Did Jesus Really Exist?
Many people around the world argue about the existence of our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Many say He is a myth, someone invented by a group of people who want a following, or perhaps a loving and mighty figure who can provide an escape from all the anxieties and worries of life. Sad ideas, but the truth is that He is real, and we have many reasons to believe in Him.
What experts say
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Experts from the time of the early church until now give us wonderful reasons to believe that Jesus existed.
Historian Michael Grant, in "Jesus: An Historian's Review of the Gospels," argues that if we view the New Testament the same way we view other historical writings, it's easy to conclude that Jesus did exist.
"If we apply to the New Testament, as we should, the same sort of criteria as we should apply to other ancient writings containing historical material," Grant said, "we can no more reject Jesus' existence than we can reject the existence of a mass of pagan personages whose reality as historical figures is never questioned."
Tacitus, a Roman historian who wrote the "Annals," mentioned that there is a group of people called Christians who follow "Christus," a man who was executed at the order of the Roman procurator during the time of Tiberius. The name of the procurator? Pontius Pilate.
Trent Horn, writing for Strange Notions, noted that Bart D. Ehrman, a scholar and professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said his book, "The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings," that Tacitus' report confirms the Gospel accounts of Jesus' death at the hands of Pontius Pilate.
These are but some of the experts who confirm Christ's existence. There are many others and you can search the internet for them.
What other religions say
Now let's take a look at other religions. Muslims believe in the existence of Jesus, although they cannot accept the fact that He is the Son of God. Former Muslim-turned-Christian apologist and New York Times bestselling author Nabeel Qureshi wrote in a blog entry that Muslims believe Jesus was "sent ... into the world" but deny that He is the Son of God.
Other religions have varying views about Jesus. Some believe He existed physically but reject His divinity. Some don't consider Him as God but nonetheless apply some of His teachings in their faith.
What do you say?
Despite all the opposition, experts and other religions largely agree that Jesus existed. Although many experts do not believe that He is the true Son of God, many of them believe and are convinced that He is a true man, not a myth or a legend.
Christ Jesus is so huge our calendar is divided by Him (thus the B.C. and A.D. years), and holidays are celebrated around the world in honor of Him (that's why there's Christmas, Easter, Lent, etc.).
What about you? As for me, by faith I know that He lives. Our Christian faith is founded on faith and Biblical fact. Famous personalities such as Lee Strobel, Ravi Zacharias, Billy Graham, Chuck Norris, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Garner and Alice Cooper all believe He is real, and so do I. What about you?
One last thing
Friends, Jesus Himself said only those who believe can see the Kingdom of God (see John 3:5). Only those who receive His testimony can certify that He is true God and true man (see John 3:31-33). And those who believe in Him have proof: the power to live a changed life freed from sin (see John 3:8, 16; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Experts and other religions believe He is a real man. Christians believe He is the Real Deal: God who came in the flesh to save all sinful men through His death and resurrection (see John 1:14, 3:16; 1 John 2:2). What do you believe?
