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Evidence


 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’ ?  If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—  what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.  But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”  Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.(John 10:34-39)

          Have you seen the most recent ad with Jackie Chan? At least, I think it's the most recent. I don't recall seeing it before. I don't remember exactly what he's being used to sell - it's some sort of app that lets your cell phone verify your identity. Of course, in the ad, the hotel receptionist doesn't believe He's Jackie Chan based on his claim or his looks. He hands her is phone and starts doing things that are classic Jackie Chan moves (which she records.) In the end, she accepts his identity because of the app. It's cute.

         Jesus has been doing the same thing. He told people that He is the Son of God and they didn't believe Him. He performed miracles, and they still refused to believe Him. In fact, they decided to treat Him like an imposter and traitor. This is still a challenge for people today. I know some people who say that if God revealed Himself miraculously to them, that they would never doubt again. I've asked these people what sort of revelation would prove God's existence. More often than not, they come up with some bit of silliness.

         I have asked them what would happen one minute, or 1 hour, or 1 day after the manifestation requested stopped. Would they not decide that they had been dreaming, delusional, or the victim of a world class prank? Generally, they admit that they would.

       The reality is that God did exactly what they asked. He gave them a three year series of events culminating in Someone rising from the dead (and not later dying again.) This cannot be scientifically disproved because it is a historical event. The historical evidence includes testimony of at least 7 individuals who witnessed a living Jesus after the crucifixion. That testimony has been well-preserved with thousands of manuscripts, partial manuscripts and quotes that allow us to ascertain with a high degree of confidence what the original documents said. In addition, there is  the testimony of miracles and changed lives across history. Those who reject the evidence should not complain that it does not exist.

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