Letters From Grandpa #108

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 108

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will deal with your faith as it relates to “eye witness” testimony and “circumstantial evidence”. The Apostle John, of course, was an “eye witness” of Jesus, His miracles, and His resurrection. He wrote 5 books of the Bible, the Gospel of John, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John , and Revelation. Here is the way he began the letter called 1st John:

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.” (1 John 1:1, 2)

According to researchers Dr. L.D. Rosenblum, Dr. Harold Stolovitch and Dr Erica Keeps, here is how we learn:

83.0% – Sight

11.0% – Hearing

03.5% – Smell

01.5% – Touch

01.0% – Taste

The original followers of Christ believed because of what they experienced with their 5 senses. This is one of the ways we learn, but it is not the only way!

Please take a couple of minutes and watch this link from detective J. Warner Wallace.

http://coldcasechristianity.com/2016/why-do-we-need-to-understand-circumstantial-evidence-video/

Detective Wallace specialized in “cold cases”. These are almost always murder cases because there is no statute of limitation on prosecuting murderers. When Wallace investigates these crimes, all the eye witnesses are usually dead and he is forced to consider circumstantial evidence. In fact, it was this experience as a detective that caused him to become a Christian. He dared to consider the evidence for Christ in the same way he considered other evidence as a detective. This is the way God has ordained that we also become Christians

The Scriptures are explicit that while Christ chose to appear to certain witnesses like Peter, He chose not to appear to everyone. Peter put it like this: “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen — by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” (Acts 10:39-41)

Remember! While Jesus did not appear to everyone, the eye witnesses were commanded to

preach to everyone. We are saved by faith, not by sight. We don’t have to see Jesus with human eyes, however, in order to believe. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God ( (Rom. 10:17). Just as ladies and gentlemen in a jury reach their conclusions by considering evidence, so must we. When enough evidence is presented, the jury can be certain of their conclusion, and so can we. Faith is being certain of what we cannot see (Heb. 11:1).

Detective Wallace used the example of someone coming in wearing a wet raincoat, with a wet umbrella, etc. The correct conclusion is obvious. So also the logical person is forced to believe in God. The Scriptures teach: “fool has said in his heart there is no God” (Ps. 14:1). If you are walking through a forest and find a painting hanging from a tree, the logical person must conclude that the painting did not occur by accident. There had to be a painter! It would be foolish to conclude otherwise. In the same way it is wise to believe in God and foolish to believe otherwise.

Also by considering the evidence we can logically conclude that Jesus was raised from the dead. Thomas believed because he personally saw. He could put his finger into the nail prints and thrust his hand into His side. Jesus said to Thomas: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

PLEASE CONSIDER THE EVIDENCE, BELIEVE IT, AND BE BLESSED!

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce