”Why Believe Jesus Rose from the Dead?” - Chapter 5 of Know Why You Beleive

KNOW WHY YOU BELIEVE
By K. Scott Oliphint

Why Believe Jesus Rose from the Dead? – Chapter 5

Reasons
⦁ Historical Reasons
⦁ Christian Reasons

Historical Reasons
⦁ How can we prove that an event actually happened in history when all of the original people and witnesses involved are now dead?
⦁ How can two people investigate all of the historical evidence and have the same information and come to opposite conclusions?

Two Reasons:
○ The nature of historical investigation

► Uses limited resources
► Gaps in knowledge and data
► Purpose not to give absolute certainty
► Historical evidence can only bring us to a probably conclusion.

○ The nature of presuppositions

► Presuppositions are even more stubborn than facts.
► We all have basic commitments that force us to interpret facts a certain way.
► Our basic commitments lead us to different conclusions.

Christian Reasons
⦁ The historical reasons point to the probability of the resurrection of Jesus.
⦁ Historical reasons point to the credibility of the Christian faith.
⦁ Christianity has more historical evidence than any other religion.
⦁ Historical data can support our belief in the resurrection, but this evidence is insufficient to conclusively answer the “why” question.

○ Why believe Jesus rose from the dead?

⦁ The center of our response to the “why” question is that, without the resurrection of Christ, there is no Christianity at all.

○ The historical fact of the resurrection and the “meaning” of the resurrection go together.
○ The resurrection is the “key” that unlocks the whole of Christianity.

⦁ Three aspects of the resurrection make it central to Christianity:

○ “According to the Scriptures”
○ “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…”
○ “The firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep…”

⦁ Christians believe in life after death because Jesus is risen.

○ He is not probably risen or probably alive.
○ That only leads to the conclusion that our faith is probably in vain.
○ But if he is risen indeed, and because he lives, we will live.

⦁ Only Scripture testifying of itself through the Holy Spirit can give ultimate certainty.
⦁ Our belief in life after death hangs on the resurrection of Christ.

○ Life and death are more than physical concepts in Scripture
○ Death in Scripture is an existence without fellowship and communion with God.
○ Life is union with Christ and eternal existence in the presence of God in his eternal kingdom.

Responses
⦁ Objections based on Historical Evidence
⦁ Objections based on the “problem” of miracles
⦁ Objections based on presuppositions and impossible demands of proof on Christians.

Conclusion
⦁ Historical Evidence is helpful but insufficient
⦁ The Holy Spirit must open the eyes of faith through the testimony of the Scriptures.
⦁ “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:27-31)

Questions
⦁ How does Scripture make clear that the resurrection of Christ was a public event?
⦁ Why couldn’t Jesus just come to earth and give life to any who trust in him? Why did he have to be raised from the dead?
⦁ What do you think is the most significant objection to the resurrection of Christ? How would you respond?