So many others have tried their hand at putting together a story of the wonderful harvest of Scripture and history that took place among us, using reports handed down by the original eyewitnesses who served this Word with their very lives. Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, starting from the story’s beginning, I decided to write it all out for you, most honourable Theophilus, so you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught.
Luke 1:1-4 The Message
The reason I love the Alpha course is it gives the individuals an opportunity to make a decision on putting their faith in Jesus Christ by weighing up the evidence for themselves. In a group discussion you learn much about individuals and their own belief at that snapshot in time. In the end though they are free from the group to make their own mind up.
Luke a doctor and scholar in AD 35 -63 did much the same. Writing to his friend Theophilus he begins his letter with those words above.
Private investigation is key to discovering Jesus Christ for yourself. Don’t leave it to others, books Youtube etc to make your mind up. It is too important.
Luke said no other opinion matters but the one to which I will come to, therefore I will set out to do a thorough and proper investigation. Yes this included interviewing others namely the disciples and anyone who was around at the time of Jesus. Luke included books (scrolls), not so much Youtube, as he did his investigation. Luke then says “Listen Theophilus (the person Luke is wring to here) my conclusion is based on the evidence I have found and you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught”.
So many simply make a decision on someone else’s theory or the latest trend and your eternal destiny is so much more important than doing this.
The reason I say this is although there were atheists about when I was young they did not have the same impact or the platform as they do today due to social media, Kindle, Universitiery lectures and so on…
Jesus was in many ways reverenced to some degree in my school and teenage years. Very few tried to discredit the Bible or Jesus as irrelevant and not necessary for today. That has changed in our politics, culture, education and so on. You may be influenced by these people so I urge you do a private investigation.
Need help to start. Then begin with the Gospels. They give the detailed eyewitness evidence.
Are they reliable?
Well here are soom facts …..
- Caesar wrote around 100-44BC and the earliest copy found is AD900 which is almost a thousand years after they were written. There are 10 copies of these writings. Yet I guess most will believe in these 10 copies.
- Plato wrote 427-347 BC. Again the earliest copy found is AD900 which is almost one thousand two hundred years after it was written.There are 7 copies of these writings. Yet I guess most will believe in these 7copies.
- Aristotle wrote 384 -322 BC. Again the earliest copy found is AD1100 which is almost one thousand four hundred years after it was written.There are 49 copies of these writings. Yet I guess most will believe in these 49 copies.
- The Gospels were written around AD 55-95 and the earliest copy found is AD130 which is only 35 years after they were written and there are 5200 copies yes 5200. Yet most I guess will not even give these copies a chance, I find that staggering to believe. My opinion counts for little in as much as you have your own journey. All I ask is you do a Private Investigation.
Stay Safe and Blessed.