Can We Prove Jesus is True and the Only Way? - Bible Teaching #6

►►► This teaching is also available in audio format via YouTube: 
https://youtu.be/gG-mImhQYt0?si=7KVWscilPmrPrePk

Hallelujah! This is going to be a fun article. Dealing with proving the existence of a supernatural Creator and then proving which "religion" is True.

For this article we will be using a Thomas Nelson NKJV Reference Bible, Marriam-Webster definitions, Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible Red Letter Edition, various sources of facts and logical reasoning.

As always, Grab your Bible, read along and pray for discernment!

May the Spirit of Truth guide you into all Truth through the beautifully True Word of God.

Before we will deal with what religion is correct. We will first deal with the question of, is there a supernatural God?

This, we will approach from a few different angles. First we must define "supernatural". According to Marriam-Webster, one definition of supernatural is; "departing from what is usual or normal especially so as to appear to transcend the laws of nature".

So now we must approach this from a scientific perspective. Since according to Marriam-Webster, one definition of science is; "such knowledge or such a system of knowledge concerned with the physical world and its phenomena : NATURAL SCIENCE". If natural science is the study of this physical world and its phenomena, then if natural science can not explain it then it transcends the scientific laws of nature; effectively making it super-natural.

So this is just one point where science is pigeon-holed, so to speak. On Wikipedia, on an article titled "Conservation of Mass" we read this; "In physics and chemistry, the law of conservation of mass or principle of mass conservation states that for any system closed to all transfers of matter and energy, the mass of the system must remain constant over time, as the system's mass cannot change, so quantity can neither be added nor be removed. Therefore, the quantity of mass is conserved over time." So to simplify that, matter can not be created nor destroyed, only recycled into another form or introduced to/from from an external location. Now if this is true then where did matter come from? The creation of matter would by definition be supernatural, natural science can not explain it. It supercedes the laws of natural science. Thus proving the existence of a supernatural Creator or a God.

Now lets hit this from another angle, every natural force in physics, gravitational, weak nuclear, electromagnetic, strong nuclear; can be simplified to this: the pushing or pulling, also worded as, attracting and repelling, of particles through various means. Now we need to see if these natural forces explain everything, or if some things are super-natural. Imagination, consciousness, conscience, logical reasoning, creation of matter, dreams, these are just a few, feel free to brainstorm more. Can pushing or pulling of particles explain these things? Or are they super-natural? Do they supercede the natural forces in physics? I will let you figure that one out, I am sure you know my answer.

Now with those 2 scientific arguments we see that there is an existence of a supernatural Creator. Now lets look at this from a purely logical angle.

Everything that we have wittnessed being created has had a creator. Cars, boats, houses, tools, furniture, etc... All have been created by a creator. Matter a fact the very word creation implies that there is a creator. So where did life, matter, consciousness and other created things come from? Well, if they are created then there must be a creator. According to Marriam-Webster, one definition for creation is, "something that is created". So if it is created, someone or something had to create it. One definition for create according to Marriam-Webster is, "to bring into existence". So if it exists, it was created, a creator had to create it.

Now we see even from a logical angle that there is a supernatural Creator. Now we have this question. Which Creator is true?

All the major religions of the world and even non-christian first century historians, such as, the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish priest Josephus; These all agree that a man that many call "Jesus" existed. Now where people differ is the importance of Jesus. Historians know he was publicly executed by the Romans, so that right there already brings the whole Quran into question. Since the Quran is historically and factually inaccurate by saying that Jesus never died. One down, a few more to go. Hindus and most of the many religions that stemmed from Hinduism, including Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, etc... These religions say Jesus was a great religious teacher, some saying that He was an avatar aka an incarnation of god or a god. Acknowledging His existence and importance. So here is a fact, Jesus was a Jewish man. Now we hit the brakes. Almost everyone acknowledges that Jesus existed, now this fact of His nationality changes everything. Since the majority acknowledge the existence of this man Jesus and that He was important. Now knowing that He was a Jew, now we need to look into the validity of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and see if it is an accurate historical source. Then, since He was a Jewish man, we need to look at the Jewish Scriptures(Tanakh) to see who He is. Just a teacher? Or the foretold Jewish Messiah?

