So why Christianity?

[Chany]

Out of all the religions of the world, what makes Christianity the obvious choice over all the others?

 

[DCJazz]

All the other religions I've seen promote that your works, whether it's good deeds or how you live your life, can get you to heaven or some other pleasant afterlife reward.

The truth is that I'm a sinner deserving of Hell, but by the grace of God and Christ's sacrifice on the cross, I might be forgiven my sins and be able to be with God for eternity. Nothing I've done will get me to heaven; only through Christ may I live.

To be honest, I don't view it as a religion at all. It's reality.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Chany. Christianity is not only a Religion, it is foremost " a loving Relationship with God and Christian brothers and sisters. God is Love and God wants loving children, sons and daughters. Jesus told us in Matthew: " the first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then Jesus points out the one great truth: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" Love is what God wants from us, freely given and No conditions tagged on.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love, also. Jesus told us to "ask and ye will receive," then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with all around us. (our neighbour) God will see our sincere efforts and God will approve and bless us. Jesus our Saviour is the Way, and He will lead and guide us. Love will change us and life will be worth living and abundantly, as Jesus promised us. We will stumble and forget sometimes, but we ask God to forgive us, and God will forgive us, as we will forgive others.
Love is a Christian`s great weapon, and love will overcome all, and change all for the better. Once tried we will never need, or want, better. I say this with love, Chany. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[drich0150]

Out of all the religions of the world, what makes Christianity the obvious choice over all the others?

Because Christianity is centered on God's out reach or efforts to redeem man. The rest are man's efforts to either redeem himself to God or to centered around the idea that man can earn his way to "paradise."

If God tells us that we need redemption via a certain sacrifice then, then nothing else man can do will be good enough.

 

[Faulty]

Christianity gives us hundreds of detailed prophecies concerning itself, claiming such things will come to pass, and so far hundreds have, even down to the smallest detail.

For example, when Joshua took the city of Jericho, he prophecied by the Lord that "Cursed before the LORD is the man who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: 'At the cost of his firstborn son will he lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest will he set up its gates'", according to Joshua 6:26.

Many years later, the fulfillment is recorded in 1 Kings 16:34, "In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun."

It's the only book which does this hundreds of times over, verifying its authorship.

Psalms 22 is a very vivid account of the crucifixion of Jesus, especially when read side-by-side with the eyewitness gospel accounts, including His last words there, and even the form of execution by the piercing of His hands and feet (v16), a form of execution that hadn't even been invented yet in the time of David, and also a time when the only legal form of Jewish execution was stoning.

The scriptires, inspired by God through over 40 men, over thousands of years and many different regions, flows as one document, because while it has many writers, it has only one Author.

 

[Publius]

Out of all the religions of the world, what makes Christianity the obvious choice over all the others?

It was the only one who's God sought me and bought me.

 

[1Prophetess]

It works.

God answers.

What keeps happening to me is that I just keep falling more and more in love with Him.

Where else could I go but to the Lord?

 

[bling]

Christianity gives logical answers to all that has and is happening.

The whole system is set up perfectly.

There is lots of logic behind, why God does not make Himself obviously known.

The existence of a benevolent Creator is the most logical alternative.

There is a logical reason for God to create man and the universe.

Man’s earthly objective fits Christianity.

 

[ChristianT]

Out of all the religions of the world, what makes Christianity the obvious choice over all the others?

You have to define first what it is the obvious choice for. