Introduction
Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.
FRANCIS BACON
Are you the inquisitive type? And do you find yourself a little on the curious side? Were you the child always raising your hand in class? If so, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Asking questions is part of the learning process. Great learners ask great questions. And there is no such thing as a dumb question—if you’re genuinely seeking to learn. Regrettably, many people stunt their learning simply because they’re too embarrassed to ask questions. That’s unfortunate.
But think about it. The only person who doesn’t need to ask questions is God. That’s because He knows everything. God doesn’t need to raise His hand. He doesn’t use Google. And He certainly hasn’t enrolled in a PhD program. He’s all-knowing. Theologians refer to this as God’s omniscience. Must be nice, huh?
So we think. But would you want to know everything?
The good.
The bad.
And the ugly?
I don’t think so. Maybe the good, but certainly not all the ugly. Lord knows there’s enough going on in the world that we don’t need stuck in our heads. We can be thankful for some good old-fashioned ignorance—for God’s shrouded grace. It even seems that God wanted Adam and Eve to remain in the dark about the ugly (see Genesis 2:15-17).
Curiosity taken to its extreme can be dangerous. There are some things that we must be content not knowing—things that reach beyond the finite. That should be freeing. But fortunately, there’s a lot that we can know. And should know. While we can’t discover the answers to all our questions, we can find the answers to some of them.
I’m thankful for that.
For many years I’ve been passionate about tracking down the answers not only to other people’s questions but also to my own. I have the privilege of hosting an internationally recognized program called The One-Minute Apologist where our motto is “providing credible answers to curious questions.” And that’s what I hope to do in this book. I’m seeking to do in written form what I already do through my weekly videos. My aim is to provide short answers to sincere questions. Also, to help maximize your curiosity quest, I’ve included at the end of each chapter a thought to ponder, a memory verse, a question to consider, and a corresponding video from my One-Minute Apologist YouTube program.
It’s my hope that this little book will get you thinking more about God and the Bible.
Before getting started, let me make an important qualification. The answers in this book are by no means exhaustive. Far from it. Rather, they’re pithy and to the point.
In the end, this is simply a Q&A book about God and the Bible. With that in mind, I invite you to use this book in your quiet times, during your family devotions, as a gift for new believers or those interested in what Christians believe, or even with your friends as you journey toward a more thoughtful Christianity.