With a Subtitle: A Biblical Christian response to false teachings about Jesus, truth, and the resurrection

A brief Excerpt: Modern writers continue to redefine Jesus, deny His deity, and dismiss His resurrection. This article examines those false claims and defends the Biblical Jesus from a Biblical Christian worldview.

The Author is: Debra Hodges

Why Truth Matters in an Age of Deception

Scripture warns us that deception will increase in society, and I believe we are seeing more deception than ever, including fake news, AI-generated deepfake videos, and articles that redefine who Jesus Christ is and what He taught. TRUTH is the opposite of deception. It is that which adheres closest to reality. This article presupposes that truth is absolute and that its source is Jesus Christ, Who, as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe (see John 1:1), established the boundaries of reality.

The Bible with its unified theme of Jesus the Messiah, has endured for over 2,700 years, has changed millions of lives, and forms the basis of the world’s largest religion (Christianity). It is the book to trust for true and accurate information about Jesus, but some people these days aren’t taking its TRUTH at face value and want to reinterpret its teachings to suit them.

Matthew 24:4-5 - And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’and they will lead many astray.

Matthew 24:24 - For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

2 Corinthians 11:14 - And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Background on Modern Reinterpretations of Jesus

Andrew Springer, a journalist, Medium writer, and author of the post-Christian newsletter The Jesus Movement has written several articles on Medium that illustrate this modern reinterpretation of Christianity (for example, see 4Major Lies Christians Tell About Jesus and The Most Dangerous Lie Christians Tell About Jesus). In his articles, he redefines who Jesus was, what the Gospels teach, and what sin really is. All of these teachings distort historic and traditional Christianity, but the real issue at stake is the question of authority. Do we trust the writings of the earliest Christian witnesses recorded and preserved in the New Testament or the current reconstructions that reinterpret them?

Points of Contention in “4 Major Lies…”

In this article, Springer claims that people have been deceived (due to erroneous Biblical teachings and deceptive paintings) into believing that Jesus is either “a magical Son of God who requires you to believe the right things to get into Heaven” or a “radical revolutionary.”

Scripture teaches that Jesus is the humble, obedient Son of God who urged people to turn from their sin and to love God and each other. He continuously stressed the fact that His Father sent Him to earth to save lost sinners (Luke 19:10, John 3:16–17, 1 Timothy 1:15), to give His life as a sacrifice (Mark 10:45, 1 John 4:10), to reveal the truth and the Father (John 14:9), to fulfill Scripture and do God’s will (Matthew 5:17, Hebrews 10:7), to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and to give peace and abundant life (John 10:10). All of these teachings involved an attitude of the heart, not a prescription for admittance into Heaven.

Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, portrayed Jesus as a good and wise teacher and a “doer of wonderful works” (Testimonium Flavianum, Antiquities 18.63). Other ancient secular authors who wrote about Jesus include Pliny the Younger (letter to Emperor Trajan),

Tacitus (Annals Book 15), Suetonius (Claudius 25), and Phlegon (Origen, Against Celsus, Book 2.33) [2]. These writers described Jesus as a wise teacher who was crucified and whose followers believed He rose from the dead, which caused a movement that spread throughout the Roman Empire

Also in this article, Springer informed us that “Jesus wasn’t white,” “Jesus was political,” “Jesus’s message wasn’t about Heaven or the afterlife,” and “Jesus never claimed to be divine.” Do you know anyone who ever thought that Jesus was white? I sure don’t. Let’s examine his other claims.

Was Jesus Merely Political?

Springer goes too far in presenting Jesus as a political figure who threatened Roman power. Jesus was crucified by the Roman authorities because the religious rulers twisted His message to turn the Roman government against Him, not because He was inciting a revolt against Rome. Yes, the people in the time of Jesus wanted a “radical revolutionary” to overthrow Roman rule, but Jesus consistently emphasized that His kingdom was not of this world (see John 18:36). When He spoke of oppression, it was related to spiritual warfare, not the Roman government.

Did Jesus Speak About Heaven and the Afterlife?

Springer’s statement that Jesus’s message wasn’t about Heaven and the afterlife overlooked the many points Jesus made about His Kingdom’s impact on life on Earth and in the afterlife. Rather than teaching that the Kingdom of God referred to political liberation, Jesus compared the Kingdom to a present, yet growing reality, an internal and spiritual power to transform lives, and a call to repentance and faith.

He also claimed that the gospel writers reinterpreted stories, saying that scholars didn’t believe that Jesus actually said “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” in John 14:6. Springer backed up that claim with a reference from the Jesus Seminar. However, John 14:6 is considered authentic Scripture since it’s found in all early manuscripts of John’s Gospel. Other evidence that these are the actual words of Jesus includes manuscript integrity, inclusion in the seven “I AM” statements claiming divinity, theological cohesion, and early Church beliefs.

Did Jesus Claim to Be Divine?

Springer’s point that Jesus never claimed to be God rests on the case that Jesus never explicitly said, “I am God.” This objection is similar to the objection that the words “Trinity” and “Rapture” aren’t in the Bible. No, they’re not, but their underlying concepts certainly are. Jesus claimed to be equal with God the Father in passages such as John 10:30, John 10:33, and John 10:37–38. He claimed to be the divine “I AM” in John 8:58. He accepted worship and forgave sin in Matthew 14:33 and John 20:28. He claimed divine authority and preexistence in John 17:5, and the Apostles affirmed His deity in John 1:1, Colossians 2:9, and Hebrews 1:8.

