Common Objections to Christianity

There are several common objections to Christianity raised by skeptics that all too often go unanswered.  As Christians we have a moral obligation to provide answers to help others avoid foolishly closing their minds to the truth.  The Bible teaches us to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, NIV).  It is my hope that the summaries provided here will help equip believers to be prepared with an answer and to help skeptics to see that these objections do have answers.

Objection:  Evolution not creation, explains all life

Is it true that science has advanced to the point where we can know for a fact that life and all its forms are just random accidents? When you look at Darwin's theory of evolution in light of modern scientific discoveries, it  quickly falls apart. The conditions previously thought to have existed on the early earth that might have allowed for the formation of amino acids have given way to discoveries that the conditions would have actually been hostile to life. Further, the fossil record repeatedly shows sudden appearance and disappearance of species, without the expected intermediate forms. Further, many biological structures can be shown to have specified complexity, meaning they are irreducibly complex, such that it would not have been possible for incremental change over time, as the previous forms would have been non-functional or even fatal. Finally, microbiology has shown that rather than having simple protoplasma in the center of cells there are, in fact, complex factories working from detailed instructions with redundant controls in place.  

Read more here: Does Evolution Explain all Life on Earth?

Objection: The Earth is billions of years old

While many Christians read the Bible and see it clearly teaching a young earth, along with many scientists making credible arguments for how geologic dating could be interpreted very differently, there are also many Christians who recognize that the creation account in Genesis could be better understood to be agnostic on the question of age of the universe while still teaching that God created all of time and space as well as created the first humans, Adam and Eve.

Read more here: Old Earth or Young Earth?

Objection: Jesus didn't return within a generation

Jesus predicted cataclysmic events within the lifetime of his disciples, and many have interpreted this to mean the end of the entire world and time itself, but the context of his statements clearly show that he was predicting the fall of the temple in Jerusalem and the end of the age of the Jewish system of temple sacrifices. The statements Jesus made in what is known as the Olivet Discourse do not necessarily correspond in terms of future events to other teachings on his return (the "second coming" of Christ) or the time of the resurrection and final judgment.

Read more here: This Generation

Objection: The Bible is full of errors and contradictions

Errors, where? There have been minor scribal errors that can easily be detected by comparing manuscripts. This is actually helpful in detecting the content of the original writings, because across many copies it is much easier to confirm what was in the original version versus what may have been inserted later.  Examples might be a changed spelling, a dropped letter, etc. 

Contradictions? No. Eyewitness accounts that are identical scream of collusion. Minor differences due to perspective are expected.

The Bible was written by many different people from different places and times in a variety of literary styles amid specific cultural as well as historical contexts, yet it tells a consistent overarching story of the relationship between humankind and the God who created and sustains everything.  It is a story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration with both a human historical narrative and a heavenly metanarrative woven throughout.  

While the original manuscripts are no longer available, there are thousands of early handwritten copies, many very early that can be comparted to later copies from different places and found to be extremely accurate with only minor variations.  This is not like the "telephone game" played by kids. The scribes that made copies were meticulous in their work, checking and cross-checking to ensure the copies were consistent. 

Objection: A good God would not allow evil and suffering

A good God allows choice, and people with sinful hearts choose separation from God over obedience to God. Evil would be to force people to obey and worship against their wills. Suffering is a consequence of choice, in some cases. either your own or someone else's. In other cases it is a trial that ultimately produces character or serves as a reminder of our frailty and dependence on God.

Read more here: Is God Unable or Unwilling to Stop Evil?

Objection: The Bible Is Just Another Collection of Ancient Myths

Much of the Bible is eyewitness accounts, especially the New Testament gospels (Matthew, Mark. Luke, and John) and the book of Acts. Both the New and Old Testament historical accounts have been shown to cite historical details that were long thought to be fabrications and later shown through archaeological discovery to be very accurate.

Objection: Jesus was a great teacher whose followers embellished the stories after he died

The gospel accounts reveal embarrassing details that would not be included in fabricated stories intended to convince people of a lie. Also, the disciples knew the truth. so if they were lying, why would they suffer persecution, torture, and death, when they could have just recanted their stories?

Objection: All religions teach basically the same thing. It is arrogant to think that only Christianity could be true.

Christianity specifically teaches that there is only one way to heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ. 

 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6, ESV)

It is logically possible for all religions to be false, but it is not logically possible for all religions to be true, because if Christianity is true then all other religions must be false. Further, there is more evidence in support of the truth of Christianity than any other religion, as well as any atheistic explanations for the universe and the life within it.

Objection: I know Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and atheists who live more Christlike lives than many Christians. Surely they wouldn't be condemned to an eternity of torment while those sinful Christians would be rewarded with an eternity in heaven.

Jesus taught that there was only one way to heaven.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6, ESV)

Eternal life in heaven is not accomplished through good works, it is a free gift that results in good works. Anyone that rejects Jesus has rejected that gift and can not work their way into heaven.

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15, ESV)

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith...For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:23-25a,28, ESV)

Anyone who claims to be Christian but doesn't worship and follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior is making an empty claim and may be surprised at their fate after death.

 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:21-23, ESV)

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:14-18, ESV)