Was Jesus a real person in history? How do we know? We know in the same way that we know any ancient person lived in history. How do we know Aristotle or Alexander the Great was real? How ‘bout King Tut, Julius Ceasar, Socrates, Plato, or Cleopatra? We know these ancient people were real historical figures because we have EVIDENCE.

We have written records on scrolls and manuscripts, in government records for property, birth, marriage and death records. We have stories and battle records written in stone and pottery and on buildings and religious temples.

We have eye witness evidence who were there when these people were alive. Do you think that if you walked with a guy who did amazing things for 3 years, that you could write them down?

We have nonbiblical records, one going back to Josephus in 93 AD. While discussing the period in which the Jews of Judaea were governed by the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, Josephus included the following account:

“About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people who accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.”

- Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63 (Based on the translation of Louis H. Feldman.)

We have archeological evidence in the ruins of ancient civilizations that portray how things were in ancient times. We also have ancient coins depicting kings, artifacts, religious items and important themes in different cultures, including Christian culture during the Roman empire.

We have artistic evidence in figures and busts of people named in the bible that are carved in stone. We also have sculptures, figurines, and artifacts made from metal, from iron to gold and precious stones. There are tile mosaics and fresco paintings dating back to 200 AD found in Roman catacombs depicting bible stories and Jesus Himself. Some of the oldest paintings in the world are on the walls of ancient Roman catacombs.

It would take days to discuss in detail all this historical evidence, but trust us, there is ample evidence, and we can confirm, that Jesus was a real man in history. (If you want to dive into the details check out a book called Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell. It’s also available in a free pdf file online.

2 – Is there a Creator, or has everything come about by chance? Can everything come from nothing? Can Life come from non-life? Can order come out of chaos? If you don’t believe there is a God, then this is what you believe. It all just happened by chance, but this can’t be, because science tells us that everything is tending toward disorder (entropy).

The evidence of a Creator is creation itself, in the same way that a painting is the evidence that there was a painter, and a building is the evidence that there was a builder.

3 – Is the world evil? Are people primarily selfish and “looking out for #1?”

4 – Are you a moral person? Where does your morality come from? How do you know that stealing or murdering people is bad?

Thanks for joining us today. Feel free to visit our website at www.onedaycloser.biz, and please, send us your thoughts about previous shows or ideas for future shows. You can do this within Spotify player by clicking on the Send Us A Text link at the bottom. We can also be reached via email at ODC22@proton.me.

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You might have found the title of today’s show a-bit weird or awkward to follow Memorial Day, but if you stick around I think it will all make sense in the end.

I think this message was inspired by God, so I reached out to Mark and asked “what’s the difference between agnostics and atheists”, while holding back my real question.

Agnostic Definition:

: an agnostic quality, state, or attitude:

: the view that any ultimate reality (such as a deity) is unknown and probably unknowable : a philosophical or religious position characterized by uncertainty about the existence of a god or any gods.

Atheism Definition:

: a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods

: a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods

Our Google AI question:

What's the differences between agnostics and atheists?

The core difference is that atheism is a matter of belief (not believing a god exists), while agnosticism is a matter of knowledge (believing the existence of a god is currently unknown or inherently unknowable).

Breaking Down the Concepts

• Atheist: Someone who does not believe in the existence of a deity or gods. An atheist can either be someone who actively believes no gods exist, or simply someone who lacks a belief in gods.
• Agnostic: Someone who believes it is impossible to know whether a higher power exists. They conclude that the ultimate truth is currently unknown or cannot be known by humans, and therefore they neither fully believe nor disbelieve.

It’s sounds as though regardless of what you believe or don’t believe we all share one thing in common….FAITH in what we believe or don’t believe.

So let’s talk about Faith for a minute. According to the Bible, FAITH IS the substance of things HOPED FOR; it is the evidence of things UNSEEN. Hebrews 11:1

Key Concepts in the Definition

• Confidence/Substance: Faith provides a solid foundation for future hopes. It treats promised things as already real.
• Assurance/Evidence: Faith acts as conviction regarding invisible realities. It trusts in what the physical senses cannot perceive.
• Let's bake a cake analogy

This verse introduces Hebrews 11, often called the "Hall of Faith," which lists biblical figures who acted strictly on their trust in God.

In addition to the Hall of Faith there is more recent proof that God existed and exists today.

Universes Existence

What divides good and evil; light and dark; who drew the line between these polar forces?

What defined or established the many religions pursued around the world?

As different as they are, why are we all seeking truth and understanding? What drives us all to seek a higher understanding?

The cooper scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls

The shroud of Tureen

The lives martyred for such a belief.

We are not against either belief or non-belief. We would simply encourage seekers of truth to latch onto something that encourages, inspires and feeds not only your soul but those around you that could benefit from a committed walk of faith, hope and passion.

Musical Guest: Shane and Shane: We've Fighting a Battle

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Join Mark and I today as we say our last Goodbye to the greatest generation ever and honor all those that have sacrificed life and limb for those they never knew that came after them. Thank you for your sacrifice and thank you for fighting for Americas freedoms. Because of you, she still stands resolute, strong and a nation on a hill.

After a short trivia quiz on past wars, Mark and I will discuss the differences between Patriotism and Nationalism.

Today's closing guest performer is Hutch McCall singing The Cost of Freedom.

Thanks for listening and please keep sharing our podcast with your friends. Together we all can help rekindle a spirit of Hope and Truth into todays discussions.

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