Comments: Prove Your Beliefs

Many today assume that simply “believing in Jesus” and “accepting Him into your heart” are all that is required to be a Christian. However, the Bible teaches differently! The Scriptures warn us that false teachers will also talk about believing in Jesus and will deceive many people (Matthew 24:3-5; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4).

The Apostle Paul advised Christians to “Test [examine carefully, scrutinize] all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Paul states that our faith should be based on substance (confident assurance, solid ground) and on evidence (proof, reality) that can be assembled, examined and understood (Hebrews 11:1)—not just one person’s opinion or emotional arguments and feelings.

Luke writes that the early Christians’ belief in the resurrection of Jesus was based on “many infallible proofs” of many witnesses seeing Jesus alive after His crucifixion (Acts 1:1-3).

Josephus, the famous Jewish historian in the first century AD writes, “Jesus… [was] condemned to the cross… [yet] he appeared alive to them on the third day” (The Antiquity of the Jews, 18:3:3).

Peter emphasized that the apostles were eyewitnesses to the things they were teaching (2 Peter 1:16), and that Christians should be able to give sound reasons for their beliefs (1 Peter 3:15).

Paul confidently provided a defense for his beliefs (Acts 26). If we take time to carefully prove what we believe and understand the evidence upon which our beliefs rest, we, too, should be able to confidently defend and explain what we believe to anyone!