Beatitudes

Objection: I believe that Jesus was just a prophet or a good man, but not God.

Answer: Jesus didn't leave this option open, because He claimed to be God. This would make Him either a liar, lunatic or Lord. There are no other possibilities.

Objection: I'm a good person and live a good life.

Answer: Being good won't even help as Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." By man's standards there are many people who are basically good. But by God's perfect standards not one person is good enough to merit heaven. Only Jesus Christ lived the perfect life and kept the perfect standard. That is why we need Jesus as our Savior.

Objection: I've got to get my life straightened out first.

Answer: You can't straighten your life out, only God can do that after you've given your life to Christ. God wants you to have a repentant heart and call on Him to save you and help change you. Luke 5:32 "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners, to repentance." Don't put the cart before the horse.

7. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9

Peace is something that that this world does not know. Because of the fall of man, and the resulting sin nature of man, true peace is something that escapes every person. It is only when a person comes to Christ that peace enters the heart of man. Romans 5:1,2 states "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." Man cannot find peace apart from God. One result of the new birth experience is a desire to help bring peace to others. The role that the Christian plays in proclaiming the Gospel is that of a peacemaker. He leads men and women to Christ who came to restore the broken relationship between man and God. When one turns to Christ as His personal Lord and Savior, He then experiences the true peace that only God can give.

The great reward for the peacemaker is that he shall be called a son of God. God's children are going to exhibit the character of their Heavenly Father since the Prince of Peace rules in their hearts.

8. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10

A believer growing in Christ likeness will reflect the light of Christ. However, the world loves darkness instead of light. John 3:19-21 states "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God".

The more we become like Jesus in our walk, the more the world will hate us. Jesus said "If they persecuted me, they'll persecute you also(John 15:20). The presence of Jesus has an effect of bringing conviction on the sinner and condemnation on the self-righteous. The Pharisees could not bear to have Jesus around because He exposed their deeds as evil.

As this world grows darker, it will increase in it's hatred for God and His people. Many today are being martyred for their faith in Christ. As the end of this age draws near, we can expect greater and more frequent persecutions worldwide. But even in the midst of suffering, a believer can rejoice because he knows that the Kingdom of God has been given to him. A glorious reward will be waiting for those who stand firm to the end. We may end up losing everything in this life, but there is nothing that can compare with what we will receive in eternity.

So as we walk through this life may our eyes be focused on the Jesus who transforms us daily into His image. Let us seek to know Him more intimately, to love Him more dearly, and to lovingly obey Him. As we abide in Him, we will find ourselves bearing fruit for His Kingdom and walking in the Christ like character that brings glory to God.

Objection: I believe in another religion. Aren't all religions a way to get to God?

Answer: No religion can save you. Only faith in the person of Jesus Christ as God and Savior can save you. All religion teaches that man earns his way to heaven by his good works. That's not Christianity! Christianity is God reconciling and connecting man to Himself by His own work on the cross. Salvation is a free gift and not by works. Ephesians 2:8,9. Christ proved He was God by His resurrection from the dead(1 Corinthians 15:3-7). All other religious founders are dead(or will die). Therefore, Jesus Christ is unique, and has demonstrated power to give eternal life to those who will believe.

Objection: I don't believe in hell.

Answer: Your belief doesn't determine reality or truth. Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone. He showed us that it would be better to have never been born, than to die and go to hell. A person may not believe in electricity because he can't see it, but it doesn't change the reality of its existence.

Objection: I go to church and have even been baptized.

Answer: Going to church and being baptized or confirmed doesn't make you anymore a Christian than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger. Going to church or being baptized cannot save you. To be saved you must repent and turn to Christ and trust in Him as your personal Lord and Savior. Would you like to open your heart and invite Him to come into your life today?

Objection: That is your truth but not mine. All truth is relative and there are no absolutes.

Answer: Two opposing mutually exclusive statements cannot both be true. Example: The Bible says Jesus is God-the Koran says that He is not but is only a prophet. Both statements cannot be true. One is true while the other is false. If he still insists that there are no absolutes ask him if he is absolutely sure about that. He may see his own contradiction in his reasoning.

