A former Speech and Language Pathologist for nearly 20 years, I began educating our 3 children full-time in 2015 and have cherished every gifted moment (even the challenges). But what is interwoven into all aspects of daily life (as a wife, via motherhood, teaching, friendship, fitness, etc.) is Christian Apologetics (1 Peter 3:15)… which is why this blog exists.
More pertaining to the scientific veracity of the Enneagram:
According to an interview with Dr. Rhenn Cherry, a Biblical Counselor who wrote his PhD dissertation on the Enneagram, approximately 139 doctoral-level mental health professionals, with an average of 26 years experience, participated in a peer reviewed study in 2015 which found the Enneagram placing 2nd to last place on the first round of testing and last on the 2nd round…out of 36 protocols.
The Enneagram is not a valid scientific tool pertaining to Personality, even if marketed as such.
Ladies, did you realize that Satan, “The Father of Lies,” (John 8:44) is well-versed regarding scripture?
He sure is!
This is extremely important to understand! For quoting the Bible doesn’tnecessarily equate to correctness nor to worshipping God.
According to a recent 2022 poll by Arizona Christian University, only 37% of professing Christian pastors hold to a biblical worldview. Therefore, the tendency towards eisegesis, interpreting the Bible through the lens of “preference” vs accuracy, is highly probable.
One profound example of Satan twisting scripture was when Jesus was fasting the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. (Matthew 4) After the fast, Jesus was hungry…Satan then approached Him and arrogantly questioned Jesus’s identity as God’s own Son. Mind-blowing, haughtiness! Satan continued to tempt Jesus…How?? By quoting scripture. He spoke words you and I would read in the Bible and hear at church. But Satan’s motives were to utilize those verses in ways that would benefit his own agenda (ie “eisegesis”)…and he perpetuates this scheme still, today.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Cor 10:5
The Father of Lies takes what is Biblical and twists it. His irreverence is intentional and his deception, crafty. One of his the most salient schemes is placing the focus upon ourselves, instead of upon God. Satan wants us out of God’s Word, off of our knees, and isolated – out of community and obsessed with “Self.” Nevertheless, despite his continuing efforts to alter our understanding of Truth, He can’t change Truth. God’s one and only Son is Truth. (John 14:6) And God’s Word is Truth. For this reason, we need to test the spirits by measuring every teaching against God’s Word alone. We shouldn’t rely solely upon a teaching we hear from a stage or a podcast, but we genuinely need to get into the Word for ourselves, and pray for God to lead.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7
Be encouraged, Ladies! Jesus endured temptation without sin. Jesus wasn’t deceived by Satan’s lies, but instead succeeded where Adam and Eve had failed. He later took our sin upon Himself… cancelling our debt… nailing it to the cross. And Because of what He has done for us, we can now approach the Throne of Grace through Him.
It is with Jesus’s help, that we can test every message carefully: in prayer and by His Word. We can also grow in Christ within a Gospel-Driven community... knowing that God will work through our brothers and sisters in Christ as to lovingly correct us when needed. Gals, no matter what may come, lean-into prayer… soak-up His Word… and “be a Berean.” Test what you hear. God’s got you. ♥️🙏🏼
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Col 3:16
Praying with and for you,
Mer
3 minutes with Mike Winger
Referenced Scripture
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 1:1,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Genesis 3:1-7 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.”
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Acts 16:16-18 “As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
2 Timothy 2:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”
2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Jude 1:4 “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Romans 16:17-18 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.”
Ephesians 4:14 “So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 “18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[b] to save those who believe.22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 8:1 “Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
1 Corinthians 8:5-6 “For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”
1 Corinthians 10:13-14 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”
2 Corinthians 4:1-3 “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.”
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1
Today we are told that “guilt” and “shame” are toxic thoughts which need to be replaced with positive thoughts.
However, is this biblical?
And, why do we often feel guilty?
First, we need to revisit the definition of Guilty.
