Out With Doubt: Rock Solid Faith

Welcome to our Second Annual Youth Rally.  Our theme this year, “Out With Doubt: Rock Solid Faith,” chosen by our teens, is timely.  The spirit of the current age is anti-Christian.  Darwinian evolution is the accepted model for nearly all that is today.  This explanation for the origin and development of humanity has man on an ever upward track.  The Bible model has man beginning on top and falling through sin.

Which is correct?  Where does the evidence point?  Not where people claim it leads but where does it lead?  For the Bible to be true there must be first of all a God.  Secondly, Jesus must be a real person of history.  Thirdly, the Bible must be a book without internal contradictions.  We believe the evidence supports these three points.  This year’s rally has attempted to make a brief examination of some of the evidence.

But do we need evidence?  Isn’t faith what we are to rely on?  Yes and yes.  We do need evidence for true faith is based on evidence.  John wrote that the miraculous signs performed by Jesus were evidence for believing in Him (see John 20:30,31; 3:2).  The miracles of the New Testament era served the purpose of confirming the messenger and his message. Our faith is reasonable, it is based on the evidence.  Peter wrote, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is within you with meekness and fear” (I Peter 3:15). The Greek word translated give an answer means to offer a reasoned response.  It is translated as defense in Philippians 1:17 where Paul stated he was “set for the defense of the gospel.”

The greatest evidence for the Bible and its message is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (See Romans 1:4).  Several of His women disciples saw Him, then He was seen by the eleven.  Two men walking the road to Emmaus talked with Jesus after the resurrection and He was seen after the resurrection by over 500 people, most still living and available to testify to this event when Paul wrote the letter of I Corinthians.

—Denton Landon