And Jesus?

Who is Jesus? A quick summary on the life of Jesus Christ – and reasons to believe in him…

By Paul E. Little

It is impossible for us to know conclusively whether God exists and what He is like unless He takes the initiative and reveals Himself. We must know what He is like and His attitude toward us. Suppose we knew He existed, but that He was like Adolf Hitler–capricious, vicious, prejudiced, and cruel. What a horrible realisation that would be!

We must scan the horizon of history to see if there is any clue to God’s revelation. There is one clear clue. In an obscure village in Palestine, almost 2,000 years ago, a Child was born in a stable. Today the entire world is still celebrating the birth of Jesus.

He lived in obscurity until He was thirty, and then began a public ministry that lasted three years. It was destined to change the course of history. He was a kindly person and we’re told that “the common people heard Him gladly.” And, “He taught as One who had authority, and not as their teachers of the Law” (Matthew 7:29).

The Life of Jesus Christ. His Story Begins

It soon became apparent, however, that He was making shocking and startling statements about Himself. He began to identify Himself as far more than a remarkable teacher or prophet. He began to say clearly that He was God. He made His identity the focal point of His teaching. The all-important question He put to those who followed Him was, “Who do you say I am?” When Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15-16), Jesus was not shocked, nor did He rebuke Peter. On the contrary, He commended him!

He made the claim explicitly, and His hearers got the full impact of His words. We are told, “The Jews tried all the harder to kill Him; not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:18).

On another occasion he said, “I and My Father are One.” Immediately the Jews wanted to stone Him. He asked them for which good work they wanted to kill Him. They replied, “We are not stoning You for any of these but for blasphemy, because You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33).

Jesus clearly claimed attributes which only God has. When a paralysed man was let down through the roof wanting to be healed by Him, He said, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” This caused a great to-do among the religious leaders, who said in their hearts, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

At the critical moment when His life was at stake, the high priest put the question to Him directly: “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”

“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy” (Mark 14:61-64).

So close was His connection with God that He equated a person’s attitude to Himself with the person’s attitude toward God. Thus, to know Him was to know God (John 8:19; 14:7). To see Him was to see God (12:45; 14:9). To believe in Him was to believe in God (12:44; 14:1). To receive Him was to receive God (Mark 9:37). To hate Him was to hate God (John 15:23). And to honour Him was to honour God (5:23).

Jesus Christ – the Son of God?

As we face the claims of Christ, there are only four possibilities. He was either a liar, a lunatic, a legend, or the Truth. If we say He is not the Truth, we are automatically affirming one of the other three alternatives, whether we realise it or not.

(1) One possibility is that Jesus lied when He said He was God–that He knew He was not God, but deliberately deceived His hearers to lend authority to His teaching. Few, if any, seriously hold this position. Even those who deny His deity affirm that He was a great moral teacher. They fail to realise those two statements are a contradiction. Jesus could hardly be a great moral teacher if, on the most crucial point of His teaching–His identity–He was a deliberate liar.

(2) A kinder, though no less shocking possibility, is that He was sincere but self-deceived. We have a name for a person today who thinks he is God. That name is lunatic, and it certainly would apply to Christ if He were deceived on this all-important issue. But as we look at the life of Christ, we see no evidence of the abnormality and imbalance we find in a deranged person. Rather, we find the greatest composure under pressure.

(3) The third alternative is that all of the talk about His claiming to be God is a legend–that what actually happened was that His enthusiastic followers, in the third and fourth centuries, put words into His mouth He would have been shocked to hear. Were He to return, He would immediately repudiate them.

The legend theory has been significantly refuted by many discoveries of modern archaeology. These have conclusively shown that the four biographies of Christ were written within the lifetime of contemporaries of Christ. Some time ago Dr. William F. Albright, world-famous archaeologist now retired from JohnsHopkinsUniversity, said that there was no reason to believe that any of the Gospels were written later than A.D. 70. For a mere legend about Christ, in the form of the Gospel, to have gained the circulation and to have had the impact it had, without one shred of basis in fact, is incredible.

For this to have happened would be as fantastic as for someone in our own time to write a biography of the late John F. Kennedy and in it say he claimed to be God, to forgive people’s sins, and to have risen from the dead. Such a story is so wild it would never get off the ground because there are still too many people around who knew Kennedy. The legend theory does not hold water in the light of the early date of the Gospel manuscripts.

(4) The only other alternative is that Jesus spoke the truth. From one point of view, however, claims don’t mean much. Talk is cheap. Anyone can make claims. There have been others who have claimed to be God. I could claim to be God, and you could claim to be God, but the question all of us must answer is, “What credentials do we bring to substantiate our claim?” In my case it wouldn’t take you five minutes to disprove my claim. It probably wouldn’t take too much more to dispose of yours. But when it comes to Jesus of Nazareth, it’s not so simple. He had the credentials to back up His claim. He said, “Even though you do not believe Me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” (John 10:38).

Evidence from the Life of Jesus

First, His moral character coincided with His claims. Many asylum inmates claim to be celebrities or deities. But their claims are belied by their characters. Not so with Christ. He is unique–as unique as God.

Jesus Christ was sinless. The calibre of His life was such that He was able to challenge His enemies with the question, “Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin?” (John 8:46). He was met by silence, even though He addressed those who would have liked to point out a flaw in His character.

We read of the temptations of Jesus, but we never hear of a confession of sin on His part. He never asked for forgiveness, though He told His followers to do so.

This lack of any sense of moral failure on Jesus’ part is astonishing in view of the fact that it is completely contrary to the experience of the saints and mystics in all ages. The closer men and women draw to God, the more overwhelmed they are with their own failure, corruption, and shortcomings. The closer one is to a shining light, the more he realises his need of a bath. This is true also, in the moral realm, for ordinary humans.

It is also striking that John, Paul, and Peter, all of whom were trained from earliest childhood to believe in the universality of sin, all spoke of the sinlessness of Christ: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22).

Pilate said, “What evil has He done?” He implicitly recognised Christ’s innocence. And the Roman centurion who witnessed the death of Christ said, “Surely He was the Son of God” (Matthew. 27:54).

Second, Christ demonstrated a power over natural forces which could belong only to God, the Maker of these forces.

He calmed a raging storm of wind and waves on the Sea of Galilee. In doing this He provoked from those in the boat the awestruck question, “Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey Him!” (Mark 4:41) He turned water into wine, fed 5,000 people from five loaves and two fish, gave a grieving widow back her only son by raising him from the dead, and brought to life the dead daughter of a shattered father. To an old friend He said, “Lazarus, come forth!” and dramatically raised him from the dead. It is most significant that His enemies did not deny this miracle. Rather, they tried to kill Him. “If we let Him go on like this,” they said, “everyone will believe in Him” (John11:48).

