Are world religions really all the same? A look at Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and New Age.

By Marilyn Adamson

We all want to make it through life with some degree of success, some sense that we did it right. And if others think they know how life can be satisfying, even meaningful, it's at least worth checking out. What about the major world religions? Is there anything in them that would give our lives greater stability and value?

The following is an opportunity to look into the major world faith systems...Hinduism, New Age, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.* Included is a brief description of each, its distinguishing characteristics, and what a person can gain from each. The author then presents for your consideration the ways in which Jesus' teaching differs from the world's religions.

*Each of these systems has sects with differing beliefs. The description given here focuses on the heart of that system. Other major religions, such as Judaism, could be discussed, but for brevity, we have chosen these.

Hinduism

Most Hindus worship one Being of ultimate oneness (Brahman) through infinite representations of gods and goddesses. These various manifestations of gods and goddesses become incarnate within idols, temples, gurus, rivers, animals, etc.

Hindus see their position in this present life as based on their actions in a previous life. If their behavior before was evil, they might experience tremendous hardships in this life. A Hindu's goal is to become free from the law of karma...to be free from continuous reincarnations.

There are three possible ways to end this cycle of karma: 1. Be lovingly devoted to any of the Hindu gods or goddesses; 2. Grow in knowledge through meditation of Brahman (oneness)...to realize that circumstances in life are not real, that selfhood is an illusion and only Brahman is real; 3. Be dedicated to various religious ceremonies and rites.

In Hinduism, a person has the freedom to choose how to work toward spiritual perfection. Hinduism also has a possible explanation for the suffering and evil in the world. According to Hinduism, the suffering anyone experiences, whether it is sickness or starvation or a disaster, is due that person because of their own evil actions, usually from a previous lifetime. Only the soul matters which will one day be free of the cycle of rebirths and be at rest.

New Age

New Age promotes the development of the person's own power or divinity. When referring to God, a follower of New Age is not talking about a transcendent, personal God who created the universe, but is referring to a higher consciousness within themselves. A person in New Age would see themselves as God, the cosmos, the universe. In fact, everything that the person sees, hears, feels or imagines is to be considered divine.

Highly eclectic, New Age presents itself as a collection of ancient spiritual traditions. It acknowledges many gods and goddesses, as in Hinduism. The Earth is viewed as the source of all spirituality, and has its own intelligence, emotions and deity. But superseding all is self. Self is the originator, controller and God of all. There is no reality outside of what the person determines.

New Age teaches a wide array of eastern mysticism and spiritual, metaphysical and psychic techniques, such as breathing exercises, chanting, drumming, meditating...to develop an altered consciousness and one's own divinity.

Anything negative a person experiences (failures, sadness, anger, selfishness, hurt) is considered an illusion. Believing themselves to be completely sovereign over their life, nothing about their life is wrong, negative or painful. Eventually a person develops spiritually to the degree that there is no objective, external reality. A person, becoming a god, creates their own reality.

Buddhism

Buddhists do not worship any gods or God. People outside of Buddhism often think that Buddhists worship the Buddha. However, the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) never claimed to be divine, but rather he is viewed by Buddhists as having attained what they are also striving to attain, which is spiritual enlightenment and, with it, freedom from the continuous cycle of life and death. Most Buddhists believe a person has countless rebirths, which inevitably include suffering. A Buddhist seeks to end these rebirths. Buddhists believe it is a person's cravings, aversion and delusion that cause these rebirths. Therefore, the goal of a Buddhist is to purify one's heart and to let go of all yearnings toward sensual desires and the attachment to oneself.

Buddhists follow a list of religious principles and very dedicated meditation. When a Buddhist meditates it is not the same as praying or focusing on a god, it is more of a self-discipline. Through practiced meditation a person may reach Nirvana -- "the blowing out" of the flame of desire.

Buddhism provides something that is true of most world religions: disciplines, values and directives that a person may want to live by.

Islam

Muslims believe there is the one almighty God, named Allah, who is infinitely superior to and transcendent from humankind. Allah is viewed as the creator of the universe and the source of all good and all evil. Everything that happens is Allah's will. He is a powerful and strict judge, who will be merciful toward followers depending on the sufficiency of their life's good works and religious devotion. A follower's relationship with Allah is as a servant to Allah.

Though a Muslim honors several prophets, Muhammad is considered the last prophet and his words and lifestyle are that person's authority. To be a Muslim, one has to follow five religious duties: 1. Repeat a creed about Allah and Muhammad; 2. Recite certain prayers in Arabic five times a day; 3. Give to the needy; 4. One month each year, fast from food, drink, sex and smoking from sunrise to sunset; 5. Pilgrimage once in one's lifetime to worship at a shrine in Mecca. At death -- based on one's faithfulness to these duties -- a Muslim hopes to enter Paradise, a place of sensual pleasure. If not, they will be eternally punished in hell.

For many people, Islam matches their expectations about religion and deity. Islam teaches that there is one supreme God, who is worshiped through good deeds and disciplined religious rituals. After death a person is rewarded or punished according to their religious devotion.

Christianity -- faith in Jesus Christ

Christians believe in a loving God who has revealed himself and can be personally known in this life. With Jesus Christ, the person's focus is not on religious rituals or performing good works, but on enjoying a relationship with God and growing to know him better.

Faith in Jesus Christ himself, not just in his teachings, is how the Christian experiences joy and a meaningful life. In his life on Earth, Jesus did not identify himself as a prophet pointing to God or as a teacher of enlightenment. Rather, Jesus claimed to be God in human form. He performed miracles, forgave people of their sin and said that anyone who believed in him would have eternal life. He made statements like, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."¹

Christians regard the Bible as God's written message to humankind. In addition to its being an historical record of Jesus' life and miracles, the Bible reveals God's personality, his love and truth, and how one can have a relationship with him.

Whatever circumstances a Christian is dealing with in their life, they can confidently turn to a wise and powerful God who genuinely loves them. They believe that God answers prayer and that life takes on meaning as they live to honor him.

Is there a difference?

In looking at these major belief systems and their views of God, we find tremendous diversity:

• Hindus acknowlege multitudes of gods and goddesses.
• Buddhists say there is no deity.
• New Age followers believe they are God.
• Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable God.
• Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable.

Are all religions worshiping the same God? Let's consider that. New Age teaches that everyone should come to center on a cosmic consciousness, but it would require Islam to give up their one God, Hinduism to give up their numerous gods, and Buddhism to establish that there is a God.

The world's major religions (Hinduism, New Age, Buddhism, Islam, following Jesus Christ) are each quite unique. And of these one affirms that there is a personal, loving God who can be known, now in this life. Jesus Christ spoke of a God who welcomes us into a relationship with him and comes along side us as a comforter, counselor and powerful God who loves us.

In Hinduism a person is on their own trying to gain release from karma. In New Age a person is working at their own divinity. In Buddhism it is an individual quest at being free from desire. And in Islam, the individual follows religious laws for the sake of paradise after death. In Jesus' teaching, you see a personal relationship with a personal God -- a relationship that carries over into the next life.

Can a person connect with God in this life?

The answer is yes. Not only can you connect with God, you also can know that you are fully accepted and loved by God.

Many world religions place an individual on their own, striving for spiritual perfection. Buddha, for example, never claimed sinlessness. Muhammad also admitted that he was in need of forgiveness. "No matter how wise, no matter how gifted, no matter how influential other prophets, gurus, and teachers might be, they had the presence of mind to know that they were imperfect just like the rest of us."²

Jesus Christ, however, never alluded to any personal sin. Instead, Jesus forgave people of their sin and he wants to forgive us of our sin also. We all are aware of our faults, the areas of our lives that may cause others to think less of us, areas that we ourselves wish were not there...maybe it's an addiction, a bad temper, impurity, hateful remarks. God loves us but hates sin, and he has said that the consequence for sin is separation from knowing him. But God provided a way for us to be forgiven and know him. Jesus, the Son of God, God in human form, took all of our sin on himself, suffered on a cross, and willingly died in our place. The Bible says, "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us."³

God is offering us complete forgiveness because of Jesus' death for us. This means forgiveness for all our sins...past, present and future. Jesus paid for them all. God, who created the universe, loves us and wants to be in a relationship with us. "This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."⁴

Through Christ, God offers us real freedom from our sin and guilt. He does not leave a person's failures on their shoulders, with a dim hope of becoming a better person tomorrow. In Jesus Christ, God reached toward humanity, providing a way for us to know him. "For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."⁵

God wants us to know him.

