I want to be very clear here…I did NOT write this article, please see below link for the source!
CLICK HERE FOR SOURCE OF ARTICLE
When it comes to the subject of the resurrection of the Christ, (literally his name was pronounced Yeshua). Many tend to believe it can’t be proven but must be accepted on faith alone. While faith is an important issue when it comes to the Bible, lets take a look at the facts surrounding the resurrection of Yeshua (English translation “Joshua” and every international translation “Jesus”).
In short, there is more proof that Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead, than we have that Julius Caesar even lived. If you find that hard to believe, then read on…
Evidence and Proof
Some excerpts of the article below are from: Rory Roybal
The reason I initially considered Biblical Christianity is because it is the only belief system massively supported by historical evidence that can be objectively verified. It has the only set of ‘scriptures’ in the world filled with real places, real people, real historical accounts, and real scientific claims that are proven accurate when critically investigated. The Bible is also the only record that had a significant amount of future prophecy when written (~1/3). Man-made religions don’t come close to matching up to the overwhelming and flawless physical evidence that has been thoroughly examined and verified from the Bible.
The Legal Perspective of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection and Character
Simon Greenleaf was royal professor of law at Harvard and a main founder of the Harvard law school. Greenleaf, was considered to be the greatest expert of evidence the world had ever known. He wrote the famous legal volume—A Treatise on the Law of Evidence, which many consider to be the greatest legal volume ever written. Greenleaf was a skeptic firmly set against Christianity, and taught his students Christianity was false. When one of his students challenged him to investigate evidence for Christianity for himself, he set out to disprove the Biblical testimony concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Greenleaf was certain that a careful examination of the internal witness of the Gospels would dispel all myths at the heart of Christianity, and disprove it once and for all. However, this legal scholar concluded Bible eyewitnesses were reliable and that Christ’s bodily death and resurrection were objective fact. If anyone should be qualified to state the reliability of Christ’s resurrection as an actual historical event according to the laws of legal evidence, it is Greenleaf. After years of exhaustive research and analysis, Greenleaf concluded:
“ The foundation of our belief is a basis of fact – the fact of the birth, ministry, miracles, death, resurrection by the Evangelists as having actually occurred, within their own personal knowledge … it was therefore impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually rose from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact. ”—-Simon Greenleaf —
Simon Greenleaf, LL.D., The Testimony of the Evangelists: The Gospels Examined by the Rules of Evidence, Grand Rapids, MI, Kregel Classics 1995.
Regarding the character of Jesus Christ portrayed by the Evangelists, Greenleaf determined:
“ the great character they have portrayed is perfect. It is the character of a sinless being, of one supremely wise and supremely good. It exhibits no error, no sinister intention, no imprudence, no ignorance, no evil passion, no impatience; in a word, no fault; but all is perfect uprightness, innocence, wisdom, goodness and truth. ”
Simon Greenleaf, LL.D., Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists, by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice, with an Account of the Trial of Jesus, Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown 1846, p. 67.
Eyewitnesses to the Resurrection and Miracles of Jesus Christ
The entire framework of the Bible is based on reliable eyewitness accounts, which are the strongest form of legal evidence. These accounts include multiple eyewitness testimonies of the unique birth, life, miracles, death and bodily resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Eyewitnesses included many people who knew Christ face to face for three years, such as the Apostles, so they could not have mistaken His identity. They saw, heard, touched, ate and drank with Christ after his bodily resurrection for 40 days. This overwhelming physical evidence overcame their initial incredulity and disbelief.
They were so sure of their experience that they were also willing to die for what they knew to be true. Some people may sometimes die for a lie that they believe to be true, but for a large group of individuals to all willingly endure severe persecution throughout their lives and die torturous deaths for something they know to be a lie (which they certainly would have known), doesn’t happen. —
The Supreme Justice of the Supreme Court said that Greenleaf’s testimony is the most basic and compelling testimony that can be accepted in any english speaking court in the world. When Greenleaf spoke, that settled the matter. He was far and away the most knowledgeable person on evidence the world had ever known. The London Times said that more light on jurisprudence had come from Greenleaf than all the jurists of Europe combined.
