Women of God

A lot of people bring a charge against Christianity as being anti-female. They say that it oppresses women and denies them rights and so forth. But, the truth is that Christianity is one of the most freeing beliefs one can have. Christianity is the only religion where you cannot work your way into heaven. All others require money, services, and constant rituals. Christianity, on the other hand, requires only belief and trust in God, and asking Him into your heart (Romans 10:9). Women are granted the same salvation, blessing and honor that men have.

Before Adam and Eve sinned, man and woman were to rule together as one, but after they sinned they each received punishment. Eve's punishment was increased pain in childbirth and to be ruled by her husband. Adam's punishment was death itself and the corruption of this world.


In the New Testament, God commands women to love honor and obey their husbands, but men are commanded to give up everything for their wives—including their lives. Think about it. If every man did his part, why would a woman have any reason not to trust her husband? What better way to know what she wants and needs than to ask her? In this way both husband and wife could be as one. He, doing everything for her like loving, caring, protecting, sacrificing and providing. She, loving, honoring and trusting. Where is the oppression?


Sadly though, many men don't follow God's command. It's because of them that this charge has been brought against Christianity. But lets look further at what God has said.

MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Genesis 1:27).


"Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created" (Genesis 5:2).


It is interesting to note that God called both male and female, "Adam" in the day they were created. Adam means "man." Adam and Eve were created with God-ordained differences from each other, but together they made a full "man," or a complete picture of God Himself. There was perfection in their union. Their differences were not a source of discord or inequality, but a beautiful compliment to each other. Together, God gave them the task of overseeing and ruling His creation



"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:28).


Notice that God gave the above commission to them both. There is no hint that there was anything but equal authority between man and woman as they existed in a sinless state. What changed things? In the next few chapters of Genesis, we find that sin entered the heart of Adam and Eve. The result was a curse placed upon both man and woman, which would affect the whole earth.


When Eve ate the forbidden fruit and enticed Adam to sin with her, one of the consequences for women was the loss of equality with men, as men were to rule over women, instead of men and women ruling together. She would now be "ruled by her husband."


However, once we are born into the kingdom of God, we become new creatures in Christ. In the Spirit, we find there is "neither male nor female," just as there are no race distinctions nor class separations. The Lord looks on the hearts of His new creatures and therefore does not discriminate when He offers His love and privileges. Women are not excluded from any of God's promises nor callings merely because of their sex.


Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."


GOD'S MASCULINE AND FEMININE TRAITS

As we stated above, the command to have dominion over and subdue the earth was given to both Adam and Eve. They were both to rule and reign over the Lord's creation. The very act of subduing something requires authority, aggressiveness and leadership, as well as humility, tenderness, patience, and the ability to respect the intrinsic value of what we are ruling. Most of all, it requires love.


Within God's own nature we find these same qualities. Both men and women are to become like Him as we are conformed to His image. Since this is true, there are times that under the unction of the Holy Spirit a woman should assert herself boldly. (This assertion, however, should not necessarily be toward others, but rather toward the enemy, Satan!) For men and women to become overcomers they must have this boldness and authority over the devil. God still desires that His people rule and reign with Him. His intention is to qualify us for that position, whether we be male or female. "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (Revelation 1:6).


Even though "kings" is a masculine term, this is the ultimate destination He desires for all of His people. The Lord often uses both male and female terms to refer to both sexes. Women are to live in the "hidden man of the heart" (1 Peter 3:4). Both men and women in the church are referred to as "the bride of Christ." God has both a masculine and feminine nature. The mother heart of Jesus was evident as he prayed over Jerusalem.


"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37).


God has other feminine traits like compassionate nursing (Isaiah 49:15), motherly comfort (Isaiah 66:13) and carrying an infant (Isaiah 46:3). Nearly all Christians admit that (1) God is not literally male, since he has no biological body, and (2) women are not essentially inferior to men. The masculine pronoun safeguards (1) the transcendence of God against the illusion that nature is born from God as a mother rather than created and (2) the grace of God against the illusion that we can somehow save ourselves—two illusions ubiquitous and inevitable in the history of religion.


Submission is considered to be a feminine trait. However, Jesus submitted to the cross under the direction of the Father. If we walk in the Spirit, we too will possess both the masculine aggressiveness and feminine submissiveness of God.


Both submissiveness and aggressiveness are God-given strengths. Yet, both can be perverted, so that we become submissive and aggressive in the wrong ways, with the wrong attitudes. Because these qualities are so misused and misunderstood by the world, they have become distasteful and despised. If aggression is frowned upon, submission is viewed in an even more negative light in western culture. We equate submission with weakness and lack of spirit. Nothing could be further from the truth. There was never a human being more submitted to God than Jesus Christ-- yet never was there one as completely resistant to the system of the world! It took extraordinary submissiveness and aggression for Jesus to overcome the world. For the Christian, whether we are male or female, He is our model. We are to possess His qualities and use them according to the needs around us.

LIES ABOUT SUBMISSION


Satan wants to divide the sexes and trick us into disobeying God. He wants to destroy humanity. By ignoring God's law and attempting to rid ourselves of any restrictions we are doing more harm than good. We give our children rules so they don't hurt themselves, but they might not understand the need. They complain and fight, but we know they need it. God is our Heavenly father and knows we need rules as well. We complain and fight them just as much, but they are for our own good.


