TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-4

This is the third message in the series Tough Questions Concerning The Christian Faith. Some of you have seen the epic film, Ben Hur, starring Charlton Heston. What you probably don’t know is that Lew Wallace, the author of Ben Hur, was an agnostic who prior to writing the book spent several years gathering material to prove that Jesus Christ never lived and was not the Son of God. But in trying to disprove Christ he found himself in an incredibly uncomfortable position. He finally admitted: "After six years given to the impartial investigation of Christianity as to its truth or falsity, I have come to the deliberate conclusion that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of the Jews, the Saviour of the world, and my personal Saviour."

Like Lew Wallace, some people are sceptical about Christ. You may be one of those people. You may not believe that Christ was a real person. You may not believe that He’s God in human flesh. And you may not believe that Christ is the Saviour of the world. If Christianity were put on trial, what would it take to convince you of its truthfulness? Was Christ a liar, a lunatic or the Lord? (cf. C. S. Lewis - Mere Christianity). Was He "more than a carpenter"? (cf. Josh McDowell). And how can you know if Christ really was the Son of God as He claimed to be? Today you’re going to consider "evidence that demands a verdict" Josh McDowell.

Here are four reasons why you should believe in Christ:

The first reason why you should believe in Christ is because the Bible is reliable. Proverbs 30:5 says, "Every word of God proves true" (NLT). The reliability of the Bible is a key factor in establishing who Christ is and what He taught. If the Bible is proved to be reliable then the things it says about Christ are reliable. Earlier in this series we asked, Can the Bible be trusted? Our answer was a resounding yes! The Bible is not a supermarket tabloid. It’s unique, special, one-hundred percent trustworthy - the holy book.

Now I know I’m biased. I’m absolutely convinced of the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible. But how does one prove the trustworthiness of the Bible to a skeptic? The military historian, C. Sanders, helps us answer this question. He proposes three tests to prove the reliability of any document from antiquity. They are the bibliographical test, the internal evidence test, and the external evidence test.

The first test is the bibliographical test. This test is an examination of the textual transmissions by which documents reach us. It’s a test that helps us establish the reliability of the copies we have of the original documents. In regard to this test, Sir Frederic Kenyon, who was the director and principal librarian at the British Museum, and second to none in issuing authoritative statements about manuscripts, says, "Both the authenticity and the general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as finally established."

The second test is the internal evidence test. John W. Montgomery explains this test saying: "One must listen to the claims of the document under analysis, and not assume fraud or error unless the author disqualified himself by contradictions or known factual accuracies." In plain language . . . Do the New Testament writers tell the truth and nothing but the truth? The writers of the New Testament claim they tell the truth. In John 19:35 the apostle says, "This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account; it is presented so that you also can believe" (NLT). And in 2 Peter 1:16 the apostle says, "For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendour with our own eyes" (NLT).

These are significant claims when one appreciates they were written when many people who were still alive in Christ’s time could confirm or deny the accuracy of the accounts. In fact the writers go a step further and even challenged the critics of their day to prove them wrong. For example, when Festus accuses Paul of being insane, Paul says, "I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. I am speaking the sober truth. And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak frankly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner!" Acts 26:25-26 (NLT). And Peter, in Acts 2:22 says, "People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know" (NLT).

Listen. The writers of the New Testament could not afford to risk inaccuracies that could be used by their adversaries to expose or discredit them. They told the truth and the gospels must therefore be regarded as reliable accounts about the life and teaching of Christ.

The third test is the external evidence test. This test examines whether other historical material confirms or denies the internal testimony of the documents themselves. There is a whole body of external evidence that proves the Bible is trustworthy and historically accurate in what it says about Christ. For example, the historian Eusebius preserved the writings of Papias, bishop of Hierapolis (AD. 130) who said, "Mark, having been the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately all that he (Peter) mentioned, whether sayings or doings of Christ . . ."

Archaeology also provides powerful external evidence. Archaeologist, Joseph Free, says, "Archaeology has confirmed countless passages which have been rejected by critics as unhistorical or contradictory to known facts." There is so much more I could say on this first point but suffice to say the Bible passes all three tests with flying colours. It passes the bibliographical test. It passes the internal evidence test. And it passes the external evidence test. What we have in the New Testament is a truthful and unadulterated record of whom Christ was, what He taught, and what He did.

The second reason why you can believe in Christ is because He’s credible. Arthur T. Pierson in Many Infallible Proofs says, "He (Christ) stands absolutely alone in history; in teaching, in example, in character, an exception, a marvel, and He is Himself the evidence of Christianity." Christ is the best argument for Christ. "He authenticates Himself" Bishop Clark. You can believe in Christ because He’s unlike any other man. He was born as no other man was ever born. He spoke as no other man has ever spoken. He performed miracles that no other man has ever performed. He loved as no other man has ever loved. He lived as no other man has ever lived. He died as no other man has ever died. He conquered death like no other man has ever done. And He changed the world as no other man could ever do. In fact it’s futile to try comparing Christ with even the greatest of saints and sages who have ever lived. Even the skeptic, Jean Jacques Rousseau, was compelled to remark, "If Socrates lived and died like a sage, Jesus lived and died like a god." The truth of the matter is, Jesus lived and died like the Son of God!

