By Reuben Archer Torrey
HOW TO DEAL WITH PROFESSED SKEPTICS AND INFIDELS
There are various classes of skeptics, and it is not wise to use the same methods in dealing with all.
I. SKEPTICS WHO ARE MERE TRIFLERS.
A very lange share of the skeptics of our day belong to this class. Their professed skepticism is only an excuse for sin, and a salve for their own consciences. As a rule it is not wise to spend much time on an individual of this class, but rather give him something that will sting his conscience and arouse him out of his shallowness. A good passage for this purpose is 1 Corinthians 1:18:
"For the preaching of the cross is to THEM THAT PERISH FOOLISHNESS, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God,"
Very likely the skeptic will say, "The Gospel and the whole Bible is all foolishness to me." You can reply by saying, "Yes, that is exactly what God says." "But," the man will say, "you don't understand me, the Gospel and the whole Bible is foolishness to me." "Yes," you can reply, "that is exactly what the Bible says." The man's curiosity will be piqued, and his mind opened by his curiosity to receive a word of truth, off his guard. Then have him read 1 Corinthians 1:18. Then you can say, "You said that the Gospel was foolishness to you, and God Himself says that 'the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness,' and it is foolishness to you because you are perishing; 'but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.'" Oftentimes it will be well to leave the man without another word of comment. Be careful not to laugh at him, and not to produce the impression that you are joking; but leave him with the thought that he is indeed perishing.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 can be used in much the same way. Before the passage is read you can say to the man, "You are a skeptic because the Gospel is hidden to you, but God Himself has told us in His Word to whom the Gospel is hidden, and why it is hidden to them." Then let him read the passage:
"But IF OUR GOSPEL BE HID, IT IS HID TO THEM THAT ARE LOST: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
When he has read it, you can say, "That verse explains to you the secret of your difficulty. The Gospel is hidden to you because you are lost, and the reason it is hidden is because the god of this world has blinded your mind, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon you." I have also found 1 Corinthians 2:14 useful:
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
I have used it to show the man that it was no more than was to be expected that the things of the Spirit of God would be foolishness unto him, because they were spiritually discerned. I was dealing one night with a very bright student. He could hardly be called altogether a trifler, for he was a young man of a good deal of intellectual earnestness. He said to me, "This is all foolishness to me." I replied by saying, "That is exactly what the Bible says." He looked very much astonished, and protested that I did not understand him, that he had said it was all foolishness to him. "Yes," I replied, "that is what the Bible says. Let me show it to you." I opened my Bible to the passage and let him read. When he had read it, I said, "That explains why it is foolishness to you; 'the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him.'" "Why," he said, "I never thought of that before." The Spirit of God carried it home to his heart, and the man was led to an honest acceptance of Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 can be used with good results with a trifling skeptic or agnostic. If the man says in an uppish way, "I am an agnostic," you can say, "Well, God has told us a good deal about agnostics and their destiny; let us see what He has said." Then have him read this passage:
"And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire TAKING VENGEANCE ON THEM THAT KNOW NOT GOD, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."
When it is read you can say, "Now an agnostic is one that knows not God; and this verse tells us exactly what is the destiny of an agnostic and all those who know not God. This is God's own declaration of their destiny." Then have him read it again if he will, and if he will not, quote it to him. He may laugh at you, and if he does, the Word of God often sinks deeply into the heart, even when it is treated with a sneer.
Mark 16:16 has been found very useful in dealing with trifling skeptics; when a man says to you that he is a skeptic or an infidel, it is well sometimes to say to him, "God has said some very plain words about infidels." Then give to him the passage:
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
and say, "I simply want to leave that message of God with you," and pass on. John 3:36 can be used in a similar way.
Sometimes it is well to say to the trifling skeptic, "I can tell you the origin of your skepticism, but I can do better, I can tell you what God says of the origin of your skepticism." Then show him John 8:47:
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, BECAUSE YE ARE NOT OF GOD."
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 can be used in extreme cases:
"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: THAT THEY ALL MIGHT BE DAMNED WHO BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH, BUT HAD PLEASURE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."
You can say to the man, "There is a very interesting passage in the Bible regarding skeptics. It tells what is the origin of their skepticism and what is the outcome of it." Then have him read the passage. When he has read it say, "Now what does this passage say about the origin of skepticism?" Show him it is "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." "What is the result of their refusal to receive the truth?" "God shall give them over to strong delusion that they shall believe a lie." "And what is the outcome of it all?" "That they all might be damned who believed not in the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Psalm 14:1 is useful in some cases, though it needs to be used with discretion and kindness. Before giving it to the man to read, you can say, "I do not wish to say anything unkind to you, but God Himself has said a very plain word about those who say there is no God; let me show it to you." Then let him read:
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."
When he has read it, say, "I am not saying that, but God has said it. Now it is a matter between you and God, but I would advise you not to forget what God has said." Of course this applies especially to one who is skeptical about, or denies the existence of God.
In dealing with a skeptic who is a trifler, and in fact with all skeptics, don't argue, don't get angry, be very gentle but very solemn, and very much in prayer, depending upon the Holy Spirit to give you words to say and to carry them home.
II. AN EARNEST-MINDED SKEPTIC.
Many skeptics are ton triflers. There are very many men and women in our day who are really very desirous of knowing the truth, but who are in an utter maze of skepticism. There is no more interesting class of people to deal with than this. In beginning work with them, it is well to ask them the following preliminary questions:
1. "WHAT CAN'T YOU BELIEVE?" Get as full an answer as possible to this question, for many a man thinks he is a skeptic when really he does believe the great fundamental truths. Furthermore, in finding out what a man does believe, no matter how little it is, you have a starting point to lead the man out to further faith.
2. "WHY CAN'T YOU BELIEVE?" This will oftentimes show the man how utterly without foundation are his grounds for unbelief.
3. "DO YOU LIVE UP TO WHAT YOU DO BELIEVE?" This will give you an opportunity in many cases to show a man that his trouble is not so much what he does not believe, as his failure to live up to what he does believe. Only the other night I was dealing with a man who told me that his trouble was that he could not believe, but we had not gotten far in the conversation when it became clear to us that his trouble was not so much that he could not believe, but that he did not live up to what he did believe.
4. "WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?" A few important lines along which to carry out this inquiry are, "Do you believe that there is an absolute difference between right and wrong?" "Do you believe that there is a God?" "Do you believe in prayer?" "Do you believe any part of the Bible, if so what part?"
Having asked the man these preliminary questions, proceed at once to show him how to believe. I have found no passage in the Bible equal to John 7:17 in dealing with an honest skeptic:
"If any man WILL DO HIS WILL, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."
It shows the way out of skepticism to faith, and has been used of God to the salvation of countless skeptics and infidels. You can say to the skeptic, "Now Jesus Christ makes a fair proposition. He does not ask you to believe without evidence, bet He asks you to do a thing that your own conscience approves, and promises that if you do it, you will come out of skepticism into knowledge. What Jesus asks in this verse, is that you will to do God's will; that is, that you surrender your will to God. Will you do it?" When this point has been settled, next say to him, "Will you make an honest search to find out what the will of God is, that you may do it?" When this point has been settled, ask the man, "Do you believe that God answers prayer?" Very likely the skeptic will reply that he does not. You can say to him, "Well, I know that He does, but of course I don't expect you to accept my opinion, but here is a possible clue to knowledge. Now the method of modern science is to follow out any possible clue to see what there is in it. You have given me a promise to make an honest search to find the will of God, and here is a possible clue, and if your promise was honest, you will follow it. Will you pray this prayer? 'O God, show me whether Jesus is thy Son or not; and if you show me that He is, I promise to accept Him as my Savior and confess Him as such before the world.'" It is well to have him make his promise definite by putting it down in black and white. After this is done, show him still another step. Take him to John 20:31:
"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
Here we are told that the Gospel of John was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Tell him, "Now this Gospel is given for this purpose, to show that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. Will you take this Gospel and read it, honestly and carefully?" Very likely he will say, "I have read it often before." You can say, "I want you to read it in a new way. Will you read it this way? Read a few verses at a time, and each time before you read, will you ask God to give you light on the passage that you are about to read, and promise that if He does, you will follow as much as you see to be true. Now when you have read the Gospel through, come back to me and tell me the result." I would again carefully go over all the points as to what he was to do. It would be well also to ask him to especially notice the following verses in the Gospel: 1:32-34; 3:2-3; 3:16,18,19; 3:32,34,36; 4:10,14,23,34,52-53; 5:8-9, 22-24, 28-29, 40,44; 6:8-14,19,27,29,35,40,66-68; 7:17, 37-39, 45-46; 8:12,18,21,24,31-32,34,36,38,42,47; 9:17,24-25,35-39; 10:9,11,27-30; 11:25-26,43-45; 12:26,32,35-36,42-43,46,48-50; 13:3,13; 14:3,6,9,15-16,21,24,27; 15:5,7,9-11,18-19,23-26; 16:3,7-11,13-14,24; 17:3,5,12,14,22,24-26; 18:37; 19:6,7-8; 20:8,13-19,24,25,27-29,31; 21:24. This method of treatment if it is honestly followed by the skeptic will never fail.
