Jesus Christ is the central figure of Christianity. As the Bible tells us, Jesus came to earth as God incarnate, lived a perfect sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again to offer salvation to all who believe in Him. Here are some key reasons why people should believe in Jesus:
1. Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah
Throughout the Old Testament, there are over 300 prophecies about the coming Messiah – the savior God promised to send. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies that were written hundreds of years before His birth. For example, Micah 5:2 prophesied the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Isaiah 7:14 said He would be born of a virgin. Zechariah 9:9 foretold He would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Psalm 22 vividly depicts His crucifixion, written 1000 years before Christ. The probability of one man fulfilling just 8 major prophecies is 1 in 10^17 – yet Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies!
2. Jesus performed miracles that demonstrated His divine nature
During His 3-year ministry, Jesus performed incredible miracles that displayed His power over nature, sickness, demons and death. He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33), fed 5000 people from 5 loaves and 2 fish (Matthew 14:13-21), healed the blind (John 9:1-41), cast out demons (Matthew 8:28-34), and raised the dead (John 11:38-44). These miracles were witnessed by thousands and confirmed Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God.
3. Jesus lived a morally perfect life
Jesus is the only person to have lived a completely perfect life, without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He showed immense compassion, wisdom, humility and integrity in everything He did and said. His extraordinary character has compelled countless people to examine His life and embrace Him as Lord. Even non-Christian sources like Josephus and Tacitus report Jesus was known for His righteousness and virtue.
4. Jesus voluntarily gave up His life for us
The most compelling evidence for Jesus is that He willingly went to the cross to die for our sins. As Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” No religious leader would die for their people; they ask their people to die for them! But Jesus’ substitutionary death paid the penalty we deserved for our sins, so we could be forgiven and have eternal life if we repent and believe in Him (John 3:16).
5. Jesus rose again from the dead after 3 days
After Jesus was crucified and buried, He rose again on the third day just as He had promised (Matthew 16:21). His resurrection was witnessed by over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6) and confirmed His divinity, because only God has power over death. The apostles went on to proclaim His resurrection despite intense persecution, and many willingly died martyrs’ deaths because they were absolutely convinced Jesus rose again.
6. Those who sincerely seek Jesus encounter Him personally
Countless people have had personal encounters with Jesus that radically changed their lives. From the apostle Paul who met Jesus on the road to Damascus in Acts 9, to modern testimonies of Jesus supernaturally healing people or revealing Himself to them, an authentic relationship with Jesus is attainable for those who earnestly seek Him. Jesus promises those who knock the door will find Him (Matthew 7:7-8).
7. Jesus transforms lives
The love, joy, peace and power that comes from knowing Jesus is undeniable evidence of His life-changing impact. Addicts are set free, marriages are restored, depressed and suicidal people are filled with hope, downtrodden are given dignity – all through encountering Jesus. His teachings on love and forgiveness have inspired individuals and societies for over 2000 years. No one – not Buddha, Krishna or Mohammed – has changed more lives than Jesus.
8. Jesus established the indestructible Christian Church
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus declared “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Sure enough, despite intense persecution the church has persisted and grown exponentially in the last 2000 years. Today there are over 2.4 billion Christians in the world, and the global expansion of Christianity points to the truth that Jesus is building His church just as He said.
9. Jesus satisfies our deepest spiritual longing
Every human being has an innate desire to connect with their Creator. But only Jesus revealed Himself as the bridge between God and man, through His incarnation. He said “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). When we repent of our sins and receive Jesus by faith, our relationship with God is restored and we discover our true purpose and identity as children of God.
Jesus made astonishing claims unmatched by anyone – to forgive sins, conquer death, and determine the eternal destiny of every person’s soul. His extraordinary life, historically validated death and resurrection, unprecedented impact on humanity, and power to transform lives compel us to believe He is exactly who He claimed to be – the Son of God and Savior of the world. We have reasonable and convincing evidence to trust in Jesus.