Third, Jesus demonstrated the Creator’s power over sickness and disease. He made the lame to walk, the dumb to speak, and the blind to see. Some of His healings were of congenital problems not susceptible to psychosomatic cure. The most outstanding was that of the blind man whose case is recorded in John 9. Though the man couldn’t answer his speculative questioners, his experience was enough to convince him. “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” he declared. He was astounded that his friends didn’t recognise this Healer as the Son of God. “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind,” he said (John 9:25, 32). To him the evidence was obvious.

Fourth, Jesus’ supreme credential to authenticate His claim to deity was His resurrection from the dead. Five times in the course of His life He predicted He would die. He also predicted how He would die and that three days later He would rise from the dead and appear to His disciples.

Surely this was the great test. It was a claim that was easy to verify. It either happened or it didn’t.

Both friends and enemies of the Christian faith have recognised the resurrection of Christ to be the foundation stone of the faith. Paul, the great apostle, wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14). Paul rested his whole case on the bodily resurrection of Christ. Either He did or He didn’t rise from the dead. If He did, it was the most sensational event in all of history.

If Jesus is the Son of God…

If Christ rose, we know with certainty that God exists, what He is like, and how we may know Him in personal experience. The universe takes on meaning and purpose, and it is possible to experience the living God in contemporary life.

On the other hand, if Christ did not rise from the dead, Christianity is an interesting museum piece–nothing more. It has no objective validity or reality. Though it is a nice wishful thought, it certainly isn’t worth getting steamed up about. The martyrs who went singing to the lions, and contemporary missionaries who have given their lives in Ecuador and Congo while taking this message to others, have been poor deluded fools.

The attack on Christianity by its enemies has most often concentrated on the Resurrection because it has been clearly seen that this event is the crux of the matter. A remarkable attack was the one contemplated in the early ’30s by a young British lawyer. He was convinced that the Resurrection was mere fable and fantasy. Sensing that it was the foundation stone of the Christian faith, he decided to do the world a favour by once and for all exposing this fraud and superstition. As a lawyer, he felt he had the critical faculties to rigidly sift evidence and to admit nothing as evidence which did not meet the stiff criteria for admission into a law court today.

However, while Frank Morrison was doing his research, a remarkable thing happened. The case was not nearly as easy as he had supposed. As a result, the first chapter in his book, Who Moved the Stone? is entitled, “The Book That Refused to Be Written.” In it he described how, as he examined the evidence, he became persuaded against his will, of the fact of the bodily resurrection of Christ.

The Death of Jesus

Jesus’ death was by public execution on a cross. The government said it was for blasphemy. Jesus said it was to pay for our sin. After being severely tortured, Jesus’ wrists and feet were nailed to a cross where He hung, eventually dying of slow suffocation. A sword was thrust into His side to confirm His death.

The body of Jesus was then wrapped in linens covered with approximately 100 pounds of gummy-wet spices. His body was placed in a solid rock tomb A 1 1/2- 2 ton boulder was rolled by levers to secure the entrance. Because Jesus had publicly said He would rise from the dead in three days, a guard of trained Roman soldiers was stationed at the tomb. And an official Roman seal was affixed to the tomb entrance declaring it government property.

In spite of all this, three days later the body was gone. Only the grave linens remained, in the form of the body, but caved in. The boulder formerly sealing the tomb was found up a slope, some distance away from the tomb.

Was Jesus’ Resurrection Just a Story?

The earliest explanation circulated was that the disciples stole the body! In Matthew 28:11-15, we have the record of the reaction of the chief priests and the elders when the guards gave them the infuriating and mysterious news that the body was gone. They gave the soldiers money and told them to explain that the disciples had come at night and stolen the body while they were asleep. That story was so false that Matthew didn’t even bother to refute it! What judge would listen to you if you said that while you were asleep you knew it was your neighbour who came into your house and stole your television set? Who knows what goes on while he’s asleep? Testimony like this would be laughed out of any court.

Furthermore, we are faced with a psychological and ethical impossibility. Stealing the body of Christ is something totally foreign to the character of the disciples and all that we know of them. It would mean that they were perpetrators of a deliberate lie which was responsible for the deception and ultimate death of thousands of people. It is inconceivable that, even if a few of the disciples had conspired and pulled off this theft, they would never have told the others.

Each of the disciples faced the test of torture and martyrdom for his statements and beliefs. Men and women will die for what they believe to be true, though it may actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie. If ever a man tells the truth, it is on his deathbed. And if the disciples had taken the body, and Christ was still dead, we would still have the problem of explaining His alleged appearances.

A second hypothesis is that the authorities, Jewish or Roman, moved the body! But why? Having put guards at the tomb, what would be their reason for moving the body? Also, what about the silence of the authorities in the face of the apostles’ bold preaching about the Resurrection in Jerusalem? The ecclesiastical leaders were seething with rage, and did everything possible to prevent the spread of this message that Jesus rose from the dead. They arrested Peter and John and beat and threatened them, in an attempt to close their mouths.

But there was a very simple solution to their problem. If they had Christ’s body, they could have paraded it through the streets of Jerusalem. In one fell swoop they would have successfully smothered Christianity in its cradle. That they did not do this bears eloquent testimony to the fact that they did not have the body.

Another popular theory has been that the women, distraught and overcome by grief, missed their way in the dimness of the morning and went to the wrong tomb. In their distress they imagined Christ had risen because the tomb was empty. This theory, however, falls before the same fact that destroys the previous one. If the women went to the wrong tomb, why did the high priests and other enemies of the faith not go to the right tomb and produce the body? Further, it is inconceivable that Peter and John would succumb to the same mistake, and certainly Joseph of Arimathea, owner of the tomb, would have solved the problem. In addition, it must be remembered that this was a private burial ground, not a public cemetery. There was no other tomb nearby that would have allowed them to make this mistake.

The swoon theory has also been advanced to explain the empty tomb. In this view, Christ did not actually die. He was mistakenly reported to be dead, but had swooned from exhaustion, pain, and loss of blood. When He was laid in the coolness of the tomb, He revived. He came out of the tomb and appeared to His disciples, who mistakenly thought He had risen from the dead.

This is a theory of modern construction. It first appeared at the end of the eighteenth century. It is significant that not a suggestion of this kind has come down from antiquity among all the violent attacks which have been made on Christianity. All of the earliest records are emphatic about Jesus’ death.

