Fear and Trembling Conversations Every Christian Must Have

By Christopher Johnson

Fear and Trembling: Conversations Every Christian Must Have helps people place their beliefs under the light of scripture. In doing so, readers can determine if those beliefs are of this world or biblical in origin.

Author Christopher Johnson shares, “In my efforts to spread the gospel, I have come across all sorts of belief systems that are not supported by a lick of scripture. But the believers will fight tooth and nail to justify their views by misinterpreting scripture to the nth degree. For example, some people claim to be followers of Christ, but they refused to be called Christians, or some read the book of Revelation literally and surmise that Israelites are the only ones going to heaven. In each case they build their theology around their views which are totally against scripture.”

This book offers an unbiased approach to help believers question assumptions and expand their knowledge of scripture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
• Release date: Jan 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9781662937002

Christopher Johnson

Chris Johnson is the founder of several companies and the current owner and manager of two small businesses. He consults for clients in the areas of strategic management and sustainability. As an entrepreneur with a history of launching new products and new businesses, he is able to assist companies in identifying and leveraging their core strengths to develop winning market strategies. Chris also has extensive non-profit experience having spent years as Warden and a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Chris is currently Treasurer and Member of the Executive Committee of the Laymen’s Club, a group a lay persons from the Northeast who, for more than a century, have raised money in support of the Cathedral and its programs. Also philanthropic, Chris occasionally does projects like this book as a labor of love.

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THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

As Christians, we believe that the one true God is the sovereign ruler of the universe who acts on the counsel of His will. He doesn’t answer to anybody. This belief supports the foundation that God, as our Supreme Being, is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowledgeable), and omnipresent (everywhere).

Genesis chapter 1 tells us that in the beginning God created the heavens, the Earth, and all of its inhabitants in six days and rested on the seventh day.

This establishes His unique form of structure and government. Contrast that with a husband and wife. They can bring a child into the world but that child has rights. If those rights are violated, they can lose the child and even wind up in prison. And while being a minor, the child’s behaviors are the responsibility of the parents. If the minor does damage or harm to another, that party can sue the parents for retribution. Then once the child reaches adulthood, there is no legal obligation for the child to listen to or respect their parents. This raises the question of who is really in charge, the parents or their child.

If we go to Revelation chapter 16, we see a completely different picture. God systematically destroys the world He created because it was His will to do so. There is no long arm of the law or a division of youth and family services saying stop, you can’t do that. God unleashes His wrath on those who have accepted the mark of the beast instead of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. He strategically uses the Seven Bowls to accomplish His objective:

Revelation 16:1-7:

The Seven Bowls

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.

First Bowl: Loathsome Sores

So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood

Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.

Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying:

You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.

And I heard another from the altar saying, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.

The first bowl plagues the beast worshippers with loathsome sores. The second bowl turns the seas to blood, killing all of its occupants. The third bowl turns all of the rivers and springs to blood so there is no more fresh water. Without fresh water all of the land animals and plants die so there is no food supply. Ultimately, the targeted audience will be consumed with only the first three bowls being implemented.

All of this catastrophic pain and suffering is intentional, yet the angel declares the Lord as righteous and His judgment just. Then the same sentiment is echoed by another from the altar. This further supports the fact that the only thing that matters is what pleases and glorifies God’s will. God can do the unthinkable, but because He did it, the unthinkable is righteous and just. Again, He answers to no one, which makes Him the sovereign ruler of the universe.

Let’s look at Romans 9:10-13 for additional clarity.

Romans 9:10-13:

And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, The older shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.

According to the customs of man, Esau should have been the father of the Jewish nation that produced the seed of Christ, not Jacob. But God flexed His sovereign muscles by upending tradition and rejecting Esau for no apparent reason.

Romans 9:14-15:

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.

God makes the rules, not man. This begins to answer Israel’s question of whether or not God is unrighteous since He appears to be breaking the rules.

Romans 9:19-21:

You will say to me then, Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will? But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why have you made me like this? Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Esau is Isaac’s firstborn son from Rebecca. A person can’t have a bloodline which is more royal than that—a direct lineage from Abraham and Sarah, Isaac’s parents. Regardless of Esau’s status, God made him a vessel for dishonor as explained in the text. He is a vessel for dishonor made from perfectly good clay to the delight of the Father.

Psalms 115:3:

But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.

The Sovereignty of God refers to the authority God has to use His sovereign power. He can do what He wants, when He wants, where He wants, how He wants, to whomever or whatever He chooses. Again, God answers to no one, which makes Him the sovereign ruler of the universe.

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IS THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE GOD’S UNADULTERATED WORD?

The Bible was written in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and a tiny bit of Aramaic—on three continents, Asia, Africa, and Europe. It includes sixty-six individual books written by over forty authors, who mostly did not know one another.

But let’s pause here to highlight the fact these writers were not the authors of Scripture. The author of Scripture is the Holy Spirit, the same one who guides us to all truth.

2 Peter 1:19-21:

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

In case this Scripture applies only to prophecy, 2 Timothy 3:16 clearly states that all Scripture was inspired by God.

2 Timothy 3:16:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Prophecy does not come from recklessly-written Scripture, nor does Scripture contradict itself. To believe as much would mean that the Holy Spirit speaks out of both sides of His mouth. He is not up for reelection so there is no need for Him to appease man.

Back to the topic at hand. These biblical writers range from being poor and outcast, to kings and apostles.