We were created by God to live in relationship with him. Jesus said, "He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty...and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."⁶ Jesus called people not only to follow his teachings, but to follow him. He said, "I am the way, and the truth and the life."⁷ In claiming to be the truth, Christ goes beyond mere prophets and teachers who simply said they were speaking the truth.⁸

Jesus identified himself as equal to God, and even gave proof. Jesus said that he would be crucified on a cross and that three days after his death, he would come back to life. He didn't say he would reincarnate someday into a future life. (Who would know if he actually did it?) He said three days after being buried he would show himself alive to those who saw his crucifixion. On that third day, Jesus' tomb was found empty and many people testified that they saw him alive again. He now offers eternal life to us.

It's a two-way relationship.

Many religions focus on a person's spiritual efforts. With Jesus Christ it's a two-way interaction between you and God. He welcomes us to go to him. "The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth."⁹ You can communicate with God, who will answer your prayer, give you greater peace and joy, provide direction, show you his love, and transform your life. Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly."¹⁰ It will not mean that life will become perfect and free of problems. But it means that in the midst of life, you can relate to God who is willing to be involved in your life and faithful in his love.

This is not a commitment to a method of self-improvement like the Eight Fold Path or the Five Pillars, or meditation, or good works or even the Ten Commandments. These seem clear, well-defined, easy-to-follow paths for spirituality. But they become a burdensome striving for perfection, and connection with God is still distant. Our hope is not in following laws or standards, but in knowing a Savior who fully accepts us because of our faith in him and his sacrifice for us. We don't earn our place in heaven by religious efforts or good deeds. Heaven is a free gift to us, when we begin a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Would you like to be totally forgiven and personally come to know God's love for you?

Beginning a relationship with God.

You can begin a relationship with God right now. It is as simple as sincerely asking God for his forgiveness of your sin and inviting him to enter your life. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him."¹¹ Would like to begin a relationship with the God who created you, who deeply loves you? You can do so right now, if it is your heart's desire: "God, I ask you to forgive me and invite you to enter my heart right now. Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins. Thank you for coming into my life as you said you would."

The Bible tells us that "as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God."¹² If you sincerely asked God to come into your life, you have begun a personal relationship with him. It is like you have just met God and he wants to help you grow to know him better, to know his love for you, to guide you with wisdom in whatever decisions confront you. The book called "John" in the Bible is a good place to learn more about a relationship with God. Perhaps you might want to tell someone else about the decision you have made to ask Jesus into your life.

In the world's religions a person has a relationship with teachings, ideas, paths, rituals. Through Jesus, a person can have a relationship with the loving and powerful God. You can talk with him and he will guide you in this life now. He doesn't just point you to a path, a philosophy, or a religion. He welcomes you to know him, to experience joy, and to have confidence in his love in the midst of life's challenges. "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God."¹³

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I just asked Jesus into my life (some helpful information follows)...

I may want to ask Jesus into my life, please explain this more fully...

I have a question...

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{1} John 8:12
{2} Erwin W. Lutzer, Christ Among Other Gods (Chicago: Moody Press,1994), p. 63
{3} 1 John 3:16
{4} 1 John 4:9
{5} John 3:16
{6} John 6:35
{7} John 14:6
{8} Lutzer, p. 106
{9} Psalms 145:18
{10} John 10:10
{11} Revelation 3:20
{12} John 1:12
{13} 1 John 3:1
For more information on world religions, you might find this link helpful: World Religions Index.

Is Christianity a Made-up Myth Written by the Disciples?
by Rich Deem

Introduction

	Bible as Myth?
	As a former agnostic, what really struck me in reading the Bible for the first time in my 30's was the degree of candor displayed in the writings. In fact, if I had been writing those kinds of stories, I would not have put all the non-complimentary stuff that one finds in the Bible. It turns out that the Bible's "heroes" do all kinds of stupid and immoral things. In addition, many of the doctrines of the Church are not what any normal male would make up...
	Rich Deem

Skeptics say that the writings of the Bible have the character of mythology. In addition, stories of numerous miracles make it unlikely that the Bible is true. However, if God is powerful enough to have created the entire universe, He would certainly be able to perform miracles. Although there are miracles in the Bible, greater than 99% of the text describes non-miraculous events. So, who wrote the Bible? If the disciples made up the events in the Bible, would they write it in the way it is written?