But let us assume for a moment that Christ was buried alive and swooned. Is it possible to believe that He would have survived three days in a damp tomb without food or water or attention of any kind? Would He have had the strength to extricate Himself from the graveclothes, push the heavy stone away from the mouth of the grave, overcome the Roman guards, and walk miles on feet that had been pierced with spikes? Such a belief is more fantastic than the simple fact of the Resurrection itself.

Even the German critic David Strauss, who by no means believes in the Resurrection, rejected this idea as incredible. He said:

It is impossible that One who had just come forth from the grave half dead, who crept about weak and ill, who stood in the need of medical treatment, of bandaging, strengthening, and tender care, and who at last succumbed to suffering, could ever have given the disciples the impression that He was a conqueror over death and the grave; that He was the Prince of Life.

Finally, if this theory is correct, Christ Himself was involved in flagrant lies. His disciples believed and preached that He was dead but came alive again. Jesus did nothing to dispel this belief, but rather encouraged it.

The only theory that adequately explains the empty tomb is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

What the Life of Jesus Christ Means for You

If Jesus Christ rose from the dead, proving He is God, He is alive today. He is willing to be more than worshipped. He is willing to be known and to come into our lives. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him” (Revelation 3:20).

The late Carl Gustav Jung said, “The central neurosis of our time is emptiness.” All of us have a deep longing for our life to have meaning and depth. Jesus offers us a more meaningful, abundant life, which comes through a relationship with Him. Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

Because Jesus died on the cross, taking with Him all of humankind’s sin, He now offers us forgiveness, acceptance and a genuine relationship with Him.

Right now you can invite Jesus Christ into your life. You could say to Him something like, “Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I ask You to forgive me and to come into my life right now. Thank You for giving me a relationship with You.”

Did Jesus Ever Say He was God?

Is Jesus God? Investigate these interesting claims…

The earliest followers of Jesus all seemed pretty convinced that Jesus was fully God in human form. Paul said, “He is the image of the invisible God…in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” John said that Jesus created the world. Peter said, “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

But what did Jesus say about himself? Did he ever identify himself as God? According to the Bible…absolutely! Below are some of his statements made while on earth, in their context.

“Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God?”……Answer: Jesus is never recorded in the Bible as saying the precise words, “I am God.” That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason. “… you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. Notice that Jesus does not deny His claim to be God. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” The response of the Jews who heard this statement was to take up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded them to do (Leviticus 24:15). ……John reiterates the concept of Jesus’ deity: “the Word was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Who bought the church—the church of God—with His own blood? Jesus Christ. Acts 20:28 declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!……Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But about the Son He says, ’Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as “O God” indicating that Jesus is indeed God.……In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11, 14:33, 28:9, 17Luke 24:52John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other verses and passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus’ deity.……The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.……Recommended Resource: Jesus: The Greatest Life of All by Charles Swindolls Jesus God? How he implied he was God:

The Jews therefore said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple. (John 8:57-59)

“I and the Father are one.” The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” (John 10:30-33)

And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him who sent Me. And he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me. I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.” (John 12:44-46)

And so when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:12-14)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:6-9)

Is Jesus God? How he described himself:

Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said therefore to Him, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:32-35)

Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You are bearing witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true; for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from, or where I am going.” (John 8:12-14)

Jesus therefore said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:7-11)

Martha therefore said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother shall rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.” (John 11:21-27)

Is Jesus God? What he said he was sent here to do:

But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)

For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him. (Mark 9:31-32)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

“All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40)

Still wondering if Jesus is God? To read more of Jesus’ words and to understand why he came, read the section of the Bible called “John” here on this site.

Who is Jesus?

by Luke Robertshaw

The identity of this man Jesus is absolutely central to the Christian beliefs. Christians believe He was God himself visiting our planet in human form – ‘God in Skin’. If this is not true then Christianity looses its validity, but if it is true, then the implications for the whole human race are huge.

There is no real question about whether Jesus existed since He is the most well documented historical character in ancient history. He was a real man, but the real issue is, ‘Who was Jesus?’ Was He God or was He just a good bloke, a great moral teacher, a prophet, or something else?

A good place to start is to find out who Jesus himself claimed to be. If He never made any claims to be God, then that’s the end of the story. However, in the historical accounts of his life, Jesus clearly made claims to be God.

The Claims of Jesus

Jesus’ teachings are unique in that they are centred on himself. Most other religious leaders point away from themselves towards God, but Jesus pointed to God by pointing to himself. He claimed to be able to satisfy the longing and thirst within the human heart as well as to give life after death to those who know him. Jesus also claimed that He was the only way to God and that anyone who had seen Him had seen God. So his teaching was centred on himself.

Jesus made some indirect claims to being God, such as claiming to forgive sins (for which he was accused of blasphemy) and the judge of the whole world. He also made some more direct claims. When Jesus was on trial He was asked the question, “Are you the Christ, the son of the living God?” he replied, “I am.” After hearing this, the priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we need any more witnesses? You heard the blasphemy!” This was because by claiming to be the Christ, Jesus was claiming to be God. (Blasphemy in their eyes) It was for this that he was put to death. On another occasion Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him. Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father, for which of these do you stone me?”, “We are not stoning you for any of these”, replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere human being, claim to be God”.

If a man is claiming to be God then there are three possibilities for his identity. Firstly, he has completely lost his marbles and is deluded into thinking he is God when he isn’t. Secondly, he is a liar and knows that he isn’t God, but is tricking many people into believing that he is. Thirdly, he is God. Interestingly this doesn’t leave open the possibility that Jesus was just a good bloke or a great teacher or a prophet from God. The Author C. S. Lewis put it like this:

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn’t be a great moral teacher, he’d either be a lunatic – on a level with a man who says he’s a poached egg – or else he’d be the devil from hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse… But don’t let us come up with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He hasn’t left that open to us. He didn’t intend to.”

Evidence to support Jesus’ claims

1. What he taught

The teaching of Jesus is widely acknowledged to be the greatest ever to have fallen from the lips of a human being. Take, for example, the sermon he made on the mount. “Love your neighbour as yourself”. “It someone hits you on one cheek, turn the other cheek”. “Love you enemies”. “Do good to those who hate you”. “Do to others what you would like them to do to you”. Jesus’ teaching has been the foundation of our entire western civilisation. Many of our laws in this country were based originally on the teaching of Jesus. We’re making progress in virtually every field of science and technology, we travel faster and we know more. Yet in 2000 years no one has ever improved on the teaching of Jesus. They’re the greatest words ever spoken. In fact, they’re the kind of words you would expect God to speak. Is it possible that those were spoken by someone who was mad, or by someone who was evil?

2. What he did

Jesus was able to perform extraordinary miracles. These went far beyond reading peoples minds to complete eradication of leprosy from a man and raising one of his friends from the dead. (He has been dead in a tomb for three days) He did however make it clear that the best healing anyone could experience is complete forgiveness of sin.

