Tuesday, August 24, 2010

How Can We Know What is True About Jesus and What Isn't?

Q&A with Billy Graham

By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services

Q: How can we know what is true about Jesus and what isn't? I've read several books that claim He was married and had children and things like that. Maybe the Bible doesn't tell the whole story. The writers of the Bible even might have made some things up.

A: Many years ago, I went through a period of serious doubt about the Bible, wondering if it was really true and whether or not it could be trusted. A friend had decided to reject the Bible as God's Word, which only added to my confusion.

But the more I studied the issue, the more convinced I became that the Bible could be trusted -- totally and completely. Although I didn't have all the answers, I realized that the historical and archaeological evidence all pointed to one clear conclusion: The Bible's record was accurate. I accepted by faith that the Bible could be trusted, and that it was God's Word -- and this decision has made all the difference in my life.

Let me ask you a question: Is it more logical to accept as true what some modern novelist has dreamed up -- or what an eyewitness to Jesus' life recorded? I think you know the answer. As one of Jesus' disciples wrote, "We did not follow cleverly invented stories ... but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). If you seriously want to find answers to your questions, your local Christian bookstore can help you.

The most important thing you can do, however, is to read the Bible for yourself with an open heart and mind. Through its pages you will discover the greatest truth we can ever know -- that God loves us, and through Christ we can know Him personally.

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