Jesus Among Secular GodsSample

Atheism

Many people turn to atheism because they believe that Christianity does not have the answers to life’s most important questions. They assume God must not exist or that His existence has been disproven by contemporary methods. However Christianity is a thoughtful faith that answers real questions with solid truth. Not only did the early church value the importance of thoughtfully engaging with others on matters of truth, but it also placed a premium on faithfully preserving and transmitting important evidence about Christ. The clearest example of this effort is known as a creed, which is a concise formula of religious belief. Creeds were used to teach young Christians to defend the faith from intellectual attack.

The New Testament incorporates ancient creeds that already existed prior to its composition. One of the most important creeds was recorded by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Paul likely learned this creed from Peter and James during his visit to Jerusalem three years after his conversion (see Gal. 1:18-19). Because many scholars date Paul’s conversion between AD 31 and AD 33,2 the creed would therefore be quite early.

It can safely be concluded, then, that Jesus’ resurrection is not a legendary development. Legends and myths take several generations to develop. Because the creed recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 was formulated at most just a few years after Jesus’ crucifixion, there was no possible way for legendary elements to creep in. What Paul reported to the Corinthians therefore reflects the beliefs of the very first Christians.

The historical foundations of the Christian faith are indeed firm. When believers argue, they argue for historical truth, not legend