“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:28-29).
If someone asks me why I believe, I answer:
- I feel the presence of Jesus in my heart. Amazing that during the most difficult experiences of my life, this Presence brought peace and not doubt or fear. I have often experienced “the peace that transcends understanding guarding my heart and mind” found in Philippians 4:7.
- It requires less faith to believe God created the earth than believing “something” came from nothing, and that “something” that came from nothing developed into the incredible complexity found in cells, animals, and the entire universe.
That “something” that came from nothing into incredible complexity has culminated in humans who have a sense of self-awareness. The fact that I can say, “I exist,” is unexplainable without the Creator-God who says He is, “I AM!”
We are created in the image of “I AM” or in the image of the God of self-conscious existence.
- Science continues to give us reasons to believe. Not only is “The Big Bang” the name of a famous sit-com, it also scientifically indicates an agreement of science with the creation account found in the book of Genesis.
A famous astronomer once said derogatively, “Are you telling me that the entire universe began with a big bang?” His thought that the universe was “stable-state” or “always existing” was being challenged by the latest scientific data.
His derisive comment gave a colloquial phrase for the beginning of the universe and the beginning of Sheldon and Penny.
- Brilliant people still believe in the integrity of the Bible. No book has been attacked like the Bible. We are told it is a myth, but history testifies to the reliability of miracles like the resurrection.
Archeological evidence constantly proves historical details mentioned in the Bible.
I hear the challenge of many translations, so how can our Bible be accurate? Yes, many English translations – also Italian, Russian, Khmer, French, and German, but they all come from Greek. Students of Greek texts of the Bible are remarkably unified on the original Greek language of the New Testament.
Take a moment and consider this: After 2,000 years, scholars (both conservative and liberal), agree on the Greek text of the New Testament.
God has preserved His Word.
That’s it – what I would say.
In a lengthier conversation, I could add philosophical reasons, more archeology, science, fulfilled prophecy, and the superiority of Christian thought versus other religions and philosophies. But I will stop here. There is not a rational, scientific, historical, philosophical, or logical reason for you not to believe.
As Jesus told Thomas, “How blessed are those who believe without seeing.” And the pile of evidence for believing continues to grow.
I believe!