Since I was young, I was raised with the knowledge of God and the Bible. However, it was only when I was nine years old that I formulated the conscious articulation that the God of the Bible is real. What I had verbalised then was merely a cognitive expression of my faith. It took another nine years, when I was eighteen years old, for me to articulate on an emotive level, that my belief in God was a personal choice and the faith I had could be characterised by a personal relationship with God. Over the past ten years, I have been seeking to ascertain an intellectual reason for the basis of my faith. This thesis is written in defence of why I believe.
I acknowledge that the ideas expressed here are not exclusively my own, but are articulated to give the reader a point of departure for understanding the Christian faith. At all times you are encouraged to interact intellectually with the arguments raised, for it is my belief that the case for Christianity is a rational one; and although I am aware that whatever I write cannot - in and by itself – make you believe in God, I am also aware that because God is real, He will, in His own timing, divinely reveal to you His logic – for that is the basis of my faith.
This thesis is meant for four groups of readers. Firstly, those who of you, whom because of personal reasons, or due to the perceived lack of scientific evidence, do not yet believe in the concept of God. Secondly, those who believe that there is a god, but have yet to come to terms that there is only one God, Jesus Christ, as articulated in the Bible. Thirdly, those who are Christians, but because it has so far only been a childhood belief; or perhaps you are questioning whether the God you have been believing in is merely a biblical fairytale. Lastly, for Christians who are sure of your faith, but who want to know how best to answer the questions raised by non-believing friends in a manner that is both biblically and intellectually sound. (Note: all Bible verses quoted in this thesis are from the English Standard Version.)
Is there a God?
The concept of God is an enigma to most people in the world. Since ancient days, people have attempted to make sense of the world around them by attributing to one being or another, the position of “God”. For instance, they considered the sun to be a god because it kept them warm each day and provided light for them to go about their day-to-day routines. By doing so, they hoped to attribute meaning to a world that otherwise seemed illogical and irrational. In today’s world, the advent of science and philosophy has rendered some of these ancient beliefs to be obsolete. Most modern day people no longer consider the sun to be a god. However, various religions still attempt to expound the idea of God by claiming that there is a divine force or entity worthy to be venerated. Many of their followers therefore seek all means to please this divine being in the hope that by doing so, they can win salvation. For others, there is more than one divine entity and by worshipping each of these beings, humankind can avert their wrath, and in the process bring some semblance of peace to their lives. Yet to others, the concept of God has been amalgamated with humanity and that everyone in the world is a god in him or herself. In the light of the various concepts of god, one question remains: Is there really a God, a divine being responsible for the creation of the universe, or is this notion merely an epic fairytale of mythical proportions?
To attempt an answer to the question, one must first consider if the physical world that we see is an object of divine creation, or if it is a natural phenomenon which can be explained through the “scientific” processes of chance and evolution. The question is analogous to the idea of a divine watchmaker. Imagine you find a watch sitting on a bench in the park. Your first question would probably be – “Where did the watch come from?” A possible answer is that the watch had always been there. However, upon logical consideration, you would probably determine that the watch could not possibly have been there forever, as this would bag the question if the bench had always been there too, and by extension if the park had always been there too. If then, the watch was not always on the bench in the park, it had to come from somewhere. By extension, your line of questioning would lead you to the question – “Who created the watch?” This famous line of questioning was first raised by the 18th Century theologian and naturalist William Paley, who formulated the case for intelligent design. He argued that there is no way that a complicated object like a watch could possibly come about through chance. Such an object must have been designed by a creator, the watchmaker.
In my own thoughts regarding the complexities of life, I happened to chance upon a small plant while wandering through a hilly area. It occurred to me then to examine one of the leaves on the plant, and compare it to another leaf on the same plant. I realised that no one leaf was the same, even though each one had come from the same plant. It was then, at the age of nine, that I came to comprehend that every organism is unique. Years later, I reasoned that if it could be that way for relatively simple substances such as leaves, what more complex organisms such as human beings, each with his or her functioning body system, which includes a circulatory system, respiratory system and other structures specifically designed for the functioning of life. There was no way such precise details could be left to chance. There had to be a divine creator.
