SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 213
EVIDENCES for
Skeptics
How Firm a Foundation
How firm a foundation,
ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your Faith
in His excellent Word!
What more can He say
than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus
for refuge have fled?
Fear not, I am with thee,
O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God
and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee,
and cause thee to stand
upheld by My righteous,
omnipotent hand.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned
for repose,
I will not, I will not
desert to its foes.
That soul, though all hell should
endeavour to shake,
I’ll never, no never,
no never forsake.
EVIDENCES for
Skeptics
Some people see Christianity as some kind of intellectual suicide.
A blind leap of faith.
However, Christianity is a reasonable Faith.
It is based on incontrovertible, historical facts.
When through fiery trials thy
pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient,
shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee;
I only design
thy dross to consume,
and thy gold to refine.
Christianity is
not a blind
leap into
the dark.
It is an
intelligent
step into
the light.
There is nothing virtuous about gullibility. We are not
proclaiming faith in faith. It is all too possible to be sincerely
wrong. Our faith needs to be in the facts that God has
revealed in Scripture and in Creation.
WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE
THAT THE BIBLE
IS THE WORD OF GOD?
A p r e s e n t a t i o n b y D r . P e t e r H a m m o n d
Any skeptical enquirer is to be commended for wanting to examine the
foundations of our Faith. And the Bible forms the solid foundation for
our Faith. The Bible stands as the greatest Book ever written.
It is unique in its circulation. The first book to ever be printed
was the Bible. The Bible has been read by more people,
and printed more times, than any other book in history.
No other book has been translated into so many languages.
The Forbidden Book
It is unique in its
survival. No other book
has been so viciously
attacked throughout
history as the Bible.
In AD 300 the Roman
emperor Diocletian
ordered that every Bible
be sought out
and burned.
Diocletian was determined to destroy Christianity
by destroying the Scriptures it was founded on.
Anyone caught with a Bible would be executed.
War Against God
Throughout history other tyrants have
waged a war against God, seeking to
annihilate the Christian Church..
Just in the 20th century alone well over 60 million
Christians were killed by atheistic regimes.
Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union closed down or
destroyed over 49,000 churches and imprisoned more than fifty
million Russian Christians.
Mao Tse Tung’s Marxist regime in Red China also
sought to annihilate the Christian Church.
Enver Hoxa declared
Albania the first truly
atheistic country in
the world after closing
every church and
killing every minister
in the country. Every
Bible was destroyed
and people were
imprisoned in labour
camps for merely
mentioning
the Name of God.
Samora Machel similarly attempted to turn
Mozambique into
the first truly atheistic country in Africa.
Yet, despite the most extraordinary campaigns
to destroy Bibles,
the Bible has survived to continue to be the world’s
Number One best selling book of all time.
Unique
Despite the intensive campaigns over many centuries to destroy the
Bible,.
there are still an incredible 24,000 manuscripts of the New Testament
dating back to the time of the early church. By way of comparison there
are only 7 manuscripts of Plato’s Tetralogies,
49 manuscripts of Aristotle’s Ode to Poetics,
8 copies of the Historian Herodotus writings.
By these standards of antiquity, the Bible is in a class of its
own. No other ancient writing has as many manuscripts,
and certainly no other book has been so scrutinised
and subjected to such critical analysis,
and yet survived the most withering campaigns of criticism.
Impressive Credentials
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in cliff top caves at Qumran, in
1949, provided manuscripts dating from the 3rd Century BC to the 1st
Century AD. It included a complete book of Isaiah and thousandsof
fragments representing almost every other OldTestament book of the Bible.
Students were astounded to find that the manuscripts and translations
which we have available to us today were accurate and reliable in every
way. The Bible, on any level you might wish to examine it, is the most
impressively credentialed work of ancient literature.
Now, you may say, that’s all very well, but
how can I know that the Bible is the Word of God?
A Critical Test
The Law of God sets up a litmus test for prophecy: “When a prophet
speaks in the Name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen, or come
to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet
has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”
Deuteronomy 18:22
Prophecy
It is a fact that, of the twenty six books of the world, that either claim to
be, or have been proclaimed to be, Scripture, the issue of specific
prophecy is glaringly absent. You do not find specific prophecies
concerning events, far in the future,
in the writings of Buddha, Lao-Tsu, Confucius, or Muhammad.
However, the Bible is absolutely unique in that, in the Old Testament
alone, there are more than two thousand specific prophecies that have
already been fulfilled. There has never been anything else in all of
history to compare with the Bible’s prophecies.
Egypt
You may say, weren’t they just lucky guesses, or vague generalities that
could be interpreted in any way? Well, you be the judge.
Consider these:
EGYPT
Atthetimewhen
Egyptwasthegreatest
nationinalltheworld,
thekingofnations,
therichestcountryon
e a r t h , E ze k i e l
prophesied:
“Thereshallnolonger
beprinces fromthe
landofEgypt”
(Ezekiel 30:13).
It is a fact of history that, until a few decades ago when the
monarchy was overthrown, Egypt was always ruled by a
prince, but during the 2,500 years since this prophecy
was given, the princes of Egypt were never Egyptian.
Their kings and queens have been Persians, Macedonians, Romans,
Greeks, Arabs and Ottoman Turks. Egypt has even been ruled by the
English. But since the prophecy, given through Ezekiel no Egyptian
monarch has ruled over Egypt. When Egypt was the world’s superpower,
no one would have predicted that.
Babylon
Iraq has been much in the news lately, so let us consider the Biblical
prophecies concerning Babylon. The Bible contains
over 100 specific prophecies concerning Babylon’s fate.
Babylon was not only the greatest empire in ancient times, its capital
city was the greatest city in the world. The historian Herodotus
recorded that the city consisted of 196 square miles of the most
beautiful architecture, hanging gardens, palaces and temples.
The walls were 15 miles long and 200 feet high. The towers were 300
feet high. The walls were 187 feet thick at the base. Every authority at
the time would agree that the city of Babylon was impregnable. Yet the
Word of God came that: “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly
broken …it shall be desolate forever.” Jeremiah 51:58-62
Now, the Great Wall of China is not nearly as wide, nor as strong, as the
walls of Babylon were, and although it is older it still stands today.
The walls of Jerusalem still stand. But today there is no doubt that the
walls of Babylon have been destroyed.
Determined to make this the capital of his worldwide empire, Alexander
the Great decided that he would rebuild Babylon. Alexander issued
600,000 rations to his soldiers and ordered the rebuilding
of the city of Babylon. Yet, Alexander died at the age of 32
and his enterprise of rebuilding Babylon was abandoned.
In the 4th Century AD, Julian the Apostate, who attempted to restore
paganism to Rome was engaged in a war with the Persians. To prevent
the Persians re-establishing the defenses of Babylon, Julian ordered the
remnants of the wall of Babylon completely broken down.
In this surprising way, one of Scriptures greatest antagonists of all time
became the agent to fulfilling one of the clearest and most repeated
prophecies in the Old Testament.
“Because of the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited, but it shall
be wholly desolate …it shall be no more inhabited forever.”
Jeremiah 50:13,39
Today the ruins of Babylon are a wilderness inhabited only by scorpions
and snakes. Although the fertility of the lands around Babylon were
legendary, today it is a barren desert.
Tyre
The city of Tyre was to the sea what Babylon was to the land.
Tyre was the greatest port city in the ancient world.
Yet, at the height of its power, God declared that this city would be
destroyed, that its towers would be broken down, and that its stones
and timber, and even its dust, would be laid in the midst of the water
and it would become like the top of a rock, a place for the spreading of
nets in the midst of the sea (Ezekiel 26:4-14).
This very strange prophecy began to be fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar
of Babylon marched his army to the walls of Tyre and for 13 years
besieged the city. When finally the walls of the city crumbled before the
persistence of the Babylonians they found that many of the inhabitants
had moved to an island half a mile out into the Mediterranean.
There they built an even more impregnable city.
For hundreds of years one might have said that the prophecy given
through Ezekiel was not completely fulfilled. Then Alexander the Great
came, defeated the Persians and demanded the surrender of the port
cities of the Eastern Mediterranean. Tyre alone refused to open its
gates to him, so Alexander then conceived the boldest
and most daring plan in siege history.
He ordered a causeway built across half a mile of the Mediterranean Sea
to the island of the new Tyre. All the walls of Tyre were torn down, the
timber, the stones, the rubble and the logs and they were cast into the
sea. They scraped the very dust of the city itself into the sea to make
this highway to destroy the new island city of Tyre.
In this way the prophecy in Ezekiel 26 was completely fulfilled.
Sidon
The prophecy against Sidon (Ezekiel 28:21-23) was that the inhabitants
would be decimated, but the city would continue. History records that
the city of Sidon was attacked, betrayed by its own king, and 40,000 of
its inhabitants were killed. But the city of Sidon continues.
Samaria
The Scripture records a prophecy that Samaria, the capital of the
Northern kingdom of Israel, would be destroyed, it would be turned
into a vineyard and its foundations would be uncovered (Micah 1:5-6).
In fact the walls of Samaria were cast down and today vineyards grow
where once stood the capital of the Northern kingdom.
Archeologists have excavated to expose the foundations of the city.
Jerusalem
There were numerous other prophecies, that Jerusalem, the capital of
the southern kingdom of Judah, would be destroyed, its inhabitants
carried away and its wall broken down (Jeremiah 24:9; 29:21; 35:17).
There were further prophecies that the city and the walls would be
rebuilt and the people would be brought back (Isaiah 4:3-6).
History records that all of this indeed happened, as prophesied.
Petra
When Petra was one of the great cities of the ancient world, and Edom
was a powerful nation, the Word of God came to Edom:
“I am against thee, and I will stretch mine hand against you and I will
make thee most desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be
desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord …I will make thee a
perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall not return;
and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 35:3-4,9
Tovisitthedesolate
land that once was
Edom, and the
deserted ruins of
Petra today it is
hard to imagine the
power and prestige
that these places
once had when the
prophecywasgiven.
“Remember the former things of old; for I am
God, and there is no other; I am God, and there
is none like Me, declaring the end from the
beginning, and from ancient times things that
are not yet done.” Isaiah 46:9-10
Incomparable
Those people who say that the Bible was just written by men
are simply expressing their own ignorance on the subject.
There is nothing
comparable to the
Bible
in all the literature
of the world.
The power revealed
through the
Scriptures
is none other than
the power of God.
All the founders of great religions and movements have died and you can
visit their graves. Zoroaster, Confucius, Buddha, Muhammad, Marx, and
Lenin. They are all dead and decayed in the grave.
But Jesus Christ is alive!
The RESEARCH of SKEPTICS
The Resurrection is so important
and foundational to Christianity
that it has been targeted for the
most relentless attacks.
Frank Morison, a lawyer,
determined to disprove the
Resurrection and thereby
undermine Christianity.
The result of his exhaustive
investigations was his
conversion to Christ and the
publication of his book:
“Who Moved the Stone?” which
decisively demonstrates the
overwhelming evidence for
the Resurrection.
A skeptical university lecturer, Josh
McDowell, determined to disprove
Christianity by investigating evidence
against the Resurrection. The result
was his conversion to Christ and
publication of the monumental:
“Evidence That Demands a Verdict”
which exhaustively and conclusively
presents documentation and evidence
upon evidence substantiating the
historical truth, factual accuracy,
archeological evidence, manuscript
evidence, fulfilled prophecies,
transformed lives, and other
indisputable evidences which support
the fact of the Resurrection of Christ
from the dead and the truth claims of
Christianity.
Thomas Arnold, Professor of History at Oxford University, one of the
greatest historians of the 19th Century wrote: “I know of no one fact in
the history of mankind which is proved by better, fuller evidence of every
sort, to the understanding of a fair enquirer, than the great sign which
God has given us that Christ died and rose from the dead.”
Simon Greenleaf, recognised
as one of the most skilled
legal minds ever produced,
developed the Harvard Law
School. He is recognised as
the top authority on what
constitutes sound evidence.
Simon Greenleaf made a
thorough and exhaustive
examination of the objective
evidence and the testimony of
the four Gospel writers,
Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John.
In his book:
“The Testimony of the
Evangelists” (Baker, 1874) he
concluded: “It was therefore
impossible that they could
have persisted in affirming
the truths they have
narrated, had not Jesus
actually risen from the
dead, and had they not known
this fact as certainly as they
knew any other fact.”
Simon Greenleaf
declared that any court
of law, if presented
with the evidence of
the Resurrection, would
have to give a verdict
in favour of the
integrity and accuracy
of the Gospel writers
and the fact of the
Resurrection.
One of the most popular
books ever written, and
most successful films
ever produced,
Ben Hur,
was a result of a skeptical challenge to General Lew
Wallace
to the authenticity of Christ’s Resurrection, and a
careful examination of the evidence.
What are the facts?
The religious leaders,
the Pharisees and
Sadducees, who had
campaigned and
conspired to have
Christ arrested and
executed on trumped
up charges, had a
compelling interest
in disproving any
claims of the
Resurrection.
They had presumed
that the execution of Jesus
would eliminate this threat
to their religious power
base and silence His
supporters. These Jewish
religious leaders had great
concerns about the corpse
of Jesus and they
approached the Roman
governor, Pontius Pilate, for
a military detachment to
secure the tomb
(Matthew 28:62-64).
The Roman governor’s priority in the volatile province
of Palestine was to preserve peace and stability.
He recognised the
political problems
that would ensue if
anything happened
to this religious
Teacher whom he
had three times
declared
innocent, and ultimately washed his hands in front of the
crowd declaring, “I’m innocent of this Man’s blood” (Matthew
27:24). His wife had warned him: “Don’t have anything to do with
that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a
dream because of Him.” (Matthew 27:19)
Pilate was only too aware that a travesty of justice had taken place, and
the last thing he needed was a review of his shameful conduct and
dereliction of duty in this case. Ensuring that the victim’s corpse
remained buried was definitely in Pilate’s political interests as well.
“‘Take a guard’, Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you
know how’. So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on
the stone and posting the guard.” Matthew 27:65
The ROMAN GUARD
As the chief priests had
approached the Roman
governor, and as the Greek
word Koustodia is used to
describe the detachment of
soldiers, it was evidently a
Roman guard. If only a
temple guard had been used,
there would have been no need
to approach Pilate to issue the
order.
Additionally the concern of the
guards after the Resurrection to
be protected from
consequences from the
governor (Matthew 28:14)
confirms that those guarding
the tomb were Roman soldiers.
The detachment would have
consisted of at least sixteen
soldiers with four men placed
directly in front of the
entrance of the tomb, on duty,
at any time.
Under Roman military law any
guard who deserted his post, or
who fell asleep on duty, would
face crucifixion.
Typically, if Roman soldiers
allowed a prisoner to escape
they would face the same
sentence as the prisoner – in
this case crucifixion.
The seal placed on the stone at the entrance to the tomb signified the
administrative authority, and only an authorised officer of Rome would
be permitted to break the seal. Anyone breaking a Roman seal without
permission would be tracked down and executed.
Although the intention of the religious and political leaders had been to
ensure that the phenomenon of Jesus ended at the tomb, their
extraordinary security measures have only served to confirm the truth
that they had murdered an innocent Man and that Jesus Christ was truly
the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, “the firstborn from the dead,
and the Ruler of the kings of the earth…the One Who lives, and was
dead, and behold, I am alive forever more.” Revelation 1:5, 18
CHRIST’S VICTORY OVER DEATH
ATTEMPTS to AVOID the TRUTH of the RESURRECTION
To explain away the empty
tomb, the enemies of the
Gospel have had to resort to
some desperate deceptions.
The first was to suggest that
the disciples had stolen the
body.
This incredible theory
suggests that:
those same disciples who had
slept in the garden,
fled at His arrest,
denied Him before a young
woman, were hiding in fear
behind locked doors,
could have unitedly overcome
sixteen professional Roman soldiers,
dared to break a Roman seal, moved
a two tonne tomb stone, just to steal
a corpse!
A dead Messiah would have served
absolutely no purpose for the
disciples.
What possible
motivation could
they have had, even
had they possessed
the ability to
overcome the
military, political
and logistical
obstacles?
They had nothing to
gain and everything
to lose.
Every one of the disciples suffered severe persecution,
most dying as martyrs for the Faith.
Would you die for a lie?
DID JESUS REALLY DIE?
Others have
questioned
whether
Christ had
really died on
the cross.
Perhaps He
only fainted?
This swoon theory would have us believe that the Roman
soldiers, who were professional killers, (the centurion in
charge, would most probably have supervised dozens if not
hundreds of executions),
had failed to ensure that this high profile political prisoner was not
actually dead
Considering
the vicious
flogging
which the
Lord had
already
endured,
the excruciating torture of crucifixion
and the spear thrust into His side, with blood and water flowing out, all
provide convincing evidence of death.
Yet, those advocating
the swoon theory would
have us believe that One
Who had endured such
savage flogging,
crucifixion, and a spear
thrust to the heart, could
not only have survived
the legendary Roman
military efficiency,
but that He was revived
on a cold slab in a cold
tomb!
Further that He somehow
disengaged from the grave
clothes, and one hundred
pounds of spices, ointments
and wrappings which had
effectively mummified Him,
rolled away the two tonne
stone, overpowered, or eluded,
the Roman soldiers, and
somehow found and
impressed the disciples with
His Deity?
These suggestions have only
to be mentioned in order to be
dismissed as unbelievable.
THE EMPTY TOMB
Another desperate attempt to
explain away the Resurrection
of Christ has been that they
went to the wrong tomb.
All of them! Mary Magdalene,
Peter, John, the other women,
all went to the wrong tomb.
And somehow neither the
Pharisees, nor the Sadducees,
nor the Roman soldiers, nor
Joseph of Arimathea, whose
tomb it was, thought to point
out that the tomb was in fact
still occupied!
However, this theory is also impossible, as the tomb was not
in a cemetery, but in a garden privately owned by Joseph of
Arimathea. There was no other tomb in that garden.
The ABSENCE of the BODY
And all that the Roman and Jewish
leaders had to do in order to end
Christianity forever was produce
the corpse of Jesus. But they
couldn’t do it. Even when the
Apostle Peter stood up on the day
of Pentecost and proclaimed:
“Therefore, let all the house of
Israel know assuredly that God
has made this Jesus, whom you
crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Acts 2:36. “And with great power
the apostles gave witness to the
Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 4:33. And many thousands in
Jerusalem, including many
Pharisees, came to faith in Jesus
Christ.
The CRISIS of CREDIBILITY
To the Jewish religious
leaders, this was their
worst nightmare, a
disaster.
The proclamation of the
Resurrection of Christ
undermined their power
and credibility.
Thousands of their
followers now believed
that they had
condemned an innocent
Man,
the Messiah Himself.
The new religion
of Christianity
was undermining
the power base
and credibility of
the Pharisees and
Sadducees.
If the body of Jesus could have been found, Christianity could be
stopped dead in its tracks and the threat to the religious status quo would
have ended. Since they desperately needed Jesus’ corpse, the Jewish
leaders would have used every means at their disposal to hunt it down
and find it – if that was possible.
The TESTIMONY of EYE WITNESSES
However, we are not only
dealing with the empty tomb,
and the absence of the body,
but the testimony of
eyewitnesses. On at least
twelve separate occasions
Jesus Christ was seen after
rising from the tomb.
Mary Magdalene (John
20:11-18; Mark 16:9); the
other women (Matthew 28:8-
10); Peter (Luke 24:34); the
two disciples on the road to
Emmaus
(Luke 24:13-35)
ten of the disciples (Luke
24:36-43; John 20:19-24); all
eleven disciples, eight days
later (John 20:24-29); seven
disciples by the Sea of
Tiberius (John 21:1-23); to
five hundred at one time (1
Corinthians 15:6); to James
(1 Corinthians 15:7); to all
eleven apostles, and others,
at the Ascension (Acts 1:3-
12); Paul (Acts 9:3-8); and
John (Revelation 1:12-18),
all saw the Lord bodily
raised from the dead.
To explain away the
testimony of all these
eyewitnesses, enemies of
Christianity suggest that
these were merely
hallucinations, perhaps
as a result of hypnosis or
hysteria.
However, while
hallucinations tend to be
unique psychological
experiences of an
individual,
we are here dealing
with a large number of
individuals, who at
different times, in
different groups, in
different places, both
indoors and outdoors,
on a hilltop, along a
roadside, by a lake
shore, all saw the
Lord.
They saw Him, they
ate with Him, they saw
the wounds in His
hands and in His side.
And far from being
gullible, it would appear
that His disciples were
very skeptical and slow
to believe.
Thomas declared that he
would not believe that
Christ had risen unless
he personally placed his
fingers in the nail prints
in His hands and feet
and his hand in the
wound in His side.
The TRANSFORMATION of the DISCIPLES
Not only do we have the testimony of the eyewitnesses, but the dramatic
transformation of the disciples. The Resurrection of Christ from the dead
transformed the disciples’ grief to joy, their cowardice to boldness, their
skepticism to faith and their doubt to determination. It turned Saul, the
persecutor of the church into Paul the apostle of the church.
It also transformed society and history. It changed the Jewish
Sabbath into the Christian Lord’s Day. What else could
explain the replacement of Saturday as the Jewish day of rest
into Sunday as the Christian Lord’s Day?
The Resurrection
transformed a
Jewish remnant
into the worldwide
Christian Church.
Over 2-Billion
people worldwide
describe
themselves as
Christians who
believe in the
Resurrection of
Christ from the
dead.
The very
existence of the
largest religious
movement in
the history of
the world is
another
powerful
evidence of the
truth of the
Resurrection.
Because of
Christ’s death on
the Cross we can
rejoice that our
sins are paid for –
we are forgiven,
justified by faith.
Because of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead
we can rejoice in the prospect of eternal life.
Because of
Christ’s
Ascension we
can know that
He has all
authority and
that His Great
Commission
will be
accomplished on
earth.
Because of the coming
of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost we do
not need to trust in
our own abilities,
but in His power
alone.
“Not by
might, nor by
power, but by
My Spirit
says the
Lord.”
We serve a risen Saviour!
Death is defeated.
Christ is risen
– victorious over death, hell, satan and the grave.
Jesus Christ is
the Resurrection
and the Life.
He who believes
in Christ, though
he may die, yet
shall he live
(John 11:25).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again
to a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
Photo Album
by Joshua
Frontline Fellowship
PO Box 74
Newlands
7725
Cape Town
South Africa
E-mail: admin@frontline.org.za
Web: www.frontline.org.za
Dr Peter Hammond
Reformation Society
P.O. Box 74
Newlands, 7725
Cape Town, South Africa
Tel: (021) 689 4480
Fax: (021) 685 5884
Email: info@ReformationSA.org
Website: www.ReformationSA.org
Dr. Peter Hammond
Reformation Society
P.O. Box 74
Newlands, 7725
Cape Town, South Africa
Tel: (021) 689-4480
Fax: (021) 685-5884
Email: info@ReformationSA.org
Website: www.ReformationSA.org
Jesus Shall Reign
Jesus shall reign where're the sun,
does His successive journeys run; His
Kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no
more.
To Him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown His
head;
His Name, like sweet perfume,
shall rise, with every morning
sacrifice.
2.
People and realms of every tongue,
dwell on His love with sweetest
song;
and infant voices shall proclaim,
their earthly blessings on His Name.
3.
Blessings
abound
where'er He
reigns,
the prisoner
leaps to lose
his chains,
the weary find
eternal rest,
and all the
sons of want
are blest.
4.
Let every creature rise and bring,
peculiar honours to our King;
angels descend with songs again;
and earth repeat the loud amen!
5.
Evidences For Skeptics
Evidences For Skeptics
Evidences For Skeptics
Evidences For Skeptics
Evidences For Skeptics
Evidences For Skeptics

More Related Content

What's hot

A Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of Reformation
A Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of ReformationA Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of Reformation
A Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of ReformationPeter Hammond
 
10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the World10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the WorldPeter Hammond
 
John Knox and the Reformation of Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation of ScotlandJohn Knox and the Reformation of Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation of ScotlandPeter Hammond
 
Africa Reformation Overland Mission
Africa Reformation Overland MissionAfrica Reformation Overland Mission
Africa Reformation Overland MissionPeter Hammond
 
10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the World10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the WorldPeter Hammond
 
Anne Askew - A Daughter of the Reformation
Anne Askew - A Daughter of the ReformationAnne Askew - A Daughter of the Reformation
Anne Askew - A Daughter of the ReformationPeter Hammond
 
What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?
What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?
What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?Peter Hammond
 
The Best Missionary is the Bible
The Best Missionary is the BibleThe Best Missionary is the Bible
The Best Missionary is the BiblePeter Hammond
 
We would see jesus
We would see jesusWe would see jesus
We would see jesusGLENN PEASE
 
Magnificent Mothers with a Mission
Magnificent Mothers with a Mission Magnificent Mothers with a Mission
Magnificent Mothers with a Mission Peter Hammond
 
Black Lives Matter - a new Religious Cult
Black Lives Matter - a new Religious CultBlack Lives Matter - a new Religious Cult
Black Lives Matter - a new Religious CultPeter Hammond
 
John Calvin & the French Huguenots
John Calvin & the French HuguenotsJohn Calvin & the French Huguenots
John Calvin & the French HuguenotsPeter Hammond
 
1 race sexuality bible acts 8
1 race sexuality bible acts 81 race sexuality bible acts 8
1 race sexuality bible acts 8brianmclaren
 
Understanding Animism and Evangelising Animists
Understanding Animism and Evangelising AnimistsUnderstanding Animism and Evangelising Animists
Understanding Animism and Evangelising AnimistsPeter Hammond
 
How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?
How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?
How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?Peter Hammond
 
01. The Rise Of Christendom - old
01. The Rise Of Christendom - old01. The Rise Of Christendom - old
01. The Rise Of Christendom - oldJim Moore
 
John Knox and the Reformation in Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation in ScotlandJohn Knox and the Reformation in Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation in ScotlandPeter Hammond
 
Making Disciples of all Nations
Making Disciples of all NationsMaking Disciples of all Nations
Making Disciples of all NationsPeter Hammond
 

What's hot (20)

A Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of Reformation
A Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of ReformationA Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of Reformation
A Geo Strategic Overview of The Greatest Century of Reformation
 
10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the World10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the World
 
John Knox and the Reformation of Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation of ScotlandJohn Knox and the Reformation of Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation of Scotland
 
Africa Reformation Overland Mission
Africa Reformation Overland MissionAfrica Reformation Overland Mission
Africa Reformation Overland Mission
 
10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the World10 Reformers Who Changed the World
10 Reformers Who Changed the World
 
Anne Askew - A Daughter of the Reformation
Anne Askew - A Daughter of the ReformationAnne Askew - A Daughter of the Reformation
Anne Askew - A Daughter of the Reformation
 
What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?
What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?
What Would David Livingstone Say To Us Today?
 
