what do you think of this?

Question

Christianity is a faith based on factual events which really happened in time and space. It is not a mystical faith based on good feelings. The miracles of Jesus were his calling card; i.e., the validation of his claim to be God. The resurrection was his proof of identification. Even more importantly, the death and resurrection of Jesus were God's method for sinful mankind to stand forgiven before him. God's nature demands payment for wrong, yet he is merciful beyond comprehension. How can these two contrasting sides of God be reconciled?

This article is one of many found within Mr. Malone's excellent book, Search for the Truth. Without the factual nature of the resurrection, Christianity is nothing but smoke and mirrors; just another spiritual attempt to explain reality based on man's opinions. In spite of the historical accuracy of the Bible, there have been many alternative explanations for the missing body of Christ. Liberal theologians have even speculated that Christ's body ended up in a ditch. Yet Jewish law would have never allowed this. The two most prevalent to explain away Christ's resurrection will be examined in this article.

The most popular excuse for rejecting Christianity is the idea that Christ did not really die on the cross. Although this has been suggested in recent years, no one who witnessed His death considered this a real possibility. The idea of a man reviving himself after he has been brutally beaten, nailed to a cross, pierced with a spear, and tightly wrapped with suffocating cloth is ridiculous. For such a person to push aside a huge stone and sneak past trained guards is ludicrous. Even more remarkable was the effect the appearance of Jesus had on his disciples. They were transformed from a group of sniveling cowards into men who traveled the world, preaching that Jesus was God and had risen from the dead. Because of their message, almost all died horrible deaths of torture. Merely changing their story would have spared them this persecution. They had absolutely nothing to gain and everything to lose if their story wasn't true. Would a half-dead Jesus, who had dragged Himself from his tomb to their doorstep, have inspired this response?

The second attack on reality has been around since before the moment of the resurrection-the idea that the disciples stole the body. The religious leaders who had Jesus murdered feared this possibility and took the logical precautions to prevent this from happening. Guards were placed at the sealed tomb day and night. How could a group of "rag-tag" Jewish fisherman have overpowered a group of highly trained and motivated guards? How could they have moved a huge stone and sneaked away with the body unseen and unheard? The very fact that guards were posted adds credibility to the fact of the resurrection. If any of the details reported in the Bible were false, they would have been successfully refuted by the Jewish leaders. Although they tried they were unsuccessful in their attempt to discredit the facts of the resurrection. Evidence for the truth of the resurrection was apparent to the thousands who were converted to Christianity soon after the event. The rapid spread of this persecuted faith is perhaps the greatest evidence of it's reality. The facts of the resurrection were checked by converts of that day and led to changed lives. They still do today.

Christianity has nothing to fear from those honestly searching for the truth. It is based on logical evidence surrounding real events in time and space.

Answer 1

I agree with this assessment of the facts. Personally, I would explain the necessity of Jesus' death a little differently: since the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a), this means that there is a certain bond between the two. There are two ways around that:

1. Sin without death. The problem with this is that it offers no freedom from sin, only a prospect of eternity in separation from God (Isaiah 59:2).

2. Death without sin. This necessitates, of course, a perfect, sinless life for someone to give up. But Who is perfect and sinless (Matthew 5:48)? Certainly not we ourselves... (Romans 3:23)

So if we are to assume that the wages of sin equals death, this amounts to an assumption that God must personally take on a human life and then give it up. And He must actually die.

We are given hints in prophecies made hundreds of years beforehand as to

the manner of His birth - being born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)

and death - something suspiciously like crucifixion, which was incidentally unknown at the time the prophecy was made (Psalm 22)

where His birth would happen - Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

when His death would happen - ca. 33 AD (Daniel 9:25), and

what it would all accomplish - redemption from sin (Isaiah 53).

