the body of Jesus, whom he buried in a tomb that he had recently purchased.

Other prophecies in this passage are also fulfilled by Jesus. Verse 7 indicates that the Messiah would be silent when confronted by his accusers. All of the gospel accounts indicate that Jesus, when pressed by Pilate and the authorities, did not defend himself, but chose to willingly give himself up in order to go to the cross to be crucified.

To this day, the Jewish people largely reject Jesus as their Messiah, despite the fact that he fulfills all of the prophecies about the coming Messiah. In fact, there are a number of prophecies concerning the Messiah that only Jesus could have fulfilled.

If you don’t understand the mission of the Messiah, you will reject him.

The Jewish people reject Jesus as their Messiah because he doesn’t fit their hope and expectation of what the Messiah’s purpose would be. Instead of delivering his people from their political oppressors and restoring the glory of their nation, the Messiah’s purpose was first and foremost, to deliver people from the penalty of sin.

Non-Jews reject Jesus simply because they fail to see their need for a Savior. In this case, you may see Jesus as a significant figure in human history, but not as significant as someone like Genghis Khan who wielded tremendous political and military power to conquer the entire known world.

We would all do well to heed the words of Isaiah 53:6:

⁶We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Did you enjoy this post? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to like, leave a comment below, and share it with your friends or on social media if you found it helpful or interesting. Your support keeps the conversation going!

Reflection

What is your understanding of the purpose of the Messiah?

In what ways do you see Jesus matching the description that prophets like Isaiah gave of the coming Messiah?

Who do you know that rejects Jesus as their Messiah and Savior? What are their reasons for rejecting Jesus ?

Why do you think Jewish people, by and large, still reject Jesus, despite clear passages like Isaiah 53 that show Jesus to be a “Suffering Servant” instead of a military conqueror?

Photo by MBVisign: https://www.pexels.com/photo/genghis-khan-statue-in-close-up-photography-6466768/

August 14, 2025August 14, 2025

What Does it Mean that Jesus is the Firstborn?

Colossians 1

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20, NIV)

The Daily DAVEotional

In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul pens one of the greatest treatises on the divine nature of Christ in all of Scripture. And yet, some have used this very section to promote a false understanding of Jesus.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious group that was birthed in the late 1870’s when Charles Taze Russell, who had been highly influenced by Adventist teachings, determined that certain Christian doctrines, such as the Trinity and divinity of Christ, were not supported by Scripture.

I’ve written a number of posts regarding the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their view that Jesus is not God, including the following posts:

The bottom line with Jehovah’s Witnesses is that they don’t believe in the trinity. Therefore, they don’t believe that Jesus is God. They teach a doctrine that is known as Arianism (see post here), which teaches that Jesus is a created being who does not possess a divine nature.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are highly committed to their understanding of Jesus as a created being, and they believe that this passage, in Colossians 1, serves as strong evidence in support of their view.

Specifically, this passage twice describes Jesus as being “firstborn”. The thinking goes that if Jesus was born, then he must be created. If he was created then he clearly isn’t God. If he isn’t God, then he’s just a man. Hence, the view that Jesus is a created being without a divine nature must be the correct view.

That logic might sound correct on the surface, but there is one small problem, as our good friend Inigo Montoya will explain:

The problem is that we interpret the word “firstborn” based on our modern understanding. Naturally, we see the word “born” and assume that it refers to a birth. We assume therefore that the passage is saying that Jesus was “born”, just as all people are naturally born.

But that’s not at all what the passage is saying.

To understand this passage, we need to understand a little bit about the culture of the Ancient Near East, particularly how the family heirs were treated.

In the Ancient Near East culture, it was customary for the oldest son to receive a double portion of any inheritance. The oldest son enjoyed this benefit because of his status as the highest in rank of all the sons. So, if you had two sons, your assets would be divided into 3 parts. The oldest son would get 2 shares and the youngest son would get one share.

The oldest son was therefore the pre-eminent, or favored son. The oldest son was the highest in rank – usually.

However, there are a number of Biblical examples where this was not the case.

Take Jacob and Esau for example. Esau was the oldest son but God favored Jacob, who received Isaac’s blessing over Esau.

Jacob’s sons are another example. Jacob had 12 sons. Reuben was the oldest and therefore, was considered the pre-eminent son, eligible for the double portion.

However, Reuben forfeited his rank and the blessing associated with the oldest son when he slept with one of his father’s wives. As a result, Jacob made Joseph the pre-eminent son, even though he was NOT born first. In fact, he was the eleventh born! (see 1 Chronicles 5:1)

When you see a list of the tribes of Israel (Jacob’s new name), you never see Joseph listed. Why is that? It’s because Joseph was given two shares. Joseph’s shares are represented by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

The Greek word that is translated “firstborn” is the word “prototokos”. While the word is translated as “firstborn”, it doesn’t mean that Jesus was created. If Paul wanted to communicate that Jesus was the first-created, he would have used a different word, “protoktisos”, which literally means “first-created.”

How do we know that Paul is not trying to communicate that Jesus was “born” if he indeed uses this word which translates to “firstborn”?

It’s clear from the context that Paul is not using the word in the way the Jehovahs Witnesses assert.

In the first instance of the word, Paul says that Jesus is “the firstborn over all creation.” If Paul were communicating that Jesus was “born” then he’s also saying that “creation” is the parent. That doesn’t make sense. If Paul was communicating that Jesus was literally born, shouldn’t the passage say that Jesus was the “firstborn of God”?

In the second instance of the word “firstborn”, Paul states that Jesus is firstborn from among the dead. Again, this language doesn’t make sense if Jesus is actually born. How can Jesus be parented by creation and also by “the dead”?

This passage makes complete sense if we understand that the word “firstborn” carries the meaning of pre-eminence or rank, just as the firstborn child of any ancient near eastern family held pre-eminent status over his siblings due to his higher rank.

In this case, Paul says in verse 15 that Jesus is pre-eminent over creation. Why? Paul gives the answer in the very next verse. It’s because Jesus is the CREATOR. Jesus is pre-eminent (firstborn) over creation because he is the author of ALL of creation.