3. His character

Many people have said some good things, but their character just doesn’t match up. Recently the former Prime Minister, John Major, admitted that he had been having an affair with a member of his cabinet while preaching a message of ‘Back to Basics’ family values. So how does Jesus’ character stand up? The character of Jesus has impressed millions of people who wouldn’t call themselves Christians. Bernard Levin, perhaps the greatest columnist of our generation wrote an article once saying:

“For the fourteenth thousandth time, I am not a Christian!” – But he went on to say this:

“Is not the nature of Christ in the words of the New Testament, enough to pierce to the soul anyone with a soul to be pierced? He still looms over the world, his message still clear, his pity still infinite, his consolation still effective, his words still full of glory, wisdom and love.”

Jesus was the supreme example of unselfishness, but never self-pity, of humility, but not weakness, of joy, but never at another’s expense, of kindness, but not indulgence. And of course, the real test of a person’s character comes when they’re under pressure. When Jesus was suffering, being tortured, he turned to the people who were torturing him and said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing”. His character was such that his enemies could find no fault in him. His friends said about him, “He’s without sin”. Could that really have been somebody who was mentally unbalanced, or evil?

4. His resurrection from the dead

The resurrection is very important in identifying who Jesus was. If Jesus did not come back to life then we may be left wondering whether he has really accomplished his mission. However, there is evidence to suggest that the resurrection is fact rather than just a nice story. There are four main pieces of evidence:

i) Empty tomb

It’s clear from historical accounts that Jesus’ body was gone from his tomb on the third day. So why was he gone? People have come up with different theories for his absence from the tomb, but none of these explanations have been satisfactory. The most popular arguments are as follows.

Jesus survived crucifixion and escaped from the tomb. The problem with this is that Jesus had undergone a Roman flogging which was enough to kill many men. He’d undergone crucifixion and crucifixion was a means of killing people. He’d been put in a tomb with a stone that weighed one and a half tonnes put in front of it. Furthermore one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. We know now that this is good medical evidence of death. That is the separation of the clot from the serum. But John, when he wrote this, didn’t know that. He was just recording the facts of what happened. But now we know that this is powerful evidence that Jesus was in fact dead.

The disciples stole the body and started rumours about a resurrection. Leaving aside the fact that the tomb was guarded, this theory is psychologically improbable because here was a group of depressed, disillusioned people and it needed something extraordinary to transform them. Think about how much they had to suffer for the fact that they were proclaiming that Jesus was alive. A scientist at CambridgeUniversity became a Christian because he said he could not believe that those disciples would have been willing to be tortured and die for something they knew was not true.

The Authorities stole the body. What was their motive for stealing the body? Neither the Romans, nor the Jews, would have been happy with the talk of Jesus coming back to life. All they had to do when the rumour started that Jesus was risen from the dead was to say, “No he’s not!” and produce the body. But they never did, they couldn’t.

Thieves stole the body. Again this doesn’t work because there was only one valuable thing in that tomb and that was the grave clothes. The interesting thing is that when Peter and John ran to the tomb and looked in they saw that the tomb was not empty. The grave clothes were still there. The grave clothes had literally collapsed and the headpiece had been folded up and put in a separate part. When they saw this they believed.

So that’s the first piece of evidence, his absence from the tomb.

ii) Eyewitness accounts

Jesus appeared to more than 500 people over a six week period after his death. Some people have suggested that the disciples were hallucinating, but it’s highly unlikely that so many people would experience the same hallucination at the same time in the same place!

iii) Immediate effect on Jesus’ followers

Here was this group of people discouraged, depressed, disillusioned – and suddenly they were out there preaching on the streets saying, “Jesus is risen from the dead”. The birth and growth of the Christian Church started with a handful of uneducated fishermen and tax collectors. Within a period of 300 years it had spread to the whole of the known world! It’s the story of a peaceful revolution that has no parallel in the history of the world. Could any other event apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ account for that?

iv) Effect down the ages

Countless millions of people through the ages have experienced the risen Jesus Christ. This includes people of every colour, tribe, race, continent, nationality, economic, social and intellectual background. They have had the same experience – the risen Jesus Christ.

Wilson Carlisle, the founder of the Church Army, was preaching at Hyde Park Corner, London, and he was saying, “Jesus is alive today!” There was a heckler at the back shouting, “How do you know he’s alive today?” He replied, “Well, I was talking to him for half an hour this morning!” That is the ultimate proof, millions of people around the world who are experiencing a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

So, was Jesus who he said he was or was he a liar or a lunatic? After considering his teaching, works, character and resurrection he certainly does not seem to be mad or evil, but God himself, as he claimed. C. S. Lewis put it like this:

“We are faced then with a frightening alternative. The man we are talking about was (and is) just what he said or else a lunatic or something worse. Now is seems to me obvious that he was neither a lunatic, nor a fiend; Consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely is may seem, I have to accept the view that he was and is God. God who has landed on this enemy occupied world in human form.”

Why Jesus’ Disciples…Refused to Keep Silent

What compelled the apostles to endure martyrdom?

Each of the 12 apostles left families and careers, often travelling alone to distant countries, declaring that Jesus died and came back to life. For proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection, they were beaten, imprisoned, and many killed in torturous ways.

Did they have any basis for declaring this? Yes. It is undisputed that after the crucifixion of Jesus, the tomb was empty three days later, just as Jesus’ predicted. The controversy focuses on what became of Jesus’ body? Some say that Jesus’ disciples stole his body and concocted a story that he rose from the dead. However, if the disciples made it all up, each of them allowed himself to be executed–for what they knew to be a lie. It doesn’t make sense. Would you die for something you knew was a lie?

What does make sense are the historical facts. Jesus had been humiliated, beaten, whipped, nailed to a cross, where he died on display before the public. A spear was thrust into his side just to make sure he was dead. He was buried in a stone tomb, with Roman soldiers to guard the tomb, assigned by the religious establishment who feared an attempt to steal the body. But on the third day, the guards had fled, the tomb was open, and the only remaining evidence were the burial clothes inside the tomb, laying there empty.

Starting that day, the disciples said they saw Jesus physically alive multiple times. So had hundreds of others. They had lengthy conversations with him and ate with him–all after witnessing his death by beating, crucifixion and spearing. When ordered not to speak about Jesus’ resurrection, they responded, “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard!”

These disciples risked their lives to speak out about what they had no doubts about–that Jesus had risen from the dead, proving that he was everything he claimed to be…the Son of God.