If the skeptic does not believe even in the existence of God, you will have to begin one step further back. Ask him if he believes there is AN ABSOLUTE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. If he says that he does not, which will be very rarely the case, it is just as well to tell him then and there that he is a mere trifler. If he says that he does, ask him if he will take his stand upon the right and follow it wherever it carries him. He will very likely try to put you off by saying, "What is right?" You can say to him that you do not ask him to take your conception of right, but will he take his stand upon the right and follow it wherever it carries him, and make an honest attempt to find out what the right is. Next say to him. "You do not know whether there is a God and whether He answers prayer or not. I know that there is a God and that He answers prayer; but I do not ask you to accept my opinion, but here is a possible clue to knowledge; will you follow it?" If he refuses, of course you will know at once that he is not an honest skeptic, and you can tell him so. If he is willing to try this clue have him offer this prayer, "O God, if there is any God, show me whether Jesus Christ is Thy Son or not, and if You show me that He is, I promise to accept Him as my Savior and confess Him as such before the world," then have him proceed by reading the Gospel of John, etc., as in the former case. If the man is not an honest skeptic, this course of treatment will reveal the fact, and you can tell him that the difficulty is not with his skepticism, but with his rebellious and wicked heart. If a man says he does not know whether there is an absolute difference between right and wrong, you can set it down at once that he is bad, and turn to him and say frankly but kindly, "My friend, there is something wrong in your life. No man who is living a right life will doubt that there is an absolute difference between right and wrong. You probably know what the wrong is, and the trouble is not with your skepticism but with your sin."
A man who was a thorough-going agnostic once came to me and stated his difficulties. The man had had a very remarkable experience. He had dabbled in Unitarianism, Spiritualism, Buddhism, Theosophy, and pretty much every other is extant. He was in a state of absolute agnosticism. He neither affirmed nor denied the existence of God. He told me that I could not help him, for his case was "very peculiar," as indeed it was, but I had John 7:17 to build my hope upon, and the man seemed honest. I asked him if he believed there was an absolute difference between right and wrong, he said that he did. I asked him if he was willing to take his stand upon the right and follow it wherever it carried him. He said that he was. I called out my stenographer and dictated a pledge somewhat as follows: "I believe that there is an absolute difference between right and wrong, and I hereby take my stand upon the right to follow it wherever it carries me. I promise to make an honest search to find if Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and if I find that He is, I promise to accept Him as my Savior and confess Him as such before the world." I handed the pledge to the man and asked him if he was willing to sign it. He read it carefully and then signed it. I then said to him, "You don't know there is not a God?" "No," he said, "I don't know that there is no God. Any man is a fool to say that he knows there is not a God. I neither affirm nor deny." "Well," I said, "I know there is a God, but that will do you no good." I said further, "You do not know that God does not answer prayer." "No," he said, "I do not know that God does not answer prayer, but I do not believe that He does." I said, "I know that He does, but that will not do you any good, but here is a possible clue to knowledge. Now you are a graduate of a British university. You know that the method of modern science is to follow out a possible clue to see what there is in it. Will you follow out this clue? Will you pray this prayer: 'O God, if there is any God, show me whether Jesus Christ is Thy Son or not, and if You show me that He is, I promise to accept Him as my Savior and confess Him as such before the world?" "Yes," he said, "I am willing to do that, but there is nothing in it; my case is very peculiar." I then turned to John 20:31 and read, "These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." After reading the verse, I said, "John wrote this Gospel that 'ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.' Will