Why would God make it so complex to understand Christianity? 

Cyrus von Krinkle, I agree with you in some aspects. I think Christians should be firm in what they believe, and clear about what they claim is true. They should do that with each other and also with people who don’t have the same beliefs as them. I also think, and can see instances in my own life, that Christians who approach questions about faith authentically reflect the disposition of their savior far better than someone who is militant against any dissenting opinion. If you truly feel that Christian faith is under attack, that’s fine. I’m not trying to make an argument that it isn’t. I disagree with the response it seems that you are presenting. I understand that response. I’ve been of the same mindset. It’s hard to have faith when the ideas at its basis are being questioned, but instead of approaching those ideas with anger or defensiveness, I think a better response is to approach those questions with candidness and grace. I hope you have a good day and I wish you the best

Thanks for pointing this out Caleb. I'll have to make this my approach; I kinda do but the "welcoming" part of offering them to think alongside is something I can sure express better.

it is the way.

That phrase totally resonated with me too. It reflects how I am perfectly…

I have never had the gift of faith. My faith has never come easy or freely. I have always been one to question and wonder why. Never be afraid to ask the hard questions.

I have struggled with my faith my whole life. Every since I was a kid I have been asking for God to give me faith. Finally at the 18 I gave up and went full atheists. Now that I'm a Christian again I still think it would be so much easier to be an atheist from a mental consistent stand point. I still Pray for faith and think it might be my spiritual Battle.

@@dimesonhiseyes9134 Not to be flippant or combative, but I hope as an encouragement. All who have faith, have it as a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). So we never need to feel like we have to bootstrap some more faith into our lives or risk disappointing God. He is a perfectly loving leader in our walk to complete sanctification. He may give us the gift of conviction to shed light on what He will work on next and what we can be thankful He has already helped us overcome, but if God is not impatient with our progress why should we be? I can definitely feel where you are coming from that it does not always feel easy or free flowing, but continue in trust and faith. That is, use the faith you have to foster the faith you can trust God has in store for you. Read His word and pray for the faith to grow. All to His glory and in the peace of His finished work!

@@Rockthedice for some faith is difficult and in many ways I think your right it is easier. Atheism requires nothing of us so in that respect I think your right. But in other ways it can be quite difficult. It is perfectly understandable, acceptable, and in many ways encouraged for a person to question thier faith. I know the times that I doubted yet sought after truth and knowledge of and in my faith, were the times of ultimately the most growth for me. I came out on the other side a changed man, and one with a deeper understanding and one that had grown. I am glad you have found faith again. Do not be afraid to ask tough questions, do not be afraid to ask for help. And continue to seek the lord in spiritual ways as well as intellectual ones. If you would like I'm sure many people here can supply some great resources on apologetics. My favorite being the "My strange Bible" and "the Bible project" podcast series

I thought I was the only one to ever quote that verse.

I love that. The fact i DON'T remember that verse is WHY I'm currently re reading and listening to the bible again

Matter fact...I'm posting THAT to Facebook brother THANKS for posting THAT particular verse.

@@scottward4316 : To give credit where it is due, the fellow Martin Zender, who (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) dubs himself "The World's Most Outspoken Bible Scholar", fairly often invokes that verse.

Yes, Amen.

Yet, the "knowledge" of God is such that, He would have an answer, for He knows everything. How many hours in a mile? maybe 7, or maybe .0000003. We don't know but, He could answer it. I have heard of the old saying, can God create a rock so big that He couldn't lift it? The logic is this, if you say no then, God is not the creator of everything and such. If the answer is yes then, He isn't all powerful. See the dilemma? However, there's a solution... He could create such a rock and then, He would lift it! He can do the impossible. So, just because we don't have an answer to even the most silliest of questions, God would be able to answer any question. Just bear in mind, He is the creator of everything and has all rights, authority and power over all of it...

@@jhowe5571 Put simply, God makes all things possible. He's God, our God.

@@jhowe5571 so what you saying is God can give logic to the illogical??

@@ASmith-jn7kf The question posed in the vid and as it relates to my reply is simply this: Man can ask God questions silly enough that God, (who is all knowing, all seeing and all powerful, mind you...) Can not find an answer to. So, it contradicts what God says of Himself (in the Bible)and presents God as not all knowing and such. It's a degrading of God to say He doesn't know everything or can find an answer to every question. God doesn't so much as give logic to the illogical but, He can easily make sense of the illogical...

Lewis has it right. But you have to realize that questions that are contradictory (i.e. nonsensical) don’t have an answer. And, these types of questions don’t compromise God’s omnipotence or omniscience...because these properties of God mean being able to do or know all ‘things.’ And, any answer to a contradictory question is not a ‘thing’ it’s a ‘nothing’. God’s knowing all things is not disproved with a ‘nothing’ question or a ‘nothing’ challenge.

