Open series outline: Going for the jugular
- Intro post #1: Kickoff
- Intro post #2: Christ myth theory
- Intro post #3: Internet Infidels
- Habermas & Licona, Introduction, Post #1: Meet Gary
- Habermas & Licona, Introduction, Post #2: Meet Michael
- Habermas & Licona, Introduction, Post #3: They Saw Something
- Habermas & Licona, Part 1, Post #4: The Shockwave
- Habermas & Licona Part 1, Post #5: Saved From What?
- Habermas & Licona Part 1, Post #6: Jesus Claimed He Would Rise Again
- Habermas & Licona Part 1, Post #7: Why It's Going For The Jugular
- Habermas & Licona Part 1, Post #8: Washington Myth Theory
- Habermas & Licona Part 1, Post #9: History 101
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #10: Our First Minimal Fact!
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #11: Rumors Of The Bible's Obscurity Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #12: If Your Mother Tells You She Loves You, Check It Out
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #13: No, The Gospels Were Not Written Hundreds Of Years Later
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #14: Clement Of Rome
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #15: Polycarp
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #16: The Seal of Blood
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #17: The Seal of More Blood
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #18: Meet The Scholars
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #19: It was right under my nose
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #20: Oh, so my brother really IS God
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #21: My knees are shaking
- Habermas & Licona Part 2, Post #22: The Bible: It's not just for Christians anymore!
- Habermas & Licona Part 3, Post #23: Kicking the tires
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #24: All together now?
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #25: A red herring
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #26: Moses the friendly ghost
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #27: Consider the source
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #28: Parthian shots
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #29: We’re taking strange fire! Part 1
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #30: We’re taking strange fire! Part 2
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #31: We’re taking strange fire! Part 3
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #32: Suspicious Minds
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #33: Alien vs. Jesus
- Habermas & Licona Part 4, Post #34: A position statement disguised as an argument
- Into the woods...and the Way back home
- Yes, Jesus went there
- Ehrman, Post #1: Make this shot count
- Ehrman, Post #2: Everyone was dead
- Ehrman, Post #3: It's almost like monotheism is the logical choice
- Ehrman, Post #4: Admit you never saw a vulture rising from the flames or die
.
(This is my 3rd post on Chapter 1)
Although I disagree with the authors when they say you have to believe in Jesus in order to escape the fires of hell (see post #5 in series outline above), I heartily agree with their other comments about the importance of the resurrection. Believing in the resurrection, in a better world to come, in rejoining loved ones we’ve lost, really does help me get through hard times.
“God, I’m ready to come home now,” I sometimes say.
“It’s not time yet,” He replies.
And so I continue on…persevering in hope a la I Corinthians 15:
[1Co 15:17-19 KJV] 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Yes, believing in the resurrection does make us saved by hope!
[Rom 8:23-25 KJV] 23 And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body. 24 For we are SAVED BY HOPE: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it].
Plus, the authors mention Scriptures that show the centrality of the resurrection in proving Jesus’s identity. What could be more critical and foundational to the gospel message than that? John 2:18-22, I Corinthians 15:1-4, and this verse…
[Rom 1:4 KJV] 4 And declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
…all bear this out.
That’s why, in The Case for Christ, Kenny tells Lee Strobel, the atheist journalist who’s engaging in a knock-down, drag-out fight with Jesus, to “go for the jugular” by disproving the resurrection.
Oh, how I love the part at the end of the movie where Strobel, surrounded by newspaper clippings and other materials in his little command center, finally breathes those precious, climactic words: “Ok God….you win.” 🙂
Yes, the resurrection really is that important.
God bless you and see you next time!
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