Per Merriam-Webster, Guilt refers to “having committed a breach of conduct especially violating law and involving a penalty.”
When we sin, we sin against God alone (Psalm 51).
For it’s God’s ways we are trampling when we do our own thing. And God’s way is good, just, wise, and loving. When we go our own way and do our own thing we not only hurt ourselves, but we hurt and others along as well. Even if we don’t readily witness the effects.
Simply stated, feeling guilt reminds us that we are guilty.
And with guilt often comes shame.
But please know that shame shows us that our conscious acknowledges that wrong exists. That is a good thing! We don’t want our conscious to be numbed to when we wrong God and people.
For if we don’t acknowledge our wrong, we then tend to stealthily justify it and/or bury it under a heap of blaming others.
We blame for our pain…and then we hide behind a myriad of distractions (scrolling on social media, doing “good deeds,” etc.).
But our guilt remains hidden. Notice I said, “hidden” instead of “resolved.”
Sisters, both guilt and shame are the result of the sin. Yep— I said sin.
And the only cure for the guilt which is caused by our sin is to be acquitted of that violation (all of them).
Therefore, the only one who can do such a thing (acquit) is the One whose laws we violated — God alone.
We need to weep over our sin heartily. All the while rejoicing over the cross!! Almost like Ebenezer Scrooge’s joy resulting from the forgiveness he was given on Christmas morning!
We need to recall and celebrate God’s goodness, justice, and love which are clearly seen in what He has done for us!
God, our Creator and Judge, came down and took our place in that courtroom. He paid the debt we owed, on our behalf. This is what we need to remember when guilt comes into our hearts and minds — God’s Gospel!
“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4
When we gaze upon creation, we are confronted with the reality (ironically) that what is beheld is not an illusion.
Think about it with me…
The earth spinning away from the sun at the perfect tilt, as to display a glorious sunset— this is an objective reality. It’s knowable truth.
What is subjective is our opinion of the sunset.
The trees are real. Our DNA is real. The stars are real. And the pain one experiences at the loss of a child is very real.
Mathematics, gravity, DNA, trees, and oceans are realities which came to be from a starting-point.
And the fact that each had a beginning implies a Designer outside of themselves — One who is personal, rational, and intelligent. Impersonal cannot design personal.
The love and community enjoyed by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is evident in how God made us. Love needed to have existed outside of us, prior to us, in order for it to be a part of our purpose.
God being Love (love isn’t God, btw) logically points to His goodness. And His goodness coincides with His justice.
For a good God needs to be a just God (impartial, holy, and perfect). A God who is partial and needy, is not a good God.
Humanity was gifted free will…but because of our choice to follow our own hearts instead of God’s ways, we are steadfastly prone to want justice handed-out as we want it to be. We arrogantly think everything evolves around us!
I guess you can say, that instead of wanting what is best for us, we want to “do it [our] way.” 🎶 And when we don’t get what we want— we blame God for our choices.
But God, because of His faithful and charitable love, didn’t leave us in the mess WE created.
He promised a Savior/Messiah/Christ to come and save people from their sin (Genesis 3:15)…which He fulfilled around 5BC by putting on humanity—through a Jewish lineage, and living the holy life we are unable to live. He earned the righteousness we all lack (Philippians 2; 2 Corinthians 5:22).
And because God is perfectly Just, He (the Judge) paid the debt that you and I should have to pay. Sinless and innocent, Jesus took our sins upon Himself. He took our place.
This is a gift!
We can’t earn it, and we don’t deserve it (Romans 1-7; Ephesians 2).
Friends, think upon these things. This world is not an illusion, and neither is God! The Creator of the universe, photosynthesis, the honeybee’s waggle dance, and our DNA, is our very present help in need (Ps 46). The King of Kings is our hope and our salvation (Romans 5-10). By trusting in the historical reality of what He has done for you and I (1 Corinthians 15; 1 John 4), we are freely able to know God and His goodness, freely. Why choose any other way? It’s available to ALL who call upon Him (Romans 10).
