The Case For Christ - Movie Review
The Case For Christ was released in April, 2017 by Pure Flix. This is a true story about Lee Strobel, an atheist who puts his journalistic talent into investigating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This movie provides a valuable lesson to broaden Christians' minds to the necessity of understanding their faith. Lee asked many of the same questions that unbelievers have. Whereas many answers came from scientists, doctors, and professors, I argue that laymen in the church also have a responsibility to explain the how their faith is reasonable.
Christian Faith is often falsely taught in two ways:
1. Faith means believing every word of the Bible, regardless of your understanding of it.
2. Faith is a "level of belief" and if you believe in something enough, then God will honor your "level of belief" and make your desires a reality.
Believers' responsibility to understand their faith is demonstrated throughout the New Testament. When Jesus teaches on faith, He does not simply say, "You can trust me." For example, He teaches that faith in God is reasonable because God's nature can be understood in how He provides for the grass, birds, and lilies for a season, and logically God will also provide for us in due season. "For this reason" are the first words of this passage, supporting that this is a reasonable faith (Matthew 6:25-34, NASB).
Take also the centurion who requested that Jesus heal his paralyzed servant. The centurion told Jesus, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority..." Jesus replied, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel" (Matthew 8:5-10, NASB). The centurion's faith was not that Jesus would do what he asked, but that Jesus had authority to heal.
We often hear believers talk about having "enough faith" to overcome obstacles. If that is the case, then we need to have more faith than Paul. He said, "Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-to keep me from exalting myself. Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, NASB). Once again we have the phrase "for this reason" focusing our attention toward our faith in God being reasonable. And if Paul learned to be content in difficulties, then it should not be argued that faith in God means believing that He will make our desires a reality.
Peter wrote, "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect" 1 Peter 3:15 (NASB). The Case For Christ does an excellent job of showing the difference made by the Christians who were "ready to make a defense" in response to Strobel's challenges.
This is a rare Christian movie that not only makes believers feel better about themselves, but can be appreciated by and challenge atheists, skeptics, or weak Christians who do not understand (see Matthew 13:19, Romans 14:1, 1 Corinthians 8:9). This is a film that can be confidently recommended to unsaved friends because it will likely challenge their beliefs.
11 June 2017
