Looking at the ministry and all that the Lord has done through it and our staff, I can’t help but praise God! The prayers of Bill’s mother, Florence, were a primary influence in bringing it about. Florence’s dad, John Bombeck, wanted to be a minister and went to The Moody Bible Institute, but his voice was too soft. His daughter, Florence, prayed that one of her children might be a minister to fulfill her father’s calling. She also prayed that all her children would come to know the Lord.
Out of her five sons and one daughter, Bill would be the one to follow in his grandfather’s steps by going to Bible college to become a minister and start this ministry. Florence’s prayers began to bear fruit, like Timothy’s mother and grandmother in the Bible: “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5),
When Bill and I met as teenagers at a party, we were two young people raised in the church but who did not have a relationship with Jesus. We never even thought, at that time, about living for the Lord, but within a year, all that would change. I accepted the Lord at a Jesus Festival and brought Bill to church. A few months later, he surrendered his life to the Lord and was called to Bible college.
After graduating and serving as a youth pastor in North Carolina, he was asked to go to New Jersey to train with Youth for Christ. However, the Lord had other plans. I contracted a life-threatening liver disease, so we moved back to Pennsylvania to be close to our families. The Lord impressed upon Bill’s heart to start this ministry, and shortly thereafter, the Lord healed me, enabling me to assist him for over 45 years. Our son and daughter have worked for the ministry and now our granddaughter Caeleana is working with us, as well as several of our other grandchildren who volunteer: all this from the prayers of a mother and grandmother.
The Lord hears your prayers! You may never know, like Florence, who is with the Lord now, how and when your prayers will be answered, or how many lives will be touched and brought into the kingdom. We know that the Lord’s return is soon, so we keep on spreading His Good News to those who are lost (John 9:4).
Death is yet another proof of the truthfulness of Scripture. Because of the Fall of humankind as recorded in Genesis, God pronounced the judgment of death, and no one or nothing can revoke God’s verdict of aging and death. Surely, if there is no God and the Bible is not divinely inspired, someone, somehow, would be able to overcome this curse of death pronounced on human beings and nature. Yet, the endless and elusive quest for a “magic potion” to live forever always ends in futility.
The Bible indicates death will continue throughout history until the Lord Jesus returns and the dead are raised. We have the assured promise that one day death will be forever eliminated (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).
Illusion or Reincarnation
As Satan tempted Eve to eat the fruit and rebel against God, he flagrantly altered God’s Word from, “You will surely die” (Genesis 2:17) to “You surely will not die!” (Genesis 3:4). Not only did Adam and Eve immediately die spiritually (separation from God), but they also eventually died physically. Satan’s lie seems so obvious and far removed from the visible evidence. To conceal his lie, two more fallacies are propagated.
The first false idea is that you do not really die; death is merely an illusion. However, if you go to a funeral and see the body lying there, it is obvious that person is dead. The second is reincarnation; your spirit leaves your body at death and is reborn into another body. We will not be reincarnated, but will die once, and after death, face God’s judgment (Hebrews 9:27). No second chances, no reincarnation.
Although most people innately know that after death comes some form of judgment, yet many endeavor to suppress it during their lifetime (Romans 1:18-19) by denying the very God who offers the only means of victory over death.
This Is Not Our Home
I talked to a Vietnam veteran whose life seemed hopeless. In an effort to give him some hope, I said, “When you were in Vietnam, your goal was to get home safely and to bring back alive as many buddies as possible. Just as Vietnam was not your home, this world is not your home, but like Vietnam, we are in the midst of an intense spiritual battle for our lives and families and facing many dangerous challenges and difficulties. You have an inner longing to get to your real home—your heavenly home—and bring as many loved ones and friends with you as you can.” That illustration resonated with him, and, for the remainder of his life, he kept his focus on Jesus Christ and His promise of a future home in Heaven.
Thank God this world is not our final home; we are merely passing through. Certainly, we face challenges, trials and spiritual warfare, but our faith in Christ transcends the troubles in this life. Our goal is to get our loved ones, friends and as many others as possible into Christ’s eternal Kingdom. John Wesley said, “I want to know one thing, the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore.” C.S. Lewis wrote, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”
Meet Your Maker
A hardened farmer, from whom I bought some fruit and vegetables, was undergoing dialysis and nearing the end of his life. Upon discovering that I was a minister, he sarcastically asked why God hadn’t taken him yet. I responded, “Just like you leave fruit on your trees until it is ready to be picked, the Good Lord is leaving you here until you are ready to meet Him.” His wife enthusiastically agreed. I gave him a book I wrote which hopefully prepared him for eternity because, a short time after that encounter, he met his Maker.
