The Meaning of “Whoever” in Matthew 19:9

Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Culture WarDoctrinal Matters

Perhaps to avoid the stringency of Jesus’ requirements for marriage, some have maintained that Matthew 19:9 does not apply to non-Christians. They insist, therefore, that the verse has no bearing on the marital status of non-Christians who wish to become Christians. It is claimed that Matthew 19:9 is “covenant legislation” and was intended by Jesus to apply only to those who have already entered into His Christian covenant. Hence, it is alleged that non-Christians who have been divorced and remarried for reasons other than fornication may “start fresh” when they become Christians and remain in whatever marriage relationship they are in at the time they are baptized. Only at that point are they to be considered amenable to Matthew 19:9.

One attempt to defend this viewpoint is the claim that the word “whoever” generally refers—even in the Old Testament—to those who are already in covenant relationship with God.1 However, hos (ό΄ς) is a relative pronoun which, when used with an (ά΄ν) and a verb in the subjunctive mood, means “whoever.” It carries no peculiar application to Christians, as if its use indicates that those being referenced are in a covenant relationship with God. The claim is grammatically incorrect and linguistically indefensible. The parallel in Matthew 5:32 uses pas (πάς) which simply means “all” or “everyone.”

Reasons Why Matthew 19:9 Is Not Limited to Christians:

1. In context, Jesus was speaking specifically to Jews—not Christians. Christianity had not even been established.

2. Jesus answered their question about divorce (vs. 3). They were not asking Jesus what His divorce policy would be once His kingdom was established. They desired to know His will for Jews right then. The frequent allusion that some make to the divergent views of Hillel and Shammai2 is further proof that Jesus was directing His remarks to His pre-Christian contemporaries.

3. Nor did Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19:9 commence its application in Acts 2. It went into effect when it was first uttered to the entire human race in Genesis 2:24—intended for all people for all time: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” This divine declaration was not limited to Adam and Eve—as shown by Jesus’ quotation of it in the first century A.D. Deuteronomy 24 did not conflict with this original Law of Marriage. It was simply an attempt to minimize and contain the stubborn abuses of the Israelites.3 On the other hand, God’s declaration at the beginning of human history was intended to apply to all human beings—Jew, Gentile, Christian, non-Christian—for all time.

4. To see the fallacy of the claim that “whoever” throughout the Bible is used to refer to those in covenant relationship with God, simply examine passages that use the word and insert “Christian(s),” or “the Christian who,” or “those already in covenant relationship with Jesus” in the following verses where “whoever” occurs:

• Mark 16:16—“Whoever [the Christian who] believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever [the Christian who] does not believe will be condemned.” “Whoever” cannot refer to Christians since a person does not become a Christian until baptism. Who is to believe and be baptized—Christians or non-Christians? Those already in covenant relationship with Christ, or those not yet in covenant relationship?
• John 3:16,18—“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever [is already in covenant relationship with Christ] believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life…. Whoever [already in covenant relationship with Christ] believes in him is not condemned, but whoever [already in covenant relationship with Christ] does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Once again, “whoever” must refer to non-Christians who are being urged to become believers by entering into covenant relationship with Christ.
• John 4:14—“whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.” Can non-Christians drink the water? Or must they already be in covenant relationship before they drink? To ask is to answer.
• John 5:24—“I tell you the truth, whoever [already in covenant relationship with Christ] hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Who crosses over from death to life—Christian or non-Christian? The “whoever” refers to the non-believer whom Jesus challenges to cross over from death to life.
• John 8:12—“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” Jesus was admonishing non-Christians—unbelievers—to follow Him.
• John 10:9—“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” What is the status of the person prior to entering through Jesus? That person is not in covenant relationship with Christ.
• Revelation 22:17—“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Who is the “bride”? The bride is the church—the receptacle of the saved, i.e., Christians. Here the Holy Spirit and the church are inviting outsiders—those not yet in covenant relationship with God—to enter into fellowship with Him by drinking the water of life.

The Old Testament has the same application:

• Genesis 4:13-14—“Cain said to the LORD, ‘My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.’” Was Cain concerned that those in covenant relationship with God might kill him?
• Genesis 9:6—“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” Were only those in covenant relationship with God subject to this declaration?
• Genesis 12:3—“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” In His remarks to Abraham, was God speaking only of covenant people—or all peoples on earth?
• Genesis 44:10—“‘Very well, then,’ he said, ‘let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.’” Acting as an Egyptian, did Joseph mean to refer only to covenant people? Or did he use “whoever” to refer exclusively to his brothers—not his father or other family members, nor anyone else?
• Job 29:11—“Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me.” Job was a Gentile living among Gentiles. Were all those who had heard of Job in a covenant relationship with God?
• The numerous uses of “whoever” in the Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes are intended to refer to all people who should benefit from the wisdom given. For example, Ecclesiastes 12:13 says the “whole of man” is to obey God. Does this verse refer only to those in covenant relationship with God? And consider Proverbs 8:35-36—“For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.” Proverbs 12:1—“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Are these universal instructions, or are they limited only to those in covenant relationship with God?
• Daniel 3:6—“Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Was the decree of Nebuchadnezzar addressed only to those who were in covenant relationship with God?
• Daniel 5:7—“The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers and diviners to be brought and said to these wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.’” Was this offer by Nebuchadnezzar addressed to those who were in a covenant relationship with God?
• Zechariah 2:8—“ For this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘…whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye. I will surely raise my hand against them.’” The “whoever” refers to surrounding nations that God warned not to harm His people—pagan nations that were alienated from God.

Many more instances of the term “whoever” could be cited. Notice the flawed rationale: Go to passages that refer only to certain people, and then conclude that since “whoever” in those verses refers to those people, “whoever” must always or generally refer to those people. The Hebrew and Greek terms that underlie the English word “whoever” do not support this peculiar contention.4 Since the Bible reports primarily activities by those who were believers in God, most occurrences of the word do pertain to them—even as the words “you” and “they” refer to them—simply because they are the audience. But it absolutely does not follow that, therefore, “covenant people,” or Jews, or Christians inhere in such words and do not apply to a universal audience. Indeed, the Bible uses the word precisely in the same fashion as we use the English word “whoever.” Ask yourself: Do you use “whoever” only when talking to or about Christians?

To summarize: Matthew 19:3-12 constitutes divine directives concerning the only grounds for divorce in God’s sight for all people who have ever lived or will live. It is “human race” legislation which God, Himself, articulated at the very beginning of the world, and Jesus reiterated in response to His disciples’ question. God’s intention for all people is that they marry an eligible partner the first time they marry and remain married to that spouse for life. The only exception to this all-encompassing directive is that if one of the marriage partners commits fornication, the innocent partner has the scriptural right to divorce that unfaithful spouse and remarry a scripturally eligible partner, while the fornicator must remain single for life.5

Endnotes

1 Lonnie Ritchie (2024), Sunday Morning Bible Study, May 5th; Recorded live Magnolia church of Christ, Magnolia, TX, https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1188268528826915.

2 Two prominent Jewish rabbis in the first century whose influence resulted in the creation of two “schools” of followers who tended to be antagonistic toward each other. See Marcus Jastrow and S. Mendelsohn (1906), “BET HILLEL AND BET SHAMMAI,” Jewish Encyclopedia, 3:115-116, https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3190-bet-hillel-and-bet-shammai.

3 Dave Miller (2021), “Did Jesus Disagree With Moses on Divorce?” Reason & Revelation, 41[7]:74-77, July, https://apologeticspress.org/did-jesus-disagree-with-moses-on-divorce-5975/.

4 Greek grammarian Robertson states that the clause in Matthew 5:32 “pictures any one in general without a definite individual in mind”—A.T. Robertson and W. Hersey Davis (1931), A New Short Grammar of the Greek Testament, for Students Familiar with the Elements of Greek (London: R.R. Smith), p. 323.

5 For a more detailed study of Matthew 19, see Dave Miller (1985), “To Whom Does Matthew 19:3-12 Apply?” Apologetics Press, https://apologeticspress.org/to-whom-does-matthew-193-12-apply-4187/. For an extensive study of divorce and remarriage, see Thomas Warren, ed. (1978), Your Marriage Can Be Great! (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press).

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Quirinius, Varus, and Luke’s Census

Caleb Colley, Ph.D.