If there is in existence truly a divine creator, the underlying question is – “Who created the creator?” The noted sceptic Bertrand Russel cited an inability to answer this question as the reason why he chose not to believe in Christianity. However Russel failed to appreciate one key concept regarding the nature of God. If God as an entity can be created by another, then He would cease to be “God”. This is because the very notion of God encompasses the idea of a divine being who is eternal, one who has no beginning and no end.
This thesis has so far established the idea that there is a God. This was presented through the argument that every aspect of the physical universe was uniquely and intentionally created by a divine creator. It dismissed the possibility that chance could have accounted for the existence of the universe, given that the likelihood of this occurring amounts to a near statistical impossibility. Additionally, the nature of God was established in that He is eternal and has neither a beginning nor an end.
Why is Jesus Christ the only true God?
In establishing that there is a God who created the physical universe, one question that could arise is: “Is there only one God or are there many such divine beings?” The ancient Greeks imagined a plethora of gods and goddesses each with their own unique characteristics and powers. Some modern day religions also suggest that the world is governed by an array of gods and that a devotee is free to believe any one of these gods. However this bags the question - which is the most “supreme” of these deities? Various religions have chosen to explain it by saying that there is only one god and that the others are just a manifestation of that one god. Alternatively, there are religions that are of the conviction that all gods are the same and that the Christian God, Jesus, is merely one of the many gods that governs the world.
This thesis attempts an answer to the question by suggesting the Christian belief that Jesus Christ is the only God. The principle is drawn from the Bible, which states: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” (John 14:10a) The word “Father” in this passage refers to God and the claim is made that Jesus is God. In the same breath, the Bible also states that there is no salvation except through Jesus: “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) These two verses present the belief that Jesus alone is God and that there is no way to enter Heaven except through Him.
If one is to accept the Christian belief that Jesus is the only God, this would be in direct contradiction to polytheistic notions that there is more than one god. It would also refute the assertion that the Christian God, Jesus, is merely one of the many gods governing the world. This thesis therefore seeks to disprove the case for polytheism by presenting the argument that Jesus is God and by extension - because Jesus claimed to be the only way to Heaven - that there can be no other gods but Jesus.
Consider the notion that Jesus was a historical person. No less than 27 different New Testament documents from the Bible record the historicity of Jesus. Jesus was also cited by the early Church Fathers such as Polycarp, Ireneaus and Ignitius. Moreover, if one is to look at the non-Biblical documents on Jesus, one would also discover that a significant number of non-Christian historians also described Jesus as a “wise man”. One such person was the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, born in A.D. 37, who described Jesus as a “doer of wonderful works”. Another individual was Cornelius Tacitus, a Roman historian born between A.D. 52 and 54, who referred to a “Christus”, who he said was “put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius”. The historical sources point clearly that Jesus was indeed a real person who lived in the time of the Roman Empire.
This thesis has proven that Jesus, as a person, did exist. However it would take more to establish that Jesus is God. One useful line of reasoning follows that if Jesus was a historical person who lived in the days of the Roman Empire, why did he make the claims that he did, and die the way that he did? There can be only three possible reasons for his actions. Firstly, Jesus could have been a liar who made his assertions with the intention of gaining fame and glory as a Saviour of the world. Secondly, he could have been a lunatic, who actually believed that he was God, and therefore made a whole host of fanciful statements to back up his claims. Thirdly, his words were true and he is indeed God.
Consider the first notion that Jesus was a liar who spoke false words for the sake of gaining glory. If this idea was true, then Jesus would never have died for the sake of his ideals. The Bible depicts in all the four Gospels how Jesus willingly allowed Himself to be arrested and that He predicted His death not once but three times. This clearly shows that Jesus lived out His claims – to the point of death. No liar would die for his falsehoods, and Jesus was therefore not a liar.
If one is to examine the idea that Jesus was a lunatic who was sincerely deluded in his beliefs, then he has to consider whether the words that were said are coherent and if they make sense. This is because a lunatic can never articulate lucidly throughout his life. Jesus was no lunatic. Indeed the Bible presents that people who heard His words were astounded by their insight and wisdom. This was evident throughout His life, from the early age of twelve (Luke 2:47), to the time of his adulthood (Mark 11:18). Jesus was clearly no lunatic. So if Jesus was neither a liar nor a lunatic, then He had to be God. The “Liar, Lunatic, Lord” or trilemma line of reasoning, as argued by prominent writers such as C. S. Lewis and Josh McDowell, clearly establishes that the historical Jesus is no less than God. Consequently, given that Jesus said that no one comes to God but through Him, this supports the thesis that Jesus is the only God and that there can be no other gods.
