Q&A
Q 1. JESUS NEVER SAID IN THE BIBLE THAT HE IS GOD. HOW CAN CHRISTIANS SAY THAT JESUS IS GOD?
A. First of all we need to understand that if anyone claims himself to be God, he does not become God. If it was so, then all the self-proclaimed human Gods of today will have to be accepted as God.
However, if someone does something which only God can do, or if he has the qualities and character of God, then he is definitely God. So let us first consider if Jesus Christ did what only God can do or if he had the characters which only God can claim to have.
Some of the characters which the world, irrespective of the religion, expects God to have are Eternal, Almighty Omnipotent, Omniscient, worthy of worship, etc. Anyone with these characters, whether or not he claims, He is God.
ETERNAL- The Word of God testifies that Jesus is eternal
Hebrews 13: 8 - Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 1:8 - But to the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
ALMIGHTY- The Word of God testifies that Jesus is Almighty
Revelation 1:8 - I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty
OMNIPOTENT- The Word of God testifies that Jesus is Omnipotent
Mathew 28:19 - I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
OMNISCIENT (All Knowing) - The Word of God testifies that Jesus is Omniscient
Revelation 2:23- Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds
Revelation 5:6 - The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
WORTHY OF WORSHIP- The Word of God testifies that Jesus is Worthy of worship
Revelation 5:12- In a loud voice they were saying: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"
Then why did Jesus not claim that He was God, while He was on earth?
The Word of God gives the reason for that in Philippians 2:6-8 “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”
Even while he was God, Jesus emptied himself of all the privileges of God and lived on this earth with all the restrictions as human being, because He was offering himself as penalty for the sins of mankind, and set himself as an example for all others.
Hence Jesus never proclaimed publicly that He was God while on earth, however He said that “Father and I are one” John 10:30, He revealed himself as God several times (John 8:58, John 1:1-14, John 20:28 etc.)
Moreover after His resurrection Jesus proclaimed He was God, Revelation 21:7 “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children”
Therefore the statement that Jesus never said in the Bible that He is God’ is completely wrong. But when He came to earth as a man, he never claimed to be God, the reasons for which have been explained above.
Q 2. JESUS CANNOT BE FULLY MAN AND FULLY GOD. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?
The term ‘God’ in itself is complete, so the phrase ‘complete or fully God’ is irrelevant. But Man is not complete, for all men have sinned and have become incomplete. Jesus when He was on earth was complete God and complete man. The Bible says that ‘Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever”. If Jesus was God yesterday, He is God today also and will be God forever. It is impossible for God, to not be God but it is not impossible for God to be man. However Jesus while He was God lay aside all His powers, abilities and privileges as God, and came and lived on this earth with all the limitations and restriction of a man. The reason being that Jesus came to this earth to live a life as an example for all, and to die as penalty for the sins of all mankind.
At the same time Jesus is an Almighty God. The Word of God declares that Jesus has all the Characters which only God has (Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Eternal). Not only that, after His resurrection Jesus himself publicly proclaimed that He was God, thus proving that He was God himself.
So to answer how can Jesus be God and man at the same time? It is not impossible for God to be man while still being God, nor does the Bible say it is impossible.
Q 3. JESUS IS A PROPHET LIKE OTHER PROPHETS. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Jesus is a prophet, but unlike other prophets, He is not only a prophet but also the King and High Priest. He is the Son of God, from eternity. Jesus did not become the Son when He was born on earth. The position Son is also eternal, as is the position Father. It was that Jesus the Son came to earth as a man.
“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” John 3:17
When Jesus was baptized, a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Mathew 3:17
There are many other instances in the Bible which show that Jesus is the Son of God. All these prove that Jesus is not only a prophet but also the Son of God.
Q 4. HOW CAN GOD HAVE A SON?
“Son of God” here does not mean a son born, as in human terms. The term ‘Son of God’ is in fact a position, a relation, one who has been with God since eternity, as the Son who is the second person in God. It is in this respect that Jesus has been called the Son of God. The Son was the Word, who became flesh and came to this world as a human being.
Q 5. DO CHRISTIANS BELIEVE IN 3 GODS? WHO ARE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT?
Christians do not believe in 3 Gods. The Bible says that there is only One God.
