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Someone forwarded a video to me yesterday in which a man, speaking on an online TV station decided to argue that Jesus did not rise from the dead. His basis for the arguments  is the different accounts of the Resurrection of the Christ found in the gospels. His kind of argument is the type of “ad hominem” argument called “guilty by association”. In other words, the fact that different human beings wrote different accounts of the same story does not make it false!

The story of the Christ was initially passed on by oral tradition, till it became necessary to write them down for preservation several years after. But scholars found it prudent to keep all the accounts, which is the beauty of the diversity of the human race, and divergent viewpoints.

A typical example is this: If I ask four people,

“When did the sun rise yesterday?”

They are likely to give different  times. The same way if I ask five people who were at your last birthday party,

“How many people were at the party? What foods and drinks were served, and when did it start, and close?”

 You will get different accounts! Do the different accounts mean the sun never rose, or the birthday party never happened?  

There are many things that happened in Jesus’ time that were not written, or included in the Bible, and the Bible does not hide it.  John 21:25 says,

“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

It is interesting to note that Jesus’ own disciples, those physically with Him, had some challenges too.

READ John 20:25-31

“Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him,  “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. ( John 21:25-31)

Have you heard the cliché, “doubting Thomas”? This is the story.

Thomas, who was one of the twelve disciples did not believe Jesus had risen.  So, after eight days, while the disciples were together, with the doors shut, Jesus appeared in their midst, and told Thomas,

“Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

But Thomas didn’t even touch him but exclaimed:

“My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told Thomas something profound! He said,

“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The writer of the Gospel of John went on to say,

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31)

This is the basis of our faith! We believe, not because we have seen Him, or seen anything physical about Him, or think the accounts about Him are perfect and consistent!

 We believe because of the personal experience we have with Him. We invite you to have the same experience too.

MEMORY VERSE

Jesus said to him “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

QUESTIONS

1. Have you been faced with arguments and doubts about the Lord Jesus Christ?

2. Do you know those arguments have always existed? But our belief is by faith, not by sight(2 Corinthians 5:7).

PRAYER TIP

Father, please help us to know you more; and also reveal yourself to those who don’t know you in a special way.

Written by:
BENNY MALM

For:
TESTIMONY DEVOTIONAL

URGENT CALL

If you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior, you need to do that now!

Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer” for guidance.

We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page. God bless you.

🌹 SPECIAL GRATITUDE 🌹

Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website. 

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We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission.