You wrote (quoting parts):
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Now, here is the question. Christianity relies upon the truthful observation
of the missing body of Christ. This means that the disciples must have:
1. been capable observers of the facts.
2. been trustworthy reporters.
3. been able to distinguish observational reality from wishful thinking.
Assuming that the ancient Christians are no different than modern
Christians, and knowing that Christians today seem so poor at handling
observational data as the YECs show, or are so willing to accomodate any
event as matching the account, no matter what the event or what the account,
how is one to really trust what the disciples reported?
...
In short, if christians of all strips can't handle observational data
correctly, how can one know that Christianity is correct?
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Thanks for such an interesting and provocative question. It has been
very interesting to read the various replies; I was especially struck
by Loren's reply and by Steve's testimony.
I would like, if I may, to add the following - partly because I am
very excited about it!
As Christians, we *know* in our experience that Jesus Christ was raised
from the dead because God has given us 'the Spirit of sonship. And by him
we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that
we are God's children.' Rom 8:15b-16.
This is, of course, subjective. No-one else can know what we experience
as individuals.
But Paul also writes (1 Cor 2:4,5) 'My message and my preaching were not
with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's
power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom but on God's
power.'
and (1 Thess 1:5) '..our gospel came to you not simply with words but
also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.'
Now if the resurrection is true, and the writer to the Hebrews was true
when he wrote (Heb. 13:8) 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and
forever,' then we should expect that same power to be revealed today.
It is about such a revealing of God's power that I am going to write.
A week ago last Sunday (10th May) a woman was being prayed for, for
healing. I didn't catch everything that went on, as I was at the back
of the hall, and being of somewhat short stature didn't get a good view.
Suddenly she started shrieking (that's the best word I can use to describe
it) and laughing, and running around the room. We were told she had been
healed of osteo-arthritis.
Last Sunday (17th) we got a more complete picture of what had happened,
as she was called up to the front to give testimony. Also called up was
her former GP, who is also a church member. He had been her GP for about
10 years or so, until a year or two ago, when he changed surgeries.
He told us that, for as long as he had known her, she had suffered from
osteo-arthritis and osteoporosis.
She then told her own story: As the people were praying for her, placing
their hands on her back, she was feeling excruciating pain - so much so
that she almost asked them to stop praying. Then in an instant, all pain
had completely left her - that's when she started junping up and down
and running around. She told us that she had not been able to run for
twenty years.
During the week she had been to visit her current GP. Straight away, he
asked her, 'What's your story?' She was a bit taken aback, and told him
that she was a born-again Christian, and that she believed she had been
healed. The doctor said that he knew she had been.
He had copies of x-rays which clearly showed deformities in 2nd, 4th,
7th and 12th vertebrae. He had subsequently taken his own x-rays, and
they showed no trace of what had been there before.
One strange thing, which no-one can explain, is that those x-rays (ie
the ones that show the healing) were taken 12 weeks ago. She had
apparently been healed all that time, but was still feeling the pain
until after she was prayed for on the 10th. She had been prayed for
on several occasions previously, but for some reason had to wait until
then to actually experience it.
Her new GP wrote across her medical notes, 'healed by a miracle,'
or words to that effect!
WE HAVE A MIGHTY GOD!!! Would such things be expected to happen if
Christ were not raised? Is there any other explanation?
For all the Christians on this list, I trust that this will build
your faith. For those who are not, I hope that this will go some
way to cause you to reconsider!
Give Glory to God!
In Him,
Gary