Most people, young or old, have heard the name Jesus Christ. Many would say they believe in Him. Others wonder if He actually existed. Some outright disbelieve the Bible account. The stories of Jesus’ mighty works may sound too good to be true.

Understand: Jesus Christ did and does exist. There are indisputable facts that prove this. He preached the gospel, healed the sick, performed miracles, cast out demons, and did all His Father sent Him to do, culminating in His ultimate sacrifice for mankind.

This Bible study examines the facts that back up Christ’s existence from both secular and biblical sources. It should strengthen your conviction that Christ was a real person who lived and walked on Earth.

It is essential for anyone living God’s Way to “prove all things” (I Thes. 5:21). Accurate documentation or information given by those who witnessed a particular event or events firsthand helps you to do this. Factual testimony through witnesses, records, documents or objects must be examined and used as foundational evidence for one’s beliefs.

The same is true with proving the existence of Jesus. Ultimately, you must decide whether there is reliable evidence to show that He existed and that people saw and interacted with Him.

Here are facts that prove the existence of Jesus Christ, as well as important information about His life.

(1) What is the best resource for information on Christ’s life? John 5:39, 1:1, 17:17.

The Bible is the most reliable source of information about Jesus and chronicles His time on Earth. It reveals that Christ is the Word and also that the Word is truth.

If you have not done so, be sure to study the booklet Bible Authority...Can It Be Proven? It proves the Bible’s validity and helps build a solid foundation for proving all of God’s truth.

(2) Can Christ’s human existence be proven by sources other than the Bible?

Evidence that Jesus walked the Earth is also recorded in the writings of secular historians. These writers were not Christians. They simply recorded facts about Jesus from a historical perspective. This is important because it means they generally wrote objectively and stated what occurred without bias. Notable writers included Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian of the first century who famously recorded many events covered in the Bible, and Mara Bar-Serapion, a Syrian who wrote a letter comparing the deaths of Pythagoras, Socrates and Jesus Christ. Roman historians Tacitus, Suetonius and Pliny the Younger are additional examples.

Hundreds of millions of followers from other religions also acknowledge Christ’s existence. Muslims regard Him as a prophet of God and those of the Baha’i faith believe He is a manifestation of God.

(3) Was Jesus the promised Messiah? Isaiah 35:5-6, 53:7, 61:1-2; Psalm 22:17-18; Matthew 11:2-6.

Christ’s ministry proved this. When John the Baptist inquired as to whether He was the Messiah, Jesus pointed to His works as evidence of who He was. He healed the sick, raised the dead and preached the gospel to the poor. From His place of birth to the method of His death, He fulfilled what was prophesied to occur.

(4) Why did Jesus come to Earth in human form? Matthew 1:23; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:16-18; I Peter 2:21.

As a human being, Jesus experienced the sufferings, trials and temptations mankind feels on a daily basis. Because of this, He can better relate to us as our perfect High Priest.

He also became human in order to be sacrificed for our sins. He demonstrated humility by being willing to take on the form of a servant. In effect, for a time, the Creator became like what He created.

One of Christ’s names is Emmanuel, which means God with us. His life on Earth provided a real example of true obedience to God. We can learn from it and follow in His steps.

(5) During what time period was Christ born? Was it during the winter months as many in professing Christianity believe? Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-18; Song of Solomon 2:11.

The Bible does not give the exact month and day on which Jesus was born. The timing of His death was more important.

We do have clues, however, as to the general timing of His birth. The Bible states that Jesus was born “in the days of Herod the king.” Other verses show that He was not born during the winter months. One significant clue confirming this is the fact that shepherds were out in the fields with their flocks. Customarily, sheep were taken into folds (or protective enclosures) around November and remained there until March as the winter period in Israel (where Christ was born) was rainy. This means that His birth almost certainly occurred between April and October. Jesus certainly was not born on December 25. This is one reason God’s people do not celebrate Christmas.

(6) In what town was Jesus born? Micah 5:2; Luke 2:3-7.

Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem, which is also known as the “city of David.” The location of His birth is important because it was a fulfillment of prophecy. Joseph and Mary, Christ’s earthly parents, lived in Nazareth. At the time of Jesus’ birth, circumstances required Joseph and his family to travel to Bethlehem, which played a role in Christ being born there.

(7) What was His early life like? Matthew 2:13-23, 13:55; Mark 6:3.

Early on, Jesus traveled extensively with His human parents. The reigning king of Judah sought to kill Him from His birth. Therefore, God warned Joseph to take Him to Egypt. As the stepson of a carpenter and a carpenter Himself, Jesus learned building principles and a strong work ethic at an early age. Not much is said about Jesus growing up, which means He likely grew up as any other typical Jewish boy at that time.

(8) What characteristics did He have as a child? Luke 2:40-52; John 8:29; Galatians 5:22-23; Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 2:22.

Though not much is recorded in the Bible about exactly what He was like as a youth, various passages give a glimpse into the kind of character a young Jesus demonstrated. He was enthusiastic about His Father’s business. Through His interactions with scholars at that time, He demonstrated great understanding and wisdom. Because He was perfect, we can know that He exhibited love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control from a young age.

(9) Into what kind of religious environment was Jesus born? Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Matthew 5:20, 22:23, 23:4; Mark 7:5.

During Christ’s time, there was a lot of religious confusion. The entire region was under Roman rule. Romans followed pagan practices similar to the traditional holidays kept today. Therefore, the Jews of the time were surrounded by the worship of foreign gods.

Within the Jewish community in Judea, people attempted to keep a form of God’s Law, but they applied their own ways and standards. As a result, two primary sects formed within their society—the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees were the most zealous. They not only tried to keep the law based on human reasoning, but also added many additional laws beyond what was commanded, which was itself a violation. The Sadducees focused more on written laws, yet still lacked understanding. Jesus, during His ministry, cleared up confusion about what God expected for His disciples.

(10) What was the political situation during Christ’s time? To whom were the Jews looking to be saved? Luke 24:21; Acts 1:6.

Because Jesus was born at a time of Roman rule over the Jews, many yearned for deliverance or freedom from oppression. As a conquered people, they were subject to Roman law, including heavy taxes. They desperately wanted to regain the independence that they had enjoyed prior to their Babylonian captivity.

The coming Messiah was seen as one who would bring deliverance by overthrowing the Roman system. Yet Jesus did not come to conquer the Roman people. This is a major reason many Jews did not accept Him. They thought that the prophesied Messiah would come to redeem physical Israel. Yet Christ came instead to conquer sin.

Jesus was a real person who walked this Earth. He was not a fable or an imaginary fictional character. We looked at the Bible and listed secular sources that prove He did come to Earth in the flesh. We learned some of the reasons why He came and how His coming was a fulfillment of Scripture. His early life was covered along with the environment in which He grew up.

As a teen in God’s Church, you should maintain a strong belief in who Jesus is and what this means for you. Yet even more important than this is knowing and living by His teachings.

In Matthew 7, Jesus said: “Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that hears these sayings of Mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (vs. 24-27).

You can begin building your spiritual house on the rock of Christ’s sayings now, while you are young. For additional understanding about the teachings of Jesus—as well as more information on His life and ministry—read Mr. Pack’s book The True Jesus Christ – Unknown to Christianity.