you take this Gospel and read it, not trying to believe it, but simply with a fair mind, willing to believe it if it approves itself to you as true?" He said, "I have read it time and time again, and could quote a good deal of it." I said, "I want you to read it in a new way; read a few verses at a time, ask God for light each time you read, and promise to act upon so much as you see to be true." This the man promised to do, but closed by saying, "There is nothing in it, my case is very peculiar." I went over again the various points and bade the man good-bye. A short time after I met him again. He hurried up to me, and almost the first words he said were, "There is something in that." I replied, "I knew that before." "Why," he said, "ever since I have done what I promised you to do, it is just as if I had been taken up to the Niagara river and was being carried along." Some weeks after I met the man again; his doubts had all gone. The teachings of the men he had formerly listened to with delight, had become utter foolishness to him. He had put himself in a way to find out the truth of God, and God had made it known to him, and he had become a believer in Jesus Christ as God's Son, and the Bible as God's Word.
There is no more interesting class, and no easier class to deal with, than honest skeptics. Many are afraid to tackle them, but there is no need of this. There is a way out of skepticism into faith laid down in the Bible that is absolutely sure if any one will take it. As for skeptics who are triflers, it is not best to spend much time on them, but simply to give them some searching passages of Scripture, and to look to the Spirit of God to carry the Word home.
III. SPECIAL CLASSES OF SKEPTICS.
1. THOSE WHO DOUBT THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. The passages given under I. and II. may be used with this class, and usually it is wise to use them before the specific passages given under this head.
(1) An excellent passage to use with those who claim to doubt the existence of God is Romans 1:19-22:
"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, WHEN THEY KNEW GOD, THEY GLORIFIED HIM NOT AS GOD, NEITHER WERE THANKFUL; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
Ask the doubter to read this passage carefully. When he has done so, you can say to him, "Of course you never saw God, but this verse tells us how the invisible things of Him whom we have never seen can be known, and how is it?" "By the things that are made." "What does Paul say we can understand by the things that are made?" "His eternal power and Godhead." "Is not this true, do not the facts of nature prove an intelligent creator?" It is well sometimes to illustrate by a watch or something of that sort. Show the inquirer a watch and ask him if he believes it had an intelligent maker, and why he thinks so; then ask him about his eye which shows more marks of intelligence in its construction than a watch, or anything man ever made. Having dwelled upon this argument and made it clear, ask him what God says those are who do not believe in God as revealed in His works. Bring out the fact that God says they are "without excuse." Then you can say to him, "The twenty-first verse tells us why men get in the dark about God." Have him read this verse also. "According to this verse, why is it that men get in the dark about God?" "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful." "Is not this true about you? Was there not a time when you knew God, believed that there was a God, but did not glorify Him as God, neither returned thanks to Him? What does God say is the result of this course?" "They became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." "Now is this not precisely your case? Has not your foolish heart been darkened by not glorifying God when you knew Him? Now the twenty-second verse describes such persons. Exactly what does it say about them?" "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
In something the same way you can use Psalm 19:1-2:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."
"According to this passage, what declares to us the glory of God?" "The heavens." "What shows His handiwork?" "The firmament." "Do you know anything about the stars?" Let the skeptic tell what he knows about the stars. If he knows nothing, tell him something about their greatness, their magnitude, and their wonderful movements, and then ask him if it does not indicate a wonderful creator. Endeavor to make him see that he is not honest in his denial of God.