Now this is the interesting fact, I have a Zondervan KJV study Bible from 1978 with a map in the back with 54 archeological finds, just in the city of Jerusalem. There are many more since 1978 in Jerusalem, not including throughout the rest of the country of Israel! Tombs of the Kings, Tombs of the Prophets, remaining 1st and 2nd temple period walls, etc... These are hard facts, just 4 of the 54 archaelogical finds listed. Tangible evidence, not just a belief. Evidence of the destruction of Jerusalem twice. Once from the Babylonian invasion and the second time was right after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; ending the Old Covenant and bringing in the New Covenant. Evidence of the existence and importance of the prophets and select kings. Time would fail us to list all the evidence proving the validity of the Bible, Old and New Testaments. Including the well known lengthy geneologies, these were records of the growth and development of the nation of Israel! How often do people just write lengthy geneologies for fun? Check out Sennacherib's Prism, agreeing with the story of the Assyrian siege against Jerusalem. The only city Sennacherib documented building siege mounds against, but never documented the capture! We even have evidence of the resurrection of Jesus. All these prophets and important people are carefully remembered in tombs and graves, but where is the tomb supposably holding the body of Jesus? Answer is He resurrected, there is no body resting in a tomb! Any suspicion toward His disciples stealing His body is easily refuted. Roman soldiers were heavily armed and well trained, we are talking about the Roman Empire! Like our elite soldiers here in America. Have a couple heavily armed soldiers and a giant sealed bolder in front of the tomb. Could some lowly, impoverished, grieving and untrained disciples kill the soldiers as well as move the boulder? With no machinery or fancy weaponry? As we discovered in an older article, violence is fundamentally against the teachings of Christ, so they would need to disobey their Lord, and while grieving over His death? Foolish argument, logically incoherent, and incohesive with the Scriptures.

Here are a couple interesting concepts to keep in mind when dealing with archaeology.

Carbon dating is a flawed system, you can calculate current fluctuations in carbon, but to assume that you can calculate the carbon of 2000+ years ago is foolish. Especially after knowing how often levels fluctuate, (even fluctuating seasonally!), and that the levels are different depending on where you are in the world. You would need to assume that the rate of change and fluctuations are at the same rate back then as it is now. Also realizing how short of a time that we have studied carbon dating. Now truly, that takes some serious blind faith. There is no logical reason to suggest such. In recent-ish news, in May of 2020 an article was written featuring Tom Higham, an archaeological chronologist and director of the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, UK. That article mentioned that some dates, according to new calculations, have been off by almost 9,000 years! Just goes to show how unreliable that process is. So we are not looking for dates, or even bones, because in a Wikkipedia article titled "Skeletonization"; we see this, "After skeletonization, if scavenging animals do not destroy or remove the bones, acids in many fertile soils take about 20 years to completely dissolve the skeleton of mid- to large-size mammals, such as humans, leaving no trace of the organism." So now to assume that we can find the skeletons of deceased kings or prophets is also illogical, we are looking for monuments, memorials or structures where the supposed grave or tomb lies.

This is what proves Christianity, the fact that Jesus fulfilled all what was written about Him in the Tanakh, as well as, that the Tanakh is proven over and over again through hard archaeological evidence. This is a big part missing from todays watered down gospel of Jesus Christ. He fulfilled all that was foretold about Him in the Tanakh! In the back of the Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible Red Letter Edition, there is a section called, "Prophecies of the Messiah Fulfilled in Jesus Christ". In that section there are 46 prophecies, all fulfilled in Jesus! 

Here is a list of some of them, Descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. From the tribe of Judah. Heir to the throne of King David. Born in Bethlehem. A king ordering the slaughter of children at the birth of Jesus. John the baptist making the way for Jesus. Being rejected by His own people, the Jews. Riding into Jerusalem on a donkey while being worshipped as King. Foretold crucifixion hundreds of years before crucifixion was invented. Soldiers gambling for His clothing at His death. Foretold betrayal for 30 pieces of silver. Born of a virgin, foretold before any Greek literature, mentioning virgin birth, ever existed. Being buried by a rich man after His death. Not to mention His foretold resurrection, from the dead! There are many many more! I am sure you can get the point by now. 

He fulfilled everything written about Him, some written up to 1500 years before He walked the earth! At the time of this article, the United States is only 246 years old, put that into perspective! The only religion in the world that is the fulfillment of another. The Jewish Messiah came as foretold, born where He was foretold, grew up where He was foretold, lived the way He was foretold, ministered the way He was foretold, rejected as foretold, died the way He was foretold, buried where He was foretold and resurrected as foretold!