Virgin birth

The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is one of the most unbelievable aspects of Christianity. It would have been very risky to document and claim that Jesus was born of a virgin. In the Middle East there were "honor killings" for women who conceived out of wedlock, so to speak of a virgin birth was extremely dishonorable. In fact, the Bible alludes to some disparaging remarks made by the religious opponents of Jesus.¹ In addition, if you look at the anti-Christian literature at the time, much of it focused on this aspect of Christianity. This makes one wonder why, if Christians were just making up a religion, they say something that would offend virtually everybody in the Middle East. It makes no sense to make up something offensive - unless it were true.

The disciples

If I had been Jesus, I certainly wouldn't have chosen the band of misfits that He picked. There was Peter, the loudmouth, John, his main competitor (and Jesus' favorite, according to his own words) Matthew, the corrupt taxman,² and Thomas, the ultimate skeptic.³ As a group, they were slow learners who constantly demonstrated a lack of faith in Jesus⁴ despite all the miracles He performed in their presence.

Peter was an interesting choice as the disciple to lead the early church.⁵ As an uneducated fisherman,⁶ he would often act first and think about it later. Peter himself admitted to Jesus that he was "a sinful man."⁷ In one instance, Jesus blessed Peter⁶ and not five verses later called him "Satan."⁸ Peter made the pronouncement that he would never leave Jesus, being even willing to die before denying Him.⁹ However, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times after He was arrested¹¹ and fled¹² to go into hiding with the rest of the disciples.¹³

John is thought of being a quiet disciple who was deeply devoted to Jesus. However, John had definite jealousy issues with Peter. After being told of Jesus' resurrection by the women who followed Him, John describes in his gospel racing Peter to the empty tomb - and winning!¹⁴ Peter was actively involved in this rivalry, being jealous of John at the last supper, asking Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"¹⁵ Jesus solidly rebuked Peter, basically telling him to mind his own business.¹⁶ The rivalry among the disciples was not limited to just Peter and John. At one point, they all started to argue about which of the disciples was the greatest.¹⁷ Jesus suggested that those who would be greatest would serve others.¹⁷

The scandalous women

Jesus helped a number of women, many of whom followed Him, along with the disciples. After Jesus was arrested and crucified, the disciples all fled and hid, being afraid that they would suffer the same fate.¹³ However, the women wanted to finish the burial, which had been left unfinished because of the approaching Sabbath.¹⁸ So Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, wife of Zebedee, walked to the tomb early in the morning of the third day.¹⁹ However, they found the stone rolled away,²⁰ the body of Jesus gone, and angels sitting in His place.²¹ The fact that the discovery of the empty tomb was made by women is not something that would have been fabricated, since, at the time, women were not considered to be reliable witnesses.

The Church is female!

This is going to come to a shock to most non-Christians (and maybe even some Christians), but God's people are referred to as female, not male. In the Old Testament, God's people are the "daughters of Zion."²² The Church or body of Christ (including us men) is referred to as the "bride" of Christ²³ and God is said to be our "husband."²⁴ Whenever referred to by sex, the Church is described as "she" or "her."²⁵ In addition, the Greek word for "church" is a feminine noun.²⁶ Obviously, if men had made up the Bible, they would have made the church a male.

No marriage or sex in heaven

Jesus was asked a complicated question about heaven by the Sadducees (a religious sect that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead) that directly leads us to the conclusion that there will be no marriage or sex in heaven.²⁷ The Sadducees gave a scenario of a woman who married 7 men (sequentially, since they all died prematurely) in her lifetime. They asked whose wife she would be in heaven. Jesus answered:

"You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:29-30)

In other words, there will be no marriage or sexual differences among those in heaven, since reproduction is unnecessary. This concept is supported by other biblical verses that indicate that males and females are spiritually equal.²⁸ Obviously, if the disciples (who were men) had created a fictitious story about heaven, it would most certainly have included sex (probably with multiple virgin sexual partners), as is found in certain other religions.

However, in heaven, we will be "married" to Jesus, who will be our spiritual "husband."²⁹ A marriage is described in heaven. The "bride" is composed of all believers in Jesus Christ. The "groom" is none other than Jesus Himself. This kind of idea seems okay for women, but tends to make us men a little nervous. I find it difficult to consider myself as a bride. The disciples would have never come up with the idea of being the bride of Jesus. There is no way that that was made up!

Other not quite perfect Bible leaders

Paul (or Saul)

Paul, the apostle who first took the gospel to the gentiles,³⁰ began life as a super-religious Pharisee.³¹ However, when Christians were preaching their gospel in Damascus, Paul sought to get letters from the high priest in order to bring the Christians to Jerusalem to stand trial as heretics.³² Paul was present at the stoning of Stephen,³³ and "was in hearty agreement with putting him to death."³⁴ Paul readily admitted his former unrighteous acts of persecution against the early Christians.³⁵ However, Paul personally met Jesus on the road to Damascus in a rather spectacular way,³⁶ at which point he became the primary spokesman for Christianity. As with the disciples and other Christian and Jewish leaders, Paul is presented as a real person - complete with his faults, including being an accessory to murder.

Other leaders in the Bible

• Noah - drunkenness
• Abraham - lack of trust in God
• Lot - drunkenness
• Moses - avoiding God's call, killing the Egyptian
• Isaac and Rebekah - favoritism
• Jacob - stealing the birthright
• Joseph - deceiving his brothers
• David - adultery and murder
• Job - justified himself
• Jonah - ran from God
• John Mark

Conclusion

Skeptics often claim that the New Testament was fabricated by the disciples. Although the Bible contains many stories of miracles, it also includes doctrines that the average male would not have included, if they were making up a religion. For example, in other religions, heaven consists of males engaging in eternal sex with multiple virgins. However, in the Bible there are no sexual relationships, but believers are "married" to Jesus. Realistically, no males I know of (including myself) would ever make up the Christian concept of heaven. To make the picture complete, the members of the Church are described as being female. How insulting that would be to the average male ego. Another doctrine that would be considered offensive in first century Jewish culture is the virgin birth of Jesus. In addition, first century Jewish culture considered women to be unreliable witnesses, making the discovery of the empty tomb by women to be unlikely to be fabricated. The leaders in the Bible are presented realistically, with all their faults and shortcomings. When presenting themselves, most people tend to tell about their positive traits, eliminating negative traits, such as drunkenness, adultery, and murder. The inclusion of the good and the bad of God's leaders indicate that the biblical accounts are not just fabricated stories.

Related Pages

• Sexism in the Bible: Is Christianity Sexist?
• Will There be Marriage in Heaven?

References

1. Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." (John 8:19)
   "You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God." (John 8:41)
2. As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth; and He *said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him. (Matthew 9:9)
   After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi [Matthew] sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me." (Luke 5:27)
3. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:24-25)
4. "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! (Matthew 6:30)
   He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. (Matthew 8:26)
   Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31)
   But Jesus, aware of this, said, "You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? (Matthew 16:8)
   And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. (Matthew 17:20)
   And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:40)
   And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?" (Luke 8:25)
   "But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! (Luke 12:28)
5. "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18)
6. Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. (Matthew 4:18)
   As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. (Mark 1:16)
   and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. (Luke 5:2-3)
7. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8)
8. And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:17)
9. But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." (Matthew 16:23)
   But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." (Mark 8:33)
10. But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too. (Matthew 26:33-35)
    But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not." And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times." But Peter kept saying insistently, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing also. (Mark 14:29-31)
    Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You." (John 13:37)
11. Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away." Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:69-75)
    As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus the Nazarene." But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." And he went out onto the porch. The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, "This is one of them!" But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too." But he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this man you are talking about!" Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, "Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And he began to weep. (Mark 14:66-72)
    Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, "This man was with Him too." But he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." A little later, another saw him and said, "You are one of them too!" But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, "Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too." But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:54-62)
12. "But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Then all the disciples left Him and fled. (Matthew 26:56)
    And they all left Him and fled. (Mark 14:50)
13. So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." (John 20:19)
14. So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; (John 20:3-4)
15. Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?" (John 21:20-21)
16. Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" (John 21:22)
17. An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great." (Luke 9:46-48)
18. It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. (Luke 23:54-56)
19. When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. (Mark 16:1)
20. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. (Matthew 28:2)
    Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. (Mark 16:4)
    And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, (Luke 24:2)
    Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. (John 20:1)
21. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. (Matthew 28:5-6)
    Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. (Mark 16:5-6)
    but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? "He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, (Luke 24:3-6)
    But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. (John 20:11-12)
22. Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, "Lo, your salvation comes; Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him." (Isaiah 62:11)
    "Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," declares the LORD. (Zechariah 2:10)
    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)
23. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)
    And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." (Revelation 19:9)
    The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)
24. For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is His name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5)
25. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25)
    that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:27)
26. Thayer Greek Definitions
    ekklēsia εκκλησία (Strong's #G1577)
    1. a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly
       1. an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating
       2. the assembly of the Israelites
       3. any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously
       4. in a Christian sense
          1. an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting
          2. a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order’s sake
          3. those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body
          4. the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth
          5. the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven
    Part of Speech: noun feminine
    A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a compound of G1537 and a derivative of G2564
    Citing in TDNT: 3:501, 394
27. On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Him and questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'IF A MAN DIES, HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP AN OFFSPRING TO HIS BROTHER.' "Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. "And last of all, the woman died. "In the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her." But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:23-30)
28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
29. for the Lamb [Jesus Christ] in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:17)
    "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7)
    "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:8)
    And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." (Revelation 19:9)
    And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." (Revelation 21:9)
    FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32)
    "For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5)
30. But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:15-16)
    To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8)
31. although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. (Philippians 3:4-6)
32. Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)
33. When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. (Acts 7:58)
34. Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Acts 8:1)
    For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9)
35. For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; (Galatians 1:13)
    although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. (Philippians 3:4-6)
    I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; (1 Timothy 1:12-13)
36. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." (Acts 9:3-16)

