Compiled, written and shared by my beloved Aunt Suzie from North Carolina.
If you are wondering if God exists:
Evidence 1
Since the universe had a beginning, it had a cause.
Science teaches that the universe had a beginning. Since the universe is not eternal, the universe must have a beginner.
Evidence 2
Every design has a designer.
The universe has a highly complex design, therefore the universe had an Intelligent Designer.
Evidence 3
Every law has a lawgiver
Since there is moral law, there must be a moral lawgiver. Every culture has similar moral laws giving credence to a Universal Lawgiver.
If you are wondering if God left you a message, here are key evidences of validity of the Bible, they are:
Evidence 4
The Bible stands alone as the best-preserved literary work of all history.
Before the invention of the printing press, ancient manuscripts were copied by hand. This was a very tedious process and great care was taken by the Jewish scribes through an intricate method for counting letters, words, and paragraphs. Their lives were dedicated to ensure that no copy errors were made. When a copy error was made, the entire scroll was destroyed. When a manuscript was finished, it was checked and verified to be an exact duplicate. Then the copy was given equal authority as the manuscript from which it was copied, then handed down generation to generation.
Evidence 5
Archaeology presents compelling evidence that the Bible is accurate in what it describes
Numerous excavations over the years lend credibility to cities and places mentioned in the Bible. Civilizations have been discovered, such as Ur, Huran, Babylon, Jericho, ancient Mesopotamia, Dan Meggido and many more.
Evidence 6
The Bible has proven to be completely accurate in the prophecies that have ben fulfilled. No other divinity has ever been able to accurately state the future.
Evidence 7
Through the years, the Bible has proved to be indestructible.
The Bible has survived all kinds of bitter hostility and attempts to destroy it by burning it, cutting it into pieces, or punishing those who posses it, but it still remains today.
Evidence 8
The books of the Bible, written over a period of 1,500 years by different authors, present a common theme. Beyond Moses, Paul and Peter, the bible was also written by Joshua was a military general, Nehemiah was a king’s servant, David was a shepherd, poet, musician and king. Solomon was a king. Jeremiah was a prophet. Ezekiel was a priest. Daniel was a prime minister. Amos was a herdsman. Matthew was a tax collector, Luke was a physician and John was a fisherman, all written in three different languages and in three different continents with many different perspectives and yet the Bible still remains in unique harmony. Today within a period of hours, news reporters report very different accounts of the same current news event.
Evidence 9
The New Testaments writers abandoned their prior beliefs. Adopted new ones, and did not reverse their faith, even under persecution of death.
Evidence 10
The Bible demonstrates power in the lives of those who obey it. The Bible shares the power of God. Hebrews 4:12 states God’s word is the sharpest two edge sword cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow and it exposes our inner most thoughts and desires. This verse says that God’s word is alive, powerful and penetrating. It reveals the condition of our hearts and communicates God’s message to us.
Evidence of Jesus- if you are wondering if Jesus is real
Evidence 11
Historians and other nonbiblical writers serve as proof of Jesus Christ’s existence and ministry
Evidence 12
Early church leaders support the Bible’s view of Jesus Christ
Evidence 13
The Bible presents eyewitness testimony about Jesus
Evidence 14
Prophecies of the Old Testament have been fulfilled through Jesus in the New Testament
Jesus was heir to the throne of David
Jesus was born in Bethlehem
During the time of Jesus’ birth, babies would be killed
Jesus would have to flee to Egypt and the return from Egypt
Jesus would be rejected by His own people
One would come before him, John the Baptist, announcing Jesus
Jesus would make a triumphal entry riding a donkey’s colt
Jesus would be betrayed by a friend
Soliders would gamble for his clothes
No bones would be broken
Jesus would be resurrected
What are the odds, that one man would fulfill even a handful of these prophesies? A number of scholars have calculated some conservative odds of these events happening to the same man. If we analyze just a few of the more specific prophecies in the Old Testament, that were later fulfilled in the Person of Jesus Christ, we are stunned by the statistical impossibility of such a historical reality. As an illustration, we have inserted some conservative “odds” alongside seven established prophecies (from AllAboutGOD.com)
Jesus would be a descendant of David – 1 in 10,000
Jesus would be born in Bethlehem 1 in 100,000
Jesus would be betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver 1 in a million
Jesus would first present himself as a King 173,880 days from the decree of Artaxerxes to rebuld Jerusalem 1 in a million
Total probability of just this small sampling of those prophecies fulfilled through Jesus Christ is 1 to 10 27th power or 100 billion, billion, billion )
Evidence 15
The New Testament presents reliable information concerning Jesus Christ
Names were important in Jesus’ time as they were revealing the characteristics of a person- Ask we learn the different names, we see they are all in harmony with His works and His Character. The Samaritans, called Jesus savior of the world, Martha called Jesus Messiah, Son of God. Thomas called Jesus My Lord, My God. He was called Immanuel- God is with us. And Jesus called himself, the bread of life- he will meet your daily needs, he called himself the light of the world, he gives us guidance, He called himself the gate- the gate to salvation, He called himself the good shepherd, a good shepherd sacrifices his life for his sheep and Jesus sacrificed himself for us.
