Don Stewart :: How Does the Testimony of Changed Lives Give Evidence for the Existence of the God of Scripture?

How Does the Testimony of Changed Lives Give Evidence for the Existence of the God of Scripture?

Does the God of the Bible Exist? – Question 18

Even though we have given only the briefest of evidence here, there is, as we have seen, many reasons to believe that the God of the Bible exists. There is a final line of evidence which also must be mentioned in our overview. This is the evidence of the changed lives.

The message of the Bible of forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ meets the deepest needs of humanity. Only the good news about Jesus Christ can satisfy the longings of the human heart. All other religions fail at this point.

The Bible encourages people to personally experience the God of Scripture. The psalmist wrote,

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8 NIV)

The Message translates this verse as follows.

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. (Psalm 34:8 MsgB)

Christian experience does not in and of itself prove the reality of the Christian faith. Yet if the one true God has revealed Himself in the Bible, and Jesus Christ is the One whom He claims to be, then we should expect Christian experience to provide a testimony consistent with that revelation. We find that it does. We can make the following observations.

1. The Example of the Changed Lives of Jesus’ Disciples

The disciples of Jesus are an example of personal experience validating God’s Word. Each of them abandoned Jesus when Judas Iscariot betrayed Him. Simon Peter even denied knowing Him. When Jesus was tried and crucified His disciples were nowhere to be found. Yet, less than two months later, these same cowards were boldly proclaiming the truth of Christ to the world. Each one of these men suffered persecution the rest of his life and, with the exception of John, went on to die a martyr’s death for his belief in Christ.

2. They Did Not Believe Myths

Something changed their lives. Cowards do not become martyrs without a reason. What was it? The disciples testified that it was seeing the risen Christ that made the difference. This was an historical event, not just a fairy tale. The Apostle Peter declared,

“And we are witnesses of all that he [Jesus] did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. (Acts 10:39-41 ESV)

The risen Christ appeared to a number of people. These individuals could go to their deaths for the cause of Christ because they knew He had been raised from the dead.

3. The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus

The changed life of Jesus’ disciples serves as a testimony to the truth of the Christian message. Saul of Tarsus is another example. He was a persecutor of Christians, but his life changed when he experienced the risen Christ while on the road to Damascus. This was a genuine experience, not a fantasy. He said the following to King Agrippa.

“For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely to him, because I cannot believe that any of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner.” (Acts 26:26 NET)

As was the case with Jesus’ disciples, there is no disputing that Saul’s life was radically changed. Like the disciples, he testified that seeing the risen Christ caused it. His changed life adds another testimony to the truth of the Christian faith.

4. Millions More Can Testify to Changed Lives

Since the time of Jesus Christ, there have been millions of others who have had their lives changed by experiencing the risen Christ. They have believed without seeing Him. The experience of those who have believed in Him is further confirmation of the truth of the Christian message.

We can, therefore, conclude that Christian experience is based upon the facts of the gospel. The disciples of Jesus, and Saul of Tarsus, are two biblical examples of the confirmation of Christian experience. Millions of others, since their time have had their life changed by believing in the risen Jesus. Thus, Christian experience gives a further confirmation of the truth of the Christian message.

Indeed, there is a God who exists and He has revealed Himself to the world through the Person of Jesus Christ.

Summary – Question 18
How Does the Testimony of Changed Lives Give Evidence for the Existence of the God of Scripture?

The final testimony of the truthfulness of the Christian faith concerns how it relates with human experience. If the Christian faith is true, then it must work in the real world. It is not enough to claim there is sufficient evidence for Christianity there must be something that backs up these claims. The Bible gives testimony to individuals whose lives were radically changed through meeting Jesus.

For example, in the matter of fifty days, the disciples of Jesus went from cowards, who left Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, to being bold proclaimers of His resurrection. Something changed their lives. They said it was seeing the risen Christ. In fact, Peter would later emphasize that they were eyewitnesses of the majesty of Christ; they did not believe myths. Seeing Him after His death is what gave them the boldness to proclaim the message of forgiveness of sin through Jesus.

Saul of Tarsus is another example. He went from the greatest enemy of the Christian faith to its greatest spokesmen. Something changed his life. He testified that it was meeting the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.

Since the time of Jesus Christ, millions of people can give testimony to a changed life after believing in Jesus. Therefore, Christianity is not only true, it works.