LIFE Talks

Why Christianity?

I can remember a time when I had no concept of God, the devil, sin, judgement, eternal damnation; Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, eternal state, repentance of sin, salvation, sanctification and glorification; basically, the core Christian Doctrines.

I was very young, around 4-6 years old. We had recently moved to the house I would grow up in. My Dad and Mom sat me and my brothers down and Dad told us he had been born again. I was completely lost and thought the same thing as Nicodemus in the Gospel of John, chapter three, verses four and nine.

Then began my attendance at a local Baptist church every Sunday, morning and night as well as Wednesday evenings. My parents would go on to serve as Deacon and Deaconess and Youth Group Leaders. Here I gained awareness of the core Christian Doctrines of Faith, and I began to pursue a relationship with God thru Jesus Christ. My family were Baptists with a sprinkling of Pentecostal theology mixed in.

Growing up in the 1970’s and ’80’s, Christianity was the predominant religion in America; at least it was in my corner of the Pacific Northwest. I became a Christian partly because it was a part of my cultural experience.

The very first church I attended was a Roman Catholic church with our neighbors. The oldest neighbor boy told me if I didn’t dip my hand in the water and make the sign of the cross (I didn’t even know what a cross was at that point), the priest (what or who is that?) would throw me out the window. I was terrified and told my mom I never want to go to church again. With that, I rejected the Roman Catholic religion.

Around the age of 17, I put my Christian faith aside because life circumstances had disappointed me and I blamed God. I became rebellious and self-centered; this would become a pattern for me when life threw me curveballs. I thank God for his mercy during these times in my life.

Having aged and matured both emotionally and spiritually, I am happy to say that I am a Christian by the grace revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ, to the Glory of God the Father. Sealed by the Holy Spirit, I am being sanctified as I learn to walk in the faith of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and to follow his example.

Once I accepted Christianity and the truth of Jesus Christ because it was what I was raised in.

Today I know that I am a Christian because of the mercy and grace of God as expressed and revealed by his unique and only Son1, who came in the flesh, lived a perfect life, and sacrificially gave up his life in order that the judgment of my sins would come upon him. “The righteous for the unrighteous2.”

Thru his death on the cross, receiving in himself the just judgment and wrath of God for the sins I committed and commit; because Jesus of Nazareth, (Wholey God and Wholey Man), being sinless and without guilt willingly shed his blood on that cross; death had no claim on him!

Just as he said he would, Jesus came out of the tomb, triumphing over death and hell; He later declared that “because I live, you also shall live3“

The Holy Spirit revealed the gospel of Jesus Christ to me, such that thru the repentance of sin4, I believe that Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to me. I know that I am a sinner5, that apart from Jesus Christ, I am utterly wicked and without hope. With and because of Jesus Christ, I have the forgiveness of sins and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in my life, all to the glory of God the Father; an eternal hope of life eternal in the presence of THE triune creator God, in and for and by whom all things exist.

Why Christianity? Because “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth6 .” “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him7.” “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God8.” “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near9.’” “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness10 …but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.11” “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved12” but “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.13” “In my father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.14” “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.15“

I pray for anyone who reads this, that God would reveal himself to you thru the person and gospel of Christ Jesus of Nazareth and the work of the Holy Spirit.

C.T.

  1. See the Gospel of John 3:16 ↩︎
  2. See 1 Peter 3:18 ↩︎
  3. See the Gospel of John 14:19 ↩︎
  4. See 1 John 1:9 ↩︎
  5. See Romans 3:23 ↩︎
  6. See Genesis 1:1 ↩︎
  7. See the Gospel of John 1:10 ↩︎
  8. See Romans 3:23 ↩︎
  9. See the Gospel of Matthew 4:17 ↩︎
  10. See 1 John 1:9 ↩︎
  11. See 1 John 1:7 ↩︎
  12. See Romans 10:9 ↩︎
  13. See 1 John 1:8, 10. ↩︎
  14. See the Gospel of John 14:2,3. ↩︎
  15. See Revelation 22:20,21 ↩︎

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