Evidence 16
The resurrection of Jesus has significant proofs
One of the facts of Jesus’s life that is undisputed is the fact that His tomb was found empty. The Jewish authorities instead of disproving Christ’s resurrection or proving that the soldiers feel asleep (which was a punishment of death) they bribed the soldiers instead of killing them.
Christ was physically seen, first to more than 500 different people after He rose from the dead. There as many as 12 different appearances of Christ after his resurrection where he was seen and touched.
The Disciples after being in hiding and scared, confused and scattered, saw something that gave these men courage and conviction to die for their beliefs and boldly proclaimed the message of the resurrected Christ.
Jesus claimed to be God and He proved it! He fulfilled the prophecies written in the Old Testament hundreds of years in advance. He lived a sinless life. He performed numerous miracles. He prophesied His death and resurrection and the He accomplished them!
Jesus lived on this earth in a human body, lived a life in complete harmony with God, lived in complete obedience to God’s will and died a physical death. He arose from the grave. He is alive today. He is personally and intimately involved in the lives of those who have received Him into their lives.
There are other religions that accept the fact that Jesus lived and died. What makes Christianity different? Jesus’ entrance into the life of a person changes that person. For the first time, that person is really alive. Before he or she received Christ, he or she was spiritually dead in their sins. After receiving Christ- the source of life- he or she becomes alive or born again. Christians are people who are complete because they have Christ in their lives.
Of all the way’s to God or heaven, why Christianity?
Restaurants encourage us to order our food prepared exactly the way we enjoy it. Coffee shops offer numerous flavors. At this time in history- Choice is king! So what about selecting a religion that is perfect for you? Can we select a religion just like we select our coffee? Do all religions ultimately lead to heaven?
To understand the question. “Are all religions equally good?” we need to first define religion.
The word “religion” comes from a Latin word which means “to bind, to obligate or to bind by fear” The word portrays the idea of working to gain favor with God or binding oneself to a set of rules. All religions give their followers rites to follow, observances to keep, and ways to perform for the purpose of gaining God’s favor. Religion is a man-made way of trying to get right with God.
True Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship – a relationship between an individual and Jesus Christ. It is not a denomination, not a church building, about elaborate traditions or rules. Jesus was persecuted by religious men…he is not about religion.
Religions of this world have each had leaders who were born, lived and died as any other person. They searched for truth, but few claimed to have found it.
Jesus’ stand is extreme contract to other religious leaders, he not only claimed to know the truth, but He stated He is the truth. Jesus said, “….I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” – John 14:6.
Christianity is not based merely on Jesus’ teachings, but on Jesus Christ Himself. In other belief systems, it is possible to be part of a religion and not know the founder. Not so with Christianity. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the essence of the Christian faith.
To understand the Trinity of God the Father –God the Son/Jesus– and God the Holy Spirit, you can take an overly simplistic view of yourself, if you are a parent and friend. For example, If you are man, you are a father to your children, you are a son to your Dad and a friend to someone- a comforter and the same for a woman, you are Mother, a daughter and friend, you are three in one. We also see dimensionally, where God created dimension and is not bound by what He created.
(hold up three fingers facing forward and then turn your hand so they only see the single dimension, it helps to illustrate the point)
Christianity teaches a unique view of salvation
Religions teach what I must do to reach God. Christianity teaches what God did to reach out to you.
If God exists, doesn’t he have the right to say who He is and what He requires of us? He tells us in Acts 4:12 page 833.
Christianly uses both the mind and the heart
Jesus created us with the ability to think, learn and reason. And to discern truth. But still some people ask, Is it reasonable, logical, intelligent action to put my faith in the Jesus?
Faith is not about turning off your brain and merely relying on the heart, or squashing reason in favor of emotion. No, Christian faith is about seeking and knowing Jesus with all facets of the human character. It is not a “blind faith” It is a calculated faith, based on a preponderance of the evidence.
It is like using a chair. You examine the chair, and its design and ask yourself it is structurally sound. You analyze if the materials chosen by the manufacturer support your weight.
Most likely, you will pick a chair that you believe will support you. That’s belief! You applied logic, knowledge and experience to make an informed intellectual decision.
Now, sit in the chair. That is faith! At some point, intellectual assent only goes so far. True living requires that we put our beliefs into action. Intellectual belief without actionable faith is hollow and meaningless.
But it is not enough to know the facts about Jesus. More than our minds and our emotions are involved. We must respond to Gods love by believing and receiving Jesus’ death on the cross as full payment for our personal sin. Any person who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior receives eternal life.
When we personally believe that Jesus died for our sins, we repent of our sins and ask God’s forgiveness. We can thank Him for dying in our place and ask Him to live His life in us. By His Holy spirit, He enters our lives and makes us His children. Through Jesus death and resurrection, Gods justice has been satisfied and we have right standing with God. We are free from guilt. It is by grace we are saved, not by our works so that no one should boast – Ephesians 5 6-7 It is not about being good enough in thought or deed.
