One of my favorite books is, “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel. In this book Lee explains how his life was changed as he tried to disprove the Bible. He was an award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and he spent two years studying to prove the bible was false. At the end of the two years he came to the conclusion and said, “it would require much more faith for me to maintain my atheism than to trust in Jesus of Nazareth!” (Strobel 286). What a powerful conclusion.
One of the main reasons Mr. Strobel’s mind was changed was the eyewitness accounts of the Apostles. An Apostle is one who was sent on a mission and was an eyewitness of Christ. These believers gave their lives to further the gospel. It was not just one man but it was a group of believers who told the story of Christ. We not only have one story of Jesus, but we have four separate books written by four different people.
These eyewitnesses didn’t cover up shameful details. Their stories showed character and consistency. Had these Apostles and believers been spreading a lie then why go through persecution? Why go through all of the trouble of preaching the gospel? Because they saw Jesus. As John wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1). Eyewitnesses can radically change a courtroom case. It can be the final feather that tips the scale. For the Bible it is just another reason to confirm our beliefs.
Why do I believe in the Bible? For me I look at the sky and think, “This can’t be an accident.” I know that God used credible eyewitness accounts of Christ. This message of hope is one that can stand. Lee Strobel realized that after much research and much of his time he drew his conclusion. The word of God is truth! Jesus did come to the earth. He did die on a cross for your sins, and He is seated at the right hand of the father making intercession for us. That my friend is truth, and that is the gospel.
