Go! And... Ask the Hard Questions: What If Christianity Is a Lie?
INTRODUCTION: STARTING WITH A SHOCKING QUESTION
What if Christianity is a lie?
That’s a bold question, isn't it? Even hearing it in church might feel unsettling. But let's face it: If Christianity is not true—if Jesus didn’t really rise from the dead—then everything we believe, preach, sing, and stand for crumbles into dust.
But here’s the power of our faith: Christianity not only invites scrutiny—it welcomes it, because truth has nothing to fear. In fact, the Bible itself tackles this question head-on.
Let’s begin with Paul’s striking words in:
1 CORINTHIANS 15:14–17 (NLT): “And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.”
1. IF JESUS DIDN’T RISE, EVERYTHING FALLS APART
Paul was writing to the Corinthian church, a group immersed in Greek culture. Some denied the resurrection of the dead, influenced by a worldview that saw the afterlife as non-physical. Paul’s response is blunt: If Christ is not raised, your faith is worthless.
The Greek word for "useless" in verse 14 is kenos, meaning empty, hollow, devoid of value. Paul is saying that apart from the resurrection, Christianity is a hollow shell. But because Jesus lives, our faith is full of substance!
When doubts come—and they will—return to the empty tomb. Christianity doesn’t stand or fall on our feelings but on a historical, bodily resurrection.
Tim Keller: “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that He said. If He didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what He said?”
Keller makes it simple. The resurrection is the hinge. If it happened, it validates everything Jesus claimed about Himself. If it didn’t, then Christianity is no better than positive thinking.
The Broken Bridge
Imagine trusting a bridge with your whole weight, only to realise halfway across it’s collapsing. If Christianity were false, our faith would be like that bridge. But friends, the tomb is empty, the bridge is strong, and Jesus holds it all together.
2. JESUS: MORE THAN A GOOD TEACHER, HE IS LORD
Let’s go to the words of Jesus Himself.
JOHN 14:6 (NLT): “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’”
Jesus was comforting His disciples before the crucifixion. Thomas was confused about where Jesus was going. Jesus didn’t offer a map—He said I AM the way. Not a way, but the way.
He hodos kai he aletheia kai he zoe — each definite article ("the") in Greek emphasises exclusivity. Jesus isn’t one truth among many; He is the truth.
Jesus cannot merely be a moral example or a spiritual guru. His claims leave no room for neutrality. Either He is Lord, or He is a liar. And if He is Lord, then we owe Him everything.
C.S. Lewis: “You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.”
Lewis was right. Jesus doesn’t allow fence-sitting. If He really is who He says He is, then ignoring Him isn’t just unwise—it’s deadly.
3. THE DISCIPLES DIDN’T DIE FOR A LIE
Consider this:
ACTS 4:20 (NLT): “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
Peter and John stood before religious leaders who threatened them with imprisonment and death. Yet their boldness was unwavering. Why? Because they had seen the risen Christ.
People may lie for gain, but not one of Jesus' apostles gained anything in this world. Most were tortured and killed. They didn’t die for an idea—they died because they met the risen Saviour.
The Eyewitness Stand
In a court of law, an eyewitness account can make or break a case. The apostles were eyewitnesses. They didn’t just believe the resurrection—they saw Him, touched Him, ate with Him. That kind of conviction can’t be manufactured.
Charles Stanley: “The apostles’ willingness to suffer and die for what they claimed to have seen is the most convincing evidence of all.”
Charles Stanley nailed it. No one willingly dies for a lie they invented. Their courage was fuelled by the truth that Jesus conquered death.
4. JESUS IS ALIVE — AND THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
ROMANS 6:9 (NLT): “Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.”
The word kurieuo translated “has power over” means "to have dominion or rule." Jesus shattered death’s dominion. The grave has lost its grip.
Because Jesus lives, death is no longer the end for those who trust in Him. Christianity is not a placebo—it is the power of God for salvation.
Adrian Rogers: “The resurrection is not merely important to the historic Christian faith. Without it, there would be no Christianity.”
Rogers reminds us: Christianity isn’t based on feelings, rituals, or tradition. It stands on the fact of the resurrection.
THE GOSPEL: GOOD NEWS BUILT ON TRUTH
Let’s summarise the unshakable truth:
Jesus lived a sinless life.
He was crucified for your sins and mine.
He died, was buried, and rose on the third day.
He appeared to many, ascended into Heaven, and will return again.
This isn’t myth. It’s history. It’s truth. It’s life-changing.
ROMANS 10:9 (NLT): “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
The word for “declare” is homologeo—to confess or agree openly and without shame. The Gospel demands a response, not just silent assent.
INVITATION TO SALVATION:
Friend, if you’ve ever wondered, “What if Christianity is a lie?”—I invite you to examine the evidence. But more than that, I invite you to experience the truth.
Jesus is real. He’s alive. And He’s calling you.
Repent of your sin. Trust in Jesus. Receive forgiveness, purpose, and eternal life.
You don’t need to understand everything to respond. You need to believe that Jesus died and rose again—for you.
CALL TO ACTION: BELIEVE AND BE BOLD
Believers: It’s time to stop living like Jesus might have stayed in the grave.
Speak boldly, because your faith is not foolish.
Love radically, because your Saviour is alive.
Live joyfully, because eternity is secure.
BENEDICTION / CLOSING EXHORTATION:
May you go this week with unshakable confidence that Jesus is alive.
May your doubts lead you deeper into truth.
May your heart be set ablaze with the reality of the risen Christ.
Go and live like the resurrection is real—because it is.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