What do you think? You will hopefully never be executed for believing in Jesus like the first disciples were, but you can become just as sure of the truth of his resurrection, and understand why it mattered so much to these twelve men. Click here to learn more about Jesus and the facts supporting his resurrection: Beyond Blind Faith.

Who2

Note: this is a follow-up to the article called Who.

This is the final instalment in a series that began with Nothing, followed by Something, then followed by Who. The primary points made in those studies are as follows:

(1) Absolutely Nothing never existed. If it had, there would still be Absolutely Nothing now. But Something Else exists. You, for example.

(2) Since Absolutely Nothing never existed, there was always a time when there was something in existence. This something we can call the Eternal Something. The Eternal Something has no beginning and no end, has no needs that It Itself cannot meet, can do whatever is possible that can be done, and will always be superior to anything It produces.

(3) The Eternal Something is not a machine, controlled or programmed by any force outside Itself. And the Eternal Something will not produce out of necessity, since It has no needs. Therefore, if It produces Something Else, It must decide to do so. That means that the Eternal Something has a will; thus, It is personal. Therefore, the Eternal Something must actually be an Eternal Someone (or Someones).

Continuing on, what can we discern about the Eternal Someone, beyond what has been stated already? (It’s necessary here to transition from using “It” to “He” or “She” because the Eternal Something is an Eternal Someone. “He” has been chosen but gender is not an issue in this discussion.)

Since the Eternal Someone has no needs that He cannot fulfil on His own, He can exist without need of any kind of environment, for He existed when there was nothing else but Him. Any environment would be outside Him, and therefore would need to be produced. But all there is, is Him.

It’s likely then that the Eternal Someone is transcendent. Meaning, He can exist outside of time and space, since He is bound by neither one. He existed eternally, thus being outside of time. And He exists without need of an environment, thus being outside of space.

Being transcendent of time and space, it’s possible that the Eternal Someone is what we would call invisible. Only that which takes up space is visible. If something is outside of space, how could it be seen? Just so, the Eternal Someone is likely invisible and can exist without need of any kind of body or form.

For discussion sake, let’s say that the Eternal Someone decides to produce Something Else — or rather, Someone Else. The Eternal Someone chooses to produce Someone Else who is like Him in some respects. Like Him, the Someone Else will have a self-consciousness, which is a necessary aspect of having will. So the Someone Else is a self and has a will.

What can we determine about this Someone Else? Will this Someone Else be outside of time? No, the Someone Else will not have existed eternally. The Someone Else will have a beginning and thus be bound by time.

Recall that anything the Eternal Someone produces will be inferior with regard to time and space. That cannot be avoided in any way. So, even if the Someone Else were to exist forever in the future, he would still have a beginning in time. Actually, his timeline would fall within the [infinite] timeline of the Eternal Someone.

What about space? Will the Someone Else be bound by space? Yes. Only the Eternal Someone can exist without any kind of environment. The Someone Else will need an environment to exist in, but what? Think of space like time. The Someone Else exists within the Eternal Someone’s timeline. In a similar way, the Someone Else will exist within the Eternal Someone’s “spaceline.”

The Eternal Someone transcends space. Thus, just as He is everywhere in time, He can be everywhere in space. So, when the Someone Else is produced, he will exist within the Eternal Someone’s time and space.

So now we’ve got the Eternal Someone and the Someone Else, but there’s a problem. The Someone Else cannot see the Eternal Someone, for the Eternal Someone transcends space. He does not take up a part of space.

So the Someone Else cannot detect the Eternal Someone. So what must the Eternal Someone do if He wants to be detected by the Someone Else? He must “untranscend.” Some kind of untranscendence is essential. Is that possible?

Remember, anything that can possibly be done can be done by the Eternal Someone. It would be possible for Him to make Himself detectable by the Someone Else, that is, to “untranscend.” How?

We detect the presence of another in our world through sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing. If the Eternal Someone gave the Someone Else the ability to see or hear, for example, then the Eternal Someone could (1) appear in a visible form, (2) speak to the Someone Else, or (3) do both simultaneously. These would be ways of untranscending so that the Eternal Someone could be detected by the Someone Else.

Remember, the Someone Else is produced. Thus, the Someone Else is bound by time and space. Whatever his makeup (nature) is, it will be detectable in time and space. Therefore, all the Eternal Someone has to do is assume whatever form He gives the Someone Else. That is one way to make Himself detectable.

But here’s a question: if the Eternal Someone untranscends in order to be detected, is that the whole of the Eternal Someone? No! There would be more to Him that He had not made known. Though He could divulge much about Himself, the whole of Him — that is, Himself in His transcendence — could not be fully known or understood by the Someone Else.

Interestingly, the scenario described above is exactly what we see in the Bible. We are like the Someone Else. We are bound by time and space. God, however, is the Eternal Someone. And He untranscended in the person of Jesus Christ. To find out more, see below…

1. God is the Eternal Someone. He has always existed and will continue to do so.

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalms 90:2)

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. (Isaiah 40:28)

“This is what the LORD says — Israel‘s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)

But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. (Jeremiah 10:10)

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8:58)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13)

2. God is invisible.

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:18)

God is spirit. (John 4:24)

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. (1 Timothy 1:17)

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. (1 Timothy 6:15-16)

3. God can be everywhere, yet God is still distinct from us.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. (Psalms 139:7)

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:24-27)

4. Anything that can possibly be done, can be done by God.

“Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14)

Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. (Psalms 115:3)

“I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:10)

“With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

“For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

5. It is possible for God to “untranscend.” He can reveal Himself by taking on a human form.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:1, 1:14)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. (1 John 1:1-2)

He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. (Hebrews 1:3)

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)

6. When God untranscends, this is not the whole of Him, and yet it is still Him.

“The Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28)

“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

…Would you like to know this God? If so, find out how…

Jesus, Religions, and Just War

What causes religious wars? Can religious tolerance avoid such wars? What were Jesus’ comments on this?

by Paul Copan

Who of us hasn’t heard the claim that “religion leads to warfare?” We’re familiar with sweeping military campaigns in the Middle East and North Africa in the name of Islam. In the name of Christ, Crusaders marched to take land back that was previously under Christendom. In 16th and 17th century Europe (1550-1650), wars between Protestant and Catholic rulers brought much bloodshed. There have been czarist pogroms against the Jews–often with religious justification. Mohandas K. Gandhi was killed by a militant Hindu in 1948; Sri Lanka‘s prime minister was assassinated by a Buddhist monk in 1959.1 In our day, we’ve seen Catholics and Protestants clashing in Northern Ireland. In India, we’ve seen Hindus and Muslims fighting one another. Buddhists and Hindus have been fighting in Sri Lanka. We’ve seen the Ayatollah Khomeini calling for the death of Salman Rushdie because of his Satanic Verses.

