Conclusion

  Did Jesus rise from the dead? It is my sincere conviction that the answer to this question is Yes. This answer is not based in a false hope, some type of fantasy or a willful neglecting of the facts. But to the contrary, it is a decision based on first century, objective evidence. The real question for all of us is -“Are we willing to believe”? Based on this examination, I believe that there are six irrefutable proofs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. People can deny it, ignore it and refuse it, but they cannot refute it.1. Jesus predicted it and it happened.2. The enemies of Jesus confirmed it (no refutation of the resurrection claims).3. The folded grave clothes confirm it.4. The former doubters and deniers confirm it (James, Paul and Thomas).5. Hundreds of eyewitnesses on numerous occasions confirm it.6. The Holy Spirit working in and through the church confirms it. The evidence is substantial and we have every reason to believe. We need to commit to making a decision regarding Jesus a priority. We need to commit to have an open mind as we investigate the claims of the Gospel. We need to commit to reach a decision and not just put it off for another time. Here is where we need to be honest with ourselves. Can we prove the resurrection with 100% certainty? Are all the questions in the New Testament record easily dealt with? Is some faith required? The answer is that of course we cannot prove with 100% certainty that the resurrection of Christ took place. All the questions cannot be answered to everyone’s complete satisfaction and, yes, faith is required. But we can know the truth regarding the resurrection of Christ beyond a reasonable doubt and with moral certainty. We can provide plausible answers for difficult questions in the Gospel records. Faith in Christ is necessary, but it is a faith built on very good facts, not blind faith. We cannot provide evidence that forces anyone to believe because this type of evidence does not and cannot exist. But we can know that the claims of the Gospel and the resurrection of Christ are based on a solid factual foundation, one that we can build our lives on.

Simon Greenleaf, the great expert on the laws of evidence stated regarding the witness of the New Testament and the Person of Jesus Christ:“All that Christianity asks of men… is, that they would be consistent with themselves; that they would treat its evidences as they treat the evidence of other things; and they would try and judge its actors and witnesses as they deal with their fellow men, when testifying to human affairs and actions, in human tribunals. Let the witnesses be compared with themselves, with each other and with the surrounding facts and circumstances; and let their testimony be sifted, as if it were given in a court of justice, on the side of the adverse party, the witness being subjected to rigorous cross-examination. The result, it is confidently believed, will be an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability and truth”. – 30If you are a theist and you believe that God (the uncaused Cause) created all of the universe out of nothing, which is the greatest of miracle that we could imagine, then it is not beyond your open minded faith or ability to believe that God became flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ. The resurrection and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is something that you can believe, if you are willing.If you are an agnostic or an atheist, please do not close your mind or your heart. If the message of the Gospel is true, then Jesus Christ is everything He claims to be, and He has proven His love for you with His death for you on the cross and in His resurrection from the dead. He can reveal Himself to you if you will seek Him. In the Scriptures, God clearly states, “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all of your heart”. – Jeremiah 29:13 NLT.The apostle Paul said:“from one man He (God) created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall and He determined their boundaries. His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him – though He is not far from any one of us”. – Acts 17:”26,27 NLT.“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them”. – II Corinthians 5:19 NTL.  