Objection: I believe in Evolution not in Creation

Answer: Evolution depends on random chance to produce order. Many will tell you that life was produced by chance. Don't let them get away with that statement. Chance is only a mathematical probability ex. flipping a coin - probability of heads or tails is 50/50. But chance has no power to produce anything on its own.

-- Something never develops out of nothing

--Science proves the law of cause and effect

--Wherever there is an effect there is a cause

--Wherever there is a design there is a designer

--Wherever there is creation there's a creator

--Something would have had to cause the Big Bang-that something is God.

The II Law of Thermodynamics- everything in the universe is running down. The usable amount of energy is being depleted and everything is breaking down going from order to disorder. Theory of evolution violates this law of science and physics.

No fossil evidence of evolution of one species changing into another. (ex.) fish changing into a bird.

Nature would destroy any freak species. (ex.) a fish with no fins or a bird with no wings.

Evolution and development of the eye (95% of an eye = 0 sight) No sight, No survival

Natural formation vs. intelligent design (ex.) Grand Canyon vs. Mt. Rushmore

Probability dismisses the credibility of evolution. Do you believe that a tornado could hit a scrap metal junk yard and create a 747 jet airplane by chance? It's obvious that there is an intelligent design in the universe coming from an intelligent creator.

Objection: I don't believe the Bible is the Word of God. It's just a book of manmade ideas.

Answer: The evidence for the Bible being the true Word of God is overwhelming. All aspects of evidence such as historical, manuscriptual, archaeological, and prophetical show us that the Bible is 100% unique and inspired of God.

Dr. Simon Greenleaf famous Royall Professor of Harvard who established the rules of evidence in a court of Law and one of the world's greatest legal minds concluded that the resurrection of Christ was one of the best supported events in history, according to the laws of evidence administered in a court of justice.

Professor of mathematical science, Peter Stoner of Westmont College did a statistical analysis of various Bible prophecies that have been fulfilled. There are over 300 prophecies regarding Jesus Christ from the Old Testament that have been fulfilled with 100% accuracy. He stated that the probability of only 8 specific prophecies that he studied of coming true by chance would be 1 in 10 to the 17th power. To illustrate; Cover the entire State of Texas 2 feet deep in silver dollars, mark one with an x, stir them all up and ask a blind man to pick up only one silver dollar anywhere in the State that he wished. He would have the same chance of picking up the coin marked with the x as only 8 Bible prophecies coming true by chance. He then concluded that the chance of 48 prophecies happening by chance is one in 10 the the 147th power. Remember, there are over 300 prophecies fulfilled in Christ alone not to mention hundreds of others that have been fulfilled. If you'd like to check into this in more detail I encourage you to read a best selling book by a former agnostic, Josh McDowell. It is called "Evidence That Demands a Verdict".

Objection: I can't live the Christian life!

Answer: Your right and neither can I. But through the new birth God will give you the power to live a new life. You must simply repent and open the door of your heart and invite Him to come in and take control of your life. He will then give you a new heart with new desires and empower you by the Holy Spirit to live a new life.

Objection: What about people who have never heard about Jesus Christ? Do they go to hell?

Answer: Every person has been given a certain amount of light regarding the existence of God. Romans 1:20 states, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. If a person responds to the light that they have been given, they will be given more light. 1 Chronicles 28:9 says "If you seek Him, He will be found by you". We can know that God is perfectly just in all of His judgments and ways. The Bible is very clear about those who know of forgiveness through Christ, but don't accept Him. Will you accept His free gift of forgiveness and payment for your sins?

Objection: There are many Christians that are hypocrites. I don't want any part of that!

Answer: Your right! Some Christians do act phony. But just because there are quacks doesn't prevent you from seeing a doctor, or because there have been counterfeit bills produced doesn't mean that you throw away all your money. Everyone has sinned, including Christians. That's why we need a Savior, Jesus Christ.

Objection: I love God, but I just don't want Jesus

Answer: 1 John 5:11,12 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." Jesus Christ is the only way to God. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:5,6).

Remember, the purpose of answering these questions is not for the purpose of winning an argument and to prove the other person wrong. The goal is to share the truth with them in love so that the Holy Spirit can use your answers to open their minds and hearts. The goal is that the person comes to know Christ and receive the gift of eternal life.