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:4-9).
“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
1 Peter 3:15-16
Friends, are you needing hope?
In 36m interview shared here, Teasi shares how we all have real, verifiable reasons for hope (1 Peter 3:15).
Teasi not only endured physical abuse as a child, but also lost her younger brother to drug addiction, walked through a painful divorce, witnessed a parent suffer from Alzheimer’s, and much more. What has carried Teasi through each of these trials has been the objective reasons for hope, which God has provided.
“When my heart is crushed, my head comes to the rescue with the evidence…Apologetics substantiates my hope.” – Teasi Cannon
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”
“More than 80% of mothers aged 18-55 are happy with their lives today, compared to 68% of women without children. And women who are marriedwith children are the happiest group of women, according to the most recent data from the 2022 General Social Survey. Moreover, mothers report markedly higher levels of meaning in their lives and less loneliness, compared to women without children.”
The article goes on to say…
“But the benefits of motherhood seem to extend beyond happiness. Recent research suggests that children are associated with an increased lifespan for women. Compared with childless women, mothers who reach the age of 60 have a 1.5-year longer life expectancy than their childless peers. What’s more: The evidence suggests that mothers are also markedly less likely to commit suicide. One study found that women who had children had about 60% lower odds of committing suicide, compared to childless peers. Having kids, it would seem, gives women something extra to live for.”
Ladies, the complaints that motherhood oppresses our freedom only confirm how utterly self-focused and childish we are (sin-laden lenses).
Is parenting difficult? Yes!
Do we often forgo what we want to do for relaxation and enjoyment in order to give our child attention? Yes!
But how often do we need similar things (help, attention, etc.) and desire others to respond with grace and kindness? Convicting, isn’t?
Both parenting and marriage force us to witness, in a verbal and real way, how far we fall short (Romans 3:23; 6).
Impatience — check!
Unkindness — check!
Unloving — check!
All of the things he we would put on t-shirts (“Be kind”) and paint upon corrugated signs in our yards (“Love is Love”) crumble under the weight of our inadequacies. And we don’t like to see our inadequacies…so let’s avoid the situations which make our frailties obvious.
Because if “love is love” then I don’t think that I want the type of love which comes from selfishness of the human heart. It’s not the same as God’s charitable (agapē) love!
But as we parent, we get to witness a love which sacrifices and gives! A love which points us upward to our Creator.
Y’all, we need God’s help to love well.
1 John 4
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother
“The only hope for the world we live in is the Gospel.” –Nate Sala
Here former atheist (now Christian Apologist, teacher, and speaker) Nate Sala shares a powerful message from pastor, author, and apologist Voddie Baucham which implores Christians to bring their/our worldviews into the public square.
Hoping this encourages us all to be prayerfully ready to share the reasons for our hope wherever God places us, as well as to glorify God through how we listen to others — asking thoughtful questions.
In the comments will be Nate’s testimony as captured by Jane Harmon (formerly “Side B Stories,” now “Ex-Skeptic”).
Friends, Science and Faith (placing one’s trust) in God are not mutually exclusive. Far from it, actually! 🧪🧬🔭
Mathematician Dr. John Lennox from England has three PhD’s in his area of expertise…and, he is a Christian. To Dr. Lennox, “asking people to choose between God and science is like asking people to choose between Henry Ford and engineering as an explanation of the motor car.”
Lennox quotes another scientist in saying that “men [and women] became scientific because they expected law in nature. And they expected law in nature because they believed in the Lawgiver.” [1]
This 15-minute clip of Dr. Lennox speaking in Oxford is a beautiful demonstration of why asking questions is so important. Friends, please investigate claims and make inquiries…Truth is knowable! And for this reason — God is knowable (Jn 1:1-15; Jn 14:6).
“God is real and worthy to be trusted.”
John Lennox
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made…And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-3,14
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
“The narration of the facts is history; the narration of the facts with the meaning of the facts is doctrine. ‘Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried’ that is history.’ He loved me and gave Himself for me’ that was the Christianity of the primitive Church.”
