What gives Jesus the credibility and authority to speak to us about eternal things? What makes him the key to all of life’s questions?
There are five basic ways we know Jesus alone is the answer to our quest for truth and purpose in life.
1. Jesus is a real person who has influenced our world for good more than any other person. In total, nine early non-Christian secular writers mention Jesus as a real person within 150 years of his death. Interestingly, that is the same number of secular writers who mention Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor during Jesus’ time. If we were to consider Christian and non-Christian sources, there are forty-two who mention Jesus, compared to just ten for Tiberius. (See Was Jesus a Real Person?)
2. Historical evidence tells scholars that the New Testament accounts of Jesus are reliable. (See Are the Gospels True?)
3. Jesus’ resurrection is an historical fact backed up by substantial evidence. (See Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?)
4. Jesus must have been telling the truth since he is the only one who died and came back to tell us what life is about. (See Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?)
5. Jesus is the only one qualified to deal with our sin problem, making fellowship with God possible. (See Is Jesus Relevant Today? Also see Did Jesus Claim to Be God?)