That's what I lack friends and fellowship when I live among many nonbelievers pagans . I love them , can't leave them. Great commentary.

George In S.C. 4 If you’re ever in the Raleigh area in North Carolina I can hook you up with a local body of believers :) I don’t know how RU-vid handles this sort of thing but maybe we can private message and I can invite you to an online study group.

Well said sir. Excellent point of view.

George In S.C. 4 They're "pagans" because they don't want to compress their scope of the world into a narrow, vindictive slice

Crows TakingOff or they're pagans because they have a narrow view of the world and prefer the simplicity of being deceived by the god of this world (Satan). It is easier to fit in with the world and it's pleasures after all than to be the outcast who believes in Jesus and has morals.

As a believer I appreciate that Matt worked to explain Christian beliefs and recognized that people are at different places in their journeys.

How is it disrespectful?

@@sudokuboy400 did you watch the video? he said that whoever the person is had apparently left an f-bomb

Oh right, okay that makes sense

he didn't leave an F-bomb. He used the F-Bomb as a username.

@@scottonanski4173 ohhhh. okay got it

“The Bible makes no sense without revelation from the Holy Spirit” thats a very big point

@@micah_lee I spent a good solid 25 years as a know-it-all, fire-breathing, argue anyone at anytime and "win" militant atheist. Knowing most people who call themselves Christians don't actually read the bible, I spent a couple of decades studying it to build up ammo. That's two decades of studying the bible only to find it full of foolishness. Now that I am a saved Christian with the Holy Spirit, it is like a whole new book that I am understanding in all new ways. EDIT: I was blind but now I see.

@@wjckc79 interesting, I have a few friends that are atheist, I believe that is there issue with the book. I personally believe if people both Christian and atheist study the Bible rather than just reading it, God will reveal himself to you.

@@wjckc79 - And now you're equipped to deal with the very type of person you once were. It's almost like God knows what He's doing. LOL!

@@markcrawford4239 Advise them to read Proverbs. It is a book of wisdom anyone can appreciate.

Really well stated

I just can’t understand the trinity, I don’t get why Jesus didn’t explain it thoroughly whilst he was on earth, he only eluded to it

trevhib - I like your point. It seems like you can come from an inductive mind, a deductive mind, a math mind, a communication kind of mind, and so on and all can find their way to Christ. This makes me think Christ/God is the ultimate truth. It’s like all meridians lead to the North Pole, all of us can follow our path and find Christ which means he is the ultimate truth. And even simple minds can find their way to God. It’s the greatest thing the way that all souls can find their way to Jesus and Jesus loves each and every one. It’s fantastic.

@@AindreasMcHale21 The Trinity is a complex issue; I see it this way: steam is a hot gas ( steam is H2O ) Ice is a cold solid ( ice is H2O ) water is a liquid ( water is H2O ). Although H2O has three distinct forms and properties ( personalities if you will ) all three forms are equally H2O! Perhaps someone could explain it better, but this does help me understand it.

@@AindreasMcHale21 Same here!

His beard isn't THAT great...

SmarterEveryDay a wild Destin appears! Cool stuff about the reversible laminar flow, also I love NDQ!! Big fan of both of you. Thanks for doing what you do!

And I'm honored and grateful you are.

What does it matter what he thinks?? You see what is written plainly and so much has been said in other places.

Obviously they didn't understand it until they got it. That's what "understand" means. I don't see your point.

@@Evan-rx6cj It means were all born spiritly blind. And it only takes the Gospel to wake up someone to understand it.

Why does complexity require humility? And why does arrogance stand in the way?

I think that his point is that when we have the humility to recognize that we have to work hard to understand something complex and also that it may be beyond us, we come closer to understanding it fuller. Arrogance tells us that we know best and that doesn't let us consider things that are beyond us and our own ego. Does that clarify?

Job, of the Bible, had a problem with pride until God confronted him with the complexity of creation. See Job 38...Listen to what Job said afterward: Job 42:2-6 CSB [2] I know that you can do anything and no plan of yours can be thwarted. [3] You asked, "Who is this who conceals my counsel with ignorance?" Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wondrous for me to know. [4] You said, "Listen now, and I will speak. When I question you, you will inform me." [5] I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you. [6] Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes.

@Eliah Dayton Humility has to do with thinking of oneself as not being overly important. I don't see where it has anything to do with an ability to acquire knowledge, complex knowledge or otherwise. If you want to stretch the meaning of "arrogance", it might have to do with being overly confident in one's knowledge. So to say that "arrogance stand in the way", might be a statement with some merit. Much of the time such things are stated because they sound profound, not because they are necessarily true.

Yes.

Thanks Logan. I enormously appreciate that.

How would that cheapen anything? We don't need raped children to love God.