But God is Spirit; the Father is Spirit, the Son is Spirit and the Holy Spirit is Spirit, teaches the word of God. In the same way the word of God also teaches that the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. God does not have a form as human beings. Therefore it is impossible for a finite human mind to comprehend God who is Spirit. Because God created man in His image, there are some characteristics which are common to God and man. Man has 3 parts, namely, body, soul and spirit.
In the first verse of the Bible Genesis 1:1, God is mentioned as “Elohim” (the Hebrew plural noun for God). It shows the presence of more than one person. Genesis 3:22, 11:7, Isaiah 6:8, are other examples. In the New Testament Mathew 3:16-17, II Corinthians 13:14, denotes three equal persons. The word of God explains this concept not as 3 separate individuals as in humans but rather one God existing in three Persons.
God the Father (John 6:7, Romans 1:7), God the Son (1 John 5:20, Romans 9:5), God the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16, Acts of the Apostles 5:3-4) each is God individually and yet they are together the one true God, teaches the word of God. God the Father is the creator and the Controller of all things; Jesus Christ is the Lord and the Savior of mankind; Holy Spirit is the Guide and the Comforter. The word of God affirms the 3 Persons in one God and also that there is only One God.
Beyond that, the Bible does not explicitly clarify how these 3 persons are one God. Even if it is explained, we as humans can never comprehend it with our finite minds. It is impossible for man to understand an infinite God. While God has revealed everything that man needs to know about God, the things that are not as explicitly clear need not be defined.
Q 6. JESUS NEVER SAID TO WORSHIP HIM IN THE BIBLE. THEN HOW COME CHRISTIANS WORSHIP HIM?
Jesus said “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mathew 20:28). Because the purpose why Jesus came to the earth was not be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for the sins of many, He did not ask anyone to worship Him during His life on earth. Jesus lived on this earth as a man sent by God.
But there are several instances in the Bible where Jesus accepted worship. Mathew 14: 33 “Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Mathew 28:9, Luke 24:52, John 9:38 are the other examples. In all these verse, we do not see Jesus prohibiting anyone from worshipping Him. That’s because Jesus is worthy of all worship and glory and honor (Revelation 5:12).
Not only that, God the Father has commanded to worship Jesus, the Son of God. “And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." Hebrew 1:6.
In short, since the purpose of Jesus coming to earth was not to receive worship, He never asked anyone to worship Him. However in many instances Jesus accepted worship and also God the Father commanded that the Son should be worshipped. Therefore Jesus is worshipped not because He demands worship but because He is worthy of Worship and the Father has commanded it.
Q 7. JESUS NEVER DIED ON THE CROSS. HOW CAN GOD ALLOW THAT?
The death of Jesus on the Cross and His resurrection is not a man-made story. Infact His birth, place of birth, death, the manner of His death was prophesied 1000’s years before His birth, by prophets. The prophets prophesied Jesus’s death on the cross centuries before even the practice of crucifixion was started. It was thus prophesied because there was a purpose behind the birth of Jesus and His death on the cross. God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).
It was according to the plan and purpose of God that Jesus came to the world, and died as a sacrifice for the redemption of our sins. Jesus was born of a virgin, so there was no sin in Him. Since all men born are the sons of Adam, they inherit the sins of Adam and are born in sin. But Jesus was born not from Adam but from a Virgin without sin, and lived without sin. Only someone without sin can take away the sins of others. The wages of sin is death. Jesus as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, took over the wages of sin, and was separated from God through His spiritual death and as a result physical death also. No one else except Jesus was eligible to take on himself the punishment of death on behalf of the sins of all mankind. That is why God allowed Jesus to die on the cross. Through His death, Jesus has freed us from the punishment of sin and given us eternal life.
We affirm the death of Jesus on the cross not because it is written in the Bible. If it was so we could have considered it as a story said by someone. However the truth that Jesus will die on the cross was prophesied and recorded in history centuries before it actually happened. And every single word which was prophesied and recorded was fulfilled with Jesus’s death thus establishing that it was true.
Q 8. IF JESUS WAS GOD, HE COULD HAVE AVOIDED HIS DEATH. THEN HOW CAN A GOD DIE?
Jesus as God and a man without sin could definitely have avoided His death. However the purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. Jesus knew from the beginning that He will have to suffer and be crucified. The words which Jesus spoke to Peter when Peter was going to fight the Roman soldiers, who came to catch Him, are noteworthy. “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Matthew 26:53-54.