In the same way, Jesus is pre-eminent over death precisely because he has demonstrated supremacy over death by rising from the dead.

So in the end, this passage doesn’t teach that Jesus is a created being as the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach. Instead, this passage teaches the exact opposite. Jesus is the uncreated creator of all things in whom the fullness of deity dwells and through whom all things are reconciled by His shed blood on the cross.

Jesus is indeed firstborn. He has demonstrated supremacy over creation and death precisely because He is GOD!

Reflection

Genesis 41:51-52 says, “Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh…. ⁵²The second son he named Ephraim”. Yet in Jeremiah 31:9 it says, “Ephraim is my firstborn son”. How can Ephraim be the second son in the Genesis passage but the firstborn in Jeremiah? How do you explain this apparent contradiction?

If Jesus is a created being, as the Jehovahs Witnesses contend, what do you think are the implications in terms of Jesus’ ability to save humanity? In other words, how can a savior who is not divine atone for the sins of the world?

What are some personal examples you can think of where the first born son (or daughter) did not enjoy the favored status you might expect?

What are some other qualities of Jesus that you learn from this short passage in Colossians? What else can we say about Jesus from these verses?

Photo is a screenshot from the movie “The Princess Bride”

March 25, 2025March 25, 2025

Does Proverbs 8 Prove that Jesus is a Created Being?

Proverbs 8

¹Listen as wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice! ²She stands on the hilltop and at the crossroads. ³At the entrance to the city, at the city gates, she cries aloud, ⁴“I call to you, to all of you! I am raising my voice to all people. ⁵How naive you are! Let me give you common sense. O foolish ones, let me give you understanding. ⁶Listen to me! For I have excellent things to tell you. Everything I say is right, ⁷for I speak the truth and hate every kind of deception. ⁸My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing crooked or twisted in it. ⁹My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those who want to learn.

¹⁰“Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. ¹¹For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it.

¹²“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. ¹³All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. ¹⁴Good advice and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. ¹⁵Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just laws. ¹⁶Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.

¹⁷“I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. ¹⁸Unending riches, honor, wealth, and justice are mine to distribute. ¹⁹My gifts are better than the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! ²⁰I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. ²¹Those who love me inherit wealth, for I fill their treasuries.

²²“The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. ²³I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began. ²⁴I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters. ²⁵Before the mountains and the hills were formed, I was born—²⁶before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.

²⁷“I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. ²⁸I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established the deep fountains of the earth. ²⁹I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth’s foundations, ³⁰I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. ³¹And how happy I was with what he created—his wide world and all the human family!

³²“And so, my children, listen to me, for happy are all who follow my ways. ³³Listen to my counsel and be wise. Don’t ignore it.

³⁴“Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! ³⁵For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the LORD. ³⁶But those who miss me have injured themselves. All who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:1-36, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

When I was a high school senior, I took AP English. At one point we were studying poetry and we read a famous poem by Robert Frost, entitled, “The Road Not Taken”. The poem starts with the line:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

and ends with the oft-quoted phrase:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Our teacher asked the class what we thought the poem was about. A few people in the class who had a somewhat religious background, including myself, thought the poem was a metaphor for heaven and hell. After all, if you’re going to talk about two roads that diverge, you cannot get any more divergent than heaven and hell.

I remember our teacher graciously telling us that we were overthinking the poem. There was nothing in the poem that mentioned heaven or hell and the context of the poem was not about eternal destiny. There was really nothing about the poem that would indicate that it was religious in nature.

To my surprise, I learned that the plain meaning was usually the correct meaning, unless there was some compelling reason to believe that the writer was speaking metaphorically or allegorically.

In our case, the poem was simply about two different choices, both of which were appealing in their own way. Which one should I choose? How do you choose? The author is simply writing about the conflict that arises when we have to choose between two paths. That’s it.

What can happen though is that some people will naturally want to import their own views and perspectives into the poem. In my case, being a person who went to church and Sunday school and who had heard a lot about the two different life choices of heaven and hell, I saw “two paths” and immediately concluded “heaven and hell” without really thinking about whether that was what the author was really writing about.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses make a similar error in their understanding and explanation of Proverbs 8.

If you’ve ever had a discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness, you likely know that they do not believe that Jesus is God. Instead, they teach that Jesus is a created being. They believe that Jesus is God’s first created being, which makes him extra special, but in the end, he’s still a created being like you and me.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses theological viewpoints on Jesus are rooted in an ancient heresy known as Arianism. I wrote about their views in my blog post “A Modern Day Version of an Ancient Heresy” in which I discuss their views of the opening verses of John’s gospel.

When talking to a Jehovah’s Witness regarding their view that Jesus was a created being, they have a number of biblical “proof-texts” to support their theological stance. One of those passages is Proverbs 8.

According to the Jehovah’s Witness, Proverbs 8 provides ironclad evidence that the Bible teaches that Jesus is NOT God.

Verses 22-31, in particular, demonstrate that Jesus is created. The Jehovah’s Witness argument is that Jesus is speaking about how he was formed “before he created anything else.” Jesus was there at God’s side when He created everything.

To the Jehovah’s Witness, this fits perfectly with their view that Jesus was the first created “thing” and then God created everything else through Jesus.

There is only one problem with this reasoning – the subject of this passage is wisdom not Jesus.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their haste to project their theological view of Jesus into any text that might have words or phrases that trigger their theological bias, have erred in much the same way I, and others in my high school English class, so quickly attributed a wrong context to Robert Frost’s famous poem.

Solomon, the author of Proverbs, is using a literary device known as personification to explain and highlight the importance of wisdom.

There is nothing in the context to suggest that Wisdom is really Jesus. Actually, when you really look at this passage, you realize that the text cannot be referring to Jesus. Here are a couple of reasons why:

First, wisdom in this passage is identified as a female, whereas Jesus is male.

Secondly, if wisdom is an actual person, then “good judgment” must also be a person because wisdom lives with good judgment according to verse 12. If wisdom is really Jesus, then who is this “good judgment” character?

Lastly, if you know anything about the broader context of Proverbs, it is a collection of sayings and instruction regarding wise living. This is made clear at the very outset of the book:

The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings. ³Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair. ⁴These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people. (Proverbs 1:1-4, NLT – emphasis added)

Additionally, in this particular section of the book, Wisdom is personified as a female instructor. Proverbs 9 continues with this personified motif as Wisdom is contrasted with Folly, both of whom are given female personalities.

So if this passage isn’t speaking about Jesus, what is the point being made?

The point of this passage is summarized at the end, in verses 32-36, which state:

³²“And so, my children, listen to me, for happy are all who follow my ways. ³³Listen to my counsel and be wise. Don’t ignore it.

³⁴“Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! ³⁵For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the LORD. ³⁶But those who miss me have injured themselves. All who hate me love death.”

In short, the reader is encouraged to “listen to my counsel and be wise.”

In the end, the Jehovah’s Witnesses commit an error we call eisegesis, which occurs when one imports their own viewpoint or bias into the interpretation of the text. Good Bible interpretation will instead interpret the passage based on the plain meaning and the context while resisting the urge to make the passage say what the reader wants or hopes that it will say.

Reflection

The error of eisegesis, where one interprets a text in such a way that it fits with their pre-conceived views, is not just a problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses. People everywhere commit this error. What are some views you have that you are more apt to try to find the text to support? In other words, what are some ways you have, or are tempted to commit this error of eisegesis?

Why do you think the Jehovah’s Witnesses are so committed to their view that Jesus is a created being?

What are some of the benefits of wisdom according to this passage?

What do you think are some good Bible study habits and techniques that will help you to interpret passages correctly, without importing your personal views into the interpretation of the passage?

Photo by James Wheeler: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-pathway-surrounded-by-fir-trees-1578750/

February 17, 2025February 17, 2025

Can You Make the Bible an Idol?

Psalm 119

¹⁶I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

²⁰My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.

²⁴Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.

⁴⁰How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.

⁴³Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.

⁴⁷for I delight in your commands because I love them.

⁴⁸I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.

⁷⁰Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law.

⁷²The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

⁷⁷Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.

⁹²If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹⁷Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹¹¹Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹³I hate double-minded men, but I love your law.

¹¹⁹All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes.

¹²⁰My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.

¹²⁷Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold,

¹²⁹Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.

¹⁴⁰Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.

¹⁴³Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight.

¹⁵⁹See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.

¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood but I love your law.

¹⁶⁵Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁷I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly.

¹⁷⁴I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.

(Psalm 119 – selected verses, NLT)

NOTE: Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the entire Bible. I’ve included selected verses that reflect the content of this blog post

The Daily DAVEotional

A while back, I read a social media post from a person with a sizable following in which he exhorted people, “Don’t make the Bible an idol.”

My first thought was, “what does that even mean?”

Is it possible to make the Bible an idol? What would that even look like?

I immediately thought about this Psalm (119), which is the longest chapter in the entire Bible and is an extended discourse on the wonders and virtues of God’s word. I’ve written about this Psalm before in my post “The Endless Virtues of God’s Word.”

It’s well worth your time to read the entire Psalm but due to the sheer length of the text, I’ve only included selected verses that highlight the devotion, awe and love that the psalmist has for God’s word.

If ever someone might be accused of worshiping God’s Word and making it an idol, it would be the author of Psalm 119. Notice some of the language he uses to express his feelings about God’s laws, statutes and precepts.

Words like delight, love, long, hope, consumed, sweet, joy, precious and awe are all used to describe how the psalmist feels about God’s laws.

There is clearly a reverence and respect and a deep LOVE for God’s word. But does that equate to idol worship?

To answer that question, we need to understand what idol worship is.

I wrote in a previous blog post, “A Discourse on the Foolishness of Idols” that an idol can be thought of as a substitutionary object of trust. Instead of trusting in God as your deliverer, your provider, your protector, your source of life, your savior, etc, you transfer that trust to something or someone else.

But you can also think of an idol as anything that takes priority or precedence in your heart over God.

So how about this Psalmist? Is he guilty of idol worship? Is it possible to elevate the Bible to a position over God in our lives?

I suppose that if I were to worship the physical book of the Bible as if it were a deity itself, I could be accused of idol worship. But I don’t think that is what’s happening with the psalmist.

The word of the Lord – his law, precepts, ordinances and statutes – are all merely an extension of God Himself. They are not God, but they are a revelation of the character of the true God.

When the psalmist says he loves God’s law, and he delights in His word, he’s making a statement about God’s character. He’s acknowledging that God’s word is a source of revelation about God’s nature and in it, God has provided wisdom and instruction for righteous living.

God’s word tells us who He is and how we’re to live. The psalmist simply acknowledges these facts. Moreover, he’s speaking directly to God when he makes these statements. Therefore, the praise and adoration is directed toward God and not some inanimate scroll.

Think of it this way – let’s say you read a book that you really loved. Then one day you meet the author at a book signing. While you’re at the table, you go on and on about how much you loved the book. You share that the character development, plot lines and context were all relatable and engrossing. Do you think the author will be offended because you praised his/her work and not the author directly? No, the book is an extension of them and it is obvious to all that your praise is directed toward the author.

That is exactly what is happening in this psalm. The psalmist is simply recognizing that God’s laws and statutes are righteous and life-giving.

So why would this online social media influencer bark out that we should not make the Bible an idol? Why is this even a concern?

My desire to answer this question led me down an online rabbit hole. This particular influencer, and others who also warn that we should not make the Bible an idol, belongs to a strain of religious faith that is known as Progressive Christianity.

Progressive Christianity uses the word “Christianity” but it is hardly Christian. While they utilize the same language and reference the same characters as traditional Christianity, they redefine the meaning of words, concepts and even characters in order to suit their own theological preferences.

Progressive Christians occupy a broad spectrum of beliefs but there are some things that tend to be common among most who identify themselves as being a part of this camp.