I've always thought of it this way: would you rather have a loving, caring spouse who stays in your life because she wants to or do you want a subservient robot who is programed to say "I love you" every 5 minutes? Some people would claim they want the robot but doesn't that feel so... empty?

@@adamcrawford1390 hmm, let's see. It would more equivalent to say would you want a spouse you could absolutely control and I think most people would say yes. We naturally try to control people our children or others, we want control over many things. God just has this control. If you are a sin you are already a robot, a slave to sin, you are not only a robot when God gives you the power to see your true condition and the holy spirit makes you a slave to righteousness. You are a slave either way, you choose either a terrible or good master.

marvelousmillie I actually think what you are talking about is what it is all about. There’s a central tenant that love (good love) is empowering - not controlling. This is a difference between Islam and Christianity. Islam doesn’t care what you think, just follow it or it will chop your head off. Jesus doesn’t do anything like that. He doesn’t put a gun to our head. He empowers us to find out for our self. Much of the gospel is Jesus teaching us how to search, know the truth and it will set you free, this is how you look for truth, beware of falsehood dressed as truth. Matthew chapter 8 is all about how to seek truth. The separation of church and state, Jesus idea, is to give you more freedom to seek truth. On this channel he interviewed an Eastern Orthodox priest, and he said: basically God created us with enough freedom (free will) to reject him - and think about that - he doesn’t give you free will in regards to things like sexual orientation - you don’t choose that - so we know that free will is not universal, but he gave us free will to the extent that we can reject him and the first thing we did was reject him. And so that creates two possible EASY answers - God could take away our free will and thus we are saved OR he could leave us as we are and we head into damnation - that’s the 2 obvious choices, but instead God thru Jesus does something far more inventive and so, far more complex - he provides us a way back to him BUT without us having to give up our free will. God’s complex because his answer to our condition is complex. People looking for one simple answer to complex things, even in religion are actually doing the wrong thing. Uncertainty is the nature of creation. God wants us to ask questions and seek answers. That is why I don’t have problems with atheism - if that’s where your honest good will pursuit of the truth has lead you to at this moment, then fine, that’s where you are on your journey. I find the parable of the Prodigal Son then extremely important because that is God telling all of us our biographies from his perspective. It is so important to wonder, to seek the truth and hopefully it will lead all of use back to God - some of the best Christians are former or were formerly atheist. I love the song by the Moody Blues called “Out and In” - it says “you have to make the journey out and in” just like the Prodigal Son did - and when he returned, the Father threw a big party. So keep seeking the truth with humbleness and honesty as much as you can and prepare to be rejoicing some time soon when you make the journey in. There’s one school of thought that says the universe was created by God for the purpose of eradicating evil. That is he created time and space to eradicate evil, and out journey out and in is part of the cleansing process , the eradication process - we are each a molecule in that process and so as molecules we make the Prodigal son’s journey out and in to scrub us and eradicate evil from us, and the Father keeps a steady look out for us in hopeful anticipation that we will return that me make the journey in, and when we do he’s going to throw each of us Big party once we return. Great stuff. I think that also answers the question that Job asks: why does bad things happen to good people - it is part of the eradication process, cowering us clean so to speak, but man, oh man, it can be very very painful and take a very long time. Anyway, that’s kind of where i see things these days. I find it very wonderful overall but the scouring that’s the tough part.

@@kaneinkansas you are quite off.

@@kaneinkansas what scriptures let you know this?? And in that case the children of Israel did not have free will??

A. Smith the Gospels. Luke is where you go to get the prodigal son. The Gospels are filled with lesson on how to seek truth. The Prodigal Son is all of ours biography told from God’s perspective. I should think this is obvious. All of Matthew ch 8 is advice on how to seek the truth. Our Free will is central to Gods plan-it’s part of how we are made in his image.

Right. Non-Christians are not who the video is for. That is also reflected in the comments.

I'm not Matt, but I think it's a good thing you posted this. It's always hard for Christians to say things about God in plain language that non-christians will understand (especially in an unedited video), so I think it's good for us to have feedback when the language is too confusing. I've probably put one of the 'Christian' comments you are talking about. That must have been difficult to understand, as I wrote it thinking mostly about Matt and people familiar with most of the new testament, which of course would be difficult to understand for people like yourself! I'll try to keep you in mind in future. Since this video was 'officially' a comment reply to the non-christian 'F*k yu' commenter, I can see why you might be frustrated in the large amount of Christian jargon. Please do say so again when you're finding jargon too much in a video. I'm sure Matt appreciates the feedback; and it would help the rest of us Christians with expressing ourselves clearly when talking about God on in our everyday lives.

Interesting. I’m a former Christian and left the face largely because of questions like these. I still enjoy theology, but see it so differently since I don’t have to believe it. The minute you cite is interesting, but it’s really just the ol’ “God’s ways are beyond us and we can’t understand it,” trope that never satisfied me in Sunday school or Bible college. Just curious, did your “on the fence about Christianity” friends find it helpful? Cheers.

