- Church members are hypocrites: Bill, I realize that there are some church members who are hypocrites. Having pastored for years, I have seen more than my share of them, but I also know that not all church members are hypocrites. I am not a hypocrite. Thad is not a hypocrite. Now what you have done, you have let the devil get your eyes on a hypocrite so you would have an excuse not to become a Christian. Why, Bill, did you not look at someone who is not a hypocrite but a real Christian? But even if the church is full of hypocrites, you will not have to answer for them, but you must answer for Bill Brown. Romans 14:12 says, “Everyone of us will give an account of himself (not the hypocrite) to God.” And don’t you think it would be better to go to church with a few hypocrites in this life than to spend all eternity with them. Bill, if you can hide behind a hypocrite, he is bigger than you. Please don’t let the devil keep playing this trick on you.
- A good God would not send a person to hell. “Bill, why do you assume God will send any person to hell.” “Well, that is what I have always heard.” “Well, that is not what the Bible teaches.” The Bible plainly says that if a person goes to hell he chooses to go there.” Joshua 24:15 invites us in words like this, “Choose you this day whom you will serve,” or “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found,” (Joshua 55:6). God did not even send Judas to hell. Acts 1:25 says he went to “his own place.” What was that? Hell. How did he get there? By how own free choice. Now if a person refuses to turn to the Lord and repent, God will permit that person to go to hell, for there is no other place for him to go. If a person can’t stand to spend an hour in church to hear the gospel and be with God’s people, he would be miserable in heaven where all they do is praise God forever. Illus.: Bill, I visited with a lady some time ago who said to me, “My God would never send anyone to hell.” I replied, “Right, your God would not, but your God is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible will let a man who refuses to trust Christ go to hell. Understand?
- We all believe in the same God. “Bill, anyone who says this does not know what he is talking about. For example, if what you say is true that would mean Allah of the Mohammedans would be the same as the God of the Bible. But they are the opposite. The God of the Bible is revealed by Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins and rose again. But the God of the Koran, the Islamic Bible, denies that Jesus is the Son of God or that He arose again. Also the God of the Bible is a God of mercy and love, whereas Allah is a God of wrath and arbitrary judgment. Going a little further, suppose you say the God of Buddhism is the Christian God. The Buddhists do not even believe there is a God when Christianity is all about God.
- Many ways to heaven. “Bill, this is the way many people would have it. But there is one thing terribly wrong with this view: It can’t be so. Now let me explain. “Man sinned against God and cannot know God or go to heaven unless he is forgiven of his sins. Only God can forgive sins, and He can do so because He sent His only Son to die for our sins. His Son was sinless. Mohammed, Buddha, or other religious leaders were not and never claimed to be, but Jesus did, even His enemies, like Judas, said he never sinned. Therefore, only Jesus can forgive sin, and Jesus does forgive sin, and the way is open to heaven. Jesus Himself, who is God and God cannot lie, according to Titus 1:2, declares, “I am THE (not a) Way, THE truth, THE life,” but He does not stop with these words, but then adds, “No man can come to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6). The word “man” is generic for the human race, so Jesus really said, “No man, no woman, no boy, no girl, no white man, no black man, no rich man, no poor man, whoever he may be, can come to heaven except by me.” And isn’t it wonderful Bill that on the positive side, “Any man, any woman, any boy, any girl, white or black, etc. can come to the Father and go to heaven by Me. And even more wonderful, Bill, is the fact that you Bill Brown, tonight, in your living room, April 1, 8 PM, can fall on your knees, confess your sins, trust Jesus to forgive you, and you will be forgiven and arise knowing you are on your way to heaven.”
- If God is good, why do many people suffer? “Bill, this is a question many people have asked. And there is an answer from the Bible, but the answer is a little involved. Thad, at this point I referred them to the chapter in my book which answers this question. Also Warren Wiersbe has a whole book and also Dr. Dobson.
- Christians are no better than I. “Bill, it is certainly true that Christians sometime fail and none of us are perfect. But the people around you whom you call Christians may fail and none of us are perfect. But the people around you whom you call Christians may not be Christians at all, but only baptized church members. But no matter who they may be, you do not have to answer for them, but only for Bill. It is my opinion that the devil has got you to keep looking at someone who has miserably failed and you are hiding behind them to salve your conscience for not turning to Christ or even attending church. And if honest, you would have to admit that you do know some real Christians, who live the life to show it, perhaps your grandmother, mother, or someone, don’t you? “Yes, my grandmother is a wonderful Christian.” “Then why don’t you get your eye on her. Bill, you are too intelligent to allow the devil to pull this trick on you, aren’t you.”
