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Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV): Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV): But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Luke 4:16-22 (NKJV): So He [Jesus] came to Nazareth where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

Matthew 11:1-6 (NKJV): Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Matthew 16:13-17 (ESV): Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him,“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

John 10:14-30 (ESV): “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, “just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind”?

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, “but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.”

John 10:31-39 (ESV): The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said you are gods’? “If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

“If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; “but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

John 14:1-7 (NIV): “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Mark 14:60-65 (ESV): And the high priest stood in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? “You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

1 John 5:1-12 (NIV): Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

FOR GOD SO LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For GOD did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

JESUS—the SON of GOD and the SON of MAN, the MANIFESTATION and DIVINE EXPRESSION of GOD and the CHRIST, the ANOINTED ONE—came that we might be REDEEMED and SAVED by GRACE through FAITH in Him; that we might be FORGIVEN of SINS, CLEANSED of UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, and RECONCILED to GOD the FATHER through Him; that we might LIVE and ABIDE in Him; and that we might HAVE ETERNAL LIFE through Him, our LORD and SAVIOR, our PRINCE of PEACE, our REDEEMER, our CHIEF HIGH PRIEST, our JUDGE, our BRIDEGROOM, our CORNERSTONE, our ROCK, the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our FAITH, and our KING of KINGS.

While JESUS walked the earth in ministry, He made numerous claims, identifying Himself as the SON of GOD and the prophesied MESSIAH (the CHRIST, the ANOINTED ONE, the DIVINE PRIEST and KING), and of great importance to JESUS was who people believed Him to be, and He even asked His disciples two questions that are still relevant today: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” and “Who do you say I am?”

JESUS challenged followers and skeptics alike to BELIEVE IN HIM based on the EVIDENCE of GOD’s WORK if they didn’t have enough faith to believe based on His testimony that GOD the FATHER sent Him to SAVE the world or His Word that He and GOD are ONE. So, our faith is not a BLIND, IGNORANT FAITH like most unbelievers would have everyone accept; our faith is an INTELLIGENT, EVIDENTIAL FAITH that we EXERCISE daily, as we trust and believe in GOD, GOD’s WORD, and GOD’s SON, JESUS CHRIST, and even JESUS, referencing Deuteronomy 6:5, commands us in Mark 12:30 thus: “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” He doesn’t ask us to turn off our brains or lose our minds but to HAVE FAITH in GOD, EXAMINE the EVIDENCE, and let Him, through the HOLY SPIRIT, RENEW our minds, so we have the MIND of CHRIST.

And GOD doesn’t force us to love Him or believe in Him. But GOD loved us enough to give us FREE WILL—the GIFT of CHOICE. So, LOVE is a CHOICE and BELIEF is a CHOICE, and regardless of what we choose in respect to JESUS CHRIST, GOD HONORS our FINAL DECISION: FAITH or UNBELIEF, ACCEPTANCE or REJECTION.

Basically, the only charge for which JESUS was tried and condemned in a criminal trial was this: blasphemy, claiming He was the SON of GOD, with supernatural powers. He wasn’t charged, tried, and crucified on the basis of any crime He committed, anything He did, but solely on the basis of WHO He was—HIS IDENTITY. And during His trial, JESUS had no friends on His side or character witnesses ready or willing to defend Him or vouch for Him; most of His disciples had fled in the night, deserting Him, and Peter denied Him three times. JESUS was tortured, whipped, struck, spat on, and taunted. For us. For GOD. During His crucifixion, JESUS’ adversaries mocked Him, challenging Him to save Himself, if He trusted GOD and was the SON of GOD. But JESUS surrendered His life, committing His Spirit to GOD. He died. He was buried. But He rose. He lived. He appeared to His disciples many times over many days. He ascended to heaven. And finally, THEY BELIEVED and were EMBOLDENED and EMPOWERED, and they SPREAD the GOSPEL. And most of them were PERSECUTED and MARTYRED; only the Apostle John died naturally. 

That GOD raised JESUS from the dead on the third day, just as JESUS had prophesied; that JESUS WAS RESURRECTED; that HIS TOMB is EMPTY and HE IS RISEN; and that He fulfilled the Old Testament Messianic prophecies verify JESUS’ IDENTITY as the CHRIST, SON of the LIVING GOD.

And we, like every other person on the planet, have to EXAMINE the EVIDENCE and EXERCISE FAITH enough to answer this question honestly: “Who do we BELIEVE JESUS is?” How we answer the question will influence our choices and eventually determine WHERE and WITH WHOM we spend eternity.

Some contend JESUS is a myth, pure fiction.

Some contend JESUS is a good moral man.

Some contend He’s a good moral teacher.

Some contend He’s a wise man.

Some contend He’s a prophet who said a lot of profound things.

Some contend He’s a rebel.

Some contend He’s the Son of God, our Lord and Savior.

But really, if we’ve read and understood JESUS’ claims about Himself in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which are basically eyewitness accounts, there’s only three options: Jesus is a Liar, Jesus is a Lunatic, or Jesus is Lord.

So, here’s the Trilemma: Is JESUS LIAR, LUNATIC, or LORD?

