I don't get out much, I guess, - virtually, that is. And when I do, I am shocked to see what some people are thinking and saying. Greatly saddened, too. It took me awhile to see if the poster was for real. I actually thought it was a joke or satire, because it was so insane. And this guy wants to be a minister! But a look around the site at all the liberal titles and I knew this poster was for real. I knew, judging from the other articles, I would get nowhere trying to reply to this poster's article. BUT in case there are others who actually find something to believe in this stuff, I'd like to post the points and plainly show in scripture where he is wrong, wrong, wrong, but any Bible-reading Christian knows it. It's those who don't bother to pick up a Bible, who take others' words for it, who get deceived. The wild thing about this guy is that he even admitted he had to dismiss scripture in some places to arrive at his "truth"! And yet gullible people will follow this garbage? Unbelievable!
Well, first of all, from Ben Dench's biography, you see that he is a pitiful genius who has become so worldly intelligent and enlightened and wise in his own eyes that he has no room for real wisdom that comes only from God: "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools"...Romans 1:21-22 "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain."...1 Corinthians 3:18-20. And on and on the scriptures go describing the very vain imaginations that this guy is proud of knowing and teaching. It's sad, really. Where does wisdom come from? Not book smarts, but real wisdom? Who wants to be smart in the books Ben Dench reads? The Bible tells us over and over again real wisdom comes from God. The Lord gives wisdom - Exod 28:3, Exod 31:3&6, Exod 35:31&35, Exod 36:1&2, 1Ki 4:29, 1Ki 5:12, 1Chr 22:12 (very specific "Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding"), 2Chr 1:12, Ezra 7:25, Job 28, Prov 2:6&7, Ecc 2:26, Isa 11:2, Dan 1:17, Dan 2:21&23, 1Cor 1:30, 1Cor 12:8, Eph 1:17, Jam 1:5. Fearing the Lord and keeping His Word and doing His law is wisdom - Deu 4:6, Job 28:28, Psa 111:10, Prov 1:7, Prov 9:10, Prov 15:33, Col 3:16. And Proverbs 21:30 says "There is NO wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD." So there is no such thing as a wise atheist, which is where Ben Dench got a lot of his "Biblical scholarship" ideas and he directs you to a link. Again I say it's sad for people like Ben Dench whose prideful intelligence stands in the way of their salvation.
Okay, so here are Ben's claims and those supported by mainstream biblical scholarship:
1. No aspect of the New Testament was written by anyone who ever knew a pre-crucifixion Jesus.
All of Jesus's disciples knew Him before He was crucified!
2. The doctrine of the virgin birth, presented only in Matthew and Luke, did not literally occur, and the nativity story is very nearly 100% mythology with no basis in historical fact.
This is wild; he admits the virgin birth is written about in two of the gospels, but just discards it. He makes a statement that it is a myth with no basis in fact, but where is his proof? Darwin's theory of evolution is only a theory with no real basis in fact and man-made global warming is a myth!! And I can back up my statements! But that's not the purpose of this writing.
Also in number 2. Jesus never claimed to be divine in nature.
Yes, He did - Matthew 16:15-20 details His asking Peter who he thought he was, confirming that Peter could only know it because it had been revealed to him by the Father, and then He charged His disciples that they tell no one "that he was Jesus the Christ." He claimed divinity every time He said, "I am": "When therefore he said to them, 'I AM,' they went backward, and fell to the ground."...John 18:6. When He said "I AM", they FELL to the ground; they couldn't stand in the presence of God, or the great "I AM"!
3. Jesus never taught the doctrine of the atonement, but rather this was a later theological invention.
At the last supper, Jesus spoke of the cup, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Jesus often spoke of His being the only way to salvation, that He was the bread of life. In John 6:51 he said specifically that He WILL give His flesh for the life of the world. In John 6 He said He came down from heaven to do the will of His Father and that was to give everlasting life to those who believed on Him. It's not reasonable to say that because He didn't speak of His blood sacrifice to atone for sins in exactly those words before it ever happened, that it is an invented doctrine. Peter wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as we are told all scripture is given, that it was foreordained before the foundation of the world that we be redeemed with "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot".
4.The earliest accounts of the resurrection describe it as being spiritual rather than physical in nature. There was no empty tomb, and any appearance stories that suggest a physically resurrected body were not part of the original tradition.
Once again you have to totally disregard scripture to make claims that there was no empty tomb and that Jesus did not appear to the disciples. The disciples said it happened and it is what they based their lives upon. It is not reasonable to believe they would have died for a lie or a myth.
5. The Second Coming and Day of Judgment, as described by Jesus and Paul in the New Testament, were set to occur in the 1st Century CE. Since these did not occur within the time frame presented by Jesus and Paul, there is no indication that they will ever occur.
Once again, where is your proof? Where did it ever say when the Second Coming would occur? The Bible says we will not know, and it also says many things will first take place. It's true, the disciples thought it would be soon, but even Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9 that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and that He is purposely patient (and not slack!) concerning His promise so that all could come to repentance. He is patiently waiting for you, Ben Dench! But He doesn't wait forever.
The last part of number 5. The existence and nature of the afterlife is an open question, but there is no indication whatsoever that belief in Jesus is necessary for admission into heaven, nor that lack thereof results in condemnation to hell.
Except for the word of our Lord Himself who said, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."...John 8:24 "But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God."...Luke 12:9 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."...Revelation 20:15
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