Authored by Mary Lucas
 
Read:  1 Corinthians 15: 3-8, 12-19
 

Reflect: 
Sadly, many people have walked away from Christianity, or the next generation in a family may not believe as prior generations did.  Perhaps this is because of the false assumption regarding the foundation of Christianity. And that is that the Bible is the foundation of our faith.  Therefore, if you can undermine the authority of any book or passage then that must mean the Bible is false and also Christianity is false. But the foundation of our faith is not “It is written!” It is “Something happened!”  Christianity began when a person, Jesus Christ died on a cross and then overcame death, rising again.  We believe in the resurrection not just because the Bible says it is true but because eyewitnesses like James and Thomas and Paul say it’s true. 
 
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 “Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.  After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.  Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him…. But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.”
 
Christianity did not begin with a book but by an event – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  And if that didn’t happen then our faith is useless.  Our authority is in a person not a book.  Jesus said to his disciples: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth”.  Matthew 28:18
 
Those who walk away from the faith need to know that they are not walking away from a book but they are walking away from an event and more importantly they are walking away from a person.  I need to remember this as well…to point people not to the Bible but to Jesus.  I need to remember as I read the Bible to see how it points to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.  Some passages (like the prophecies and psalms) clearly predict who Christ is and what he will do. Other passages prepare God’s people to understand the grace God must provide to redeem them. Still other passages show how our actions and status are a result of God’s grace towards us in giving His son to die for us.  His grace towards us precedes, enables, and motivates our efforts toward holiness. In other words, what we are to do is always a result of who we are in Christ.  Also, as you read the Bible ask yourself, “what does this passage reflect about the nature of God who provides redemption?” Or “what does this passage reflect about the nature of humanity that requires redemption?”  Just keep looking to see how it all points to Jesus.
 
Following Jesus will always make your life better and make you better at life!

Christianity Began With An Event

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