Alleged Discrepancies

It is widely known that the inspired biographer Luke related how Joseph,  Mary, and the baby Jesus traveled to Bethlehem due to a Roman census: “Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria” (Luke 2:1-2, NASB). While acknowledging that Publius Sulpicius Quirinius officially became governor of Syria in A.D. 6, about 10 years after the birth of Jesus, we have pointed out that critics of the Bible have failed to prove that Luke made a historical error.1 This includes the fact that Luke’s word translated “governor” is generic enough to make possible Quirinius’ oversight of the census even though he was not technically the governor.

Interestingly, our historical information about the official governor or legate of Syria at the time of Jesus’ birth provides additional support to the plausibility of Luke’s assertion that Quirinius, although not the official legate of Syria at the time, could have overseen a census.  

Publius Quinctilius Varus’ Failure

Publius Quinctilius [sometimes spelled “Quintilius”] Varus (d. A.D. 9) was a Roman general whose father had been one of Julius Caesar’s assassins.2 Varus became the Roman governor of Syria in 7/6 B.C. and served until sometime after the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C.3 The Roman historian Suetonius gives us insight into Caesar Augustus’ view of Varus, which was conditioned by Varus’ disastrous military loss (and suicide4):

[Augustus] suffered but two severe and ignominious defeats, those of Lollius and Varus, both of which were in Germany. Of these the former was more humiliating than serious, but the latter was almost fatal, since three legions were cut to pieces with their general, his lieutenants, and all the auxiliaries. When the news of this came, he ordered that watch be kept by night throughout the city, to prevent any outbreak, and he prolonged the terms of the governors of the provinces, that the allies might be held to their allegiance by experienced men with whom they were acquainted. They say that he was so greatly affected that for several months in succession he cut neither his beard nor his hair, and sometimes he would dash his head against a door, crying: “Quintilius Varus, give me back my legions!” And he observed the day of the disaster each year as one of sorrow and mourning.5

Granted, Varus’ military defeat to the Germanic tribes took place sometime after the census mentioned by Luke. Nonetheless, in Suetonius’ report we have a case in which Augustus directly questioned the leadership of the very person whose leadership is the lynchpin in a criticism of the historical accuracy of the Bible. Given Augustus’ displeasure with Varus, would it be surprising for him to have put Quirinius, of whom he plausibly had a favorable view,6 in charge of a census-enrollment that would have an impact on taxation?7

Luke’s remarkable accuracy as a historian should always motivate commentators to provide relevant evidence supporting possible explanations for what would otherwise be a glaring and uncharacteristic mistake.8

Endnotes

1 Dave Miller (2002), “Luke, Quirinius, and the Census,” Apologetics Press, https://apologeticspress.org/luke-quirinius-and-the-census-907/.

2 “Publius Quinctilius Varus,” Encyclopedia Brittanica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Publius-Quinctilius-Varus (n.d.).

3 Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 7:17.5,9.

4 Dio Cassius, Roman History, 7:56.21.5.

5 Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, 1:23.

6 Tacitus, Annals, 1:3.48.

7 Josephus reports that Quirinius’ later census was for the purpose of assessing Jewish property (Antiquities of the Jews, 1:1). See the documentation in Wayne Brindle (1984), “The Census and Quirinius: Luke 2:2,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society,27[1]:50.

8 See Colin Hemer (1989), The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, ed. Conrad H. Gempf, Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 49 (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr), chapters 4-5.

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Two Bethlehems?

DAVE MILLER, Ph.D.

DEITY OF CHRISTINSPIRATION OF THE BIBLEFACTUAL ACCURACYPROPHECY

One powerful proof of the supernatural origin of the Bible is the presence of predictive prophecy within its pages. Old Testament prophets predicted minute details of events that were fulfilled in the New Testament. The uninformed observer may take this claim with “a grain of salt,” thinking that anyone can write a book that makes predictions, and then report the fulfillment of those predictions in the same book. In other words, one might simply assume that the entire Bible was written by only one (or a few) writers who simply selected contemporaneous events at the time they were writing, and then couched their subject matter in an anticipatory format, creating the impression that they were predicting events yet future to their own day.