How about this? 1. Realise you can't love God and other people perfectly. In actual fact it is really hard. 2. Realise Christ died so that you might be forgiven for that shortcoming. 3. Be transformed by you belief in number 2 to the point where love for God & others start coming naturally It's a little more complex than yours, but still simple. It is also the Gospel in a nutshell, and it is what sets Christianity apart from other religions that also command you to love God and others.

@@nobodygh Well summed up. God has given us a simple message and route of salvation, though not all will decide to enter through. I pray for everyone to see the beauty and compassion of Jesus Christ so that his Holy Spirit may guide them into an everlasting, intimate relationship with him. Amen

@@WhosthatHotspice what bout old testament

Thanks Timothy!

Jim Callahan Only some Protestants think God only left us a Book. The rest of us understand He left us a community of believers filled with His Spirit led by the Apostles and their successors, and that He does still make personal appearances and do miracles as He deems appropriate (many in this era coming to faith in Christ as a result of a personal encounter with Jesus in a vision or dream) and that He is more intimate to us than our own breath. A frequently prayed prayer to the Holy Spirit in my Christian tradition begins, “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, *everywhere present and filling all things*,...” Even when Jesus walked the earth doing miracles in front of thousands, not everyone believed in Him or understood who He was. Even some religious people who knew very well who He was (because He fulfilled prophecies in their Scriptures) refused to embrace Him because it would have involved sacrifice of their pride and position within their own community and political risk and they were hypocrites-religious play actors. Jesus was quite simple and straightforward about what He came to do and how to follow Him. It’s we who want to remain in control of our own lives who make it complicated. Following Jesus involves a cost and the sacrifice of our own egos. That’s very simple and straightforward, but it’s not easy. Finally, we in the modern world have been trained to think in certain ways that make it hard to perceive God, though He is omnipresent, and sustains the whole world in existence. We have been trained to look for God “out there” somewhere, as if He is just one more object we can dissect and examine to “know.” God as revealed in Jesus Christ is not a Being among other beings. He is the infinite personal Ground of all being-Existence itself, if you will. He is unknowable as an object because He is that within us that gives us life and the capacity to know and experience anything at all. He is that within us that makes us capable of loving anyone or anything unselfishly. He is the longing for beauty and truth He places in our hearts. Look for Him in the recesses of your own deep heart where your conscience lies by being deeply honest within yourself. Make a sincere attempt to obey the commandments of Christ and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. We have a risen and living Lord, *everywhere present and filling all things* by His Holy Spirit, not just a Book.

@Lorna Doone What you say sounds good and I can certainly imagine it being said from a pulpit, but the fact is that today all the physical evidence of any of it is in the Bible and nowhere else.

Jim Callahan correct and whats even more amazing is how some biblical stories occurred in other religions before the deity yhwh was a concept, and how those earlier deities can be linked to paganism while we can also see a distinct evolution of early deities into yhwh.... the moral of the story, people need to learn history, quit interpreting things that should probably be taken at face value, and realize that all deities ever created (except for really crazy ones like Xenu) come straight from pagan origins which we now know were created as a way to explain natural things with a lack of proper understanding.

I've never seen such a poor grasp and an unscholarly view of Scripture in my life. Your characterization of the Bible shows that you know what's in it, but you have no idea what it actually says.

@Bil Carter You will have to elaborate on your complaint. I was explaining how God could have made everything easier and his existence convincing for one and all. Perhaps you were not referring to my comment.

I think you make a good point Paul. I thought about going down another path in the video and discussing the human impulse to try to systematize and infinite God, and how that is useful to an extent, but I think the law of diminishing returns applies to that endeavor. At some point that systematizing impulse turns around and bites us in the butt.

Glad to have you here, and thanks for the very thoughtful comment my fellow skeptic.

What does that mean to not believe scripture is not inerrant? I'm still trying to understand that position.

@@benjammin6228 A lot of people in this tradition believe the bible to be factually accurate/literal in its entirety. It is my opinion, and that of countless smarter people than me, that stories like the 6 day creation are Semitic poetry and meant to transfer an oral history into a transcribed one - a story used to explain god's power, but not explicitly to explain the mechanics behind it. The point of stories like these is that we (people) talk about them - not that we debate their factual accuracy. The underlying point being that, if you believe God raised a man from the dead, it serves to reason that the same god could create the universe in 6 days. BUT just because he COULD doesn't mean he DID. Modern science has thrown a legitimate kink in young-earth theory, and theories like it. That said, even apart from Genesis, there are many other stories within the bible that are factually/historically inaccurate. This is why I like this channel so much, and why I hope to see more content like this.