Perhaps the hallmark value of Progressive Christianity is their view that God is always evolving. Hence, there is an emphasis on searching and questioning, while those claiming to know truth may be labeled as unenlightened or immature.

Progressive Christianity tends to be very ecumenical, embracing all faith religions and ideologies as equally valid and helpful. Loving others means you shouldn’t offend others by telling them that their beliefs might be wrong. Hence, Jesus has been recast from His role as exclusive Savior of the world to that of a moral teacher whose example we’re to follow.

Standing in contrast to Progressive Christianity is Orthodox Christianity, which teaches that God can be known because He has revealed Himself to us through His word and through the person of Jesus.

In addition, orthodox Christianity teaches that God is NOT evolving. He has laid out for us in His word what His standards are for living and because God doesn’t change, the standards and statutes set forth in His word apply to us today.

Perhaps you are starting to see the problem. If God doesn’t change, then that means His moral code and His rules for righteous living are not optional and must be obeyed today.

The Progressive Christian attempts to get around this by doubling down on the assertion that God IS evolving while adding the caveat that the Bible is not written by God.

Their claim is that the Bible we have is simply a record of writings by fallible men; they are NOT God’s spoken words. While the Bible may be helpful and inspiring, it is only a tool that you may choose to use; it is NOT authoritative for our lives. If the Bible lacks authority, then it logically follows that I don’t have to abide by all of its restrictive and antiquated rules and regulations.

This is where the rubber meets the road. For the evangelical (orthodox) believer, the Bible is authoritative, for it reveals God’s very nature to us and it contains His laws, statutes, precepts and ordinances for righteous living. This is what the psalmist was extolling in Psalm 119.

The Progressive Christian denies that God is the author of Scripture and so for anyone who believes in the authority of Scripture, they are told by the Progressive Christian, “Don’t make the Bible an idol.”

So you see that this whole argument is based on a completely different foundational view of God’s nature and how he reveals Himself to mankind. The Progressive Christian denies that the Bible is an authoritative tome that accurately reflects God’s nature and provides rules and guidance for living. To them, there are many other ways God may communicate to us apart from the Bible, including other faith traditions.

This denigration of the authority of Scripture allows the Progressive Christian to decide for himself which of the statutes in the Bible are valid for today and which ones aren’t. Conveniently, this allows the Progressive Christian to formulate a view of God that matches their preferences and proclivities exactly, which, strangely, is exactly the definition of forming an idol.

Amazingly, we’ve come full circle. The Progressive Christian tells us not to make the Bible an idol because doing so limits God and restricts our view of Him to how He is portrayed in Scripture.

Meanwhile, the Progressive Christian untethers themselves from the shackles of Biblical revelation of God as an immutable template for representing who God is, opting instead for the freedom to develop an image of God that is highly influenced by their own experiences and preferences.

Ironically, that sounds like idol worship to me.

To learn more about Progressive Christianity and what they believe, watch this 12 minute video from apologist Alisa Childers

Reflection

What is your view of the Bible? Do you see it as God’s word or a collection of writings written by fallible men?

What is the source of your information about God? How can you know if your view of God is accurate to who God really is rather than just an image you developed about Him that suits your preferences?

Do you think that the commands of the Bible are valid for people today or are they optional? What are the reasons for your position?

What has been your experience with Progressive Christianity? Do you think Progressive Christianity is compatible with traditional, orthodox Christianity? Why or why not?

Why do you think people opt for a Progressive version of Christianity instead of traditional, orthodox Christianity? What do you think are some of the main reasons and driving forces?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

February 9, 2025

Was it Genocide or Punishment?

Deuteronomy 18

⁹“When you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. ¹⁰For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, ¹¹or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. ¹²Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the LORD. It is because the other nations have done these things that the LORD your God will drive them out ahead of you. ¹³You must be blameless before the LORD your God. ¹⁴The people you are about to displace consult with sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the LORD your God forbids you to do such things. (Deuteronomy 18:9-14, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

I heard a speaker once ask the question, “if you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

The idea behind the question is that a lot of people who claim to be Christians don’t live like it.

I think there’s a similar question being asked within our culture about the God of the Old Testament. Is there enough evidence to prove He is God? I think the real question people are asking is, “does the God of the Old Testament measure up to my idea of God?”

For many, the answer is no, mostly because people cannot reconcile their view that God is all-loving with the commands in the Old Testament for the Israelites to wipe out the people dwelling in the land of Canaan.

I wrote about this topic recently in my post “Is the Old Testament God a Bloodthirsty, Genocidal Psychopath?” in which I argue that one of the main reasons people have difficulty with the God of the Old Testament is that they have a faulty or incomplete view of His nature. Sure God is loving. But that is not His only attribute. He’s also holy and righteous and just and infinitely good (to name just a few).

As a result, His command for the Israelites to expel the Canaanites from the land was not genocide, but divine punishment.

This passage in Deuteronomy is one of many that gives just a glimpse into the reprehensible atrocities and “detestable customs” of the Canaanites.

To say the Canaanites were wicked would be an understatement. But of course, that also depends on your definition and understanding of what is “wicked”. And that is part of the problem. Wickedness in our culture is so pervasive that we have a hard time indicting the Canaanites without indicting ourselves too.

The Canaanites not only practiced human sacrifice, with children no less, but they also engaged in sorcery, witchcraft and fortune-telling. Many of these practices have been so mainstreamed within our culture that we look at Canaanite culture as normal and innocent. Hence, we see God as the bad guy.

Sexually, the Canaanites practiced every sort of perversion you can imagine, including incest, bestiality, rape, and of course, homosexuality. But again, in a culture where anything goes sexually, our response is “what’s the big deal?”

This is the point Clay Jones makes in his well-researched article, “We Don’t Hate Sin So We Don’t Understand What Happened to the Canaanites” which can be found at his website: ClayJones.net. Jones utilizes extra-biblical texts from the ancient world to dive deeper into the Canaanites’ pagan practices. What he finds is much more disturbing than even the biblical texts portray.

