Give Me An Answer (Book)

This will only be available until Dec. 11, 2024

Chapter 1: Aren’t there many ways to God?

Whenever I do open air preaching, I follow a similar format. First, I take about 7 to 10 minutes to make my opening remarks. I state who I am, why I have come to speak and explain the basics of my own walk with Jesus Christ. I tell why I believe Jesus is not only the way to personal salvation, but also why he gives us abundant life now.

Obviously, in a few minutes I have I cannot go into great detail. In fact, it is better for me to be brief so too many people don’t wander away because they are bored or too busy to hang around. So, after a short talk on an issue from a biblical perspective, I encourage people to ask questions or make comments whether they agree or disagree with what I’ve said.

One of the topics that often strikes my listeners is the exclusive claims of Christianity. In an age of relativism, people are quite uncomfortable when you say you have the absolute truth. In an air when people want to think that their view of what is right and what is wrong is as good as anyone else’s, you will get a lot of disagreement if you say Jesus’ view is ultimately true.

Question 1

Why do you say that Jesus Christ is the only way to God?

Question 2

Isn’t it enough to live a good life?

This question has come to me in many forms. Usually the inquiry goes something like, “Gandhi lived a great life, a moral life. He lived a much better life than you ever will. Are you telling me he’s in hell just because he didn’t follow Jesus Christ? I live a good life. Aren’t good people going to heaven?”

My response is always simple and always the same. I do not know whether Gandhi will be in heaven or hell. The reason I have no answer is that I do not know how Gandhi responded to Christ before he was assassinated.

But there are some things I do know. 15 years before his untimely death, Gandhi wrote, “I must tell you in all humility that Hinduism, as I know it, entirely satisfies, my soul, fills my whole being. I find a solace in the Bhagavad and Upanishads that I miss even in the Sermon on the Mount.”

Just before his death, however, it’s a far different Gandhi we hear. He wrote, “my days are numbered. I am not likely to live very long, perhaps a year or a little more. For the first time in 50 years, I find myself in the slough of despond. All about me is darkness; I am praying for the light.” Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). It is my personal prayer that Gandhi found the light of the world, Jesus Christ.

Often, I will answer questions about living the good and perfect life by saying, “I agree; if you live the perfect life, you do not need to accept Christ. You have done nothing to disobey him, so you have no need of forgiveness. Congratulations.”

I’m not trying to be facetious when I respond this way. I’m trying to say, as kindly as I can, that no one can short circuit God. None of us have lived a good and perfect life, as God defines those words. In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus explains what he means by the “good life.” “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Your neighbor as yourself.”

That’s all we have to do to make it to heaven. If we can accomplish it, without slippage, without failure, then we can attain salvation on our own.

For those who continue to insist that all it requires to attain heavenly status is a good set of moral credentials, I tell you a well-known story of the scriptures, the story of the rich young man found in Matthew 19:16-21.

Here was a man who had everything-money, possessions, prestige and respect-and he had acquired them honestly, without deceit. One day this young man approached Jesus with the question, “teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

Jesus’ answer must have surprised the young man: “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.” Jesus challenges our definition of good. Only God has the right to that title. Kind of sobering, isn’t it? Especially when many claim that all it takes is a “good” life to attain our salvation. But the only perfect “good” that exists, according to Jesus, is the perfection found in God.

Christ went on from there. He told the young man, “Obey the commandments… ‘do not murder; Do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The young man must have thought, “hey, this is a piece of cake. I’ve done all of this.” So he replies, “all these I have kept.”

Jesus wasn’t finished though. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor. Then come, follow me.”

When Jesus said that the young man’s demeanor changed immediately. He put his head down and walked away. Sadness filled his heart. Jesus had touched him at the center of who he was. Although this young man may have been blameless in his personal life and in his business life, he was still busy serving another god-money. He didn’t realize that goodness, as defined by God, applies to our attitudes as well as to our actions.

