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Did Jesus Christ Come
Forth From The Father?
In Volume Three of his eleven volume series of historical
works, the great American historian Will Durant says that some have attempted
to prove that Jesus Christ was a myth. They denied that Jesus lived.
Among these was Bruno Baer, who in 1840 began his series
of passionate controversial works in which he attempted to prove Jesus
was a myth. Later in the 19th Century, some Dutchmen laboriously
attempted to prove Jesus never lived. Among these were Peirson, Naber,
and Matthas. Durant says that in England J. M. Robertson and W. B.
Smith made attempts to prove Jesus never really lived.
It is obvious that Will Durant did not believe that he
New Testament was written by men who were directed by God in what they
wrote. However, following what he wrote about those who deny Jesus
actually lived, Durant said that it would be easier to believe the
miracles recorded in the New Testament than it is to believe hat a few
simple men in one generation invented so appealing a personality as Jesus
and the lofty ethic attributed to him, and the inspiring vision of human
brotherhood which Jesus is pictured as presenting.
Durant goes on the say that after two centuries of
“Higher Criticism” the outlines of the life, character and teaching of
Christ remain reasonably clear, and that there is no feature in the history
of Western man as fascinating as this story of Jesus Christ. (See: Volume
III of Will Durant’s works entitled: Caesar and Christ, Simon
and Shuster, NY, Page 557.)
An Impostor , And Designing Opportunist?
Other skeptics admit Jesus Christ really lived as the New
Testament says he did in the land of Palestine. However they say
he was an impostor and a designing opportunist, therefore not what he claimed
to be.
This concept of Jesus is self-destructive, because some
scholars have pointed out that there never has been a period that offered
a more tempting opportunity to a designing opportunist than when Jesus
lived in Palestine. C.S. Farber, presents some of the evidences of this
in his book entitled: Difficulties of Infidelity. (See pages
96-201.)
When Jesus lived, the Jews in Palestine lived under the
bondage of a Roman military occupational force. They were very restless
and impatient because of their Roman oppressors. They were eager to cast
off this unpalatable and vexatious suppression. They expected a mighty
deliverer. Even the two disciples of Jesus who talked with Jesus
on the road to Emmaus told him they had hoped it was he who would redeem
Israel (Luke 24). Obviously they meant redemption from Roman bondage.
If Jesus was a designing impostor who was seeking an opportunity
to be what the Jews were looking for, why did he not play that role?
The Jews expected, not a prince of peace, but a prince of war who would
liberate them from Caesar. Had Jesus been a designing opportunist
and an impostor, doubtless, he would have fit himself into the expectations
of the Jews.
The Jews thought the Messiah would confer on them abundant
prosperity and exalt their nation and raise it from the ashes and anguish
of ages of deterioration and devastation. Why did Jesus not fulfill
their expectations?
According to what the Jews expected the Messiah to be,
when Jesus was saying “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heavens
have nests, but the Son of man has not a place to rest his head,” he should
have been conducting a financial campaign to raise funds for an army.
If he had been like what the Jews expected, he would have led a rebellion
against Rome under the banner of a heaven-sent deliverer!
Instead he taught the Jews to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s
and unto God the things that are God’s!
If Jesus had been an impostor seeking to be what the Jews
were expecting, he would have flattered the vain Pharisees for their hypocrisy
(Matthew 23). Had he been an impostor seeking to please the Jews,
doubtless, he would have attempted to entice the Sadducees with offers
of temporal abundance. Instead, even though he never said temporal
blessings were wrong, he did often warn of the dangers thereof.
Was Jesus A Deceiver About Himself?
Jesus claimed to be God’s only begotten Son. He said
repeatedly he came forth from the Father. (For examples see John
6:38; 16:28). If he was not what he claimed to be, he was not even
a good man, for he told things about himself that were not so. If
he told such knowing it was untrue, he was not only not a good man, he
was a liar. How could a liar and deliberate deceiver have produced
a flawless system of morals and standard for living? Reason compels
us to say he could not have done so.
Was He Deceived?
Others way Jesus really thought he was what he said he was,
but that he was deceived. Reason rejects this because if he was deceived
about himself he must have been a deranged and naive simpleton. How
could such a person have done the teaching he did?
His Miracles
Skeptics have tried in vain to do away with the miracles
that the New Testament says Jesus performed. His miracles make it
easy for one to believe he is indeed the Son of God. John’s record
of his miracles was designed to convince of this (John 20:31-31).
The easiest things to believe about Jesus are the things
the New Testament says about him. If one does not believe all these
things he will have to believe things about him which are much harder to
believe.
Conclusion
If you are a lost person, the most reasonable and most profitable
thing you can do is to believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and that he
died for your sins. Then, turn from your sins. The New Testament
calls this repentance. Then for God to forgive your sins, confess
that you believe Jesus Christ is God’s Son, and be baptized (immersed)
upon the name or authority of Jesus Christ in order for God to forgive
you of all your sins. In thus being buried in baptism you will be
raised to walk in newness of life in Jesus Christ, and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). You will be a Christian
which means you will be in the body of Christ which is his church.
Read your New Testament and you will see that all of this
is taught in it. If I can be of any help to you in your becoming
a Christian, please contact me.
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