Churchwork
09-15-2006, 05:53 PM
The Big Choice
At the end of the day, you have to make a choice. Jesus said you are either for Him or against Him.
Did Paul lie? Did Matthew lie? Did James lie (even about his own brother)? Did Mark lie? Did Peter lie? Did John lie? Did Jude lie (even about his own brother)? Did Luke lie? Did they lie about the other Apostles and Elders, and the Deacons, who were in Christ, some of whom were martyred as recorded in the Word of God? Did they lie about the work of John the Baptist? Did those who saw Jesus die on the cross or were in the vicinity when it happened, knowingly lie?
Did they lie about seeing Christ resurrected and talking with Him? Did they lie when they said they walked with Him in His three and a half year ministry before going to the cross? Did they lie about recording Jesus saying He is God? Did they lie about Jesus fulfilling the 62 prophecies? Did they lie about such a man who was this loving, this perfect, this caring to give His life? Did the writers of the OT all lie in prophesying a coming Savior to be that perfect sacrifice? Did the Apostles lie about the mother of Jesus being Mary? Or maybe you think someone wrote these books of the Bible, and made all these things up, so that those people didn't really lie, but it was the story tellers that were liars?
Though there are 129 facts about the Historical Jesus in 45 early sources, both Christian and non-Christian, that should not be the determining factor for your faith. 24 of them speak of resurrection. 17 of them are non-Christian. 12 of those non-Christian sources speak of His death on the cross. 7 of the non-Christian sources refer to Him as deity.
Is it all a big conspiracy and a big fat lie, or is this more than adequately documented historical Jesus real? Since there is not enough time to have generated legend, and such claims were testified by all parties involved (Israel, Rome, non-Christians, Christians), you would be calling a lot of good people liars who are better than you (if you are unsaved), since you would never die for Christ if you were tested. That is to say, if someone from Islam had a knife to your throat and asked you who is your Lord and Savior, would you say Jesus Christ? Do you condone the murder of Jesus Christ?
Why are there no writings originating from the first century, as were all the books of the NT, that all these things were made up? It only began to be legend that all these things were made up after the first century.
Praise the Lord for this discernment!
At the end of the day, you have to make a choice. Jesus said you are either for Him or against Him.
Did Paul lie? Did Matthew lie? Did James lie (even about his own brother)? Did Mark lie? Did Peter lie? Did John lie? Did Jude lie (even about his own brother)? Did Luke lie? Did they lie about the other Apostles and Elders, and the Deacons, who were in Christ, some of whom were martyred as recorded in the Word of God? Did they lie about the work of John the Baptist? Did those who saw Jesus die on the cross or were in the vicinity when it happened, knowingly lie?
Did they lie about seeing Christ resurrected and talking with Him? Did they lie when they said they walked with Him in His three and a half year ministry before going to the cross? Did they lie about recording Jesus saying He is God? Did they lie about Jesus fulfilling the 62 prophecies? Did they lie about such a man who was this loving, this perfect, this caring to give His life? Did the writers of the OT all lie in prophesying a coming Savior to be that perfect sacrifice? Did the Apostles lie about the mother of Jesus being Mary? Or maybe you think someone wrote these books of the Bible, and made all these things up, so that those people didn't really lie, but it was the story tellers that were liars?
Though there are 129 facts about the Historical Jesus in 45 early sources, both Christian and non-Christian, that should not be the determining factor for your faith. 24 of them speak of resurrection. 17 of them are non-Christian. 12 of those non-Christian sources speak of His death on the cross. 7 of the non-Christian sources refer to Him as deity.
Is it all a big conspiracy and a big fat lie, or is this more than adequately documented historical Jesus real? Since there is not enough time to have generated legend, and such claims were testified by all parties involved (Israel, Rome, non-Christians, Christians), you would be calling a lot of good people liars who are better than you (if you are unsaved), since you would never die for Christ if you were tested. That is to say, if someone from Islam had a knife to your throat and asked you who is your Lord and Savior, would you say Jesus Christ? Do you condone the murder of Jesus Christ?
Why are there no writings originating from the first century, as were all the books of the NT, that all these things were made up? It only began to be legend that all these things were made up after the first century.
Praise the Lord for this discernment!