The ESV is translated from Hebrew and Koine Greek. Not from Latin. The KJV was pretty good for it’s time IMO, but there are copyist errors and mistakes which the ESV resolves. I’d never claim the KJV is divinely inspired.
Heaven does have an existence. We’re given new bodies. If it was simply a big church service, we wouldn’t need physical bodies. I think Heaven would allow activities. Worshipping God isn’t just singing to Him. You can also worship Him in working as well.
The council of Nicea had absolutely nothing to do with the Biblical Canon. It was dealing with the Arian Heresy. The council of Florence was dealing with Papal supremacy. Not the Biblical canon. The Biblical Canon is simply the writings of Jesus’ Apostles and the Gospels, with the existing scripture that Jesus used. The councils weren’t necessarily divinely inspired, but they refuted and concisely defined core aspects of what the New Testament says, and expelling clear heresies that contradict it (like trinity denial, resurrection denial, etc).
Christianity holds the most reliable accounts and following of Jesus. Jesus appears in other religions, but not in the way He does in Christianity.
For example, Islam: Jesus is apparently a non divine prophet. The Qur’an also claims that it’s in agreement with the Bible when it clearly contradicts it. The Islamic belief in Jesus is based on the writings of a single dude 600 years after Christianity existed.
In Judaism, Jesus is just a sorcerer who somehow didn’t fulfill the prophecies enough.
In Hinduism, Jesus is just seen as another god. But Jesus didn’t claim to be that, He claimed to be “The Way” (John 14:6)
Buddhism claims Jesus was a Bodhisvatta. But He claimed to be God Himself (John 10:30)
So let’s look at history. Nobody can deny Jesus existed. So either He was a liar, or God himself. However, His purported resurrection was witnessed by several people, most of which who died on that fact, and the followers of Him ballooned despite being persecuted. Christianity offered no advantage to anyone who adopted it in the first and second century. People were told to resist a lot of carnal desires and hundreds if not thousands ended up being martyred. People weren’t extorted for money or control either. Unlike other religions which may offer multiple wives, power or godhood, for example.
Basically, in short, dude appeared in 1st century, claimed to be God, was seen doing miracles and was crucified. Was seen risen from the dead. Those who saw that ended up dying on that hill to no gain of their own.
And this isn’t even taking into account mine and other people’s personal experiences (although I do agree that trying to justify something on personal experience alone isn’t very productive or convincing, or very provable), but my foundation is in this historical fact and it’s what brought me to Him.
The ESV is translated from Hebrew and Koine Greek. Not from Latin. The KJV was pretty good for it’s time IMO, but there are copyist errors and mistakes which the ESV resolves. I’d never claim the KJV is divinely inspired.
Heaven does have an existence. We’re given new bodies. If it was simply a big church service, we wouldn’t need physical bodies. I think Heaven would allow activities. Worshipping God isn’t just singing to Him. You can also worship Him in working as well.
The council of Nicea had absolutely nothing to do with the Biblical Canon. It was dealing with the Arian Heresy. The council of Florence was dealing with Papal supremacy. Not the Biblical canon. The Biblical Canon is simply the writings of Jesus’ Apostles and the Gospels, with the existing scripture that Jesus used. The councils weren’t necessarily divinely inspired, but they refuted and concisely defined core aspects of what the New Testament says, and expelling clear heresies that contradict it (like trinity denial, resurrection denial, etc).
Christianity holds the most reliable accounts and following of Jesus. Jesus appears in other religions, but not in the way He does in Christianity.
For example, Islam: Jesus is apparently a non divine prophet. The Qur’an also claims that it’s in agreement with the Bible when it clearly contradicts it. The Islamic belief in Jesus is based on the writings of a single dude 600 years after Christianity existed.
In Judaism, Jesus is just a sorcerer who somehow didn’t fulfill the prophecies enough.
In Hinduism, Jesus is just seen as another god. But Jesus didn’t claim to be that, He claimed to be “The Way” (John 14:6)
Buddhism claims Jesus was a Bodhisvatta. But He claimed to be God Himself (John 10:30)
So let’s look at history. Nobody can deny Jesus existed. So either He was a liar, or God himself. However, His purported resurrection was witnessed by several people, most of which who died on that fact, and the followers of Him ballooned despite being persecuted. Christianity offered no advantage to anyone who adopted it in the first and second century. People were told to resist a lot of carnal desires and hundreds if not thousands ended up being martyred. People weren’t extorted for money or control either. Unlike other religions which may offer multiple wives, power or godhood, for example.
Basically, in short, dude appeared in 1st century, claimed to be God, was seen doing miracles and was crucified. Was seen risen from the dead. Those who saw that ended up dying on that hill to no gain of their own.
And this isn’t even taking into account mine and other people’s personal experiences (although I do agree that trying to justify something on personal experience alone isn’t very productive or convincing, or very provable), but my foundation is in this historical fact and it’s what brought me to Him.