The following is a fictional conversation, but the questions and answers are very real.

About two weeks had passed since Fred and John had talked outside the feed store.

John had almost forgotten about the conversation when his phone rang.

“John speaking.”

There was a brief pause.

“This is Fred.”

John smiled.

“I was wondering if I’d hear from you again.”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said.”

“What part?”

“You said the problem isn’t a lack of evidence. It’s rejecting the evidence God has already given.”

“I remember.”

“I can’t seem to get that out of my mind.”

John was quiet for a moment.

“How about we get a cup of coffee?”

“I’d like that.”

The next morning they met at a small café on the edge of town.

After they sat down, Fred reached into his shirt pocket and unfolded a piece of paper.

“I’ve been writing down questions.”

John grinned.

“I was hoping you would.”

Fred looked at the list.

“First one. How do you know God even exists?”

John took a sip of coffee.

“Because something doesn’t come from nothing. Creation always has a Creator. The heavens declare His glory, and His fingerprints are everywhere. But creation only tells us there is a God. The Bible tells us who He is.”

Fred nodded.

“All right. Then why should I trust the Bible?”

“Because no other book has stood the test of time like it has. It was written over many centuries by many different men, yet it tells one story from beginning to end. It contains fulfilled prophecy, historical accuracy, and most importantly, it changes the lives of those who believe it. The Bible says, ‘All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness’” (2 Timothy 3:16, NASB).

Fred looked back at his paper.

“Who was Jesus, really?”

“The Son of God.”

“Lots of people say that.”

“Jesus said it Himself. His enemies understood exactly what He was claiming. That’s why they wanted Him dead.”

Fred looked up.

“So why did He have to die?”

John leaned forward.

“Because sin has a price.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

“The Bible says, ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’” (Romans 6:23, NASB).

“So He died instead of us?”

“Yes. He took the punishment we deserved.”

Fred sat quietly for a moment.

“If God loves everybody, why doesn’t He just forgive everybody?”

“He is loving, but He’s also holy and just. A good judge can’t ignore guilt. God didn’t ignore our sin. He placed our punishment on His Son. That’s why the cross is so important.”

Fred slowly nodded.

“I never thought about it that way.”

He glanced back at his paper.

“What does it mean to believe?”

“It means more than believing Jesus existed. Even the demons know He exists. Saving faith means trusting Him completely, turning from your sin, and placing your life in His hands.”

Fred folded the paper.

“One last question.”

“All right.”

“What about all the hypocrites?”

John smiled.

“There have always been hypocrites. Jesus warned about them more than anyone else. Don’t reject Christ because someone else claims to follow Him but doesn’t. On the day of judgment, you won’t answer for them. You’ll answer for yourself.”

Neither man spoke for several moments.

Finally John broke the silence.

“You’ve asked me a lot of questions.”

“I know.”

“Can I ask you one?”

Fred nodded.

“Who do you believe Jesus is?”

Fred stared into his coffee.

“I honestly don’t know.”

John waited.

After what seemed like a full minute, Fred spoke again.

“I’ll tell you this much.”

“What’s that?”

“Two weeks ago, I thought He was just another religious leader.”

“And now?”

Fred looked across the table.

“Now... I’m beginning to think He really is who He claimed to be.”

John smiled without saying a word.

Fred finally asked, “What are you smiling about?”

“Because that’s where I hoped this conversation would lead.”

“You mean to convince me?”

“No.”

“To win an argument?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“To point you to Jesus. The decision is yours.”

Fred looked out the window.

“I’ve got a lot to think about.”

John nodded.

“You do. But don’t wait until you stand before Him to decide what you believe about Him.”