The New “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” 800+ page Manual for Christians Proving the Validity of Their Faith. PDF Book online – and buy options

Verbreite die Liebe

Indisputable Proof that God has visited His people in the person of His only begotten Son Jesus the Christ (Yahshua). His Holy Word being so proven as correct, historical records proving all is correct etc.

You can read online this book “The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict – Josh McDowell PDF”. (This is for sampling only, and we advise everyone to get a physical copy from the publisher.)

You can buy the book in print on Amazon: “New Evidence that Demands a Verdict” https://amzn.to/3hC6Rhk

 

Intro Text:

How to Answer Bible Skeptics Confidently with
Powerful NEW Evidence of Life-Changing Truth
I’m sure you’ve heard it all…
“If God is so loving, why is there so much evil in the world today?”
“How can Jesus possibly be the only way to heaven?”
“I can’t believe the whole Bible is true. Where’s the proof?”
“Why is Jesus’ resurrection so important and what difference does it make
anyway?”
Yes, the world is full of skeptics about the Bible and the Christian faith—
those who are ambivalent to the Gospel…those who have been misled about the
life-changing truth of God’s Word…and those whose hearts have been hardened
and who dismiss the Bible outright.
Yet, whether they realize it or not, God is tugging at their hearts as they
search for answers about the purpose and meaning of their lives.
That’s why believers must be prepared with trustworthy answers for those
around us. Because if we don’t, we may miss golden opportunities to engage in conversations…to plant some seeds…and potentially lead skeptics to faith in Christ.
And that’s exactly why there’s such a need today for the completely
updated and expanded edition of the classic Evidence that Demands a Verdict.
Step-by-step, Evidence gives you the encouraging facts and persuasive
tools you need to defend your faith in an increasingly ambivalent, secularized, and
skeptical world.
FROM THE PUBLISHERS of the completely updated
and expanded edition of Evidence That Demands a Verdict
2
Strengthening, Encouraging, Winning People
to Christ for More Than 40 years
For more than 40 years, Evidence that Demands a Verdict has encouraged
and strengthened millions of people around the world.
It has helped convince skeptics about the reliability of the Old and New
Testaments. It has helped believers to deepen and articulate their faith. But more
significantly, it has given believers the vital facts they need to defend God’s Word
and to bring people to faith in Christ.
Why has Evidence That Demands a Verdict been so successful? Because it
is based on facts gleaned from ancient scrolls, archaeological discoveries, eye-witness accounts, corroborating testimonies, and more.
Consider this: when the first edition of Evidence That Demands a Verdict
was first published, it was able to point to some 22,000 biblical manuscripts to
support the reliability of the Bible. That’s powerful evidence–no other ancient
work comes close to having that kind of manuscript support. But in the years since,
that number has TRIPLED. We now have more than 66,000 biblical manuscripts
and scrolls (and counting), powerfully confirming that the Bible has been faithfully
and reliably passed down through the ages.
“Christianity is a mental faith—all truth starts with knowledge,” says author Josh McDowell. “Instead of feelings justifying truth, truth needs to justify our
feelings.”
“That is why we’ve been so careful to document everything so you can
know it is true. Feelings are valid…feelings can be a piece of evidence. But it always
must be in the context of knowledge and truth. The Bible says you should know the
truth (not just have a great feeling) and the truth shall set you free.”
What is the purpose for this completely updated and expanded new
edition? “Our hearts’ and minds’ desire is to help people to know that truth and
then how to live it out,” says Josh and his son, co-author Sean McDowell, PhD.
3
No question is off limits…
So give Evidence your toughest questions…your deepest doubts…and your
most puzzling questions, and you’ll find the facts you’re looking for. For example:
How do we know that Jesus was raised from the dead?
The overwhelming evidence for Jesus’ resurrection was the strongest argument for
Josh on the truth of Christianity, the scriptures, and the deity of Christ. Says Josh:
“After you see this expanded chapter, I guarantee you’ll share it with others.”
How do I know I can trust the Bible?
“The evidence for the scriptures is like a tsunami—an avalanche” says Josh.
Evidence That Demands a Verdict comprehensively documents the massive number of biblical manuscripts, and provides a compelling case for the reliability of
the Bible. Armed with this data, you’ll be able to quickly separate fact from fiction.
Are there other Gospels or texts that should have been in the Bible?
While other so-called “gospels” were written early in the church’s history,
Evidence That Demands a Verdict demonstrates that there is no reason to think
that they offer a better and more accurate view of the historical Jesus than Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
What was the fate of the apostles…were they really martyrs?
The apostles knew Jesus intimately. Who did they believe Jesus was? Were they
willing to suffer and die for that conviction? Sean’s new research offers a fresh look
at the men closest to Jesus, and analyzes what their willingness to suffer and die
means for Christian apologetics.
Is the Bible historically accurate?
Was there a historical Adam? Did the patriarchs exist? Is there evidence for the exodus? Did the conquest happen? Did David really exist? Evidence shines the light
of historical and archaeological evidence on the key events and people of the Old
Testament.
4
You’ll also find eye-opening evidence on such topics as:
• The Uniqueness of the Bible
• The Historical Existence of Jesus
• Old Testament Prophesies Fulfilled in Christ
• The Deity of Jesus
