Here is another piece of the new book. Final Proof reviewed and returned to Publisher. A few more months to go.
Paul’s Conversion: Written Account—Timely
It is the resurrection that is the distinguishing characteristic of Christians and unique to the Christian faith. Historical evidence is compelling. Witnesses and written accounts close to the time of the event provide significant proof to the reality of the resurrection. Paul mentioned the resurrection and witnesses to the resurrected Christ in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8.
Paul (formerly Saul) persecuted those who believed in and spoke of Jesus. In 32 A.D., “Paul publicly took part in the execution of Stephen, a follower of Jesus, by stoning.” A book I found particularly fascinating on the life of Paul, Rabbi Paul, by Bruce Chilton, offers much in understanding this man, this Pharisee who condemned and authorized the killing of people of the “Way,” and experienced his enlightenment, his meeting with Christ, while en route to Damascus to meet in synagogues, sanctioned by the high priest (of the temple in Jerusalem), in search of more names of those to be condemned for what the Jews considered heresy.
Paul was on a path to Damascus to meet with other Jewish leaders seeking evidence of those “who belonged to the Way” so he may take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. There he met Christ in visionary form but nevertheless real. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” Paul was told. Paul was blinded and sapped of his strength for three days. Events led to Paul being used as God’s “chosen instrument.” A disciple, Ananias, was sent to inform Paul of his conversion, to “see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Then, before Paul ever met an apostle, any one of the twelve, he began to preach about Jesus and the resurrection. Jews even threatened to kill him, but he escaped. There were many skeptical of his conversion because of such a role reversal, at one time arguing against Christ and suddenly vociferously defending Christ as the Messiah. Paul’s life up to this point had been as a servant of the Jewish faith, a dedicated scholar of the law, having studied with the most respected rabbinical teachers. And with one event, he converted.
It was three years before Paul traveled to Jerusalem and met with the apostle Peter. There he confirmed what he had received and understood; he confirmed his belief in the risen Lord with a witness. Their notes agreed. Paul was in Arabia and had been preaching before Gentiles and Jews for years before encountering a witness to Jesus’s life and resurrection, yet he related the same story, the realization he learned from time spent with Jesus.
In Paul’s letters, his most famous possibly the letter to the Romans, Paul speaks to Jews and Gentiles and shares the gospel, the good news that Christ died for our sins, he overcame sin and death, and thus, as believers we are “justified by faith.” (This is the theme of Romans 4.) Paul always reminds his readers of their inclination to sin. He also struggled and fought the good fight his entire life. The nature of his authority as a converted Jew is expressed in his letter to the Philippians, while incarcerated in Rome. He had experienced all that a Jew possibly could, more than most if not all at that time, “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee, as for zeal, persecuting the church, as for legalistic righteousness, faultless” (Philippians 3:5-6). It would be hard to find someone with more impeccable credentials. Yet he saw the light and became a disciple for Christ and for everyone by sharing his experience and his knowledge so others too could enjoy a Christian life.
Such evidence is compelling and difficult to refute. Documentation that led to the writings in the New Testament occurred within three to seventy or eighty years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The proximity of the writings adds to the reality of the events. In comparison, it was over four hundred years before written accounts of the exploits of Alexander the Great became available. Everybody seems to accept the exploits and accomplishments of Alexander the Great. Historical, factual evidence, even documentation from witnesses of the life and times of other religious leaders from Muhammad to Buddha, to Joseph Smith, Jr. (founder of Mormonism) is lacking. Often too, background information, even archaeological evidence, of the prophets of other religions does not exist, and the writings are of the prophets themselves, not their followers. The supporting documentation tends to be one-sided, one-dimensional, without outside opinions, companions, witnesses to the person and the beliefs suggested. Christians did not make up what they believe; it has been analyzed, studied, debated, researched, dug up, and further analyzed as no other religion. The evidence continues to pour in as scholars and archaeologists continue to uncover additional support for the truth and reality of events that were the path to Christian belief. Many researchers continue in an effort to disprove what Christians already believe, but in their efforts only add to the plethora of supporting evidence.
A Christian Belief
If you study and find too that the resurrection actually took place, was witnessed and documented soon thereafter, then you too will become a person who believes in Christ. Those who deny the resurrection are misguided. They may be good people, have spiritual elements, but they have missed or are not willing to embrace the evidence. For what it means, what it proves, is that the guidelines set forth in the Bible are indeed the Word of God; the events in the life and death of Jesus and his purpose on earth took place, and everyone knows now the method and the means for personal salvation.
For forty days Jesus provided visual proof. There were hundreds of witnesses. There are people today, most often atheists, who clamor for God to appear, to show himself as evidence. But that evidence has already been provided, and the historical evidence, the timeliness of the written accounts and the lives subsequently led by the disciples of Christ, people who died for their belief, add to the reality of the situation and the reality and deity of Christ Jesus.
As for the atheists, even if God were to appear to them, any one of them, they would doubt, they would not believe, they would provide or find an excuse for what they experienced. Certainly if one and not the other had such a meeting, it would be the other who would not believe, even if the atheist who saw God converted.
Chuck Colson, known mostly for his role in the Watergate scandal, the conspiracy to cover up the Watergate break-in, and the subsequent fall of President Richard Nixon, wrote “This is the great choice every human being has to make: Is the resurrection account true or only a myth? If the latter, it is an abomination, taking away any validity to the Christian claim. Believing that the resurrection was merely symbolic doesn’t create liberal Christianity or a more enlightened version of our faith as many argue; it reduces Christianity to something utterly vain, a belief system like paganism. For if we were to believe Christ was not bodily raised, then Christianity would rest on the belief in a human sacrifice—offering an innocent man to die for our sins. This is not enlightened thinking; it is barbaric. It is why so-called liberal Christianity is untenable, no better than paganism.”
Colson converted to Christ before he went to prison.
Easter is the time of year that the resurrection took place. It is the day we remember and revere the life of Christ and his sacrifice and know too that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit reign and are offered to everyone with compelling proof to believe, get to know, prepare together for the future, and as a community of the faithful, enjoy eternity—the day thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