Greenleaf had one inviolable principle in his classrooms at Harvard, and that was, you never make up your mind about any significant matter without first considering the evidence. Greenleaf was not a Christian. When challenged by one of his students with this principle, he admitted that he had not considered the evidence. When he did, he became a Christian: believed in the deity, death and resurrection of Jesus.
After examining every thread of information he could find he said in his book, The Testimony of the Evangelists: The Gospels Examined for the Rules of Evidence, Greenleaf concluded:
“If any unbiased jury in the world considered the evidence for the resurrection of Christ, they would have to conclude that Jesus of Nazareth actually rose from the dead.” —
This is without a doubt one of the best articles on the evidence for Jesus Christ being real that I have ever read. It is a rather long article but well worth the time to read. The amount of evidence we have available in today’s world that the Bible is a genuine historically correct and relevant book is substantial. Many arguments used to discredit the Bible no longer hold water.
If you are a Believer, this article is just reaffirms your faith, and is an interesting read. If you are an agnostic, this may help you in making a decision for Christ. If you are an atheist, well I hope you give this article a read with an open mind.
I will say here that no disrespect is intended towards anyone regardless of their views including atheists. However, if you make inflammatory comments, they will not be posted…neither here or on the site I am a part of that this article was reposted from. Open, relevant presentation of ideas and civil discussion is welcome, if your purpose is to be disruptive, disrespectful, and /or nasty…you are not welcome here or on Vine of Life News.
Too finish reading this article, please head over to http://vineoflife.net/2012/12/09/there-is-absolute-proof-that-yeshua-jesus-the-christ-rose-from-the-dead/
December 10, 2012 at 1:02 pm
“This is without a doubt one of the best articles on the evidence”
Forgive me, but I see no evidence. I see claims and anecdotes. And no real reason to believe them. Not evidence.
December 10, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Did you read the entire article? There is all kinds of evidence. Read the related material…
Thanks for the comment.
December 10, 2012 at 1:13 pm
No. There are claims. None of which is evidence.
I don’t accept eye-witness testimony about alien abductions. I see no reason to accept eye-witness testimony of religious claims from a few thousand years ago.
December 10, 2012 at 1:32 pm
So 500 people seeing the risen Christ is not evidence?
As to the writings of the Bible being true or not…the Apostles of Christ were all willing to die for Jesus and the fact that He was God and rose again…if this is not true then why would they be willing to die? There was no other offer on the table at that time of eternal life and rewards other then the offer of eternal life through Christ.
How about the fact that everything that is dug up in the middle east confirms what the Bible already said years ago
How about all the prophecies concerning Christ’s birth that were written long before He came to Earth?
Is not all of this evidence that God is real? I can’t make you believe but the evidence is there, you can choose to ignore it or you can investigate it yourself and see if it is true.
If you can read all of this article and not at least admit that God may be real…then you are ignoring a large amount of information presented to you.
I will throw in here that I am involved in several blogs that teach and encourage people in Christ. This takes a lot of time and effort. “So what”, you are saying…why would I choose to do this? I gain nothing in doing this, and nothing changes for me personally if you believe or not. Yet I choose to do this because I believe in what Jesus has done and hope to lead others to Him. This is all about Jesus, not me.
Then there is my personal testimony…short and sweet…I was a raging alcoholic and smoker. I could not stop either one though I tried many times. Did not matter that my drinking hurt my family, I still could not stop.
Then I became a Believer in Christ. Jesus took away my urge to drink and smoke…instantly. Drinking one day as usual, done the next. This after many years of drinking every day.
I hope you will consider what I have said today.
God bless you
December 10, 2012 at 1:44 pm
“So 500 people seeing the risen Christ is not evidence?”