The Best Missionary is the Bible
The Best Missionary is the BibleThe Best Missionary is the Bible
The Best Missionary is the Bible
 
We would see jesus
We would see jesusWe would see jesus
We would see jesus
 
Magnificent Mothers with a Mission
Magnificent Mothers with a Mission Magnificent Mothers with a Mission
Magnificent Mothers with a Mission
 
Black Lives Matter - a new Religious Cult
Black Lives Matter - a new Religious CultBlack Lives Matter - a new Religious Cult
Black Lives Matter - a new Religious Cult
 
John Calvin & the French Huguenots
John Calvin & the French HuguenotsJohn Calvin & the French Huguenots
John Calvin & the French Huguenots
 
1 race sexuality bible acts 8
1 race sexuality bible acts 81 race sexuality bible acts 8
1 race sexuality bible acts 8
 
Understanding Animism and Evangelising Animists
Understanding Animism and Evangelising AnimistsUnderstanding Animism and Evangelising Animists
Understanding Animism and Evangelising Animists
 
How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?
How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?
How Can I Know that the Bible is the Word of God?
 
01. The Rise Of Christendom - old
01. The Rise Of Christendom - old01. The Rise Of Christendom - old
01. The Rise Of Christendom - old
 
Marcus Aurelius and his Meditations, Stoic View of Life
Marcus Aurelius and his Meditations, Stoic View of LifeMarcus Aurelius and his Meditations, Stoic View of Life
Marcus Aurelius and his Meditations, Stoic View of Life
 
John Knox and the Reformation in Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation in ScotlandJohn Knox and the Reformation in Scotland
John Knox and the Reformation in Scotland
 
Making Disciples of all Nations
Making Disciples of all NationsMaking Disciples of all Nations
Making Disciples of all Nations
 
John calvin, luther and others.
John calvin, luther and others.John calvin, luther and others.
John calvin, luther and others.
 

Viewers also liked

Comparing the Bible with the quran
Comparing the Bible with the quran Comparing the Bible with the quran
Comparing the Bible with the quran Peter Hammond
 
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & RevivalistGeorge Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & RevivalistPeter Hammond
 
How Civilizations Commit Suicide
How Civilizations Commit SuicideHow Civilizations Commit Suicide
How Civilizations Commit SuicidePeter Hammond
 
Learning obedience from jesus
Learning obedience from jesusLearning obedience from jesus
Learning obedience from jesuscesperez
 
The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)
The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)
The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)Sam Hager
 
William Wilberforce & The War Against Slavery
William Wilberforce & The War Against SlaveryWilliam Wilberforce & The War Against Slavery
William Wilberforce & The War Against SlaveryPeter Hammond
 
Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd
Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd
Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd Peter Hammond
 
The Assassination of General George S. Patton
The Assassination of General George S. PattonThe Assassination of General George S. Patton
The Assassination of General George S. PattonPeter Hammond
 
How Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet Union
How Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet UnionHow Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet Union
How Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet UnionPeter Hammond
 
Cuba, Castro & Communism
Cuba, Castro & CommunismCuba, Castro & Communism
Cuba, Castro & CommunismPeter Hammond
 
Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...
Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...
Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...Peter Hammond
 
Whatever Happened To Sin?
Whatever Happened To Sin?Whatever Happened To Sin?
Whatever Happened To Sin?Peter Hammond
 
You Are What You Read
You Are What You ReadYou Are What You Read
You Are What You ReadPeter Hammond
 
Angeologia Aula Unica
Angeologia Aula UnicaAngeologia Aula Unica
Angeologia Aula Unicaneymattos
 
Marvels of Creation and Science
Marvels of Creation and ScienceMarvels of Creation and Science
Marvels of Creation and SciencePeter Hammond
 
Discerning Between True & False Guidance
Discerning Between True & False GuidanceDiscerning Between True & False Guidance
Discerning Between True & False GuidancePeter Hammond
 
Slide de missoes
Slide de missoesSlide de missoes
Slide de missoespaulode3
 
Error analysis presentation
Error analysis presentationError analysis presentation
Error analysis presentationGeraldine Lopez
 
The Battle for South Africa
The Battle for South AfricaThe Battle for South Africa
The Battle for South AfricaPeter Hammond
 

Viewers also liked (20)

Comparing the Bible with the quran
Comparing the Bible with the quran Comparing the Bible with the quran
Comparing the Bible with the quran
 
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & RevivalistGeorge Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist & Revivalist
 
How Civilizations Commit Suicide
How Civilizations Commit SuicideHow Civilizations Commit Suicide
How Civilizations Commit Suicide
 
Learning obedience from jesus
Learning obedience from jesusLearning obedience from jesus
Learning obedience from jesus
 
The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)
The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)
The Blood of Jesus pt. 3 (.pdf)
 
William Wilberforce & The War Against Slavery
William Wilberforce & The War Against SlaveryWilliam Wilberforce & The War Against Slavery
William Wilberforce & The War Against Slavery
 
Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd
Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd
Cricketer For Christ, C.T. Studd
 
The Assassination of General George S. Patton
The Assassination of General George S. PattonThe Assassination of General George S. Patton
The Assassination of General George S. Patton
 
How Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet Union
How Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet UnionHow Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet Union
How Capitalists Saved Communism in the Soviet Union
 
Cuba, Castro & Communism
Cuba, Castro & CommunismCuba, Castro & Communism
Cuba, Castro & Communism
 
Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...
Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...
Freedom Betrayed - Herbet Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and...
 
Whatever Happened To Sin?
Whatever Happened To Sin?Whatever Happened To Sin?
Whatever Happened To Sin?
 
You Are What You Read
You Are What You ReadYou Are What You Read
You Are What You Read
 
Angeologia Aula Unica
Angeologia Aula UnicaAngeologia Aula Unica
Angeologia Aula Unica
 
Slides missões 3
Slides missões 3Slides missões 3
Slides missões 3
 
Marvels of Creation and Science
Marvels of Creation and ScienceMarvels of Creation and Science
Marvels of Creation and Science
 
Discerning Between True & False Guidance
Discerning Between True & False GuidanceDiscerning Between True & False Guidance
Discerning Between True & False Guidance
 
Slide de missoes
Slide de missoesSlide de missoes
Slide de missoes
 
Error analysis presentation
Error analysis presentationError analysis presentation
Error analysis presentation
 
The Battle for South Africa
The Battle for South AfricaThe Battle for South Africa
The Battle for South Africa
 

Similar to Evidences For Skeptics

What Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of God
What Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of GodWhat Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of God
What Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of GodPeter Hammond
 
The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)
The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)
The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)jachian
 
Evangelising Skeptics
Evangelising SkepticsEvangelising Skeptics
Evangelising SkepticsPeter Hammond
 
Bible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel intro
Bible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel introBible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel intro
Bible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel introTony Watkins
 
Why I Believe the Bible to be True -
Why I Believe the Bible to be True  -Why I Believe the Bible to be True  -
Why I Believe the Bible to be True -Rommel Ramos
 
Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1
Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1
Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1David Barany
 
12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the Book
12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the Book12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the Book
12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the BookFreekidstories
 
Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1
Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1
Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1Jerry Smith
 
Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel
Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel
Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel Tony Watkins
 
The bible’s journey through world history
The bible’s journey through world historyThe bible’s journey through world history
The bible’s journey through world historyPaul Fuller
 
The Historicity of Christ
The Historicity of ChristThe Historicity of Christ
The Historicity of ChristThomas Vick
 
Apologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and Inerrancy
Apologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and InerrancyApologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and Inerrancy
Apologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and Inerrancyevidenceforchristianity
 
The Bible and history
The Bible and historyThe Bible and history
The Bible and historySSClass2
 
How Archaeology Illuminates the Bible
How Archaeology Illuminates the BibleHow Archaeology Illuminates the Bible
How Archaeology Illuminates the BibleLuis Dizon
 
Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2
Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2
Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2Joseph Rhodes
 
"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint Presentation
"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint Presentation"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint Presentation
"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint PresentationTodd Dennis
 
Studies about the bible part 3
Studies about the bible part 3Studies about the bible part 3
Studies about the bible part 3Bangkok, Thailand
 

Similar to Evidences For Skeptics (20)

What Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of God
What Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of GodWhat Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of God
What Evidences Do You Have That The Bible is the Word of God
 
The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)
The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)
The Bible (cannon of hebrew and christian scripture)
 
Evangelising Skeptics
Evangelising SkepticsEvangelising Skeptics
Evangelising Skeptics
 
Bible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel intro
Bible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel introBible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel intro
Bible+Culture 2015: 1. Daniel intro
 
Why I Believe the Bible to be True -
Why I Believe the Bible to be True  -Why I Believe the Bible to be True  -
Why I Believe the Bible to be True -
 
Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1
Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1
Akivah and Bar Kochbah 2b1
 
Reasons (Part 2) Is the Bible Authentic and Accurate?
Reasons (Part 2) Is the Bible Authentic and Accurate?Reasons (Part 2) Is the Bible Authentic and Accurate?
Reasons (Part 2) Is the Bible Authentic and Accurate?
 
End Times Doctrine
End Times DoctrineEnd Times Doctrine
End Times Doctrine
 
12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the Book
12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the Book12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the Book
12 Foundation Stones Class 6A: Bible Knowledge - Know the Book
 
Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1
Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1
Basic Bible Survey Lesson 1
 
Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel
Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel
Bible and Culture 2016 – Introduction to the OT Prophets and Daniel
 
The bible’s journey through world history
The bible’s journey through world historyThe bible’s journey through world history
The bible’s journey through world history
 
The Historicity of Christ
The Historicity of ChristThe Historicity of Christ
The Historicity of Christ
 
Apologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and Inerrancy
Apologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and InerrancyApologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and Inerrancy
Apologetics Class: Biblical Reliability, Inspiration and Inerrancy
 
The Proof of the Bible
The Proof of the BibleThe Proof of the Bible
The Proof of the Bible
 
The Bible and history
The Bible and historyThe Bible and history
The Bible and history
 
How Archaeology Illuminates the Bible
How Archaeology Illuminates the BibleHow Archaeology Illuminates the Bible
How Archaeology Illuminates the Bible
 
Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2
Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2
Part 2. the kairos the messiah.r.2
 
"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint Presentation
"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint Presentation"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint Presentation
"The (New) History of Full Preterism" (Part One) - Powerpoint Presentation
 
Studies about the bible part 3
Studies about the bible part 3Studies about the bible part 3
Studies about the bible part 3
 

More from Peter Hammond

John and Charles Wesley
John and Charles WesleyJohn and Charles Wesley
John and Charles WesleyPeter Hammond
 
Girolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of Florence
Girolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of FlorenceGirolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of Florence
Girolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of FlorencePeter Hammond
 
Jan Hus - The Reformer of Prague
Jan Hus  - The Reformer of PragueJan Hus  - The Reformer of Prague
Jan Hus - The Reformer of PraguePeter Hammond
 
The Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the Faith
The Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the FaithThe Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the Faith
The Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the FaithPeter Hammond
 
Countering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical Reformation
Countering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical ReformationCountering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical Reformation
Countering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical ReformationPeter Hammond
 
William Wilberforce and the Campaign to End Slavery
William Wilberforce  and the Campaign to End SlaveryWilliam Wilberforce  and the Campaign to End Slavery
William Wilberforce and the Campaign to End SlaveryPeter Hammond
 
Queen Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada
Queen Elizabeth I and the Spanish ArmadaQueen Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada
Queen Elizabeth I and the Spanish ArmadaPeter Hammond
 
A Christian Perspective on the War in Ukraine
A Christian Perspective on the War in UkraineA Christian Perspective on the War in Ukraine
A Christian Perspective on the War in UkrainePeter Hammond
 
Hudson Taylor - Missionary to China
Hudson Taylor - Missionary to ChinaHudson Taylor - Missionary to China
Hudson Taylor - Missionary to ChinaPeter Hammond
 
The Challenge of Missions
The Challenge of MissionsThe Challenge of Missions
The Challenge of MissionsPeter Hammond
 
Making Disciples of Every Nation
Making Disciples of Every NationMaking Disciples of Every Nation
Making Disciples of Every NationPeter Hammond
 
Motives for Missions
Motives for MissionsMotives for Missions
Motives for MissionsPeter Hammond
 
Samuel Zwemer and the Mission to Muslims
Samuel Zwemer and the Mission to MuslimsSamuel Zwemer and the Mission to Muslims
Samuel Zwemer and the Mission to MuslimsPeter Hammond
 
William Tyndale & The Battle for The Bible
William Tyndale & The Battle for The BibleWilliam Tyndale & The Battle for The Bible
William Tyndale & The Battle for The BiblePeter Hammond
 
1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World Disorder
1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World Disorder1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World Disorder
1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World DisorderPeter Hammond
 
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and RevivalistGeorge Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and RevivalistPeter Hammond
 
Oliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil War
Oliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil WarOliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil War
Oliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil WarPeter Hammond
 
Prayer and Missions in Acts
Prayer and Missions in ActsPrayer and Missions in Acts
Prayer and Missions in ActsPeter Hammond
 

More from Peter Hammond (20)

John and Charles Wesley
John and Charles WesleyJohn and Charles Wesley
John and Charles Wesley
 
Girolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of Florence
Girolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of FlorenceGirolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of Florence
Girolamo Savonarola - The Reformer of Florence
 
Jan Hus - The Reformer of Prague
Jan Hus  - The Reformer of PragueJan Hus  - The Reformer of Prague
Jan Hus - The Reformer of Prague
 
Anne of Bohemia
Anne of BohemiaAnne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia
 
The Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the Faith
The Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the FaithThe Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the Faith
The Waldesians Firm and Faithful Alpine Fighters for the Faith
 
Countering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical Reformation
Countering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical ReformationCountering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical Reformation
Countering Halloween Witchcraft with Biblical Reformation
 
William Wilberforce and the Campaign to End Slavery
William Wilberforce  and the Campaign to End SlaveryWilliam Wilberforce  and the Campaign to End Slavery
William Wilberforce and the Campaign to End Slavery
 
Queen Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada
Queen Elizabeth I and the Spanish ArmadaQueen Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada
Queen Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada
 
A Christian Perspective on the War in Ukraine
A Christian Perspective on the War in UkraineA Christian Perspective on the War in Ukraine
A Christian Perspective on the War in Ukraine
 
Hudson Taylor - Missionary to China
Hudson Taylor - Missionary to ChinaHudson Taylor - Missionary to China
Hudson Taylor - Missionary to China
 
The Challenge of Missions
The Challenge of MissionsThe Challenge of Missions
The Challenge of Missions
 
Making Disciples of Every Nation
Making Disciples of Every NationMaking Disciples of Every Nation
Making Disciples of Every Nation
 
Motives for Missions
Motives for MissionsMotives for Missions
Motives for Missions
 
Samuel Zwemer and the Mission to Muslims
Samuel Zwemer and the Mission to MuslimsSamuel Zwemer and the Mission to Muslims
Samuel Zwemer and the Mission to Muslims
 
William Tyndale & The Battle for The Bible
William Tyndale & The Battle for The BibleWilliam Tyndale & The Battle for The Bible
William Tyndale & The Battle for The Bible
 
1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World Disorder
1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World Disorder1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World Disorder
1666 and the Occultic Roots of the New World Disorder
 
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and RevivalistGeorge Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and Revivalist
George Whitefield - Calvinist, Evangelist and Revivalist
 
The POWER of PRAYER
The POWER of PRAYERThe POWER of PRAYER
The POWER of PRAYER
 
Oliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil War
Oliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil WarOliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil War
Oliver Cromwell the Protector and the English Civil War
 
Prayer and Missions in Acts
Prayer and Missions in ActsPrayer and Missions in Acts
Prayer and Missions in Acts
 

Recently uploaded

Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in DelhiRussian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhikauryashika82
 
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfKey note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfAdmir Softic
 
Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104
Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104
Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104misteraugie
 
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptxUnit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptxVishalSingh1417
 
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and ModeMeasures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and ModeThiyagu K
 
