Module 7 · Answering Hard Questions · Lesson 3
Why Jesus? Why Not Simply Believe in God?
Watch
Video lesson — coming soon
The full written lesson below is ready to study now.
Big idea
Christianity does not merely claim that God exists. It claims that God has decisively revealed Himself and acted for salvation in Jesus Christ.
Learning objectives
- Distinguish generic theism from Christianity.
- Explain why Christian faith is centered on Christ.
- Explain the uniqueness of Jesus without arrogance.
- Explain why contradictory religious claims cannot all be true in the same sense.
- Explain why the resurrection is the central pressure point.
Primary text
John 14:6 — “Jesus identifies Himself as the way, the truth, and the life and as the one through whom people come to the Father.”
Scaffolded Scriptures
- Matthew 16:15–16 — Jesus asks who people say He is.
- John 1:18 — The Son uniquely reveals the Father.
- John 5:22–23 — Honor given to the Son is tied to honor given to the Father.
- Acts 4:12 — Salvation is located uniquely in Christ.
- 1 Timothy 2:5 — Christ is the one mediator.
- Colossians 1:15–20 — Christ is Creator, sustainer, head, and reconciler.
- Philippians 2:9–11 — Every knee ultimately bows to Jesus as Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 15:14 — If Christ is not risen, Christian preaching is empty.
Teaching movements
Movement 1
“Belief in God” Is Not Specific Enough — People mean very different realities by the word God.
Movement 2
Christianity Makes a Revelation Claim — It says God has made Himself known climactically in Christ.
Movement 3
Exclusivity Depends on Identity — If Jesus is merely a teacher, unique salvation claims look unreasonable; if He is risen Lord, the question changes.
Movement 4
Exclusive Claims Are Not Automatically Arrogant — Every worldview excludes something. The real issue is truth.
Movement 5
Contradictory Claims Cannot All Be True in the Same Sense — Crucified/not crucified, divine/not divine, risen/not risen are actual truth claims.
Movement 6
The Source Is Exclusive; the Invitation Is Wide — Christianity locates salvation in Christ while extending the invitation across ethnicity, class, and nation.
Movement 7
Why Can’t God Just Forgive? — The cross presents forgiveness as costly reconciliation, not divine indifference to evil.
Movement 8
The Resurrection Is the Pressure Point — Christianity deliberately places its central claim in history.
Key terms / word study
- Mediator / mesitēs
- One who stands between parties to bring reconciliation; the New Testament presents Christ uniquely in this role.
Christ at the center
The entire course converges on Jesus’ question: “Whom say ye that I am?” Christianity ultimately stands or falls with Him.
Common error to avoid
Do not answer religious pluralism merely with “because the Bible says so.” Start with the identity, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Reflect
- Why is generic belief in God not the same as Christianity?
- Why does Jesus’ identity come before the exclusivity question?
- Why is the resurrection the central historical issue?
Practice
Respond to: “I believe in God; all religions basically lead to the same place.” Ask what they mean by God, clarify pluralism, compare actual claims, then bring the conversation to Jesus.
Remember
Christianity stands or falls on Jesus.