What Makes a Person a Christian?

   
   What is a Christian?

   Many people say that they are Christians—in fact, nearly one third of the earth's population would call themselves Christian. But what is it that makes a person a Christian?

    Is a person a Christian simply because they believe that God exists? Are they a Christian because they pray, or read the Bible, or attend church or mass on a regular basis? Or maybe being baptized into the church and observing the Holy Sacrament is what makes a person a Christian?

    Some people would say that living a moral life or following the Ten Commandments is what makes you a Christian. While still others would argue that being born into a "Christian Nation" like the United States automatically makes a person a Christian.

    Indeed, millions of  people all over the world hold to these beliefs—among others. But the truth is, none of these things makes a person a Christian. And they most certainly do not guarantee you a place in heaven when you die.

    According to the Bible, I am not a Christian because I was born into a Christian home and grew up going to church every Sunday. I am not a Christian because I believe that God exists. Nor am I a Christian because I read the Bible. And while it is true that some might say that I am a "good and moral person" by human standards, having morals doesn't make me a Christian either. I am not made right with God by obeying religious laws, following my own moral compass, or by doing good deeds. Nor am I justified in His sight by avoiding sinful behavior.

    No.

    What makes me a Christian is the fact that I have believed God's Word and have trusted God as a result. Therefore, I have been made righteous in God's eyes, not because of anything I have done for God, but because of what God has done for me. (Romans 4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:3-7) 

    There are only two kinds of people in the world: Those who are forgiven, and those who are not. Good people don't go to heaven. Forgiven people do.

    That is why Christianity isn't a religion. A Christian knows that they don't have to earn God's forgiveness. Nor do they have to prove anything to Him to gain His favor. If you are a follower of Christ then God has already poured out His favor on you, and has forgiven you through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:3-14)

    "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

    "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

    "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."
~Romans 5:1-11 New Living Translation (NLT)

    So what is it that makes a person a Christian?

    Faith.

    For it is only through faith in Christ—trusting him as God's promised salvation—that we can be made right with God, and have the assurance of eternal life with Him when we die.

See Also:

Amazing Grace

The Problem with Religion 

Religion or Relationship: What Must I do to be Saved?

The Issue of Faith: Is Faith Irrational?

Saved by Faith or by Works?

Who is Jesus?

Why so offended?

     Have you ever stopped to wonder what it is about Jesus that people find so offensive? I mean really, what logical reason do people have for hating a man who lived over 2,000 years ago?

    From an academic viewpoint, there really isn't any logical reason for it. Historically speaking Jesus was a peasant, a carpenter from Nazareth in Judea. The Bible itself says that there was “nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” (Isaiah 53:2) And Nathaniel, one of Jesus’ own disciples, even scoffed at him for being a Nazarene saying: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:45-50)

    Not only was Jesus’ appearance common; his name was, too. Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) was one of the most popular names in First Century Israel. There were literally thousands of people named Jesus living in Judea at the time of Christ. As far as his humanity was concerned, Jesus was as common as common could be.

    So why do people hate him so much? Is it his teachings? Do they somehow find it offensive to love their enemies and pray for the people who hate and persecute them? (Matthew 5:43-48) Is it wrong to treat people the way you want to be treated? (Luke 6:31-36) Or maybe it's the fact that Jesus hated religious hypocrisy and told his follower not to judge others? (Matthew 23:1-36, Luke 6:37-42) 

    Most people would agree that these are all good things. So perhaps it is the fact that Jesus associated himself with women and “notorious sinners” on a regular basis that offends people? It certainly offended the religious leaders in Jerusalem. (Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 7:36-50) But since most people these days would be classified as “sinners” by the Pharisees, one would have to assume that this is not the reason Jesus offends people.  

     

    Indeed, when you study Jesus’ teachings it becomes clear that Christianity is a very passive belief system. Not the war-like religion it is often portrayed as. Which begs the question: If Jesus taught his followers to be peaceful, then why did the Roman Empire try so hard to stamp them out? What logical reason did an empire that prided itself on it's ability to maintain order have for trying to wipe out a religion that encouraged people to submit to the government and pay their taxes? (Mark 12:13-17) Why did people who believed that all authority came from God, and that it was therefore sinful to rebel against authority threaten the Roman Empire? (Romans 13:1-7) Isn't Christianity precisely the sort of religion the Romans would want to have on their side—a religion that would pacify their subjects and ensure imperial rule throughout the known world? 