Scripture is clear. God’s command to the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites from the land was not a whimsical command given to appease some genocidal proclivities. The Canaanites were wicked and their customs so depraved that justice was required. The Israelites were simply God’s tool for meting out that justice.

But make no mistake, God warned the Israelites that they too would be subject to the same just punishment as the Canaanites if they followed their customs.

This passage thus served not as a justification for God’s impending justice but a prophetic warning.

Reflection

What is. your view of God? How would you describe God’s character?

How would you define wickedness?

In what ways do you see our current culture mirroring or following some of the ancient Canaanite practices which God says were detestable?

How do you explain God’s command for the Israelites to expel the Canaanites to those who question His character?

Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-wooden-gavel-on-brown-wooden-table-6077326/

February 2, 2025April 27, 2025

What is Your Definition of Truth?

John 14

¹“Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. ²There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. ³When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. ⁴And you know where I am going and how to get there.”

⁵“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

(John 14:1-6, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

What is truth?

I think the best way of defining truth is “that which corresponds to reality.”

We live in a time and culture where many people are not too concerned with truth, especially as it relates to religious beliefs.

The predominant view regarding religion today is that of pluralism, the idea that there is no ONE right view or true religion. Most people think that whatever works best for you is good for you. If you think about it, this totally fits our postmodern culture.

Postmodernism is a reaction or a rejection to the philosophy of modernism, which is also known as naturalism. While naturalism emphasized logic and repeated observation and experience to arrive at truth (seen most notably in modern science and the scientific method), postmodernism emphasizes one’s own experience as the basis for truth.

Hence, for most people, there is not ONE truth, but there can be many truths, because truth is whatever your experience tells you it is.

Enter Jesus in John 14. Jesus is interacting with his disciples shortly before he is arrested and crucified. In preparing his disciples for what they will soon encounter with his death, resurrection and ascension, he tells them that he’s going to prepare a place for them. He also tells them that they know the way to get to where he’s going.

The disciples are confused. “We don’t know where you’re going….so how could we know how to get there?”

In typical fashion, the disciples are perplexed because Jesus is talking about a spiritual reality while the disciples are thinking only about the physical reality they’re currently in.

Jesus’ response to his disciples is profound and has far-reaching implications. He says:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Jesus uses three separate terms to describe himself:

I am the way – Jesus defines himself as THE way, not “a” way. In our diverse world of religious pluralism, Jesus does not describe himself as one alternative path among many. Jesus is not an option that suits some people while Buddha, Mohammad or Confucius might be more preferable for others. Jesus is not a preference. Jesus is THE option.

I am the truth – Jesus says that he is THE truth. If truth is that which corresponds to reality, then Jesus is saying that he is the ultimate reality. His life and His words accurately depict what is real. What this means is that Jesus’ words are not mere suggestions to consider. Instead, they are the basis of reality for everyone, not just those people who prefer Jesus over some other religious leader or humanistic ideology.

I am the life – Jesus also describes himself as THE LIFE. Jesus is not just a way to experience a better life as if he is a self-help guru. He is the source of all life itself. John says this about Jesus in the introductory words of his gospel:

He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. ⁴Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. (John 1:3-4, NLT)

Perhaps you have heard the analogy that getting to God is like a trek to the top of a mountain. While God is at the top, there are many routes that one might traverse in order to get to the top and reach God.

This analogy adequately illustrates what many believe today. God is whatever or however you might define him and your path to getting to him is whatever path you might choose to take.

Jesus stands in stark contrast to this way of thinking. God is not whatever or whomever you might want him to be. Making God out to be whoever you might prefer him to be is what the Bible calls idol worship and it’s an egregious sin. Israel’s engagement in idol worship is a main theme in the Old Testament and was the primary reason for their punishment and exile at the hands of foregien powers. (See my blog posts “Are You an Idol Worshiper” and “A Discourse on the Foolishness of Idols”).

Jesus says that if you want to get to God the Father, you MUST go through Him. Contrary to what our modern day religious pluralism says, Jesus IS the only way. Jesus can make that claim because He’s the only one who has made a valid payment for sin. No other religious leader or ideology even offers a solution to the problem of sin before a holy God. Jesus is the only one who does, and therefore, His claims are exclusive.

Christianity does not fit well in today’s religious pluralistic culture because it makes exclusive claims about God and salvation. Jesus himself claimed to be the ONLY way to God and this view was supported by his disciples and the New Testament writings (see my blog post “Is Christianity an Exclusive Religion?“)

We live in a pluralistic society and as a result, we’re tolerant of others and their views and beliefs. However, tolerance is not truth. Tolerance says that we respect the rights of others to hold views and beliefs that are different than ours. It doesn’t mean that we agree that their views are right. Truth is that which corresponds to reality. Jesus is truth. His words are truth. He is the only one who has paid the price for sin and therefore, He indeed is the only way to get to God.

Reflection

How would you define truth?

What is your response to those who say all religions are basically the same? How would you go about distinguishing Christianity from other religions and ideologies?

How do you respond to those who object to Christianity’s exclusive claims?

Do you think that Christianity is intolerant because it teaches that there is only ONE way to reach God? Why or why not? How do you define tolerance?

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

January 15, 2025January 15, 2025

Early Christianity and the Role of Women

Luke 24

¹But very early on Sunday morning the women came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ²They found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. ³So they went in, but they couldn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴They were puzzled, trying to think what could have happened to it. Suddenly, two men appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. ⁵The women were terrified and bowed low before them. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? ⁶He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead! Don’t you remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day?”

⁸Then they remembered that he had said this. ⁹So they rushed back to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. ¹⁰The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several others. They told the apostles what had happened, ¹¹but the story sounded like nonsense, so they didn’t believe it. ¹²However, Peter ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened. (Luke 24:1-12, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

In this last chapter of the gospel of Luke, the good doctor gives his account of the empty tomb.

It’s fascinating to consider some of the details of his account, which yields several interesting (at least to me) observations.

