Why I Believe in J esus

I Didnt always believe in Jesus or the bible I knew plenty of Christians. I n fact,
I read the Bible often I wanted to know what they believed so I could break down
their reasons for believing. I thought god, the bible and J esus was fake but it all
deals with faith I t didn't take long for God to change my mind. I n 8
th
grade I
didnt have good grades nothing I used to be a bad kid cuss do all these bad
things never forgave not one person then one day, I know this sounds strange.
Believe me, I was pretty freaked out by it, too. But I honestly heard J esus talking
to me. As I listened, I felt something I'd never experienced before. I felt filled up,
not hollow and empty. I knew that what was happening to me was real. I wanted
to talk to someone, but I didn't know who. Suddenly I felt God urging me to go
see my Pastor. After that, things started to change. God provided just what I
needed good grades. I wasn't worried about the future because I knew the Lord
was in control, not me The people around me saw the changes too. Before I
became a Christian, I was arrogant, selfish and manipulative. I had done things
to intentionally turn people away from their Christian faith. But after my
conversion, I felt humbled by God's power to change me. I wanted people to see
J esus in my life, not me or my accomplishments. I was almost grateful for my
struggles, because I knew God was using them to keep me humble and focused
on him. I wanted people to think, "Hey, if God can change the life of someone
like Christian , I wonder what he can do in my life." Even when things in my life
are hard, I know God is with me. I feel his presence through the people at my
church who pray for me and support me. I see him in the Christian friends he's
given me. I try to serve him And I still hear his voice through his Word and
through his answers to my prayers. So why do I believe in J esus? Because he's
real Buddha wasn't there for me. I t was J esus who saved me. Many people do
not believe J esus is the Christ, the Son of God. I f He is not the Christ, then our
faith is of no value. I f He is the Son of God, we must obey Him to go to heaven
(Matthew 7:21-23). Not everybody believes He is the Son of God. Some say, He
was a good man, and a great Teacher, but He was not the Son of God. This is
impossible. Either He is the Son of God, or He was the biggest liar in the world.
He said He was the Son of God. People must believe that J esus is the Christ to be
saved (J ohn 8:24; J ohn 14:6). We can give reasons for believing in J esus. The
New Testament urges us throughout to believe in J esus Christ. The well-known
scripture J ohn:3:16 explains that God loved the world and gave His Son so "that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Other
passages promise that those who believe in J esus receive forgiveness of their sins
(Acts:10:43) and salvation (Romans:1:16). Believing in J esus is obviously very
important.

5 Reasons to Believe J esus Christ Rose from the Dead

1. Most scholars agree that Jesus tomb was discovered empty shortly
afterwards.

With almost two dozen reasons favoring this report alone, what best explains
this? Other hypotheses do not account for all the data.

2. Many eyewitnesses assert that they saw the risen J esus, both individually and
in groups.

Even apart from the Gospels, we can establish this totally from just two passages
in Pauls undisputed writings:

Paul told the Corinthians that he had received the resurrection report from
others (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).

The consensus critical view is that Paul probably obtained this material in
J erusalem, when he visited the eyewitness apostles Peter and J ames, the brother
of J esus (Galatians 1:18-24).

Paul returned to J erusalem 14 years later and specifically checked out the
nature of the Gospel message, again with eyewitnesses Peter, J ames, and now
J ohn (Galatians 2:1-10).

All the apostles agreed that J esus appeared to them after his death (1
Corinthians 15:11).
3. Scholars also agree that Paul received this material from the other apostles at
an exceptionally early date only about five years after the crucifixion.

But since the others knew the reports before Paul did, we are right back to the
events themselves. Even one of the best-known critical scholars today, non-
Christian specialist Bart Ehrman, dates several Christian traditions as early as
just a year or two after the crucifixion!
4. But why should we believe that these eyewitnesses were being honest? We
have first century sources that the three apostles mentioned above were all
martyred: Paul, Peter, and J ames the brother of J esus.

Of course, people die for all sorts of ideas, but only for what they are convinced
is true. But unlike others, the apostles were in a position to know whether or not
they had seen J esus Christ alive after his death. By being willing to die, scholars
agree that they were convinced that J esus had indeed appeared to them. At the
very least, this addresses their honesty and conviction.

5. Of these eyewitnesses, Paul was a persecutor of the early Christians, and
J ames was an unbeliever.

Skeptical scholars accept this in both cases. But why did they become believers?
Again, they were certainly in a position to know whether the risen J esus had
appeared to them.

But arent the gospels full of myths? I dont think that claim can be
substantiated at all, but thats another subject. Notice that we didnt use the
gospels here. We only used texts that are accepted by virtually all scholars who
have studied these events in detail. As Ehrman points out, the pagan dying and
rising gods motif has many serious problems and cannot be used to argue some
sort of copycat theory by the early Christian apostles.

Altogether, these five reasons are each based on a well-evidenced foundation,
built on texts that are accepted as historical by virtually all scholars, whatever
their religious persuasion. Readers who choose to reject them must consider
whether they are doing so for other than factual reasons.