    There really isn’t any logical reason for the Roman Empire to persecute Christians. Yet we know from history that Christianity was heavily persecuted for almost 400 years. 

    Historically speaking, the Roman Empire was quite accepting of other religions. They had numerous gods in their Pantheon, and countless cults throughout the Empire. So why was Jesus so offensive to them? Why did they hate a peaceful religion that believed in one, true God, when they themselves worshiped numerous gods? What difference did it make? 

     

    The same question applies today with religions like Hinduism that teach tolerance and the idea that all religions lead to God. If this were true, then why are Christians constantly being beaten, arrested, and killed in India? If all religions are just “different parts of the same elephant,” then why do Hindus burn down churches? 

    Furthermore, why is it that Christianity seems to be mocked more than any other religion in the world? If we as a society really are tolerant and accepting of other religions, then why is Christianity a banned topic in schools? Why is it that other religions can be discussed openly and curiously in the public forum, while Christianity is mocked and insulted on television and social media? 

     You hardly ever see Islam being mocked—even though Mohamed taught that people should only worship Allah. And you certainly don't see many insulting memes about Buddha on Facebook. But with Jesus and Christianity it's a whole other story. Why is that? Why are people so offended by Jesus that they feel compelled to insult him and his followers on a regular basis, while at the same time pretending to be tolerant of everyone? 

     One could of course argue that it is intolerant to believe that there is only one true religion, or that the only true God is the God of the Bible. But followers of every religion—including Atheism and Secular Humanism—believe that their religion is the only true religion; that everyone else is wrong; and that it is their duty to sway others to their way of thinking. So this can't be the reason why Jesus offends people—everyone believes that their beliefs are true, even though logic dictates that it is impossible for two, diametrically opposed worldviews to both be true.

    But maybe people are offended because Jesus taught about Hell? That might be a reason for some to be offended. But Christianity isn't the only belief system to teach about Hell. Nearly every religion has some sort of Hell, or at least the idea of negative consequences in the next life for wrongs committed in this one. What makes Christianity different however, is that the Bible tells us that God does not want anyone to go to Hell. (Ezekiel 18:23, 2 Peter 3:9) In fact, He was so opposed to the idea that He sent Jesus to die in our place so that anyone who put their trust in him would be saved from Hell. Not because of anything they have done. Not because they were a “good person.” But because Jesus died in their place. (Romans 5:6-11)

    Perhaps it is the fact that Jesus claimed to be God, that is the chief offense? After all, it was this claim of divinity that persuaded the Jewish religious leaders to murder him in the first place. (John 10:30-33) 

    Or maybe people are offended by the thought that a loving God would humble himself, taking on a body like we sinners have, so that he could die in our place? (Philippians 2:6-11) Perhaps it is equally appalling to them that such a God would then raise himself from the dead three days later, in fulfillment of prophesy, so that he could then offer them the promise of eternal life if they would only chose to accept his forgiveness and mercy? (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) Or maybe people are offended by the fact that no matter what they have done—no matter where they have come from—God loves them and wants to forgive them? Or perhaps they are offended by the fact that because of Jesus, this forgiveness is free and cannot be earned through any pious works or religious deeds? (Ephesians 2:8-9) 

    Is that why Jesus is so offensive—because he claimed to be the only way to God? (John 14:6-7) It seems that this is the only logical conclusion. But if Jesus wasn't God, and was just a man, then why is he such an offensive person? If he never existed, then how can anyone hate him? (You can’t hate what doesn’t exist.) His teachings obviously aren't offensive. The man himself isn't offensive. Yet he offends people. Why? Maybe it is because deep down people know that he was right when he said, “I AM He” (Yahweh/Jehovah) (Luke 22: 66-71, John 18:1-9, etc.)

    

    In short, if Jesus was not God then he was a mad-man. No sane person would make the claims Jesus made, nor would any sane person follow him—especially after his death! If this is true, then there is no logical reason for anyone to believe a word Jesus said, or even be offended by him. But what if Jesus was telling the truth? What if he and God really are one and the same? (John 14:6-9) This would not only imply that God is real, but also that every person in the world—living, deceased, or yet unborn—will one day have to give an account to him for the way they've lived. That is why people are offended by Jesus; because even though they know that there is no logical alternative, they are unwilling to believe the unimaginable truth:
   

    “‘For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

    “‘There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.’”