Nancy Leigh DeMoss, in her book Lies Women Believe, gives us four common lies Satan has put into our culture as an attempt to deceive people about the truth of God, the Bible and Christianity.

“'The wife is inferior to her husband.' The Scripture teaches that both the man and the woman are created in the image of God, both have equal value before God, and both are privileged to be subjects of His redeeming grace, through repentance and faith (Genesis 1:27; Galatians 3:28; 1 Peter 3:7). The responsibility of a wife to submit to her husband's authority does not make her any less valuable or significant than her husband.

'As head of his wife, the husband is permitted to be harsh or dictatorial with his wife.' Husbands are commanded to love their wives as they love themselves, in the same selfless, sacrificing, serving way that the Lord Jesus loved His church and laid down His life for it (Ephesians 5:25-29).

' The wife is not to input or express her opinions to her husband.' God created the woman to be a “helper suitable” to her husband. That means he needs her help. He needs the input and insight she is able to bring to various situations. It also means that once a wife has graciously and humbly expressed her heart on a matter, if her husband chooses to act contrary to her counsel, she must be willing to trust God with the consequences of her husband's decision.

These lies and others like them are why some charge Christianity with oppression,

PROMINANT WOMEN OF GOD

Although we have laid a biblical foundation for "neither male nor female" in Christ, certain verses in the New Testament still seem to ban women from ministry positions in the church. Let's examine these verses for the true interpretation.

"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law" (1 Corinthians 14:34).

"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:11-12).

In these verses, Paul is not addressing women who were in the ministry, but rather those in the congregation who were out of order. Here is a partial list of women who were all in influential positions of leadership in the early church.

Pheobe (Romans 16:1-2): This woman was a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea, who was beloved of Paul and many other Christians for the help she gave to them. She filled an important position of leadership. It would be a difficult stretch of the imagination to say that this woman fulfilled her duties without ever speaking in the church!

Priscilla (Acts 18:26): Priscilla and her husband Aquila are often mentioned with great respect by Paul.

Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3): Here we see reference to two women who were "true yokefellow" and who labored with Paul in the advancement of the gospel.

Junia (Romans 16:7): In this verse we see Paul sending greetings to Andronicus and Junia, his "fellow-prisoners" who are of note among the apostles. Junia is a woman's name. No church commentator earlier than the Middle Ages questioned that Junia was both a woman and an apostle.

Though there were other women throughout the Bible in positions of leadership, such as prophetesses, evangelists, judges, leaders, etc., the above references should be enough to establish that women were indeed a vital and normal part of church leadership. However, these women were not in a position of absolute authority over the men, it is possible that men would have sought their advice and counsel.

With all this in mind, what then do we make of the troubling verses that command women to be silent in the churches? First of all, we must interpret those verses in light of what we have just established--that there were women in leadership positions of the church. Obviously, Paul is not writing to them. He is must be addressing another issue entirely--the women who were loud and unruly during the service, causing disorder and confusion..

When he wrote the Corinthians, he was dealing with a church that was very disorderly in their services. Much of the letter was spent correcting excesses and abuses. Some of these pertained to women in particular and some were to the entire church. Paul is not being prejudiced against women when he instructs the Corinthian women to keep silence. In the early church the seating arrangement was quite different from our modern day churches. Men were seated on one side of the church while the women and children were seated on the opposite side. This is still practiced in many cultures today.

The women of Christ's day were generally uneducated and usually only the men were privileged with an education. Due to this situation, when the church met the women were tempted to shout across the room and ask their husbands the meaning of whatever was being taught. This disturbed the service. Paul was simply saying during the service, "Women, keep your children quiet and you be quiet, and if you have anything to ask your husbands, wait until you get home." Because of the new equality that Christianity brought to women, it could be that some of them were taking their freedom too far, to the point of being obnoxious.

When Paul wrote to Timothy, he gave him a similar directive. Again, it is important to understand the context in which the letter was written. In I Timothy, a careful reader becomes aware that many severe heresies and false teachings that were being dealt with. We can draw a conclusion here that many of the proponents and victims of the false teachings were women. Timothy pastored in Ephesus, and it has been suggested that goddess worship might have played a large part in Paul dealing so severely with the women. Ephesus was a primary center of the worship of Diana or Artemis. The heresies being taught might have suggested that women were authoritative over men and had higher access to spiritual knowledge than men did.

WHAT EARLY CHURCH LEADERS THOUGHT

John Chrysostom (344-407 AD), “This is the chief point of all that is good in a household: 'that a man and his wife agree together.' For where this exists, there will be nothing that is unpleasant.
Homilies on Titus (In epistulam ad Titum), TLG 2062.166

Tertullian of Carthage (155-230 AD), “But he who is both the head of the man and the beauty of the woman, the husband of the church, Christ Jesus, what sort of crown did he put on, for both male and female? A crown of thorns!” On The Crown 5.14, Cetedoc 0021

Hilary of Arles (401-449 AD), “The head can easily corrupt the members of the body, but Peter addresses himself to the latter first, lest it be thought that the lesser might somehow despise the greater. But then he goes on to exhort the greater to treat the lesser members properly. This means, fist, husbands must respect the times set aside for prayer and fasting and not demand their marital rights if these are going to be a distraction from other things. Second, men must accept that they are stronger than their wives and therefore have a duty to protect them. Third, both parties are heirs of eternal life which God gives by grace, not by any merit which we may posses, and we do well to remember that 'it depends not on man's will or exertion, but on God's mercy.'” Introductory Commentary on I Peter. Cetedoc 0508.