(2) Tell him that there is still one verse you wish to give him, and that you hope he will bear in mind that it is not you who says it, but God; and that it applies to his case exactly. Then have him read the first half of Psalm 14:1:
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."
When he has read it, ask him who it is, according to this verse, who says, "There is no God." "The fool." "Where is it that he says there is no God?" "In his heart." "Why is it then that the fool says there is no God, because he cannot believe in God, or because he does not wish to believe in God?" You can add that the folly of saying in one's heart there is no God is seen in two points, first, because there is a God, and it is folly to say there is not one when there is; and second, because the doctrine that there is not a God always brings misery and wretchedness. Put it right to the man, and ask him if he ever knew a happy atheist. Before leaving him, you can tell him that he is losing the greatest blessing for time and for eternity by doubting the existence of God. Turn him to Romans 6:23 and show him that this is so:
"The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
When he has read the verse, say to him, "This verse tells us that we have our choice between eternal death, which is the wages that we have earned by sin, and eternal life, which is the gift of God, but of course if we do not believe in God, we cannot look to Him for this gift." You can further tell him that in his present state of mind it is impossible for him to do anything that pleases God, and show him Hebrews 11:6 and have him read it if he will, and if he will not, read it to him.
2. THOSE WHO DOUBT THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD. The method of dealing with honest skeptics described above is as a rule the best method of dealing with this class, but other plans will be useful with some.
(1) Oftentimes men say, 'I do not believe the Bible as a whole is the Word of God, but I accept what Jesus says." If one says this, get him to take his stand clearly and definitely upon this statement, that he accepts the authority of Jesus Christ. Get him to commit himself to this point. When he has done it, say to him, "Well, if you accept the authority of Jesus Christ, you must accept the authority of the whole Old Testament, for Jesus Christ has set the seal of His authority to the entire book." This the man will not believe at first, but turn him to Mark 7:13; show him the context, thereby proving to him that Jesus here calls the law of Moses the Word of God. Then say to him, "If you accept the authority of Jesus, you must accept the authority of at least the first five books of the Bible as being the Word of God." You can follow this up by Matthew 5:18:
"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." Here Jesus sets His authority to the absolute inerrancy of the Old Testament law. Then turn him to John 10:35:
"If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came, and THE SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN."
Show him here Jesus quotes a passage from the Psalms, (Psalm 82:6), and says that the Scripture cannot be broken, and hereby sets the stamp of His authority to the absolute inerrancy of the entire Old Testament Scriptures. Turn him next to Luke 24:27:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."
Show him from this passage how Jesus quoted the entire Old Testament Scriptures, Moses and the prophets, as being of conclusive authority. Then go on to the 44th verse, and call his attention to the fact that Jesus said that "all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms." Remind him that the Jew divided the Bible, the present Old Testament Scriptures, into three parts, the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms, and that Jesus took up each one of these parts in detail, and set the stamp of His authority upon the whole. Therefore hold him to the point that if he accepts the authority of Christ, he must accept the authority of the whole Old Testament, and he has already said that he did accept the authority of Christ.
To prove that Christ set the stamp of His authority to the New Testament, take him to John 14:26:
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
Here Jesus plainly declares that not only would the teaching of the apostles be true, but that it would contain all the truth, and furthermore, that their recollection of what He Himself said, would not be their own recollection, but the recollection of the Holy Ghost. Follow this up with John 16:12-13:
"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." Show him that Jesus Himself said, "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth." Therefore, tell him that Jesus said the apostles would be taught of the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit would guide them INTO ALL THE TRUTH, and that their teaching would be more complete than His own. "Therefore, if you accept the authority of Jesus, you must accept the authority of the entire New Testament."
(2) If the objector says that Paul never claimed that his teachings were the Word of God, turn him to 1 Thessalonians 2:13:
"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received THE WORD OF GOD WHICH YE HEARD OF US, ye received not as the word of men, BUT AS IT IS IN TRUTH, THE WORD OF GOD, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."
(3) A passage which is useful as describing the character of Bible inspiration is 2 Peter 1:21:
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God SPAKE AS THEY WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST."
