Featured How do you know anything?

There is actually no direct evidence for the resurrection outside the Christian New Testament and the regeneration of the believer by way of that record (1 John 5:9-11).

 

So do you or do you not believe Matthew, Peter, John and Paul saw the risen Christ first hand? Why or why not? What extra Biblical record proves it?

 

This would be where genuine Christians personal experience would come in. (Romans 8:16)

 

You are not understanding the issue. The issue is there is no resurrection evidence without the Christian New Testament documents. None what so ever. The fact is we do have the New Testament documents. And as far as I know, any other "evidence" are in addition to. I dare say none of them provide evidence of the resurrection.

 

The witness of others is not at issue. But witnesses who actually saw the resurrected Christ. Which we have with in the New Testament documents.

 

Josephus is a secondary who at the very least establishes historically there was a Jesus referred to as the Christ. And is believed to cite about the resurrection. Regarding the quotes from the historian Josephus about Jesus | CARM.org

But only the New Testament is actual evidence of this event.

 

So what evidence do we have which predates the New Testament documents which connect Pilate and Caiaphas to Jesus as the Christ?

 

Christianity stands and falls on the Christian New Testament. And the argument is that the only actual evidence of Christ's resurrection are those documents which make up the New Testament. All extra Biblical "evidence" are ultimately contingent on it.

There is corroborating evidence, which demonstrates the veracity of the New Testament documents.

Again the only evidence of the resurrection of Christ are the New Testament documents. And of course regeneration of us believers as a result.

 

Please cite my two contradictory statements.

As a Baptist I hold that the Christian New Testament is the sole Apostolic authority of the Christian faith. Genuine Christianity stands and falls by the Christian New Testament. The Christian New Testament being the sole real evidence of the resurrection of Christ.

I became a Christian on the notion that I could know for sure when I died that I would go to Heaven. That notion is based on the understanding that the Bible to be the word of God and that God cannot lie.

Just merely because I had believed that did not make it true. So either it is true or it is not. The phenomena of the gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone causes one to actually know God. And this is found originally in the Christian New Testament alone.

 

How we know anything has to do with three key things.
First, our personal experience.
Second, the witness of others.
Third, logical deduction.

And in each of these we believe a thing by which it becomes our preceived knowledge.

The written records we call the Bible is a witness of others.

 

How we know anything is important.

Restating the order by which we know anything:
1. Our personal experience.
2. Our own thinking.
3. The witness of others.

The last item here, the witness of others, is the basis by which we know most things.

Now as Christians we should know what we know with absolute certainty in regards to salvation and knowing God pesonally.
Our source is our Bible.

It is a translation (a witness of others) of manuscripts (witness of others) handed down (witness of others).

The documents that make up our Bible have internal claims to be from God.

Now connecting the Biblical witness to our personal experience with God (the new birth). There is our personal understanding and thinking and logic which we make conclusions.

Our understanding of God comes from the Bible. And our thinking (logical deductions) we are able to conclued we know for sure.

Now I skipped a lot of details here.