On another occasion, I was talking to a neighbor who had already lived several months beyond what the doctors expected. Jim said to me, “God must not be ready for me yet.” I replied, “The most important question is, ‘Are you ready to meet God?’ He may be keeping you alive until you are.” After a few more visits, he accepted Christ as his Savior. Not long thereafter, he departed this life to meet his Maker.
What If I Die Today?
Some of you reading this may depart this life sooner than anticipated. So let me get introspective with you. When it is time for you to die, what will your last words be? If you were going to die today, what eternal legacy will you leave behind? Where will the footprints of your life lead? What will your financial records reveal were the priorities of your life? What will the literature they find in your home reveal? What about the movies and television programs you watched? What will the sites you visited on your computer and the email and text messages disclose? Will you leave a legacy of fruitful faith or unrepentant failure?
Many rich and powerful people live to impress others—that is until their bodies and minds begin to degenerate. As their strength diminishes and their pain intensifies, with death appearing imminent, their proud and boastful words cease. Their former arrogant behavior seems like foolishness as their short-lived glory becomes nothing but a faded memory.
How foolish humans are to think that what we have is really ours. We might have built it, but we did not create the materials from which it was made—God did. And we definitely cannot take it with us when we die.
When facing imminent death, many people discover that what they previously thought was important is now irrelevant, and that which they had considered of little value becomes most precious.
When we die—or when Christ returns—none of our accomplishments, degrees, credentials, awards, accolades and possessions will matter (Philippians 3:7-8). What will really matter and be of utmost importance to you at the end of your life is your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pandita Ramabai, a 19th century Indian scholar, social reformer, educator and Christian convert accurately said, “A life totally committed to God has nothing to fear, nothing to lose, nothing to regret.” Jim Elliot wisely stated, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” An unknown author said: “When you were born you cried while the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die the world cries while you rejoice.”
Win-Win Situation
I have been with many dying people who knew the Lord and died in peace and joy. Even as their bodies began shutting down, they testified of God’s love and faithfulness.
MaryAnn was a kind and gentle person who served the Lord her entire life. She was a powerful prayer intercessor with a passion for biblical prophecy. Although her body weakened, her prayers and trust in Jesus remained strong until her final breath. Then, she was in the presence of the One to whom she prayed and so deeply loved.
One dying man, Karl, said he lived his whole life for that “last trip.” As I visited him near the end of his journey, he was in great physical pain but had tremendous peace spiritually and emotionally. While many people visited this man to bring comfort to him, they went away blessed because of his attitude and love for the Lord.
Being at the bedside of many dying saints reminded me of the patriarchs in the Bible. Their final recorded words were ones of faith, instruction and admonition to loved ones to remain faithful to the Lord. The final words of these committed believers in Christ were a reflection of their hearts; words from a voice that will never be heard again in this life.
Trapper John’s perspective was that if God healed him he would be a testimony for the Lord. If God took him home (as He did), he would be with the Lord in Heaven. Either way, he couldn’t lose! He had the “win-win” attitude of Romans 14:8: “for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
Closing Prayer
Oh Lord, until that Day when the dead are raised. Until that Day when we are given new resurrected bodies. Until that Day when we see You face to face. Until that Day when we are reunited with our loved ones. Until that Day when we inherit all You have prepared for those who love You. Until that Day when death and sorrow are forever banished. Until that Day… we ask for your comfort, strength and grace in the midst of any loss and temporary separation. May we cherish the blessed memories of our loved ones as we await that magnificent day when Christ returns and the dead will be raised from their graves to be transformed with new immortal, glorified bodies! In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The preceding was excerpted from Bill’s new book Death, Dying and Eternity. Available in April 2024, free of charge upon request.
Many of our Christmas traditions are very old. We typically date nativity scenes from the time of Francis of Assisi; Christmas trees from the time of Martin Luther; and greeting cards from Victorian England. But a few traditions are as old as the nativity itself. For example, the singing of Christmas carols was started by the angels, and the custom of gift-giving was begun by the Wise Men. Their gifts had spiritual significance – the gold pointed to Christ’s role as King; the frankincense to His role as Priest; and the myrrh pointed to His role as Savior and to His redeeming death. But these gifts were also practical, for they conveyed financial value. Some scholars believe it was God’s way of providing Joseph and Mary the funds needed to flee to Egypt and raise their baby in a foreign but safe environment.
But wait! Christmas gift-giving didn’t start with the Wise Men … For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son ….
Dr. David Jeremiah, Used by permission.
Christmas in Heaven
by Wanda Bencke
I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below With tiny lights, like Heaven’s stars, reflecting on the snow. The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here.
I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring, For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing. I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart But I am not so far away, we really aren’t apart.
So be happy for me, dear ones, you know I hold you dear. And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. I sent you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above. I sent you each a memory of my undying love.