This all comes down to one basic question: If it’s possible for you and me to attain salvation by simply living a good life, why was it necessary for Jesus to endure the excruciating agony of the cross? Why didn’t he simply lay down a few guidelines, tell us to do our best, and then ascend into heaven? Why? Because Jesus knew it would take more than guidelines to redeem us. He knew we could not make it on our own, that we could not work our way to God.

But God has worked his way to us in Jesus Christ. The punishment we deserve, justly deserve, was suffered by him. The only way we can be “good” is if we partake of Jesus’ goodness, which, fortunately, he wants us to have.

Question 3

Will saying a little prayer save even a very evil person?

Once a young man asked me, “If a man lives a horrible life-if he murders, steals and rapes-then, just before his death he prays the little prayer and tells Jesus he’s sorry… you mean to tell me that that man will go to heaven? What about me? I live a decent life, but I’ve never accepted Jesus. You mean to tell me I won’t go to heaven?”

A “little prayer” cannot save anybody. Only God can save us, and only God knows when someone truly turns to him. When answering such a question, we should be careful not to speculate about what might constitute a “legitimate.” Rather, we should simply say exactly what we know from scripture.

One thing we know is that scripture is filled with warnings about dealing superficially with the promise of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will I enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you away from me, you evil doers! (Matthew 7:21-23) It is only genuine sorrow for our past that will be acceptable to Christ. And only he is capable of discerning that.

We know that Jesus commanded us to “repent and believe” (Mark 1:15). Repent may seem like an archaic word. But it’s what happens when you want to change yourself. It means being willing to say you have done wrong in the past, that you now regret it and that you want to live differently.

Suppose I was to haul back and slap you in the face and immediately say, “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I’ve made an awful mistake. Will you please forgive me?”

You might be very gracious and say, “Yes, Cliff. Certainly, I forgive you.” But if I haul back and slap you again, you know I’m a flaming hypocrite. If I had genuinely regretted slapping you in the face, I would have made a more serious attempt to change my behavior. Does this mean we will live perfect lives after we become Christians? Not at all. It means we must truly desire to be different and be willing to do whatever we can to be different.

In 2nd Corinthians 7:10-11 Paul writes, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.” Godly sorrow means I am highly motivated to correct the wrong that I have done in the past it means I am upset at wrongdoing I am alarmed when I see evil it means I am ready to change.

In addition to repentance, Jesus also called for belief today a lot of people think this means to give intellectual assent to certain facts. But James 2:19 makes it clear that this is not sufficient. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.” Belief in God apparently doesn’t do evil spirits any good. More is needed.

Belief is an act of the will. It is a decision to trust, to commit one’s life period to commit our lives to Christ is to believe in him and all that he said and commanded period to believe means to trust Christ with your life. Loyalty and obedience to Christ are also important parts of belief in him. Even though we may not be able to judge the sincerity of others, we know that repentance and belief are what Jesus looks for in us.

There’s one particular incident in scripture (I guess you would call it a deathbed or foxhole conversion) in which Christ offers salvation to someone who has led a criminal life and at the last moment repents. When Jesus was hanging on the cross two thieves were crucified on either side of him one thief looked at Jesus and said, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

But the second thief cut him off, “don’t you fear God… Since you are under the same sentence? We are being punished justly for our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus Remember Me when you come into your Kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). Jesus was able to tell that this man repented genuinely. But it is up to Christ to discern that, not us.

The idea that God would save someone who repents at the last minute just doesn’t seem fair to us this was the challenge behind the young man’s question. In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus tells a parable that addresses this issue directly. He describes a vineyard owner who hires laborers for his field. He hired some workers to come in the morning and offered to pay them one denarius for their work period later he hired others who came later in the morning, and still others who came in the early and late afternoon. In fact, the last group was hired only one hour before quitting time. The owner contracted with each of them for one denarius for the day’s work.

When the time came to collect their wages, those workers who had been in the field since the beginning of the day complained that they were getting the same amount as those who had worked only an hour. They protested that this was unfair. “Not so,” set the owner. “You contracted with me for a specific amount, and I honored my contract with you.”