How can I be sure that Jesus is really God?
This thesis has so far dismissed the possibility that there are many gods, utilising the trilemma line of reasoning to demonstrate that there is indeed only one God – He who is known as Jesus Christ. However, this method of analysis is inadequate in itself as it has only proven from a negative point of view, that Jesus was neither a lunatic nor a liar. To reinforce this argument, it would be prudent to embark on a constructionist approach – this would require one to establish that Jesus is really God through the things He did which characterise his divinity. How then is one able to be certain that Jesus is really God?
One fundamental principle would be to ascertain if Jesus truly rose from the dead. The famous apostle Paul argued that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then his preaching is in vain, which would also imply that the entire Christian faith is in vain (1 Cor 15:14). In proposing this argument, Paul chose to stake the case for Christianity on one point alone – that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead. This thesis will therefore examine the plausibility of such a claim.
The Bible records that three days after the death of Jesus on a cross, his tomb was found empty by several women of Galilee as well as by some of His disciples. Coupled with the many eyewitnesses’ accounts that they had seen Jesus in the flesh following His death, this has formed the basis of the resurrection story which Christians believe to be true. Various reasons have been proposed to explain why the tomb was found empty on that fateful day. Firstly, there have been suggestions that Jesus did not really die and had merely fainted while on the cross. After several hours, he had been revived by the cool air. He then arose and departed from the tomb. A second theory proposes that Jesus’ disciples stole his body in order to doctor the truth that he had failed to rise from the dead. The third explanation would of course be that Jesus had risen from the dead, as prophesised by the Bible so many years ago.
Firstly consider the “swoon theory” – the notion that Jesus hadn’t really died, but had merely fainted from exhaustion and the loss of blood. If that had indeed happened, and given the extent of the injuries He had suffered, Jesus would have been unable to walk away from the tomb unaided. However, supposing Jesus’ disciples had found him in the tomb and took him away to seek medical treatment, such an action would definitely have changed their impressions of him. Subsequently, it wouldn’t be a confident Peter (one of his disciples) who would stand among the people of Judea to proclaim that Jesus had died, and in the process lead three thousand people to repentance and baptism (Acts 2:14-41).
The second theory of the stolen body also lacks credibility. This can be seen if one is to consider the behaviour of Jesus’ disciples when He was arrested. It was written that all of Jesus’ followers turned tail and fled the moment He was taken into custody at the Garden of Gethsemane. In fact, one of the disciples, a young man named Mark, was so scared that he ran away naked in an attempt to get away (Mark 14:43-52). Contrast this with the confident speech by Peter in the aftermath of Jesus’ death. It is indeed incredulous to imagine that men as scared and dejected as Jesus’ disciples would have the courage to stand up and proclaim after His resurrection if they were the ones who had engineered it. Moreover, all of Jesus’ twelve disciples except one were eventually killed because they insisted on standing firm in their faith, even if that meant a torturous death.
The only theory that could explain what had really taken place is the third assumption – the idea that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead as prophesised by the Bible. If one is to consider all the arguments raised so far in this paper, coupled with the surpassing evidence presented by historical scholars across the ages, it would almost be impossible to refute the idea that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive today. Most importantly, one can know that Jesus is real by the transforming power that He has in our lives.
What do I do after knowing that Jesus is the only God?
The Christian life is an exciting journey that I’ve personally come to enjoy. I had to make a jump from possessing an intellectual knowledge of God to encountering Him at a relational level. Knowing that God exists and that He is Our Creator is not enough. For us to obtain salvation we have to encounter God on a personal basis – to know Him on a heart-to-heart level. Firstly we have to acknowledge that the things we had done in the past were wrong, and confess them as sins. Secondly, we have to recognise that Jesus is God and ask Him to be the Lord of our lives. Once we have done so, we will come to encounter God in a special way, for He has promised to come into our lives as long as we ask Him to (Revelations 3:20). Another essential thing we have to know is that our Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. It is important to contact a community of believing Christians and enquire more about what it means to live such a life.
“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30
This
article was written by Mark Lim Shan-Loong on
8th September 2005.
Words from the Heart