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdfClass 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdfAyushMahapatra5
 
Basic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptx
Basic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptxBasic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptx
Basic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptxDenish Jangid
 
Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptx
Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptxSeal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptx
Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptxnegromaestrong
 
Grant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy Consulting
Grant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy ConsultingGrant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy Consulting
Grant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy ConsultingTechSoup
 
Making and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdf
Making and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdfMaking and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdf
Making and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdfChris Hunter
 
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdfQucHHunhnh
 
Web & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdf
Web & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdfWeb & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdf
Web & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdfJayanti Pande
 
psychiatric nursing HISTORY COLLECTION .docx
psychiatric  nursing HISTORY  COLLECTION  .docxpsychiatric  nursing HISTORY  COLLECTION  .docx
psychiatric nursing HISTORY COLLECTION .docxPoojaSen20
 
Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...
Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...
Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...EduSkills OECD
 
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptxUnit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptxVishalSingh1417
 
Holdier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdf
Holdier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdfHoldier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdf
Holdier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdfagholdier
 
microwave assisted reaction. General introduction
microwave assisted reaction. General introductionmicrowave assisted reaction. General introduction
microwave assisted reaction. General introductionMaksud Ahmed
 
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin ClassesMixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin ClassesCeline George
 
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SDMeasures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SDThiyagu K
 

Recently uploaded (20)

Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in DelhiRussian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
 
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfKey note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
 
Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104
Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104
Nutritional Needs Presentation - HLTH 104
 
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptxUnit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
 
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and ModeMeasures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
 
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdfClass 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
Class 11th Physics NEET formula sheet pdf
 
Basic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptx
Basic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptxBasic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptx
Basic Civil Engineering first year Notes- Chapter 4 Building.pptx
 
Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptx
Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptxSeal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptx
Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) 2024Final.pptx
 
Grant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy Consulting
Grant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy ConsultingGrant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy Consulting
Grant Readiness 101 TechSoup and Remy Consulting
 
Making and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdf
Making and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdfMaking and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdf
Making and Justifying Mathematical Decisions.pdf
 
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
 
Web & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdf
Web & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdfWeb & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdf
Web & Social Media Analytics Previous Year Question Paper.pdf
 
psychiatric nursing HISTORY COLLECTION .docx
psychiatric  nursing HISTORY  COLLECTION  .docxpsychiatric  nursing HISTORY  COLLECTION  .docx
psychiatric nursing HISTORY COLLECTION .docx
 
Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...
Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...
Presentation by Andreas Schleicher Tackling the School Absenteeism Crisis 30 ...
 
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptxUnit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
 
Holdier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdf
Holdier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdfHoldier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdf
Holdier Curriculum Vitae (April 2024).pdf
 
microwave assisted reaction. General introduction
microwave assisted reaction. General introductionmicrowave assisted reaction. General introduction
microwave assisted reaction. General introduction
 
Advance Mobile Application Development class 07
Advance Mobile Application Development class 07Advance Mobile Application Development class 07
Advance Mobile Application Development class 07
 
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin ClassesMixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
 
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SDMeasures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
 

