Why Believe in Jesus?

Dennis McCallum

2 Peter 1:12-21

We can be sure of our belief in Jesus because of the testimony of the apostles, predictive prophecy, and the uniqueness of the Bible. The Old Testament, in comparison to all other ancient Near East religions, is vastly different and does not follow the evolution of religion as it happened throughout the rest of the world, instead remaining steadfast and unchanging on its unique views of the Lord.

Four Witnesses to Christ's Authority

Dennis McCallum

Luke 24:44-47

Jesus gives us reason to believe in who He is and what He claims. He points to the Scriptures as one of many witnesses to Himself. Throughout the Old Testament we read systems of symbols as well as direct predictive declarations that point to Christ. In the book of Daniel, the year Christ is crucified is predicted with great accuracy. It is not only faith building but it authenticates the claims of Christ. All over the Old Testament prophecy exists and has been fulfilled.

Resurrection

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 15:6-8

The claim the Bible makes for the resurrection of Christ has an abundant amount of evidence that can lead a person to the reasonable conclusion of truth. Exploring three areas of historical forensics can help bring us to the conclusion that Christ did raise from the dead. In the claim for the resurrection it is important to investigate the credible sources involved, unpack a comprehensive explanation, and compare this claim with any competing explanations. The reality of Christ's resurrection brings those who believe in Him a real hope.

Aftermath of the Cross

Dennis McCallum

Luke 24:1-9

After Jesus is crucified and buried, his followers are shocked to discover an empty tomb and a resurrected Christ. How can we know the resurrection happened? The evidence is impressive, and we are left with a convincing apologetic for the validity of the Bible and Christianity as a whole.

Christ's Prophetic Entrance into Jerusalem

Dennis McCallum

Daniel 9

Christ's entrance into Jerusalem, moving closer toward his death, is another fulfilled prophecy. This particular prophecy helps identify Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Additionally, Daniel 9 is an incredible prophecy than verifies Christ as Messiah by the astounding accuracy of it's prediction. A careful study of the prophecy and it's calculations lead to a precise prediction of when Jesus would die on the cross.

The Problem of Evil

Dennis McCallum

Luke 13

Jesus is asked about those killed at a tower in Siloam, calling to attention the question of the problem of evil. This question is addressed primarily through four worldviews: Spiritualism, Naturalism, Monoism, and Biblical Christianity. The first three views don't match what we know internally, along with external evidence from science, and lead to fatalism about the cruelty people experience in the world. The biblical view shows that God is loving and has allowed suffering temporarily so that as many people could place their faith in Christ before He judges all evil in the world. This provides hope and significance to the suffering we encountert.

The Birth Narratives

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 2:1-12

The birth narrative of Christ depicts a life characterized by rejection and exclusion from the beginning. King Herod was threatened by Christ taking his rule and sent Magi to find Jesus. The Magi were honestly seeking to know who Jesus was, an attitude that is still essential today when it comes to Jesus. The birth narrative of Jesus is ironic given Jesus' work and what he would accomplish at the cross for those who rejected him.

God and the Problem of Evil

Dennis McCallum

Romans 1:21-28

The problem of evil in the world requires an answer. Biblical theism differs from other worldviews in that it offers both acknowledgement of evil and assurance of future justice. The Biblical view is that evil was chosen by personal beings who had the free will to make that choice but now stand under the judgment of God as a result. In His love, however, God chose to offer a way for every person to be justified before Him despite sin and evil.\r\n

The Argument from Presuppositions

Dennis McCallum

Romans 1:18-20

God made certain truths about Him evident within us. In other words, when we look inside ourselves, we see evidence that we were created by an infinite, personal God. Our own beliefs and actions show that this is true. To say that people are significant, free, moral beings implies that they were created with a spiritual nature. It is impossible to argue for morality, human dignity, or freedom under any worldview aside from theism.