Truth matters. Seek it.
Ben Shapiro is a popular podcaster, speaker, author, commentator, and more. Busy man. Smart man. I listen to him regularly to get his take on current events and issues, of which he is always well-informed. And though solidly and unashamedly conservative, he will call out President Trump and others on the right when they do or say something stupid. So check him out. But he’s not what this post is about.
Recently Ben, an orthodox Jew, was asked at a speaking event what it would take for him to become a Christian. Now Ben is very supportive of Christians, and Christianity in general, and has often encouraged his fellow Americans to go to church. His answer was basically because he believes strongly in his Judaism. Though he’s flattered that Christians want to save his soul, Jews don’t evangelize, he added. In fact, he would discourage non-Jews from converting because of all of Judaism’s requirements and restrictions.
Instead, he listed seven basic laws for all of humanity and said, “If you do those things, you’re in heaven.” Those “things” are the seven Noahide laws…similar to the Ten Commandments but predating them, as they’re taken from God’s covenant with Noah. You can read about them here. But this post isn’t about them.
This post is about how easy it is for people to align themselves with a belief system without investigating its truth claims. Ben Shapiro’s defense of his faith was basically, I believe what I believe. And since Judaism rejects Jesus as God, he rejects Jesus as God.
I was similarly uncritically identifying with the Roman Catholicism of my parents until I finally began questioning its claims. Seeking truth radically changed my life, leading me out of that church and into the fellowship of those who are “in Christ,” the One who is Truth. If Ben Shapiro, or anyone, would likewise sincerely and humbly pursue truth, I believe he would find Him, and trust in Him, and be saved for all eternity.
If our beliefs impact this life and this physical world only, they are much less consequential than if life extends beyond death and heaven and hell are real. There are very good reasons to believe that it does and they are, and that our relationship with God determines which door opens to us upon our death.
There’s no exit once we’ve gone through that door. Make sure you know the Doorkeeper before you die.
