Don Stewart :: Summary and Conclusion

Chapter 14 – Summary and Conclusion

The Christian Faith Is True

This chapter summarizes what we have learned in this book. It is not a long chapter, but it is essential that, by this time, you are fairly familiar with the arguments we have given. Thus, the different points listed should be mere repetition of what you have already learned. Basically, it repeats the outline in chapter three. However, at this time, you have already looked at the evidence that backs up these points.

We began our study by assuming nothing about the truthfulness of the Christian faith—rather we built our argument from only the facts that could be demonstrated. Our examination of the case for Christianity has now led us to the following conclusions.

Point 1: The New Testament Is Reliable in Its Text and History

The first thing we discovered is that the New Testament has come down to us in a reliable manner in both its text and history. When we apply the same tests to the New Testament as we would to any other document, we find it to be trustworthy. The text has been transmitted in an accurate way so that we can have confidence that the message has not been changed.

We also found the events recorded in the New Testament match up to known historical events. According to the “ancient documents rule,” the New Testament should be accepted as true until some evidence is brought to the contrary.

Point 2: Jesus Claimed He Is the Only Way to Get to the One True God

We then looked at the New Testament to discover its message. We found that it claimed that there is only one God and only one way to approach the one God—through the person of Jesus Christ. It is the unanimous testimony of the New Testament that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We find this from His own teaching, and the teachings of His disciples. Their claim is that salvation comes no other way.

Moreover, Jesus is able to make these claims because He is God in human flesh, the Second Person of the Trinity. Therefore, Jesus was Almighty God, who became a man, to show us, among other things, what God is like and what He expected from us.

Point 3: The Claims of Christ Considered – The Various Possibilities

Because the claims of the New Testament have been recorded in a document that is historically reliable, they must be dealt with. There are three possible ways in which we could understand them.

A. He Never Made the Claims – Legend

This view holds that the claims of the New Testament did not come from Jesus but rather from His disciples who exaggerated the things He said and did. We found many problems with this view - not the least of which is there is not enough time for this to happen.

B. He Made the Claims and They Were Not True – Liar or Lunatic

Since it is clear that He made the claims recorded in the New Testament, they must be either true or false. If His claims were false, then He either knew them to be false or He did not know them to be false.

He May Have Been a Liar

This view holds that Jesus knew His claims were false, but He made them anyway. As we observed, this is totally contrary to everything we know about His character. There is no evidence whatsoever that Jesus lied about anything.

He Could Have Been a Lunatic

If Jesus really believed Himself to be the Son of God, and He was not whom He believed Himself to be, then He would have been a lunatic. Again, we find that this is totally contrary to everything we know about His character and teachings. There is nothing in Jesus’ behavior that remotely suggests that He was deluded.

He Made the Claims and They Were True – Lord

The only possibility that makes sense is that Jesus is Lord. Yet if this is the case, then there needs to be some evidence to substantiate this claim.

Point 4: the Evidence for His Claims

The New Testament not only makes claims about Jesus, it provides evidence to substantiate these claims. The New Testament offers three different lines of proof.

The Miracles of Jesus

The miracles of Jesus provide the first line of evidence. We saw that they were an essential part of His ministry. There were a sufficient number of miracles to cause us to believe that they occurred. Furthermore, His contemporaries never denied the miracles of Jesus. The evidence is clear that Jesus did indeed perform miracles.

Fulfilled Prophecies by Jesus and from Jesus

The prophecies fulfilled in the life of Jesus provide further convincing evidence that the Christian faith is true. There were prophecies fulfilled by Jesus Himself when He came to the earth, as well as prophecies He gave, that have been fulfilled. These were supernaturally fulfilled without any human manipulation. The only rational way to explain these prophecies is that there is an all-knowing God who has told us what will happen in the future.

Jesus’ Resurrection from the Dead

The final line of evidence is Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Three days after His death on Calvary’s cross, the New Testament says that Jesus was alive again. The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus is overwhelming for all of those who are willing to take the time and consider it.

Point 5: The Bible Is God’s Word – Jesus Said So

We can now make some conclusions with respect to the Bible. Because Jesus demonstrated Himself to be the Son of God, the way, the truth, and the life, and the only hope of humanity for salvation, we go to Him to discover exactly what kind of book the Bible is.

Jesus’ View of the Old Testament: It Is the Word of God

Jesus believed the entire Old Testament was God’s Word. He confirmed some of the most controversial stories such as Adam and Eve, Noah, and Jonah. He totally trusted everything that it said. Therefore, we also should trust the Old Testament as being the Word of God since He trusted it as being authoritative and true.

Jesus’ View of His Own Teachings: They Are Absolutely Authoritative

Jesus’ own teachings show that He believed that He was the Son of God—the way, the truth, and the life. He claimed absolute authority on any subject in which He spoke about. When He spoke, He expected people to listen and obey.

Jesus’ View of the New Testament: It Would Be Totally True

Finally, as we look at Jesus’ view of the New Testament, we find that He pre-authenticated it ahead of time. Jesus promised His disciples the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth and that all things which He said would supernaturally be brought back to their remembrance. This includes everything His disciples would teach and then later write. This gives the New Testament a pre-approval before it was written.

Conclusion

The evidence is clear and convincing. The Christian faith is not a blind faith but rather an intelligent faith based upon the facts of history. The truth of Jesus’ claims can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt or to a moral certainty to all those who are willing to honestly consider the evidence.

A Final Issue: Have You Trusted Him?

As we have seen, God has given us sufficient evidence to believe. But there is more. Australian attorney/theologian Ross Clifford states the matter well:

The fact that the Creator in his grace has preserved such an abundance of evidence shows that he wants no-one to avoid the issue of who Jesus is. The evidence would impress a court of law, but ultimately it amounts to little unless it results in a commitment to Christ and the changed life the risen Lord through the Holy Spirit produces. (Ross Clifford, The Case For The Empty Tomb, Albatross Books, Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia, 1991, p. 142)

If you have not made a decision for Jesus Christ there is no better time than right now. If you would like to become a Christian, pray a simple prayer like this:

Lord Jesus, I know that I’m a sinner. Thank you for dying for me. Right this moment, in the best way that I know how, I trust you as my own Savior and Lord. Thank you Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you just prayed this prayer, congratulations! You have decided for Jesus Christ and for eternal life. If you prayed this prayer, be sure to tell others of your decision. Also, find a church that believes and teaches the Bible.