This methodology certainly has been followed by other books that claim to be from God. The Book of Mormon is characterized mostly by its reporting of the past. It purports to be the result of a single individual—Joseph Smith—who allegedly received gold plates from an angel, which then were translated with divine assistance (see Miller, 2003). Likewise, the Quran claims to be the result of revelations presented to a single individual—Muhammad—by the angel Gabriel. It, too, gives the appearance of being the result of a single person responding to his surroundings without the ability to predict the future.

In contrast, the canon of the Old Testament Scriptures, completed prior to the formation of the New Testament, stands as an indisputable fact of history. Although the higher textual critics have attempted to reassign late dates to many of the Old Testament books, even they have not dated them beyond the second century B.C., with canonization complete by 100 B.C. (see Archer, 1974, pp. 77-79). One reason for this concession is the fixed historical fact that the Hebrew text of the Old Testament was translated into Greek by seventy-two scholars in Alexandria in approximately 250 B.C. The existence of this translation, known as the Septuagint, is corroborated by several independent historical witnesses (see Harrison, 1969, pp. 228ff.; Koester, 1982, 1:252ff.; Tenney, 1976, 5:342-343). The existence of the Septuagint verifies that the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament were intact over 300 years before the first books of the New Testament were penned. Likewise, the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has further demonstrated a pre-Christian presence of the Old Testament books (see Finegan, 1959, 2:271ff.; Thompson, 1962, p. 264; Free and Vos, 1992, pp. 175ff.; Pfeiffer, 1969, pp. 25ff.; Archer, 1974, pp. 38ff., 505-509).

One category of Old Testament predictive prophecy is Messianic prophecy, i.e., prophecy that pertains to the coming of the Messiah—Jesus Christ. Some 332 (Free and Vos, 1992, p. 241) minute, intricate predictions are scattered throughout the Old Testament that pinpoint details of events and circumstances that transpired while Jesus lived on Earth. Included among these moments in the life of Christ are: His descent from Abraham (Genesis 22:18; Luke 3:34), through the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Hebrews 7:14), through the family of David (2 Samuel 7:12; Luke 1:32), through the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22), during the Roman empire (Daniel 2:44; 9:26; Luke 2:1), while Judah still had a king (Genesis 49:10; Matthew 2:22), His escape to Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14-15), His Galilean ministry (Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:12-16), His priesthood comparable to Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6; 6:20; 7:15-17), His rejection by the Jews (Isaiah 53:3; Psalm 2:2; Luke 15:25; 23:18; John 1:11; 5:43), His triumphal entry (Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 62:11; Matthew 21:1-11; John 12:12-15), His betrayal by a friend (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18), for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15), which would be returned for a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:3-10), with His accuser replaced (Psalm 109:7-8; Acts 1:16-20), being spit upon and beaten (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 27:30), His silence when accused (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:62-63), by false witnesses (Psalm 27:12; 35:11; Matthew 26:60-61), mocked and insulted (Psalm 22:6-8; Matthew 27:39-40), given gall and vinegar (Psalm 69:21; John 19:29), His death with sinners (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38), with His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16; Luke 24:39), but no bone broken (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33), while lots were cast for his clothing (Psalm 22:18; Mark 15:24), buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60), but in death his body would not decay (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:22ff.), and His ascension (Psalm 68:18; Daniel 7:13-14; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9).

One particularly striking prophecy was uttered by the prophet Micah, who lived and prophesied in the eighth century B.C. (Lewis, 1966, p. 32). He articulated a very specific reference to the place of Christ’s birth: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (5:2). This prophecy is remarkable on at least two counts. First, the fact that anyone could predict the precise city where a “ruler” would be born centuries later is unsurpassed in ordinary human experience. A charlatan would be “leaving himself wide open” to being discredited. Psychics, palm readers, spiritualists, and faith healers of today are very careful to maintain ambiguity and to keep their words sufficiently vague as to allow for adjustment, evasion, and multiple explanations. Pinpointing a specific city is specificity that is incomparable in its own right.