Does religion lead to violence and religious wars?

Several observations are in order:

1) It’s overly simplistic, against what author Regina Schwartz has claimed,2 to say that “monotheism” has brought “violent legacy” to Western societies and that non-Western religions have no association with violence.

2) Much of the blood shed in the 20th century was the result of atheist ideologues. It’s ironic that religion gets the blame for violence, but critics of religion are silent when a secular or atheistic faith–such as that of Stalin or Mao Tse-tung–wreaks utter destruction on millions upon millions of lives.

3) Thus what we must look to is the essential teaching of what a religion says, not merely at its abuse, and judge it from that perspective. Is taking up the sword in the name of Jesus to promote Christianity consistent with what Jesus affirmed? We could ask the same of Islam or Hinduism.

4) Thus it is not religion per se that perpetrates violence, but a certain mindset that seeks to use an ideology or a religious justification to control people’s thinking and restrain the most fundamental freedoms.

5) Where freedom of conscience or religious freedom or women’s rights are being abused, all of us must reject this as wrong. Sometimes this may mean calling on the carpet those who claim the same religious affiliation as we do, but they utilize violent ends to promote their religious system. For example, where were the people to condemn the Ayatollah Khomeini’s death wish (fatwah) upon Salman Rushdie for his Satanic Verses?

Religious wars within the same religion.

I’m so glad we have a Muslim represented here; it is precisely such persons of influence whose voice can contribute to bringing about necessary changes in Islamic-based societies around the world so that it will fit into the global village in which we find ourselves.3 For example, Muqtedar Khan (a Muslim from India, now living in Michigan) of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy boldly wrote after 9/11, decrying intolerance in the name of Islam:

The Israeli occupation of Palestine is perhaps central to Muslim grievance against the West. While acknowledging that, I must remind you that Israel treats its one million Arab citizens with greater respect and dignity than most Arab nations treat their citizens.Today Palestinian refugees can settle and become citizens of the United States but in spite of all the tall rhetoric of the Arab world and Quranic injunctions (24:22) no Muslim country except Jordan extends this support to them. While we loudly and consistently condemn Israel for its ill treatment of Palestinians we are silent when Muslim regimes abuse the rights of Muslims and slaughter thousands of them. Remember Saddam and his use of chemical weapons against Muslims (Kurds)?. Remember Pakistani army’s excesses against Muslims (Bengalis)?. Remember the Mujahideen of Afghanistan and their mutual slaughter? Have we ever condemned them for their excesses? Have we demanded international intervention or retribution against them? Do you know how the Saudis treat their minority Shi’as? Have we protested the violation of their rights? But we all are eager to condemn Israel; not because we care for rights and lives of the Palestinians, we don’t. We condemn Israel because we hate “them.”

These are bold words, but they are utterly necessary for changes within Islam to take place. The same sorts of measured and firm denunciations are in order when abuses against humanity take place in the name of any religious traditions–including my own.

Religious tolerance without religious wars.

6) Thus, truth-claims regarding religious uniqueness in themselves do not perpetuate violence–hence, a word about religious pluralism:4 Although the Dalai Lama rejects the existence of a Creator God, I still appreciate what he does for promoting peace. He claims that Tibetan Buddhism is “the highest and complete form of Buddhism.”5 Furthermore, full salvation or even the practice of compassion is impossible to achieve unless you accept the doctrine of emptiness (sunyata)–the absence of inherent or independent existence. Everything is emptiness. In an interview in the early 1980s, he claimed that the state of liberation is one which “only Buddhists can accomplish.”6 I would disagree, but our differing views needn’t perpetuate violence or militancy. They needn’t keep us from fighting for human rights, religious freedom, the right to life and liberty for the most vulnerable of human beings.

In fact, people who call themselves religious pluralists believe they have a virtue that the Dalai Lama or I do not have–they believe that their viewpoint is the correct one, and that our views are erroneous. So try as we might, we can’t escape truth-claims in religion. But the question is: how will we treat people who disagree with us–with dignity and respect or as enemies? Disagreement can co-exist with respect. I myself attended a Muslim mosque for two years, and I was blessed to meet many wonderful Muslims and to eat in their homes. Tolerance doesn’t mean accepting all views as true (which is impossible, since we don’t truly “tolerate” those who don’t agree with our pluralism); it means putting up with what we take to be erroneous or false in another person’s thinking but respecting the person’s right to think and choose differently since he has been made in the image of God too.

Does Jesus oppose religious wars?

7) The Christian church is not a theocratic nation (Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world; otherwise, my servants would fight”), but Christians ideally should live within national boundaries to seek the well-being of that nation. Sometimes, they may be called upon to defend that nation’s existence (or that of another vulnerable nation) against an aggressor’s attack.

Contrary to what many believe, Jesus’ words about “turning the other cheek” after someone hits you on the right cheek are dealing with personal insults, not with acts of violence or force. Rather, Jesus said, “When insulted, be willing to take another insult.” Assuming that persons in Jesus’ time were generally right-handed, a hit on the right cheek is a back-handed slap, which even today in the Middle East expresses a gross insult. This idea of a slap as an insult is seen in Lamentations 3:30: “Let him give his cheek to the smiter and be filled with insults.” This slap would be roughly equivalent to spitting in someone’s face in our society.

Jesus is not saying, “Don’t defend yourself when you are attacked” or “Don’t help a woman who is being raped” or “Don’t defend your country when it is being attacked.” He is not negating the judicial principle of an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”; he speaks against the abuse of that judicial principle to justify personal retaliation or vengeance.7

When are religious wars just?

Although there are some pacifistic Christian groups which I respect, I believe good biblical reasons can be given for advocating a just war as a last resort to bring about lasting peace: Governments, when operating as they should, must bring order and punish evildoers. God approves of this arrangement, as Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Pet. 2:14 indicate. Even though war is never neat and innocent civilians will be killed, the Judeo-Christian tradition is realistic in recognizing human self-centredness and sinfulness which may necessitate force to keep evil from spreading its tentacles further, to restrain violence.

If a war is ever to be fought, its principles should be just, keeping in mind both human beings as made in God’s image and the reality of human sinfulness:8

1) JUST CAUSE: The only morally legitimate reason to go to war is for self-defence (or for defending a nation in moral need of defence)–or if there is very strong reason for a pre-emptive strike (e.g., a “rogue nation” with “dirty bombs”): “If this rule were universally followed there would be no aggressors and no wars.”

2) JUST INTENT: The only morally legitimate goal in war is the restoration of peace, with justice for both friend and foe: “Vengeance, subjugation, and conquest are unjustifiable purposes.” Sometimes there may be “unintentional effects” (killing civilians) which accompany the intended effect of restraining violence.

