DAY 1
We'll see the first reason that is used by people to reject the Christian faith:
If God is an all powerful and all loving God, then how come there is still great suffering in the world? The fact is there is still suffering in the world. Now the question is how can an all powerful and all loving God allows that to happen. It is either God is not all powerful that he can not stop the suffering from happening it God is powerful enough but he is not loving enough to will to stop it.

Before we try to see the problem with the statement above, let us review back some points from creation. God created the whole world including mankind. God did not create robots that have no will power nor decision capability. God created man with free will to choose between good and evil, between obeying God's command and disobeying God's command.

Now, let us look at what causes suffering? Sin causes suffering and suffering causes death. God never wants man to suffer. God does not cause the suffering. Man chose to disobey God and that caused suffering and death. The wages of sin is death. The world that we live in is a world that has been defiled with sin. Therefore, it is not a perfect world anymore. Because of sin, our world is full of imperfection, suffering, sadness and death. In addition, the people in our neighborhood, city, country are not perfect people. All of them have sinned and none of them righteous. Finally, each one of us is imperfect people that make unwise and wrong decisions that cause ourselves or other people to suffer. Therefore, if we want to examine where is suffering comes from, we can conclude that it came from three main sources:
a. The world that we lived in has been defiled with sin, therefore, it is not perfect anymore. Earthquake will happen, other natural disaster will happen.
b. The people that live around us are sinful and unrighteous people. Therefore, they are capable of hurting other people, like killing, kidnapping and rape.
c. Finally, we ourselves are sinful and unrighteous people that do contribute to the suffering in our own lives, our families and other people.

Now, we have seen that God does not cause suffering, but SIN does. Man chooses to disobey God and to be sinful, therefore suffering and death comes with it. Then, the question is how come God do not intervene the suffering and deliver us? God could have control the people so that they do not kill each other or do harmful things. Yes, that is right, but from early in the beginning God has chosen to create man with free will, He never intended to create robots or puppets. In addition, God is not only a loving God, but He is also a JUST God. As a JUST God, he'll punish sin, but as a LOVING God, he gives us a second chance to escape an ETERNAL suffering. Therefore, God said in John 3:16-18: "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

DAY 2
Today we'll see the second reason used by people to reject the Christian
faith:  If God is a good and loving God, then how come Christians say
that Jesus is the only way to get to heaven?  How about those other good
people from different religion and beliefs?

Now, before we discuss the statement above, let us see what CS Lewis, one of the greatest teacher of the century stated about Jesus.  Many people believe that Jesus is a good moral teacher, but He is not God.
CS Lewis states the following analysis that shows that Jesus can not be a good moral teacher.  He is God, a lunatic or a bad person.  There are only two possibilities:
A. Jesus claims is true:  He is God
B. Jesus claims is wrong.  If His claim is wrong, then there are two
possibilities:
* He believes that he is God, but actually he was sincerely mislead.  In
this case, Jesus is a lunatic.
* Knowing that he is not God, Jesus claims that he is God.  In this
case, Jesus is a bad person, a liar.

If you follow the logic, then you have to accept that Jesus is God, a lunatic or a liar.   Now, if you accept that Jesus is God, a good God and a God that does not tell lies, then you have to accept his claims including the following claim, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one goes to the Father, except by Me."  John 14:6.    This is not the
Christians' claim, but it is Jesus' claim.  Jesus said that He is God and He is the ONLY Way.

In John 3:16-18, Jesus said that "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already
because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

Jesus said that only those that believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
 
 

DAY 3

Today we'll see the third reason used by people to reject the Christian faith: If God is such a good and loving God, then how can He sent anybody to Hell? Now, let us see what is Hell. Hell is a place for fallen angels, demons and Satan. God did not create Hell for mankind. In fact, it is not a place that He has prepared for mankind, it is not a habitat for man. God want to save every man from going to Hell, that's why He sent us His own Son. God wants everybody to repent, accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and be delivered from death to life. But, God does not create robots, when He created man. He created man with his own will to choose.Therefore, it is up to man to choose life or death, heaven or hell.

All of us have heard about the Gospel, we have read what is written in John 3:16-18. "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

Since we have heard of the Gospel, we can not "NOT make a decision." Right at this moment, we have made a decision, it is either to accept Jesus as our Savior or to reject Him as our Savior. Yes, it is true. We have made our decision. What is you decision? To belief or not to belief.
 
 

DAY 4
Finally, we'll see the fourth reason used by people to reject Christian faith:  I don't want to be a Christian because there are so many hypocrites in the Christian churches.

There are two words that people use interchangeably.  The first word is hypocrites and the other one is sinful man.  When we say that there are many hypocrites in Christian churches, that is a very true statement.
There are many people that claim to be Christian and pretended to be
Christian, but they are not true Christians.  This is what hypocrites
mean, that is to pretend to be somebody or something else.  These people
in the church that pretend to be Christians are not true Christians.

On the other hand, true Christians are sinful people.  They still live
in their flesh and they are still prone to fall into temptations.  It is
the goal of all Christians is to grow in holiness and godliness and all
Christians should grow in an INCREASING measure.  Christians will not be
holy and godly in a split second, it is a PROCESS, but we should be able
to see an INCREASE in holiness and godliness from year to year.

The following poem that was forwarded by Kwang, one of our ICF member, summarizes what it means to be a Christian.

When I say . . . I am a Christian
I'm not shouting "I am saved."
I'm whispering "I get lost"
That is why I chose this way.

When I say . . . I am a Christian
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need someone to be my guide.

When I say . . . I am a Christian
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I am weak
and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say . . . I am a Christian
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and cannot ever pay the debt

When I say . . . I am a Christian
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are too visible
but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say . . . I am a Christian
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
which is why I seek HIS name.

When I say . . . I am a Christian
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority
I only know I'm loved.

- Unknown
 
 

DAY 5
In the past four days, we have seen that there are many excuses that
people offer to justify their rejection to the Christian faith and
their
rejection to the plan of salvation that is offered freely by Jesus
Christ.  But if we really want to examine the problem, it will boil
down
to one thing, that is: it is a question of the heart.  It basically is
about an unbelieving heart or a believing heart, it is about a
disobeying heart and an obeying heart.  It is not about the questions
that need to be answered, but it is about making a decision to belief
or
not to belief.

Why is it so hard to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior?  It is only
because man used to depend on himself and man's pride keeps him from
submitting to somebody or something else.  Accepting Jesus as our
Savior
means that we have to acknowledge that we are sinners.  Then, we have
to
admit that we can not do anything to save ourselves from death and
destruction.  Then, it means that we have to believe by faith that
Jesus
will save us and deliver us from evil.  Finally, it means that Jesus
will change our life style to be more holy and godly.  All of these
requires a HUMBLE heart, a BELIEVING spirit and an OBEDIENT attitude.
This is where the root problem is at.  This is the very reason why it
is
hard for man to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior.  In fact, even John
3:19-21 summarizes this problem:

"This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world, but men loved
darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the
light
for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be
seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Each one of us have heard the gospel.  Each person that have heard the
gospel has made a decision in their heart, that is TO BELIEVE or NOT TO
BELIEVE.   Which one do you choose?