After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold It was always most important in the stories Jesus told. Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do For I can’t count the blessings or love He has for each of you.
So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
Isaiah had a vision in the temple in which he found himself in the presence of God’s glory: “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1). The angels proclaimed His holiness, and the “smoke” of God’s glory permeated the temple (verses 2-5).
While in the temple, God granted Isaiah a glorious vision that would strengthen him for the duration of his ministry. Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne in glory, “high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1). The angels covered their eyes with their wings. Despite their own brightness and purity, they apparently could not look at the greater brightness and purity of God, who Himself dwells in “unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16).
John’s Gospel later informs us that Isaiah actually beheld the glory of Jesus Christ: “Isaiah… saw His glory and spoke of Him” (John 12:41). Isaiah 6:3 refers to the glory of “the LORD of hosts,” but John says these words were actually in reference to Jesus Christ.
How awesome this must have been for Isaiah. Some 700 years before the Messiah was physically born in Bethlehem, Isaiah witnessed the incredible glory of the preincarnate Christ in a vision. And the one whom Isaiah had personally encountered in this vision is the same One whose birth as a human he often prophesied (Isaiah 4:2; 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5, 10; 32:1; 42:1-4; 49:1-7; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3).
Excerpted from the article, “Christ and Old Testament Believers” by Dr. Ron Rhodes, in The Lamplighter Jan/Feb 2022. Used by permission.
Joseph and Mary’s betrothal meant they were already considered man and wife – just waiting to consummate their marriage and live together.
Discovering that Mary (probably between the ages of 13 – 15) was pregnant, apparently having committed adultery, put her in danger of being stoned to death. Matthew 1:19-21 provides the following account:
Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Is the idea of a virgin birth scientifically impossible?
Haven’t you heard of artificial insemination? If a virgin would remain a virgin after being artificially inseminated, how difficult would it be for the Creator of the universe to perform in Mary what the angel proclaimed to her?:
The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).
~ Bill Rudge
According to Your Word
A cosmic event happened in Israel centuries ago to a humble a Jewish girl. She gave birth to her first-born son whose birthday divided time itself, from BC to AD. This supernatural event was the incarnation of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:6-7).
It’s hard to imagine how Mary (Miryam) managed to take in and believe the supernatural elements of her pregnancy: an angelic messenger, a favored status with God, a conception by the Holy Spirit, the prophetic description of her son’s life, and His divine title, “the Son of God.” And lastly, Mary’s complete trust and faith that all she has been told by the angel is true:
And Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
Jesus was destined from Mary’s womb to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). We need to imitate Mary and ponder this historical account of our Savior’s coming into this world to save and give eternal life to whoever believes in Him.
I believe because of the amazing archaeological confirmation, complete historical accuracy, undeniable scientific proof, incredible health and nutritional insight, and the astonishing prophetic evidence of both Messiah’s first and second comings. There is overwhelming evidence for the resurrection, genuine answers to life’s questions (who we are, where we came from, where we are going) as well as solutions to the dilemmas of aging, death, evil, sin, and suffering.
Jesus Christ has transformed the lives of countless people throughout history. Miraculousinterventions I myself have witnessed and documented cannot be refuted as mere coincidence. And the hope, peace, and joy that comes from knowing, in a personal and real way, our God, revealed in Scripture, is all that can satisfy a searching heart.
After knowing Jesus Christ for more than 50 years, it would take far more faith for me not to believe in Him and His Bible than to believe. To deny His reality would require me to be completely blind and foolish. To embrace Christ and study His Word has proven to be the wisest decision I have ever made.
The next time someone asks you, “Where do I find truth?,” you can answer with confidence, “Jesus Christ!” You can stand up unashamedly for your faith in Him and your belief in the validity and veracity of Scripture.
Lew Wallace (1827 – 1905) was a lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of New Mexico Territory, diplomat, artist, and author. A chance train ride with Robert Ingersol – the leading atheist of his time, traveling the country giving speeches against God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible – challenged Wallace’s religious beliefs of indifference. Lew had considered himself a Christian, but he didn’t go to church and barely knew the Bible. Embarrassed by Ingersoll’s questions and ashamed of his own ignorance, Lew decided that the best way to educate himself would be to write a novel set in the time of Christ and gathered information from the leading libraries of Europe and America. He found himself transfixed, and transformed, by the life of Jesus Christ.
Lew’s famous epic Biblical novel, Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, described as “the most influential book of the nineteenth century,” was about a young Jewish man whose life is changed by Jesus. Through the research and writing of Ben Hur, and learning the story of Christ, he found himself writing reverentially, and frequently with awe. Lew Wallace had absolute belief in God, the Divinity of Christ, and the resurrection.