3) LAST RESORT: “war should be entered upon only when negotiation, arbitration, and compromise, and all other paths fail; for as a rational being man should, if at all possible, settle his disputes by reason and law, not by force.”

4) LAWFUL DECLARATION: Only a lawful government has the right to initiate war. Only the state–not individuals or parties within the state–can legitimately exercise this authority.

5) IMMUNITY OF NON-COMBATANTS: “those not officially serving as agents of the government in its use of force, including POW’s and medical personnel and services, should not be permitted to fight and are not to be subject to violence.”

6) LIMITED OBJECTIVES: Since the goal of war is peace–not the destruction of the enemy nation’s economy or the destruction of its political institutions.

7) LIMITED MEANS: “only sufficient force should be used to resist violence and restore peace.” “Sufficient” does not necessarily mean decisive victory.

C.S. Lewis, writing during WWII, said that “war is very disagreeable.”9 Be that as it may, evil and aggression are a reality, and we may be doing more harm by ignoring or not stopping evil. He said that a society of pacifists won’t remain pacifistic long!

Only liberal societies tolerate Pacifists. In the liberal society, the number of Pacifists will either be large enough to cripple the state as a belligerent, or not. If not, you have done nothing. If it is large enough, then you have handed over the state which does tolerate Pacifists to its totalitarian neighbour who does not. Pacifism of this kind is taking the straight road to a world in which there will be no Pacifists.10

Jesus said that those who are peacemakers are blessed–not just peacekeepers, but those who actively seek to unite parties at odds with one another. In the Christian faith, this is best exemplified by Jesus, in whose death we see, in the words of St. Paul, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself.”

© Paul Copan, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

This article on religious wars is an excerpt from a panel discussion, used by permission. Dr. Paul Copan is a Visiting Assistant Professor at TrinityEvangelicalDivinitySchool, travelling speaker, and author of True for You, But Not for Me and That’s Just Your Interpretation.

(1) Even as recently as today, there was a Buddhist monk, Pramaha Sayanjerasutho, who was arrested after firing his AK-47 into the air in Thailand’s parliament building to protest police harassment (“Monk Threatens Thai Parliament,” BBC News, 22 May 2002; found at http://news.bbc.co.africa/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_2001000/2001557.stm).

(2) The Curse of Canaan: The Violent Legacy of MonotheismChicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997.

(3) It must be acknowledged by Muslims that their religion has not simply sought to defend itself, but has been aggressive and ruthless and expansive. For meticulous documentation of the influence of Islam and the not-always-positive relationships of ruling Muslims with Jews and Christians (which Muslim apologists tend to paper over as “tolerant”), see the writings of the Egyptian Jewish author Bat Ye’or: The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam and Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations Collide (both published by Dickinson Farleigh University Press).

(4) For criticisms of religious pluralism, see Paul Copan, “True for You, But Not for Me” (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1998); Harold Netland, Encountering Religious Pluralism (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2001); Gavin D’Costa, The Meeting of Religions and the Trinity (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 2000).

(5) Kindness, Clarity and Insight (New York: Snow Lion, 1984), 45.

(6) José Ignacio Cabezón, ed. The Bodhgaya Interviews (New York: Snow Lion, 1988), 22.

(7) Some observations on Jesus’ comments in the Sermon on the Mount:

(8) Taken from Arthur Holmes’ essay (“Just War”) in Four Views on War, ed., Robert Clouse (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1991), 4-5.

(9) The Weight of Glory and Other Essays (New York: Macmillan), 39.

(10) Ibid., 44.

Two Kinds of Truth

Can Jesus be “true for you, but not true for me”?

by Mark Hansard

One day not too long ago I was talking to a student on campus about Christianity. He was bright, intelligent, and I could tell he was well versed in science and philosophy.

“Christianity is good for YOU,” he said, “but it’s not right for ME. I think you ought to believe whatever makes you happy and gives you peace.”

“Well, you could be right about that,” I said. “I’m not here to cram my opinions down your throat. Let me throw some ideas out here, and see what you think about them. There are two kinds of truth,” I said. “There’s opinion, or preference, like ‘I like chocolate ice cream.’ Some people like chocolate. Some like vanilla. Some major in accounting, others in Spanish.

“Then there’s another kind of truth, like scientific truth. For instance, gravity works whether you believe in it or not. Before gravity was discovered, apples still fell to the ground, right?”

“Right,” he agreed.

“Now most people think religion is on the same level as OPINION,” I went on. “Like a favourite ice cream flavour. But the Bible indicates that spiritual truth is more like the LAW OF GRAVITY. It is true whether you believe in it or not.

“Now, the question of whether the Bible is true or not is another issue,” I said. “But the idea is this: the Bible says that our sin has separated us from God, and the only way to solve that problem is through Jesus Christ.

“You can believe whatever you like,” I said. “I’m not here to force you to believe my way…But if you’re right and I’m wrong, I’ve lost nothing. When I die, I simply turn to dust. If I’m right and you’re wrong, you could spend eternity separated from God. Isn’t it worth at least looking into?”

I could tell it made him think.

Most people find the idea of Christianity being the only way to heaven as repugnant. And I don’t blame them. It sounds arrogant. Heck, some Christians ARE arrogant. But I think most of the time the turnoff people feel is a simple misunderstanding. When Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” he wasn’t being boastful and saying, “I am the best. And I’m only going to let people into heaven who follow my way.”

Rather, it was like saying, “There is only one way across the Grand Canyon. You can’t jump across, walk across, or drive across. You have to take a helicopter.” The nature of the problem means there is only one solution.

Our sin makes it impossible to reach God. If we’re trying to gain acceptance with God by our “good” life, we’re stuck. If we’re trying to be religious to reach God, we’re stuck. However, God could reach us. Jesus Christ came so we could be forgiven, so we could have a relationship with Him. We can try to get to God by good works or religious efforts, but Jesus was saying that won’t work.

Jesus not only said, “No one comes to the Father except by Me,” he also said, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Now, if there were other men, who were God, I guess there would be other ways to heaven! But Jesus is the only person in history I know of who fits the requirement!

Questions about Jesus

How do we know Jesus ever really lived?