Theodoret of Cyr (393-466 AD), “ Human laws demand that woman be chaste and if they are not they are punished for it, but they do not demand the same from men. Since it was men who made the laws, they did not make themselves equal with women but allowed themselves extra indulgence. The holy apostle, however, inspired by divine grace, was the first one who made the law of chastity apply to men as well.” Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 201, TLG 4089.030

John Chrysostom (344-407 AD), “Having talked about [women being] the glory of the man, Paul now reestablishes the balance so as not to exalt the man beyond what is his due nor to oppress the woman. In the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman....Each one of the two is the cause of the other, God being the cause of all.” Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians 26.5, TLG 2062.156

CONCLUSION

According to the Bible, women are a gift from God, and the last act of creation. If someone gives you an expensive vase, do you throw it away in the corner? No, you cherish it and protect it. This is the way the Bible and Christianity has treated women. God trusted women with the responsibility of caring for new life not men. Jesus was born from a woman, God could easily of just made him out of nothing. Women were the first to see the risen Christ.

The only restriction given to women in the church is that they cannot be authoritative over men. In the secular world, society will always make its own laws. Some will be biblical, some not. My only concern here is what matters to God.

The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. (Deuteronomy 6:24-25)

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

Forgiveness

Normally I love a good challenge. I love to push myself to the edge, to see how far I can go. To test my skills and learn new ones. I've worked in a busy cafeteria burning myself constantly and dealing with horrible customers and conditions. Cleaning up the most disgusting filth you can ever imagine. I drive 60 miles to college every day, there and back. I deal with traffic, weather, construction, fatigue and cramping muscles. I know what it's like to ration food because I didn't know when I'd eat again. I have slept in my car in strange cities. I had a wheel fall off in he middle of the desert and had to wait 6 hours for help. I had my car explode in the middle of the freeway. I go camping once a month and have dealt with intense survival situations. I've slept in cabins, caves, mines shafts, in vehicles, under vehicles, in the woods, in the mountains and in the desert.

I have put my faith and trust in God many times. But I would have to say that the hardest thing you or anyone can or will ever do is—forgive another person. Nothing else comes close.

Every other challenge you can face you either want to do or have to do to survive, but forgiveness is something we neither want nor must do. In fact, we hate doing it. Human beings tend to like holding grudges. We like having something on the other guy, so that when we want to feel good about ourselves we can just say, "well at least I didn't .....". We like blaming other people for our problems. Everything about us says, "stick it to him, he deserves it".

Forgiveness is incredibly hard, but also incredibly necessary. The ability to forgive is one of the distinctive marks of a true Christian and sets Christian love apart from any natural love. Our example is Christ, who prayed that God would forgive the men crucifying Him (Luke 23:34). As the saying goes, "To err is human, but to forgive, divine."

Holding a grudge is like holding a heavy backpack. The longer you hold it, the more uncomfortable it feels. It weighs down on you, dragging your heart and soul under the mud until you are completely submerged. This is the person that goes through life angry and spiteful. Always feeling that people owe him. Then come the pride, you feel you're better than everyone because they have all wronged you. Pride is what brought down Lucifer and made him who he is.

Forgiveness lightens the load, heals the heart and humbles the soul. It is a fruit of Love.

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15.

It is very important that we learn to forgive others. It can be hard, especially when someone does something horrible. Death or betrayal. But it's not only for our sakes, but theirs as well. "Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him." 2 Corinthians 2:7-8.

The truth is that we have done more to God than anyone can ever do to us. And we do it every day. But God forgives us every day. There is no limit to the amount that God will forgive and we are called to do the same for others. "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13.

In the end, does it really matter? Hating someone does nothing for you. It doesn't repair or undo anything. It just drags you down.

"Does evil exist?" The university professor challenged his students with this question. "Did God create everything that exists?"

A student bravely replied, "Yes, He did!"

"God created everything?" the professor asked.

"Yes, Sir," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then He also created evil since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

The student became quiet before such an answer.

The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question, professor?"

"Of course," replied the professor.

The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"

"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" remarked the professor.

The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the law of physics what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.  Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist.  We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat."

The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does!"

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact, we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily examples of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil!"

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God.  God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exists just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

[--Author unknown]

You shouldn't force your beliefs on others

I love it when people tell me this.  They really have no idea what it is they are really saying.    Well, let me ask you something, do you really believe that?

"Yes, I really do.  I believe it is wrong for you to force your beliefs on others." 

"So I'm not allowed to practice my own beliefs?  You believe mine is wrong?"

"I didn't say that.  I just said it is wrong to push your beliefs onto other people and you shouldn't tell them that their beliefs are wrong." 

"But then how can I practice my beliefs? The Bible says, 'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  Matthew 28:19-20.'  Part of my belief is to preach it to others.  If I can't tell others then I can't practice it."

"Then I guess you shouldn't practice it."

"Why not? Are you saying that your belief is right and mine is wrong?"