Dr. Damadian and his wife Donna became friends and faithful supporters of Bill Rudge Ministries after they met Bill and Karen while both their daughters were roommates in college. Bill was honored to perform Keira Damadian’s wedding in 2001. Dr. Damadian, renowned physician and scientist, is among the greatest inventors in history and one of the most intelligent scientists alive today.
Dr. Raymond V. Damadian is known around the world as the man who invented the first Magnetic Resonance Scanning machine (MRI). Born into a French-Armenian family in New York in 1936 that encouraged higher education, Dr. Damadian graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in mathematics followed by an M.D. degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. In younger days, he studied violin at the famous Julliard School for eight years. While there, Damadian competed with nearly 100,000 applicants and won a Ford Foundation Scholarship when he was only 15.
Dr. Damadian’s desire for excellence has culminated in numerous awards including the National Medal of Technology, the Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award and The Economist’s Innovation Award in Bioscience. He has been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and was named the Knights of Vartan Man of the Year in 2003. In addition, Dr. Damadian was nominated for the Nobel Prize for developing the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanning technology that has revolutionized modern diagnostic medicine and saved countless lives.
The book, A Machine Called Indomitable, tells the remarkable story of this visionary scientist who, against incalculable odds, fulfilled his dream and created an accessible, safe, nonradiological means of determining the chemical makeup of every cell in the body.
Dr. Damadian’s most important achievement, however, was the personal commitment he made to Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade at Madison Square Garden in 1957. According to an article written by Bob Chuvala in Christianity Today, 1997, Dr. Damadian nearly lost his faith while in pursuit of building the world’s first human scan. Work became his god and both he and his family suffered for it. “Once I was driven to my knees in prayer, things started to happen,” declared Dr. Damadian. “I don’t know what it’s like for people in other professions, but for the scientific mind, the Bible is wonderful if you read it from start to finish. It fits together with an astonishing consistency, which was the opposite of my secular perception. My early impressions were that it was rife with contradictions.”
Dr. Damadian is a firm believer in the biblical account of creation during a six-day stretch about 6,000 years ago. He says, “The non-biblical account would have us believe that all life originated from a single common ancestor – a slime mold – and give or take a billion years, we’re expected to believe that the descendants of this slime mold climbed out of the ocean and stood up and started giving lectures. Do the math on that. The sheer statistics of that violate any sense of reality.” Dr. Damadian believes the subject of evolution is not science but science fiction. For example, it violates the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
In his article, “Discovering the MRI Scanner,” Guideposts, January 1999, Dr. Damadian wrote that he now understands what the Apostle Paul called the renewed mind. He is convinced that Paul’s declaration, “In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3), is the only way to account for the spontaneous onset of the incongruous idea to scan the entire human body by the test-tube technology named NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance). Out of a mind renewed by Jesus came the obvious. How could a scientist achieve his goal of discovering the absolute truths that govern the natural world without the blessing of the Author of those truths? For me now the true thrill of science is the search to understand a small corner of God’s grand design, and to lay the glory for such discoveries at the Grand Designer’s feet.
With all his successes, here is Dr. Damadian’s greatest scientific discovery as quoted in Creation magazine, 1994: “The highest purpose a man can find for his life is to serve the will of God.”
You can learn more about the incredible life and faith of Dr. Damadian, in his new book, Gifted Mind, The Dr. Raymond Damadian Story, Inventor of the MRI. For more information, contact Master Books, P.O. Box 726, Green Forest, AR 72638 or visit http://www.masterbooks.com.
Wendy Wippel is a molecular biologist who specializes in genetics. The following are excerpts from an article in The Lamplighter magazine. Used with permission.
Fresco in the Shepherd’s Field Church in Bethlehem. Photo by Bill Rudge.
It’s the Christmas season, and amid the baking and the bustling and the bows, it’s easy to lose sight of what the fuss is all about — a baby. As the old carol asks, “What child is this?” There’s a lot riding on your answer. Because that baby is the central figure of human history. Human history, in fact, is divided into two eras (BC and AD) by His existence. (Your birth date? Counted from His.)
• He never traveled more than 100 miles from home, but His followers permeated every country in the world with His story.
• He never wrote a book, but more have been written about Him than anyone else in history, by far.
• The first book about Him, the Bible, has been translated into more than 500 languages, and portions of it into more than 3000 languages.
• He had only 12 disciples, but billions of people discuss His teachings every day.
• He was homeless during His public life, but most of the world’s most beautiful buildings were built in His honor (Notre Dame, Westminster Abbey, Hagia Sophia, Chartres, St. John’s Cathedral, and so on.)
• He died as a criminal, but today thousands of names of cities and countries memorialize His life. (San Salvador, for example, which means Holy Savior.)
• He never married, but more wedding vows have asked His blessing than any other.
