Reading the citations from a book written by Bart Ehrman entitled God's Problem brings an agony to my soul.
This man states that he was a devout Christian who has lost his
faith, but while reading about said faith I find that he is
actually speaking of religion instead. He was a very religious
man, much like the pharisees in Scripture.
"I could quote entire books of the New Testament, verse by verse, from memory....I went off to finish my college work at Wheaton. There I learned Greek...At Princeton I did both a master of divinity degree - training to be a minister - and, eventually, a PhD. in New Testament studies. I had solid Christian credentials and knew about the Christian faith from the inside out - in the years before I lost my faith....I served as the youth pastor of an Evangelical Covenant church...But then...I started to lose my faith. I now have lost it all together. I no longer go to church, no longer believe, no longer consider myself a Christian. The subject of this book is the reason why."
This grieves me deeply because I was once this man in a way. I wanted to be a Christian and thought that if I did enough studying, praying, going to church, etc. that one day I would understand how to become one. I had very devoutly praying parents who I am certain prayed for me diligently regarding my spiritual walk. However, I even had them deceived for a time.
I "went forward" in second grade. I knew to answer "yes" to all the questions, because I had attended church from birth. However, I was no more a born again believer, follower of the Way, Christian, or however else you wish to put it than I was a puppy dog. Yes, I knew MANY verses by heart, was read to from the Bible by my dad each evening before bed, prayed at meal times and bed times, read my Bible, went to church and Sunday School EVERY week unless I was ill and every revival, but I was lost. I KNEW I was lost, yet I pretended I wasn't. I went to youth group when old enough and sang in the youth choir. I agonized over knowing I was lost, yet not knowing what else there was I could do. We moved to Herculaneum and started attending First Baptist there. During a revival, shortly after we had moved, Momma, my two older sisters and I were rehearsing the song we were to sing for a special - I Wish We'd All Been Ready. These words changed my life forever - "There's no time to change your mind. The Son has come and you've been left behind." I knew what I had to do. I ran into the bathroom, threw myself on my knees and cried out for Jesus to forgive me, love me and come dwell in me for all eternity. He did at that moment, but that is not the end of the story. Maybe one day I will write the rest, but suffice it to say - I immediately developed a hunger for His Word, a calling to teach on my life and the fear I had been carrying with me for a lifetime dissipated.
Bart Ehrman, from what I gather in these short sections, never has faced the fact that he must admit that he is a sinner, confess it before God and seek forgiveness through Jesus' sacrificial death and awesome resurrection. He never made it past works, and Scripture is very specific on that point - "For by grace are you saved, through faith. It is the gift of God. NOT of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
I pray that God reveals the Truth to Mr. Ehrman before it is too late. I pray that his book becomes a cry for help to his soul and that he comes to grips with the fact that we are all sinners who need salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In Jesus name I pray it!! I also pray that anyone who reads this book be NOT persuaded to stop seeking the one TRUE God and salvation, but rather come to understand that Christianity is NOT a religion, but a faith.
"I could quote entire books of the New Testament, verse by verse, from memory....I went off to finish my college work at Wheaton. There I learned Greek...At Princeton I did both a master of divinity degree - training to be a minister - and, eventually, a PhD. in New Testament studies. I had solid Christian credentials and knew about the Christian faith from the inside out - in the years before I lost my faith....I served as the youth pastor of an Evangelical Covenant church...But then...I started to lose my faith. I now have lost it all together. I no longer go to church, no longer believe, no longer consider myself a Christian. The subject of this book is the reason why."
This grieves me deeply because I was once this man in a way. I wanted to be a Christian and thought that if I did enough studying, praying, going to church, etc. that one day I would understand how to become one. I had very devoutly praying parents who I am certain prayed for me diligently regarding my spiritual walk. However, I even had them deceived for a time.
I "went forward" in second grade. I knew to answer "yes" to all the questions, because I had attended church from birth. However, I was no more a born again believer, follower of the Way, Christian, or however else you wish to put it than I was a puppy dog. Yes, I knew MANY verses by heart, was read to from the Bible by my dad each evening before bed, prayed at meal times and bed times, read my Bible, went to church and Sunday School EVERY week unless I was ill and every revival, but I was lost. I KNEW I was lost, yet I pretended I wasn't. I went to youth group when old enough and sang in the youth choir. I agonized over knowing I was lost, yet not knowing what else there was I could do. We moved to Herculaneum and started attending First Baptist there. During a revival, shortly after we had moved, Momma, my two older sisters and I were rehearsing the song we were to sing for a special - I Wish We'd All Been Ready. These words changed my life forever - "There's no time to change your mind. The Son has come and you've been left behind." I knew what I had to do. I ran into the bathroom, threw myself on my knees and cried out for Jesus to forgive me, love me and come dwell in me for all eternity. He did at that moment, but that is not the end of the story. Maybe one day I will write the rest, but suffice it to say - I immediately developed a hunger for His Word, a calling to teach on my life and the fear I had been carrying with me for a lifetime dissipated.
Bart Ehrman, from what I gather in these short sections, never has faced the fact that he must admit that he is a sinner, confess it before God and seek forgiveness through Jesus' sacrificial death and awesome resurrection. He never made it past works, and Scripture is very specific on that point - "For by grace are you saved, through faith. It is the gift of God. NOT of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
I pray that God reveals the Truth to Mr. Ehrman before it is too late. I pray that his book becomes a cry for help to his soul and that he comes to grips with the fact that we are all sinners who need salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In Jesus name I pray it!! I also pray that anyone who reads this book be NOT persuaded to stop seeking the one TRUE God and salvation, but rather come to understand that Christianity is NOT a religion, but a faith.
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