“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
John 11:38-44
Christians make if you think about it, what could be considered outrageous claims. The above is one example.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Quite the feat four days after Lazarus had died.
It’s interesting here that it is four days, because it was believed that the persons spirit hovered near the body for three days. By the forth day it would have been gone. Martha noting that by this point there would be a bad odour, or to put it as the king James version puts it, “by now he stinketh.” The body was starting to decompose.
Still Jesus raised him from the dead.
If you think about this logically to put such a claim in writing for the world to read is, if not true, counter productive to bringing people to believe in Jesus.
The gospel of John was written depending on who you listen to, between 50AD and 80AD. Certainly within living memory of the people mentioned in the incident.
Therefore when it was written more than likely there would have been people around who knew Lazarus. Who knew whether he died or not and was raised by Jesus.
Even looking at it from the context of the twenty-first century Christians most certainly believe this is true. Just one of many miracles Jesus did.
For the this event or for any miracle mentioned in the bible not to be true is certainly counter productive to the spreading of the gospel. And who in their right mind would make claims that are not true and expect people to follow what they believe?
Everything that is claimed in the Bible is true and Christians ask people everywhere to believe those claims.
It all comes down to faith.
The Bible presents people with the truth about Jesus and God and asks them to accept those facts.
To as Paul said to the jailer,...“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31.
The decision is yours.
I challenge you if you haven’t read the Bible to read it. Especially the New Testament.
Read it, but before you do say this brief prayer.
Dear Lord God
If you are real, if you exist, show yourself to me through the reading of the Bible.
Now after you have said that prayer I would ask only that you read the Bible with an open mind that God may show you that he truly does exist. And that he is a rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Think about it.
If you have any questions you can Email me at nealbelieves@gmail.com
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