Any "Jew" who wants to argue against such, I will suggest that they consider a few things.

In Leviticus 17:11 which is located in your Torah, that says, "...It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." In Deuteronomy 12:13-14, you can not sacrifice anywhere except the place the Lord your God chooses, (the Temple). Numbers 18:1-7 mentions that only the levites and priests could minister at the Temple, all the rest will be put to death. Even stating that only the priests, (The sons of Aaron) can approach the altar in, Numbers 18:3. So where is the Levitical Priesthood and the Temple to which you are commanded to offer sacrifices for atonement? It is interesting that Jews have had no Temple since it was destroyed in AD70. Right after Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, came, died and resurrected as foretold. Being our new sacrifice for sin, Isaiah 53:5-6. Also bringing in the New Covenant which is not made according to the Old Covenant which your fathers broke, Jeremiah 31:31-34. Both of which are mentioned in your Scriptures. There are many more things that we can discuss, and in depth if needed, but for now, this will suffice. You see for almost 2000 years it has been impossible to truly keep the Law, the Old Covenant passed away with the Temple. Currently Jews are not even allowed to pray at the remaining of the Temple in Jerusalem, since it is Muslim controlled.

Anyways back to including everyone.

Remember the 66 books of the Bible were written over about 2000 years by about 40 authors. It is a collection of factual foretelling and fulfilling. With hard evidence backing it up, and still being fulfilled this day! Unlike any other religion. Other religions consist of just a few sacred texts, mainly beliefs of some major religious teacher. The Bible is 66 texts by about 40 people, gathered over almost 2000 years! With no contradicting teachings! It is based on facts and history; not just belief like all other religions. According to Marriam-Webster, one definition of truth is, "the body of real things, events, and facts : ACTUALITY". The Bible even tells us not to believe a prophet if what they said does not come true in, Deuteronomy 18:21-22. So by Marriam-Websters definition, and the Torah's definition; Christianity is True! Now that we know Christianity is True, what about all other religions?

Now lets look at what the Bible has to say. 

John 14:6, 

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

1 Corinthians 10:20-22, 

Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

Leviticus 17:7, 

They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.

Deuteronomy 32:16-18, 

They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods they did not know, To new gods, new arrivals That your fathers did not fear. Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you.

So, according to the Bible. Jesus is the Only Way! All other ways are counterfeit religions of demons. The facts prove the Bible True, so this is the Truth, Jesus is the Truth.

Knowing this, when we look at the argument of, "all religions are different paths to the same god". We see that argument is logically incoherent; either Christianity is True and all other religions are false or all other religions are true and Christianity is false. You can not have both, since Christianity repeatedly says that the God of the Israel is the one True God, even saying that He elevates His Word above His Name in, Psalm 138:2; giving credence to the serious Truth in the Scriptures. If Christianity is the one false religion, then you need to fight with the hard facts, confirming the fulfilling of foretold events, throughout the Scriptures.

This is True, whether you believe the evidence or a delusion. According to Marriam-Webster, a definition for delusion is, "a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary". So believing any other way is by definition a delusion! Here is the question, can you prove your beliefs with facts? If not then your belief is not true.

Now that we have indisputable evidence that Jesus is the only True Way, we need to repent, turn to the Lord, call on His name, work righteousness, stop sinning! His Word does us no good unless we do what it says! This will be our judgement whether we like it or not! According to the Bible, are your actions going to land you in eternal indignation and wrath? Or eternal glory and honor? - Romans 2:7-11. Your actions will decide where you end up. Like how a criminal who breaks the american laws and ends up in jail. The same is the person who disobeys Gods laws, you will end up in a firey prison.

God is merciful, and will forgive through repentance and trusting in Jesus. But He is also just and can not let wrongdoing go unpunished. Even if a lifeguard saves 100 people but gets drunk and kills 1, a righteous and just judge still has to prosecute him for the one murder. Or else the judge is unjust. I thank Jesus for taking my place of punishment on the cross! Now I am gratefully faithful to Him, as required on my side of the Covenant. Question is, do you accept His free gift of forgiveness? Do you choose to faithfully serve your Savior for eternity? I hope you do, I know I do.

God bless you and Godspeed.

I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts and am willing to discuss any of these topics and more, in great detail. If you would like.

Email:

Michael.servantofchrist@gmail.com