"No, I'm not saying your belief is wrong.  You just shouldn't force it on others."

"But you do believe yours is right?"

"Yes, I do."

"But if you believe yours is right, and your belief is, 'Don't push your beliefs on others' and my belief is, 'go and make disciples of all nations,' then doesn't that mean you believe that what I'm doing is wrong?"

"I guess it does." 

"So you are saying my belief is wrong for telling other people that their beliefs are wrong." 

"I guess so."

"So when you tell me my belief is wrong, you are the exception to your own rule of not telling people they are wrong?  And when you force your belief on me by saying that I should believe it over mine, once again you are the exception to your own rule of not forcing your beliefs on others?

" So I'm not allowed to tell others about my beliefs, and that theirs are wrong.  However, you are allowed to say my belief is wrong, and to force your belief on others by telling them that it is right to tell other people not to force their beliefs on others?"

"Um…?"   

"Well, guess what?  I don't believe I should force my beliefs on others either, neither does God.  That would be a violation of their free choice to accept or reject Him.  I do, however, believe it is alright to persuade others of my belief." 

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Not at all.  If I said, 'hey you should try this flavor ice-cream, it's really good.  I know you'll like it' that is persuasion.  But if I put a knife to your neck and said, 'Eat this ice-cream or die!' then that would be forcing or coercion.  I believe that there is nothing wrong with persuading others through logic, reason and conversation."

"Well…"

"Wait!  Before you say anything, you wouldn't be trying to persuade me that it is wrong to persuade others, would you?"  

"No, I'll give you that.  I guess its ok to persuade others, but it is intolerant for anyone to claim superiority for his own moral ideas." 

"Do you think intolerance is wrong?"

"Of course.  No one should be intolerant.  Don't you agree?"

"Yes, I do.  But aren't you claiming superiority for your own moral idea?"

"I don't recall having expressed one.  Did I express one?"

"Yes, sir, I think you did."

"When?"

"Just now."

"What moral idea did I express?"

"The moral idea that intolerance is wrong."

"Oh, I see.  Yes, I guess that is a moral idea.  But I didn't claim superiority for it, did I?"

"Well, I thought you did."

"Just how did I do that?"

"By saying that no one should be intolerant.  Doesn't that imply that your view that intolerance is bad is superior to the opposite view that intolerance is good?"

"Hmmm.  Perhaps it does.  What's your point?"

"Well, if some moral ideas are superior to others, wouldn't that mean relativism is false?"

"That's a thought.  That's certainly a thought.  I'll have to think about that." 

"Do you mind if I ask you a spiritual question?"

"No, go ahead."

"If you were to die tonight and stand before God, and God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into heaven?' what would you say?"

"I'd say to God, 'Why shouldn't you let me into your heaven?"

"If I knocked on your door seeking to come into your house, and you said to us, 'Why should I let you into my house?' and I responded, 'Why shouldn't you let me in?' what would you say?"

"I would tell you where to go!"

"That's exactly what God is going to say to you!"

"To tell you the truth: I don't believe in God.  I'm an atheist."

"You're an atheist?"

"That's right!"

"Well, are you absolutely sure there is no God?"

"Well, no, I'm not absolutely sure.  I guess it's possible there might be a God."

"So you're not really an atheist, then—you're an agnostic, because an atheist says, 'I know there is no God,' and an agnostic says 'I don't know whether there is a God.'"

"Yeah…alright; so I guess I'm an agnostic then."

"So what kind of agnostic are you?"

"What do you mean?  A minute ago I was an atheist—I have no idea what kind of agnostic I am now!"

"Well, there are two kinds of agnostics, there's the ordinary agnostic who says he doesn't know anything for sure, and then there's the ornery agnostic who says he can't know anything for sure."

"I'm the ornery kind.  You can't know anything for sure."

"If you say that you can't know anything for sure, then how do you know that for sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you know for sure that you can't know anything for sure?  You can't be a skeptic about everything because that would mean you'd have to doubt skepticism."

"Okay, I guess I really can know something for sure.  I must be an ordinary agnostic."

"Since you admit now that you can know, why don't you know that God exists?"

"Because nobody has shown me any evidence, I guess."

"Would you be willing to look at some evidence?"

"Sure."

THE ATHEIST

ATHEIST:

Okay, I went back and read everything you have just like you asked, but I don't think you've made the case that Christianity is true. 

CHRISTIAN:

Why not?

ATHEIST:

Because it's just your interpretation. 

CHRISTIAN:

Of course it's my interpretation, but that doesn't mean my interpretation is wrong.

ATHEIST:

I say it is wrong!

CHRISTIAN:

Is that just your interpretation?

ATHEIST:

So you're turning the tables on me.

CHRISTIAN:

Yes.  All conclusions involve making an interpretation, including yours.  And in order for you to know that my interpretation (Christianity) is objectively wrong, you would have to know what is objectively right.  So what is that right interpretation?

ATHEIST:

There are no objective interpretations.

CHRISTIAN:

Forgive me for doing this again, but is that an objective interpretation?

ATHEIST:

Stop that!

CHRISTIAN:

Stop what, being logical?  I'm just using the Road Runner tactic.  When you say something that's self-defeating, I feel compelled to point it out.  So how can you make the objective interpretation that there are no objective interpretations?