First of all, this chapter stands as a powerful defense against the argument that the resurrection is a fabricated event. For if the resurrection never happened, but you were determined to concoct a story for the purpose of gaining some kind of power and influence over others, you would never construct the story in such a way that the first people to discover the empty tomb were women.

The truth is that women in that culture did not have the same power, authority or voice to create the kind of instant credibility that would have been necessary to get people to believe your false narrative.

In other words, the most probable reason that Luke shares the details he does, in which a group of women are the first ones on the scene to discover the empty tomb, and in which these same women are the ones to deliver the message of Jesus’ resurrection to the eleven disciples, is because that is exactly how the events happened.

Secondly, the angel’s response to the women leads to an interesting conclusion about the role women played in the ministry of Jesus.

If you’re like me, you tend to think of Jesus roaming around teaching, preaching, healing and performing miracles among the masses, all with a small band of 12 men at his side.

The reality is that Jesus had a lot more than 12 men who followed him. More than that, the group of Jesus-followers was not exclusively men. The angel’s response confirms this. The angel questions the women:

“Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? ⁶He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead! Don’t you remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day?” (Luke 24:6, 7)

Did you catch that?

The angel reminds them of something Jesus had taught regarding his arrest, crucifixion and resurrection. Clearly, the women cannot be reminded of something UNLESS they were there when it was originally taught.

This just underscores an often overlooked detail of Jesus’ ministry and the make-up of his cast of followers. They weren’t all men! There were most assuredly women, some of whom are mentioned in this encounter with the angel at the empty tomb. In fact, not only were there a number of women among Jesus’ followers, but according to Luke 8:1-3, many of these women were supporting Jesus and his disciples through their own resources.

It’s easy for some to dismiss the validity and authority of Scripture because of a dissatisfaction with how women in the Ancient Near East culture were portrayed. However, there is no denying that Jesus substantially elevated the role and prominence of women relative to the culture of the time. Not only were women among some of His most devoted followers but it is women, not men, who initially discover the empty tomb and announce the resurrected Jesus to the rest of His followers.

Reflection

How would you go about defending the resurrection to someone who disputed it?

What do you think is the reason why women were the first ones to discover the empty tomb?

What are some of the issues in the Bible that challenge your belief that it is God-inspired?

What difference does it make to you to know that women were part of Jesus’ followers and were exposed to his teaching, healing and miracles, just as the 12 disciples were? In what ways does this change or impact your understanding of Jesus and the role women play in ministry?

Image by Ken Williams from Pixabay

January 10, 2025January 10, 2025

Can a Psalm Refute Buddhism?

Psalm 94

¹O LORD, the God to whom vengeance belongs,

O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice be seen!

²Arise, O judge of the earth.

Sentence the proud to the penalties they deserve.

³How long, O LORD?

How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?

⁴Hear their arrogance!

How these evildoers boast!

⁵They oppress your people, LORD,

hurting those you love.

⁶They kill widows and foreigners

and murder orphans.

⁷“The LORD isn’t looking,” they say,

“and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”

⁸Think again, you fools!

When will you finally catch on?

⁹Is the one who made your ears deaf?

Is the one who formed your eyes blind?

¹⁰He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you?

He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?

¹¹The LORD knows people’s thoughts,

that they are worthless!

¹²Happy are those whom you discipline, LORD,

and those whom you teach from your law.

¹³You give them relief from troubled times

until a pit is dug for the wicked.

¹⁴The LORD will not reject his people;

he will not abandon his own special possession.

¹⁵Judgment will come again for the righteous,

and those who are upright will have a reward.

¹⁶Who will protect me from the wicked?

Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

¹⁷Unless the LORD had helped me,

I would soon have died.

¹⁸I cried out, “I’m slipping!”

and your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.

¹⁹When doubts filled my mind,

your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

²⁰Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—

leaders who permit injustice by their laws?

²¹They attack the righteous

and condemn the innocent to death.

²²But the LORD is my fortress;

my God is a mighty rock where I can hide.

²³God will make the sins of evil people fall back upon them.

He will destroy them for their sins.

The LORD our God will destroy them.

(Psalm 94:1-23, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Psalm 94 is a cry and appeal to God for justice.

Apparently, there were evil people taking advantage of others and they appeared to be getting away with it.

Why is there no justice?

How long will we have to wait to see the wicked punished?

These are the questions the psalmist is asking.

Some things never change. We’re still asking those same questions today because there’s no doubt that evil still exists and that evil doers often seem to go unpunished.

There are two different ways of dealing with this perceived injustice:

The first way is to say God must not exist. This is the argument the atheist makes and it’s highlighted in verse 7:

⁷“The LORD isn’t looking,” they say,

“and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”

The atheist uses the reality of evil as a primary argument against the existence of God. I wrote about this in my blog post “Does the Existence of Evil Disprove God” based on Psalm 75.

The atheist’s line of reasoning goes something like this:

If God exists, He would care about evil and He would do something about it (presumably, He would eliminate it). Since evil still exists, either God doesn’t care OR He’s unaware of it. Either way, God must not exist.

Verse 7 focuses on the premise that God doesn’t care about evil or He’s unaware of it. The conclusion is that God must not exist.

The second approach to the fact that evil exists and evil doers often go unpunished is to recognize that God will deal with justice in His timing. This is the approach the psalmist takes:

He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you? (verse 10)

Judgment will come again for the righteous. (verse 15)

God will make the sins of evil people fall back upon them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them. (verse 23)

The psalmist is not happy that evil doers seem to go unpunished, but He does not so quickly conclude that God must not exist.

You may be saying to yourself, “this is all well and good, but what does this have to do with refuting Buddhism.”

That’s a good question. This psalm says nothing about Buddhism, which would not even come into existence as a religious ideology for another 500 years after the writer penned this psalm.

So what’s the connection?

In December of 2023, I read a post on X.com from Nancy Pearcey (@NancyRPearcey), who had made a benign post quoting a section from the book “The Rise of Christianity“ by Rodny Stark. The quoted section was highlighting how Christianity introduced a revolutionary new ethic of love that was unique amongst religious ideologies of the time.

