By Nathanael Goh
When I was younger, there were times when I often think about the existence of God and the different types of religions. I was brought up in a bible-believing family. My parents were active churchgoers. Some unfortunate events took place and my father stopped going but my mother still sent my sister and I to church activities like Sunday School. When I was 13, I joined a CELL group but was often isolated and was not able to fit in with the people there. Eventually, I left and was absent from church for about two years. During that time, I often claimed to be a Christian but did not follow any Christian teachings nor attend church services. I vividly remember one particular occasion when someone asked me, “You said you are a Christian but why you don’t attend church services?” and that actually made me think back about Christianity.
One day, when I was playing basketball with Jason, I asked him to bring me to church and he happily fulfilled my request. I have been a Christian for almost three years now. So, why am I a Christian? Personally, I have three main reasons on why am I a Christian. I am a Christian because:-
1. It is the RIGHT way to God.
For me, Christianity is the most logical way and proven to be the right path to God. Jesus said He is the only way to God. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The truth is a constant, it is something which is true or in accordance with fact or reality. It is indeed a powerful claim to make. Well, anyone can make a claim but it is the evidence that backs up that particular claim. Jesus performed many miracles to prove that He truly is the Son of God and they are recorded in the bible. “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).
The bible is the only book in the world that claims to be inspired and also have plenty of scientific and archaeological evidences that shows it is truly the word of God. Most religions are about man finding their way to God but to me it does not make sense to worship something man created on their own just like what was mentioned in the book of Isaiah. “He burns half of it in the fire; Withthis half he eats meat; He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” (Isa 44:16-20).
In Christianity, God has revealed Himself to us, the origins of mankind and His will for us here on earth as well as where we are going after our physical life ends. It is certainly not for man to directs his own steps “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer 10:23), that’s why we can’t depend on our finite mind alone. There are some religions or beliefs that came into existence after the bible was completed. Paul warned the Christians in Galatia about false teachings. “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). The only way to refute Christianity is to disprove the resurrection of Christ for it is the core of it. “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (1 Cor 15:14). For centuries, man attempted to disprove the resurrection of Christ but only met with failures in doing so!
2. God’s LOVE for me.
There are several types of love according to the ancient Greeks but the one I want to focus on is Agape which means unconditional love. All things created by God through Christ were declared to be good (Gen 1:31). However, man has a long history of being rebellious towards the will of God. It all started with Adam and Eve, their actions have let sin entered the world just by disobeying one commandment which was to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:17).
In the book of 1 Samuel chapter 15, God told Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and to destroy every possession of theirs but Saul kept the best of their possessions and said he did it to give them as offerings to God but Samuel said it is better to obey than to sacrifice. Saul’s rebellious action has caused God to reject him as king. Sin is the transgression of God’s Law. “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). Hence, sin separates man from God. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isa 59:2).
The only way man can be reconciled back to God is by the shedding of blood. “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Heb 9:22). The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). God’s love for us is the best example of Agape. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8). Thanks to this, we are saved from the wrath of God. God’s mercy and grace allow us who were once strangers to the household of His to become citizens and heirs of it through faith in Christ. “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph 2:19).
God has offer a way of escape from His wrath by revealing the plan of salvation which was once a mystery through the prophetic scriptures. “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith” (Rom 16:25-26). We did nothing to receive this from God. What more needs to be said and done by God for us to obey? We must learn to appreciate God’s love for us and to obey His commandments at all time.
3. Because of the CONSEQUENCES if I don’t.
Basically, I do not want to be faced with eternal punishment by not having faith in Christ. Knowing that there will be a day of judgement, it is truly terrifying to not follow God’s commandments. “For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil” (Ecc 12:14).
In addition, the wages of sin is death and having faith in Christ allows us to receive the gift of God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23). The consequences of not having faith in Christ and following God’s commandments only hinders you from entering heaven. “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (Revelation 22:14-15). Therefore, the consequences if I don’t become a Christian is more than enough to persuade me to become a faithful follower of Christ.
In conclusion, it makes more sense to become a Christian than not to become one. Why would I want to take the risk of not being one and face such harsh consequences?
