"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his
passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty
days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom
of God." (Acts
1:3)
To the first Christians, faith in the deity of Christ was
not a blind leap into the dark. Only God could defeat death,
and they knew--beyond all doubt--that Jesus Christ had risen
bodily from the tomb. They had seen Him, touched Him, and
eaten with Him, alone and in crowds, in closed rooms, and
out in the open.
The term "infallible proofs" translates a Greek
word used only this one time, meaning literally "many
criteria of certainty," and it is significant that the
inspired Word of God applies it only to the resurrection of
Christ. It is not too much to say that Christ's
resurrection is the most certain fact in all history, and
many large volumes have been published setting forth the
evidences thereof. No wonder the apostle Peter could say,
"We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we
made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (
2 Peter
1:16).
The apostle John testified thus: "The life was
manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew
unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and
was manifested unto us" (
1 John 1:2).
John not only saw Him in His resurrection body, but also in
His glorified body, hearing Him say, "I am he that
liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore" (
Revelation
1:18).
It is true that we, like the first Christians, must believe
on Christ to receive salvation, but this faith is not a
credulous faith, a leap into the dark. It is a reasonable
faith, based on many infallible proofs, and we can,
therefore, trust Him with our eternal souls.
HT: ICR.org
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