• Biblically Faithful Approaches to Genesis 1
• Archaeology and the Old Testament
• The Historical Adam
• Answering Skepticism
• Are Miracles Possible?
• Clearing the Fog of Top Misconceptions about Christianity
• And more—32 thoroughly documented chapters in all,
plus introductory material and appendices.
5
Check Out the Evidence!
Have you ever been stumped by someone’s argument against Christianity
or the Bible?
Has anyone ever made fun of you because the Bible sounds like a fairy
tale?
Has your faith been challenged by the steady beat of anti-Christian voices?
Then the completely updated edition of Evidence That Demands a Verdict
is just the faith-lift you need. It’s been specifically created to equip Christians to
know what they believe, why it is true, and how to live it out.
Evidence is now thoroughly revised and updated from previous
editions in light of new historical documentation and the best modern
scholarship. That means you’ll gain new insights to deepen your faith and be better able to answer the questions and objections you’ll face from skeptics today.
Evidence brings you all-new and expanded chapters to help you defend against the latest attacks from Christianity’s critics. No matter what
the topic—evidence for the Bible’s authenticity…evidence of Jesus…evidence for
the accuracy of the Old Testament… evidence for truth as revealed in the Bible—
this new edition is the most complete go-to source for fast, accurate answers.
Evidence provides an expansive defense of core truths and answers
to common critiques. Topics covered include the resurrection of Christ…the
alleged contradictions in the Old Testament…the historical accuracy of the New
Testament… and more. Taken together, they’ll deepen your own faith and help you
become a more powerful witness for the Gospel.
Evidence is now co-authored by Josh McDowell and his son, Sean,
adding new depth and providing sharper perspective and insight to answer questions being asked today by young and old alike.
6
LEARN MORE!
VISIT READEVIDENCE.COM FOR
A SPECIAL VIDEO MESSAGE FROM
JOSH AND SEAN MCDOWELL.
www.ReadEvidence.com
#ReadEvidence
7
A Special Note from Sean McDowell And
Interview with his father, Josh McDowell
Although I have had the privilege of working with my father on a variety
of projects, updating Evidence That Demands a Verdict is perhaps the most
special of all. While he has written or co-authored more than 150 books,
Evidence That Demands a Verdict is one of his signature works.
People regularly share with me that this book helped lead them to
Christ, or if they came across the book as a believer, helped them hold on to
their faith during a season of doubt. And some of the most influential evangelical scholars today, such as William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland, and leading
pastors, such as Skip Heitzig, consider the book formative in their own faith
journeys. While apologetics books have proliferated in recent years, in the last
quarter of the twentieth century, Evidence was one of the few based on the
historicity of the biblical accounts. For many it became their “go-to” reference
book for evidence-based apologetics. Evidence has been truly groundbreaking
and trendsetting.
And this does not yet even include its international influence! Since
1972, Evidence has been translated into forty-four languages and published
world-wide. Millions of people from South America, Asia, Australia, Africa, the
Middle East, and beyond have come to rely upon Evidence as one of the most
important apologetics books of this generation.
No wonder I ventured into this project with both enthusiasm and trepidation! It was thrilling to be able to manage the update of such a significant project, trusting that God would use it again for a new generation, yet I also felt the
weight of getting it right. After all, so many people all over the world consider
Evidence an authoritative source of evidence for the reliability of the Bible, the
historicity of the resurrection, and the reality that Jesus was really God in human flesh.
As I considered ways to introduce this new edition, I realized there
could be no better re-introduction than an interview with my father, Josh.
The revisions and expansions to this present edition remain fully grounded
in Josh’s own story—his reasons for writing Evidence in the first place and the
impact the book has had on his own life and the lives of those he’s ministered
to over the years.
8
SEAN: Dad, why did you first write Evidence That Demands a Verdict?
JOSH: I wrote it as a result of a struggle. I began my college years with a lot of
hurt, anger, and bitterness. I was mad at my father—your grandfather—for being an alcoholic and for destroying my family. I was also angry at Wayne Bailey,
the man who worked on our farm, for sexually abusing me from ages six to
thirteen. I was desperately seeking happiness and meaning in life, and simply
didn’t know where to find it. I was successful in school, business, sports, and
even campus leadership. And even though I put on a smile and acted like I had
it all together, my life seemed so empty. I desperately wanted to know truth.
And yet in the university I saw this small group of people, two professors and about eight students, whose lives were different. I wanted what they
had, and so I asked them what made their lives different. One girl said, “Jesus
Christ,” and I laughed. Her answer struck me as the stupidest thing I had ever
heard. But this group challenged me to examine the claims of Christ intellectually.
I am certainly not the smartest person in the world, but I am responsible
to use my intellect to discover truth to the utmost. So I took up their challenge,
and to my amazement came to the conclusion that God did manifest himself
through the Scriptures and the person of Christ.
Once I came to this intellectual conviction, I began to strategize about
how I could share the things I discovered with others. For thirteen years after becoming a Christian, I both shared my faith and continued to research.
Eventually, I brought together a team of students from a variety of universities
