CHRIST, THE CON MAN, a “tricky” defense of the Faith (excerpt from "Chasing Jesus")

First of four outside-the-box essays approaching the logic of Christianity from different “takes” or perspectives…something to present to non-believers or those wavering in their faith-journey.

They say, “If it don’t make sense, it prob’ly ain’t true.” Not only does this Jesus story not make sense to us, we can call it utterly impossible.

Only three options: Christ was

1. A madman;

2. A consummate con man; or

3. The real deal.

Scratch the first one. Nobody with more than a room-temperature IQ, not even among His greatest detractors, calls Him nuts. He had far too much wit and wisdom, for one thing.

But option two? A fake, a con man. There we go. Let’s look at just how impossible all this stuff was, and is.

We can really bring this home by putting you in Jesus’ shoes (sandals), if you’re willing. How about you being a con man for a bit? We’re setting out to prove the man couldn’t have actually done what He’s said to have done. Either it didn’t happen, or if it did, it was a failure of the first order!

As you take on the role of Jesus, remember: Whatever you say and do has to affect billions of lives down the centuries, inspire the building of magnificent cathedrals, the founding of universities and even whole new societies, the giving up of lives and fortunes—simply for believing what you tell them in three short years of ministry.

And, oh, boy—what you have to tell them.

The situation and the rules:

You’re born relatively poor, or at least far from wealthy. None of the Jews around you are even remotely interested in a Messiah Who isn’t coming in some sort of magnificent, shining glory to free them from the Romans and fix their world. Also, you can only work with common folk: fishermen and so on. You have no bankers, no major CEOs, no radio or TV, no social media, no books, pamphlets, newspapers, etc. None of those exist yet. You’re limited to just walking around and talking to folks.

As if those rules aren’t enough, you also can offer them nothing of what this world values: wealth, power, and so on. Instead, you have to ask them to give up their lives in exchange for something they’ll be rewarded with only after they die.

You have to walk everywhere in this hot, arid land without home or possessions and then tell a rich fellow, “Sell what you have and give to the poor.”

You admit how hard it is to follow your teachings, how “narrow the road,” and so on.

Oh, and by the way—you’re God.

(You might try telling your wife, your best friend, your boss, that you’re God—I’d predict a straight-jacket and rubber room by sundown. Here, you’re saying this to folks who’d as soon stone you as look at you for this level of blasphemy.)

Just a few more rules: You need to talk them into replacing the satisfyingly vengeful “eye for an eye” with turning the other cheek and forgiving those who persecute them.

Okay. You’ve told them you’re God, yet our rules say you have to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.

You then must completely disappoint your faithful followers by not even defending yourself. After telling everyone you’re God, you aren’t allowed to do anything to save your own skin!

Then comes torture, ridicule, and…now you must tell some of your closest followers the same will be happening to them...

Finally, of course, you have to undergo crucifixion, the most horrible death the Romans could devise.

Many of your followers are now scattering like bugs.

Let’s go back. This is a con, right? How do you, as Jesus, feel about this? You’ve made no money, gained no property, no possessions, you’ve disappointed and alienated followers, angered authorities both Jewish and Roman, been ridiculed, tortured, and are now dead. How did you do?

One might rightly ask at this point, “What was the payoff of this con supposed to be?”

I can almost hear you saying, “You gave me nothing to work with. This is nuts! No man could have made any success of this!”

Precisely.

This man could not have succeeded. This God could! The evidence has been here for nearly two thousand years. We number our very years by the time of His birth. No one has had a greater impact on the entire world.

History’s most abysmal loser as man has won history’s greatest victory as God.

Better consider, if you haven’t, the third option I mentioned.

Eternity is far too important.

Don’t blow it.