Guest post by Paul S. Gardiner
This article outlines two significant and concrete reasons to hold a strong faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. For skeptics questioning Jesus’s divinity or the centuries-old accounts of His teachings and miracles detailed in the Christian texts (gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), these points may inspire a fresh perspective on Jesus and, ideally, cultivate belief and faith in Him as Lord and Savior. (The Bible posits that without a Savior to atone for human transgressions, individuals face divine wrath, a fate best avoided!)
Two compelling reasons for a robust faith in Jesus as God’s Son include:
- the recent validation of the Shroud of Turin as the actual burial cloth of Jesus, which provides evidence for His bodily resurrection; and
- probability assessments indicating that only Jesus could fulfill numerous biblical prophecies made long before His earthly existence.
The Shroud of Turin
The Almighty has graciously preserved an extraordinary 2,000-year-old artifact for humanity—a holy relic known as the Shroud of Turin. This burial cloth has recently been verified through extensive research and scientific investigations as authentic.
The Shroud measures 14.5 x 3.7 feet and features a face-up image of a man with blood marks on his forehead, wrists, side, and feet—precisely where the biblical narrative describes Jesus’s crucifixion by Roman soldiers. Below is the facial depiction found on the Shroud:
Recent studies suggest that the fabric used for the Shroud aligns with textiles woven in first-century Israel, containing traces of plant matter indigenous to the Jerusalem area.
A recent Newsmax article notes: “Dr. Robert Harrington, a prominent skeptic and scientist, astounded his colleagues with his conversion to Christianity following groundbreaking research on the Shroud of Turin.”
“Dr. Harrington initially set out to disprove the authenticity of the Shroud. However, as he immersed himself in the study, employing advanced technologies and methodology, he discovered findings that challenged both his scientific perspective and personal beliefs.”
“I approached this study with skepticism, eager to dismantle what I believed to be a historical falsehood,’ Dr. Harrington elaborated. ‘But the evidence we gathered was so convincing that there was no room for doubt—it is undeniably the burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth.’”
In-depth studies of the Shroud reveal that the blood stains and bodily fluids appear to have been “burned” onto the fabric by an inexplicable surge of energy. Notably, the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP), comprised of a multidisciplinary team, concluded that the image:
- seems to have been produced by a pulsating strobe of high-intensity light emanating from inside the body;
- this occurrence transpired in 1/40 of a billionth of a second, akin to a laser beam, requiring an astounding 2.5 billion watts of energy; to replicate such light would necessitate the entire electrical output of Earth!
A comprehensive dialogue regarding the Shroud’s authenticity between Tucker Carlson and Dr. Jeremiah Johnson can be viewed here.
The biblical narrative teaches that God raised Jesus from His deceased body, allowing Him to engage with hundreds over the next 40 days, proving His victory over death—assuring believers of an afterlife with their Heavenly Father. The Bible records that after this period, Jesus ascended to Heaven to “sit at God’s right hand”.
The Shroud of Turin stands as a beacon of hope for those grappling with life’s meaning or uncertain about their fate beyond earthly existence. As stated in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Currently, the Shroud is safeguarded beneath protective glass in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy.
Probability Calculations
The probability assessments discussed herein are outlined in the book “Science Speaks” by Professor Peter W. Stone and Robert C. Newman, Ph.D., published by Moody Press, Chicago, 1958. Professor Stone examines pivotal questions: “Was the Jesus of the Bible who he claimed to be? Was he truly God’s Son? Was Jesus the Messiah?”
Initially, Professor Stone analyzed just eight of the approximately 300 prophecies concerning Jesus and his life:
a) born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2);
b) a messenger will prepare the way for Him (Mal 3:1);
c) will enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9);
d) wounded in His hands by friends (Zech 13:6);
e) betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zech 11:12);
f) the betrayal leading to a payment to a potter (Zech 11:13);
g) remained silent before his accusers (Isa 53:7); and
h) wicked men pierced His hands and feet (Ps 22:16).
In assessing a prophecy related to Jesus, Professor Stone prompts us to consider, “How likely is it that one man alone has fulfilled this prophecy?” He further asserts, “While some may argue that these prophecies exclusively pertain to Christ, there are indeed instances where other individuals could fulfill similar prophecies.
For instance, Christ was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem; surely people besides him have been born there. Prophecies surrounding crucifixions exist; history shows others have faced the same fate—my goal is to analyze the evidence impartially, providing a coherent argument.”
Without delving into intricate mathematical equations, the conclusion of these probability calculations reveals that the odds of these eight prophecies being simultaneously fulfilled by one individual purely by chance is 1 in 1017, or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.
Expanding the examination to 16 prophecies raises the odds dramatically to 1 x 1028 x 1017, resulting in 1 in 1045—or a staggering probability of 1 in 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000! Yet, in what can only be described as extraordinary, every one of these 16 prophecies was indeed fulfilled by Jesus!
In Professor Stone’s view, it is irrefutably clear that mathematically, Jesus of Nazareth is validated as God’s Son and the foretold Savior.
Professor Stone concludes: “Anyone who denies Christ as the Son of God is dismissing a reality that has perhaps been proven more definitively than any other truth on Earth.”
Individuals risk significant peril by rejecting the divinity of Jesus, failing to trust in Him for the salvation of their souls, and neglecting the profound teachings He imparted for enriching human life.
Paul S. Gardiner is a retired U.S. Army officer, Vietnam veteran, and devoted follower of Jesus Christ. He holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Alabama, and the U.S. Army War College.