to work with me. They would research all day, and then I would collate their
findings at night. Out of those years of work came Evidence That Demands a
Verdict.
And yet no one wanted to publish it! I broke almost every principle of
publishing, such as including lengthy quotes with full documentation. People
told me that it wouldn’t sell and that no one would read it. It took me nearly a
year to type out the manuscript on an electric typewriter. I checked and double-checked footnotes and yet still made some mistakes. I finally published it
on a Friday morning, and by that evening, it was already selling out. And it
continued to sell at a feverish rate for years.
Now there are some incredible apologetics books by people like Ravi
Zacharias, Lee Strobel, Frank Turek, J. Warner Wallace, and others. But there
9
was almost nothing like it when I first wrote EVIDENCE.
SEAN: What is one of your favorite stories about the impact of Evidence?
JOSH: Probably my favorite stories come from overseas—from places like
the Middle East and South Korea. One year Evidence was chosen by secular
publishers as the book of the year in South Korea. Honors like this are so exciting because they mean that the book is influencing lives by motivating people
to dig deeper into the Scriptures.
A man walked into a Christian bookstore in an Arabic-speaking
country. “I want your best book on the defense of Christianity.” The book store
manager handed him Evidence That Demands A Verdict in Arabic.
As the man left he exclaimed, “I’m doing my dissertation on destroying
Christianity.” Six months later the storeowner baptized the student who had
become a believer.
SEAN:How has culture changed since you first wrote Evidence in the early 1970s?
JOSH: When I first wrote Evidence, there was very limited access to information. Today there is an overload of truth claims. In the 1970s, people were exposed to ideas by their parents, friends, teachers in school, and then eventually
professors in the university. But there wasn’t the internet, where people now
have endless access to unfiltered information.
Also, when I first wrote Evidence, people wanted proof for their beliefs.
People wanted evidence. And then it began to switch about ten to fifteen years
ago. It used to be that when I made a truth claim at a university, students would
say, “How do you know that’s true? Give us some proof.” But then students
started saying, “What right do you have to make that claim? You are an intolerant bigot.” Culture has gravitated away from the essence of truth to the emotion of the individual. Essentially, culture has moved from valuing substance to
valuing form.
SEAN: How do you intend Evidence to be used?
JOSH: I wrote Evidence as a resource book for individuals and families.
10
According to his wife, legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry would
read Evidence for fifteen minutes every night before bed, including the night
before the Super Bowl. But he’s an exception. Evidence is a thick book that is
heavy with content. I wrote it to be a resource for individuals and families to
walk through together, so they could be confident that there is a lot of evidence
for Christianity and know where to find answers to common objections.
SEAN: What is your goal for this new version?
JOSH: The goal for this new version is the same as the first one: to give people
a reference book that spurs them toward truth and greater confidence in Scripture and the desire to know truth. My hope is that Evidence continues to be a
foundational book for pastors, teachers, parents, students, youth workers, and
other Christians who want to have confidence about their own faith and be
ready to give an answer for their faith.
SEAN: What role did the evidence play in your personal journey to Christ?
JOSH: My biggest objection to Christianity was that it was not true. But once I
checked out the evidence firsthand, I realized that Christianity is true. Encountering the evidence was one of the biggest factors that led me to consider the
claims of Christ. Through wrestling with the evidence, I learned that faith is
meant to go along with evidence, not run contrary to it.
But, despite what many people think, it wasn’t the evidence that brought
me to Christ. What brought me to Christ was an understanding of the love of
God. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I
have continued my faithfulness to you” (esv). What brought me to Christ was
the realization that if I were the only one in the world, Christ still would have
died for me.
My ultimate problem wasn’t intellectual—it was emotional. I had bitterness and hatred for my father because he was an alcoholic and destroyed my
family. The sexual abuse I experienced for seven years from another older male
in my life just compounded the hurt. Given my father’s failures, it brought me
no joy to hear that a heavenly Father supposedly loved me. Every time someone mentioned a “heavenly father,” it didn’t bring joy–it brought pain. I could
11
not decipher the difference between a heavenly father and an earthly father
because in my world and in my experience, fathers hurt people. So I wanted
nothing to do with God. I never even considered the message of Christianity
until I was convinced that it was true. Evidence brought me to the point of considering how the Christian message might apply to my own life. It was the evidence that first caught my attention, but it was an understanding of the love of
God, as I mentioned above, that ultimately drew me to trust and follow Christ.
***
It truly was a joy and privilege to partner with my father, and dozens of students
and scholars, on this project. God has used this book in remarkable ways over
the past half century. My prayer is that God will continue to use it to ground
believers with confidence in their faith and to help seekers discover how much
God truly cares for them and desires to know them personally. I hope you find
this edition faithful to the original spirit of Evidence but also updated for a new
generation.

The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict – Josh McDowell