Second, Micah “stuck his neck out” even farther when he identified the city as “Bethlehem Ephrathah.” Few people probably realize that Palestine contained two towns named Bethlehem. Similarly, in the United States, we have Paris, Texas, and Paris, Tennessee. There’s a Jackson, Mississippi, and a Jackson, Tennessee, as well as a Lexington, Tennessee, and a Lexington, Kentucky. The Bethlehem with which most people are familiar is Bethlehem of Judah, located five miles south of Jerusalem. This town, or its inhabitants, is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 35:19; 48:7; Judges 17:7-9; 19:1ff.; Ruth 1:19), and was the birthplace of King David (1 Samuel 16:4; 17:12,15; 2 Samuel 23:14,16). After the Babylonian exile, Bethlehemites reinhabited the town (Ezra 2:21; Nehemiah 7:26). This same Bethlehem served as the birthplace of the Messiah (Matthew 2:1,5; Luke 2:4,15). In fact, King Herod’s familiarity with biblical prophecy caused him to concentrate his massacre of innocent babies on the infant population of this particular Bethlehem.

The other Bethlehem was Bethlehem of Zebulun in northern Palestine. Though mentioned less frequently in the Old Testament (Joshua 19:15; Judges 12:8,10), archaeological excavations indicate that it was a place of some importance in earlier days (Masterman, 1956, 1:449-450).

How did Micah know that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem—let alone Bethlehem Ephrathah? The only rational explanation is that Micah was inspired in his writing—supernaturally guided to predict the precise location where the Messiah would be born. The Bible stands alone—in a class by itself—apart from all other books on the planet that claim to be of divine origin. It is, in fact, the Word of God. As such, it reserves the right to require conformity to its precepts by all accountable human beings.

REFERENCES

Archer, Gleason L. Jr. (1974), A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago, IL: Moody), revised edition.

Finegan, Jack (1959), Light from the Ancient Past (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press), second edition.

Free, Joseph P. and Howard F. Vos (1992), Archaeology and Bible History (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), revised edition.

Harrison, R.K. (1969), Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Koester, Helmut (1982), History, Culture, and Religion of the Hellenistic Age (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress).

Lewis, Jack (1966), The Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Masterman, E.W.G. (1956), “Bethlehem,” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), 1974 reprint.

Miller, Dave (2003), “Is the Book of Mormon from God?” [On-line], URL: https://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2243.

Pfeiffer, Charles (1969), The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Tenney, Merrill, ed. (1976), The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

Thompson, J.A. (1962), The Bible and Archaeology (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

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What Does It Mean to Work Out Your Own Salvation? (Audio) 38 min

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The Spirit and Bride Say Come

 The Spirit and Bride Say Come

 “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). 

 Testifying to the churches in Asia Minor in the Book of Revelation, and to His churches in general, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Revelation 22:12-13).

 Reading further in verses 14 and 15 we find: “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.” 

 Jesus stated His Being and inherent authority in verses 12-13 and 16. He is the Supreme One, especially to His church or assembly of followers, those devoted to Him. It is through His people that He appeals to those who are spiritually thirsting. The invitation to “take the water of life freely” is for “whoever desires.” There has to be a thirst and a desire for things spiritual. Without hunger, thirsting and desiring, one could never be satisfied.

 The deep emptiness people experience in spite of great worldly possession arises from being spiritually dry and barren. Jesus is one with His bride, the church. He is the Spirit inherent in His bride. He carries out His purpose in the world through the church, His physical representative on earth, to reach out to the lost and spiritually thirsting souls with the invitation, “COME!” 

 The Father has been merciful. He has poured out His love on humanity, and He joins in imploring lost humanity to look to the cross where Jesus, His only begotten died, having become the sacrificial Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. Jesus said, “My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to his work” (v. 12). The work begins with doing “His commandments” (v. 14). Those who obey “have the right to the tree of life” and are granted entrance “into the city.” 

Eternal life in the presence of God is assured here. Life is very short. It is gone before we even realize. Are you coming to Jesus? Will you heed His and the church’s invitation to “Come”? There is much to gain in being reconciled to and united with the One Who is Eternal. It is an assurance of our eternal being. So, come and “take the water of life freely.” To GOD be the glory now and always, in Christ Jesus our Lord! Amen 

Thomas Dohling

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So You Believe in the God of the Bible? This is a very good read!

 

So You Believe in the God of the Bible?