~ John 3:16-21 New Living Translation (NLT)

Other Related Articles on this Blog Include:

Was Jesus Real?

Did Jesus Say He was God?

Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

Was Jesus' Physical Body Raised from the Dead?

Why do Christians get so upset when people make fun of their beliefs?

    The other day at work I was having a discussion with some of my co-workers about recent goings on around the World Wide Web, when the issue of “Zombie Jesus” came up. Now, personally, I didn't really care one way or the other, since I hadn’t really seen or heard anything about the “Undead Lord” besides a link one of my former co-workers had shared on their Facebook page. But during the course of the conversation I soon learned that this meme had caused quite a stir among Christians; something my co-workers found to be annoying and/or irrational. One person in particular said, “It really annoys me that Christians get so upset whenever anyone makes fun of their beliefs.”

    So why is it that Christians get so upset when people make fun of our faith? 

    The best analogy I can give for what a Christian experiences when God is mocked would be having someone lie about and insult you, your family, and your best friend all at once.  

    No one likes being made fun of. But for those of us who have a relationship with Christ, it goes far deeper than simply mocking our beliefs. When Jesus is mocked, you are literally lying about and insulting our best friend. As the old adage goes: “Say what you will about me, but leave my friends out of this!”

    The Bible tells us that God is not an impersonal, “Old Man in the Sky.” He is a very personal being who knows every person He has created as an individual, and in turn wants to be known by each of us as an individual. (Isaiah 41:10, 13, 49:16a, Matthew 10:29-31, Romans 5:1-11, etc.) Furthermore, when a person accepts Christ, the Bible tells us that God’s spirit joins with our spirit, affirming that we have been adopted into God’s family. (Romans 8:16)
    It’s impossible for me to explain how it works, and even harder to describe it to someone who hasn’t experienced it first hand. But God actually becomes a part of us. That's why Christians feel things so deeply when God is lied about and mocked. We know what is true, and we naturally want to correct what is being said. 

    I know for me personally, I usually don't feel offended. True, I do feel upset when people lie about my faith and my Lord. But I also feel sad for the people mocking my Savior and me because I know the truth, and I know that I could correct them if I wanted to. But I also know that unless God opens their eyes, everything I say will sound foolish—or worse, condescending. Which is not what I want at all. What I want is for people to know the truth about Jesus, so that the lies and myths can be dispelled. I want to educate them about what I believe and why I believe it so that they will in turn have a deeper understanding of Christianity, rather than merely following the crowd wherever popular opinion leads them. 

    So the next time you encounter someone mocking Jesus, or are tempted to make fun of Christians yourself, remember: how would you feel if someone was lying about and insulting you, your family, and your best friend? Even if you don't know Christ, you will probably agree with him when he said, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” (Luke 6:31)

What is Most Important

“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.”

~ 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 New Living Translation (NLT)

      Have you ever felt that our faith in Christ gets more complicated the more people you talk to? I know I have. There are so many questions and what-ifs in the world today that it is easy for us to get distracted by things that really don't matter. Indeed, hardly a day goes by without someone bringing up an obscure peripheral theology or hypothetical quandary aimed at derailing our faith in Jesus. But all of these things are a bit pointless in the grand scheme of things.

     Don't get me wrong; I love discussing peripheral things. I find them fascinating. But that's all they are to me: fascinating topics of discussion. They don't change my faith in Christ. And they certainly aren't the foundation of my relationship with him. If my hope were built on anything other than the promises of God and what Jesus has done for me personally, then my hope would not have a very strong foundation. The same goes for anyone who believes. If Jesus is not the center of your faith, then you are on very shaky ground. He alone is the Rock of our salvation—the cornerstone of the Church. Anything else is unstable and will eventually fail.

     Furthermore, if we allow ourselves to be distracted by theoretical theology and what-if questions, we are effectively putting spiritual blinders on ourselves. We get “tunnel-vision” and can't see past whatever peripheral topic we've decided to fix our eyes on. When in reality, the only thing we should fix our eyes on is Jesus Christ. After all, how can we tell people what Jesus has done in our lives when we're focused on other things instead? 

    Jesus is what is most important—Jesus and our relationship with him.

    Do you believe that Jesus was God the Son, sent to die in your place on the cross? Do you believe that he was buried for three days and that he rose again in a physical body so that anyone who believes in him can have eternal life; and that he has promised to return for us some day?