1 Corinthians 2:14 is useful as proving verbal inspiration (see especially Am.R.V. {i.e., the American Standard Version: "Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged." (1 Corinthians 2:14 ASV) })
(4) Sometimes it is well to say to the doubter, "The Bible itself explains why it is that you do not believe the Bible is the Word of God." Then show him John 8:47. {"He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God." (John 8:47 ASV)} Follow this up by saying, "That you do not believe the Bible is God's word does not alter the fact," and show him Romans 3:3-4:
"For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
You can go further yet and say that God Himself tells us that there is awful guilt attaching to the one who will not believe the record that He has given, and then show him 1 John 5:10:
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT GOD HATH MADE HIM A LIAR; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son."
Ask him when he has read it, "What does God say here of the one who does not believe the record that He has given of His Son?" and make him see that God says he has made God a liar.
(5) Finally you may use Luke 16:30-31:
"And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
Before reading it, say, "Well, God says that the case of one who will not listen to the Bible is very desperate. Just read and see what He says upon this point," and then have him read the verse.
3. THOSE WHO DOUBT THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. It is very common in our day to have men say that they believe in God, but they do not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. The best way, as a rule, to deal with such is along the line described in I and II, especially under II; but sometimes there is a man who has real difficulties on this point, and it is well to meet him squarely.
(1) In the first place, show such a one that we find several divine titles applied to Christ, the same titles being applied to Christ in the New Testament that are applied to Jehovah in the Old: Acts 10:36 and 1 Corinthians 2:8, compare Psalm 24:8-10:
"The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is LORD OF ALL)." Acts 10:36.
"Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified THE LORD OF GLORY." 1 Corinthians 2:8.
"Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY? THE LORD OF HOSTS, HE IS THE KING OF GLORY. Selah." Psalm 24:8-10
Hebrews 1:8; John 20:28, Romans 9:5, Revelation 1:17, compare Isaiah 44:6:
"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Hebrews 1:8.
"And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." John 20:28.
"Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, GOD BLESSED FOREVER." Romans 9:5.
"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST." Revelation 1:17.
" Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts, I AM THE FIRST, AND I AM THE LAST, and beside me there is no God." Isaiah 44:6.
(2) Show him further that offices are ascribed to Christ that only God could fill. For this purpose use Hebrews 1:3,10:
"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and UPHOLDING ALL THINGS BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."
"And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH; and THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORK OF THINE HANDS."
(3) Show him that the Bible expressly declares that Jesus Christ should be worshiped as God. Use for this purpose Hebrews 1:6, Philippians 2:10, John 5:22-23, compare Revelation 5:13:
"And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM." Hebrews 1:6.
"That AT THE NAME OF JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." Philippians 2:10.
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, EVEN AS THEY HONOUR THE FATHER. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." John 5:22-23.
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard, saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, AND UNTO THE LAMB for ever and ever." Revelation 5:13.
(4) Show him that Jesus claimed the same honor as His Father, and either He was divine, or the most blasphemous impostor that ever lived. For this purpose use John 5:22-23. Drive home the truth that the one who denies Christ's divinity puts Him in the place of a blasphemous impostor. Mark 14:61-62:
"But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed? And JESUS SAID, I AM; and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (cf. vs. 63-64.)
(5) In the next place show him that the Bible says the one who denies the divinity of Christ, no matter who he may be, is a liar and an antichrist. For this purpose use 1 John 3:22-23, compared with 1 John 5:1,5:
"WHO IS A LIAR BUT HE THAT DENIETH THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also."
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."
"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
1 John 5:10-12 shows that he who does not believe that Jesus is divine makes God a liar, "because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son."
(6) Make it clear to the inquirer that God regards it as a matter of awful folly and guilt deserving the worst punishment to reject Christ as the Son of God. For this purpose use Hebrews 10:28-29:
"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"
Follow this up with John 8:24, which shows beyond a question that one who does not believe in the divinity of Christ cannot be saved, and John 20:31, which shows that we obtain life through believing that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God.