• He never had kids, but there’s a really good chance you’re named after one of his family or his friends.
• Untold numbers of people throughout history have willingly gone to their deaths rather than renounce His name.
Jesus is recognized by skeptic and saint alike as the turning point of history. What child IS this? We’ve had 2000 years to speculate: A really moral man? A great philosopher? A champion of social justice? A pacifist? A mythical figure? A revolutionary? An example for all of us to follow?
Those really aren’t the right questions, though. The real question is “Who does He think He is?” And Jesus, tellingly, said none of the above. Jesus said that He came to “seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus said that He came to “give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). In fact, He said that He came specifically for one moment in time, His crucifixion (John 12:27).
What child is this? We all have to answer that question for ourselves. And eternity rides on our answer. Why? Because God created humans to be with Him. But you probably know what happened next – Adam and Eve disobeyed the one rule that God established, and humanity became tainted with sin. And as descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherited that condition. We’re all SIN positive.
The problem is that sin can’t survive in the presence of the holiness of God. But that same God still loves us and wants us to be with Him. So Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. We’re what was lost (John 1:12; 3:16).
Maybe you’re thinking, “That’s great for you, but it’s just not my thing.” Or, “I have my own faith.” Or, “We all worship the same God.” Then what child is this? One that made some pretty amazing statements:
I am the way, the truth, the life. No man comes to the Father but through Me (John 14:6). All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me (Matthew 28:18).
Nobody else said things like this. Not Mohammed. Not Confucius. Not Buddha. Nobody. People these days say that makes Christianity exclusive. Except that Jesus also said that whosoever believes in Him can have eternal life. Whosoever.
So what child is this? You can call Him a liar. You can call Him a lunatic. Or you can call Him Lord. “Undecided” isn’t really an option. He didn’t mean for it to be.
Jesus was crucified because He claimed to be the Messiah, a Messiah described in Isaiah as “wounded for our transgressions,” whose chastisement made peace for us with God. Jesus said that He came to give us life as a ransom for many. Nobody else said that. Nobody.
That’s what sets Jesus apart. Only He laid down His life for your sins and mine. And when He died on that cross (a fact documented in Roman records) it would have certainly seemed that was the last history would hear of Him.
But the cross that He died on is now the world’s most common symbol, engraved on tombstones, mounted in and on churches, scattered on hillsides and hung around a whole lot of necks.
So what child is this? That’s the question. And the answer … God, in the form of Jesus, left heaven to seek and save that which was lost, meaning you and me. When He died on the cross, God was saying that He loves you. He Himself came to earth to give His life as your ransom. It was the God of all the universe, whispering into your ears, “I do.” And that God, who still loves you, stands at the altar, waiting for your answer. He’ll wait. He has all eternity to do so. Do you?
Is there credible evidence that the Bible is a reliable source of divine revelation? Does the Bible speak accurately on all subject matters or is it only authoritative in regard to spiritual issues? How can you trust the Bible when it was written two thousand years ago? How do you know that the Bible is not full of myths and fabrications? Are the canonical Gospels historically reliable documents on the life of Jesus?
It seems anytime I talk to others about the Christian faith I end up hearing one of these questions. For example, I was able to speak with an airline pilot about the evidence for the Christian faith. Although he claimed to be a Christian, he was uncertain about the accuracy of events recorded in the Gospels since they were written years after they actually occurred. He felt the Gospels were probably the result of men and women bringing together different legends and myths about Jesus of Nazareth.
There are numerous reasons we can appeal to in establishing the historical trustworthiness of the canonical (sacred books officially accepted as genuine) Gospels, including:
• The canonical Gospels are grounded in eyewitness testimony (Luke 1:1-4; John 19:35). The authors claim to have had actual contact with the events themselves (Matthew and John) or they had firsthand knowledge of the events through the testimonies of those who did (Mark and Luke).
• The Gospels were written too close to actual events surrounding the life of Jesus to be legend. The fact that they were in existence during the lifetime of both hostile and non-hostile eyewitnesses would have prevented fabrications or falsifications on the part of the Gospel writers.
• External evidence, such as archeology, has verified the accuracy of the New Testament Gospels in regard to what they say about historical people, places, and events.
Consider just the following two examples: First, all of the canonical Gospels record that Jesus was put on trial before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 18-19). Since there was no mention of Pontius Pilate outside the Gospel accounts, many scholars questioned whether Pilate was a historical person. Two Italian archeologists answered this question when they unearthed an inscription in Latin at the port city of Caesarea which stated, “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea, has presented the Tiberium to the Caesareans.”