This means that Jesus, if He wanted could have avoided His death on the cross, but then how could the prophesy in the Scriptures regarding His death be fulfilled, how could He obtain the forgiveness of sins, is what Jesus meant in the verse above. The suffering and crucifixion of Christ had been prophesied by many prophets. (Isaiah 53:1-2, Daniel 9:24-27). Jesus too had mentioned about his sufferings and death on the Cross (Matthew 17:22-23, 26-31). Jesus could have definitely avoided His death. He could also have gone straight to heaven without His death, because the wages of sin is death and Jesus being without sin was not required to undergo this death. But if Jesus avoided His death, we would not have a deliverance from the wages of sin, which we deserve as sinners. Therefore out of His love for the world and the will His Father chose to die as a sin-offering for the sins of the mankind.
The answer to how God can die can be seen in the Scriptures. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. Philippians 2: 6-8.
God, in the Bible is eternal. There is no death for Him. But Jesus lowered himself from the position of God and took the form of man, to take on Himself the sins of all mankind and suffered death. Hebrews 2:9 says “But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone”.
So Jesus died on the cross not as God but as man. The word of God says “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28; “the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all” 1 Timothy 2:5, 6.
Jesus lowered himself from the position of God and took the form of man, to do the things which He could not do being God. The most important being, to experience death which is impossible for God.
Jesus died on the cross not as God, but as a man without sin, He died as a sin-offering instead of sinners.
Q 9. IF JESUS WAS GOD, WHY DID HE CRY ‘MY GOD MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME’?
Here again we need to understand that Jesus was born and lived on this earth as complete man, laying aside His equality with God and lowering himself to the form of a man. The way Jesus addressed here is noteworthy “My God” is what Jesus called. Before this, never has Jesus addressed as ‘God’, instead He called ‘Father’ always.
The cry of Jesus on the cross is the cry of a sin-bearer, representing all sinful men, abandoned by God and separated from communion with God. Jesus who was without sin was made to be a sin, on behalf of the sins of all mankind.
Jesus was fully man, except for sin. Jesus was born without sin, to be a penalty for the sins of man. Jesus being a penalty for the sins became sin and was separated from God, as man. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21
So Jesus having borne our sins, and becoming sin having been separated from God; today through the blood of Christ and His righteousness, we can come near to God. Hebrews 10:19
Jesus having called His Father, God, today we can boldly call God,’ our Father ‘.
Galatians 4:6-7 “Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son;
Q 10. IF JESUS DIED, HOW CAN IT BE FOR ME?
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2). Jesus died for all because “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned”
When all men became sinners in Adam, the only man after Adam to be born in this world without sin was Jesus. Only a man without sin can become the penalty for sin. Jesus was born without sin, lived without sin and hence became eligible to eliminate the sins of the world. Since the wages of sin is death, Jesus bore this death for the sins of all men, on the cross.
There is no redemption without the shedding of blood, says the word of God. Jesus took death, as the punishment of sins of all mankind. He, in exchange of His sinless blood that is His life, got for us freedom from sin and reconciled us with God. Not only that He defeated death and resurrected and got His eternal life for all who believe in Him. The only man to come to earth so qualified, is Jesus.
If we believe in our heart that Jesus died for my sins and rose up and if we confess Jesus as Lord with ourtongue, we obtain forgiveness for our sins and eternal life. Eternal life is the life of God. This is the salvation which Jesus gives. Jesus died not for Christians but for sinners, because all have sinned and have lost the glory of God. Hence the death of Jesus was for the whole world, for me and for each one of you.
Q 11. WHAT IS SIN, SALVATION? WHY IS JESUS THE ONLY SOLUTION?
The meaning or word ‘sin’ in its original form means ‘to miss’, ‘fall from the purpose’. So it is important to understand what was God’s purpose, when He created us? Only then we can understand the real meaning of sin. Bible says in Romans 3:23, ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’. That is, God’s purpose when he created us was to be in God’s image and God’s glory. God created man in His own image or in other words His own character. It was from this character that man has fallen. Therefore sin is actually the difference between the character of God and the present situation of man who has fallen from this character. That mean sin is the difference between the Holy God and the fallen man.