Points of Contention in “The Most Dangerous Lie …”

Why the Resurrection Cannot Be Dismissed

Springer’s claim that belief in the resurrection of Jesus is false and harmful is not supported by the historical and textual evidence. It presents a view of Jesus that directly contradicts the Biblical record and the historic Christian faith.

It disregards evidence from reports of the empty tomb, the missing body, multiple independent sources attesting to the empty tomb, and the physical appearances of Jesus to the apostles and over 500 of His followers. [3]

His claim that the resurrection met a psychological need for the Apostles’ disappointment and evolved into doctrine is not supported by the historical record. For example, in 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul notes multiple named witnesses to the event, the appearance of Jesus in bodily form to a group of people, and the Apostle Paul saying he “received,” not invented, the tradition. These writings, which date to within a few years of Jesus’ death, were written too early to be legends, which take much more time to develop.

Psychologists say that hallucinations are usually individual rather than shared group experiences. Also, the disciples moving from intense fear of the Jews to boldly proclaiming the Gospel cannot be explained as purely psychological. From this evidence, it’s clear that the belief in the resurrection became an early conviction rather than wishful thinking.

Are the Gospels Historically Reliable?

Springer then claimed that the Gospels aren’t historically reliable. This is an overstatement of what scholars actually agree on. While the details are debated, most scholars agree on the key facts of the Gospels, such as that Jesus was crucified and that His followers believed He appeared to them afterward. They also agree that the Gospels include unflattering details, such as the women being the first witnesses of the resurrection, and they were written within the lifetimes of the eyewitnesses.

He assumed that the resurrection of Jesus turned people away from His message about justice and toward the afterlife. This is a false assumption. The earliest Christians didn’t see a division between Jesus’ life and resurrection; they saw it as confirming his message of radical love for God and for each other, as demonstrated by their sharing everything with one another.

He claimed that belief in the resurrection was useful to the Roman Empire, especially after Christianity was legalized by Constantine. This is another misleading assumption that confuses the abuse of a belief with the belief itself. The problem is not theology but its misuse.

Why the Resurrection Is Essential to Christianity

Another false claim Springer made in this article is that you don’t need the resurrection to follow Jesus. This idea is directly opposed to the core doctrines of Christianity, as illustrated powerfully by the Apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 15:17 - And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

This doctrine is not a later addition to Christianity; belief in the resurrection was foundational from the beginning. Leaving out the resurrection to follow Jesus merely for His teachings is a complete reinterpretation of the Gospels.

Conclusion: The Real Jesus of Scripture

Andrew Springer’s articles don’t offer any new objections to the truth of Biblical Christianity. They simply reiterate the same errors that have been refuted for centuries, dating back to the earliest Christians. These objections include denying the deity of Christ, denying the resurrection, distorting His message, and reducing Him to a mere moral teacher.

The real Jesus is the Biblical Jesus, Who is the eternal Son of God. He came to Earth and lived a sinless life. He died for our sins and rose again from the dead. The evidence shows that He was not simply a myth or a good moral teacher. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and in Him alone is forgiveness, peace, and eternal hope.

What Springer dismisses as “lies” are the truths that define Christianity. Jesus did claim to be divine and equal to the Father, He did forgive sins, and He did accept worship. All of the apostles believed He was God.

1 John 2:23 - No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.

To say that belief in the resurrection of Jesus is false and harmful is to dismiss the weight of evidence of both Scripture and history. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our faith, hope, justice, and ultimate renewal. It assures us that evil will not triumph, that it won’t have the last word, and that our suffering is not meaningless.

1 Corinthians 15:17 - And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

References

1. Maier, Paul L. (2016, March 30) Josephus and Jesus https://www.namb.net/apologetics/resource/josephus-and-jesus/#:~:text=The%20standard%20text%20of%20Josephus,who%20accept%20the%20truth%20gladly
2. Mitchell, S., & Mitchell, S. (2025, October 9). Ancient Secular References to Jesus — jesusinhistoryandscience. jesusinhistoryandscience -. https://jesusinhistoryandscience.com/?p=4488
3. Lopez, R., PhD. (2011, August 8). The Physical Resurrection A Historical Fact: Part two. https://www.biblearchaeology.org/research/topics/general-apologetics/2852-the-physical-resurrection-a-historical-fact-part-two?highlight=WyJ0aGUiLCIndGhlIiwidGhlJ2tpbmciLCJ0aGUnc3VwcmVtZSIsInRoZSdwcm9taXNlZCIsInRoZSdzY2hvbGFycyciLCJ0aGUncGxhY2UiLCJwaHlzaWNhbCIsInJlc3VycmVjdGlvbiIsIidyZXN1cnJlY3Rpb24nIiwiJ3Jlc3VycmVjdGlvbiIsInJlc3VycmVjdGlvbiciLCJ0aGUgcGh5c2ljYWwiLCJ0aGUgcGh5c2ljYWwgcmVzdXJyZWN0aW9uIiwicGh5c2ljYWwgcmVzdXJyZWN0aW9uIl0=