Nutshell Answers to the Top Ten Objections to Christianity

I have found by experience that we don’t need to offer exhaustive answers to the questions of unbelievers. When it comes to the issue of suffering or the existence of God, there are short answers that can satisfy the questioner while remaining true to Scripture.

Here are the top ten most common objections:

“There is no evidence for God.”

It is scientifically impossible for a building to build itself, and it is scientifically impossible for nature to have created itself. The Scriptures say, “For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God” (Hebrews 3:4). In reality, there’s no such thing as an atheist. This is because everyone intuitively knows God exists: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). So we need not spend too much time arguing with an atheist. His problem isn’t a lack of evidence for God but rather a love for sin. That’s why we need to do what Jesus did and direct our attention to his conscience using the Ten Commandments (see Mark 10:17-19).

“The Bible is full of contradictions.”

When studied in context, the Bible is harmonious. Apparent contradictions arise from misinterpretations or lack of full information. It’s important to realize that Jesus didn’t say to go into all the world and try and convince them that the Bible is the Word of God. The early Church didn’t have a Bible as we know it. The New Testament hadn’t been compiled. There was no such thing as the printing press, and not many could read. Their agenda was to proclaim the gospel—because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

“When it comes to the issue of suffering or the existence of God, there are short answers that can satisfy the questioner while remaining true to Scripture.”

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“Jesus was just a good teacher, not God.”

If we read the Gospels with an open and honest heart, we are not left with the option that Jesus was a good teacher. He was either God in human form, was completely insane, or He was a blatant liar. This is because He claimed to be God, performed miracles, forgave sins, and many times said He would rise from the dead. He said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

“A loving God wouldn’t send people to Hell.”

God doesn’t send anyone to Hell—in the same way that a judge doesn’t send a criminal to prison. Their sins will send them to Hell, just like a criminal’s crimes send them to prison. The judge merely carries out justice.

“Christianity is just one of many religions.”

The claim of Christianity is one of exclusivity. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). In Christ, God provided a Savior for the whole of humanity. When anyone trusts in Jesus, they have forgiveness of sins. No religion promises that. The Christian gospel is good news for Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics, and atheists—that everlasting life can’t be earned by anything we do. It is the gift of God.

“The Church is full of hypocrites.”

A hypocrite is not a Christian. He is a pretender. The Scriptures tell us that the sheep (Christians) and goats (hypocrites) will dwell together in the church until they are sorted out on the Day of Judgment. Those who don’t like hypocrites won’t want to spend eternity with them in Hell.

“Science disproves the Bible.”

Scripture tells us to avoid “profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Timothy 6:20, KJV). Many of today’s “scientific” theories are not true science. However, genuine science and the Bible are not in conflict. The Scriptures are filled with scientific facts, stated thousands of years before man discovered them. See our book Scientific Facts in the Bible.

“If God is love, why is there suffering?”

Every time we see suffering, we are seeing the tragic result of the fall of humanity. The Bible tells us we live in a fallen creation that is in rebellion to God, and this is evident in the existence of disease, pain, suffering, and death. Suffering should be seen not as a reason to reject the Bible but as a very real reason to accept the testimony of Scripture.

“The Bible supports slavery.”

The “slavery” in the Bible was different from modern slavery. In Israel, a slave wasn’t someone who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. Rather, it was someone who found themselves in debt and submitted to being a slave (a servant) to pay off the debt rather than be thrown into debtors’ prison, as often happens in contemporary society. In times of war, Israel took slaves from a defeated enemy, as did the United States and Britain during and after the Second World War.

“Religion has caused more wars than anything in history.”

According to the Encyclopedia of Wars, only 9% of wars were religions wars. And most of the 9% were caused by Islam. That means that 91% of the wars down through history were political wars—such as the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, the Vietnam war, etc.

See The Evidence Study Bible for 200 of the most commonly asked questions of the Christian faith.