This is not a paper for class, but more of a way that I was organizing information I had researched and needed for a paper. I found all of it refreshing as well as an affirmation to my soul. I've paraphrased most of it and quoted when necessary— I felt others would find it interesting as well. So here it is...
Millions have staked their eternal destiny upon Jesus Christ and His promises. They have established their lives by His principles. If Jesus story is a lie, it is the greatest hoax ever executed, but if it is true one must take it seriously; failing to do so could cost an individual everything. At some point every man must stop and ask himself, who is Jesus Christ and why must I follow him?
Believing in the Lord takes faith, but being persuaded (that’s what Paul stated, “I am persuaded…” Romans 8:38-39) takes evidence.
For years, secular minds have attempted to disprove the Bible through the use of reason, logic, and evidence. None have yet to find valid claim to disprove the Word of God, but many secularists including naturalists, and humanists have been converted in the process after only finding evidence to the contrary.
How about we look at it through the laws of science…if something is relevant (it bears truth) it can be supported by logic, reason, and evidence. Let’s look at what has caused secular minds to confirm that the Bible is “relevant" (historically accurate, authors are trustworthy, unified, and accurate copies of the original manuscripts have been passed down for others):
While it took…
over 1,600 years and 66 books for the Old and New Testaments to be written
and …
it was written by numerous men (40) from many different backgrounds and cultures
and…
it was written in three languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.)
and…
it contains one central theme- Jesus Christ; in the OT he is foretold, in the NT he is realized
and…
it is unified with one message- man’s dilemma is sin and its only solution is redemption and salvation in Jesus Christ…
YET it is congruent and consistent throughout.
It is one of few ancient books that has been verified by other ancient text to be more than 95% accurate. The 5% variations do not affect the content or doctrine of the written text (Scripture.) Furthermore, the NT is the only book among ancient philosophy and literature to have been copied so many times (5,366) yet contains its textual accuracy. This accuracy is in comparison to ancient books written by Herodotus, Plato, Demosthenes, Caesar, Livy, Tacitus, and Pliny Seceundus. Of which, Demosthenes is the oldest, ca. 1,400 years ago and also the second most copied with only 200 copies.
At first this may not sound like a big deal, until you remember— the NT writings began in the 1st and 2nd centuries with the four gospels…not in the middle of the 15th century.
There are characteristics only found validated in the Word of God— the Bible bears out scientific knowledge before its time.
Astronomers, doctors, and scientist of long ago, in times and cultures that did not use scientific approach or laws, formulated ideas (largely superstitious) which they held to be foundational truths. However, the Bible contains truths which have since been proven true and are now supported by modern science. These truths could only have been included in the Bible by divine instruction and thought by the One who created all that is. Here are a few examples:
The human body:
In Numbers 19: 17, 19 we read about the need for cleanliness (washing) to prevent the spread of disease.
Not until 1840 did Dr. Semmelweis discover the need for doctors (people) to wash their hands to prevent disease.
The earth:
2,000 to 3,000 years before men had the ability to understand these phenomena the Bible records discoveries such as:
II Samuel 22:16, Job 38:16, and Psalm 18: 15 states that the ocean floor contains deep valleys and huge mountains.
Ancient men believed the ocean floor to be flat, sandy, and have a bowl-like shape.
Moses wrote about leaving ground lay fallow in the seventh year (to allow the earth to replenish itself) in Exodus 23:10-11.
This was a lesson well ahead of its time. We see the importance of this principle re-play out as late as the Great Dustbowl in the 1930’s, when men were reminded of this principle as well as the need for crop rotation.
The heavens:
In Genesis 1:1, 8, 14-17, and Jeremiah 31:37 we find the writers teaching that the heavens have not existed for eternity but had an origin. The Bible records that the heavens are not near us nor fixed but that they were expansive, spreading out as well as being without number.
For centuries men and scientist believed the earth to be fixed, the center of the universe, and all other planets rotated around it. In fact, Galileo, a known Christian of the 1,600’s, was charged with heresy because he found, believed, and taught that the earth and other planets rotate around the sun.
Examination of historical text concludes that the writers of the Bible had to be full of integrity for the works to be so congruent and consistent.
(Remember, these authors staked their lives upon it, were rejected for it, beaten because of it, jailed for teaching it, and killed for proclaiming it.)
The Old Testament has over 100 specific predictions of Jesus Christ coming as the Messiah. They include his birth, his life, and his death- each prophecy was fulfilled.
Jesus Christ had no human control over where he would be born, live as a youth and young man, or where he would die. In addition, secular science has disproved the probability that Jesus could have deliberately tried to fulfill all the prophecies- the astronomical number for probability alone would take a leap of faith to believe such a theory.
Jesus Christ claimed to be God- but human nature speaks for itself—so an examination of His life should tell us about his character—yet history records that he lived a simple, shameless life, was without blame, respected by the people but despised by religious rulers, and the people referred to him as what they saw him for “Lamb of God”, You are the Christ, the Son of the Loving God”, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel”, “Savior of the World”, “We believe and know that you are the Holy one of God”, “Yes, Lord…I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God”, “Surely he was the Son of God” My Lord and my God”, “I and the Father are one.”
Jesus Christ was born in a humble place, lived a notable public life, taught in Jewish temples as well as in the city and on the road, was accused of saying he was God, was crucified and hung upon the cross for three days, then laid in a borrowed tomb, which was found empty on the third day, and the historical written account in I Corinthians A.D. 35 speaks of first-hand accounts of Jesus Christ being seen by individuals and groups after the third day.
The most notable and prominent writer of the New Testament is Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus) who was once a Jewish Scholar (a Pharisee) who adamantly persecuted Christ followers. He was skilled and highly educated and made sure to rely on crucial and critical analysis by finding reliable, first-hand eye witnesses/sources outside of his own life accounts and personal testimony. In fact, written account bears out that he went to great lengths to confirm that his records bore the truth. He made a return trip to Jerusalem where he conferred with the three most notable leaders of the early church, James, Peter, and John; they found his teachings and writings without error.
So now we pause to stop and ask ourselves again, “Who is Jesus Christ?”
To make the claims and teach what is recorded, Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, simply a prophet,… or he really was who he said he was.
If Jesus were a liar or a lunatic, the history of ancient times would have buried his name with the other liars and lunatics of their times. If he were truly just a prophet he would not claim that he was God manifest in the flesh; the reason the Jewish leaders had him crucified.
So if he was neither liar, lunatic, nor simply just a prophet, then reason, logic, and evidence all point to one conclusion…he must be who he said he was— Savior of the World, Lord of Lords, and worthy of all devotion and praise because he is God.
“You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is the Son of God: or else a mad man or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God.” C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity, p. 56).
And that leaves a decision to be made….eternity is the destination… and your soul deserves the right answer.
Resources:
Geisler, Dr. N (2004). How Do We Know the Bible is the Word of God? Colorado
Springs, CO: ISI International, Inc.
Hindson & Craner ((2008). The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics: Surveying the Truth for the Evidence of Christianity. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers
King James Bible (1987). The Holy Bible. Nashvile, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