The third reason why you can believe in Christ is because His disciples are believable. The historian, Will Durant, author of the massive Story of Civilization, says, ". . . the synoptic gospels agree remarkably well, and form a consistent portrait of Christ. No one reading these scenes can doubt the reality of the figure behind them. That a few simple men should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality, so lofty an ethic and so inspiring a vision of human brotherhood, would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the Gospels." Durant makes a compelling argument. Canadians can’t agree on the definition of marriage and that’s only one of many moral issues we can’t agree on. The fact that the early followers of Christ consistently agreed on the content and practice of their faith is phenomenal!

Here’s the clincher for me: A lot of people have died for a good cause, but who would die for a lie? (cf. Josh McDowell - More Than A Carpenter ). Now I concede it’s possible that an individual may die for a lie but the chances of several people dying for a lie is less likely. Eleven out of the twelve apostles died martyrs’ deaths for their belief in Christ as the Son of God. Peter, Andrew, James son of Alphaeus, Philip, Simon and Bartholomew were crucified. Matthew and James the son of Zebedee, were struck down with a sword. Thaddaeus was killed by arrows, Thomas by a spear thrust, and James the half brother of Jesus, was stoned. The only apostle to die a natural death was John. If Christ wasn’t who He claimed to be - if He hadn’t been resurrected from the dead and then ascended into heaven in full view of His disciples, His followers would have checked out. But they didn’t. They faced torture, cynicism, deprivation, ridicule and hardships for Christ. They were imprisoned, flogged, and killed, but they never once denied Christ or broke down under pressure. Just listen to Paul’s testimony: "I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jews gave me thirty_nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have travelled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm" 2 Corinthians 11:23-27(NLT).

That’s powerful . . . you can’t explain this testimony away. Actions speak louder than words. The apostles were steadfast in Christ to the point of death. They sealed their witness with their blood. When ordinary men display extraordinary fortitude, there has to be a reason behind it. So in a nutshell we can believe in Christ because His followers believed He was all He claimed to be.

The fourth reason why you can believe in Christ is because Christianity is applicable. Josh McDowell says, "Christianity fails if it is not applicable to life on this earth." Countless millions can testify to changed lives because of Christ. "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT).

When I believed in Christ, I experienced a radical transformation at the very core of my being. That’s not to say I became perfect. I’m a saint, but I’m also still a sinner. By the grace of God, in Christ my trespasses are forgiven, my future is secure, my mind is being renewed, my passions ignited, my will directed, my purpose realised, my spirit filled, and my thirst for meaning met.

Now I know that experience in itself doesn’t prove anything. But when experience lines up with history, archaeology, psychology, and reason, it makes an iron clad case. Paul Little, a spokesman for Christianity on college campuses, says, "Occasionally I ask myself, as I walk down the street, ‘Little, how do you know you haven’t been taken in by a colossal propaganda program? After all, you can’t see God, touch Him, taste Him, or feel Him.’ And then I go on and ask myself how I know the gospel is true. I always come back to two basic factors: the objective, external historical facts of the resurrection, and the subjective, internal, personal experience of Christ that I have known." Know Why You Believe.

So there are four reasons why you should believe in Christ: The Bible is reliable; the leader is credible; the disciples are believable; and Christianity is applicable. Now look at this text. In 1 Corinthians 15:3_4 the apostle Paul says, "I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me - that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said" (NLT).

"Buddha never claimed to be God. Moses never claimed to be Jehovah. Mohammed never claimed to be Allah. Yet Jesus Christ claimed to be the true and living God. Buddha simply said, ‘I am a teacher in search of the truth.’ Jesus said, ‘I am the Truth.’ Confucius said, ‘I never claimed to be holy.’ Jesus said, ‘Who convicts me of sin.’ Mohammed said, ‘Unless God throws his cloak of mercy over me, I have no hope.’ Jesus said, ‘Unless you believe in me, you will die in your sins.’" Anonymous.

Should you believe in Christ? Absolutely. Christ is the Son of God. Christ lived a sinless life. Christ died as a sacrifice for your sins. And Christ conquered the grave. Praise the Lord! "Christ . . . died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God" 1 Peter 3:18 (NLT). That’s the good news. Christ is more than a carpenter, more than a teacher, more than a moral man, and more than a prophet. He’s Saviour and Lord. That means He’s the only way to know God, the only truth about God, the only hope of forgiveness of sins, and the only One through whom we can get to heaven.

So what’s your verdict? You must decide. What will you do with what you’ve heard today?

Hopefully you’ll do what any sensible person would do. You’ll believe, confess, and live all out for Christ. You’ll do what Romans 10:9 says you should do. You’ll ". . . confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead" (NLT). Will you do that? Why don’t you do that now?

(L. Murray 2006)