Eric Lyons

Existence of God

 Article in Brief

Christian apologetics is not a mere mental exercise that concludes with a period at the end of an argument. If, at the end of the day, all we’ve done is reasoned our way into logical thought, we have failed. If God exists and the Bible is His revealed will to humanity, the ultimate logical human response is genuine belief—not a shallow, mere acknowledgment of God’s existence,1 but a total commitment to the Creator. Such faith is (or should be) the natural result of concluding “there…is…a…God.”

If God exists (that is, if there really is an eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, all-just, and perfectly pure Creator2), coming to a knowledge of this one truth is by far the greatest truth that a human being could ever or will ever acknowledge and contemplate.3 Self-awareness is important, but becoming aware of the One who gave us self-awareness is infinitely more important. An isolated Tarzan-type person learning for the first time about the existence of other humans is a gripping and emotional thought. Still, such a revelation pales in comparison to learning of the existence of Deity. Many seem to think that finding proof for an extraterrestrial would be the most significant revelation ever. Yet, such a theoretical alien would still demand an ultimate Creator. In short, a person never has and never will think of a bigger, better, more awesome, and more humbling thought than G-O-D.

Although atheistic evolution says that everything in the natural realm came from nothing, that self-replicating life in nature came from non-life, that complex, functional design in the natural realm came about without an ultimate designer, and that human intelligence ultimately came from non-intelligence, an honest assessment of the Universe (with its necessary natural laws)4 reveals otherwise. Matter demands a Maker. Laws demand a Law-Giver. Life demands a Life-Giver. Complex, functional design demands a Designer. Intelligence in the natural realm demands an ultimate, intelligent Creator.

Indeed, the material realm cries out for a Creator, Who, again, is the most extraordinary Being imaginable. In fact, there is no adequate adjective in the human vocabulary to describe how far above every thought, word, and deed that God is (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). Suffice it to say, the very thought of and belief in God is the pinnacle of all thoughts and beliefs by an immeasurable distance.

If God exists,5 then it is reasonable to conclude that God (1) could freely choose to communicate to His human creation, (2) would have the ability (as the omnipotent, omniscient Creator) to communicate to humanity, (3) would choose to reveal important information to His human creation if He expected anything from them, and (4) would reasonably inform humanity that the message was, indeed, from Him, as well as offer sufficient proof. (That is, a just God would not leave it up to mere human guesswork as to whether or not He had ever communicated to humankind about important matters that He expected them to know.) In fact, there is one book in the world that (1) claims divine inspiration hundreds of times, (2) gives sufficient proof to back up those claims,6 and (3) is the most accessible book in human history—the Bible. Even according to secular sources, the Bible ranks #1 in the most printed documents in world history,7 with an estimated five to seven billion copies printed since the invention of the printing press in the 15th century,8 not including the myriad of manuscripts copied by hand prior to the invention of the printing press. What’s more, the Bible has been translated into hundreds of languages, beginning more than 2,000 years ago. Thus, God not only gave what He wanted humankind to know in written form, but that revelation became the most accessible book in human history.

The Logical Response to Our Supernatural Creator

Surely such a magnificent Maker—Who has created, sustained, and enlightened humankind—should be the focus of our existence. Regardless of our human condition (whether young or old, strong or weak, rich or poor, healthy or sick, etc.), surely the very thought of the God of the Bible would be enough to awaken us to our spiritual senses (rather than simply react in animal-like ways to the fears and fleshly desires of our physical existence). Surely our purpose in living would be wrapped up in Who God is and what He expects from us.

If we have carefully contemplated the Creator, it should not take a command from Him for us continually to stand in awe of Him and to serve Him. Supreme reverence for God should be the natural response to Who God is. An infinitely intelligent and powerful eternal Being “simply” spoke the Universe into existence. That alone should buckle our knees and melt our hearts. The psalmist sang of God’s Creation: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth… For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6,9). And what is the logical, emotional, and thrilling response to such a powerful Creator? The answer is found between these two creation truths of Psalm 33: “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (33:8).

The patriarch Job suffered like few in human history undoubtedly have ever suffered. He longed for a meeting with God and wanted answers. Yet, when God appeared to Job9 out of a whirlwind and spoke to him (not about Job’s suffering but) about God’s mind-boggling created realm (Job 38-41), Job seemingly forgot all about His suffering because of His newly found, intensified focus on Almighty God.10 Job reacted to the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe with authentic praise and a penitent spirit:

Behold, I am insignificant; what can I say in response to You? I put my hand on my mouth… I know that You can do all things, and that no plan is impossible for You… Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I do not know… I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent, sitting on dust and ashes (Job 40:4; 42:2-6, NASB).

Job lost all 10 of his children in one day; he lost his vast wealth in the blink of an eye; and was experiencing immense bodily pain, not to mention suffering with some of the worst “comfort” from friends a person could ever receive. Yet, Job’s response to Almighty God was (1) a humble heart and (2) complete admiration for his Maker.11

What Is Your Response to God?

Job learned that God is the supreme, sovereign Ruler of the Universe Who is worthy to be trusted and served faithfully regardless of what we may personally want or what may occur to us in this lifetime. Yet, even before his supernatural meeting with God, Job displayed a determined faithfulness to the Ruler of the Universe: He declared: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15). Indeed, God and His will for our lives is bigger, better, and infinitely more important than what we may personally want for our temporary earthly existence.

In response to God—to Who God is and what He commands at any point in time—Noah built an ark, Abraham left his homeland to dwell in tents in Canaan, and Moses, the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25). While the (likely wealthy) tax collector Matthew was sitting in his office, he heard Jesus say, “Follow Me.” “So he left all, rose up, and followed Him” (Luke 5:27-28). When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow Him, they “immediately” left their boat, their nets, and their family “and followed Him” (Matthew 4:18-22). To use the words of Peter to Jesus, “We have left all and followed You” (Matthew 19:29).

It seems that most people approach God and His Word with the mindset that they will “obey” God and “follow” Jesus, but they will do so as long as God does not demand too much from them. If “following” God is socially acceptable, if “trusting” Him is convenient, if “loving” Him is easy, then “we’re all in.” Most people don’t say these things, but many seem to think and act this way. They allegedly “love” God, but they do so because (at the moment) it is the easy, comfortable thing to do.

A man once asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus said, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” The man replied to Jesus, saying, “‘Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.’ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:17-22).

It appears that this rich, young ruler had most everything in his life in line with God’s will—except one thing—his attitude toward money. Jesus, Who knows our thoughts, knew the one thing with which this man had a spiritual problem—an unhealthy relationship with money. Sadly, rather than do whatever the Lord required, this man went away sorrowful. He was willing to “do” whatever was relatively easy, but he was unwilling to give his life completely over to Christ and do whatever God wanted.

What’s our response to God? Are we willing to give up anything and everything at the Word of God—the same mighty and majestic Word that created the world? Will we give up lying, laziness, or a love of money? In response to the reality, nature, and revelation of God, will we give up pornography, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, drunkenness, or any other enticing sin that stands between us and eternal life?

In a very real sense, life on Earth is a test.12 It is a test to see:

• Will we choose to wallow in a world of “me, myself, and I,” or will we recognize the majesty of our Maker (and live every day basking in His glory)?
• Will we illogically look to “nothing” for our origins and seek to fulfill fleshly desires like our alleged animal ancestors and relatives,13 or will we “remember now [our] Creator” and “put away evil from [our] flesh” (Ecclesiastes 12:1; 11:10)?
• Will we be wise in our own finite eyes and seek to “direct [our] own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23), or will we acknowledge and trust the Lord’s infinitely wise ways (Proverbs 3:5-7)?
• Will we wander the broad road of sin that leads to eternal destruction, or will we intentionally walk the more difficult and narrower road that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14)?
• Will we seek to rule our own lives, or will we acknowledge the sovereignty of God in every area of our lives?
• Will we seek to please and “fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28), or will we “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)?
• Will we be a slave to sin (that leads to eternal death), or will we serve the Savior (Who gave His life to give us eternal life; John 3:16; Romans 6:15-23)?

What Is Your Response to Christ?

If God exists and the Bible is His revelation to humanity, anything other than a revered, head-over-heels, “crazy”-in-love-with-Christ reaction to Jesus is illogical. He not only created us and sustains us (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17), but He loves us more than anyone else ever has or ever will. And such love has not merely been expressed verbally (John 3:16; 13:34); it has been demonstrated in the most selfless, sacrificial way possible.

