Top Ten Questions College Students Ask About God and the ...

[Pages:4]Top Ten Questions College Students Ask About God and the Christian Faith

1) HowdoyouknowthereisaGod?

a. Moralargument:Theoryofmorality-Wehaveanaturallawwithinus(Romans2:15),ourconscience,

andthisinnersenseofwhatisrightandwrongnecessitatesthatthereisahigherstandardofwhatis

good and evil that governs and put that nature there. (The very nature of arguing proves absolutes

because you are appealing to a right and a wrong.) If there is no God, morality has no meaning and

certainlynofoundation.

b. Cosmological argument: Theory of existence- The very nature of anything that exists necessitates

thereisaCreator.(Garden/Gardenerargument)Thereare2typesofexistence:

(1)Necessary/Ultimate

(2)Unnecessary/Subordinate.(ex.Humans)

Youcan'thaveaninfinitesuccessionofsubordinateexistences,

theremustbeabeginning,firstorultimateexistence.

c. Teleologicalargument:Theoryofdesign-Wehaveauniversefullofintricatedetailsthatpointstoa

Creatorwithaplan.Howarewetoarriveatsuchcomplexitywithoutawiseandcreativecreator?(ex.

thesun/moon/earth,thecomplexityfoundwithinanewbornbaby)

d. Ontologicalargument:Theoryofknowing-Theveryexistenceofknowledgenecessitatesthatthereis

anoutsideforcefromwhichtheknowledgecomes:anall-knowingGod.Otherwise,howdoyouknow

that what you know is true? How do we know that we are not a result of an error in the process of

randomchance?Howdoweknowthatwehavenotcometoexistwithanillusionof"knowing"when

weareactuallynot"knowers"ofanything?

e. PersonalExperience:YourtestimonyisanirrefutableproofoftheexistenceofGod.Hehasanddoes

work miracles that believers experience first hand. In some ways, this is the most significant

apologeticinourculturetoday.Peoplewanttoknowhowitworks,notjustthatyoucanproveit.

f. AdditionalResources:MereChristianity(C.S.Lewis),HowShouldWeThenLive(FrancisA.Schaeffer),

Darwin on Trial (Phillip E. Johnson), More Than a Carpenter (Josh McDowell), Case for Christ (Lee

Strobel),ScalingtheSecularCity,TheUniverseNextDoor(JamesSire)

2) HowcantherebeagoodGodwhenthereissomuchevilandsufferingintheworld?

a. Itispossiblethatanall-good,all-knowing,all-powerfulGodcreatedtheworldthatexistsandthatitis

thebestpossibleworld.(Philosophically,thatisactuallyallthatisneededtoanswerthisargument).

Sometimesitishardtorealizeorbelieve,butitisnotnecessarilyacontradictionthatagood,knowing,

andallpowerfulGodcreatedaworldwithcontainsevilandsuffering.Perhapstheworldinwhichwe

liveinisthebestpossibleworld.InGod'sultimatewisdom,hecreatedaworldwiththepossibilityof

greatgood,andallthepossibilityofterribleevilandthereisnobetterpossibility.

b. God didn't create evil, he created the possibility for us to choose evil- we actualized that possibility

ourselves.

c. ThegloryofGodandourneedforaSaviorcannotbefullyunderstoodwithoutseeingwhattheworld lookslikewithoutGod'sgrace.(blackcannotbeunderstoodapartfromtheknowledgeofwhite...also darknessandlight/goodandeviletc.).

d. Godisloveandwantsustoknowthemostperfectlovepossible.Trueloveinvolveschoice,andthere cannotbereallovewithoutsometypeofchoice.(Holdingguntosomeone'sheadasking"Doyoulove me?" will not force someone to truly love you). So the perfect world that God did create allows the possibilityofthegreatestloveandgreatestexistence.However,inthatsamepossibility,theopposite ofloveisalsopossible,resultinginevilandhatred.

3) HowcanthebeliefinGodbereconciledwithscience-especiallyevolution?

a. ItmustbemadeknownthatEvolutionisatheoryofexistence,notafact.Evolution,likereligion,isa faithsystembasedonwhatisbelievedtobetrue.However,evolution,likereligionisnotaquestion thatsciencecanfullyexplore.Sciencecanaddsupportandweighttoanargument,butultimatelywe arelefttoabeliefbasedontheweightofevidence.Therefore,religionisnotinoppositiontoscience, norisscienceonthesideofevolution.

b. Evolution does not fully explain how the evolution process has worked over billions of years and significant suspicion results from gaps in the sequence. These gaps include the fossil record, transitionalspeciesandthejumptopunctuatedequilibrium.

c. Creationists hold that modifications within a certain species, (micro-evolution) is possible. However adaptationsbetweenspecies(macro-evolution),isrejected.Creationistsalsoaskthequestion,`where didthefirst/necessarycausecomefromintheevolutionequation?"

d. Even Darwin himself had his own doubts. In his book Origin of Species, he stated, "If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous,successive,slightmodifications,thenmytheorywouldabsolutelybreakdown."Attheend ofhislife,heverballyadmittedthathewasnotsureifhistheoriesweretrue.

