In the early 1980’s, a once avowed and devoted atheist by the name of Lee Strobel rejected the notion of a godless world and claimed belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. After hearing his wife proclaim faith in God, he ruthlessly set out to expose what he believed to be a superstitious, and inane system of belief. The legal editor for the Chicago Tribune used his skills learned from his studies at Yale Law School, and a journalism degree earned at the University of Missouri to compile evidence against Jesus Christ as the Son of God. His journey led him to the unexpected place of belief that Jesus lived, died, and raised from the dead, thus, is the Son of God. This inspired his book, “The Case for Christ,” which documented his story, and discoveries. The book inspired a movie about his story which, bearing the same title, released in April of 2017.

I have not read the book, but I recently watched the movie. Usually, I do not bother dedicating around two hours to any religious movie. Not because religion does not interest me, but because a surface deep, false, and dramatized portrayal of any Bible topic is something for which I simply do not care. Such is useless toward my faith, often antithetical to what the Bible teaches, and because of those reasons is hard to stomach. I chose to view “The Case for Christ,” not for any instruction on God’s word, but because I was mildly interested in the true story of Lee Strobel, and his failing approach to compile damning evidence against Christ, which ironically convinced him of that which he set out to disprove.

This article is less of a review of the book by Strobel, or even the movie inspired by his work, as it is a review of the dramatic change in approach he had after making his discoveries. The movie portrayal of his approach to faith and scripture after his discoveries led him to believe in the existence of God, and Jesus Christ as His Son, is undoubtedly consistent with what occurred in Strobel’s life. Regardless, it exhibited the unfortunate, inconsistent, yet popular approach to God’s word.

After his final failing attempt to debunk the claim of Christ’s resurrection with the “Swoon Theory,” the movie followed Strobel back home to his wife where he finally told her what he had been up to the past few months. He explained his motive behind the research, and that he failed to achieve that which he originally desired. He then explained to his hopeful wife that his research led him to believe there is a God, and that Jesus Christ is His Son. He asked her what he should do about the conclusion he had reached. She read to him from the gospel of John, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). He inquired as to the meaning of the passage. She said, “Believe plus receive equals become.” He believed, but, “How do I receive?” he asked. She replied, “There’s no wrong way, or right way. Just talk to God.” So, he prayed to God, and they cried tears of joy.

Before, the simple statement of faith in Christ Jesus as the Son of God was not sufficient for him. He wanted to know why people believed such. He set out to destroy the premise by asking countless questions, consulting factual sources, and burning the midnight oil for several months. Yet, when given the reply, “There’s no wrong way, or right way,” to his question concerning receiving God, he simply accepted it. He had traveled back and forth across America speaking with several scholars, archeologists, and medical doctors concerning the claims surrounding Christ, but did not consider it necessary to search the scriptures which were available right before him (cf. Acts 17:11). Why is it that his discovery that belief in the Bible’s claims was not absurd, but rational, resulted in such an irrational approach to the very teachings of the Bible? Why work so hard to get so far only to stop short of true diligence?

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Was the answer, “There’s no wrong way, or right way,” “accurately handling the word of truth” (NASB)? He did not even bother to investigate! He only needed to look at the next verse in John 1 to discover that wasn’t the case – “who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). It is necessary to be born of God to be called His child. One who truly seeks fellowship with God will inquire about this birth.

Just two chapters later, John records a conversation Jesus had with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Jesus said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Confused, “Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’” (v. 4). “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (vv. 5-6). Paul’s inspired words agree with those spoken by Jesus – “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His…[and] The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:9, 16). One must obey the revelation of the Spirit, or the word of Christ, to be born of the Spirit, and be called a child of God. Those Peter wrote to had “purified [their] souls in obeying the truth…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:22-23). Paul told Titus, “[God our Savior] saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

What is this birth of the Spirit which is also a birth of water? The scripture clearly reveals to the honest seeker that such is baptism. It “now saves us,” and is “not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21). In baptism, one appeals to God for a “good conscience.” And “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21), those who are baptized “[have] [their] hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and [their] bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). For this reason, the Ethiopian “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39) after “both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” (v. 38).

Evidently, there is a “right way” to receive Jesus, thus, any other way is a “wrong way.” Lee Strobel reached a most important conclusion concerning the man Jesus. He is the Christ, the Son of God. Strobel followed the incontrovertible evidence surrounding Jesus to the logical conclusion that His resurrection is certain. And as Paul wrote, “[He is] declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). Sadly, Strobel’s diligence stopped there. He did not search further to find that Jesus was “exalted to the right hand of God” (Acts 2:33). He did not consider that “God has made this Jesus…both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). He did not search the scriptures daily to find out whether what his wife said was consistent with God’s truth (cf. Acts 17:11). He did not submit to the authority of Christ (cf. Matthew 28:18; Colossians 3:17). Do not make the same mistake he made. Be diligent! Search the Scriptures! Do you really want to be saved?