Proof For Jesus
PROOF FOR JESUS
Table of Contents
The Bible speaks of proof of His existence through out all creation
Job 12:7-10 (NIV)
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? 10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Psalms 19:1 (NIV)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Romans 1:20 (NIV)
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Psalms 33:5 (NIV)
5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
IS THERE ANY REAL PROOF FOR JESUS AND THE BIBLE?
The answer is YES, there is overwhelming evidence that Jesus was not only a real person, but that he actually lived, was a Jewish Rabi, and was killed at the hands of the Romans by Crucifixion. There are multiple ancient outside non-Christian sources that corroborate that Jesus actually existed and died at the hands of the Romans. One such source is Flavius Josephus, an ancient Roman-Jewish Historian from the second temple period, who confirms in his own writings that Jesus was a real person. We also have thousands of ancient manuscripts and papyrus documents which contain the Biblical texts in there original languages that date back all the way to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Century. There is Archeological evidence, such as excavations, pottery, weaponry, abandoned cities, standing ruins that have direct connection to the ancient locations and accounts of Biblical narrative. There is an incredibly strong Philosophical argument for topics such as Origin, Meaning, Morality and Destiny(afterlife) that stand the test of Logic and Debate. The Sciences have powerful evidence, that not only does SCIENCE NOT DISPROVE GOD, SO MUCH OF SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE AND FINDINGS ACTUALLY UPHOLD AND VERIFY THAT THERE IS A CREATOR GOD. There is more evidence for the existence of God, and the veracity of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, than any other worldview or religion known to mankind. The true question that remains is with so much evidence for God, one must ask themselves, “Why haven’t I seen it, or why is it no so readily available?” Here is a quote from the late Great Scholar and Philosopher Ravi Zachariahs. “Truth is the Most power thing in the World.” Jesus complements this thought in the scriptures when He says…
Matthew 13:10-15 (NIV)
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes….
In another place Jesus says…
Matthew 11:25-26 (NIV)
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
We know that Knowledge is Power, and history has shown one too many times that, knowledge in the hands of evil men and woman have led to some of humanity’s greatest horrors. Therefore God, in the abundance of His wisdom, hides true wisdom and knowledge from the proud and arrogant, and requires a humble heart to unlock the true power of truth, wisdom, and knowledge. That is why the beginning of the book of Proverbs, written by one of the wisest men to ever live, begins with…
Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Philosophical Argument
If you are reading this, that is because you are on a quest to know if what you have heard about Jesus Christ the Son of God is true. However, you must understand something, Truth by definition is exclusive. This means there can only be one Truth, and all else that claims to be truth is by default a lie.
Truth is not simply information, or words, because in order for words to exist there needs to be one who speaks and/or writes them. Words are then bound to one who must cause them, therefore Truth is not a concept nor and Idea, but a person.
The Gospel of John answers this claim about Jesus in the first verse…
John 1:1 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 14:6 (NIV) 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
As we continue we will provide proof to support these claims, however, you must ask yourself a genuine question. If Jesus is True would you believe Him? This question is important to answer before you begin your journey to discovering the truth about Jesus. If the answer to this question is no, even if you were to be given and shown enough evidence for Jesus being truly who He claimed to be, then you have just proved to yourself that you are not actually seeking truth, rather an excuse. You may be simply seeking and excuse to ease your conscience do to the life you are living. Why is this, Truth by default demands obedience. If truth does not exist, there is no God, no good no evil, and no judgement for any wrong doing. We can do and live as we please for everything is acceptable and no one will be condemned no matter how awful the deed. BUT… if there is a Truth, and His name is Jesus, then you will have to give an account for your life. That my dear friend is what most people fear. They very bible says…
John 3:20 (NIV)
20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
But I have GOOD NEWS for you beloved friend, there is salvation in Jesus. If you would but believe and place your trust in Him.
You see this powerful dilemma in the interaction between Jesus and Pontius Pilate…
John 18:36-38 (NIV)
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there…
See the issue many times is not, is there enough evidence, it’s are you willing to believe the evidence if it’s starring you right in the face, or will you simply mock it and walk away.
Once we have answered that Honestly we may continue…
When providing philosophical evidence for Jesus, we must begin with Moral argument. If Jesus is God, then God is the Moral law giver. He gave humanity the law of morality, what is good and evil, with in the pages of the Bible. Now, in society we live in a highly moral society, where our land and our communities abide by laws that govern our people. If you break one of the Laws of the Land you will may face punishment which includes a fine or imprisonment.
You may ask yourself why do I need a moral law, and why do I need a moral law giver? In our modern age we have developed societies that don’t need A moral law, we abide by subjective morality. This is the Atheistic view, that there is no universal truth, nor moral law giver, and as individuals or as a culture we can abide by the same type of beliefs or values. It’s the Autonomous belief system that indicates that we can govern ourselves as a society. There is however many vital flaws this thinking, first of all, who decides what the standards of morality are? Who defines what is good and what is evil? Popular atheist such as Richard Dawkins, deny the existence of good and evil just as an attempt to not have to deal with the reality of Morality. If someone within the community decides they no longer want to live peacefully and decides that they will take through violence anyone and anything they want, is that evil? In a society where God is not the Moral Law Giver, you have to create your own morality, but what if everyone wants to do as they please, who will stop them. How can you stop them, if there no longer is a good or bad, what basis do you have for stopping a murderer or a rapist.
The Old Testament of the Bible reveals people’s who lived outside of the Law of God. They engaged in such evil and despicable acts, that they even sacrificed children in the fire and performed all kinds of violence and perverted acts. No one was safe in that type of society, yet some want to return to that, not understanding the chaos that comes with removing Morality.
Historical and Archeological Evidence
Is the Bible true? Are the stories and words of the Bible real historical fact? Was Jesus a real person who Lived, Died, and Rose from the Dead?
Historical Evidence
The life and works of Jesus Christ are supported by substantial historical evidence. The New Testament documents, including the Gospels, are historically reliable and are corroborated by external sources such as Roman historians like Tacitus and Jewish writers like Josephus. Archaeological findings consistently affirm the cultural, geographical, and political settings described in the Bible.
Eyewitness Testimony
The New Testament is filled with accounts from those who walked with Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and saw His resurrection. The disciples, who initially fled in fear, boldly proclaimed His resurrection after witnessing Him alive, even at the cost of their own lives. Their unwavering commitment to this truth speaks volumes about the reality of the resurrection.
Fulfilled Prophecy
The Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about the coming Messiah, many of which were fulfilled in the life of Jesus. From His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14) to His crucifixion (Psalm 22) and His resurrection (Psalm 16:10), Jesus' life and mission align with these ancient prophecies, confirming His identity as the promised Savior.
The Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead, as evidenced by the empty tomb and numerous post-resurrection appearances, is one of the most well-documented events in history. The resurrection proves Jesus’ divine nature and confirms His victory over sin and death.
Transformed Lives
From the early church to the present day, millions of lives have been transformed by encountering Jesus. The power of the Gospel to change hearts, restore broken lives, and bring hope and healing is a living testimony to the reality of Jesus Christ. At Filadelfia Los Angeles, we see this transformation firsthand as individuals grow in their faith and experience the presence of Christ.