Why Believe in Jesus Christ

Belief in Jesus Christ is theoretically supremely dangerous because it includes, in part, a complete and irreversible abandonment of all other methods of salvation. Thus, believers are helpless if Christ is wrong as the Bible itself states (1 Corinthians 15:14). But there are several infallible reasons to be confident in Him.

Jesus Christ proved to be the subject of a large body of precise Messianic prophecy. Beginning approximately 1450 B.C., and continuing for the next thousand years, prophets foretold of a great person who would be God, man, and Universal King. For example, Isaiah foretold, "to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"(9:6). Ancient theologians catalogued at least 366 prophecies that clearly spoke of this great Person. These prophecies were not bland generalities or vague mysteries that could possibly be applied to a number of persons. They were clear and precise. For example, Micah said that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (5:2). Zechariah prophesied that He would ride triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey (9:9) and that He would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (11:12). David wrote that lots would be cast for His garments (Psalm 22:18). Isaiah warned that He would be brutally beaten, disfigured, and killed (52:14-53:5). Amos predicted that darkness would envelop the land upon His death (8:9). It has been calculated that the chance of fulfillment of just twenty-five prophecies is one in 33-million. The chance that 366 prophecies would be fulfilled is incalculable. But Jesus Christ fulfilled them all precisely. God made Him the subject of a large body of clear and precise prophecies to assure us that He is that long awaited Messiah.

Furthermore, He undeniably performed extraordinary and genuine miracles. The New Testament witnesses claim repeatedly that Jesus performed various kinds of miracles on a continual basis. These witnesses and their manuscripts' reliability have been thoroughly and critically analyzed for centuries. No other people or their manuscripts have undergone such intense scrutiny. But the analysis has provided overwhelming evidence of their integrity. These witnesses, who have been proven reliable, record at least 37 amazing miracles that Jesus did over a three-year period. For example, He instantly stilled a raging storm (Matthew 8:23). He instantly, completely, and simultaneously healed ten men of leprosy (Luke 17:11). He instantly freed a wild and dangerous man possessed of many demons (Mark 5:1-15). He instantly brought a man back to life who had been dead for four days (John 11:43). One of the New Testament witnesses wrote that if every one of Jesus' miracles were recorded "the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25). The famous skeptic David Hume believed that only genuine and unique miracles would confirm religious truth claims. The number and nature of Christ's miracles, attested by reliable witnesses, confirm that He is the gracious Savior.

Most importantly, Jesus Christ arose bodily from the dead. Jesus rested His claims upon His bodily resurrection from the dead (John 2:18-19). The Journal of the American Medical Association, March 21, 1986 issue, included an exhaustive study on Jesus' crucifixion. The nine-page article concluded that "the historical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead when taken down from the cross" and that "the assumptions that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge." Simon Greenleaf, famous law professor at Harvard University, conducted an investigation into Christ's bodily resurrection to try and disprove it once and for all. He concluded, "the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the best established facts in history." Every prophet, guru, and religious leader has died, was buried, and never seen again, thus proving they were nothing other than mere mortals. But Jesus' resurrection is the loud declaration that He is the only Son of God.

These evidences are graciously given to us by God that we may say with Paul, "I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what I have entrusted to Him" (2 Timothy 1:12).