Second, three of the canonical Gospels mention Nazareth as the city where Jesus was raised (Matthew 2:23; Luke 4:16; John 1:45). Since the Old Testament, Josephus, and the Talmud do not list Nazareth among the villages and cities of Galilee, Nazareth was considered by many scholars to be a fictitious city. However, in an excavation at Caesarea in 1962, a Hebrew inscription was found, “which mentions it (Nazareth) as one of the places in Galilee to which members of the twenty-four priestly courses emigrated after the foundation of Aelia Capitolina in A.D. 135.”
Adding to this discovery, first-century tombs were uncovered around the vicinity of Nazareth, which has led archeologists to conclude that, “… Nazareth was a strongly Jewish settlement in the Roman period.” So archeology continues to demonstrate the canonical Gospels are consistent with what we know about first-century Israel.
A true examination of the evidence has proven that the canonical Gospels on the life of Jesus are historically reliable and allegations to the contrary are false. The canonical Gospels provide us with four different accounts on the life of Jesus. In these accounts, while the authors may stress different aspects of Jesus’ life and have different purposes for writing, they each present harmonious historical information about Jesus of Nazareth.
When Saul was anointed king over Israel, God told him to kill all the Amalekites, including their women and children, and to destroy everything they had including their animals. But Saul only did part of what God commanded. He disobeyed God, let some of the Amalekites live, and took some of their animals for booty. About 500 years later Haman the Agagite (the royal family of the Amalekites) attempted to have all the Jews killed. By not carrying out God’s seemingly extreme command, King Saul opened a door that almost wiped out the entire Jewish nation [see Book of Esther]. Those who do not know the future should be careful about questioning the Word of God. – Daymond R. Duck and Larry Richards
George Washington – “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God or the Bible.”
Thomas Jefferson – “I have always said, and always will say, that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make us better citizens, better fathers and better husbands.”
Noah Webster – “The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from—vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression slavery, and war—proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.”
Daniel Webster – “I have read the Bible through many times, and now make it a practice to read it through once every year. It fits a man for life—it prepares him for death. If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible our country will go on prospering.”
Abraham Lincoln – “I believe the Bible is the best gift God has given to man.”
Charles Dickens – “The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the world.”
Samuel Morse (inventor of the telegraph) – “The nearer I approach the end of my pilgrimage, the clearer is the evidence of the divine origin of the Bible. The grandeur and sublimity of God’s remedy for fallen man are more appreciated and the future is illuminated with hope and joy.”
Charles H. Spurgeon – “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”
William McKinley – “The more profoundly we study this wonderful Book, and the more closely we observe its divine precepts, the better citizens we will become and the higher will be our destiny as a nation.”
Theodore Roosevelt – “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.”
Woodrow Wilson – “There are a good many problems before the American people today, and before me as President, but I expect to find the solution of those problems just in the proportion that I am faithful in the study of the Word of God.”
Calvin Coolidge – “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt – “We cannot read the history of our rise and development as a nation, without reckoning the place the Bible has occupied in shaping the advances of the Republic.”
N. T. Wright – “The Bible is the book of my life. It’s the book I live with, the book I live by, the book I want to die by.”
Herbert Hoover – “The whole inspiration of our civilization springs from the teachings of Christ and the lessons of the prophets. To read the Bible for these fundamentals is a necessity of American life.”
Dwight Eisenhower – “The Bible is endorsed by the ages. Our civilization is built upon its words. In no other Book is there such a collection of inspired wisdom, reality, and hope.”
Ronald Reagan – “Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face. The Bible can touch hearts, order minds and refresh souls.”
Historian Bill Cooper – “I spent more than 25 years digging into the Table of Nations [in Genesis 10 and 11], looking for a fault, an error, a false statement, or an historical inaccuracy. I found not one.”
The Bible is unique among all books in the world, but it sits closed and silent in many homes. Some consider it outdated and offensive—even dangerous—or only for the uneducated or unenlightened. Yet this Divine Library of 66 books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament) is anything but mute, archaic or insignificant—and is dangerous only for those who ignore its instruction and scorn its warnings.
Numerous theologians, historians, doctors and scientists confirm that the Bible is divinely inspired: verified by remarkable historical accuracy, amazing archaeological discoveries, insightful geography, fantastic scientific facts conveyed thousands of years before science learned of them, incredible health and nutritional information, astonishing prophecies concerning Messiah’s first and second comings, undeniable evidence for the resurrection of Christ, eyewitness testimony of those facing persecution and martyrdom—refusing to recant their faith in His resurrection, practical wisdom for living, time-proven morality, perceptive judiciary laws. The Bible genuinely answers life’s questions of who we are, where we came from, where we are going, and solves the dilemmas of evil, sin, suffering, aging and death.
The Bible provides knowledge and wisdom far beyond what the greatest minds could ever conceive. It is a literary masterpiece, with one central theme of redemption, written over a span of 1500 years by more than 40 authors (including shepherds, kings, priests, scholars, and prophets) on three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe) and in three languages (Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic).