500 people all writing first hand accounts would certain indicate further investigation.
Somebody saying that 500 people saw it happen would not.
“the Apostles of Christ were all willing to die for Jesus”
People die all the time for false beliefs. See: Heaven’s Gate cult and suicide bombers for examples.
“How about the fact that everything that is dug up in the middle east confirms what the Bible already said years ago”
If this were a fact, it might be convincing. As it isn’t, it’s not.
Also…the existence of New York City does not confirm the existence of Spider-Man.
“How about all the prophecies concerning Christ’s birth”
According to all the Jews I know, the New Testament doesn’t fulfill those prophecies.
“you can investigate it yourself and see if it is true.”
I have done so. And I’ve seen that the evidence is insufficient for the claims being made.
“I could not stop either one ”
Until you did. And now you claim that your god did it.
I don’t believe that to be true.
December 10, 2012 at 1:56 pm
You can and you will refute anything I say because you refuse to accept what is right in front of you. That makes the validity of the claims in the Bible no less true.
This is another one of those things you say is untrue…the Bible predicted long ago that many people would fall away from the church just as you have. I’m not at all criticizing you, but the Bible did predict this would happen more and more in the end.
The part that really bothers me…people who reject God now will be separated from Him for all eternity in hell. But…it does not have to be that way, it is your choice.
December 10, 2012 at 2:38 pm
“You can and you will refute anything I say because you refuse to accept what is right in front of you.”
Not at all. Anecdotes, wherever they are written, are not right in front of me.
“the Bible predicted long ago that many people would fall away from the church just as you have. ”
Sorry, but “I predict that a lot of you will end up not believing this” comes off as very silly.
“But…it does not have to be that way, it is your choice.”
No. If true, it is the choice of a strange god to send people to hell for not believing it exists. Why on earth is that a god I’m supposed to want to exist, even if I thought it did.
December 10, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Your choice…He sent His Son to die for you. You only need to accept Him…you have chosen not to.
Anecdotes? Try history.
December 10, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Nope, anecdotes. History is that Julius Caesar existed. Anecdotes are that he was related to Venus.
And, sorry, but having somebody ‘die for me’ is disgusting and reprehensible.
December 10, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Right along side Julius Caesar you will find Christ in history.
“And, sorry, but having somebody ‘die for me’ is disgusting and reprehensible.”
That was God’s choice in love for you.
You can say the worst things possible about God, deny Him until your deathbed…He will still accept and bless you even then if you but ask…but I think you know this.
No God…no atheists
December 10, 2012 at 2:51 pm
“No God…no atheists”
Yeah, that doesn’t make sense. If it makes you feel better, thought, go for it.
December 12, 2012 at 7:10 pm
What archaeological evidence do you have that disproves the Bible?
The Jews did not recognize Jesus when He was among them, and those who do not now are seriously misled.
I do not claim my God did it, I know He did it.
The evidence for Christ having been real and being God is overwhelming. Not just he Bible either, but much of what is in the New Testament can be reconstructed from secular writings.
If you want to dismiss God, no amount of evidence is going to convince you. You cannot take all the evidence for God and label it as anecdotes and happenstance, that is simply not logical.
You claimed the evidence is not sufficient for the claims being made…so you have read all the secular works that support the claims of Jesus as God?
What about all the archaeological finds that support what the Bible has said all along? Including things that were previously disputed?
How after believing in God did you come to the conclusion that God
does not exist?
December 12, 2012 at 9:01 am
NotAScientist, I’m sorry but historians actually agree that Jesus Christ did in fact exist. He is a REAL person and archaeology and history have both confirmed it by the huge volume of artifacts and the things that historians wrote. You and I accept that Alexander the Great, Homer, and Aristotle all existed, why not Jesus?
December 12, 2012 at 9:20 am
Peter,
I don’t believe I ever said that Jesus didn’t exist.
