An Interview With a Man Called Jesus

The teachings of Jesus are all we need to know.

Some people question the teachings of Jesus and want to know if Jesus actually knew everything. The only way to know whether or not Jesus actually knew everything would be to ask him, so we are going to bring Jesus back to earth for just a few minutes and have Scott Pelley interview him on a special edition of "60 Minutes" we will call - "The Man Jesus - Did He Know Everything?"

As the show opens, Scott Pelley and Jesus are sitting in chairs facing each other, in front of a large picture of the earth and the interview begins.

Scott Pelley:

Jesus, when you walked among the people of this earth in human form, were you ever lonely?

Jesus:

My child, just as you have set yourself apart from the rest of the world and have made yourself different, during the time when I walked this earth, I also was different. Many of my disciples left me and I spent a lot of time alone in the desert or in the Mount of Olives where I often prayed to my father. There were many who could not understand my teachings and that often troubled me. So, yes, just like you I spent much time in loneliness.

Why God Punishes Evil

Exercise of free will determines punishment.

Scripture bears the truth that God does chastise His people for being disobedient to His will and for continuing to live in an unacceptable manner.  God delivers that sort of punishment meant to correct a person, with the hope of teaching them not to repeat the wrongdoing.

When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden everything was perfect.  It was a beautiful paradise with every animal and bird of nature and God had given them everything they would ever need.  Adam was told that he could live forever and be happy forever if he listened to God’s instructions. God told Adam that he could eat the fruit of every tree in the garden, except one.  He clearly outlined the penalty of eating of this one particular tree.

God's View On Abortion

God teaches us about His love for unborn children.

God's view on the abortion issue can be found in the Bible, in the book of Jeremiah, Chapter 1, verse 5:

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."  

In this verse of scripture, we find a reference to an unborn baby being known to God. It should be quite clear that God loved and respected children from the very beginning of their lives, which seems to direct us to the time of conception.

Why Bad Things Happen To Good People

The tragedies of life affect all of us.

In asking the question "Why do bad things happen to good people", there must be underlying questions about the character of God.  The question could probably be more appropriately worded  - "If God loves us, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people?"

A person can live a life of faith, be an upstanding member of the church and the community, be a good husband and father and still experience the tragedies of life.  Why?

The answer to this question certainly isn't simple by any means, but the root of the answer lies in our ability to choose, our free will.  When God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in paradise with the free will to do whatever they pleased, except for one thing.  God gave them specific instructions to not eat fruit from the tree of knowledge.

Is Jesus The Only Way Of Salvation?

"Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

In posing the question "Is Jesus the only way of salvation?" one could easily assume that someone has been told there might be another way.

Salvation in common everyday language could mean "the act of protecting something from loss or harm", like insurance in a catastrophic event might be our only "salvation". From a Biblical or Christian point of view, salvation is a deliverance from the power and penalties of sin or redemption.

For Christians whose guiding principles are founded in the Bible, the answer to this question can be found in one single passage of scripture, where we find in John 14:6:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Since I am a Baptist, some might feel that I am just a little biased, so let's take a look at what other religious denominations have to say about salvation.

Evil Is The Nature Of Humanity

Evil thoughts and deeds are changing mankind.

There can be no better example of humanity's nature for evil than the recent mass shootings at an elementary school in Connecticut.  This tragedy ended in the needless, unmerciful murder of 20 totally innocent children.  According to the experts, this heinous crime was not the result of someones temporary insanity, but rather it was a well thought out premeditated plan.  It is the evil thoughts and deeds of this one individual that have forever changed the lives of every parent and grandparent in all areas of the free world.

The Bible teaches us that man is essentially evil by nature in Mark: 7:20-23 (NIV);

 "He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Was Jesus Really Crucified?

We live by faith and that's what it's all about.

Crucifixion was an ancient method of execution, in which the victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang there until dead.  History tells us that crucifixion probably originated with the ancient Persians.  Captured pirates were crucified at the port of Athens in the 7th century BC.  The Romans adopted this custom in the 1st century BC, and used it during the Roman Civil War and the destruction of Jerusalem.

There is no scientific evidence that Jesus was crucified and died on the cross, but keep in mind, we've never exhumed Abraham Lincoln's body to see if that is really him either.  If we did, we certainly don't have any of Lincoln's DNA to prove scientifically it's him.

Christian beliefs are founded in a book called the Bible and we believe this book to be the inspired word of God. The Bible is filled with accounts of Jesus' birth, his teachings and yes, his death on the cross. We are secure in these beliefs and have no need to ever question the facts of the creation or Jesus' death. We live by faith, and that's what it's all about.

Are Christians Losing Christmas As A Holy Day?

Christmas is a celebration of Jesus - today and forever.

What would you do if you opened your morning newspaper and saw these headlines? - "Will
Christians Reclaim Christmas As A Holy Day?"

Did you know that there was a time when Christmas was cancelled? Yes, there really was a Scrooge. In the mid-1600s, when Oliver Cromwell took over England, he officially cancelled Christmas.

In 1789, when the first congress was in session under our new Constitution, it was in session on December 25, 1789. Finally, in 1870 Christmas was declared a federal holiday.

Does Christianity Have Room For Other Beliefs?

Our beliefs must help us strive for a better life.

Christianity has its origin in Judaism, after all Jesus was a Jew. The followers of Jesus believed him to be the "messiah". At the convening of the first Christian council, the apostles decided that Christians didn't have to follow Jewish laws and the two faiths or beliefs moved further away from one another.

A few of the major differences between Judaism and Christian beliefs are:

• Christian principles are founded in the Bible, while the sacred text of Judaism is the Tanakh. (It is important to note here that the Old Testament of the Holy Bible was originally the Jewish Bible.)

• Christians believe in the "Trinity" of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as three persons, while Judaism normally recognizes "Unity", one person. (There are some Christians who believe the same as Judaism in this area.)

• Christians believe in a virgin birth of Jesus, while Judaism believes he was born by a normal birth.

• Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God, while Judaism recognizes him as a false prophet.

• Christians believe that Jesus ascended into heaven after his crucifixion; Judaism does not.

• Christians believe that Jesus will return to earth one day; Judaism does not.

• Christians accept Judaism as a true religion with incomplete revelation, while Judaism believes Christianity to be a false interpretation of Judaism.