All Scripture “is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16) – literally “God-breathed.” John MacArthur comments: “Sometimes God told the Bible writers the exact words to say, but more often He used their minds, vocabularies, and experiences to produce His own perfect infallible, inerrant Word.” In other words, a Divine Author inspired the authors and oversaw the entire process while allowing them to maintain their own styles and personalities.
The Bible is truly the most fascinating book in the world. It has held my interest and attention—amazing me for over 50 years. The more I study Scripture, the more I am impressed by its harmony, veracity, wisdom and revelation. Both Testaments bear witness of a promised Messiah—His first coming as our Savior and His return to establish a Millennial and Eternal Kingdom.
Dr. Blythe Robinson, a friend and colleague now gone on to be with the Lord, said:
The Bible’s durability transcends the centuries of attacks upon it. Its transforming power for good over the lives of all who accept it, continues. Few realize that it is the most expensive book in the world. It has cost the lives of untold thousands who gave their lives through the ages to preserve it and pass it on unchanged to us.
The Bible is so easy to understand that a child can grasp God’s promise of salvation, yet so complex that a lifetime of extensive study will not even begin to delve the depths of its timeless revelations or discover the priceless jewels of wisdom contained within.
The truths in Scripture and coming to know the One who inspired it have provided purpose for the searching, hope for the downtrodden and have transformed the lives of countless people throughout history—including mine and hopefully yours. Only a personal relationship with the Creator can truly satisfy a yearning heart as we await the day of our complete redemption and God’s creation being restored to its intended glory.
Norman Geisler and Frank Turek wrote an insightful book entitled, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. I completely concur because it would take more faith for me to not believe in Jesus Christ! The miraculous interventions I have witnessed confirm and validate for me the reality of the God of the Bible. I would have to be biased, weak and foolish to deny the Creator and His Word. Surrendering my life to Christ has proven the wisest, strongest and most courageous decision I ever made.
The Bible’s final authority is demonstrated in the fact that all of humanity will one day be judged by Jesus’ words (John 12:48). Begin today to navigate the depths of the riches of God’s Word. It will provide wisdom and hope throughout the remainder of your life’s journey and prepare you for eternity!
Is it really that crucial to believe Jesus rose bodily from the dead?
Answer
Photo by Douglas V. Mastriano
Yes. Jesus’ resurrection is the very foundation of the Christian faith! The Apostle Paul emphasized this point to the church at Corinth where some claimed there was no resurrection of the dead. Paul asserts that without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith:
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus predicted He would die and then three days later rise from the dead (Matthew 12:38-40; Mark 9:9-10; Luke 18:31-33; John 10:17-18). If He made these assertions and they had not come to pass, He would have been a liar or a lunatic—either insane or the greatest deceiver in history.
2. All four Gospels testify to the fact that Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). If He had not, the Gospel accounts would have lost credibility and been discarded as historically unreliable documents. They could not be viewed as primary records of the things that happened (Luke 1:3-4), but products of later editing and manipulation on the part of the early church.
3. The central theme and testimony of the early church was the preaching of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:22-36; 3:13-18; 4:10-12; 5:29-32; 10:37-43; 13:27-37; 17:2-3; 26:22-23). If the resurrection had not occurred, it would have been impossible for Paul and others to persist in affirming that it had, in fact, occurred—especially in the presence of hostile eyewitnesses.
4. Without the death and resurrection, all Christians would still be in sin and under the judgment of God. Paul highlights this point to the Corinthian believers:
For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:16-19).
5. Finally, without the resurrection, no one would have the eschatological (the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind) hope of eternal life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates His authority over death. Those who place their faith and trust in Him have the assurance that death has been overcome and will be ultimately conquered at His second coming. As Jesus said to Martha who was grieving the loss of her brother Lazarus:
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die (John 11:25-26).
The resurrection is the crucial point of Christianity which either validates or discredits the Christian faith. This is why the apostle Paul stressed to the Corinthian believers that their faith would be in vain if Christ had not risen from the dead.
Henry M. Morris and Henry M. Morris III summed it up well in their book Many Infallible Proofs – Evidence for the Christian Faith:
If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian faith is absolute truth.
The Christian faith stands firm on the fact of Jesus’ resurrection: The incredible truth that has changed the lives of millions throughout history.
The human massacre in Ukraine (having also prophetic implications) makes one realize that evolution must be true — “reverse evolution” that is!
While humans definitely did not evolve from animals, it sure seems that some humans have “devolved” into animals. Putin and others will one day stand before the God they do not believe in or honor. However, there is hope even for murderers through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
One of my favorite places in the Holy Land is the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the traditional site of Jesus’ birth. This place is special because it attests to the historical birth of Jesus and testifies to His true identity.