Q: “Are there any historical writings, other than the Bible, that prove that Jesus ever really lived?”

our A: Yes. Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 55-120) was considered the greatest historian of ancient Rome. He wrote of Nero who “punished with the most exquisite tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus [Christ], the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time, broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also.”1

Also, Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian, (A.D. 38-100+) wrote about Jesus in his Jewish Antiquities, saying that Jesus was a wise man who did surprising feats, taught many, won over followers from among Jews and Greeks, that Jesus was believed to be the Messiah, was accused by the Jewish leaders, was condemned to be crucified by Pilate, and was considered to be resurrected.2

The existence of Jesus Christ is recorded not only by Josephus and Tacitus, but also by ancient writers such as Suetonius, Thallus, Pliny the Younger, and Lucian. And from the Jewish Talmud, “we learn that Jesus was conceived out of wedlock, gathered disciples, made blasphemous claims about himself, and worked miracles, but these miracles are attributed to sorcery and not to God.”3

Thus, historians both favourable and unfavourable regarding Jesus did write about him. Also there were many historical writings about the early Christians.

Note: Many people also have an internal source of confirmation that Jesus existed, and still exists today. The Bible says that God by His Spirit bears witness of Christ (John 15:26) and convinces the world concerning Him (John 16:8-11). So it’s possible for someone without access to ancient historical writings or the Bible to believe that Jesus was real. A person can hear about Jesus from another source, and God can confirm it by His Spirit.

(1) Annals XV, 44 as quoted in The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell. See this book for other historical sources. …(2) Noted in Jesus Under Fire by Michael J. Wilkins & J. P. Moreland, Zondervan Publishing. …(3) Ibid.

 Is Jesus the only way?

Q: “Christianity is the ‘right’ one – isn’t that being naive?”

our A: We have a feature article that deals with the major differences among the different world faiths. The teachings of Jesus Christ are compared with those world faiths. Please see Connecting with the Divine. Also please see the articles in the second section of our And Jesus? page.

Is it naive? Not if it is true. Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Either He was telling the truth or He wasn’t. If He was telling the truth, it’s not naive to agree with Him.

Followers of Christ are generally assumed to be from the Western hemisphere. However, Christianity began in the Middle East and spread outward from there, throughout the whole earth. There are millions of believers in Africa and Asia. Currently the largest Christian church in the world is in South Korea. Faith in Christ is not just a Western thing, though skeptics and antagonists like to paint that picture. The Bible tells us that the multitude of believers in heaven are from every tribe and people and nation and language (Revelation 7:9), and that Jesus died for the sins of people from every tribe, nation, people and tongue (Revelation 5:9).

If Jesus is in fact, God, as He said, and rose from the dead as proof, then He has given us ample reasons to believe in Him (see Beyond Blind Faith). He is not asking for a naive faith, but a knowledgeable faith in Him. And those who will believe in Jesus receive a more abundant life, direction in life, peace with God, and eternal life.

What does it mean to “trust” Jesus?

Q: “All of this sounds really great but I have never understood what it means to ‘trust Jesus.'”

our A: First, trusting in Christ means that you’re not relying upon yourself, but on Christ to get you into heaven. We cannot get to heaven by doing good deeds, things that we think will make us acceptable to God. Rather, we need to be forgiven of our sins, realizing that Jesus died for our sins. And what He did for us on the cross is the only way to have our sins forgiven. The Bible says…

After someone trusts in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, a new life begins — “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2Cor. 5:17) The person becomes a follower of Christ. As a follower of Christ, a person relies upon Jesus in other areas of their life, not just for forgiveness of sin.

For example, Jesus said that He is the Teacher (John 13:13-14). He told His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to them, and that the Holy Spirit would teach them all things (John 14:26) and guide them into all truth (John 16:13). God teaches a person His ways and His truth. In terms of our values and our behaviour, He cleans out stuff in our thinking that’s not right, and shows us from His perspective what is correct. This is another way in which God loves us. He is the One who knows all truth, and He wants us to build our lives on His truth. Jesus said…

The most important part of following Christ is to learn from Him. By relying on Christ as our Teacher, He guides us into living a new life that is according to His will and is according to truth. He shows us how to live, and will even guide us in how to pray. When we learn what He wants from us, then we rely on His strength and power (the Holy Spirit) to do those things.

Following Christ is all about relying upon Him. He told His disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

What does Jesus offer us?

Q: “Why believe in Jesus? What does Jesus offer me?”

our A: Below are some of his statements made while on earth, in their context.

a way out of darkness — “I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.” (John 12:44-46)

satisfaction, an end to our inner thirst — Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said therefore to Him, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:32-35)

direction in life — Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

payment for our sin — “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)   He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him. (Mark 9:31-32)

abundant life — Jesus therefore said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:7-11)

forgiveness of sin — Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralysed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…’ He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:3-12)

eternal life — “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40)

Does it matter if Jesus really did and said what is in the Gospels?

Yes. For faith to really be of any value, it must be based on facts, on reality. Here is why. If you were taking a flight to London, you would probably have faith that the jet is fueled and mechanically reliable, the pilot trained, and no terrorists on board. Your faith, however, is not what gets you to London. Your faith is useful in that it got you on the plane. But what actually gets you to London is the integrity of the plane, pilot, etc. You could rely on your positive experience of past flights. But your positive experience would not be enough to get that plane to London. What matters is the object of your faith–is it reliable?

Is the New Testament an accurate, reliable presentation of Jesus? Yes. We can trust the New Testament because there is enormous factual support for it. This article touched on the following points: historians concur, archaeology concurs, the four Gospel biographies are in agreement, the preservation of document copies is remarkable, there is superior accuracy in the translations. All of this gives a solid foundation for believing what we read in the New Testament: that Jesus is God, that he took the penalty for our sins, and that he rose from the dead.

Is Jesus God?

Q: “How can Jesus have been both God and man at the same time?”

our A: God could become man for the same reason Jesus could perform miracles and God could create the universe out of nothing: namely, that God can do as He pleases. Anything that is not immoral that can possibly be done, can be done by God. “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

If God wanted to, He could take on the form of 80 people and walk into your room right now and speak to you either in unison or each one saying something different. This would all be the same person however…God.

But God doesn’t do it that way. Instead, years before He came, He announced His coming (Old Testament prophecies). Then when He did come, He told us exactly who He was. For example, “Before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58), “The Father and I are one” (John 10:31), and “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). To make His point clear, Jesus performed miracles that no other human being has performed, the culmination of which was His resurrection from the dead.

We can think of Jesus as the invisible God taking on a visible form. He did this in order to communicate His love to us, to show us the way to Himself, and ultimately to provide the way to Himself. Jesus did this by allowing Himself to be put to death, crucified, for the forgiveness of our sins. The Bible says that, in Jesus, God “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5).

In Jesus, the transcendent God “untranscended” so that He could die in our place, as a bridge for us to Himself, God. Here are some other ways that the Bible explains this remarkable Person…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:1,14)

He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15)

In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. (Hebrews 1:3)