J. Gresham Machen Christianity & Liberalism, p. 25📙
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
1 John 4:9-10📕
Friends, we all need good news.
When we look at history, examine our treatment of others, as well as peruse our media feeds, we should all agree that we are broken…and need saved from ourselves.
And while God doesn’t need us (God is perfect, sufficient, and lacks nothing), He demonstrated His love for us by coming down and living the life we are unable to live, and paid the debt we should each have to pay. God did this…on our behalf.
God came down!
God sat with us, sinners!
And, He did not encourage sinners to continue sinning!
You see, God is not only perfectly loving, and He is also perfectly just. On page 162 of his book The Story of Reality, Christian Apologist Greg Koukl puts it this way:
“His (God’s) love is demonstrated by his free offer of pardon from hell, which many decline. But they will never be able to decline his justice.”
Jesus’s mission was to die for our sins (John 3)…not to leave us in them. His sacrifice on our behalf is the goodness we all need!
We can’t earn it (Eph 2). Nor do we deserve it (Ro 3). But God paid the price for us (1 Co 15; 1 Jn 4).
Christianity is the only worldview which offers Salvation by grace alone (Grace is God’s unmerited favor). With this in mind, the doctrine behind Christianity is not legalistic. Be careful not to conflate “Biblical” with “legalistic.” Those terms are not synonymous.
Jesus’s crucifixion upon a Roman cross in AD 30 or 33, combined with the empty tomb he left behind, is not “wishful thinking.” Nor is it mythology. Instead, these were real, historical events which provide evidence of the best news ever!
Per historian Justo L. Gonzalez, “The early Christians did not believe that they were following a new religion (worldview). They were Jews, and their main difference with the rest of Judaism was that they were convinced that the Messiah (Christ) had come, whereas other Jews continued awaiting his advent.” (p. 41)
In fact, early believers in Jesus did not refer to themselves as “Christians.” Instead, the title “Christian” was given to them by authorities in Antioch as a way to designate them as a group (Acts 11:26; 1 Pe 4:16).
For years, the Romans viewed early Christians as a variant sect of Judaism. That is until people from outside of Judaism became followers of Jesus as well.
Historian Justo Gonzalez continues: “For those early Chrisitans, Judaism was not a rival religion to Christianity, but the same faith, even though those who followed it did not see or believe that the prophecies (of the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament) had been fulfilled” by Jesus. Please read Luke 24.
These early followers were not following a mythological tale. Nor were they staking their lives, literally, on wishing thinking. They saw Jesus back-up his claims to be God incarnate (Mk 2; Jn 5:17-18, 8:28).
Per Cold Case Detective and Christian Apologist, J. Warner Wallace, even if someone were to ignore the eyewitness accounts compiled within the New Testament, he or she would still have a “robust description of Jesus and his followers from ancient, non-Christian voices” after Jesus’s crucifixion and empty tomb…(ninety-two historical figures).
“Biblical faith isn’t a blind faith that operates without any reason to believe- rather, it looks at the evidence. In fact that is one of the reasons the apostles of Jesus recorded many of the miraculous signs performed by Jesus: ‘These [signs] are written down so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah’ (John 20:31).” Dr. Sean McDowell
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
When we look at history, examine our treatment of others, as well as peruse our media feeds, we should all agree that we need saved from ourselves.
And while God doesn’t need us (God is perfect, sufficient, and lacks nothing), He demonstrated His love for us by coming down and living the life we are unable to live, and paid the debt we should each have to pay. God did this…on our behalf.
We can’t earn it (Eph 2). Nor do we deserve it (Ro 3). But God paid the price for us (1 Co 15).
Jesus’s crucifixion upon a Roman cross in AD 30 or 33, combined with the empty tomb he left behind, is not “wishful thinking.” Nor is it mythology. Instead, these were real, historical events which provide evidence of the best news ever!
Hold Fast Apologetics 