4) HowcantheBiblebetrusted?

a. ExternalEvidence:DoothersourcesseemtocorroboratewhatwefindintheBiblicaltext? 1. archaeological findings: evidence of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah has been found, evidence of the Hittites- which had been previously doubted, evidence of a great flood has been found,andthesiteofSolomon'stempleisnowbeingexcavated. 2. other sources: many other sources written during the same time period validate the historical accuracyoftheNewTestamentaccounts.

b. InternalEvidence: 1. Sixty-six books written by forty different authors over 1500 years. Yet, they somehow intertwined,revealingonecentralmessageaddingcredibilitytoinspiredcreation. 2. There are approximately 190 prophecies of the birth and life of Christ in the Old Testament written at least 500 years before the time of Christ. All have come true in the New Testamentaccount.Thereareover300propheciesfromtheO.T.inallthatareconfirmedin theNewTestament. 3. Eleven out of twelve of his disciples died for Christ (they could have lived had they denounced theirfaith)whichshowsthattheywereconvincedofwhoHewasafterlivingintimatelywith himfor3years. 4. Althoughthecanonizationofscripture(puttingtheBibletogether)wasdonemuchlaterthanthe booksthemselveswerewritten,GodgavetheChurchwisdomtodiscernwhichbooksshould beincluded.(IfGodhastheabilitytoraisesomeonefromthedead,Hecanputtogethera bookofScripturethatisHisintent).

5. Theresurrection-Iftheresurrectiontookplaceandwecanadequatelyprovethat...thenChrist wasGodandtheBibleistrue.

5) HowcanalovingGodsendpeopletohell?

a. God'scharacterisperfectionandHeisfullyjustandfullyholy.Hisperfect,holynaturedemandsthat Hecannotbeinthepresenceofevil.Thereforehecan'tallowthosewhoarenotperfectandholyas HetocomeintoHiseternalpresence.Thequestionis,"HowcanaholyGodnotsendpeopletohell"?

b. Goddoesnotwantanyonetoperishbutdesiresthatallcometorepentance.(2Peter3:9).Sinbreaks our relationship with God. Only through a repairing of that relationship by abolishing what stands betweenuscanarightstandingbeforeGodbere-established.Sincewehavenoabilityonourownto abolish the division, only Christ's payment on the cross of the debt that we owe will be an adequate substitutionarypayment.(Apaymentisalwaysrequiredtofixanythingthatisbroken-ex.payingtofix abrokenwatchorbike,someonehastopayifitistoberestored,simplysaying"Iforgiveyou",isofno redeemingconsequence.)

6) HowcanChristianssaytheirreligionistheonlytrueone?

a. "Iamthewayandthetruthandthelife.NoonecomestotheFatherexceptthroughme."?John14:6 b. If in the beginning there was man and God (assuming the Bible is true). There was no "religion,"

simplymanrelatingwithGodinapersonalway.DeathandseparationfromGodenteredtheworldas AdamandEveintheirpridesoughtknowledgesuchthattheywouldnotneedGodanylonger.Every other religion today follows the same system. They all consistently try to reach the level of relating right to God on their own. The nature of perfection and holiness in God preclude this possibility of connectingwithHimonourownmerit.ThereforeChristianitystandsaloneinthatitdoesnotprovide asetofrulesorsystemthatmustbefollowedinordertoobtainsalvation;insteaditreliestotallyon the concept of God's grace. Jesus is the only one who can restore true fellowship between man and God.Christianitydoesnotcomeinapridefulwaysayingthatitsfollowersarebetterthanothers,but ratherinahumblewaythatsaysitsfollowersrecognizedtheirinabilityandneedofhelptogettoGod. c. Christianityisn'tanexclusivereligion;anyonefromanybackgroundcanacceptChristastheirSavior.It is often thought Christianity is a Western religion, but it began in the Middle East and spread from thereallovertheworld.Currently,thelargestChristianchurchintheworldisinSouthKorea.There aremoreChristiansinChinathananyothernation.

