You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace
That is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that you have heard
From me among many witnesses,
Commit these to faithful men
Who will be able to teach others also.
2Timothy 2:1-2
I stopped
by blog for several reason but upon reflection I knew that I must continue to
write and hopefully to incite others to examine the Christian Religion and
their faith. There are those who admit only that, as good as it may be, the
Christian Religion is but one truth among others “truths.” They like the
Christian Religion over other religions but they do not hold factually that the
Christian Religion is the only true religion appointed and approved by God.
Other people who are not of the Christian persuasion have a god, or gods, and
they put their faith in them, pray to them, have festivals concerning them and
their religion plays a major part in their lives. This seems to be good, in
fact, it seems that there are several ways by which to approach God. We find in
this admission, that in this belief that there are several ways to God, to be
Universalism, and this religious belief of Universalism is to be found in some
Churches today, and in the thinking of some who, while holding Christianity
close to their vest allow Universalism to play some part in their thinking
whether or not they call their belief; Universalism. Due to so many religions,
and not having come to a conclusion as to which is correct, many have left
religion as a whole and follow only secularism. Some will admit that there is
not enough evidence to prove Christianity as being the only true religion and
attempt to discredit not only the Christian Religion, but those who believe
that the Christian Religion is the true religion. Some people will admit that
there is some evidence but not enough evidence to prove inequitably that the
Christian Religion is of God and the only true religion. Some will admit that
the Christian Religion is good but they seek and need more proof. How then do
we address this problem? Can we place our faith, our lives in the tenets, and
the doctrines of the Christian Religion? Are we to accept all those religions
that claim to be Christian? Do we have proof, evidence that will lead us to the
answer? This is what I will embark upon; giving evidence of the Christian
Religion as the True Religion acceptable to God.
The subject under consideration must
have some beginning (There are those who begin at a different place and have a
different methodology.) and I must have some method that you can follow;
therefore I will establish my beginning with Pagan authors who have testified
as to the history of our Savior Jesus Christ. It will be determined as to their
authority of their testimonies. These Pagan authors, should they have taken
notice of the events of Jesus Christ, the church, as they were contemporaries
with Jesus Christ. Should not those who lived in a time before the disciples of
Jesus Christ personally appeared to them have written about the Jewish
religion, the prophecies of the One to come? Should they not have insisted upon
a report and ascertained any report, especially of a life that was full of
miracles?
An analogy will aid us at this point
in our study. If those events of Jesus Christ occurred in Nepal (let us use a
nation far away), and those miraculous events are greater in Nepal than in our
world, would you or anyone who lives far from Nepal immediately believe them in
a greater way than those who live in Nepal? Not necessarily. Would certain
accounts be transported to other nations that are at a greater distance from
them, in such a short space of time as that of the transmission of the events
of Jesus Christ and His public ministry? Not necessarily. The news from Nepal
of those events are never considered to be so true within a short space of time
and seldom do they gain any credit; that is, until someone after a report of
those events have been transported or transmitted that they are exposed to
examination. Those who would methodically lay out together the circumstances,
attestations, and the characters who are the players in these events. These
transmissions may be believed or not, at least until all things can stand
together in full illumination.
History
will attest that the Jews were called superstitious because of their
differences with the religions of the Pagan world. The Jews were ridiculed even
further as people that were credulous and looked upon by the Pagans as to be
false, frivolous, and improbable. The Jews were branded as being superstitious
and that their superstitious were so different from the Pagan religions, Pagan
religions that themselves were riveted with practices of magic; magic that were
of divinations, apparitions, and even local miracles; therefore they were less
interested in the Jewish religion. This is truth until these Pagans had time to
consider the nature, the occasion of the miracles of Jesus Christ. These Pagans
awoke by these surprising events making cause of any consideration at all. Here
is some evidence that show that Pagans were superstitious and practiced magic:
The roots of magic come from the
Celts, a people living between 700 BC and 100 AD. Believed to be descendants of
Indo-Europeans, the Celts were a brilliant and dynamic people - gifted artists,
musicians, storytellers, metalworkers, expert farmers and fierce warriors. They
were much feared by their adversaries, the Romans, who eventually adopted a
number of their customs and traditions.
Chinese history traces the gong's
origins to around 500 AD. ... only through the help of higher beings, and this
belief created an aura of magic about gongs. Time Frame. Other nations
throughout the world also began using the gong. During an excavation in
Wiltshire, England around 100 AD, a Roman gong was found.
A gong is an ancient musical instrument that originated
in Asia. The origins of the gong have been traced as far back as 2000 B.C.
However, it is believed that the gong was used long before this time. The gong
was important to the people of Asia, and this continues to be so today. In the
past, owning a gong was a sign of wealth. Its power of positive energy could
bring you good fortune. The power could be obtained simply by touching it. The
gong falls into three general groups: suspended gongs, bowl gongs and bossed
gongs.
We have begun our study and
the first thing we have come to know is that the Pagans who were contemporaries
of the Jewish nation did not write much if anything about the Jews and their
religion as they considered the Jewish religion to be one more religion with
magic. As contemporaries of Jesus Christ they did not write of those events of
Jesus Christ as once again they were not interested to do so as they considered
Christianity to be just another religion that did miraculous things and
practices magic. The Pagans were too busy to address the Christian Religion;
not until events made it necessary.
Were there
any reports, or writings about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, His
miracles, and His death? This will be the subject of the next blog.
This is a faithful saying
And worthy of all acceptance,
That Christ Jesus came into
The world t save sinners,
Of whom I am chief.
1Timothy 1:15
Pray in worship to God our Father
Richard L. Crumb
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