Problem: Jeremiah complained, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” The same complaint is heard elsewhere in Scripture (cf. Job 12:6; Ps. 73:7). However, other passages of Scripture contend that the wicked do not prosper. Rather, “evil pursues sinners” (Prov. 13:21) and “evil shall slay the wicked” (Ps. 34:21).
Somewhere along the line, it became popular to pursue Jesus while shunning organized religion. We even hear from people who “love Jesus but hate the church.” While no one can deny that the church has its share of problems, Jesus never gave us the option of giving up on His church. And He certainly would not approve of us “hating” her. The church was His idea, so it is impossible to follow Him while shunning the church He died to save.
The reality is that God is using His church around the world to transform lives and accomplish His will on earth. In many ways and in many places the church today is healthy and focused on fulfilling God’s mission. But it is also true that much of the church is in a state of disarray. Churches define themselves by virtually every issue under the sun. Christians are known more by their bumper stickers and T-shirts than by the love of Christ. Gossip and hypocrisy run rampant. Many churches are more concerned with preserving the status quo than reaching out to the people around them.
Problem: Jeremiah seems to imply that nothing could wash away Israel’s sins. “ `For though you wash them with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before Me,’ says the Lord God.” However, later Jeremiah changes his tune and calls upon them to “Wash your heart from wickedness that you may be saved” (4:14). Why the difference?
Problem: God told Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; and ordained you a prophet to the nations.” But if God knew Jeremiah before he was formed in the womb, then He must have preexisted as a soul before he was incarnated into a body, which is what reincarnation teaches.
Problem: Isaiah speaks of God as “the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity.” Yet John claims that “God is with men, and He will dwell with them” (Rev. 21:3). Is God in eternity or in time?
Problem: According to some pro-homosexual interpreters, Isaiah 56:3 prophesied homosexuals will be brought into the kingdom of God. The Lord said, “to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off” (niv). Should this be taken to mean that Isaiah predicted the day of acceptance for homosexuals into God’s kingdom?
Problem: According to Isaiah, Jesus was “despised and rejected by men.” Yet in the Gospels, even Jesus’ enemies seemed to respect Him, saying as Pilate did, “I find no fault in Him at all” (John 18:38). The Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus exclaimed, “Certainly this was a righteous Man” (Luke 23:47). Indeed, Luke says that Jesus “increased … in favor with God and men” (2:52). Which is true—was Jesus respected or despised?
Problem: According to this verse, God “creates good and evil” (kjv, cf. Jer. 18:11 and Lam. 3:38; Amos 3:6). But many other Scriptures inform us that God is not evil (1 John 1:5), cannot even look approvingly on evil (Hab. 1:13), and cannot even be tempted by evil (James 1:13).
Problem: In Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1, Isaiah specifically names Cyrus in connection with the future restoration of Israel and the laying of the foundations of the temple. However, Isaiah conducted his ministry some time between 739 and 681 b.c., while Cyrus would not even become king of Persia until 539 b.c. That is a period of at least 150 years. How could Isaiah specifically name Cyrus before he even lived?
Problem: Isaiah wrote: “ `To whom will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?’ says the Holy One.” Yet the Bible says “God created man in His own image” (Gen. 1:27).