It took about 1,500 years to complete, give or take, and tells one cohesive story about creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. Archaeologists have discovered thousands of authentic ancient manuscripts which verify the accuracy of the Scriptures.

In 1947, shepherds discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave in a remote part of the desert. Among these gems, an intact version of the book of Isaiah was found. Isaiah is often referred to as the fifth Gospel since it contains more Messianic prophecies than any other book. Since it was recently found, critics can’t claim the New Testament authors used it as a basis to complete the New Testament. There is no way in the world that all of this could have come together without divine intervention. The Bible is not just another book, it is the Holy Book of Scriptures.

John 1:1:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

• Not only is the Bible God’s Word, but they are one and the same.

John 1:14:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

• Jesus is the living manifestation of the Word, and it is because of His works that we have salvation. What can be more important to the will of the Father?

Matthew 6:9-13:

"After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

The Lord’s Prayer instructs us to pray for our daily bread. Our daily bread is none other than the Word. Here we are shown it is God’s will for us to desire His Word every day.

At this point all we have to do is search the Scriptures to see if there is any proof that the Word is important enough to God to be considered His will. We just did this at least three times.

God is the Word, Jesus is the Word in the flesh, and the Lord’s Prayer instructs us to pray for receiving the Word daily. If we truly believe God is sovereign, the opening question has been answered, and the discussion should be over.

But, the minute we bring up Constantine, the Catholic Church, and the business about the Council of Nicaea as a defense, we have proven that we do not believe in a sovereign God. Those defenses are fiction, popularized by Hollywood. What we are essentially saying is, I believe in God being sovereign, but once his sovereignty rubs up against my worldview, something has to give, and it’s not my worldview.

Think about that for a minute. Man has claimed that the God who created the heavens and the Earth and all of its inhabitants was not wise enough to preserve His own Word. Instead, man, church, and a council have sovereign authority over God’s Word. Imagine while the Council of Nicea was in session, God paced back and forth in heaven praying that Constantine would allow certain books to be part of the Bible and not others. Or that God would have us pray to Him for a Word that has been manipulated by the hands of man. Absolutely not! No one or no thing has authority over God.

Fulfilled Prophecy

Is there a better way to prove God’s Word is supreme and that He is sovereign? Fifty-three Messianic prophecies have been fulfilled by Christ.

2 Peter 1:16-18:

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

• Peter testifies they were eyewitnesses to God, the Father, claiming Jesus as His beloved son.

• During this time God transfigured Christ while ignoring Moses and Elijah, undeniable evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

• God gave his prophecies through holy men, and nearly 4,000 years later, he uses holy men as eyewitnesses to show that He fulfilled them.

Christ is the light that will lead us to all righteousness. This idea of light and darkness is portrayed in John 8:12.

John 8:12:

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.

Scripture is defined as having passed the biblical canon. Otherwise anyone can write a religious book and call it Scripture. Whether the biblical canon was implemented by Constantine, the Catholic Church, Martin Luther, or all of the above, we can rest assured that God orchestrated every decision. Nobody decides how the Father is going to be portrayed to the world. God is the inspiration behind all Scripture so it has to be accurate.

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DOES THE BIBLE CONTRADICT ITSELF?

Before exploring whether or not the Bible contradicts itself, let’s review John 1:1—

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. For clarity, we’ll also examine John 1:14—And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Here we see that Jesus is the manifestation of the Word.

There are so many angles to choose from when trying to explain what might appear to be contradictions in the Bible. A good place to start is knowing that differences and contradictions aren’t always the same thing. Take the authors of the Gospels for instance. Matthew writes his Gospel with an aim on showing a Jewish audience that Jesus is the Messiah and He is Jewish. That’s why Matthew starts his Gospel by tracing Jesus’ roots all the way back to Abraham. Mark’s Gospel is about getting to the point. It’s the shortest of the Gospels. Luke’s Gospel is based on chronology and events.

John is not satisfied with Jesus just being the Messiah. His focus is on telling the world that Jesus is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Matthew and John are apostles, so between them they see everything first-hand. Mark is a scribe, and Luke is a doctor/historian. Most of their information is obtained second-hand.

These four authors wrote about the ministry of Jesus, which lasted a little over three years. To put that into perspective, try asking four football fans to write about what took place in the last ten minutes of a close football game. There will be differences, but none that alter the final outcome of the game.

For example, all four Gospels give a different account as to how many women showed up with Mary Magdalene at the tomb. John 20:1 has Mary Magdalene alone. Matthew 28:1 says Mary Magdalene was with Mary, the mother of James. Mark 16:1 includes Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James), and Salone. Luke 24:10 lists Mary Magdalene, Joana, Mary (the mother of James), and the other women with them. That’s anywhere from one to at least five women present. John doesn’t feel it’s important enough to document an exact number while Luke does. Nonetheless, the news gets back to the disciples, and the story continues without missing a beat.

If the accountings were perfectly synchronized, then the critics could dwell on the Synoptic Problem. That is, since Mark and Luke wrote their Gospels from a second-hand account gained primarily from interviews, perfect synchronization could open the door to claims they copied Matthew’s Gospel. Differences are bound to occur or else they would be cookie cutter.

Let’s examine what may appear to be a contradiction that usually takes the top prize on the Bible critic’s priority list. Perhaps one of the most common Scriptures of all time is John 3:16—For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Now, let’s look at Mark 3:29—but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to condemnation.