Faith in Jesus

St. John wrote: 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 20:31). The Bible has a blessed purpose. It is not just a book about the history of the children of Israel, not a biography of Jesus, not a book about philosophy, science, or ethics. The Word of the Bible proclaims a powerful message about Jesus’ work of salvation so that people can be rescued from their sins through faith in Jesus. The Bible says, “Of His own will he [God] brought us forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18).
What shall we believe about Jesus? The world we live in is engaged in all-out war against Jesus and God’s Word. Almost daily, articles appear on the Internet that deny the truths of the Bible. Here are some of the titles: “10 Theories About Who Really Wrote the Bible”—Daniel was written after events happened, the Gospels are not eyewitness accounts, the pastoral epistles are forgeries; “Five Things You Didn’t Know About Jesus”—Jesus probably didn’t know everything, Jesus didn’t want to die; “6 Reasons Why Religion Does More Harm Than Good”—promotes tribalism, makes a virtue out of faith (instead of science), teaches helplessness, seeks power. Another person published a document that implied that Jesus had a wife (later proven to be a forgery).
Christians should not be surprised at these attacks. Jesus said His enemies fulfilled Psalm 35:19, “They hated Me without cause” (John 15:25). The Internet gives many people a forum they did not have before.
God does not ask us to believe in myths, fables, and legends about once-famous people. God’s Word presents God as acting within human history—the world-wide flood; promising and giving Abraham a son; the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan; the kingships of David and Solomon; the exile and return of Israel from Babylon; the birth, life, and death of Jesus; and the mission work of the apostles and Paul.
St. John stated, “We beheld his [Christ’s] glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), and St. Peter wrote, “We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). Two of the four Gospel accounts were written by people who were with Jesus for three years. They twice experienced Jesus calming a stormy Sea of Galilee. They twice saw Him feed thousands of people from a few loaves of bread. They witnessed the many healings and other miracles that Jesus did. They all saw the empty tomb and the risen Christ—both in the upper room and in Galilee.
The unbelieving world and Satan will continue to attack and deny the evidence in the Bible about God’s mighty and gracious works. However, for 2,000 years this evidence has led countless believers to confess at Easter that Jesus is their risen Savior, their ascended Lord, and their loving Shepherd. They follow His voice, because it is truth. Jesus said to Pilate, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). May the truths of God’s Word assure us of salvation, comfort us in trials, and give us hope of eternal life.
Theodore Gullixson
Pastor Emeritus
Mankato, Minnesota