Though “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and though all sinners deserve eternal separation from our perfectly holy God, because of God’s perfect love, grace, and mercy, no one has to be lost eternally. God has given us an all-powerful, spiritual lifeline (Romans 1:16). Though “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23; cf. Revelation 2:11), “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God “desires all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). From the moment wretched sin entered the world, God began revealing His answer to the sin problem (Genesis 3:15; 12:1-3). Following thousands of years of promises and prophecies throughout the Old Testament pointing to the ultimate “Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), “God sent forth His son” to redeem the slaves of sin to become children of God (Galatians 4:4-5). “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Indeed, God is so incredibly loving that He not only warned us of the eternal consequences of unforgiven sin (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10), but even when we succumbed to sin, God left the splendors of heaven to take upon Himself the punishment for our sins so that we could be saved. Jesus “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8). When we succumbed to sin and were wholly unable to save ourselves from the eternal consequences of such, the perfect Lamb of God “died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). And, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

“God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). The Creator of the Universe cares so much for every human being, deeply desiring for every person to be saved from sin and receive eternal life, that He literally came to Earth in human flesh for the purpose of paving the path to heaven (John 14:6). He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

Conclusion

Complete loyalty (however imperfect—1 John 1:5-10) is the only reasonable response to our Creator. Total admiration and submission to our Lord and great Redeemer is our joy and privilege. Like the apostle Paul, who was “appointed for the defense of the gospel,” we should seek to grow in our faith that our singular purpose in life is that “Christ will be magnified” in our bodies, “whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:17,20-21). Gain what? And how much? In response to Peter saying, “we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” Jesus said: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:27,29).

Endnotes

1 For more information on a saving, biblical faith, see “‘Believing’ in John 3:16,” Reason & Revelation, 39[9]:98-101,104-107, September, apologeticspress.org/believing-in-john-316-5723/.

2 Of everything other than Himself.

3 Which is why Apologetics Press spends so much time and energy producing material for all ages about the existence of God. See store.apologeticspress.org. See also apologeticspress.org/category/existence-of-god/.

4 See Jeff Miller (2017), Science vs. Evolution (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), 2nd edition.

5 See Eric Lyons and Kyle Butt (2014), “7 Reasons to Believe in God,” Apologetics Press, apologeticspress.org/7-reasons-to-believe-in-god-5045/. See also Dave Miller, ed. (2017), Does God Exist? (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press) and apologeticspress.org/category/existence-of-god/.

6 See Kyle Butt (2022), Is the Bible God’s Word? (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press). See also Dave Miller (2020), The Bible Is From God: A Sampling of Proofs (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press); Kyle Butt and Eric Lyons (2021), Defending the Bible (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press); and apologeticspress.org/category/inspiration-of-the-bible/.

7 “Printing Books: The 10 Most Printed Documents in History” (2023), www.mvpprint.com.au/printing-the-10-most-printed-documents-in-history/.

8 “Best-selling Book” (2021), www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction.

9 Something He did not have to do, but chose to do.

10 Job was already a righteous, faithful follower of God (Job 1:1-5,8; 13:15; 42:7-8), but His understanding, appreciation, and respect for God seems to have increased dramatically after God spoke to him in chapters 38-41.

11 For a biblical response to pain and suffering in this world, see Dave Miller’s excellent book from Apologetics Press titled Why People Suffer. You can freely read the online PDF version at apologeticspress.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Suffering-DM_2022.pdf, or you can order a hardcopy for only $5 at store.apologeticspress.org/collections/books/products/apbkdm0021.

12 We may wish that this world was not a proving ground for the next, but nothing will change the reality of the situation. God tested Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2-3), He tested Abraham in the land of Moriah (Genesis 22:1ff.), He allowed Job to be tested in the land of Uz (Job 1-2), and He tested the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 20:20). God does not tempt His creation to sin (James 1:13-14), but He does test us “that His fear may be before [us], so that [we] may not sin” (Exodus 20:20).

13 Cf. Jo Marchant (2008), “We Should Act Like the Animals We Are,” New Scientist, 200[2678]:44, October 18-24.

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