I watched a pseudo-documentary last night that claimed to offer “proof” that Jesus never existed. I think that Christians ought to read and watch such trash from time to time for a variety of reasons: to be aware of the arguments being made, to be prepared to defend and explain their own reasons for believing, and for the uncomfortable experience of seeing how Christians are perceived. Also, I think we ought to be willing to examine the evidence. I tend to think that a faith that cannot be defended is a faith that is not worth having and that those who approach the story of Jesus with the same fairness given to other historical events will quite likely reach the conclusion of faith. Faith should not fear reason.

We are way too prone to make our children and new converts too heavily dependent on that old adage, “You just have to accept it on faith.”

We would not dare face capital charges in a courtroom and defend ourselves with such a line, would we? Instead, I think it far better to pile up the archaeological, geological, astronomical, and historical evidence that clearly supports the claims of Christianity so that as our children become adults and face a world and culture increasingly hostile to Christian faith, they have a basis for believing that is less fragile than “You just have to accept it.”

We live in a society that only operates by “hard, scientific evidence” in very selective realms. We routinely make very important decisions based upon testimony, first hand accounts, and our own observations while looking for harmony and consistency among those. We knew that wind existed long before we measured its speed with anemometers. Centuries before the electron microscope, a scarred and weathered tentmaker stated “the things that are seen are made of things not seen.” Faith that is built on evidence does not fear evidence.

I believe this firmly and deeply. Still, what will ultimately matter is not how cleverly nor how skillfully persuasive we can defend our beliefs; what will ultimately matter is whether or not we hold fast to the faith that we have been given.

H. Arnett
4/16/10