BELIEF IN GOD Consider the Alternatives
When it comes to belief in God, the heart has choices. Some look to philosophy, others to the marvels of creation, others to ancient traditions. The human mind can imagine many ways to make sense of the universe. Yet even as we consider the Creator, there is a deeper question: who is He, and how does He make Himself known?
When it comes to belief in Jesus, the alternatives shrink. Some say He was merely a moral teacher, a visionary, a prophet. Others point to other religious founders—Muhammad, Buddha, or the writers of holy books—and we are asked to weigh the claims.
Yet there is a distinction that cannot be ignored. Muhammad did not rise from the dead. Buddha did not walk on water or calm a storm with a word. The writers of sacred books left words behind, but no miracle, no living proof, no extraordinary claim that could be witnessed and verified in history.
Jesus, on the other hand, made a claim that demanded witnesses. He said He would rise again, and He did—not in a private vision, not in a dream, but in history, in space and time, in the sight of those who would risk their lives to testify to it (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
The alternatives cannot produce this: no resurrection, no verified miracles, no empty tomb, no lives transformed by a sight of the risen Christ. If He rose, then He is who He said He was. If not, the story falls apart—but the evidence points, against every natural expectation, to the reality of His victory over death.
Consider the alternatives honestly. A moral teacher cannot forgive sins. A visionary cannot reconcile the world to God. A writer cannot conquer death. Only Jesus can. His life, death, and resurrection create a doorway that nothing else in history opens. The choice is not between good men, or wise books, or inspiring teachers. It is between the living Christ and every other hope that ultimately fails.
And so we are invited, with sober reflection and full hearts, to look at the evidence, to examine the claims, and to consider: will we believe Him? Will we follow the One who proves His authority not with words alone, but with the undeniable miracle of resurrection, the witness of disciples transformed, and the Spirit alive in the hearts of His people today (Acts 2:32-33)?
Lord Jesus, open my eyes to the truth of who You are. Help me to weigh the evidence with humility and courage, and to recognize that You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Strengthen my faith in Your resurrection and Your power to save, and let my life bear witness to Your glory. Amen.
BDD