    If your answer is yes, then that is all that really matters. You are a brother or sister in Christ. Everything else is peripheral and really isn't worth obsessing over or arguing about. 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne."

~ Hebrews 12:1-2 New Living Translation (NLT)

Amazing Grace

     Have you ever stopped to consider just how blessed we who are living in the Church Age truly are? I'm not talking about physical or financial blessings—though these are certainly evident. No. I'm talking about the spiritual blessings God has poured out on those of us living in the “last days.”

     Think about it. Before Jesus, mankind lived in fear and dread of God's punishment; struggling to earn His favor through ritual and sacrifice, all the while missing the greater issue that was—and still is—our sinful, human hearts.

 “And so the Lord says, ‘These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.’”

~ Isaiah 29:13 New Living Translation (NLT)

     God never wanted religion. He didn't require laws and rules, nor did he desire them. What God wanted was obedience born out of a changed and repentant heart.

“You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.

     You do not want a burnt offering.

The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.

     You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

~ Psalm 51:16-17 New Living Translation (NLT)

     Even on our best days, all of our righteousness is worthless in God's eyes. (Isaiah 64:6) Which is why God sent His own Son to die in our place as a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:1-18)

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

~ Romans 5:6-11 New Living Translation (NLT)

     Don’t get me wrong; God was always merciful. Throughout the Old Testament He continually spared those who would repent and obey. But there is a difference between mercy and grace. 

     For example, suppose a man was sentenced to die for his crimes, but on the day of his execution the king decided to pardon him. The man receives his life back, but nothing else. This is mercy.

     Grace, on the other hand, would be when the same man—having been tried and convicted—is brought before the king to face judgment. But rather than ordering the man's execution, the king instead comes down off his throne, frees the man himself, has him dressed in royal clothes, and claims the man as his own son and co-heir to his throne. 

     This is exactly what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Because of His grace we are no longer His enemies; we are His friends; adopted children, and co-heirs with Christ himself! This alone is incredible, but it gets even better! Not only are we accepted as God's children and free from condemnation, we are also filled with God's Spirit—that is to say, God Himself is dwelling within us!

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory...”

~ Romans 8:15-17a New Living Translation (NLT)

     This Spirit that has joined with our spirit is the Holy Spirit Himself, the third member of the triune God-head, and the “advocate” Jesus promised to send to us in John 16.

“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

“‘There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’”

~John 16:5-15 New Living Translation (NLT)

     The Holy Spirit came into the world on the Day of Pentecost; fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead and only ten days after his ascension to heaven. (Acts 1-2) Until that point in time, God's Spirit had only come upon certain individuals for a limited time. (i.e. the Judges of Israel and the Prophets.) But now, everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord and believes in Him has received the Holy Spirit, and can therefore live in the Spirit. And, as the scriptures say, it is only when we live in the Spirit that we can truly obey God. (Galatians 5)

     Therefore, we are free from sin and are under no obligation to the Old Covenant, with its rituals and regulations, because God's Spirit dwells within us, teaching us His Law by writing it on our hearts. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)  The Old Covenant was meant to show us our sins and to provide us with a temporary solution until the Messiah came. Now that Jesus has come, he has fulfilled the Law, and has made salvation accessible to everyone who believes in him through his death and resurrection. (Galatians 3, Hebrews 8-10)

    In short, salvation has always been a heart issue, not an obedience issue. And it is only by accepting Christ—who seals us and fills us with the Holy Spirit—that our hearts can be truly changed.  

“God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

“May God give you more and more grace and peace.”

~1 Peter 1:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

Two Years and Counting

I can hardly believe it has been nearly two years since I posted my first article here on The Evidence is Plain. Since then God has put it on my heart to address dozens of topics, and has used my gifts--my love of writing, history, and science--to spread His Truth around the world.

That being said, moving into 2016, I am reminded just how little I know. God is so magnificent; His plain so wonderful, that even the wisest among us can only just begin to comprehend Him.
I have done my best to share the truth of Jesus Christ with as many people as I can. But I admit that I don't know all of the answers. Some day everything will be revealed (1 Corinthians 13:12) but until that day, it is my hope and prayer that God will continue to give me wisdom and the words to write so that the truth will be heard and that every lie, misconception, and falsehood would be refuted.