I don’t see how archaeology was supposed to prove that, though.
Anyway, yes, an itinerant preacher named Yeshua probably existed. So?
Julius Caesar also existed. But we don’t believe he was actually related to Venus. We don’t believe he became the Divine Julius after he died. The evidence doesn’t support it.
The case is identical for Jesus. A person existed. That’s fine. I see no good evidence that he could do miracles or was divine, however.
December 12, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Sorry if I misunderstood NotAScientist, I wasn’t really sure about your comments between you and Greg on the whole anecdotes versus history thing.
Well, there are a few interesting facts about Jesus that really demand an answer. One of them is the fact that historically speaking, there were 500 witnesses that said that Jesus came back from the dead. Now this wouldn’t be such a big deal because we could all easily dismiss their testimony and say that those people were lying.
However, many of these witnesses were tortured to death for saying that Jesus came back from the dead because it disturbed the governmental authorities at the time. Now I don’t know about you, but for me I’m not willing to die for a lie.
December 12, 2012 at 8:05 pm
NotAScientist….all I can say is you’re going to meet Jesus real soon..and when you do, well..I guess you’ll believe in Him because you’ll be kneeling before God….in the presence of the creator of everything…but, at that point, when you’re begging for a second chance, it’ll be too late. God sends you people to remind you what your spirit already knows..God/Jesus are sewn into your spirit..in your DNA. That is why man is always searching for something…drugs, sex, false gods, etc. because they’re searching for God, but they don’t know it in their head. God will tell you that He sent you messengers and signs, and He tried to save you…. see, God won’t send you to hell..the devil you’re allowing to deceive you will. Once it’s done, i t’s done. There will be no more chances. I will earnestly pray for you..because the hour is drawing near. You don’t have very much time…
December 12, 2012 at 11:32 pm
Personally, I believe you just like to argue to argue. I think it is pointless, you guys, to argue with this person. The only thing that can help him at this point is the Holy Spirit. And if he rejects the Holy Spirit, well then, he’s made his decision that he wants to spend eternity in hell. God doesn’t want him to go there, but God can’t go against our own will. He is obviously trying to argue himself straight to the pits of eternal damnation. This is what he wants. The blood is washed from our hands..we’ve done our part. All we can do now is pray for people like this. We know what days we are living in..and Christ is coming soon. It won’t be very long and notascientist will have to give account for their lives before God…and this person will be reminded of this very conversation, as well as all the others in their life…but…it’ll be too late. God will look at them and say, “I tried…this is what you chose. Not by My will, but your own. You would not listen. I do not know you.” And they will beg and plead, but God won’t be able to do anything. Let’s pray earnestly for this person because they don’t have much time. Pity them…they may be sarcastic now as they’ve been here…but still feel sorry for them… their sarcasm will only be for a very, very short time. I honestly, as the Lord hears me now, feel very very sorry for this person. Dear Lord, remove the veil from their eyes! Satan, get your hands off this person in the name of Jesus Christ! I pray this night a seed is planted…
Notascientist..you will laugh now..and this is fine. Something great is coming your way…a trial you will go through. You will be brought to your knees…your emotions stretched. God is going to reveal Himself to you, becuase unless you believe Jesus is the Messiah, and all the Bible tells us Jesus is and was and is to come…you can not be saved. This conversation tonight has been planted in the soil of your heart. When this time comes, the rain from your storm will water it..and it will spring forth ..you will remember! And it will be at that time when you the Holy Spirit will deal with you. Let’s hope you will truly listen to Him then. It oftentimes takes tragedy in our lives and heartache to bring us to repentance..stubborn humans that we are…especially when we put ourselves above God.
God bless you.
December 12, 2012 at 11:41 pm
And I meant that HE LIKES TO ARGUE not you peter or Gomer. That’s who I meant by “Personally I think that YOU like to argue…” Wanted to make sure you knew that. Thanks! I’m off for the night. God bless everyone and your families! God bless you too notascientist by revealing HImself to you in a special way. TTY!