7) Don'tallreligionsleadtothesameGod?

a. Hindus worship an `infinite oneness' made up of over 300,000 gods and goddesses, and work to be free from Karma by meditating on Brahman (oneness), venerating their gods and goddesses, or practicingvariousceremonies.

b. Most Buddhists do not believe in any god or supernatural power. They follow the teachings of Buddha; they believe the way to avoid reincarnation into an evil world is to practice meditation and otherdisciplinesuntilallselfishdesiresareabandonedontheirown.

c. MuslimsbelieveinonesupremegodnamedAllahwhoispowerful,just,anddistant.Heismercifulto hisfollowersdependingontheirgoodworksandobediencetolawssuchastheFivePillarsofIslam.

d. New Age followers refer to God as a higher consciousness within themselves; it draws from many ancientspiritualtraditions,butalsobelievesthattheselfistheoriginatorandtheultimatereality,or God.

e. ChristianityisafaithinatranscendentyetimmanentGodwhosenthisoneandonlysonasasavior wholivedanddiedhereonearthasaman.JesusclaimedtobeGodhimself,notaprophetorother

religioussage.Heleavesnootheroptionsbutthat;HewasindeedGod,Hewasdeludedandcrazy,or He was simply lying....but He gives us no other options. If Christianity is true, then it is also mutually exclusive.ItintroducesustoGod'striunecharacterrevealedasGodtheFather,theSonandtheHoly SpiritandawaytorelatetoGodandcomeintohispresencethatistotallyothertoanyotherreligious system.

8) Whataboutthosewhohaveneverheard?

This is a tough question. Why have some people never heard? The sin of generations previous has lead peopleawayfromthetruthsothatatestimonyforChristdoesnotexistwithinapeoplegroup.Therefore,though GodwisheseveryonecometoasavingknowledgeofHimself,man,inhisrebellionhaskeptthatfromhappening. Is God powerless in such people groups? No, of course not. Today we hear of miracles as we have seen throughoutallhistorywhereGodrevealsHimselftopeopleinun-reachedpeoplegroupssothattheycanhavean adequatesavingknowledgeofHisson.Yet,weseeintheBiblethatthesinsofgenerationspreviouswillhavean effectonfuturegenerations,notthatitisGod'sdesire,butinhisdivinewisdom,hehasallowedmantomakesuch choicesandhavesuchanimpactingenerationstofollow.WillGodholdmanresponsibleforhissin?Hecertainly willandmust.DoesHedesirealltocometoaknowledgeofHimself?Thisisalsocertainlytrue.Howdothetwo existinaculturewherethereisnoeffectivetestimonyforChrist? FairnessisnotaqualityofGod'scharacter.Justice,mercy,grace,holiness,theseareallqualitiesofGod.Were He fair...none of us would enter the paradise of Heaven....none of us deserve entrance and so fairness would precludesuch.ThankGodthatHeisnotfair.

9) What'sthedifferencebetweenProtestantandCatholics?

a. Catholics require an intercessor to communicate with God- priests or saints to pray through for forgiveness of sins. Protestants believe that Christ himself is the great high priest and you can communicatedirectlywithHim.

b. CatholicismputanemphasisonMary,themotherofJesus.Maryisthoughtofasamediatorbetween Godandman.Theyelevatehertosinlessperfectionstatus.

c. Catholicism suggests that good works or sacraments might decrease the time spent in purgatory, payingfortheirsinsbeforetheycanenterintoheaven.ProtestantsbelieveJesuspaidthepriceforall sinandthatpeopleareseenasblamelessbeforetheLordwhentheyprofessfaithinChrist.

d. AttheVaticanTwo,thePopewasgivenauthorityasamouthpieceforGod,hiswordsareconsidered revelationonthesamelinesasBiblicalscripture.

10) CanyoubesureifyouaregoingtoHeaven?

a. Yes."Ifyouconfesswithyourmouth, `JesusisLord,'andbelieveinyourheartthatGodraisedhim fromthedead,youwillbesaved."(Romans10:9)God'sWordisTruth,soifyoutrulybelieveChristis Lord,thenyoucantrulybelieveHehassavedyou.

b. Our relationship with Christ is based firstly on fact, followed by faith and then feeling. As the 4- Spiritual Laws book says, "We as Christians do not depend on feelings or emotions, but we place our faith(trust)inthetrustworthinessofGodandthepromisesofHisWord."

c. "IwritethesethingstothoseofyouthatbelieveinthenameofthesonofGod,inorderthatyoumay knowthatyouhaveeternallife."1John5:11

d. Ifitwereuptous...no,therewouldbenocertainty.However,Christianityisnotbasedonourwork, buttheworkofasaviorwhobroughtredemptionbetweenmanandGod.Ifitwereuptous,wecould nevermakeit,butifit'suptoHim,wecanbesure!

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