Freedom is Good News Part 188
/Within the Christian worldview there are words in the English language that stand out. For instance, righteousness; how often is that used in one’s day to day life? Or how about sanctification, how would one even use that? “I believe this spring I will sanctify the tomatoes in my garden.” No, I didn’t think so!! Actually the word sanctification literally means to set something apart for a special purpose. Do you have a special purpose for the tomatoes to be separated from the rest of the garden? Then sanctify away!!
But in these articles we are striving to consider the “worldview of a Christian” and so we use them now and again. In our previous article, in the final paragraph, I used the word “resurrection”. The sentence read, “Paul does spend some time in this 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians giving proof to all who have eyes to see that there is a resurrection from the dead.” The word resurrection does have religious overtones and for the most part we understand what it means. Paul says it this way in 1 Corinthians 15, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” We understand that one who dies and is buried and is raised from the dead has indeed been resurrected.
It is easy to make a statement and claim it to be true; but is it verifiable? Paul, in verse 5, goes on to let you know that it is verifiable, for he says, “And he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”
Paul tells us that there are well over 260 eye witnesses to the fact that Jesus Christ died and was found to be alive!! The bible tells us in Deuteronomy 19:15, “Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.” And our Savior Himself confirms these words in Matthew 18:16, “But if a brother will not listen take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’” Yes, Paul’s testimony is verified by a huge number of eye witnesses.
The bible is a very unusual book. Its veracity is established above and beyond any other piece of writing (factual or otherwise) in the history of the world. Let me state it this way by quoting Vodie Baucham, “The bible is a reliable collection of historical documents written by eye witnesses during the life time of other witnesses. It was written on three continents (Africa, Asia and Europe) using three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek) by 40 authors from multiple walks of life in 66 volumes covering hundreds of subjects over a period of 1500 years.” No other body of writing even comes close to that kind of proof!!
My friends and brethren, we have a book that is true and can be trusted. So let us consider this “Christian worldview” in our next article.