If God gave us what we deserved, we would all be in trouble. In fact, we would all be dead. We should be thankful that Jesus was willing to pay the penalty in our place. God does not limit his love and or seated those who are ethically superior. If this is unfair, then we should get down on our knees and praise god that he is more loving than fair.

Question 4

Does it matter what you believe as long as you are sincere?

Many people have said to me, “it doesn’t matter what you believe just as long as you are sincere.” This is based on the popular belief that there are no moral absolutes. Everything is relative. Neither are there religious absolutes. It is all subjective experience. Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity was meant to apply to physical properties. Unfortunately, people have applied it to every area of life. Tolerance has become the queen of virtues. It is the only virtue that has escaped the corroding cynicism that characterizes too many of us. There are several reasons for this.

First, it sounds enlightened and open minded to say that everyone will get the prize, that everyone will win the race, that all roads lead to the top of the mountain. It has a generous benevolent feel to it.

Second, people are afraid of having their lives unmasked by the truth. Tolerance provides a convenient cover. If all religions are the same, then I don’t have to take Christianity seriously. I could ignore it. That means I can continue to ignore the dark side of my personality which deep down I know is there.

We are scared of the truth. When we compare our lives to what Christ has revealed, we see how far short we fall of true goodness. We are confronted by the dishonesty, the self-centeredness, the evil that is in us. God is light. When that light shines on us it reveals everything about us. So, we tend to run away from the light.

3rd, tolerance is popular because people abhor hypocrisy. But this is an overreaction to insincerity. Sincerity becomes so important that nothing else matters. By saying, “it really doesn’t matter what you believe just as long as you’re sincere,” we throw out truth.

Jesus Christ attacked hypocrisy as a great sin, but Jesus clearly taught that truth matters. And deep down we know that to be true. Reality teaches us that truth is critical.

If a blind man is standing at the edge of a Cliff and he turns to you and asks, “which way should I step?” It is cruel if you respond, “it doesn’t matter; Just be sincere.” The truth is that if the blind man steps off the edge of the Cliff, he will plunge to his death. But if he turns around and walks away from the edge, he will live. Tolerance is no virtue if you ignore reality and tell the blind man it does not matter where he steps, just as long as he is sincere. Rather, the virtue lies in telling the truth. “You are on a Cliff!”

In medicine, truth is vital. It would be cruel (should we say evil?) If a doctor looked at a patient in the face and said, “You have a malignant tumor that is spreading throughout your body. It really doesn’t matter though. You can either go home and allow the tumor to continue to consume your body, or else you can allow me to surgically remove it. Either way is fine. Just be sincere. Just be a nice guy and everything will turn out all right.”

The doctor knows that the tumor is destroying that human life, and motivated by truth he will look into the face of the patient and say, “My friend, there is a tumor that is eating away at your body. It will end in death. But I can surgically remove it to help prolong your life. I would encourage you with everything in me to allow me to do the surgery.” That is virtuous- sincerity with truth.

Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners (Mark 2:17).” Jesus clearly taught that we have a disease- rebellion against God. That disease ends in death and hell. Jesus Christ wants to bring real forgiveness and healing to the disease of sin. Jesus Christ offers eternal life period to displace cynicism towards Jesus Christ in the face of death is to make a cataclysmic mistake.

Suppose a student didn’t study for an exam. Instead, she just went into the test and allowed her inner being to flow out all over her exam paper. Then when she received the result, she went to her professor and said, “Professor, how could you flunk me? I really expressed the way I felt on this exam. I was honest. I was sincere.”

The professor will look at her in the face and say, “You are honestly wrong. You are sincerely mistaken. You flunk.”

Truth matters when you go to take a test period the day of judgement will be the final exam when you and I will stand before God and have to give an account for all of our actions, all of our words, all of our thoughts. And the question is, Are you ready for the final exam?

