Articles
The Basis for a Christian's Faith
The Basis for a Christian’s Faith
Mark Lindley
The Christian life is a life of faith. Paul wrote, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7). Therefore, nothing could be more important to a Christian than faith. Without faith, it is “impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).
Skeptics would have Christians believe, however, that to have faith in Jesus’ miracles and resurrection is to be naïve and gullible. Skeptics speak of a Christian’s faith as nothing but a “blind leap into the dark” – something that has no evidence to support it. Is this true? Is there any real support for a Christian’s faith in Jesus? Not only is there real support, but there is the strongest testimony available to support a Christian’s faith – eyewitness testimony.
In a court of law, if there is an eyewitness who can positively identify a suspect as the one who committed a crime, that is strong testimony. This is precisely the kind of testimony that supports a Christian’s faith. The apostles and others were eyewitnesses to the miracles, resurrection and ascension of Christ. Note what they said: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). “To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)” (I John 1:1-2). “After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some have fallen asleep” (I Corinthians 15:6).
Can you imagine how strong a case a prosecuting attorney would have if he could gather all these eyewitnesses? On one occasion, more than five hundred saw Jesus after His resurrection!
Christians should not be intimidated by the skeptics and modernists of the world. Some will criticize, others will scoff, but the Christian has rock solid support for his faith.
- The_Basis_for_a_Christian.doc (26.11 kB)
