Objections Handling - MidEast. Objection One

Important note: Anytime your friends bring up an objection, pray and ask yourself, “Are they interested in the truth or are they trying to win the argument?” If they are genuinely seeking truth, answer their objections. If they are trying to win, don’t waste your time. It sounds harsh, but Jesus himself said: “Do not throw your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6). He also said, “No one comes to me unless the Father who sent Me draws them” (John 6:44). Ask the Father to draw them, and be ready to guide them when He does—but until that time, don’t give them the best of your time.

OBJECTION 1: “Jesus never claimed He was God.”

Steps:

Affirm their question. Prophets cannot forgive sins or give eternal life. Only God can do that! So it matters if Jesus really was God.
Ask, “Would you have time to look at a story from the Word of God where Jesus does claim to be God?”
Have them read John 20:24-29, or tell the story.
Ask simple questions, ending with:

What did Thomas call Jesus?
How did Jesus respond?
Would a true prophet let his disciple call him God?

Say, “So this story shows that Jesus is either a false prophet, or He is really God.”
Say: “You have heard that it is only God who gives life, and who says to a thing ‘Be!’ and it is (Sura 40:68). So would God resurrect a false prophet who would mislead people?” (No! At least, a trustworthy god would not.)
Say, “So it is more likely that Jesus is really God, and His resurrection proves it. That means He can cleanse us of sin and give us eternal life! Before we looked at this story, you doubted like Thomas did. Now, what do you think?”
Depending on their response, you can answer further objections, give an invitation to follow Jesus, or invite them to keep exploring stories from the Holy Books about Jesus using the More than a Prophet story track.

Objection 1 Example Dialogue

YOU:

“That’s an important question. If Jesus was just a prophet, even if He was a really important one, then He wouldn’t be able to forgive our sins or give us eternal life—and He said he could do both of those things! Would you have time to look at a story from the Word of God where Jesus does claim to be God?”

THEM:

“Sure.” (This is a filtering question. If they say no, don’t worry! Know they’re not open to the message now and this question will just lead to an argument. Don’t force them to go further.)

YOU:

“Great. This is a story that took place right after Jesus’s death and resurrection. First he appeared to a group of His disciples, but there was one who wasn’t with the group that time. His name was Thomas.” (Open to John 20:24-29 and ask them to read it; or, share the simple version below.)

“The other disciples told Thomas, ‘We saw the Lord! He has come back from the dead!’ But Thomas said, ‘I won’t believe it unless I see his wounds where the nails were and put my hand to the place in his side where he was stabbed with a spear.’ One week later, Thomas was with the disciples in a room. All the doors and windows were locked. Then Jesus appeared with them, and He said, ‘Thomas! Look at the wounds in my hands. Put your hand to my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ And Thomas fell down and said, ‘My Lord and my God!’ And Jesus asked him, ‘Do you believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who believe in me without seeing me.’”

YOU:

“What did Thomas say when the others told him Jesus had come back to life?”

FRIEND:

“He said he wouldn’t believe unless he sees for himself.”

YOU:

“What changed his mind?”

FRIEND:

“He saw Jesus.”

YOU:
“How did Thomas respond when he saw the resurrected Jesus?”

FRIEND:
“He said, ‘My Lord and my God!’”

YOU:
“Would a true prophet let his disciple call him God?”

FRIEND:

“No, of course not.”

YOU:

“Right. And you know that it is only God who gives life, and who says to a thing ‘Be!’ and it is (Sura 40:68). So that just leaves us two options. Either Jesus really is God, and Thomas had realized the truth, or Jesus was a false prophet leading people to worship him instead of the true God. Would God give life back to a false prophet that was misleading people?”

FRIEND:

“No, God would not do that.”

(Or they might say, “Yes, He could, even if we don’t know why.” You can respond by asking, “Can we trust a God who would do that?”)

YOU:
“So the more likely answer is that Jesus really is God. And this is what the people around him understood. And by rising from the dead, Jesus proved that He is more than a prophet, and He really could forgive our sins and give us eternal life. Before we looked at this story, you doubted like Thomas did. Now, what do you think?”

(It is very likely that they will respond with one of two questions: