In his book The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune with an M.S. in Law from Yale Law School, uses his journalistic skills and legal knowledge to dig into the evidence behind Christianity’s beliefs about Jesus. This skeptic-turned-believer relates his interviews with a dozen experts in theology, archaeology, philosophy, psychology, medicine, and other fields in an effort to assemble a thorough, meticulously researched case for Jesus. As a former atheist, Strobel is familiar with the major objections to Christianity—which he raises at every possible opportunity. But his interviewees never flinch, and they are able to respectfully but firmly squash these doubts and objections by using multiple facts and examples and citing a wide variety of sources.

At the end of Strobel’s investigation, which parallels his own two-year search for answers that led to his conversion, he summarizes the overwhelming evidence for the truth of the Bible’s claims about who Jesus was and what he did. He then gives the reader a glimpse of the realizations he faced after weighing the evidence for Jesus:

“The atheism I had embraced for so long buckled under the weight of historical truth. It was a stunning and radical outcome, certainly not what I had anticipated when I embarked on this investigative process. But it was, in my opinion, a decision compelled by the facts.

“All of which led me to the ‘So what?’ question. If this is true, what difference does it make? There were several obvious implications.

• If Jesus is the Son of God, his teachings are more than just good ideas from a wise teacher; they are divine insights on which I can confidently build my life.
• If Jesus sets the standard for morality, I can now have an unwavering foundation for my choices and decisions, rather than basing them on the ever-shifting sands of expediency and self-centeredness.
• If Jesus did rise from the dead, he’s still alive today and available for me to encounter on a personal basis.
• If Jesus conquered death, he can open the door of eternal life for me, too.
• If Jesus has divine power, he has the supernatural ability to guide me and help me and transform me as I follow him.
• If Jesus personally knows the pain of loss and suffering, he can comfort and encourage me in the midst of turbulence that he himself warned is inevitable in a world corrupted by sin.
• If Jesus loves me as he says, he has my best interests at heart. That means I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by committing myself to him and his purposes.
• If Jesus is who he claims to be (and remember, no leader of any other major religion has even pretended to be God), as my Creator he rightfully deserves my allegiance, obedience, and worship.”

You probably haven’t had an experience like Lee Strobel’s. Most likely you haven’t traveled the country, spending hours grilling scholars over the details of the claims about Jesus in the Bible. But Strobel’s account is a valuable one because it shows how God can work in someone’s heart, and through others witnessing to that person, to change deeply rooted prejudices and open his or her eyes to the truth.

The reliability of the New Testament documents and the corroboration of the story of Jesus in other ancient accounts—both explored in detail in Strobel’s book—prove that Jesus really did live, perform miracles, die of crucifixion, and rise from the dead. The Bible tells us why: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). All that you must do is believe what the Bible teaches, accept the grace God has given to you through Jesus, and you will be saved. You can accept Jesus now as your Lord and Savior simply by praying to God, asking him to forgive you for your sins and change your heart. You will find that in the end, it takes much more faith to continue believing in nothing than to come to the logical conclusion that Jesus was and is the Son of God.

Taken with permission from The Case for Christ, published by Zondervan. Copyright © 1998 by Lee Strobel. www.zondervan.com