Evidences For Skeptics

  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5. How Firm a Foundation
  • 6. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your Faith in His excellent Word! What more can He say than to you He hath said, You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?
  • 7. Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
  • 8. The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to its foes. That soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 12. Some people see Christianity as some kind of intellectual suicide. A blind leap of faith.
  • 13. However, Christianity is a reasonable Faith. It is based on incontrovertible, historical facts.
  • 14. When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
  • 15. Christianity is not a blind leap into the dark. It is an intelligent step into the light.
  • 16. There is nothing virtuous about gullibility. We are not proclaiming faith in faith. It is all too possible to be sincerely wrong. Our faith needs to be in the facts that God has revealed in Scripture and in Creation.
  • 17. WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD? A p r e s e n t a t i o n b y D r . P e t e r H a m m o n d
  • 18. Any skeptical enquirer is to be commended for wanting to examine the foundations of our Faith. And the Bible forms the solid foundation for our Faith. The Bible stands as the greatest Book ever written.
  • 19. It is unique in its circulation. The first book to ever be printed was the Bible. The Bible has been read by more people, and printed more times, than any other book in history. No other book has been translated into so many languages.
  • 20. The Forbidden Book It is unique in its survival. No other book has been so viciously attacked throughout history as the Bible. In AD 300 the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered that every Bible be sought out and burned.
  • 21. Diocletian was determined to destroy Christianity by destroying the Scriptures it was founded on. Anyone caught with a Bible would be executed.
  • 22. War Against God Throughout history other tyrants have waged a war against God, seeking to annihilate the Christian Church..
  • 23. Just in the 20th century alone well over 60 million Christians were killed by atheistic regimes.
  • 24. Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union closed down or destroyed over 49,000 churches and imprisoned more than fifty million Russian Christians.
  • 25. Mao Tse Tung’s Marxist regime in Red China also sought to annihilate the Christian Church.
  • 26. Enver Hoxa declared Albania the first truly atheistic country in the world after closing every church and killing every minister in the country. Every Bible was destroyed and people were imprisoned in labour camps for merely mentioning the Name of God.
  • 27.
  • 28. Samora Machel similarly attempted to turn Mozambique into the first truly atheistic country in Africa.
  • 29.
  • 30.
  • 31.
  • 32.
  • 33.
  • 34.
  • 35.
  • 36.
  • 37.
  • 38.
  • 39.
  • 40.
  • 41.
  • 42.
  • 43.
  • 44.
  • 45.
  • 46.
  • 47.
  • 48.
  • 49.
  • 50.
  • 51.
  • 52.
  • 53.
  • 54.
  • 55.
  • 56.
  • 57.
  • 58.
  • 59.
  • 60.
  • 61.
  • 62.
  • 63.
  • 64.
  • 65.
  • 66.
  • 67. Yet, despite the most extraordinary campaigns to destroy Bibles,
  • 68. the Bible has survived to continue to be the world’s Number One best selling book of all time.
  • 69. Unique Despite the intensive campaigns over many centuries to destroy the Bible,.
  • 70. there are still an incredible 24,000 manuscripts of the New Testament dating back to the time of the early church. By way of comparison there are only 7 manuscripts of Plato’s Tetralogies, 49 manuscripts of Aristotle’s Ode to Poetics, 8 copies of the Historian Herodotus writings.
  • 71. By these standards of antiquity, the Bible is in a class of its own. No other ancient writing has as many manuscripts, and certainly no other book has been so scrutinised and subjected to such critical analysis, and yet survived the most withering campaigns of criticism.
  • 72. Impressive Credentials The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in cliff top caves at Qumran, in 1949, provided manuscripts dating from the 3rd Century BC to the 1st Century AD. It included a complete book of Isaiah and thousandsof fragments representing almost every other OldTestament book of the Bible.
  • 73. Students were astounded to find that the manuscripts and translations which we have available to us today were accurate and reliable in every way. The Bible, on any level you might wish to examine it, is the most impressively credentialed work of ancient literature.
  • 74. Now, you may say, that’s all very well, but how can I know that the Bible is the Word of God?
  • 75. A Critical Test The Law of God sets up a litmus test for prophecy: “When a prophet speaks in the Name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen, or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” Deuteronomy 18:22
  • 76. Prophecy It is a fact that, of the twenty six books of the world, that either claim to be, or have been proclaimed to be, Scripture, the issue of specific prophecy is glaringly absent. You do not find specific prophecies concerning events, far in the future, in the writings of Buddha, Lao-Tsu, Confucius, or Muhammad.
  • 77. However, the Bible is absolutely unique in that, in the Old Testament alone, there are more than two thousand specific prophecies that have already been fulfilled. There has never been anything else in all of history to compare with the Bible’s prophecies.
  • 78.
  • 79.
  • 80. Egypt You may say, weren’t they just lucky guesses, or vague generalities that could be interpreted in any way? Well, you be the judge. Consider these:
  • 81. EGYPT Atthetimewhen Egyptwasthegreatest nationinalltheworld, thekingofnations, therichestcountryon e a r t h , E ze k i e l prophesied: “Thereshallnolonger beprinces fromthe landofEgypt” (Ezekiel 30:13).
  • 82. It is a fact of history that, until a few decades ago when the monarchy was overthrown, Egypt was always ruled by a prince, but during the 2,500 years since this prophecy was given, the princes of Egypt were never Egyptian.
  • 83. Their kings and queens have been Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs and Ottoman Turks. Egypt has even been ruled by the English. But since the prophecy, given through Ezekiel no Egyptian monarch has ruled over Egypt. When Egypt was the world’s superpower, no one would have predicted that.
  • 84. Babylon Iraq has been much in the news lately, so let us consider the Biblical prophecies concerning Babylon. The Bible contains over 100 specific prophecies concerning Babylon’s fate.
  • 85. Babylon was not only the greatest empire in ancient times, its capital city was the greatest city in the world. The historian Herodotus recorded that the city consisted of 196 square miles of the most beautiful architecture, hanging gardens, palaces and temples.
  • 86. The walls were 15 miles long and 200 feet high. The towers were 300 feet high. The walls were 187 feet thick at the base. Every authority at the time would agree that the city of Babylon was impregnable. Yet the Word of God came that: “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken …it shall be desolate forever.” Jeremiah 51:58-62
  • 87. Now, the Great Wall of China is not nearly as wide, nor as strong, as the walls of Babylon were, and although it is older it still stands today.
  • 88. The walls of Jerusalem still stand. But today there is no doubt that the walls of Babylon have been destroyed.
  • 89. Determined to make this the capital of his worldwide empire, Alexander the Great decided that he would rebuild Babylon. Alexander issued 600,000 rations to his soldiers and ordered the rebuilding of the city of Babylon. Yet, Alexander died at the age of 32 and his enterprise of rebuilding Babylon was abandoned.
  • 90. In the 4th Century AD, Julian the Apostate, who attempted to restore paganism to Rome was engaged in a war with the Persians. To prevent the Persians re-establishing the defenses of Babylon, Julian ordered the remnants of the wall of Babylon completely broken down.
  • 91. In this surprising way, one of Scriptures greatest antagonists of all time became the agent to fulfilling one of the clearest and most repeated prophecies in the Old Testament. “Because of the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate …it shall be no more inhabited forever.” Jeremiah 50:13,39
  • 92. Today the ruins of Babylon are a wilderness inhabited only by scorpions and snakes. Although the fertility of the lands around Babylon were legendary, today it is a barren desert.
  • 93. Tyre The city of Tyre was to the sea what Babylon was to the land. Tyre was the greatest port city in the ancient world.
  • 94. Yet, at the height of its power, God declared that this city would be destroyed, that its towers would be broken down, and that its stones and timber, and even its dust, would be laid in the midst of the water and it would become like the top of a rock, a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea (Ezekiel 26:4-14).
  • 95. This very strange prophecy began to be fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched his army to the walls of Tyre and for 13 years besieged the city. When finally the walls of the city crumbled before the persistence of the Babylonians they found that many of the inhabitants had moved to an island half a mile out into the Mediterranean. There they built an even more impregnable city.
  • 96. For hundreds of years one might have said that the prophecy given through Ezekiel was not completely fulfilled. Then Alexander the Great came, defeated the Persians and demanded the surrender of the port cities of the Eastern Mediterranean. Tyre alone refused to open its gates to him, so Alexander then conceived the boldest and most daring plan in siege history.
  • 97. He ordered a causeway built across half a mile of the Mediterranean Sea to the island of the new Tyre. All the walls of Tyre were torn down, the timber, the stones, the rubble and the logs and they were cast into the sea. They scraped the very dust of the city itself into the sea to make this highway to destroy the new island city of Tyre. In this way the prophecy in Ezekiel 26 was completely fulfilled.
  • 98. Sidon The prophecy against Sidon (Ezekiel 28:21-23) was that the inhabitants would be decimated, but the city would continue. History records that the city of Sidon was attacked, betrayed by its own king, and 40,000 of its inhabitants were killed. But the city of Sidon continues.
  • 99. Samaria The Scripture records a prophecy that Samaria, the capital of the Northern kingdom of Israel, would be destroyed, it would be turned into a vineyard and its foundations would be uncovered (Micah 1:5-6). In fact the walls of Samaria were cast down and today vineyards grow where once stood the capital of the Northern kingdom. Archeologists have excavated to expose the foundations of the city.
  • 100. Jerusalem There were numerous other prophecies, that Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah, would be destroyed, its inhabitants carried away and its wall broken down (Jeremiah 24:9; 29:21; 35:17). There were further prophecies that the city and the walls would be rebuilt and the people would be brought back (Isaiah 4:3-6). History records that all of this indeed happened, as prophesied.
  • 101. Petra When Petra was one of the great cities of the ancient world, and Edom was a powerful nation, the Word of God came to Edom: “I am against thee, and I will stretch mine hand against you and I will make thee most desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord …I will make thee a perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall not return; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 35:3-4,9
  • 102. Tovisitthedesolate land that once was Edom, and the deserted ruins of Petra today it is hard to imagine the power and prestige that these places once had when the prophecywasgiven.
  • 103. “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done.” Isaiah 46:9-10
  • 104. Incomparable Those people who say that the Bible was just written by men are simply expressing their own ignorance on the subject.
  • 105. There is nothing comparable to the Bible in all the literature of the world. The power revealed through the Scriptures is none other than the power of God.
  • 106. All the founders of great religions and movements have died and you can visit their graves. Zoroaster, Confucius, Buddha, Muhammad, Marx, and Lenin. They are all dead and decayed in the grave. But Jesus Christ is alive!
  • 107. The RESEARCH of SKEPTICS
  • 108. The Resurrection is so important and foundational to Christianity that it has been targeted for the most relentless attacks. Frank Morison, a lawyer, determined to disprove the Resurrection and thereby undermine Christianity. The result of his exhaustive investigations was his conversion to Christ and the publication of his book: “Who Moved the Stone?” which decisively demonstrates the overwhelming evidence for the Resurrection.
  • 109. A skeptical university lecturer, Josh McDowell, determined to disprove Christianity by investigating evidence against the Resurrection. The result was his conversion to Christ and publication of the monumental: “Evidence That Demands a Verdict” which exhaustively and conclusively presents documentation and evidence upon evidence substantiating the historical truth, factual accuracy, archeological evidence, manuscript evidence, fulfilled prophecies, transformed lives, and other indisputable evidences which support the fact of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and the truth claims of Christianity.