A little Homer Simpson for ya (_8^(|)
December 12, 2012 at 9:36 pm
December 12, 2012 at 9:37 pm
December 13, 2012 at 4:11 am
To want to convert anyone by threats of hell is a form of coercion.
The greatest evidence of our Christian faith does not just consist in past records or remains. Evenmore, it is the Living Jesus Himself who lives in and among us; doing the same things he has being doing in eternity – loving & forgiving (even the atheist), healing, raising the dead, teaching us unto life eternal.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, he works might things through the lives of those who acknowldge him in their lives (regardless of their past).
By this fact, I know Him and the reality of His existence.
He is Alive!!!
December 13, 2012 at 8:04 am
While I agree completely with the second part of your comment, I see no threats in this article. Unbelievers must know the eternal destiny that they face if they turn away from Christ. That is not to say that we should hit them over the head with it, but they do need to be warned.
The power of the Spirit means nothing to one that does not know Christ, unless it is made evident to them by someone who they interact with and they can see something different about that person…because that person is led by the spirit, not the flesh.
Thanks for the comment
Greg
December 13, 2012 at 8:08 am
The Word of God judges, not a person. I conveyed what the Word of God says about the situation. I get very tired of the Word of God being perverted to conform to what man thinks or desires. Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
December 13, 2012 at 9:41 am
If I may chime in here, I respectfully disagree with your comment. I don’t believe that there was a threat and additionally, our Lord himself warned people about hell A LOT.
Matthew 13:41-43 and the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 are two examples off of the top of my head.
December 13, 2012 at 9:50 am
Put it in context. You have one of these two options:
“Do as I say, or I’ll bring you to my basement where this guy will torture you forever.”
“Do as Josh says, or he’ll bring you to the basement and have a guy torture you forever.”
Both are mildly threatening.
December 13, 2012 at 11:28 am
To put it bluntly: Do it God’s way or Satan will have his way with you. You know that heart of yours that’s beating? Those lungs that are filling with air right now? The one you don’t believe in is the one who lets your heart beat and allows you to breathe. Who on earth are you to not believe in the very ONE holding your heart and lungs in His hands? You are very, very blessed right now because you are denying God, and all He has to do is lift His pinky finger and your heart would stop at that moment. But He doesn’t. He doesn’t because He gives you more time and more chances because He just loves you that much..even though you don’t believe, He cares deeply about you. You are only here in this world because of Him…it is God who gives life and God who takes away.
The Lord spoke to me last night when I wrote what I wrote…and I am telling you so when it happens, you will know … confirmation. Difficult times are coming for you, but it is only because God will allow it in order that you will be brought low. You are too full of yourself. You will be made humble. The one you follow will do this thing in your life, and God will allow it because it is the only possible way for you to repent and surrender your life.
So know that when this thing happens, it is the enemy..Satan..the one you serve now..your master…who is doing it to you. But God will be there for you to heal the hurts and help you out of the pit in which you are going to fall VERY SOON. He will stretch out His hand toward you and pull you out…it will be up to you to take His hand and believe that He is… or to stay in the pit and receive more torment from the master you follow…Satan. It is all up to. You are not hurting us whatsoever by your accusations and words..we only feel sorry for you and want to help. We are hurt because we know what the Bible says is going to happen to you if you do not repent and turn from your wickedness. No, we are not here to force you to do that. If you want to go to hell for eternity (that is what happens for those who don’t know Jesus..and Satan leads you there..God sent Jesus to save you from it!) it is totally your choice. We’re only warning you. There will come a day you will remember this. I hope it’s not late.
