Biblical Evidence
The Bible is a foundational piece of evidence for Christianity. It is made up of a collection of manuscripts and books that were written by different authors, in different places and in different periods of time. Most of these books were written between the 6th century B.C. and the 1st century A.D. The Bible contains the accounts of Jesus’s birth, life, miracles, teachings, death and resurrection, providing the core beliefs of Christianity. It paints a picture of who Jesus is – that he was both divine and human, the Son of God and the Savior of humanity.
The Bible is also an historically reliable source of information. According to Dr. Paul Wallace, a professor of biblical studies, “The vast majority of scholars affirm that the Bible is a reliable historical source. While there are some discrepancies in the manuscripts, a great deal of study has gone into making sure those discrepancies do not affect the main message of the Bible.” It is from these accounts that believers have drawn the conclusion that Jesus is the son of God and the Savior of humanity.
The Resurrection of Jesus
One of the key pieces of evidence for Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus. According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified and buried, and then rose from the dead on the third day. There is a wealth of historical evidence to support this belief. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote of the crucifixion of Jesus in his Annals. The early church father Ignatius wrote to the church of Smyrna and mentioned the resurrection of Jesus. Moreover, Anglican Bishop, N.T. Wright has argued that the New Testament “firmly and repeatedly establishes Jesus’ bodily resurrection as a foundational claim of Christianity.”
This belief in the resurrection of Jesus is reflected in the data. According to a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, 79% of Americans believe that Jesus was resurrected. This is supported by the fact that according to the World Christian Encyclopedia, Christianity is the largest religion in the world, making up 31% of the global population.
The Witnesses of Jesus
Apostles of Jesus, the original disciples, played an important role in the development and spread of Christianity. According to 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and thatHe was buried, and that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.” Paul, one of the most important of the apostles, wrote letters that are now found in the New Testament. These letters provide key details about the teachings of Jesus, including the message of grace and redemption found in the gospel.
The apostles and those with them, would spread the message of Christianity through their travels and writings. They would use their accounts of Jesus’s life and testimony of the resurrection to bring people to faith. The early Christians would spread their message even further through the witness of their lives and the martyrdom of some. These accounts provide compelling evidence for the truth of Christianity.
NT Wright’s Case for Christianity
Noted theologian, NT Wright has put forward a comprehensive argument for Christianity. He has argued that the evidence of the empty tomb, the accounts of the post-resurrection appearances, the conversion of Paul and the transformation of the early church all point to the veracity of the Christian faith. He writes, “We must not simply assume, as many did in the nineteenth century, and still do, that the early Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead exhibited hero-religion at work, with embellished mythology telling the ‘story of the divine hero’. The facts of the empty tomb, the appearances and the beginning of the Christian mission all point away from this partial explanation and point towards something that happened in the physical world.”
This provides a compelling argument for the truth of Christianity and that the claims of the bible are rooted in solid historical facts.
The Fulfillment of Prophecy
Another piece of evidence for the truth of Christianity is the fulfillment of prophecy. Throughout the Old Testament, there are prophecies that point to the coming of a Messiah. These prophecies, if taken literally, refer to a man who would be born to a specific tribe, in a specific era and who would perform certain miracles. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies in astonishing detail.
The prophecies point to a “suffering Messiah”. According to Isaiah 53:10, “He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” This astonishingly refers to the crucifixion of Jesus, the suffering he endured for us. This along with other prophecies point to the reality of Jesus and the truth of Christianity’s core beliefs.
Evidence from Science, Philosophy and Morality
Apart from the biblical evidence, there is also evidence from science, philosophy and morality that point to the truth of Christianity. For example, the argument from design poses the idea that the universe and its immense complexity points to an intelligent Creator of some sort. The idea of a Creator, in turn, demands a moral code and some sort of explanation for why we should live according to this code. According to basic moral intuition, we have a duty to protect the weak and vulnerable, to protect the environment and be honest in our dealings. This dovetails with the basic teachings of Christianity and explains why people are drawn to the idea that Christianity is true.
The moral argument also gains support from evolutionary biology, as renowned evolutionary biologist J. B. S. Haldane observed that “the universe appears to have been designed by a pure mathematician.” He argued that the universe is necessarily complex, with the capacity for life and morality. This complexity of the universe demands the existence of an intelligent being behind it all.
Finally, on the philosophical side, there is a great deal of evidence that points to the truth of Christianity as well. The Christian worldview makes sense of the reality of evil, as well as the human longing for purpose and meaning. Further, it also offers a rational explanation for why we should pursue virtue and morality, which is often hard to answer outside of the Christian framework. Thus, both the philosophical and the scientific evidence point to the truth of Christianity.
Fulfillment of Jesus’Predictions
In addition to the evidence from science, philosophy and morality, Jesus’ predictions have been fulfilled. Throughout his ministry, Jesus predicted his own death and resurrection. He predicted his own crucifixion and gave details about what would happen afterwards. He also predicted that he would ascend to heaven and sit at the right hand of the Father, and that he would return again at the end of the age. All of these predictions have been fulfilled.
This is further highlighted by the fact that the New Testament was written and circulated within the first century. This means that the early Christians would have been keenly aware of whether or not these predictions were coming to pass. This makes it highly unlikely that they would have been fooled into believing in something that was not true.
Additionally, Jesus was able to predict what would happen in the future, in detail and with accuracy. This is compelling evidence that he was, and is, who he said he was – the Son of God.
The Birth of the Christian Church
It is also important to remember that the early Christian church was born during a time of violence, persecution, and skepticism. The early Christians were facing extreme opposition from the Roman Empire. Yet the Christian faith was able to stand and even grow. This was undoubtedly related to the powerful evidence that supported the new faith.
Christian scholar, Gary Habermas notes, “The dramatic and abundant data concerning the resurrection is securely attested by all significant sources and lines of evidence, including eye-witness testimony; enemy attestation; the testimony of women; the creedal statements; and the empty tomb.” This powerful evidence allowed the message of Christianity to spread and the faith to endure in the hostile context of the 1st century.
Testimony of Believers
Finally, there is the testimony of the believers. Believers around the world have experienced a transformation in their lives as a result of their faith in Jesus. This may be evidenced by the radical transformation of their lives, or their increased interest in good works, or their newfound joy and peace. This has allowed many to come to the conclusion that Christianity is true.
The testimonies of the believers also serve to confirm that Christianity is true. The sheer number of converts and the sheer diversity of the believers is a testament to the power of the Christian faith. People around the world, of various backgrounds, have come to faith in Jesus, and this too is evidence that Christianity is true.
Conclusion
These pieces of evidence – the Bible, the resurrection, the witnesses, the fulfilled prophecies, the evidence from science, philosophy and morality, the predictions and the birth of the Christian church – all point to the fact that Christianity is true. While there are certainly skeptics, the evidence overwhelmingly points to the conclusion that Christianity is true.
