In 1 Peter 3:15 we are told that we should be ready to explain our faith if asked. I do not need to get into the deep theology and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy to explain my belief. To me, it is a logical choice.
The Integrity of the Gospels
The “biographies” of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, continue to pass tests of historical legitimacy. The accounts were written close enough to the events not to be regarded as folklore or legend. Imagine if someone wrote a biography of President Barack Obama right now and said he invented healthcare insurance. People would come in droves to dispute that claim and it would be well documented. Using the same academic rigor that we use for other historical texts, the gospels still stand with integrity.
The Reality of Jesus
You may be able to discount the gospels as “written by men” who had something to gain from telling the story of Jesus. However, there were historians who wrote about these over zealous people that followed this carpenter from Galilee who appeared to be some sort of sorcerer. Well respected scholar and Jewish historian, Titus Flavius Josephus, provides commentary on early Christians. Jesus was a real person. Tons of people followed him and he was doing things that people thought were sorcery. Sounds like a miracle-working messiah to me.
The Reality of the Resurrection
A man who claims he will rise from the tomb in three days is crucified. His body disappears from the tomb on the third day. His followers claim “HE IS RISEN” and begin to preach the gospel in his name. They die for the cause. Now, some people say the disciples took the body. I considered that, but who would die for what they knew to be a lie? What’s the motivation for that? If the disciples had not seen Jesus after the resurrection, I seriously doubt that there would have been any “Good News” to preach. We have historical documentation that Jesus was crucified and put in the tomb. Where’s the body?
The Reality of My Life
We all have a story. Mine is convoluted, complex with anomalous lows and astronomical highs. I was very young when I discovered the power of God in my life. By adolescence I had an insistence that I was dependent on God. By young adulthood I was fully convinced that Jesus Christ was the way to God. When I pray, he answers. (Because I pray the scriptures and God’s will in the earth.) When I come out of a storm, the rain that I thought would drown me actually caused me to grow and prosper. I am changed by the presence of Jesus in my heart. It’s a fact.
“I am changed by the presence of Jesus in my heart.”
My educational background is rooted in math, science and business. I’m no dummy. I’m not gullible, overly emotional (though extremely demonstrative) or easily swayed by popular opinion. I make smart and calculated decisions. Being a Christian has given me ridiculous peace and joy. I’ve made it through relationship struggles, serious health issues, nearly unbearable financial trials, and have developed the integrity and discipline to succeed at anything I chose to do. This is all due to my faith in Jesus Christ. So if I am wrong about a Risen Savior then when I die I’ll be dead. But if I am right, and I believe whole heartedly that I am, I will live for eternity in heaven. Will you?
If you want to learn more about the “logic” of Christianity, read “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel.