If you happen to be a skeptic, or if you are merely curious to see what God has been putting on my heart of the past two years, then I encourage you to browse the blog archive. I have written to address over 80 topics and misconceptions about Christianity, so it is entirely possible that you will find the answers that you're looking for. If after housing the archive you still have a question you would like answered, please leave a comment below, and I will do my best to reply--either by comment or article.

My the peace of the Lord be with you.

The Hebrew Roots Movement

   This article is going to be quite a bit different than most of my other articles, mainly because it is one that I have been genuinely reluctant to write. On the one hand, I have wanted to write to address this issue for quite some time. Yet I have also wanted to avoid stirring up arguments and “foolish discussions” (Titus 3:9-11), so I have avoided the topic of the Hebrew Roots Movement, and have alluded to it only briefly in some of my previous articles. 

   That being said, I have been in prayer about the topic for quite some time, and have sought council on whether or not I should even get involved. In the end, however, my desire for unity in the church and peace among all the followers of Christ has compelled me to write this article. Know that I do not harbor any ill-will toward those who would call Jesus Christ their Lord and yet continue to follow the traditions of their Hebrew ancestors. Nor do I wish to condemn anyone. What I say, I say gently out of a genuine concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

   If you have read any of my other articles you will know that the matter of unity among the believers is something that is very important to me, as is discerning between what is true and what is not. I have lost several close friends and family members to false teachers and to the errors of human reasoning over the years, so the topic of false doctrine is something that hits very close to home for me personally.

    In light of this, I want to point out that even though the Hebrew Roots Movement originated in the early 20th century, its core teachings are nothing new. In the first century AD, a sect of Jewish converts to Christianity known as the Judaizers, taught that the Gentile believers must also be circumcised, observe their Jewish traditions, and follow the Law of Moses in order to be justified before God. However, much of the New Testament addresses this teaching directly—the most obvious example being the Book of Galatians. 

  

   Other examples of this can be found in Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Hebrews, and James. The Judaizers' teachings were also addressed twice in the Book of Acts; first in Acts 15:1-31, and again in Acts 21:15-25. 

   Now, as I stated before it is not my intention to stir up arguments, as the Scriptures condemn this, but rather to gently instruct those who's faith may be wavering. (1 Timothy 6: 2b-5, 2 Timothy 2:14, 23-26) 
   That being said, if you know someone who is a part of the Hebrew Roots Movement; or if you are curious about it; or if you are a follower yourself; then I strongly recommend that you read the books of Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, Hebrews, and James—as well as the verses referenced above. Investigate God's Word for yourself. Meditate on it. Pray and ask the Lord to give you guidance and wisdom. 

   If you are investigating a teacher to see if he is telling the truth, remember that Satan can quote the Bible, too. Just because someone quotes a verse correctly and that verse happens to agree with the doctrine they're teaching, which happens to sound like the truth, doesn't mean that that person is from God. Nor does it mean that what they're teaching is true. Remember, the best lies are seasoned with just a pinch of truth—it makes them easier to swallow. Which is why it is so important to test everything against God's Word. If someone quotes the Bible, check the context to see if what they're teaching is true—read the entire book if you have to! You can never be too careful when it comes to searching the Scriptures for truth. (Acts 17:11)
  That being said, if you still feel that God has called you to observe the Jewish Traditions and the Law of Moses after investigating God's Word, then by all means, do whatever you feel led to do. I can't condemn you for following your convictions any more than you can condemn me for following mine. (Romans 14) But if following a new doctrine—Hebrew Roots or otherwise—causes you to look down on your fellow believers; or if it stirs up division, malicious gossip, and slander among you, then have nothing more to do with it! Such a teaching is contrary to God's Word. It is destructive and harmful to the body of Christ, and is therefore a false teaching. (Titus 3:10-11, Romans 16:17-18, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Galatians 5:19-20)
   But whoever you are and wherever your circumstances may be, it is my sincere hope and prayer that God will give you wisdom in discerning whatever path He has laid out before you. 

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
~Matthew 7:7-8 New Living Translation (NLT) 

   May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

   

The Prophecy of History

Following in the footsteps of my previous article, The Prophecy of Cyrus the Great, I thought I would mention another Old Testament prophecy of unrivaled accuracy and significance: Daniel's Prophecy of History.

