Do You Believe Her? — Esgetology

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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Many were riveted to the testimony on Thursday by the Supreme Court nominee and his accuser. Just a few days earlier, I had been discussing with students in our school the New Testament's use of the term "testimony" (sometimes translated "witness"). One student observed that the word today is usually used in churches for a contemporary person's religious experience.

In the Bible, as in the adjudication of a crime, what matters is testimony and evidence. The first eyewitness to the resurrection of Jesus was Mary Magdalene. "I have seen the Lord!" she said to the other disciples. Do you believe her? They didn't – at first. Soon others had eyewitness testimony to add to hers. The mounting weight of the eyewitnesses made belief in the resurrection credible.

We must still ask that question today: Do you believe her? Or, look up passages like 1 Corinthians 15 (especially verses 3-8) and 1 John 1:1-4. There you will see the New Testament foundation for belief in Jesus: the eyewitness testimony. Do you believe them?

The reason I am a Christian is because I find the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus credible. If He is risen from the dead, then Jesus is who He said—the Christ—and will do what He promised—pardon our sins and raise us from the dead. Everything depends on that. I believe the witnesses.

Your unworthy undershepherd,
Pastor Esget