Good Questions

12/28/13                 Shaun                      about 20

The young man named Shaun in this video says he grew up Catholic but now believes in a more universal “karma” based on the positive and negative energy created by our actions, and that our destiny will be determined accordingly.  I gradually explain that even this seemingly natural and automatic process still contains the idea of the judgment of right and wrong and consequences for our actions.  Despite his mystical / scientific jargon, Shaun essentially believes in the idea that he will be judged by a “balance scale”, and that if his good deeds are weighed against his bad deeds, he will be found to be a good person and will reap eternal rewards.  In contrast, biblical Christianity teaches that God is far more personal, has given each of us a knowledge of good and evil, cares deeply that we disobey His laws, and has been actively involved in historical events to bring us back into a right relationship with Himself.  I explain how the cross of Jesus makes possible His perfect love and His perfect justice and provides a reasonable alternative to Shaun’s “balance scale” belief system.  Toward the end, I believe Shaun is beginning to “count the cost” of faith in Jesus.  He tells me he has about ten minutes before he has to leave, yet asks me several  “can of worms” questions like “ What about atheists who are good people?” “Did God create evolution?”  “Isn’t Christianity just designed by man to control others?”  and “Wasn’t the Bible just written by man?”  I am by no means an expert on any of these subjects, but if we want to share our faith in a reasonable way I believe we need to work toward being able to articulate acceptable responses to questions like these.  I think Shaun was satisfied with my answers.  In the end I tell Shaun that I know I can’t “prove” Christianity.  It is, after all, a faith, but it is a reasonable faith, and I think I helped Shaun to see that.  We are called to be witnesses, to provide evidence of the Gospel by our words and our actions.  We really don’t have “proof” that we can shove down people’s throats, and I believe that is a good thing.  Proving the faith, sealing the deal, changing the heart – that’s the work of the Holy Spirit.   This frees us to listen to the other’s point of view, to share our faith reasonably and in a winsome manner, and, unless we allow our carnal pride to get in the way, should keep the conversation from degenerating into a needless argument that distracts from the Gospel at best and disqualifies it in the minds of our listeners at worst.       Video