December 13, 2012 at 11:17 am
Thank you, Peter. People who do not want to hear the truth and are guilty against God always cry: Judgment! Threats! Etc. as a defense because the Bible is just that powerful of a weapong. The enemy (Satan) can’t stand it and he reveals himself boldly through the lips of his host (s). Satan and his kingdom hate God’s Word, as we all well know. The enemy is throwing a hissy fit temper tantrum right now because he doesn’t like it..and he is using this person as his pawn. This is why I said we need to bind together and pray for this person and feel dep pity for them. They are being led by deceiving spirits…and we know, as Christians, what the end result is when this happens..only the Holy Spirit can intervene at this point. The Bible says, “Do not cast your pearls before the swine.” This is what we are all doing at this point, I feel. God bless you Peter and I hope you and your family have a wonderful, beautiful, and blessed Christmas as we remember Jesus and what He did for us.
December 13, 2012 at 11:18 am
LOL I hate typos! Gomer, please edit that and get rid of the G! It says “WEAPONG!” In my comment below…ha ha ha! Weapon!
December 13, 2012 at 11:44 am
In simpler words you can understand… we were all born belonging to Satan. God came here as Jesus, in a body of flesh. Jesus bought us back from Satan… we originally belonged to God before Adam and Eve sinned. At that point, Satan had rights over us. Therefore, you and everyone else who has ever lived and will live automatically belongs to Satan. The blood of Jesus’ death was the payment for getting us back from the devil. In a sense, if you want to be technical..Jesus was sacrificed to Satan..it was a sacrifice Satan did not want…but he didn’t have a choice. God paid off Satan with the blood of Jesus so that we could call upon Jesus and be saved from eternal death. This is why the only way to heaven is to truly believe in and serve God through Jesus Christ. Without this, you are still serving the master you were born to..Satan. So you see, it’s not God who sends people to hell, it is where you were already predestined to go when you were born. To hell. God sent Jesus to adopt you from Satan’s Kingdom .. and all you have to do is believe and ask. Everything you’ve ever done wrong in your life is forgiven, and God moves you into a new life… the old life that belonged to Satan originally is demolished through the power of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God that comes to live inside of your spirit at the moment you confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.)
December 13, 2012 at 8:07 am
Peter,
” One of them is the fact that historically speaking, there were 500 witnesses that said that Jesus came back from the dead. ”
No, there actually isn’t.
Historically speaking, there is a written claim made many years after his death that 500 witnessed him come back from the dead.
Me saying “hey, 500 people saw this” and actually having evidence and testimony from 500 people that all matched up exactly is different. You have the former, not the latter.
“easily dismiss their testimony and say that those people were lying.”
Or mistaken. Or they might not be real people.
We don’t have their names, even, after all.
“Now I don’t know about you, but for me I’m not willing to die for a lie.”
No, but you (the general you) might be willing to die for something that isn’t true, but that you believe is true.
That’s what the members of the Heaven’s Gate cult did. And the 9/11 terrorists.
Lyn,
“all I can say is you’re going to meet Jesus real soon”
Here’s a tip that you may or may not use in the future.
The statement you’ve made sounds, at best, vaguely threatening. I imagine you didn’t intend it to sound that way, but that’s how it came across.
It also doesn’t make your god, who I’ve been told is a deity of mercy, very appealing. So even if I were inclined to believe it existed (I’m not), I would be less likely to want to worship it due to your comments.
“Personally, I believe you just like to argue to argue. ”
I enjoy conversation, sometimes passionate conversation. And this is a blog with open comments. If this isn’t the place for discussion, even mostly polite argument, I don’t know what is.
“Notascientist..you will laugh now..and this is fine. Something great is coming ”
I’m not laughing. I just feel a bit sorry for you, if you’re at the point where your beliefs won’t allow real substantive conversation with your fellow human beings.
December 13, 2012 at 11:31 am
He’ll always take you just the way you are…. He loves you for you…
December 13, 2012 at 5:30 pm
The evidence is there dear friend, that is historically documented and that is what made Christianity spread in the first place. Without this, Christianity would have died in the first century.