But even if God would judge us on our sincerity, we would be on a dangerous ground. Which one of us can genuinely say, “I have been completely sincere. I have never doubted. I have never had mixed or tarnished motives?” None of us. All of us in some ways have been twisted and false. But Jesus Christ loves us even with our twisted motives, and he wants to live in us, to begin to change our motives. Jesus Christ wants to change our insincerity into sincere desires. The question is, will we allow him to come in? Will we allow him to begin to straighten our twisted selves? Will we allow him to purify what is corrupt? He will do it if we ask him.

Question 5

Won't heaven be boring?

Some people don’t think spending eternity in heaven is a very attractive prospect. They think it will be sitting on a cloud strumming a harp forever. If that is heaven, I’m quite sure I don’t want to go. I don’t enjoy sitting on clouds and I’m not the harp player either. But Jesus said, “this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)”

In heaven the deep love relationship we began in this life with the living God and with others will be fulfilled. My relationships with people and my relationship with God brings me the most joy, fulfillment and satisfaction now. Heaven will be an eternal love relationship with the living God and with other created beings. There is no more exciting place than a human being could possibly be. That is what all of us are striving for now-deep, open, honest relationships of love with other people.

Today we all have questions that drill at our hearts and our minds. I know I’ve got a string of questions for God that I’m looking forward to having answered. And I can hardly wait until I can see God face to face in an intimate relationship and talk these things over with him for as long as I want.

Jesus also taught that in heaven we would have new bodies, bodies like his resurrection body. He promised each one of us a body that would not decay, that would not grow old, that would not die. I am looking forward to that kind of body! It means that my friends who were born with brain damage or with birth defects, who have severe disease who have died and whose bodies are rotting in the ground- all my friends who have trusted Christ are going to have new bodies. They will have bodies without birth defects or disease that will last an eternity I’m looking forward to that.

Eastern mysticism teaches that we are to work towards Nirvana, a state of absolute blessedness reached by denying our individuality, our unique personality, our very self.

But Jesus Christ teaches that our unique personalities are valuable and significant. When he returns there will be a resurrection, and he will give each of us a unique body. My friends will be able to recognize me. I will be able to recognize them. We are not going to become one with pure spirit. We’re not going to be a drop added to the ocean of nothingness. We will retain our individuality and personality and significance.

Another reason for looking forward to heaven is because in this world there are all types of problems: lust, greed, racism, sexism, terrorism, chauvinism. But in heaven, none of these will exist. In heaven there will be no more war, famine, suffering, disease or evil period in heaven there will be eternal peace. When Jesus Christ returns in power and great glory, he will forcibly put down all evil, all oppression, all exploitation, and he will destroy death. Today we have wars. Today we have a crime rate that’s soaring. But in heaven there will be no more wars. In heaven there will be no more crime. There will be eternal peace in the presence of the living God.

Most people think praising God for eternity will be boring because they imagine themselves sitting around singing hymns day in and day out. Well, you don’t have to sit around to praise God. You can praise God by serving him in a myriad of different ways, some of which entailed being very active. In fact, the Bible teaches that in heaven we will be using our time, our energies, our gifts and abilities to serve God and to serve each other period there will be much work to do, and it will be work that will be unhindered by evil, by laziness, by apathy, by indifference. In heaven we will know the excitement of worshipping God and working and playing with each other in perfect harmony.

There’s one thing about praise that I find fascinating. I am deeply in love with my wife. When those feelings of love began to well up within me, they flow out in the form of praise. When I genuinely praise my wife, that is the zenith of my love experience with her period in heaven we will be so filled with love for God that it will flow out of us constantly in the form of praise and Thanksgiving to him.

No matter how glorious and fulfilling we imagine heaven to be, the reality will be much greater. The apostle John was caught up in a vision of heaven. Human language failed him. He writes about a city of gold surrounded by walls decorated with precious stones. The gates on the walls are made of pearls. Inside of the city the streets are paved with gold, transparent like glass. The apostle John is totally overwhelmed by the vision of heaven. The apostle Paul writes concerning heaven, “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)” There is no way that you or I living within the limits of space and time could ever imagine how fantastic heaven will be. But of one thing we can be sure, heaven will not be boring.