What's Missing?

My name is Daniel, and I am writing to find out a little more about the Christian Faith. So before the questions, a little bit of background.

I have had an interest in Christianity for 6 or 7 years. During that time I have had many conversations with Christians, read a few books about Christianity, attended church on and off, and had some interesting email exchanges. For a period of about 5 months at the end of 2004 I considered myself to be a Christian, but since then have become increasingly skeptical. However, I believe that the answer to the question of who Jesus was has such enormous ramifications that it would be foolhardy for me to ever stop inquiring. I live in Australia, am 25 years old, middle class, and consider myself to be an open minded atheist (an oxymoron in some of your eyes no doubt!).

Enough about me, please find below a number of questions that I would love to hear some different opinions on. If you are too busy to answer all of them, no worries - I ask that you would either answer the first three, or forward this email to a regular at your church who may have a bit more time on their hands. If there are a few people at your church who would be interested in responding, that would be fine also.

I am writing purely for my own interest and education.

Kind Regards, Dan


Hi Dan,

I'll see if I can answer some of your questions:

1. Why should I dedicate my life to Jesus Christ?

Because Jesus is Lord, he offers life, joy, peace, and hope. And because he is Lord, the alternative to submission isn't good. It really isn't a choice on your part. Jesus is Lord. That means you either serve him with your whole life, or you don't. You do choose that. But life is not centered on you, it is centered on him. Everything revolves around him. Everything either serves him or it does not. But the fact that Jesus is Lord means that he gets it his way, no matter what we do.

On the up side, he is a benevolent God. He defines love, and goodness, and truth, and beauty. He gives true life. He laid down his life on our behalf because he loves us. He is Lord, but he isn't a stern Lord except to those who don't and won't submit themselves to him. Rebels don't believe that he is good, but those who serve him are blessed in everything they do--because he knows them and he cares for them.

So, don't ask this question like your dedication will be doing God a favor, he is Lord. The whole attitude is one of a great blessing to you, if you finally give up the struggle for your own autonomy and finally bow the knee to the only one who is worthy of you worship.

2. How do you know that Jesus was who you think he was?

Nothing in life makes any sense or fits or is consistent apart from the knowledge that Jesus is Lord and the Bible is true. If it is not, we have no hope in the world. But we do have hope and everything that happens in the world is described perfectly in the Bible. There is nothing in life that does not fit.

3. What are the top 5 books (excluding the Bible) concerning Christianity that you would suggest I read?

What's wrong with the Bible? You should read that too. Start with the Gospel of John and just keep reading.
Apart from the Bible, I suggest these five to get you started.

The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe by Lewis
Persuasions by Wilson
Mere Christianity by Lewis
The Pilgrim's Regress by Lewis
Defense of the Faith by Van Til

4. What do you believe about the power of prayer?
There is no power in prayer. The power is in the God who you are praying to. God love his people. We know this because he sent his son to die in our place. But we also know that one who loves will do whatever the loved one asks for, if it is for his ultimate good. So, I know that God loves me, he constantly pours out his blessings on me and my family, and he does what I ask for when it is in accord with what he wants to do in the larger scheme of things--things I don't know about.

5. What do you think the phrase "faith in Jesus Christ" means?

The word faith is a word we translate from a Greek word that also is translated as belief and trust. So when I say I have faith in Jesus Christ it means that I believe that he is Lord of lords and King of kings. It means that I have entrusted my eternal life to him because of who he is and because of who I'm not. I look at the past and see the pattern of God's hand on it and I believe that he has a grand plan and I give myself to him: lock, stock and barrel because he is trustworthy. I believe that he is Lord and I am not.

6. In what sense are The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit the same, and in what sense are they different?

They are one God and thus they share attributes and characteristics with one another. They differ in their role with regard to creation. The Father speaks, the Son creates, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a huge topic and this is only a very very rudimentary statement. If you want to read some more you might read The Doctrine of God by John Frame.

7. Do you believe that it takes as much faith to be an atheist as it does to be a Christian?
I don't believe that faith is something that you can measure. It isn't a substance. A person, Christian or not, trusts in something for his life. That trust is faith. I believe the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is essentially who they will serve. It isn't about evidence or about truth, or knowledge or about anything other than who gets to be in charge. If it were really about any of these things, everyone would obviously be a Christian. There is nothing in science or creation that points to anything other than God's existence, but more than that, everything points to the God of Christianity. If folks could divorce the evidence from the obvious ramifications of the evidence, no one would deny the truth of Christianity. But the ramification is that if Christianity is true, we have to stop serving and loving ourselves and pour ourselves into the service of God Almighty. And we're back to where we started--who are you going to serve: the Lord Jesus Christ or yourself?

8. Do you think that a belief in evolution is irreconcilable with a faith in Christ?

Ultimately, yes. I think Christians, those who have faith in Christ, can be confused and wrong about evolution, but really, when you get right down to it Evolution is a competing world system with the God of the Bible. So as a person truly gives himself over to Jesus the Lord, he will distance himself from the silliness of evolution in favor of the God who is the Creator.

9. Is there anything else you would like to share concerning your religious beliefs?

When you go to the pool there are a couple of ways to get in: you can just jump in, or you can slide in really really slowly with the intent of getting used to the water as you slide. This is sort of like that. The problem is that the water is ice cold and sliding in is virtually impossible. The only way to get into really cold water is to just jump in. Sometimes events on the shore make jumping in, even into icy water, seem much more plausible. For instance, if you're in a forest that is on fire, jumping into ice water is a much easier choice.

But suppose there was no forest fire and you only thought the water was icy. There are plenty of folks already in the water who are saying, "Come on in, the water's fine." But you are convinced the water is really cold and they are all just trying to joke with you. They will all laugh when you hit the water and your hearts stops for a second and you turn into a bright blue smerf. But what if they aren't? What if the water is really a nice warm 87 degrees? What if it is so clear that you can see forever and the sights down there are wonderful and beautiful?

Becoming a Christian is a lot like that. The Bible says come to Jesus. Lay down your life and take up his. Your burdens are heavy and his is light. Let him take yours and you take his. He'll lift you up and take you to the throne room of God where you will join inumerable saints worshiping the God who loves you.

Normally God has to cause events and situations in a non-believer's life to be so bad that not being a Christian is impossible to maintain (the forest fire). When you life is so awful that giving yourself over the Christ is the only way to turn, then you will come. The issue is really, down deep in your soul: who will be Lord? You are Jesus? That is the core issue. Is Jesus Lord? Then serve him. If you are lord, then keep on making things up to try to justify the terrible things going on in and around your life. You aren't God and you can't run the universe--even your own universe. So I urge you, before your life gets so bad there isn't anywhere else to turn, while there is still opportunity to turn, turn to Christ the author, creator and keeper of your soul.

I hope this helps,