Problems? Of Course!

So now it's the unbelievers' turn to bat. We have looked at the main reasons why believers believe. Now we are going to look at the main difficulties which (so they say) prevent unbelievers from believing.

But before we begin, I want to make one thing quite clear. I am not the least bit embarrassed by these difficulties. Neither need you be. Every branch of human study bristles with problems. It would be very strange if the most profound subject of all - the study of the Word of the Almighty - were free from problems.

Of course there are problems connected with the Bible. It is exactly what you would expect.

A Parallel with Science

In my circle of acquaintances there are many science graduates who believe implicitly that the Bible is the Word of God. I could not name nearly so many arts graduates who believe the Bible. This may just be because I happen to know more science graduates. But in fact I think my experience is fairly general. Several friends from different universities have told me that there seem to be more Bible believers in their science departments than their arts departments.

One reason for this may be that science graduates are aware of the vast number of unsolved problems in science.

Take physics, for example. At school you are taught how Sir Isaac Newton laid the foundations of modern physics. You learn the various basic laws he propounded, and you accept them as absolute truth. You appreciate their beauty and simplicity, and you realise why

Alexander Pope wrote:

"Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night
God said, 'Let Newton be!' and all was light."

Then you go to university, and are taught that Newton's laws don't explain everything. Problems arise that can only be explained by Einstein's theories. These work in circumstances where Newton's laws break down. But they are very much more complicated, and you realise why Sir John Squire capped Pope's lines with:

"It did not last: the Devil howling, 'Ho!
Let Einstein be!' restored the status quo."

Then you finish your university course and start doing research. Very soon you realise that there are lots and lots of problems you weren't told about as an undergraduate. Einstein's propositions nowadays look almost as incomplete as Newton's did a half-century ago.

Strange problems have arisen in modern physics that were unheard of until recently. Is there such stuff as "antimatter"? If so, how much of it is there in the universe? Does it weigh less than nothing? Can atomic particles travel backwards through time?

These are only some of the problems that atomic physicists are debating today. It may take many years to answer them. And in answering them, many other unanswered questions are bound to arise.

And therefore . . ? Therefore we can't trust atomic physics, because of all these unsolved problems? Obviously that does not follow. Atomic power stations work. That is proof enough that atomic physics is on the right lines. The existence of unanswered questions merely shows that many more exciting discoveries lie around the corner.

In just the same way, it would be absurd to dismiss the Bible just because there are some unsolved problems connected with it. Instead, we should study it eagerly, wondering what interesting discoveries lie in store for us.

The evidence of Part One of this book has shown that the claims of the Bible are solidly backed by evidence. As you read through Part Two you will see that very many of the problems connected with it have already been answered.

Every solved problem strengthens the case for the Bible. For if so many of the unbelievers' objections can be answered already, it is reasonable to suppose that all the rest could in time.

Another Parallel

A small boy once had a conversation with an eminent university professor. Afterwards he told his father:

"I couldn't understand everything that man said."

"That doesn't surprise me!" replied the father, with a smile.

Now the Bible tells us that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. He was called "the express image of God's Person".¹ The words that He spoke were said to be the very words of God.²

Consequently the gap between Jesus and the rest of mankind was far, far greater than the gap between the professor and the small boy. Naturally there were many things about Jesus that the Jews could not understand. But they reacted most unreasonably. They used these problems as an excuse for their unbelief.

To begin with, none of the "best people" followed Him. "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees (religious leaders) believed on Him?" was their snobbish excuse.³

Then again, He was such an unpredictable person. He never would behave as they thought the Son of God ought to behave.

When they wanted to honour Him and make Him king, He went away.⁴ When a faithful disciple risked his own life to protect Jesus, instead of thanks he received a rebuke.⁵

On the cross, He was given a plain challenge to prove Himself: "If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him!"⁶ But He made no attempt to answer them.

It is easy for us to see the reason for His actions. We know now that "the cross must come before the crown". But the Jews then did not. To them, Christ's behaviour sometimes did not make sense.

Also, His background seemed all wrong for a preacher. The gospels tell how men sneered at His lower-class origin,⁷ His lack of education,⁸ and the short interval between His parents' wedding and His birth.⁹

Looking back, we can see now that there was a simple solution to all these problems. But at the time the disciples were not able to answer them all. They could only say: "We believe and are sure that Thou art the Holy One of God."¹⁰

Imagine that someone had said to them:

"Why are you so sure of your beliefs, when there are so many problems connected with this man Jesus?"

They probably would have replied like this:

"Because there is so much positive evidence that He is the Son of God. That's what convinces us. We are not bothered about the problems. Of course there are some things we don't understand-yet. But we shall understand them, one day."

And they would have been right. Most of the problems did sort themselves out. The books of the New Testament give us the solution to them.

It is like that with the Bible itself. The positive evidence is very convincing. It is far too weighty to be dismissed by crying, "Yes, but what about the problems connected with the Bible?"

For in the first place there is the point made already, that we would expect to find problems connected with a Book given to mankind by God. If there were no problems, people would rightly say, "This is altogether too simple. It is kids' stuff. It can't possibly come from a Supreme Being."

Secondly, many of the so-called problems are not really problems at all. They are silly little objections raised by men who have never really studied the Book they condemn. And finally, as we shall see as we go on, most of the major problems can be answered quite satisfactorily.

So we are going to look at those problems that worry so many people, but we are not going to worry about them. It is the most natural thing in the world that they should be there.

The Bible believer is not afraid to look those problems squarely in the face. He knows that he is arguing from a position of strength. (He only wishes that the unbeliever was equally willing to face the facts!)

One last suggestion before you set out on Part Two. Don't keep saying to yourself: "But this can't possibly be right. Hardly anybody believes this, so it must be wrong."

We shall see the answer to that objection, too, before we've finished.