Only when we understand what sin is, that we can understand what salvation is. When the first man Adam violated the commandment of God, he and all mankind born through him lost the glory of God. The Bible teaches real Salvation as ‘the transforming from this fallen state back to the original image in which God created us’, and not just as a way of saving us from hell and taking us to heaven.
Now the real question is what can Jesus do to give this Salvation? In reality only Jesus can save man from this sinful state. When all men became sinners through Adam, and lost the glory of God, then Jesus was the only one, who after Adam was born without sin, in the image of God, lived without sin and completely revealed God and God’s character and image. Only someone who is without sin can obtain the forgiveness of sin. Jesus was born and lived without sin, and hence became eligible to take away the sins of the world. Since the wages of sin is death, Jesus bore the sins of all mankind and died on the cross. ‘There is no forgiveness without shedding of blood’, says the word of God. Jesus shed his sinless blood and suffered death, for the sins of all mankind thus delivering us from death and reconciling us again with God. And so made it possible for us to have the same fellowship with God, as it was before man sinned and was separated from God. Not only that, because Jesus defeated death and rose again, He is able to offer His life which is eternal, to anyone who accepts Him. Anyone who acknowledges that he is a sinner and repents, when he accepts Jesus as Lord in His life, Jesus comes into his life and He receives the Life of Jesus which is Eternal Life. When a man receives this Life, he is able to come to back to the same relationship with God which was in the beginning and being filled with this Life, he is able to transform into the same image in which God created us originally. In this way we can return to the original purpose for which God created us. This is the message of salvation which the Bible teaches.
2 Corinthians 3:18 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image”.
2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God’.
12. WHAT DOES ‘REPENTANCE MEAN?
The word Repent means “to change one’s mind.” God created man with the ability and freedom to think, to desire, to understand, to reason and to choose. But God’s desire was that even in this freedom; man should completely depend on God, and obey Him in love. But when the first man Adam who completely loved, believed and depended on God, changed his mind and turned from God and believed the word of Satan, that was the first ‘repentance’. When Adam ‘repented’; as God had warned him, he lost the life of God and moved from the dominion of God to the dominion of the Satan.
Therefore real repentance is when a man hears the true gospel, and his eyes are opened and he realizes that he is sinner and a slave of Satan and turns his mind towards God to be saved. (Acts of the Apostles 20:21 “testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ”.)
(Acts of the Apostles 26:18 to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith that is in Me.’
13. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ‘BORN-AGAIN’?
Being born again is not about some good decisions that we make or some good changes we make in our character, but as the name suggests it is the process of getting a new birth and a new life. When we were formed in our mother’s womb, the first thing we received was life. We received our natural life from our parents, and that is how we became their children in flesh. That is a birth by flesh. However God is Spirit. To become children of God, just as we were once born in flesh, we need to be born again in spirit. That is what God told Nicodemus in John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”.
As we read before when Adam turned from God to Satan, he lost the life of God and since then everyone born from Adam, just like Adam, are born without the life of God says the word of God (Romans 5:12). Therefore when a man repents and turns to God, the exact opposite of what happened when Adam turned from God to satan, happens. That is if when Adam believed the lie of satan he fell from life to death, then when a man repents and turns to God he enters into life from death.
When a man realizes and acknowledges that he is a sinner, repents and believes that Jesus died as a penalty for his sins, and accepts Jesus as the Lord of his life, he receives the life of Jesus, which is eternal and from God. Thus he is born again in Spirit, born of God. This is called being born-again.
He who does not have Jesus in him does not have the life of God, and anyone without the life of God is dead.
1 John 5:11-12 “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life”.
Dear readers, you might belong to different denominations, different religions, you may be good or bad before men, but Jesus Christ said “he who is born of flesh is flesh”. Today by a decision you make, you can enter into the life from your present dead state. You can be born from God and become His sons and daughters.
John 1:12-13 “But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, Children born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God”.
14. WHAT IS THE CHURCH OF GOD? WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHURCHES/ DENOMINATIONS?
As mentioned above, when the life of Jesus enters into one’s life, he becomes a child of God. A local gathering of such people who have the life of God is the local church.
In other words if a believer is a body organ which has the life of God, then church is Christ’s body made of all these organs which are controlled by the life of God. The Church is not a building or a denomination. Church is a living body made of living organs. Church is not an organization but a living organism. The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head, the leader and the controller of each organ of the body.