A person replied to the post questioning the idea that Christianity came up with anything that new or revolutionary. The poster claimed that Buddhism, and other Eastern philosophies had been preaching universal love for centuries.

This sparked an exchange regarding some of the principles of Buddhism and how it fails as a religion and philosophy to adequately explain reality.

You can trace the whole exchange here (which I highly encourage), but the exchange connects with Psalm 94 in this way:

Pearcey was explaining that Buddhism, like any religion or philosophy, has to be evaluated on its ability to adequately explain reality.

The point was made that in Buddhism, ultimate reality is not a personal being but an impersonal essence or force. Because WE are personal beings, Buddhism has no way of adequately accounting for where humans came from.

This psalm actually refutes Buddhism in verse 9, which says:

Is the one who made your ears deaf? Is the one who formed your eyes blind?

The principle is that the creator must have the same capabilities as that which is created. How could something that could not hear or see create something with ears to hear and eyes to see?

Since we are personal beings, whoever, or whatever created us must also be personal. Since Buddhism does not teach or believe in a personal creator, it cannot adequately explain our existence. In the Buddhist system, an impersonal force or essence somehow produces humanity – personal beings. This defies logic.

The psalmist has no knowledge of Buddhism, which would not exist for another 500 years. But the psalmist is aware of the skeptics’ argument that denies God. He calls the skeptic a fool (verse 8) and offers up the simple apologetic proof for God’s existence in verse 9.

This one-verse proof demonstrates that God must be personal. And since Buddhism denies a personal creator, Psalm 94:9 actually refutes Buddhism.

Reflection

When thinking about the fact that evil exists and evil doers do not always face timely justice, which of the two approaches are you most likely to take – to deny God’s existence, or realize that justice will eventually come in God’s timing? Explain your choice.

What convinces you most that God exists?

How do you explain the existence of evil to those who are skeptical about the existence of God?

What is your reaction to Psalm 94:9 and the apologetic argument that because WE are personal beings, God must also be personal because the created thing cannot be greater than that which created it? Is this argument convincing to you? Why or why not?

Photo by RKTKN on Unsplash

May 7, 2024

What About Those Who’ve Never Heard of Jesus?

Romans 2

¹You may be saying, “What terrible people you have been talking about!” But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things. ²And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. ³Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them and not judge you when you do them, too? ⁴Don’t you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?

⁵But no, you won’t listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, ⁶will judge all people according to what they have done. ⁷He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. ⁸But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds. ⁹There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. ¹⁰But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. ¹¹For God does not show favoritism.

¹²God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God’s written law. And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law. ¹³For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God’s approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God’s sight. ¹⁴Even when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. ¹⁵They demonstrate that God’s law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right. ¹⁶The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life. This is my message. (Romans 2:1-16, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

One of the biggest criticisms against Christianity is its exclusive claims. Christianity claims that it is only through Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice that people can be reconciled to God and experience eternity in heaven.

The response many people have is “what about those who’ve never heard of Jesus?”

The people making this claim almost certainly HAVE heard of Jesus, so the question is almost always a smokescreen. In other words, the people asking this question aren’t typically concerned with the distant jungle tribes who have had no contact with modern civilization and hence would not have ever had the opportunity to know about Jesus.

This question usually comes from a person who is using it as a way to defend their worldview and life choices. If it can be demonstrated that the Christian message and method of salvation is faulty, then one can dismiss it and effectively ignore it.

So what about the person who has never heard of Jesus? Does this argument negate the Christian message of salvation through Christ alone?

On its surface, it doesn’t seem fair that someone who has never been exposed to the person of Jesus and the sacrifice He’s made on our behalf would be penalized at the Pearly gates for not having responded to an invitation that they were completely unaware of.

And yet, Paul, in these first few chapters of Romans, addresses this very issue. In Romans 1, Paul says that people are without excuse because God’s presence and power are plainly visible through general revelation that is available to everyone just by looking at creation. I wrote about this in a blog post entitled “Where Did that Ball Come From?” , where I outline the lengths that people go to dismiss God and attempt to eliminate Him from their lives.

Paul continues his argument that people are without excuse regarding the existence of God here in Romans 2.

In this chapter, Paul says that nobody is without excuse because EVERYONE sins.

But how do we know we sin?

Paul says that Jews know they are sinning because they have the Law which is a moral code given to them by God Himself through Moses. Whenever these moral guidelines are violated, it is sin, and according to God’s justice, it deserves to be punished.

But what about Gentiles? They never had the Law.

Notice that this is the exact same argument that was posed at the outset – what about those who have never heard of Jesus (or had the law)?

It’s true that Gentiles were not given the Law. Paul stipulates to this. There is no argument regarding this fact.

But Paul continues in verses 14 and 15, saying

Even when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. ¹⁵They demonstrate that God’s law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right.

Everyone has a conscience which tells us, generally speaking, that some things are right and other things are wrong. Paul’s argument is that a person’s conscience functions as a written code. Have you ever violated your own standards? Of course you have. Everyone has done things that they KNEW to be wrong. Hence, even if you didn’t have the Law that the Israelites did, if you’ve ever violated your own standards of what you thought was right and wrong, then you have sinned.

EVEN IF YOUR STANDARDS OF RIGHT AND WRONG ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE LAW SAYS.

This last statement is crucial because it demonstrates that no matter what your moral values are, if you are incapable of upholding them 100% of the time (and nobody is) it demonstrates that you are a sinner. You are broken and you are in need of help.

The message of the Bible is that no one is without excuse. All have sinned. And all are in need of a savior.

Those who recognize this problem in their own lives can appeal to God to save them. God will either lead them to Jesus or, by His grace, He will apply the sacrifice of Jesus to those who appeal to Him by faith, even if they weren’t aware of Jesus’ sacrifice specifically.

But God is under no obligation to reveal more truth about Jesus to those who have rejected the truth about God that has already been revealed.

Reflection

Have you ever done something that violated your conscience? What was the situation? What feelings and emotions did it produce? How did you respond?

Do you think it’s fair that the only way a person can be saved is through Jesus? How would you respond to someone who asks you what happens to the people who’ve never heard of Jesus?

What thoughts and feelings do you experience from Paul’s statement that “The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life.”?

Paul says, “there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done.” How do you reconcile God’s judgment with His divine attribute of love? Do you think it is a contradiction that God is love but also exercises judgment and punishment on people? Why or why not?

Photo by Dilara Albamya: https://www.pexels.com/photo/skull-with-dusk-on-tribal-hut-11239181/

March 31, 2024March 25, 2025

He is Risen….Why Does it Matter?

Mark 16

¹The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body. ²Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb. ³On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. ⁴But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone—a very large one—had already been rolled aside. ⁵So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, ⁶but the angel said, “Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. ⁷Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!” ⁸The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk. (Mark 16:1-6, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Today Christians around the world celebrate Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead. But what if Jesus never rose from the dead? Would it really matter?

Many years ago, when I was a new staff member with Cru, we decided to organize an outreach event that we called “Christianity on Trial.” It was a mock trial designed to present the evidence for the resurrection. The hope was to demonstrate that the resurrection isn’t some mythical, fairy tale, but that it was a real, historical event which is supported by a tremendous amount of evidence. Hence, it is rational to believe.

As we thought about how to advertise and promote this event, we had the idea to publicize it within the religious studies department. After all, it seemed logical that students in this major would be interested in an event that highlighted the climactic moment from the world’s largest religion.

We set up an appointment to meet with one of the religious studies professors, hoping that he might give a shout-out to our event and mention it to his students. If we were really lucky, he’d make our event an assignment for his students or maybe even offer extra credit for attending the event.

But when we met with the professor, who was also an ordained minister, his response to our event was not what I expected. I remember him commenting that he was not sure why we were bothering with our event. He said, “if archaeologists unearthed a body that had a toe tag that said ‘Jesus of Nazareth’, it would not change my faith one bit. My faith is not dependent on the resurrection at all.”

I was a bit surprised, as I had always thought that the Christian faith was centered around the resurrection. It seemed to me that if the resurrection never happened, then Christianity could not be true. But here was a professor, and an ordained minister to boot, telling me that it didn’t matter.

Was he right? Does it really matter? If Jesus never raised from the dead, would it really change Christianity? According to this professor, it wouldn’t change his faith, which was more rooted in the teachings and life example of Jesus. According to him, there was nothing special about a resurrection and therefore, it doesn’t really matter if it happened.

Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:16-19 said:

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. ¹⁸In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished! ¹⁹And if we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most miserable people in the world.

According to Paul, a resurrection-less faith is a useless faith because it means that our sins have not been forgiven and we are still under condemnation.

I’ve had hundreds of conversations with people regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus and I have often shared this illustration to emphasize the importance of the resurrection to the Christian faith.

Imagine that you owe someone a million dollars. You don’t have the money to pay them and so they tell you that you have 24 hours to pay the debt or else they are going to send some goons after you – and you’re not going to like what they may do to you.

You’re feeling kind of down when your friend comes along, notices your dejectedness and asks you what the problem is. After explaining your situation, your friend tells you that he wants to help. He pulls out his checkbook and writes you a check for $1 million dollars. He insists that you consider it a free gift and that you will not owe him anything. You gratefully accept his generous offer. You then you go and sign the check over to the guy to whom you owe the money. Here’s the question: Is your debt to that person now paid?

It depends. The debt will only be paid if the check is good. If there is enough money in the bank account, then the check will “clear” demonstrating that the check was valid. If there is not enough money in the account, then the check will “bounce”, showing that the check wasn’t good. Even though your friend had good intentions, the check is not good unless the money is there to cover the check.

Whenever you owe a debt you can’t pay, the only person who can help you is someone who has no debt and actually has the resources to cover your debt.

Now consider God. Everyone owes a debt to God. The debt is sin. The debt is so huge that you are unable to pay it yourself (because God is so righteous). The only person who can pay your debt of sin is someone who is sinless. The only person who can pay for everyone’s debt of sin is someone who is both sinless and infinitely righteous. By definition, only God is both sinless and infinitely righteous.

The Bible says that Jesus’ death accomplished several things, including securing forgiveness through His shed blood on the cross. I’ve written about this in my post “What Makes Good Friday ‘Good’?”

When Jesus rose from the dead, it demonstrated that He is God. Therefore, it also demonstrates that Jesus’ death actually pays for sin. It was a valid payment. Jesus’ resurrection was like the check “clearing” the bank, showing that a valid payment was made.

So on Good Friday, Jesus wrote the check that paid for sin and secured our forgiveness. Good Friday is indeed “good” because Jesus made a payment for sin.

But on Easter Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead, proving that He was indeed the Son of God by overcoming death. This proves that He was sinless and therefore His death was a valid payment for sin.

If Jesus did not raise from the dead then it means He was subject to the penalty of death Himself because of sin. This means that He was not sinless and therefore could not offer Himself up as a perfect substitute for the sins of the world. That means that His death was no different than any of the endless Old Testament sacrifices that were offered up daily as a means of atoning for sin.

Hence, if Jesus was not raised from the dead, our sin has NOT BEEN PAID FOR. We are NOT forgiven and we are still under condemnation. According to Paul, a Jesus who has not resurrected is a Jesus who is not able to save us.

This is why Pauls says in 1 Corinthians 15:19 that “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

If you need evidence to support the fact of the resurrection, check out my post “He is Risen Indeed!”

Reflection

In your opinion, what is the significance of the resurrection? Do you agree with the professor that it does not matter whether or not Jesus was actually raised from the dead? Why or why not?

If Jesus was not resurrected, how does that change the Christian faith?

What do you think are some reasons why people don’t believe in the resurrection? Why would someone deny it?

What do you think is the strongest evidence to support the resurrection?

Photo by Cody Hiscox on Unsplash