Many have wondered how Christianity can be real. Our answer to anyone with doubts about Christianity is to investigate it. The Christian faith is the only religion we have been able to investigate and repeatedly verify as accurate based on the facts of history. The Bible does include many supernatural activities, but there is also evidence to support many of Scripture’s accounts.
The greatest fact in favor of Christianity is simply the empty tomb. The enemies of Jesus could not produce his body to disprove the resurrection. The Jews claimed that the disciples of Jesus stole the body. However, according to church tradition, all but one of the eleven disciples (excluding Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus) died for their faith. It seems clear that if someone had supported a lie or conspiracy theory, he would have eventually confessed. Instead, no one ever found the body, and millions of people have experienced changed lives through the teachings of Christ.
Another area that supports the truth of Christianity is archaeology. Archaeologists have made thousands of historical discoveries that support the teachings and facts of the Bible. Still today, the Western Wall of the Jewish temple remains standing, offering clear evidence of the temple’s existence and importance in both Judaism and early Christianity. Cities like Jerusalem, Nineveh, Hebron, Ephesus, and many others have been verified. Nearly every part of Israel contains remains that highlight the history of the Jewish people and biblical history.
The evidence of the Bible also supports Christianity. More than fifty-eight hundred handwritten ancient copies of the New Testament exist, far more than any other writing from antiquity. Many experts have made comparisons among these copies to ensure accurate preservation of the text, revealing both the accuracy of the Scriptures and the power of God to protect his Word, despite efforts to destroy it throughout history.
A fourth area that we find fascinating is fulfilled prophecy. Many Bible prophecies were later fulfilled in stunning accuracy, especially those related to Jesus. He was born of a virgin, which Isaiah 7:14 predicted seven hundred years earlier. Jesus also came as the suffering Messiah, also predicted in Isaiah 53. Micah 5:2 predicted the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem, and Psalm 22 clearly describes the death of Jesus on the cross.
A fifth area that we can also observe are the changed lives of people. Well-known writers like C. S. Lewis and Lee Strobel have shared their personal testimonies of how Jesus changed them. Millions of other people have seen the power of God change their lives, restore their families, break their addictions, and heal their relationships.
While we could add other areas, the empty tomb, archaeology, the Bible, fulfilled prophecy, and changed lives all point toward the truth of Christianity, not away from it. We can investigate Christianity without fear, knowing that such study will strengthen our faith in the Lord.
