The Question That Changes Everything

If we believe that a Creator exists—one who designed us with intention and purpose—then the next question becomes deeply personal and eternally important: Who is that Creator? And how can we truly know Him—or Them?

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Across the world, people worship many different gods or spiritual beings, each with their own names, stories, and traditions. Some believe in a single all-powerful deity, others in multiple gods, forces of nature, or ancestral spirits. But here is a question that deserves honest reflection: just because a spiritual presence may be real, does that necessarily mean it is good—or worthy of worship?

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From a biblical perspective, not every supernatural being is divine—some are deceptive. Scripture warns that even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). While people may experience real spiritual encounters, Scripture calls us to discern their source (1 John 4:1).

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It's true that in the Old Testament, God did require blood sacrifices—but never to satisfy cruelty or fear. They were commanded by God as a temporary means of atonement, pointing forward to Christ (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 10:1-4). God did not demand blood for Himself, but to show the cost of sin and the need for redemption.

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By contrast, false gods demanded blood to control, terrify, and enslave (Psalm 106:37–38). The difference is revealed in God’s will: what comes from God leads to life, repentance, and restoration—not fear, chaos, or oppression (Jeremiah 7:31; John 10:10).

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The final test is Jesus Himself. God’s will culminates in Christ, who ended the sacrificial system by offering Himself once for all (Hebrews 9:26). Anything that contradicts His character, teaching, or sacrifice—no matter how supernatural it appears—is not from God (Galatians 1:8).
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With so many religions and belief systems claiming to reveal truth, it’s both fair and necessary to ask which—if any—actually aligns with truth. Even when religions appear extremely similar on the surface, their core claims often contradict one another. Conflicting claims cannot all be true at the same time; that isn’t intolerance, it’s simple logic. Truth is, by nature, exclusive. It doesn’t bend to preference, culture, or feeling. So the real question isn’t whether truth exists, but which belief system—if any—has the authority, evidence, and spiritual integrity to support its claims.

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For me, a meaningful place to begin the search for truth was by examining the life and claims of one of the most influential—and controversial—figures in human history: Jesus. Unlike many religious figures, the existence of Jesus is not seriously disputed by historians, whether atheist or theist. His life is attested not only in the Bible (such as the Gospels and early letters like Corinthians), but also in multiple non-biblical historical sources, including the Jewish historian Josephus and the Roman historians Tacitus and Pliny the Younger all of whom reference Jesus or early Christians as historical realities.

 

In 2008, during a public debate on Christianity and The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins—who had previously suggested Jesus may not have existed—acknowledged that he had gone too far. He conceded that historians do, in fact, agree on the historical existence of Jesus, openly correcting a claim that conflicted with his earlier position.

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“Maybe I alluded to the possibility that some historians think Jesus never existed. I take that back—Jesus existed.”
— Richard Dawkins, in debate with John Lennox

 

That admission matters—not because Dawkins changed his worldview, but because it demonstrates intellectual honesty: even deeply held beliefs must yield when confronted with evidence. Once the existence of Jesus is no longer deniable, the discussion cannot stop there. The real question then becomes not whether Jesus existed, but who He actually was and whether His claims are credible. Starting with what history firmly establishes provides common ground—and an honest foundation—for confronting the harder question that belief systems, religious or secular, must eventually face.

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For many centuries, billions have called Jesus Christ Savior. Others have viewed Him as a prophet, a moral teacher, or a spiritual guide—and some would rather not have His name mentioned at all. What sets Jesus apart, however, is not merely that He taught truth or claimed to know it, but that He identified Himself as the very source of truth.

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“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
— John 14:6

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At the same time, Jesus made clear that His words and works were not spoken independently, but in perfect unity with the Father. He taught that to see Him was to see the Father, and He openly declared that He and the Father are one. He did not deny truth or authority—He revealed its source. What He spoke and did was fully aligned with the Father’s will, because He shares the Father’s nature as expressed in John 14:9; John 10:30.

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This distinction carries enormous implications. Jesus did not merely point people toward truth as something external; He embodied it while faithfully expressing the Father’s will. If His claim is true, then truth is not simply an idea or philosophy, but a person. And if truth is personal and exclusive, then belief systems that contradict who Jesus claimed to be cannot all be true at the same time. Truth, by its very nature, does not point in opposing directions.

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That leaves us with a serious choice: either Jesus was deceived, deliberately misleading others, or He truly was who He claimed to be. And if there is even a possibility that His claim is true, then it deserves to be examined with honesty, humility, and seriousness—because what’s at stake is not trivial, but eternal.

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This isn’t merely a question of religion—it’s one that shapes our worldview, our decisions, and ultimately, our eternity. Who do people say Jesus Christ is? Who did He claim to be? What do ancient Scriptures and manuscripts actually teach about Him, and how do those claims compare with other faiths or philosophies? These are not abstract questions reserved for theologians, scientists or philosophers; they matter to every human being searching for meaning and truth.

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“Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.”
― Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

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Interestingly, Scripture echoes a similar principle: faith is not built on indoctrination or blind acceptance. Believers are called to think, examine, and test what they are taught—even questioning teachers—by evaluating everything against truth (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1). Biblical faith does not fear disagreement or scrutiny; it invites them because truth can withstand examination—something even critics like Richard Dawkins have argued in principle.

 

Faith does not ask us to shut off our minds; it calls us to use them. Scripture invites thoughtful examination, honest questions, and the sincere pursuit of truth. Indoctrination is not limited to religion—it can occur in history, culture, ideology, and even within scientific frameworks when claims are accepted under the assumption its reality. For this reason, we are not told to fear difficult questions, because what is truly true will withstand careful scrutiny. At the same time, wisdom teaches that silence is appropriate not when questions are forbidden, but when truth has been clearly revealed and the heart must choose whether to listen or resist.

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That’s why, whether someone begins from a place of belief, doubt, or somewhere in between, it’s essential to step back and consider the bigger picture. Questions of this magnitude deserve more than rushed conclusions. They call for patience, honest reflection, and a willingness to seek truth with both an open mind and an open heart. I’ve found that the wisest path is to slow down, take things one step at a time, and build a foundation strong enough to bear the weight of life’s deepest questions.

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In the next sections, we’ll walk through these key truths together—exploring what Scripture actually says, who Jesus claimed to be, and why the gospel offers not just hope for today, but the only true hope for eternity. This echoes one of the the most important questions Jesus asked His disciples:

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“Who do you say that I am?”

― Matthew 16:15

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Other religions and belief systems answer that question differently—some calling Him a prophet, others a teacher or moral example, or denying His divinity altogether. But Jesus's own claims force a decision: either He is who He said He was, or He is not.

 

How we answer that question shapes not only what we believe, but the very course of our lives. It is the question that changes everything.