To make a choice or give our verdict, we’ll need to examine the evidence, using the Legal-Historical Proof, which depends on 3 types of testimony: Oral Testimony, Written Testimony, and Exhibits.

Internal Evidence: The Holy Bible

The New Testament presents JESUS as GOD:

JESUS is called GOD.

The Scriptures attribute characteristics to Him that can only be true of GOD.

JESUS is self-existent.

JESUS is omnipresent.

JESUS is omniscient.

JESUS is omnipotent.

JESUS possesses eternal life.

JESUS received honor and worship that only GOD should receive.

JESUS demanded to be worshiped as GOD.

Devout Jewish disciples recognized JESUS as GOD incarnate.

JESUS makes claims about Himself:

He’s equal with GOD.

He’s one with the Father, in essence or nature.

He’s the Son of GOD.

He’s the Son of the Blessed One.

GOD is His Father.

He has authority to forgive sins committed against GOD.

He’s the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Him, though he may die, he shall live.

He’s the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.

He’s the One who will sit at the right hand of Power.

He’s the Son of Man who will come on the clouds of heaven.

External Evidence: Outside the Bible

History records these minimal facts in defense of the RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST that most historians and scholars commonly accept:

1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. Jesus’ tomb was found empty.
3. Jesus’ disciples believed He appeared to them.
4. Jesus’ resurrection was proclaimed early (just after the actual event).
5. Saul of Tarsus, also known as Paul, was a harsh opponent of Christianity, but he was transformed into a defender of the faith after he believed he encountered the risen Jesus.  

Additional minimal facts are these:

1. James the Skeptic became a disciple of Jesus, his brother
2. The Christian Church was established and grew
3. John the Baptist baptized Jesus

Here’s some external evidence corroborating New Testament eyewitness accounts:

Nonbiblical Eyewitnesses Corroborate the Gospels

Titus Flavius Josephus (AD 37-ca. 100), Roman/Jewish historian

Mentions the death of John the Baptist

Mentions the execution of James, the brother of JESUS

Describes JESUS as a “wise man”

CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM JOSEPHUS:

JESUS lived

He was a wise, virtuous teacher who reportedly demonstrated wondrous power

Had followers who reported that He appeared to them 3 days after His death on the cross

Was believed to be the Messiah

Cornelius Tacitus (AD 56-ca. 117), ancient historian

Reluctantly admits that JESUS lived in Judea during the reign of Tiberius Caesar

JESUS was crucified under Pontius Pilate

JESUS had followers who were persecuted for their faith in Him

Mara Bar-Serapion (AD 70-unknown), Syrian philosopher writing to encourage his son, compares JESUS with other philosophers like Socrates and Pythagoras who were persecuted for their ideas.

Contends JESUS was a wise and influential man who died for His beliefs

Contends Jews played a role in JESUS’ death

Contends JESUS’ followers lived lives that reflected JESUS’ beliefs

Ancient Jewish Corroboration

Jewish Talmud (the writings and discussions of ancient rabbis, dating to the 5^th century; makes references to JESUS)

Contends JESUS had magical powers

Contends JESUS led Jews away from their beliefs

Mentions JESUS was executed on the day before Passover

Ancient Nonbiblical Evidential Review

1. JESUS was a true historical person
2. He was a virtuous, wise man who worked wonders.
3. He predicted the future and taught His disciples.
4. His teaching drew a large following of both Jews and Gentiles.
5. He was identified as the “Christ,” believed to be the Messiah.
6. He was widely known was the “wise King” of the Jews.
7. His disciples were eventually called Christians.
8. His followers became a threat to the Jewish leadership; they were accused before Roman authorities.
9. Pontius Pilate condemned JESUS to crucifixion during the reign of Tiberius Caesar.
10. A great darkness descended over the land when JESUS was crucified, and an earthquake shook a large region surrounding the execution.
11. After the execution, allegations of JESUS’ resurrection spread.

 Archaeological Evidence Corroborates the Gospels

Quirinius Has Been Corroborated from the Book of Luke

Lusanius Has Been Corroborated from the Book of Luke

The Pool of Bethesda Has Been Corroborated

The Pool of Siloam Has Been Corroborated

Pontius Pilate Has Been Corroborated

The Custom of Crucifixion Has Been Corroborated

This is by no means an exhaustive look at the evidence available in the CASE for JESUS CHRIST. But it’s a start in the historical investigation and examination of the evidence for our faith. After all, we're all called in 1 Peter 3:15 to sanctify the LORD in our hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear.

So, here are the final questions, which are really CHOICES we’ve got to make about GOD, HIS WORD, and about JESUS, if we call ourselves followers or believers: “Is JESUS real? Does He exist? Is He the SON of GOD? Is the BIBLE reliable or accurate? Are the GOSPELS reliable eyewitness accounts? Who do you believe JESUS is? Is He your LORD and SAVIOR? Do you love Him? Do you trust Him? Will you follow Him? Will you serve Him? Will you live for Him? Would you die for Him? Will you ACCEPT JESUS or REJECT Him?

According to GOD'sWORD, from Genesis to Revelation, our ETERNAL DESTINY rests on this: What we CHOOSE to BELIEVE.