Micah 5:2 identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah. The uniqueness of Micah’s prophecy is fourfold: First, the Jewish chief priests and scribes recognized this passage in Micah as prophesying the Messiah (Matthew 2:3-8). Second, this prophecy highlights the exact city where Messiah would be born (Bethlehem Ephrathah). This was important because there was another city named Bethlehem (Joshua 19:15). Third, Micah declared this prophecy more than 700 years before Jesus Christ was born. Fourth, this prophecy was just one of many Messianic prophecies fulfilled during Jesus’ first coming.
Bethlehem was more than just a place where Jesus was born; it helped to identify Him as the promised Messiah.
The following is from “Turning Point Magazine” (used with permission):
700 Years Before Christ
When Jesus was born, there were three major continents known to scholars – Europe, Asia, and Africa. Asia was chosen, but Asia has many countries. Micah selected one country, Israel, with three districts – Judea, Galilee, Samaria. Judea was chosen, but Judea had thousands of villages. Yet seven hundred years before Christ, Micah pinpointed the very town of His birth – Bethlehem.
Lew Wallace (4/10/1827 – 2/15/1905) was a lawyer, governor, Union general in the American Civil War, American statesman and author. According to an article in Israel My Glory magazine:
He and his famous ungodly friend, Robert Ingersoll, once agreed to write a book that would forever destroy the “myth” of Christianity. For two years, Wallace gathered information from the leading libraries of Europe and America. He got no further than chapter two when he suddenly found himself on his knees, crying out, “My Lord, and my God.” He had found his evidence, and it overwhelmingly and conclusively supported the deity of Christ. He could no longer deny that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. So Wallace abandoned his project and became a Christian. Later he wrote one of the finest novels ever written concerning the time of Christ, Ben Hur.
Instead of disproving the deity of Christ and His resurrection – Lew Wallace ended up defending it in his famous epic Biblical novel Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ, described as “the most influential book of the nineteenth century.”
Verification of Christ’s resurrection has been investigated more extensively than available evidence of any other event in history! It has been examined and evaluated by some of the greatest scholars, historians, legal experts, scientists and archaeologists. Anyone who honestly examines the evidence will be convinced that Jesus:
presented Himself alive [to the apostles] after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
It is extremely important that Jesus rose from the dead because the resurrection is the very foundation of the Christian faith. The Apostle Paul stressed this point to the church at Corinth where many people were claiming there was no resurrection of the dead. Paul asserts that without the resurrection there would be no Christian faith:
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).
First, throughout the Gospels Jesus predicted He would die and three days later rise from the dead (Matthew 12:38-40; Mark 9:9-10; Luke 18:31-33; John 10:17-18). If He made these assertions and they had not come to pass, then He was either an insane individual or the greatest deceiver in history.
Second, each Gospel testifies to the fact that Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). If He had not, then the Gospel accounts would have no credibility and would have been discarded as historically unreliable documents. The Gospels could not be viewed as primary sources for those things that happened (Luke 1:3-4), but rather as products of later editing and manipulation on the part of the early church.
Third, the central theme of the early church was the preaching of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:22-36; 3:13-18; 4:10-12; 5:29-32; 10:37-43; 13:27-37; 17:2-3; 26:22-23). If the resurrection had not occurred, it would have been impossible for Paul and others to persist in affirming that it had in fact occurred – especially in the presence of hostile eyewitnesses.
Fourth, without the death and resurrection, all Christians would still be in sin and under the judgment of God. Paul highlights this point to the Corinthian believers:
For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep [died] in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:16-19).
Fifth, without the resurrection no one would have the eschatological (the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind) hope of eternal life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates His authority over death. Those who place their faith and trust in Him have the assurance that death has been overcome and will be ultimately conquered. As Jesus said to Martha who was grieving the loss of her brother Lazarus:
I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die (John 11:25-26).
The resurrection is the crucial point of Christianity which either validates or discredits the Christian faith. Henry M. Morris and Henry M. Morris III summed it up well in their book Many Infallible Proofs – Evidence for the Christian Faith:
If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian faith is absolute truth.
Christianity stands firm on the fact of Jesus’ resurrection. It is an incredible truth that has changed the lives of millions throughout history. I am convinced from a lifetime of research and personal experience that the resurrection of Jesus Christ did occur. Our eternal destiny is determined by whether we accept and believe the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
At the age of 18 Bill Rudge searched for the answers to three crucial questions. He didn’t think he needed Jesus Christ, but God had other plans. This challenging message was excerpted from the dedication of the Bible Discoveries Museum. To view video, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG9CYi9coL8.
Bill Rudge Ministries 