PART TWO: The Claim that the Promised One Has Come
Christ has come the second time as He did the first time, largely unrecognized and unaccepted by those who should have been most prepared to receive and love Him, but accepted and recognized, as at His First Coming, by the poor and humble in spirit, and the pure in heart. He has come again, just as proclaimed in the New Testament, and He is once again inviting the world to receive Him (91:1)

In the year 1844, in the land of Iran, a religion was born which has grown to be the second-most widespread Faith in the world . The Founder's name is Baha'u'llah, an Arabic title that means "The Glory of God". His claim is that in Him is fulfilled not only the prophecies referring to the Second Coming, but also that He is none other than the One promised to all of the religions of the world. His followers, themselves from all religious backgrounds, regard Him as the long awaited Messiah, and the deliverer of the teachings by which the world will finally attain to the great peace which humankind has for thousands of years longed to see. His followers are actively working in every land towards its establishment (91:2)

Of course, a greater claim than this can hardly be imagined. As in the case of Jesus' claim to be the Christ, it certainly must involve either the salvation of the world, or a great deception. For such a claim to be true, it must certainly be supported by divine testimony. It must withstand the scrutiny of every test. It must answer every question. It must fulfill every promise. In short, it must have the most conclusive proofs demonstrating its validity. And it does (91:3)

Proof, like beauty, however is in the eyes of the beholder. At Christ's First Coming, certainly there were conclusive proofs demonstrating the validity of His claim. God had not fallen short in providing everything people would have needed in order to recognize Him. To an open and unbiased mind, the proofs were overwhelming that He was indeed the Christ. In considering God's justice and mercy, it does not seem possible that He would have withheld from the people testimony that could have led to their salvation. The fact that those who persecuted Christ were punished for their actions speaks to the fact that they must have been given sufficient evidence that He was indeed their Savior, and that therefore they should have recognized Him (91:4)

If anyone can provide testimony of the truth, surely God can. It is axiomatic that His proof must be the greatest proof of all. However, as the New Testament clearly demonstrates, it is equally axiomatic that not even His proof can persuade a mind bent on unbelieving: At Christ's First Coming, some believed, and some didn't. And even after two thousand years, some believe in Him, and some do not. I think it's safe to say that if someone does not want to believe, a choice they are free to make, they will simply never believe (91:5)

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