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Jul 21, 2025 06:30am

Every Religion Has a Grave. Only One Has an Empty Tomb.

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“We’ve got a witness that puts you at the scene. We’re booking you for murder.”

How many witnesses does it take to charge someone with a crime?

I’ve probably been watching way too much Murder She Wrote lately. Or maybe it’s Law & Order that’s the culprit. Either way, if we’ve got a witness, we’ve got a case.

It just takes one.

But what about when that witness takes the stand? How many witnesses would it take for the jury to believe?

One? Two? Three?

What if it were 12 or more than 500? Would it be true then? Would you believe the eye-witness accounts if more than 500 people were telling you it was true?

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

“Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.”

Paul reassured the believers at Corinth of the validity of the gospel. It wasn’t just a story. It wasn’t some idea or fairy tale that someone had concocted. It was truth. And they could know it was true because of the witnesses.

How many would it take to believe? Jesus quoted from the law when He said in John 8:17 that two witnesses proved something was true. And here, Paul shares that not only were there 2 witnesses to the gospel account, but there were all of the apostles, including him. And there were more than 500 that had attested to the truth that they saw Jesus after He rose from the dead.

Why is this such a big deal?

I’m glad you asked.

Anyone can be a leader. Anyone can have the right words to say, can have a big following, can share insightful words that have us in awe and wonder.

Anyone can die. Anyone can be buried. Look at all the great world and religious leaders throughout history. They may have done incredible things, but where are they today?

In the grave.

Except one.

Jesus Christ.

Only Jesus Christ rose from the dead. And we can know it to be true because of not just one or two eye witness accounts. But as Paul shared, more than 500 can attest to it.

No other religion can say that.

Wherever you are today reading this, I want you to know something with 100% certainty.

There is no other way to be saved from your sins and have eternal life than through Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). There have been great men, philosophers and teachers who have done incredible things for this world, but they will not and cannot save you.

Jesus offers salvation and eternal life to those that will believe in Him and have faith that He will save them. But we must believe that He alone is God. Some religions will say that believing in Jesus is fine, as long as you believe in these other gods too.

Christ alone.

He is the only way to salvation.

It’s not Christ plus works. It’s not Christ plus another deity. It is not Christ plus anything.

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The gospel changes everything. Paul shared that with these people in Corinth. He made sure they knew the truth they were standing on.

Do you know it? Do you believe it? If someone asked you today why you believe what you believe, could you tell them?

Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you (1 Peter 3:15).

Not only were these people ready to testify to the truth that Jesus had been crucified, buried and rose from the dead, they declared He was alive. And they were willing to die for it.

Jesus doesn’t want you to put Him on your list of gods you worship. He doesn’t want your sacrifices and money. He doesn’t want a checklist of all the wonderful things you’ve done for good.

He wants you. Your heart. He desires for you to know Him. He wants to walk with you every day, talking about the troubles of this life and how you can trust in Him to carry you.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that can change today. Pour out your heart to Him and ask Him to save you. Commit your life to following Him.

Let me show you more. This is not a pitch to get you to buy something. I want you to know Jesus with every fiber of my being. Why? Because I know there is no other possible way to be saved. Because I know there is no way to get through the storms of this life without Him. Because I know he is true. He has saved me, changed me and given me purpose. And He will do the same for you.

Go to follow.lifeword.org. Let me show you the truth about Jesus. Will you do that today? Would you like this post and share it with someone so they can know the truth?

For God so loved the world…