Browsing subject area: Jesus Christ

Are you here by
Accident?

Why I believe…

we are here by design, not chance
...the Bible is the reliable message of God
...Israel demonstrates the existence of God
...Christianity is unique among all religions
…You should ask yourself these questions
…You should seek God

 
Against All Odds
The statistical odds of generating life by chance are absurd. 1 The chance of generating a single amino acid has been calculated to occur once in every 10130 tries (the number 1 followed by 130 zeros). To assemble the enzymes by chance from the amino acids has been calculated as one chance in 1040,000. 2

If such an experiment could be performed, there has not been enough time—even if we assume the universe to be 15 billion years old (only 1018 seconds, 1027 nanoseconds). “…the probability is so small in terms of the known age of the universe that it is effectively zero.” 3

Even if all the material in the observable universe were available to perform the experiment, there is not enough material (only 1070 atoms, 1080 subatomic particles).4 “…an outrageously small probability that could not be faced even if the whole universe consisted of organic soup.” 5

Amino acids occur in left-handed or right-handed mirror-image structures. Non-living matter contains of a mix of right-handed and left-handed molecules. But all living things are made of left-handed amino acids. 6 Right-handed amino acids are poisonous.7 Random chance should produce both right- and left-handed amino acids.

Some propose that given enough monkeys typing at enough typewriters for long enough, Shakespeare’s sonnets could be typed by chance. But what if every other key on the typewriter was fatal to the monkey?

Francis Crick, Nobel Prize winner and co-discoverer of DNA wrote: “An honest man, armed with all the knowledge available to us now, could only state that in some sense the origin of life appears at the moment to be almost a miracle, so many are the conditions which would have had to have been satisfied to get it going.” 8

“Any theory with a probability of being correct that is larger than one part in 1040,000 must be judged superior to random shuffling. The theory that life was assembled by an intelligence has, we believe a probability vastly higher than one part in 1040,000 of being the correct explanation…” 9

Microbiology
The theory of evolution suggests that higher animals came about by a series of small adaptations from lower life forms. If true, in the world we should see a range of biological complexity—from lower to higher complexity. But the modern biological revolution has shown just the opposite.

Since Darwin’s time, the revolution in microbiology has shown that there is no such thing as a “simple cell”.10 Even the simplest of biological systems is much more sophisticated than anything achievable by the intelligence of man.11 12 For example, the knowledge currently stored in all the libraries of the world, if stored in DNA molecules, would require 1 percent of the volume of a pinhead. To store the same information using the most sophisticated computer memory circuits available today would require a pile of “chips” higher than the distance between the earth and the moon.13

“The complexity of the simplest known type of cell is so great that it is impossible to accept that such an object could have been thrown together suddenly by some kind of freakish, vastly improbable event. Such an occurrence would be indistinguishable from a miracle.” 14

Complex Systems
Complex systems do not occur by chance. They are based on a set of co-dependent relationships between individual components.

There is a hierarchy of increasingly complicated systems: 15

basic open systems (a wristwatch),

feedback systems (power steering),

adaptive systems (anti-skid brakes),

intelligent machines (computers),

self-repairing systems

self-reproducing systems.

Man—with the most sophisticated intelligence known—has produced systems 1 through 4, but has yet to create truly self-repairing16 nor self-reproducing systems. Yet these levels of system complexity are found throughout the biological world. Development of even a rudimentary complex system by chance has never been demonstrated.

