In psychiatry, denial is a defense mechanism in which unpleasant realities are kept out of conscious awareness by a rejection of their existence. In this way, those in denial attempt to keep those unpleasant realities out of their conscious thought and spare themselves the associated anxiety.
In modern times, rather than argue the truth of the claims of Jesus Christ—particularly His claim that He was (and is) God in human form—a very extreme group of skeptics have tried to argue that Jesus never really existed at all. One can easily see why these Christ-deniers might embrace this falsehood, because one day Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead.
For those already spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins, this is the most unpleasant reality of all. Dr. D. James Kennedy answers this ultimate exercise in denial with his message: “Was Jesus Real or a Myth.”
Some people are willing to accept a great many things as true without giving the matter any serious study or personal investigation. Surprisingly, this also is true for many as it relates to historical events—even though historical evidence can be sometimes sparse. This is not the case as it relates to the first advent of Jesus Christ. But if His stepping into human history is irrefutable, what about the question: Who is this Jesus?
While many will affirm the historicity of the Bible, they will often deny its essential teaching about the Person of Jesus Christ. And of course, who He is defines His earthly ministry—especially at the cross of Calvary. One noted scholar argued forcefully that we only have three reasonable options to consider when it come to the Person of Jesus Christ. And this is the title of Dr. Kennedy’s message: “Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?.”
It seems that for some reason the Virgin Birth of Christ has come under greater attack than any other miracle in the New Testament. Dr. Kennedy notes that the Virgin Birth is a foundational fact of our faith. There are the more deceptive kind of skeptics who will not so much as attack it directly, but will say it really doesn't matter whether you believe it or not. But if Jesus were not born of a virgin, then the New Testament narratives are proven false and unreliable.