In a body, even though the function of each organ is different, the common factor which makes all these organs to function is the life in this body. In the same way, the life of Jesus is the common factor which unites each member of the church irrespective of caste, creed and color.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus
Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
As per the word of God there are only three aspects. The organ which is the believer who has the life of Jesus in him, the local church comprising of all such believers and the universal church comprising of such local churches of God. In this, the universal church is invisible because it includes all the children of God who have lived till date, and all God’s children who are going to be born.
However the local church which is gathering of God’s children is visible. A born again child of God should seek fellowship in a local church which functions as per God’s word because only in an inseparable connection with the Head as a part of the body, can an organ survive and grow.
Ephesians 4:16 “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”.
However many of the so called churches seen today are mere human organizations. Many of their members and even the leaders do not have the life of Christ in them and are not God’s children. That is why such organizations even if they call themselves churches, are mere human-made, human-led, human- organizations. And so they do not have the life, qualities and characters of the church which is the living body of Christ. Not only that, they will have all the shortcomings and problems of a human organization.
But often such human organizations are misunderstood as churches which lead to God’s name being blasphemed. Therefore it is extremely important that a born again child should not associate with such human organizations but be a part of a local church which functions as per God’s word.
Q 15. IF JESUS IS GOD, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SELF-PROCLAIMED GOD MEN, PROPHETS AND JESUS?
Jesus is not a self-proclaimed human God. Human gods, while being mere men lift up themselves and claim to be God, Jesus while He was God, lowered Himself and came down to earth as a man. (Philippians 2:6-8). Let us consider how Jesus is different from the human gods.
- Many prophets’ prophesized the birth and death of Jesus 1000 years even before He was born.
- Jesus’ birth was also different. He was born of a virgin.
- No human god has defeated death and resurrected.
- If Jesus was a mere human god, His gospel would not have spread all over the world and He would not be worshipped, as He himself had prophesized 2000 years ago.
As mentioned above, there are several other facts that prove that Jesus is not merely a human god. Jesus came into this earth to be a penalty for the sins of all mankind, and to give eternal life. No human gods can be a penalty for the sins of all mankind, or give eternal life because they themselves are sinners. Spiritually dead man cannot be given forgiveness of sins and eternal life by human gods. They being dead in sin cannot obtain eternal life for even themselves, let alone saving others. Human gods have come to set up religion and to give good teaching. But a man who is dead in sin, does not need a religion or a good teaching, what he needs is eternal life and deliverance from death. And this was the purpose why Jesus came to earth. Jesus came not to give religion to a dead man, but to give him life. (John 10:10)
Q 16. HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE BIBLE WHICH DOES NOT FIT WITH SCIENCE? WHAT ABOUT THE CONTRADICTIONS?
We need to understand that Bible is not a scientific book. It is the book written and compiled by 40 different authors. The message of the Bible is the message of God’s great plan to restore man who because of his sin has lost the glory and fellowship with God. So the focus of the Bible is on this message of salvation and not on the scientific contents. Moreover, the Bible gives importance to the spirit of man and not to satisfy the curiosity of human minds. If man had not separated from God through his sin, the Bible would have been an ordinary book with no significance. In the Bible we see the great picture of the fall of man and his redemption. Science is a merely a very small part of this great picture. The main objective of the Bible is not to teach the scientific truths but to declare to man in his own language, the message of salvation. In this regard, the Bible also reveals the scientific truths of the period in which Bible was written and was unknown to man. For example, the fact that there is ‘life in blood’ was mentioned in the Bible much before it was discovered by Science. But it is not written there to teach Science but is mentioned by God as a solution for sin. But there are also verses such as ‘The sun hurries back to where it rises.., which may seems contradictory to science, but that is because man at all times, does not use scientifically correct terms such as ‘ Earth revolves’ but human expressions that ‘Sun rises and sets’, which are scientifically incorrect. Bible is God’s message of salvation written by humans, for humans, in human language.
Q 17. . BIBLE IS A BOOK WHICH IS CORRECTED, EDITED AND MODIFIED. IS IT TRUE?