   As I stated before, many people believe that the Torah was written during the Babylonian captivity, and that the Jewish religion and Law did not exist until then—historical evidence to the contrary not withstanding. That being said, one thing that all historians agree on is that the Book of Daniel was indeed written during the Babylonian Exile, sometime during the mid 500s BC. It is this historical fact that makes what is said in Daniel 2:24-45 so fascinating.

   “Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.”

   Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, “I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell the king the meaning of his dream!”

   The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), “Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?”

Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.

   “While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. He who reveals secrets has shown you what is going to happen. And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.

   “In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight. The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay. As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

   “That was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means. Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.

   “But after your kingdom comes to an end, another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third kingdom, represented by bronze, will rise to rule the world. Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. The feet and toes you saw were a combination of iron and baked clay, showing that this kingdom will be divided. Like iron mixed with clay, it will have some of the strength of iron. But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay. This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix.

   “During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.”

~Daniel 2:24-45 New Living Translation (NLT)

   In this well-known passage, Daniel describes the rise and fall of every major empire in world history starting with the Babylonian Empire under king Nebuchadnezzar II (the Head of Gold). After the Babylonians came the Achaemenid Empire of Cyrus the Great (the Chest and Arms of Silver) followed by Alexander the Great's Macedonian Empire (the Belly and Thighs of Bronze). After this came the Legs of Iron, which smashed and crushed all other empires before them. These were the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. Finally, Daniel spoke of the Feet of Iron and Clay, a conglomerate of nations—some strong, some weak—seeking strength through alliances and intermarriage. These represent the nations of the post-Roman world, right up to the present day.  

   Not only did Daniel prophesy every major empire in world history, he also gave us very specific information concerning Xerxes the First's invasion of Greece in 480 BC, as well as the rise and fall of Alexander the Great, and the subsequent division of his Empire. Both of these accounts can be found in Daniel 11:2-4.

   “Now then, I will reveal the truth to you. Three more Persian kings will reign, to be succeeded by a fourth, far richer than the others. He will use his wealth to stir up everyone to fight against the kingdom of Greece.
   “Then a mighty king will rise to power who will rule with great authority and accomplish everything he sets out to do. But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken apart and divided into four parts. It will not be ruled by the king’s descendants, nor will the kingdom hold the authority it once had. For his empire will be uprooted and given to others... ”

~Daniel 11:2-4 New Living Translation (NLT)

   Both history and the Bible tell us that events transpired exactly as Daniel foretold. Xerxes the First did use his wealth to go to war against the kingdoms of Greece in 480 BC. (Ester 1) And Alexander the Great accomplished everything he set out to do, only to die suddenly at the age of 32, at the height of his power. With no legitimate heir to the throne, Alexander’s empire was divided up and given to four of his generals—thus fulfilling the words of Daniel 11:3-4. 

   

   Now some may continue to argue that Daniel was a fictional character, dreamed up by the despondent Jewish exiles in Babylon—a sort of "super prophet" created to give the people hope. But this does not negate the fact that the author of Daniel, whoever he was, somehow managed to accurately predict the rise and fall of every major empire in human history over the last 2,500 years.   
   Furthermore, if Daniel were a fictional character, why would his creator give him both a Jewish and Babylonian name, and make him a prominent political figure in both the Babylonian and Persian Empires? Remember, the people who would have been reading the Book of Daniel were Jewish exiles living in Babylon. Ergo, every single Jew could have refuted Daniel's existence at the time the book was written. Instead, the book was added into the Jewish Scriptures. 

   The only logical explanation for this is that Daniel was indeed a living, breathing person, and that he was well known at the time that he lived. If he were not a living, breathing person, then no one would have taken the prophecies in the Book of Daniel seriously. Not only that, they probably would have stoned the man who had written the book for being a false prophet. 

   This is the same sort of logic that I used to defend the existence of Christ in Was Jesus Real?: You cannot claim that something miraculous has happened in a city where every single person can disprove your claim through eye-witness accounts and first-hand testimony. The same thing goes for prominent political figures. 

   Think of it this way: If you were to go to your neighbor claiming that your brother is the President of the United States of America, he wouldn't believe you—unless your brother really is the President. Not only that, he would probably have you committed. 

   So then, how is it that a book of the Bible written in the mid 500s BC. was somehow able to accurately predict the rise and fall of every major empire in history over a span of 2,500 years? Either someone in ancient Babylon was extremely lucky with their predictions, or God revealed his plan to a Prophet named Daniel some 2,500 years ago. 

   Given the historical evidence, my money is on the latter.