ATHEIST:

Okay, so maybe there are objective interpretations.

CHRISTIAN:

Yes, there are.  While you may interpret the evidence and conclude that Christianity is false, I may do the same and conclude it's true.  But since opposites cannot both be true, one of us must be right, and the other one must be wrong.  So who is right? 

ATHEIST:

I am.

CHRISTIAN:

Why?

ATHEIST:

I just think I'm right.  

CHRISTIAN:

But that's just an assertion.  You must give evidence rather than make assertions.  I didn't make assertions that Christianity is true-- I gave evidence every step of the way, from the question of truth all the way to the inspiration of the Bible.  What evidence do you have that atheism is true?

ATHEIST:

Evil and science. 

CHRISTIAN:

That's not positive evidence for atheism but merely perceived obstacles to belief in Christianity.  As we have seen, the existence of evil doesn't disprove God, and scientific discoveries actually support the Christian worldview. 

ATHEIST:But if Christianity is true, it excludes too many people.  After all, millions of people are not Christians. 

CHRISTIAN:

That doesn't determine whether Christianity is true or not.  After all, truth is not determined by how many people believe it.  Truth is discovered by looking at the evidence.  Is your interpretation (that Christianity is false) necessarily wrong because it excludes millions of Christians?

ATHEIST:

No.

CHRISTIAN:

Neither is mine, then.  Besides, as we saw when we talked about evil, Christianity doesn't exclude people-- people exclude themselves from Christianity.  Everyone knows that God exists.  But because we all have free will, some people choose to suppress that knowledge so that they can follow their own desires.  Paul talks about that in Romans chapter 1. 

ATHEIST:

Maybe so, but I find your conclusion extremely judgmental.  And you know, you ought not judge!

CHRISTIAN:

Forgive me again, but if we ought not judge, then why are you judging me for judging? 

ATHEIST:

What's the matter, Mister Holy-- you'd rather play logic games than believe what Jesus said?

CHRISTIAN:

It's not a mere game but an observation about the way things really are.  It's self-defeating to tell me, "You ought not judge" when that's a judgment itself.  Furthermore, you are making a judgment when you say Christianity is not true! 

ATHEIST:

Okay, but what about my second point.  Don't you believe what Jesus said?

CHRISTIAN:

Why are you quoting the Bible?  Do you believe it's true now? 

ATHEIST:

No, but you do.  So why don't you believe what Jesus said?

CHRISTIAN:

I do.  The problem is you don't know what he said.  Jesus did not tell us not to judge.  He simply told us not to judge hypocritically.  He said, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matt. 7:1-2).  He then went on to say, "Take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."  In other words, when you judge, don't judge hypocritically.  The Bible also commands us to make judgments when it tells us to "test everything" (1 Thess. 5:21), and not to "believe every spirit" (1 John 4:1) but to believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life (John 3:16).  

ATHEIST:

Are you done?

CHRISTIAN:

No. There's one more point: it would be impossible to live very long if you didn't judge good from evil.  You make hundreds of vital decisions every day that can either hurt you or help you.  When you make those decisions you are making judgments! 

ATHEIST:

Alright, I see that everyone makes judgments.  And you are making judgments by interpreting the Bible the way you do.  Who's to say that your interpretation is right? 

CHRISTIAN:

You need to look at the context of the passage to discover the objective meaning.  

ATHEIST:

If objective interpretations are possible, then why are there so many different interpretations of the Bible? 

CHRISTIAN:

Why do so many people get their math sums wrong?  Is there no right answer to arithmetic problems? 

ATHEIST:

Language is different.  I think that there are many interpretations of a sentence or a Bible verse that are true.  That's why you get so many denominations. 

CHRISTIAN:

So you are saying that sentences can be interpreted in only one way.

ATHEIST:

No!...Didn't you hear what I just said?  I said exactly the opposite is true.  There are many valid interpretations. 

CHRISTIAN:

If there are many valid interpretations, then why did you just correct me for misinterpreting what you said?

ATHEIST:

I did?

CHRISTIAN:

Yes, you just told me that I misunderstood you.  In effect, you said my interpretation was wrong!  Why did you do that if there are many valid interpretations?   

ATHEIST:

Because I knew what I meant, and it should have been obvious to you. 

CHRISTIAN:

You're right.  So let me ask you this: why is it that when you make a statement, you expect others to know what you mean, but when God makes a statement in the Bible, you give yourself the option of pouring any meaning you want into it? 

ATHEIST:

Okay, so maybe there are objective interpretations.  But if there are, then why are there so many denominations? 

CHRISTIAN:

For the same reason there are a lot of non-Christians.  It's not because the truth is not perceived, it's because the truth is not received.  In other words, we believe our own traditions and desires over the Word of God.  Jesus spoke forcefully against doing this (Matthew 15:23). 

ATHEIST:

Alright.  I'm going to come clean with you.  

CHRISTIAN:

It's about time! 

ATHEIST:

The real problem I have with Christianity is that it leads to intolerance.  You Christians all think you have the truth!  

CHRISTIAN:

Haven't you noticed that everyone thinks they have the truth?  Those who say Christianity is false think they have that truth.  Even those who say every religion is true think that's the truth! 