Some systems are especially complicated and are said to be irreducibly complex17 because two or more components are interdependent such that no component can successfully function without the others. This poses a problem for evolutionary theory because each co-dependent component would have to evolve in-step with the other components it depends upon for the organism to continue to survive. Yet the living world is full of examples of irreducibly complex systems such as the feather, the eye, the avian lung, the amniotic (reptilian) egg, the woodpecker18, and many more.19

Complex systems, when left to themselves, tend to fail.20 Randomness (chance) leads to chaos. This downhill trend in physical and information systems can only be reversed by the addition of information. Information can only be added by intelligence. Complex systems are evidence of intelligence!

Missing Fossils
The fossil record itself undermines the theory of evolution. 21

The fossil record provides insufficient evidence for the evolution of the earliest life: “The fossil record is of little use in providing direct evidence of the path ways of descent of the phyla or of invertebrate classes. Each phylum with a fossil record has already evolved its characteristic body plan when it first appeared…” 22

The fossil record does not contain the needed transitional forms—a fact well-known to evolutionists themselves, but not well-publicized.

“The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology. The evolutionary trees that adorn our textbooks have data only at the tips and notes of their branches; the rest is inference, however reasonable, not the evidence of fossils.” 23

This lack of fossil evidence was the driving force behind the development of the theory of punctuated equilibria which attempts to explain how transitions occurred without leaving a trace in the fossil record—postulating evolution to be true, regardless of the lack of fossil evidence.

Another scientist put it this way: “…no real evolutionist, whether gradualist or punctuationist, uses the fossil record as evidence in favor of the theory of evolution as opposed to special creation.” 24

“We are now about 120 years after Darwin and the knowledge of the fossil record has been greatly expanded. We now have a quarter of a million fossil species but the situation hasn’t changed much. The record of evolution is still surprisingly jerky and ironically, we have even fewer examples of evolutionary transition than we had in Darwin’s time. By this I mean that some of the classic cases of Darwinian change in the fossil record, such as the evolution of the horse in North America have had to be discarded or modified as a result of more detailed information.” 25

Simple logic tells us that with millions of different life forms 26 evolving over billions of years—all of which were supposedly arrived at by small changes from other existing life forms—there should be countless fossils documenting transitional forms. Yet the fossil record is strangely silent—only seeming to preserve abundant evidence of those animals in a state of stability. Instead of a few dozen postulated intermediaries (such as Archeaopteryx—now considered by some evolutionists to be a full-fledged bird), our museums should contain thousands of complete, smooth transitions.

Darwin himself said: “…the number of intermediate and transitional links, between all living and extinct species, must have been inconceivably great. But assuredly, if this theory is true, such have lived upon the earth.” 27

Where are they?

Fossil Fraud and Exaggeration
The field of paleoanthropology, has earned a reputation for exaggerated claims and outright fraud. Fraudulent and exaggerated discoveries include Heidelberg Man, Nebraska Man, Piltdown Man, Peking Man, and Java Man.

The trend in the field of paleontology is clear: highly publicized exaggerated claims made on initial discovery followed by silent retirement or recategorization of the find in the years that follow as the evidence is more carefully analyzed by colleagues. Among those finds which are no longer thought to be intermediaries between ape and man we find Rhodesian Man, Neanderthal Man, Peking Man, Java Man. 28

Other fossil evidence for early man is highly controversial in nature with many experts in the field disagreeing as to the categorization, significance, and whether representative of ape or human.29

Living Fossils
The phrase “living fossil” has been coined to describe animals alive today which are essentially unchanged from their original form in the fossil record.

Perhaps the most famous living fossil is the Coelacanth—a fish. Originally only found in the fossil record, it was thought to have been extinct for 50 million years… until 1938 when a live specimen was caught near Madagascar! Since then, about a dozen of these “prehistoric” fish have been caught. Paleontologists originally postulated that the Coelacanth, being an early fish, would have internal body organs quite different (more crude) than normal fish. Yet the internal organs of live specimens resemble other normal fish. 30

Other “living fossils” are less famous because they are everyday animals such as bats, sharks, pigs, and the like. There are hundreds of such living fossils. 31

How is it that during the same period of time that evolution is said to have produced man from pre-biotic soup, other animals—the “living fossils”—remained essentially unchanged?