Either way, this is besides the point. Would you ever be willing to go into a room where you are all alone, and say, “God if you are out there, reveal yourself to me. And if this is all hogwash, then just forget what I’m saying.”
Would you be willing to do that?
December 13, 2012 at 11:29 am
@NOTASCIENTIST: Here is a song, and it is a worldly song..but it is what God is singing to you right here…right now…. Word for word…”What will it take ’til you believe in me.. the way that I believe in you…..”
December 13, 2012 at 11:34 am
” The enemy is throwing a hissy fit temper tantrum right now because he doesn’t like it..and he is using this person as his pawn.”
Okay, now I’m laughing.
When you’ve reached the point where you believe the people you disagree with aren’t just wrong, but evil, is the point where you should no longer be taken seriously.
December 13, 2012 at 11:38 am
We were all born evil and corrupt. It is the cleansing of Jesus’ blood when He died for us that redeemed us. Hell is very real, and Satan and his minions are very real, and you can’t see them, but they’re all around you speaking lies to you constantly. They are evil…and they use humans as their pawns/puppets. No one said YOU are evil..but since you commented…. like I said, we are all born sinful and evil until we ask Jesus into our hearts. So, if you don’t believe in Jesus, then, well, like it or not, yes…that would make you corrupt, wicked, evil. You could give to 30 charities and spend all of your time doing things for other people..but if you didn’t believe in Jesus, well, you’d be doing good things, but your flesh…your physical being..is corrupt/wicked/evil until you call upon Christ. Until we accept Christ as Savior, we are born belonging to the kingdom of hell. If you do not like that and you think it is silly, you’ll have to take it up with God when you are kneeling before Him…trust me…no one will be standing in front of God. He’s more powerful than you can imagine. God bless.
December 13, 2012 at 2:56 pm
I would throw in here that Lyn does not mean that we personally view you as Evil, but that is in fact how God views us all…before we accept Christ as Savior. Then God sees Christ’s righteousness in us instead of our sin. We will all bow before Christ, I prefer to do so now. It is no chore to bow before the one that grants me forgiveness.
You have brought up the statements and thoughts you see as threatening…there is no threat…that Is only an incorrect perception.
An example: you warn your son that if he comes home late again, he will not have any privileges for a while, or that he needs to complete homework before watching TV. Why do parents do these things? Because we love our kids, and we want them to learn to be responsible individuals, as well we want to protect them and keep them from harm. Kids need to learn not to do various things because if they do…they will get hurt.
In the same way God gives us warnings…not threats, warnings. When God says no… It means don’t hurt yourself. If persist in that behavior, we will hurt ourselves. Warnings of Hell are no different…if we choose to reject God, we are choosing to hurt ourselves…we are choosing Hell. No threat here, a warning from our Father in heaven who loves us.
Then it is said that this God is so horrible because of this, really????
God also said accept my Son, and I will forgive all you have ever done, and give you eternal life. Now how does that equate to God being bad?
God knew you and I could not possibly meet His standard which is perfection…so He solved our problem for us by sending Jesus to live that perfect life for us. Then we accept Christ, and His perfect life is credited to us. But wait…we have still sinned and will again even after conversion. God took card of that too. Jesus paid the price for our sin so that we do not have to. Only Christ could pay this debt. We never could, therefore we would go to Hell. In his love for us, God wants us to come to Him and live with Him, not live in Hell…both here and in eternity.
So…you can choose not to believe, but you really have no ground to stand on when you accuse God of being morally reprehensible or mean or unfair.
I genuinely hope that at some point you will come back to Him. We all do this because we care…including about people like you who disbelieve and even those who (not you) get nasty against us.
God bless
Greg
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December 18, 2012 at 10:04 pm
I think the conclusions of someone recognized as the foremost expert of his day concerning the examination of evidence warrants careful examination and consideration. I’m with Greenleaf.
December 19, 2012 at 7:26 am
He was a very good evidence examiner, one of the best ever.
Thanks for the comment.