Since i wasn't there at the alleged "resurection" and neither were you, how do you honestly know that

Question

it's true?

Answer 1

They think it's true because some men wrote that it was true a few hundred years later. The men told everyone that God basically dictated it to them. A lot of people believed these men, for reasons that are difficult to understand. What's even MORE difficult to understand is that there are people today who STILL believe these men. Why? Because the men swore it was true. Go figure.

Answer 2

I know that it is true the same way that I know that George Washington was the first President of the United States. The eyewitness testimonies and the historical record and the results of the resurrection prove that Jesus was raised from the dead.

During his earthly ministry Jesus told people over and over again that He was going to be killed and that He was going to rise from the dead. If that had not happened then Christianity would have fizzled like a wet firecracker. Instead a small group of uneducated and frightened men who fled the authorities when Jesus was arrested and who were hiding out afterwards suddenly did a 180 degree turn and became bold proclaimers of the Christian faith.

Fox's Book of Martyrs along with other historical accounts tell how 11 of the 12 Apostles died violent and avoidable deaths rather than recant their testimony regarding the risen Christ.

Someone might say that a Muslim will die for their faith so what's the difference. The difference is that a Muslim who dies for their faith is basing that belief on something that they have been told about that happened long ago. Sure, they believe that it is true that they will go to Heaven for dying in a Jihad but that belief is not based on a personal observation of events like the deaths of the men who knew Jesus when He was alive, saw Him die and then saw Him risen from the dead. The death of a Muslim doesn't provide any evidence for the truth of what they believe, it only provides proof that they do believe. Just like if a Christian today died rather than deny their belief in the resurrection of Jesus that wouldn't provide any proof of his resurrection only proof of their belief.

1 Corinthians 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Here's a link to an examination of the evidence by Simon Greenleaf on the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law school's web site. Greenleaf, one of the principle founders of the Harvard Law School, originally set out to disprove the biblical testimony concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was certain that a careful examination of the internal witness of the Gospels would dispel all the myths at the heart of Christianity. But this legal scholar came to the conclusion that the witnesses were reliable, and that the resurrection did in fact happen.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/jesus/greenleaf.html

Answer 3

I bet your history teachers all had nervous breakdowns, didn't they? Did you demand proof that Socrates or Napoleon or George Washington did any of the things that they were alleged to have done? Or were you content to accept history on the basis of eyewitness accounts?

Over 500 people saw the risen Lord Jesus at one time. Paul says that the greater part of them were still alive when he was writing the Epistles. Any of them could have contradicted his account if it had been false, and none of them ever did.

Your problem is that you've got an anti-Christian bias. So anything offered to you by way of historical evidence for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will be unacceptable, and you can justify your rejection of Him.

And while I'm thinking about it, I'll add your poor history teachers to my prayer list. . .God knows, they probably still need all the help they can get.

Answer 4

Because I have met the Lord. I know the Lord and because of Grace I am very confident in everything the Bible teaches. I have read the lives of the saints, the teachings of the saints, and I know that my experiences are similar and sensible, and fit the ways in which God works with people. I am a teacher, and I know the way the teachings of Christ change the lives of people. So, in other words, we see the evidence of His Grace in our lives. Further, if you have seen the Shroud of Turin, which is the burial cloth of Christ, you can see the image of Him imprinted upon the cloth at the time when he rose from the dead. But when you know Him, the evidence of the Shroud is a secondary consideration. Christ has taught us that all men will rise from the dead, and that many will have eternal life with Him, if they have remained in Communion with Him. In reading the Bible, we see that His teachings are very consistent throughout. And when we read the history of the Church, we see the difference that Christ has made in society as well. So that we know His teachings are true. For example, we can see that Pope John Paul II had overcome communism in Poland, lived to become Pope and to be an example of Christ to all people throughout the world. We see Mother Theresa in this way too. Their love of Christ makes them very special to us all.

Answer 5

The same way I know any other event occurred in history: I must trust the eyewitnesses (possibly after examining them for whether I believe them or not). On this, however, I can also add mystical experiences with the risen Christ. The two together are enough for me.

Answer 6

I believe it is true because many first century Christians were killed for refusing to recant. Also if it was not true, it would have been a simple matter to walk from Jerusalem out to the tomb and show that the body of Jesus was still there, and that would have been the end of Christianity.
Since you were not there, how can you know it didn't really happen? Many people said they did see Jesus after he was resurrected and we have the names of some of them. If we did not have any of their names, we would have a reason to doubt it.

Answer 7

It's just a matter of believing God is who He says He is and does what He says He can do. Total faith....but faith in a personal God and His Word. If Christ didn't come back to life alot of us are hanging our hopes and eternity on a lie. I choose to believe that I too will be "alive with Christ" some day. Keeps me keepin' on when times get really tough.

Answer 8

Thank you. I went to a church service on Easter where the entire sermon was about how we should consider the resurrection literally true, and it was driving me crazy. How is that possibly a beneficial use of our time?

Answer 9

Because the Holy Bible say's it is true and I put my faith in it and everything it say's. There are many things I don't understand but by reading and studying it, I know that I have eternal life in heaven when my life on this earth is over.

Answer 10

Hmm...I asked a question similar to this

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj8VGQUqqBMCHZT.BNn9Zzvsy6IX?qid=20070429170833AArwfST

Hope this helps!