  • 110. Thomas Arnold, Professor of History at Oxford University, one of the greatest historians of the 19th Century wrote: “I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better, fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair enquirer, than the great sign which God has given us that Christ died and rose from the dead.”
  • 111. Simon Greenleaf, recognised as one of the most skilled legal minds ever produced, developed the Harvard Law School. He is recognised as the top authority on what constitutes sound evidence. Simon Greenleaf made a thorough and exhaustive examination of the objective evidence and the testimony of the four Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
  • 112. In his book: “The Testimony of the Evangelists” (Baker, 1874) he concluded: “It was therefore impossible that they could have persisted in affirming the truths they have narrated, had not Jesus actually risen from the dead, and had they not known this fact as certainly as they knew any other fact.”
  • 113. Simon Greenleaf declared that any court of law, if presented with the evidence of the Resurrection, would have to give a verdict in favour of the integrity and accuracy of the Gospel writers and the fact of the Resurrection.
  • 114. One of the most popular books ever written, and most successful films ever produced, Ben Hur,
  • 115. was a result of a skeptical challenge to General Lew Wallace
  • 116. to the authenticity of Christ’s Resurrection, and a careful examination of the evidence.
  • 117. What are the facts? The religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, who had campaigned and conspired to have Christ arrested and executed on trumped up charges, had a compelling interest in disproving any claims of the Resurrection.
  • 118. They had presumed that the execution of Jesus would eliminate this threat to their religious power base and silence His supporters. These Jewish religious leaders had great concerns about the corpse of Jesus and they approached the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, for a military detachment to secure the tomb (Matthew 28:62-64).
  • 119. The Roman governor’s priority in the volatile province of Palestine was to preserve peace and stability.
  • 120. He recognised the political problems that would ensue if anything happened to this religious Teacher whom he had three times declared innocent, and ultimately washed his hands in front of the crowd declaring, “I’m innocent of this Man’s blood” (Matthew 27:24). His wife had warned him: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of Him.” (Matthew 27:19)
  • 121. Pilate was only too aware that a travesty of justice had taken place, and the last thing he needed was a review of his shameful conduct and dereliction of duty in this case. Ensuring that the victim’s corpse remained buried was definitely in Pilate’s political interests as well. “‘Take a guard’, Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how’. So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” Matthew 27:65
  • 123. As the chief priests had approached the Roman governor, and as the Greek word Koustodia is used to describe the detachment of soldiers, it was evidently a Roman guard. If only a temple guard had been used, there would have been no need to approach Pilate to issue the order. Additionally the concern of the guards after the Resurrection to be protected from consequences from the governor (Matthew 28:14) confirms that those guarding the tomb were Roman soldiers.
  • 124. The detachment would have consisted of at least sixteen soldiers with four men placed directly in front of the entrance of the tomb, on duty, at any time. Under Roman military law any guard who deserted his post, or who fell asleep on duty, would face crucifixion. Typically, if Roman soldiers allowed a prisoner to escape they would face the same sentence as the prisoner – in this case crucifixion.
  • 125. The seal placed on the stone at the entrance to the tomb signified the administrative authority, and only an authorised officer of Rome would be permitted to break the seal. Anyone breaking a Roman seal without permission would be tracked down and executed.
  • 126. Although the intention of the religious and political leaders had been to ensure that the phenomenon of Jesus ended at the tomb, their extraordinary security measures have only served to confirm the truth that they had murdered an innocent Man and that Jesus Christ was truly the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, “the firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth…the One Who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more.” Revelation 1:5, 18
  • 128. ATTEMPTS to AVOID the TRUTH of the RESURRECTION
  • 129. To explain away the empty tomb, the enemies of the Gospel have had to resort to some desperate deceptions. The first was to suggest that the disciples had stolen the body. This incredible theory suggests that: those same disciples who had slept in the garden, fled at His arrest, denied Him before a young woman, were hiding in fear behind locked doors,
  • 130. could have unitedly overcome sixteen professional Roman soldiers, dared to break a Roman seal, moved a two tonne tomb stone, just to steal a corpse! A dead Messiah would have served absolutely no purpose for the disciples.
  • 131. What possible motivation could they have had, even had they possessed the ability to overcome the military, political and logistical obstacles? They had nothing to gain and everything to lose.
  • 132. Every one of the disciples suffered severe persecution,
  • 133. most dying as martyrs for the Faith.
  • 134. Would you die for a lie?
  • 136. Others have questioned whether Christ had really died on the cross. Perhaps He only fainted?
  • 137. This swoon theory would have us believe that the Roman soldiers, who were professional killers, (the centurion in charge, would most probably have supervised dozens if not hundreds of executions),
  • 138. had failed to ensure that this high profile political prisoner was not actually dead
  • 140. the excruciating torture of crucifixion
  • 141. and the spear thrust into His side, with blood and water flowing out, all provide convincing evidence of death.
  • 142. Yet, those advocating the swoon theory would have us believe that One Who had endured such savage flogging, crucifixion, and a spear thrust to the heart, could not only have survived the legendary Roman military efficiency, but that He was revived on a cold slab in a cold tomb!
  • 143. Further that He somehow disengaged from the grave clothes, and one hundred pounds of spices, ointments and wrappings which had effectively mummified Him, rolled away the two tonne stone, overpowered, or eluded, the Roman soldiers, and somehow found and impressed the disciples with His Deity? These suggestions have only to be mentioned in order to be dismissed as unbelievable.
  • 145. Another desperate attempt to explain away the Resurrection of Christ has been that they went to the wrong tomb. All of them! Mary Magdalene, Peter, John, the other women, all went to the wrong tomb. And somehow neither the Pharisees, nor the Sadducees, nor the Roman soldiers, nor Joseph of Arimathea, whose tomb it was, thought to point out that the tomb was in fact still occupied!
  • 146. However, this theory is also impossible, as the tomb was not in a cemetery, but in a garden privately owned by Joseph of Arimathea. There was no other tomb in that garden.
  • 147. The ABSENCE of the BODY
  • 148. And all that the Roman and Jewish leaders had to do in order to end Christianity forever was produce the corpse of Jesus. But they couldn’t do it. Even when the Apostle Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost and proclaimed: “Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36. “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 4:33. And many thousands in Jerusalem, including many Pharisees, came to faith in Jesus Christ.
  • 149. The CRISIS of CREDIBILITY
  • 150. To the Jewish religious leaders, this was their worst nightmare, a disaster. The proclamation of the Resurrection of Christ undermined their power and credibility. Thousands of their followers now believed that they had condemned an innocent Man, the Messiah Himself.
  • 151. The new religion of Christianity was undermining the power base and credibility of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
  • 152. If the body of Jesus could have been found, Christianity could be stopped dead in its tracks and the threat to the religious status quo would have ended. Since they desperately needed Jesus’ corpse, the Jewish leaders would have used every means at their disposal to hunt it down and find it – if that was possible.
  • 153. The TESTIMONY of EYE WITNESSES
  • 154. However, we are not only dealing with the empty tomb, and the absence of the body, but the testimony of eyewitnesses. On at least twelve separate occasions Jesus Christ was seen after rising from the tomb. Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18; Mark 16:9); the other women (Matthew 28:8- 10); Peter (Luke 24:34); the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)
  • 155. ten of the disciples (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-24); all eleven disciples, eight days later (John 20:24-29); seven disciples by the Sea of Tiberius (John 21:1-23); to five hundred at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6); to James (1 Corinthians 15:7); to all eleven apostles, and others, at the Ascension (Acts 1:3- 12); Paul (Acts 9:3-8); and John (Revelation 1:12-18), all saw the Lord bodily raised from the dead.
  • 156. To explain away the testimony of all these eyewitnesses, enemies of Christianity suggest that these were merely hallucinations, perhaps as a result of hypnosis or hysteria. However, while hallucinations tend to be unique psychological experiences of an individual,
  • 157. we are here dealing with a large number of individuals, who at different times, in different groups, in different places, both indoors and outdoors, on a hilltop, along a roadside, by a lake shore, all saw the Lord. They saw Him, they ate with Him, they saw the wounds in His hands and in His side.
  • 158. And far from being gullible, it would appear that His disciples were very skeptical and slow to believe. Thomas declared that he would not believe that Christ had risen unless he personally placed his fingers in the nail prints in His hands and feet and his hand in the wound in His side.
  • 159. The TRANSFORMATION of the DISCIPLES
  • 160. Not only do we have the testimony of the eyewitnesses, but the dramatic transformation of the disciples. The Resurrection of Christ from the dead transformed the disciples’ grief to joy, their cowardice to boldness, their skepticism to faith and their doubt to determination. It turned Saul, the persecutor of the church into Paul the apostle of the church.
  • 161. It also transformed society and history. It changed the Jewish Sabbath into the Christian Lord’s Day. What else could explain the replacement of Saturday as the Jewish day of rest into Sunday as the Christian Lord’s Day?
  • 162. The Resurrection transformed a Jewish remnant into the worldwide Christian Church. Over 2-Billion people worldwide describe themselves as Christians who believe in the Resurrection of Christ from the dead.
  • 163. The very existence of the largest religious movement in the history of the world is another powerful evidence of the truth of the Resurrection.
  • 164. Because of Christ’s death on the Cross we can rejoice that our sins are paid for – we are forgiven, justified by faith.
  • 165. Because of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead we can rejoice in the prospect of eternal life.
  • 166. Because of Christ’s Ascension we can know that He has all authority and that His Great Commission will be accomplished on earth.
  • 167. Because of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost we do not need to trust in our own abilities, but in His power alone.
  • 168. “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord.”
  • 169. We serve a risen Saviour! Death is defeated.
  • 170. Christ is risen – victorious over death, hell, satan and the grave.
  • 171. Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Christ, though he may die, yet shall he live (John 11:25).
  • 172. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
  • 174.
  • 175.
  • 176.
  • 177.
  • 178.
  • 179.
  • 180.
  • 181. Frontline Fellowship PO Box 74 Newlands 7725 Cape Town South Africa E-mail: admin@frontline.org.za Web: www.frontline.org.za
  • 182.
  • 183.
  • 184.
  • 185. Dr Peter Hammond Reformation Society P.O. Box 74 Newlands, 7725 Cape Town, South Africa Tel: (021) 689 4480 Fax: (021) 685 5884 Email: info@ReformationSA.org Website: www.ReformationSA.org
  • 186.
  • 187.
  • 188.
  • 189.
  • 190.
  • 191.
  • 192.
  • 193.
  • 194.
  • 195.
  • 196.
  • 197.
  • 198.
  • 199. Dr. Peter Hammond Reformation Society P.O. Box 74 Newlands, 7725 Cape Town, South Africa Tel: (021) 689-4480 Fax: (021) 685-5884 Email: info@ReformationSA.org Website: www.ReformationSA.org
  • 200.
  • 201.
  • 203. Jesus shall reign where're the sun, does His successive journeys run; His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more.
  • 204. To Him shall endless prayer be made, and praises throng to crown His head; His Name, like sweet perfume, shall rise, with every morning sacrifice. 2.
  • 205. People and realms of every tongue, dwell on His love with sweetest song; and infant voices shall proclaim, their earthly blessings on His Name. 3.
  • 206. Blessings abound where'er He reigns, the prisoner leaps to lose his chains, the weary find eternal rest, and all the sons of want are blest. 4.
  • 207. Let every creature rise and bring, peculiar honours to our King; angels descend with songs again; and earth repeat the loud amen! 5.