6th January, 2015
Hi, [“CP” and “D”],
Here now are my thoughts and comments on the book you gave us, “The Case for Jesus” by Lee Strobel .
The book is interesting and even appealing, a good material for evangelism but still a marketing strategy for inviting people to join Christianity as in this case.
The persons interviewed are mostly—
- scholars
- authorities on Christianity,
- professors of theology and biblical Christianity,
- pastors
- and leaders in Christian churches.
All of one “religious faith.” Of course “biased”.
The evidences and eyewitnesses are mostly, if not all, FOR the defense. I do not see anyone presented AGAINST or I would say for the prosecutor. Anyway its still the judge or jury who would decide or the one who would hand down the verdict.
The author himself stated, and I quote,
“Ultimately it’s the responsibility of jurors to reach a verdict.
That doesn’t mean that they have one-hundred-percent certainty,
because we can’t have absolute proof about anything in life.
In a trial, jurors are asked to weigh the evidence
and come to the best possible conclusion.”
Conversion testimonies – life changing experiences.
Life changing experiences are the most common anecdotes resorted to in evangelism to show proof that the ‘new found faith’ is real, and tangible. And, certainly I could relate to this as I was there also before. The night you invited us to an evangelistic crusade, the message I heard was about a poor man called Bartimaeus from the gospel of Mark. Somehow the message appealed to me because my life then was so “messed up.” I felt lost, nowhere to go, helpless. The only people concerned about me were my creditors.
The message gave me hope. And, you and D showed us your love and your concern. It changed my life.
Looking back, what changed me was the stronger desire – the love I have for my wife and my children. It was your love that you gave us and your life that you shared with us. It was not the messenger but the message that you expressed so vividly from your own lives. And the message came from the writer or author Himself through you and not from the messenger. More often than not its the messenger that gets the credit, not the writer or author.
We are so personality-oriented than source-oriented; brand name rather than manufacturer. It is the same with every religion that puts too much weight on the life-changing personal experiences because of the ‘person’, the ‘object of their faith’, rather than on the truth of their doctrinal stand. Again it is about the person not about the message. Of course I am referring to the One and the only source of life, God. But still a good “selling point” or a “good marketing strategy.”
Think about this: if there is only one True God according to the Torah, why does He allow all these “religions” to flourish which are worshipping more than one god or many gods?
Deuteronomy 4: 27-29 tells us that God told His people that He will scatter them among the peoples (nations), and there serve other gods.
“But from there you will seek the Lord your God,
and you will find Him
if you search for Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Deuteronomy 13:1-4, tells us that He even allows prophets or dreamer of dreams to give you signs and wonders to come true and produce miracles.
“The Lord your God is testing you
to find out if you love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your mind.” (vs 3).
So, if it is YHVH, the God of the Torah, you must follow, keep and obey His commandments, and Him alone you must worship and serve.
Life changing experience is a test from God whether you love Him or not. A test to allow us to make a choice, an expression of ‘free will’ which God has given man from creation. It is man’s domain where God will never intervene. This is why God raised prophets and were given the power to preach repentance to those who do not want to hear the message and warn them of God’s wrath for disobedience. Committing a sin is an individual decision alone.
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 says:
“I have set before you today, life and death, good and evil,
and command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways,
and to keep His commandments, His statutes, His judgments,
that you may live and multiply;
and the Lord your God will bless you.
But if your heart turns away and you will not obey,
but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them,
I declare to you today that you shall surely perish and shall not prolong your days.
I will call heaven and earth to witness against you today
that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.
So, choose life in order that you may live.”
God allows man to choose what is right or wrong, good and evil. Freedom of choice or freewill. To commit sin is a choice. Does it violate the law of God or does it not? Without choice how would you know? No choice, no wrong.
All these however leads to one, and one thing only: If you believe in God, who is your God?
God’s (YHVH) blessings on you and your loved ones.
VAN & BAN
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