ATHEIST:

Okay, okay, you're right.  I think atheism is true.  But I'm not intolerant like most Christians! 

CHRISTIAN:

Even if Christians are intolerant, that wouldn't mean Christianity is false. 

ATHEIST:

I realize that, but it's still a practical problem. 

CHRISTIAN:

How so? 

ATHEIST:< P>

Because people who think they have the truth want to impose that truth on others. 

CHRISTIAN:

Do you mean politically?

ATHEIST:

Yes. 

CHRISTIAN:

I've got news for you: everyone involved in politics-- including every non-Christian-- is trying to impose what he or she thinks is the truth.  So what's your point?  

ATHEIST:

My point is that Christians want to take away the rights of people!  

CHRISTIAN:

Actually, Christianity is one of the few worldviews that can justify absolute human rights because it affirms that those rights are given to us by God.  As our founders recognized, governments aren't meant to give or take away rights: governments are meant to secure rights that the people already possess.  That's what we affirmed in our Declaration of Independence. 

ATHEIST:

But what about tolerance?

CHRISTIAN:

Christianity is one of the few worldviews that not only offers but champions religious tolerance.  Since God doesn't force anyone to believe (in fact the purpose of this life is to make a free choice), most Christians recognize that government shouldn't try to force belief either. 

ATHEIST:

But during the Crusades, some Christians obviously thought differently!

CHRISTIAN:

They may have called themselves Christians, but they certainly were not following the teachings of Christ.  Jesus never condoned such conduct. 

ATHEIST:

I think a completely secular government is the most tolerant of all.  After all, there is religious freedom in secular countries in Europe. 

CHRISTIAN:

Those countries do exist, but most of them are living off the remnants of the Christian worldview from previous generations.  How much religious freedom is there in a self-declared atheistic country such as China, or how much was there in the former Soviet Union?  Not much.  And if you go to most Muslim countries today, you'll also find very little religious freedom.  Last I checked, churches are not allowed in Saudi Arabia, and most other Muslim countries treat Christians as second-class citizens. 

ATHEIST:

That may be true for religious tolerance, but most Christians are not very tolerant about certain moral issues. 

CHRISTIAN:

Do you think tolerance is an absolute moral obligation? 

ATHEIST:

You're trying to connect moral obligations with God again, aren't you? 

CHRISTIAN:

There is no other connection.  There are no moral obligations or moral rights if there is no God.  So why should anyone be tolerant if there is no moral obligation to be tolerant? 

ATHEIST:

Because it's the right thing to do. 

CHRISTIAN:

That's just another assertion.  As an atheist, you have no way to justify why anyone should be tolerant. 

ATHEIST:

Maybe not.  But as a Christian, you do.  So why don't you believe that we ought to be tolerant? 

CHRISTIAN:

Actually, the supreme moral obligation is love-- not tolerance.  Tolerance says, "Hold your nose and put up with others."  Love says, "Reach out and help others."  

ATHEIST:

Why can't you be tolerant and loving?

CHRISTIAN:

You can, but sometimes love requires you to be intolerant.  For example, wouldn't it be unloving to tolerate murder, rape, theft, or racism?  

ATHEIST:

I suppose so. 

CHRISTIAN:

Good, but we're getting a little off the subject.  The focus of Christianity is spiritual, not social salvation.  While Christians certainly have social obligations, Christ came to free us from our sins, not to free us from "the Romans."

ATHEIST:

You wouldn't know that by the behavior of some Christians today.  

CHRISTIAN:

You mean you don't like their Biblical views on moral issues like abortion and homosexuality? 

ATHEIST:

Yes.

CHRISTIAN:

So?

ATHEIST:

What do you mean, so?  Those issues are important to me!

CHRISTIAN:

Are those issues so important to you that you're willing to give up truth itself in order to keep them? 

ATHEIST:

What are you talking about?

CHRISTIAN:

The issue is truth, not what you find politically or personally attractive.  Do you think you ought to believe what's true?

ATHEIST:

Of course.  Every reasonable person would say yes to that! 

CHRISTIAN:

So if Christianity is true, you ought to believe it regardless of the impact you think it might have on politics, moral issues, or any other facet of your life.  

ATHEIST:

That's hard to do. 

CHRISTIAN:

Maybe.  But it's a lot harder in the long run to believe error.  Christ said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me ill find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Do you really want to exchange your eternal soul for temporal political positions or personal preferences? 

ATHEIST:

If Christianity is true, that's the choice I have to make.  

CHRISTIAN:

Yes.  And God wants you to choose him.  But he loves you so much that he'll respect either choice you make.  Just remember that either choice you make will have consequences here and in eternity.  And that's not just my interpretation.   

This blog comes out of an experience I had in LA this past fall.  I was leaving my class at CSUN and a young man came up to me and we started to talk.  He was from a local church run college and was attempting to convince people that the only true day to worship is on saturday the jewish Sabbath.  Well, I've never really looked into this subject so I respecfully heard him out.  He gave a very thorough presentation complete with pamphlet and scripture.  His argument was based on God commanding us to keep the Sabbath Holy, and claimed that worshiping on Sunday came from pagan influnce from Constantine (early 300's AD). 