- I have done more good than bad. I am a good person. “Bill, I may think I am good, you may think you are good.” But what matters is not what I say but what God says over and over, and what is that, “There is none good, not even one…” (Romans 3:10-12). Now by this God does not mean that some people do not do some good things, what He means is that no one is good enough to go to heaven by all the good things he may do. Permit me to read Titus 3:5-6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:5; and Isaiah 64:4 even says “our righteousness is like filthy rags,” note not our unrighteous, but the best we can do. Do you see, Bill? That is why Jesus had to come, the sinless One to die in our place.
- I do not believe there is a God. “Bill, you say you do not believe there is a God. Now, please be honest. Are you at peace in your heart in believing that? Do you not feel in your heart that there may be a God and you are afraid to die and meet Him? Now think of this: Not I, but God says that all human beings can see the evidence of God in the natural world (Romans 1:20) and are “without excuse if they do not believe in Him.” Also that their inner conscience tells them there is a God (Romans 2:15) and Eccles. 3:11 says “God has put eternity in man’s heart.” That is, He knows there is a hereafter, He knows there is a God. Don’t you agree, Bill? If not, go home and ponder it and then let’s get back and talk. May I call you within a month? Thanks, Bill.
- I don’t believe the Bible is anything more than man’s words. Well, Bill, if that is what you believe, I want you to be sure you know what the Bible is all about. So, Bill you would agree that the Bible has been around for a long time, millions of people read and believe it, most denominations preach it, etc. Well, if that is true, there must be something special about it, for instance, what do you think the main message of the Bible is?” “Oh, the Bible says if you are good enough you will go to heaven, if not to the other place.” “Bill, I was afraid of this. You have rejected the message of the Bible, the real message, without knowing what that message is. May I share that with you for a few minutes?” Few people will refuse.
- I am a Buddhist. “Bill, do you know what Buddhist believe? Well, I believe in meditating as they do and living a quiet life. Well, that is one thing the Buddhist believe, but do you know their main belief? It is that there is no God at all.” “Oh, I didn’t know that.” “Well, then you do not want to follow a godless religion, do you?” “No.” May I then share with you about the true and living God?”
- I cannot approach someone who has as deep a conviction toward their faith as I do in mine. “Bill, if you have the right faith, don’t you think your conviction should be deeper than that of a person who holds to a false faith? It is the truth that matters. No matter how convicted one may be about his faith, if it is false and leading him to hell, if we love and care for him, we will want to show him in love and from the Bible what is right. God commands – He does not even suggest – that every Christian “Be ready always to give…the reason for the hope that is within, with fear and trembling.” (1 Peter 3:15). Note – we do not share braggingly, but humbly. So to say you will not witness to one with a strong faith in that which is false is saying you will not obey God and could it be that there may be something wrong with your faith?”
- How do you know that God is real? See answer to #8. “Bill, when you read the Bible you will find out that it begins with the reality of God in Genesis 1:1 and talks about God throughout. In the New Testament, we are given “infallible proof” (Acts 1:3) that Jesus, who was God, was raised from the dead and Romans 1:4 says this demonstrates that He was and is God. Now when one believes this and turns to Jesus and trust Him as His Lord and Savior, God enters His life through the Holy Spirit, and He knows He is real. Thus by the witness of the Bible and personal experience one knows God is real. Of course, you can never prove He is real by your reason, but you will prove Him real by faith in His Word and experiencing Him in your heart. But you say I have problems with believing the Bible, which seems to be the basis for your belief in God. Thanks Bill, for saying that. I am pleased to share with you that Jesus answers this objection Himself in John 7:17, “If any man (you can write your name here), Bill, will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine (teachings of the Bible) whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (Bill, I urge you to believe this, will you?)
- I can talk to God anytime I like, I don’t need to go to church. “Bill, yes you can talk to God outside of church, but only if you know God through Jesus. Read John 14:6. And please understand that I have not come to talk to you abut going to church but to tell you how to trust Jesus, then you will want to go to church. May I share that good news with you?”
- Jesus was a nice Person, but He never sinned. “Bill, Jesus was a nice Person, but He was far more than a nice Person. He was the sinless God come in the flesh. Even His enemies, like Judas, said He was innocent (Matthew 27:4). You see, if He had committed one sin, He could not have paid for my sins. Jesus actually challenged His enemies with these words, “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin.” (John 8:46) and not one of them took Him up on His proposal. When He died the ungodly centurion cried out, “Truly this man is the Son of God.” (Mark 15:38). What greater evidence could you want than this, Bill?