"If I can't defend every Bible difficulty, my faith isn't valid or mature."
How it sounds in your head: I get asked hard questions about science and the Bible, slavery in Exodus, genocide in Joshua—and I don't have good answers. If I can't defend it all, how can I believe it? Real Christians should have answers.
"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."
-- 1 Corinthians 13:12Source: Apologetics culture that equates faith with argumentation, as if belief requires a PhD in ancient Near Eastern studies.
She feels embarrassed when she can't answer skeptics, as if her inability to explain everything invalidates her entire faith. She's been taught that doubt means weakness and not having answers means she hasn't studied enough.
The Pharisees grilled the man born blind with theological questions he couldn't answer about how Jesus healed him. His response: 'Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.' He didn't have answers; he had EXPERIENCE, and that was enough to stand on.
I REFUSE the lie that I must defend every difficulty to have valid faith. IT IS WRITTEN that we see dimly and know in PART—even Paul didn't have all the answers. My faith isn't based on my ability to win arguments; it's based on the finished work of Christ. IT IS WRITTEN in Romans 8:1 that there is NO condemnation for those in Christ—not even for theological gaps. I stand in the BARAK blessing, righteous by COVENANT not by comprehension. I know WHOM I have believed, even when I can't explain every 'why.'
The Father isn't waiting for you to master apologetics before He accepts you—He's inviting you to know HIM, not just arguments about Him. He's more interested in your trust than your ability to defend Him to strangers on the internet.