Becoming a Christian

Following Jesus Christ is in many ways like a marriage. Biblically speaking, marriage was designed by God to be a surrender of self-independence and a commitment to one another. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, there must be a willingness to surrender our independent ways and commit our lives to Him. This is not a dominating, evil kind of “lordship” but instead is a Lordship rooted in love and in a knowledge of what is best for us in every way.Someone once asked, “Why do the majority of intelligent people not believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ?” The answer that was given- “For the same reason the majority of unintelligent people don’t believe – they are not willing to”. This is really where most of us are. We tend to lean away from God and lean toward our sin and self seeking will. The nature of our sin, in the simplest of terms, is “living independent from God”. When we trust Christ as our Savior, we turn from our sin – our “independent self centered life” and we receive the merits of the cross and His Lordship. We place Him as King of our heart , a throne that we once occupied in our sin. This is what the Gospel calls for. Nothing less and nothing more. How do we do this? How do we find our way to God? The only road to a relationship with God is through His Son Jesus Christ: Here is how we must respond:1. Recognize and confess that you are a sinner – Romans 3:10-23 and that you are spiritually dead toward God – “All the world is guilty before God…there is none righteous….for all have sinned” – Romans 3:10-23. “the wages of sin is death” – Romans 6:23. (See note #10.)2. Embrace the fact that God loves you and that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you – “God demonstrates His love for all in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” – Romans 5:83. Understand that eternal life and forgiveness of sin is in Jesus Christ and His cross alone – “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23.4. Turn from your sin (repent) and put your faith in Jesus Christ. Confess that He is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead . Make Jesus Christ your Lord. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” – Romans 10:9-10. Repentance is the repudiation of our self-centered lives. Repentance means turning from the self-willed control of my life and making Christ the center and foundation of all that I am.5. Call upon Jesus Christ to save you and He will save you “whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” – Romans 10:13.I would encourage you to pray and invite Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord. Do it today. This does not have to be a fancy or well prepared prayer. Just talk to Him as you would a friend. He knows your heart better than you know it yourself. You can pray something like this: Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and that I need your forgiveness. I believe that You paid for my sins on the cross. I believe that You rose again from the dead that that You are right now alive as Lord over all things. I ask that You will forgive my sins and come into my life as my Savior and Lord. I turn from my sins and I choose to follow You from this day forward. Help me to change and give me the power of Your Holy Spirit. I ask this in Jesus name. Thank you for all that You have done for me. Amen.Believe this, embrace it as the truth that it is – it is the very power of God to save us. Next, you need Christian friendship, Bible teaching and training and you will find this in a Gospel preaching, Christ-centered church. Start attending today and you will grow in your faith and life with Jesus Christ. If you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, here are some points to consider.

1. Make up your mind to follow Jesus Christ no matter what happens. – “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down deep into Him and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness.” – Colossians 2:6,7 NLT.2. Always remember the fact that Jesus Christ has come into your life, your sins are forgiven , you have eternal life and He lives inside of you. “When I am raised to life again you will know that I am in my Father and you are in Me and I am in you”. – John 14:20 NLT. “ And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son (Jesus) has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life”. I John 5:11-13 NLT. (See note#5)3. Find a Christ-centered, Gospel preaching, Bible teaching church and become a part of it.“And let us not neglect our meeting as some people do but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His (Jesus) return is drawing near”. – Hebrews 10:25 NTL.4. Spend time each day in prayer to God. Talk to Him about anything and everything.“ Don’t worry about anything: instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done” – Phillipians 4:6 NLT.5. Read the Bible starting with the Gospel of John. Even if it is only a few minutes each day, read it and you will grow to want to read it more. This is food for your faith in Christ.“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right”. – I Timothy 3:16 NLT.“I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You” Psalm 119:11 NLT.“Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path”. Psalm 119:105 NLT.6. Know this fact. God has given you the Holy Spirit Who enables you to live for Jesus Christ. He will guide you and make you strong and will help you to be a witness for Christ.“But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative –that is the Holy Spirit – He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you”. – John 14:26 NLT.“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere “. – Acts 1:8a NLT.7. You must learn the power of obedience to Jesus Christ as your Lord. Jesus said – “If you love Me (Jesus) keep My commandments”. – John 14:15 NLT.“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” – Philippians 2:13. NLT.“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you will continue His work until it is finished on the day when Christ returns.” – Philippians 1:6 NLT.8. If you fail and sin don’t give up. Turn from your sin, ask God to forgive you and move forward.“God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light as God is in the light then we have fellowship with each other and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness”. – I John 1:5-9. NLT. 9. Obey the Scriptural instruction and be baptized in water.Baptism in water (immersion) does not save us. We are saved by placing our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Baptism is a public testimony that states to all that we identify ourselves with Jesus’ death for us on the cross and His burial in the tomb (into the water of baptism), and in His resurrection from the dead (out of the water of baptism) Romans 6:3,4. Baptism is a outward symbol of our inward faith in Jesus Christ . We are instructed by our Lord to follow Him in obedience and be publicly baptized. – Matthew 28:18-20; ( Also see – Acts 2:38; 16:30-33; 18:8; 22:16, I Corinthians 1:17).

Sincerely, Royle Johnson 7/28/2014