Bible was written by 40 different authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Inspite of being a collection of 66 different books, written by 40 different authors over a span of 1400 years, there is no discrepancy in the basic message of the Bible. The message of the Bible is the ‘redemption of the fallen man’. It is a history of God’s work for the salvation of man. How can the same idea and message be written by different people, at different times some separated by hundreds of years, living at different places within contrasting cultures? This is where we see God’s control in the writing of the Bible. If the first book of the Bible, Genesis starts with man being sent away from God’s presence and the doors of Eden being closed; the last book of Revelation shows man coming back to the presence of God and the gates of paradise being opened again. How can the books written by different writers in different times over such a long period, find perfect harmony in the message they convey? This confirms God’s leading in the writing of these books. That is why we call it ‘God’s word’.
The prophesies in the Bible were not written after it took place, by the prophet’s own interpretation. In fact they were written centuries before it actually happened as God revealed to them, confirming that Bible was written under God’s control.
There has been no human correction or additions to the Bible. However copies and translations have not been done under God’s control. It is subject to human errors in use of terminologies, hence mistakes in the translation and copies are but natural.
Q 18. IF BIBLE IS INSPIRED BOOK BY GOD, WHY THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DIFFERENT BIBLE?
In reality there are no different Bibles, only different translations. The Bible we have now is the translated and copied versions. Human errors and variations in translations, use of terminology, the way of narration, sentence structure is but natural. However we have to understand that the claim that the Scripture is God- breathed and God-controlled is for the letters and books written originally and not for the translation and other copied versions.
Q 19. HOW IS BIBLE UNIQUE? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE FROM OTHER HOLY BOOKS?
The message of the Bible is undeniably unique. While all other religious books, in one way or the other teach about changing the human character; the message of the Bible is about the impossibility of changing or converting the fallen man and how only in Christ he can become a new creation.
While all other religious scriptures teach ways, acts and rituals to make a dead man good, Bible teaches man how to restore the life of God which he has lost, to make possible the fellowship with God and living a life filled with God’s life. What a dead man needs is not good messages, or ideas or rites and rituals to live a good life, but infact he needs life itself. And it is to give this life that Jesus came to earth. (John 10:10).
All religious scriptures are a creation of man’s attempts to find God but Bible is the message from God who came looking for men.
Q 20. WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN YOU SAY BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD? ARE ONLY GOD’S WORDS IN THE BIBLE?
Bible contains things spoken not only by God, but also by men and even the devil. Bible is called God’s word, not because it contains only the words of God, or words spoken by God himself, but because it has words written by men, controlled by God. Even while writing the words spoken by men and even the devil, the authors were completely controlled by God and hence the Bible is called the word of God.
Q 21. WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN THE FOUR GOSPELS? WHY ARE SOME INCIDENTS NOT MENTIONED?
The four Gospels were written by four different authors, addressing four different types of audiences.
The Gospel of Mathew is for the Jewish audience, emphasizing that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, and that He is the promised Messiah long-awaited by the Jews.
The Gospel of Mark addresses the Romans, and therefore Mark emphasizes on the miraculous deeds of Jesus.
Luke portrays Jesus’ concern for the weak, the suffering, and the outcast, emphasizing His perfect human nature.
John emphasizes to that prove Jesus is the Son of God.
The difference in the fours gospels is because it was been addressed to four different audiences and highlights different subjects. That is why some incidents have not been recorded in all the four gospels.
Q 22. WHY ARE THE GENEALOGIES IN MATHEW AND LUKE DIFFERENT?
Gospel of Luke describes the genealogy of Jesus through his mother Mary’s side while the Gospel of Matthew describes the genealogy of Jesus through His father Joseph’s side. Matthew is following the line of Joseph, through David and his son Solomon, while Luke is following the line through David’s other son Nathan.
Since tracing a genealogy through the mother’s side was unusual among the Jews, Luke has used the term ‘son of Heli’, while actually meaning ‘son in law’. Through either Mary’s or Joseph’s line, Jesus is a descendant of David thus fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah will be a descendent of David. So was also the prophecy that Christ will be born of a virgin.
Q 23. IT IS WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE THAT JESUS SAID “AND I WILL ASK THE FATHER AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER HELPER TO HELP YOU” DOES THAT REFER TO PROPHET MOHAMMED? IF NOT WHY?