Anthropic Principle
The universe appears to be designed for the existence of life in that many physical factors appear to be tuned to the narrow range required for life to exist. As one famous scientist put it: “A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature.” 32

Formation of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and other heavy elements required for life depend on the delicate match between the energies of helium, beryllium, and carbon. 33 If the ratio of the mass of a proton to an electron were much different, the required molecules would not form and there would be no chemistry and no life. If the relative strength of the four fundamental forces (gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak nuclear) were slightly different, there would be no atoms, no stars, and no planets. Many other examples can be given. 34

Most people don’t think about how critically tuned our surroundings are. Yet this fact surfaces when discussing environmental concerns such as the ozone layer or global warming. If small changes in our surroundings can spell disaster for life, then what made it so carefully balanced in the first place? 35

Evidence of Intelligence
Everywhere we look we see evidence of complexity. The simplest life form is a sophisticated self-repairing, self-reproducing system of incredible complexity. The universe appears to be a highly tuned system. On and on it goes.

Complexity and design require intelligence in order to combat the decay of natural systems toward disorder. The blind mechanism of random mutation followed by natural selection is simply insufficient as the source of genetic information on the level required for biological life.

The evidence that we are here by intelligent design even pops up unintentionally in the comments of those who oppose the idea of a Creator: “The more I examine the universe and the details of its architecture 36 the more evidence I find that the universe in some sense must have known we were coming.” 37

Yet man continues to ignore the evidence of design in favor of highly conjectural ideas such as chaos theory, self-organizing systems, and the like which sound sophisticated on paper, but can’t be demonstrated in the real-world.38

Complex systems require a design which reflects an intelligence which implies a designer with a purpose. We are not here by chance!

“…We are therefore presented with a curious question. If information and order always has a natural tendency to disappear, where did all the information that made the world such a special place come from originally? The Universe is like a clock slowly running down. How did it get wound up in the first place?” 39

The Bible provides the answer:

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard Their line has gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.” – Psalm 19:1

…the Bible is the reliable message of God.
Time Span
No other book has been written over a span of 1500 years— all the while remaining consistent across a wide range of controversial topics.

Authorship
No other book has been written by 40 different authors from at least 11 different vocations 40— all of whom deal consistently with a wide range of controversial topics.41 42

Accuracy of Transmission
“…a careful study of the variants (different readings) of the various earliest manuscripts reveals that none of them affects a single doctrine of Scripture. The system of spiritual truth contained in the standard Hebrew text of the Old Testament is not in the slightest altered or compromised by any of the variant readings found in the Hebrew manuscripts of earlier date found in the Dead Sea caves or anywhere else.” 43

Manuscript Evidence
There are more manuscript copies of portions of the Bible than any other ancient writing: 44 45

Author	Earliest Copy	Number of Witnesses46
New Testament Authors	200 A.D.47	20,000+48
Old Testament Authors	300 B.C.49 250 B.C.50	several hundred
Homer (Iliad)	1200 A.D.	643
Caesar	900 A.D.	10
Plato (Tetralogies)	900 A.D.	20
Tacitus (Annals)	1100 A.D.	20
Pliny the Younger (History)	850 A.D.	7
Aristotle	100 A.D.	5
Sophocles	1000 A.D.	100

Avoids Errors of Surrounding Cultures
The Bible taught the existence of one God who was separate from His creation at a time when surrounding cultures believed in many Gods. Although Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians51, his writings concerning medical matters avoid the crude superstitions of Egypt. The Bible even contains instructions for using a latrine! 52

Archaeology
Archeological discoveries confirm the Biblical record: the excavation of a Babylonian account of Noah’s flood; the existence of Hittites; the fall of Jericho; Egyptian confirmation of the early existence of Israel; the Hebrew conquest of Canaan; Israel’s king Jehu; Belshazzar as secondary ruler of Babylon; Cyrus’s capture of Babylon and decree permitting freedom of worship; Solomon’s stables; Sennacherib’s campaign against Judah and subsequent murder by his sons; the Pool of Bethesda, etc.53 54

Sir William Ramsay, regarded as one of the greatest archaeologists ever to have lived, set out to disprove the reliability of the New Testament books of Luke and Acts. After 30 years of study he concluded “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy…this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.” 55

Honesty
No other historic book discusses the failings of its heros in such frank detail.56

Fulfillment of Prophecy
Only God, who is outside of the limitations of time and space, accurately declares the future in the pages of His book.

Prophecy	Predicted58