More Than Enough Evidence

Christianity is more than a religion; it’s a way of life. It changes behaviors, attitudes, convictions, and more. Christianity encompasses every facet of life, therefore it’s important to truly believe that what we read in scriptures are factual, trustworthy, and reliable as a resource for our lives.

Apologetics is the defense of a person’s beliefs from an objective view rather than simply a subjective perspective. Having a firm conviction is important in order not to be pushed over by someone else's convictions. Colossians 2:8-9, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”

The Bible is full of warnings about the attempt to destroy our faith, our trust in the scriptures, and God’s authority, or even His existence. For the people living during the time that Jesus lived on earth, there were miracles, teachings, and behaviors that confirmed His authority. John 20:30-31 states the main purpose in performing miracles: “...so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Even Nicodemus recognized His power (John 3:2).

These signs and teachings confirmed it for those in the presence of Jesus, but how about for those that would come after them? The Bible has always been under attack one way or another. Fortunately, there are many manuscripts that help defend the validity of many of the events recorded in scriptures, including the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the capstone event that verifies His claims to deity and authority.

A thorough investigation of Biblical documents will tell us that there are approximately 5,000 Biblical manuscripts of some form that confirm the story found in our New Testament. In fact, many of these ancient documents helped to form the Bible as we know it. Documents like the Codex Sinaiticus, Viticanus, Alexandrinus, Ephremaic, and Bezae, which are a more complete form of the letters found in our Bibles, which were written between 350-400 AD, and even more fragments of scriptures written less than 150 years after the inspired authors finished the recognized Biblical writings found in our New Testament.

Many non-Biblical writers of history have acknowledged the existence of Jesus Christ, a fact that too many people in modern times have tried to denounce. Writers and historians like Thallus, who wrote in about 52 AD about "the darkness that occurred at the crucifixion of Jesus," which he attributed that to an eclipse. Or like Mara Bar-Serapion who wrote to his son around 73 AD while in prison urging him to consider the problem with persecuting wise men like Socrates, Pythagoras, and Christ. Not to mention the familiar Josephus and his statements about Jesus being "doer of marvelous deeds."

We can also see writers that describe events that match up with events in Scriptures as well. Writers like Cornelius Tacitus who mentions that Christians as "the followers of Christ, whom Pilate crucified." Suetonius wrote, describing a time when Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome, something we see confirmed in Acts 18:2 where Luke records that event.

Each of these extra-Biblical writings accompanied by the more than sufficient manuscripts of scripture that have survived over the centuries should help us in our faith. At least it should help relieve some of the pressure to disregard the Bible as a made-up story.

Nearly every nation, especially those in the Northern Hemisphere, have been heavily influenced by the standards that the Scriptures invoke. What made their leadership adhere to a Christian lifestyle, Christian standards, which all contribute to a Christian culture? They believed the message taught in Scriptures. Why did they do that? The proof was confirmed by many witnesses in many different ways. The message had credibility due to the fact that it passed the tests unofficially required to be accepted as valid, authentic, and genuine.

Luke earned a reputation of an extraordinary historian over the span of time. He took time to carefully list details that were undeniable to anyone alive and aware of events happening around them. Christianity has always allured people into the mystery of what Jesus was revealing. While there are many that oppose the power in His words, there have not been any real discrepancy in what was written about Him historically (outside of the Bible), just a denial of His claims.

Having a more firm awareness of the way God works today and has definitely worked in the past helps us defend our faith more confidently and allows us to stand by Paul in his statement to the Romans in Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.”