It is definitely not about Prophet Mohammed. The reference here is to the Holy Spirit. It is clarified in the very next verse which says’ “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26. Prophet Mohammed was not the Helper, whom the Father sent in His name. In John 14:16 it is said that this helper will be with you forever, but Prophet Mohammed died in A.D 632. Not only that, Jesus spoke about a helper who would come soon, and will dwell in the disciples. These are not true for Prophet Mohammed. This clarifies that the person Jesus was referring to was not Prophet Mohammed.
Another verse which is similarly often misinterpreted is Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him”. The above words were spoken by Moses to the Israelites. ‘Among their brothers’ here refers to the other tribes of Israel. Moses said was that a prophet like himself will be raised from among the Jews. This prophet must be a Jew and Prophet Mohammed was not a Jew but from an Arab origin. The prophet that Moses refers to was Jesus. The prophesy in Deuteronomy 18:18 is about Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me”. John 5:46. So the Bible does not say anything about Prophet Mohammed.
Q 24. IS GOD OF BIBLE AND ALLAH OF QURAN THE SAME? IF NOT WHY?
Definitely not. In the Bible, God introduces himself as’ Jehovah’. God says He has never changed His name, neither will He because that is His name forever.
Exodus 3:15 “God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations”.
Name does not change with languages. ’Allah’ is not the Arabic meaning for’God‘, but is infact the name of the God, Muslims believe in. Not only that we can see many other differences as well. Just because a few similarities exist between two people, does not confirm that the two are the same but the differences among two people definitely confirms that they are two separate people..
Q 25. IS JESUS OF BIBLE AND ISA IN QURAN SAME? IF NOT WHY?
As per the explanation above, we can confirm that they are two different people. The reason there are few similarities are because when book is released and centuries later another book is made with extracts from the original book, there is bound to be some similarities among the characters. But we can make out from that which is the Original book.
Q.26. HOW CAN WE SAY THAT WE CAN INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE BY ACCEPTING JESUS AS LORD WHEN JESUS HIMSELF SAID THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS THROUGH OBEYING THE LAW?
The Bible does say that we can obtain eternal life by obeying the Law, but at the same time it also says that no man can completely obey the law due to the weakness through his flesh. That is why much before the Law was given; God gave the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
When a man tries and fails to obtain eternal life by obeying the Law, he realizes the weakness in his flesh and is led to the Son who is able to give eternal life. So the Law is the guardian leading us to Christ. It was for this reason that the young man whom Jesus asked to obey the law and obtain eternal life was then told to forsake everything and follow Him, in other words was asked to accept Christ as Lord. But because he was not willing, he lost eternal life.
Q 27. WHY CHRISTIANS DON’T DO CIRCUMCISION, WHILE JESUS DID AND ASK US TO FOLLOW HIS FOOTSTEPS?
Jesus came to this earth under the Law. Man who was unable to completely keep the law, came under curse as a punishment for breaking the law. But Jesus came under the law and completely fulfilled the law, died by hanging on the tree and took on himself the curse of breaking the law, of all men. Not only that He freed us from the Law and made us His children. Now we no longer need to perform the rituals of the Law but as Children should live by obeying the Spirit of God. That is how, just as Jesus lived by obeying His Father, we follow the footsteps of Jesus. Moreover it is mentioned in the Old Testament that circumcision of flesh is a shadow of the circumcision of heart that will be completed through Jesus Christ.
Q 28. JESUS HIMSELF SAID “DO NOT THINK THAT I CAME TO BRING PEACE ON THE EARTH; I DID NOT COME TO BRING PEACE, BUT A SWORD (MATTHEW 10:34-35). THEN HOW CAN YOU SAY JESUS WILL LOVE YOU AND FORGIVE YOU?
These words were said by Jesus to His disciples. Here ‘sword’ is used in figurative terms, meaning a sword divides or separates two things. When Jesus came to the world, it is divided into two; those who have accepted the salvation of Jesus and those who have rejected it. If any son accepts Jesus and his Father does not, this division has already come among them. In short, accepting Jesus and loving Him will be a cause for division in many families. In reality after Jesus came, there are only two different groups of people in this world, one who have received eternal life through Jesus and the other who are dead without life.
The above verse should not be misinterpreted as that Jesus came to earth with a sword and that He commanded to kill others with the sword.