This is my response:

Good Reasons to Affirm the God of the Bible Is the God Who Truly Exists

Now that the God of the Bible and the God of theistic arguments are known to share many of the same unique characteristics, it remains to demonstrate that they must be one and the same God. Three arguments emerge, the first two of which are based on the unique characteristics of God held by all theists.

There Cannot Be Two Infinite Gods

Both the Bible and the cosmological argument used to establish God's existence show that he is infinite. But there cannot be two infinite beings. Therefore, both the God of the Bible and the God of rational theism are one and the same being. Further, the God of theism has been shown by good reason to actually exist. Hence, the God described in the Bible actually exists. 

The burden of this argument rests on the premise that it is impossible to have two infinite beings. To argue that there are two infinite beings is like claiming there are two alls. But there can only be one all. It is like claiming there are two supremes, when it is obvious that only one being can be supreme. Or more precisely, infinite means without limits. If there are two beings, then one is limited by the other in some way. But an infinite cannot be limited by another, since it is unlimited by its very nature. Hence, there can be only one infinite (limitless) being.

There Cannot Be Two Absolutely Perfect Gods

In like manner, there cannot be two absolutely perfect beings. In order to have two beings, one must differ from the other, otherwise they would be the same. In order to differ in perfection, however, one being would have to have a perfection that the other did not have. The one that lacked this perfection would not be absolutely perfect, since it would be lacking in perfection. Therefore, there can be only one absolutely perfect being. If the God of the Bible is absolutely perfect as is the God of the moral argument, then they are one and the same God.

There Cannot Be Two Pure Actualities

Another attribute shared by both the God of the Bible and the God of rational theism is pure actuality. Reason demands that God cannot have any potentiality in his being. If he did, then he would need a cause, since no potency is self-actualizing. But he needs no cause, since he is the first cause. He is self-existent, independent of all other beings. Thus, the God of the cosmological argument must be pure existence (actuality), as the great theists claimed he was.

Pure actuality is absolutely unique. There cannot be two such beings, for the only way for one being to differ in essence from another being is by potentiality. That is, one being has a potential (to be something) that the other does not have. But a being of pure actuality has no potentiality whatsoever.  Hence, it cannot differ from another being of pure actuality.

Thus, there can be one and only one being who is pure actuality, such as both the God of reason and the God of Scripture are known to be.

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Identifying the God of the Bible and the God
of Reason

In order to show it is reasonable to believe the God of the Bible is the God who actually exists, two things are necessary: (1) to provide good reasons that a theistic God (who possesses the unique characteristics previously described) actually exists, and (2) to show that there cannot be two such beings.

The first of these two premises was demonstrated convincingly, [by the blogs entitled, "Arguments for the Existence of God"].  We can be confident that the theistic God exists because there is good philosophical and scientific evidence for his existence.

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From these arguments several things can be rationally inferred about God. First, he is eternal (beyond time), since he created time. Time had a beginning, since there cannot be an infinite number of moments before today. If there were, then today would never have come, since an infinite cannot be traversed. But today has come, and therefore, time had a beginning. God has no beginning, and therefore, is not in time. He is before all time. That is to say, God is eternal (not temporal).

Second, he must be infinite since he made the entire finite universe. If everything finite has a cause, then the first cause of everything finite cannot be finite, otherwise it too would need a cause. The first cause has no cause. Hence, it must be infinite.

Third, the theistic God has aseity (self-existence), since he is the first uncaused cause for everything else that exists. He is also the necessary ground of all contingent beings.

Fourth, this God must also have necessity. An uncaused being must exist of necessity, since it does not depend on anything else for its existence. Indeed, it existed when nothing else did prior to creation. If a necessary being did not exist, then contingent beings could not exist, for everything cannot be contingent. If everything were, then everything could not exist, and since something does exist, then nothing could have caused something, which is absurd.

Fifth, the cause of all finite perfections must itself be infinitely perfect. It must be infinite, since all finite beings need a cause that is not finite. And it must be infinitely perfect, since whatever perfections it has, it must have perfectly. The only way perfection can exist in an infinite being is to exist infinitely, for everything must exist in a being in accordance with its mode of being. For example, perfections in a finite being must exist finitely, and perfections in an infinite being must exist infinitely. Therefore, God must be an infinitely perfect being.

There are two basic reasons why perfection must be attributed to God: (1) We know there is imperfection, but it is not possible to know what is imperfect unless there is a perfect by which we can measure it; (2) there are moral perfections in creatures (such as goodness, love, truthfulness), but the creature (effect) possesses only perfections the creator (cause) gives it. A cause cannot give what it hasn't got. It cannot produce any positive perfection it does not possess.  It cannot share what it does not have to share. Thus, he who causes good must be good. The creatures have goodness, but the Creator is goodness.

God's Moral Perfection

The Bible declares that God is perfect in his nature ( Matt. 5:48 ), knowledge ( Job 36:4 ), law ( Ps. 19:7 ), will ( Rom. 12:2 ), beauty ( Ezek. 16:13–14 ), work ( Deut. 32:4 ), way ( 2 Sam. 22:31 ), home in heaven ( Heb. 9:11 ), gifts ( James 1:17 ), love ( 1 John 4:18 ), goal for believers ( Phil. 3:12–14 ), and place in Christ for believers ( Col. 1:28 ). In summation, the heavenly Father is perfect ( Matt. 5:48 ).