And if we read the gospels, we will find that these things did in fact happen in the person of Jesus. The proof of the pudding, however, that Jesus really is Who the writings in the New Testament claim Him to be, is in His resurrection. Which is yet another reason He had to die - so that He could rise *from the dead*.

So, His death is documented by the Gospels. The Gospel of John, in particular, gives certain details which make it certain that Jesus did die, stating that his words represent an eyewitness account. John informs us that before taking Jesus' body down from the Cross, a Roman soldier pierced His side with a spear to ascertain whether He was really dead, and both blood and water flowed forth. In other words, His blood had already separated - one of the prime 'symptoms' of death (John 19:31-37, esp. 34-35).

So what is the conclusion? The resurrection shows that Jesus:

had life in Himself (John 5:26)

had authority to lay His life down and take it up again (John 10:17-18)

is the Son of God (Romans 1:1-4)

has the Name above every other Name (Philippians 2:9)

is the appointed one to judge all humanity in the proper time (Acts 17:31)

- in short, that He is Lord and Messiah(*) (Psalm 110:1; Philippians 2:10-11; Psalm 2:2; Acts 2:36).

To me, the Resurrection also represents assurance that the teachings of the Bible about how we are to live are right, and that God indeed has the power to do all He has promised for us. They show that the gospel is indeed the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

Answer 2

Your argument is flawed in that there is no way to tell if the resurrection was a real event. The bible itself tends to point to the contrary. Historical records do not support the biblical account of the resurrection either. The entire divinity of Jesus rests on this one event simply because it is the most difficult to fake. However, it could be staged or even written into existence from an idea. Another possibility is that the Resurrection spoke of in the bible is simple used for symbolic purposes and did not occur as an actual event. The Bible is full of these kinds of instances. Stories that don't just stretch credibility, but break it all together simply to make a point.

It's very easy to have people believe things that never happened, especially when you are given a few thousand years to work with.

Answer 3

This is true. If not, how did this story last for more than 2000 years. I mean, that is a pretty strong rumor, wouldn't you say? In some folks eyes, there is no proof that it happened. I believe that it did & that there is proof. There is no proof that it didn't happen either.
If Jesus had not risen, his body(remains would have been found by now) & it could be proven by testing Jewish folks from the line of David. I find that my faith brings me much peace & joy. It also helps me to be a better human being.

Answer 4

Okay, I actually read the first paragraph and the problem is, you can't prove any of that actually happened. Your book may say it did, but JK Rowling's book says that Voldemort has come back from the dead (resurrected) and Harry Potter performs miracles (like not dying from the avada kedavra curse). Will people 1000s of years from now create a religion based on the "true events" of the life of Harry Potter?

Answer 5

I am sorry to say but your question was based on emotions rather being based on facts. Christianity is based on unconfermed stories and if you examine the Bible yo come to know that it Human work and it has nothing to o with facts.

Apart from all that there are some mythical creatures in the Bible lioke Uniorns, dragons and monestors with eyes inside and outside so with due regards Bible is totlly unscientific..

I can prove it to you if you write to me at [e-mail]

Answer 6

Cmon man your telling any other alterative imaginable is impossible. The God descibed in the bible is foolish. Also as for never being nailed on the cross being the most popular excuse try and argue what you think the most logical excuse is.

Answer 7

I think it's really long and I don't feel like reading it all, yes, there are some facts in the bible, maybe.
history is written by the winners remember.
and besides, god has shown me that christianity is not the way for me, so it cannot be the only way.

Answer 8

Yes, history backs up the Bible, and we have nothing to fear. Even other "sacred' writings of other religions back up the Bible - Praise God, he covered it from all sides!

Answer 9

Well, since "Christianity has nothing to fear from those honestly searching for the truth", you won't mind taking a look at this, then:

http://pages.ca.inter.net/%7Eoblio/jhcjp.htm

Answer 10

wow you are really ..... knowledgeable... I think
How bout this
knowledge puffs up, love builds up 1 Corinthians 8:1