(Photo by Calvin Craig on Unsplash)
Recently I found out that people have been asking the question, “Is God real?” a whole lot more during the pandemic. In a nation as individualistic as Australia, this is a significant question. Why?
Individualism leads people to be highly independent, trusting in their capabilities to get through whatever situation they find themselves in.
The flip-side of this is that when a person needs help, they are seen as incapable; a great knock on their sense of identity and worth. While there have been many moves to normalise the seeking of support, I think there is still a subconscious drive to work things out for yourself.
So in the comfort of home, using the anonymity of Google, I wonder if people are seeking “help” in the form of God.
So, if you’re reading this post and you’re actually seeking help from God, but you’re unsure of whether He is real, I hope that I’m able to give you some guideposts along your journey.
Is God real? At the centre of Christianity is a person named Jesus. As much as the media seems bent on characterising Jesus as a “fairy” or some figment of our imagination, history very much agrees that Jesus was a historic figure. Wikipedia acknowledges this fact!
If you’re not very trusting of Wikipedia, here’s an article from a historian outlining the evidences for Jesus’ existence as a historical figure: https://www.publicchristianity.org/ill-eat-a-page-from-my-bible-if-jesus-didnt-exist/
Jesus being a historical figure is significant because Jesus made some frankly ridiculous claims, including that He is God (John 10:30). In Matthew 16 we find Jesus asking his disciples about who they thought he was. Their answer was that he is the prophesied Messiah, to which Jesus answered that this was made known to them by the Father. Moreover, Jesus taught his disciples to follow his every teaching. These claims and teachings are at the very least strange coming from a person; unless his claims are actually real.
Jesus’ crucifixion, a painful, torturous death that was reserved for the worst of criminals in the Roman empire, is also widely acknowledged as historical fact. That a man would die an innocent death because of his claims to be God is also strange; unless it is true.
Jesus’ resurrection then, something he predicted, and something that can be supported by logic, should indicate to us that Jesus is exactly what He claimed to be. The Roman guard, the eyewitness accounts (a few of which we now call the Gospels), the undying faithfulness of the early church who were persecuted to the point of death, all point to a firm belief that Jesus did rise from the dead.
So here we are, the evidence indicates that you should at the least consider that Jesus really lived, died and rose again. What does that have to do with you?
Well, the Bible tells us that Jesus came to die for our sins so that we can be reconciled to God. The God of Christianity is not distant and removed, nor is He angry and hard to please. Rather He is one that showed that He is willing to come into the middle of our mess to bring salvation.
If you are asking, “Is God real?” perhaps you’re looking for help. You could be looking for hope in the midst of a difficult season. I believe that God is real, and He demonstrates His constant love for us in that He was willing to die for His creation.
I pray that you will at least be open to exploring more about Jesus. We have a 30 day text service where we will send through more info about Jesus to your phone daily. Just send “Jesus” to 0488 930 489.
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