(7) I have found that making clear the fact that Christ rose from the dead, and that this was God's seal to His claim to be divine, is very helpful in dealing with many who have doubts as to His divinity. I have also found Acts 9:20 very helpful:
"And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD."
I call attention to who it was in this verse that declared Jesus to be the Son of God, namely Saul of Tarsus. I then bring out what it was that led Paul to say this; that is, his actually seeing Jesus in the glory, and hearing the words that He spoke to him. Then I make it clear that one of three things is true: either Saul actually saw Jesus in the glory, or else he lied about it, or else he was deceived, being in a heated state of imagination or something of that kind. Then I show how he could not have lied about it, for men do not manufacture a lie for the sake of suffering for it thirty or thirty-five years.
Second, I show that the circumstances were such as to preclude the possibility of an optical delusion, or an overheated state of the imagination, for not only did Paul see the light, but those who were with him, and those who were with him also heard the voice speaking, though they did not hear what the voice said. Furthermore, there was a second man, Ananias, who received a commission independently to go to Saul and lay hands upon him, and his eyes would be opened, and Saul's eyes were opened, which of course could not be the result of imagination. So Saul of Tarsus must actually have seen Christ in the glory, and if he did, in the way described, it settles it beyond question that Jesus is the Son of God; so the divinity of Christ is not a theological speculation, but an established fact.
4. THOSE WHO DOUBT THE DOCTRINE OF FUTURE PUNISHMENT, OR THE CONSCIOUS, ENDLESS SUFFERING OF THE LOST. As a rule it is not wise to discuss this difficulty with one who is not an out and out Christian. No one who has not surrendered his will and his mind to Jesus Christ is in a position to discuss the details of future punishment, but if one is skeptical on this point, though a Christian (in that he has accepted Christ as personal Savior), it is well to show him the teaching of God's Word. A great deal is made by those who deny the conscious, endless suffering of the lost, of the words "death" and "destruction," which are said to mean annihilation, or at least non-conscious existence. Say to such a one, "Let us see how the Bible defines its own terms." Revelation 21:8 defines what death means when used in the Scriptures as the punishment of the wicked:
"But the fearful, and unbelieving and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH."
Revelation 17:8, cf. Revelation 19:20 shows what "perdition" (some Greek word as translated elsewhere "destruction") means in the Scriptures:
"The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go INTO PERDITION; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." Revelation 17:8.
"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive INTO A LAKE OF FIRE BURNING WITH BRIMSTONE." Revelation 19:20.
Revelation 17:8 tells us that the beast was to go into "perdition," (destruction), Revelation 19:20 tells us just where the beast went, "into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." This then is "perdition." But Revelation 20:10 shows us the beast still there at the end of one thousand years, AND BEING STILL CONSCIOUSLY TORMENTED, AND TO BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER AND EVER. This then is what the Bible means by "perdition" or "destruction," conscious torment forever and ever in a lake of fire. Revelation 20:15 shows that those who are subjected to the terrible retribution here described are those who are not found written in the book of life:
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Matthew 10;28 shows that there is a destruction for the soul apart from the destruction for the body:
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Luke 12:5 shows that AFTER ONE IS KILLED (and is of course dead), there is still punishment in hell:
"But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him, which AFTER HE HATH KILLED hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."
Luke 16:23-26 shows that the condition of the wicked dead is one of conscious torment.
Mark 14:21 shows that the retribution visited upon the wicked is of so terrible a character, that it would be better for him upon whom it is visited if he had never been born:
"The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born."
2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 show that hell is not a place where the inhabitants cease to exist, but where they are reserved alive for the purposes of God:
"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, TO BE RESERVED UNTO JUDGMENT."
"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he HATH RESERVED IN EVERLASTING CHAINS under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."
Hebrews 10;28-29 shows that while the punishment for the transgression of the Mosaic law was death, sorer punishment awaits those who have trodden under foot the Son of God.
Matthew 25:41 shows that the wicked GO to the place prepared for the devil and his angels, and share the same endless conscious torment:
"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."
The character of this place and the duration of its punishment is very clearly stated in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10.
