Is it a leap of faith to believe in Jesus? In other words, does a person have to abandon all sense and reasoning in order to believe God exists—and that he would come to live among us and die for us?
It’s frequently implied—often by scientists and those who claim to love science—that Christians are some sort of gullible halfwits for believing such farfetched claims. But are they really that far-fetched?
Let’s take a look.
You don’t have to have all the answers.
but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
In This Article
Is it Reasonable to Believe There is a God?
Nothing happens without something causing it to happen.
Ever heard of the law of casualty? Basically, it states that every change in nature is produced by some cause. We know it better as cause and effect. Nothing happens without something causing it to happen…including the creation of the world. Given that premise, would you still argue that it’s silly to believe in God?
I would argue it’s illogical to not.
Is it Logical to Believe in the Bible as an Accurate Historical Record?
Oh, how to answer this in the meager space of my little blog. In short, yes, it is not only reasonable to accept the Bible as accurate, once you really look into the logistics of how the Bible came to be and still exist today, it’s almost illogical not to believe it.
Let me give you a few highlights of why we can trust its authenticity.
- Apostolic authorship: The books of the New Testament were written by the apostles—people who knew Jesus firsthand—shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven. These are eyewitnesses.
- Wide and early acceptance by the original churches who knew these books were authored by apostles.
- Consistency of teaching: God’s Word is consistent across 66 books and 16 centuries. That’s incredible!
But don’t just take my word for it. Do your own research (using trustworthy sources, of course) and be amazed at how amazing the Bible is. Check out How Do We Know that the Bible is True? from Answers in Genesis for more in-depth information on this subject.
Is it Logical to Believe Jesus Was a Real Historical Figure?
Some people today might reject the idea that Jesus existed at all, but to do so requires rejecting not only the Bible but the historical records of other historians—including those of Jewish historian Josephus and Roman historian Tacitus, both of whom are widely accepted as reliable sources of historical information.
Check out this interesting article about evidence that Jesus existed at History.com.
Is it Reasonable to Believe God Loves You And Would Send His Only Son to Die For You?
Given all of the above, given the authenticity of the Bible and the man Jesus, I think we can logically come to this logical conclusion:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Take the Leap of Faith to Believe in Jesus
For we live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
The purpose of this discussion is not to produce one-hundred percent irrefutable evidence that God exists and that Jesus died and rose again. What we want to know is whether there exists a reasonable basis for faith, and I think we have our answer.
Yes, you have to make the final leap of faith. But taking that leap does not require you to abandon all reasoning.
Christianity is not irrational. It is a faith rooted in history, not in philosophical ideas or collected myths. Yes, you have to make the final leap of faith and understand there are things you’ll never understand while on this side of heaven. But taking that leap does not require you to abandon all reasoning.
When it comes to believing in Jesus Christ, faith and logic can exist in harmony. After all, Jesus is the one who invented both!
“Christianity is not irrational. It is a faith rooted in history, not in philosophical ideas or collected myths.” I love this. Thanks for another good message. Just recently I was having a conversation with someone regarding our faith and beliefs and based on much of what you pointed out we wondered aloud, how can people NOT believe??? Continued blessings on your ministry efforts, Lauren.
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