Support in Scripture for God's moral perfection is plentiful: "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he" ( Deut. 32:4 ); "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the L ord is flawless" ( 2 Sam. 22:31 ); "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect" ( 2 Sam. 22:33 ); "Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge?" ( Job 37:16 ); "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the L ord is flawless" ( Ps. 18:30 ); "The law of the L ord is perfect, reviving the soul" ( Ps. 19:7 ); "The L ord will fulfill [perfect] his purpose for me; your love, O L ord , endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands" ( Ps. 138:8 ); "O L ord , you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago" ( Isa. 25:1 ); "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" ( Matt. 5:48 ); "Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will" ( Rom. 12:2 ); "But when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears" ( 1 Cor. 13:10 ); "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" ( James 1:17 ); "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom . . . will be blessed in what he does" ( James 1:25 ); "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear" ( 1 John 4:18 ).

There is also a theological basis for God's moral perfection. First of all, knowledge of the imperfect implies the perfect. We know what is imperfect. But this would not be possible unless we knew what is perfect. Hence, there must be a perfect (called God). Likewise, God's metaphysical attributes demand that God's perfection is absolute. As we have seen, God's nature is morally perfect. But God is infinite and necessary by nature. Hence, God is infinitely and necessarily morally perfect.

In summation, according to the Bible there is one, transcendent, personal, infinite, eternal, self-existent, immutable, morally perfect God who is the first uncaused cause of everything else that exists.

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God's Transcendence

The Scriptures declare that God is transcendent over all his creation: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" ( Gen. 1:1 ); "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!" ( 1 Kings 8:27 ); "Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?" ( Job 11:7–8 ); "O L ord , our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens" ( Ps. 8:1 ); "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth" ( Ps. 57:5 ); "For you, O L ord , are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods" ( Ps. 97:9 ); "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple" ( Isa. 6:1 ); "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?" ( Isa. 40:12 ); " 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the L ord . 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts' " ( Isa. 55:8–9 ); "For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy" ( Isa. 57:15 ); "This is what the L ord says: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?' " ( Isa. 66:1–2 ); There is "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" ( Eph. 4:6 ); "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" ( Col. 1:17 ).

The transcendence of God is also grounded in several other attributes. For example, God is infinite, and creation is finite. But what is infinite is beyond the finite. Hence, God is transcendent (beyond the finite universe). God also has majesty, which means he is exalted beyond all else. What is exalted beyond all else is transcendent. Thus, it follows that God is transcendent. Furthermore, God has sovereignty, that is, he is in control of all creation. But to be in control of all creation God must be beyond all creation. What is beyond all creation is transcendent. Hence, God is transcendent.

God's Personhood

The God of the Bible is a personal God. Personhood is generally understood to include three essential characteristics: intellect, feeling, and will. A person can think, feel, and choose. 

God Has a Will

In addition to being able to know and feel, God can will, thus completing the triad of personal characteristics. Here is a sample of the many verses of Scripture that declare God has free choice: "Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will" ( Rom. 12:2 ); "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines [wills]" ( 1 Cor. 12:11 ); "He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" ( Eph. 1:5 ); "Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God" ( Heb. 10:7 ); "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" ( Rev. 4:11 ). 

God's Personhood

The God of the Bible is a personal God. Personhood is generally understood to include three essential characteristics: intellect, feeling, and will. A person can think, feel, and choose. 

God Can Feel

Not only can the God of the Bible think, he can feel. He possesses feeling or emotion. Of course, since he is unchanging, his feelings are unchanging. For example, he has an unchanging feeling of anger toward evil, and he has an unchanging feeling of pleasure toward good. Consider these texts that depict the feelings of God: God's Spirit is grieved at sin. "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" ( Eph. 4:30 ). Indeed, God expressed his great anger at sin: "The L ord will never be willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against that man. All the curses written in this book will fall upon him, and the L ord will blot out his name from under heaven" ( Deut. 29:20 ); God's fury is poured out on sin: "This is what the L ord Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her' " ( Zech. 8:2 ).

Further, God takes pleasure in the death of the righteous. "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign L ord . Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" ( Ezek. 18:23 ). Compare Psalm 116:15 : "Precious in the sight of the L ord is the death of his saints." God also hates evil and loves good: "You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy" ( Ps. 45:7 ). God takes pleasure in our faith: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" ( Heb. 11:6 ). 

God's Personhood

The God of the Bible is a personal God. Personhood is generally understood to include three essential characteristics: intellect, feeling, and will. A person can think, feel, and choose.

God Can Think

The God of Scripture has a mind. He is an intelligent and knowing being. In fact, he is all-knowing (omniscient). His understanding is infinite. "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit" ( Ps. 147:5 ); "Be assured that my words are not false; one perfect in knowledge is with you" ( Job 36:4 ; cf. 37:16 ); "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name" ( Ps. 147:4 ); "I make known the end from the beginning" ( Isa. 46:10 ); "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will" ( Eph. 1:11 ).

"You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O L ord " ( Ps. 139:2–4 ); "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" ( Heb. 4:13 ); "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" ( Matt. 6:8 ); "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" ( Matt. 10:29–30 ); "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" ( Rom. 11:33 ); "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you" ( Ps. 139:17–18 ).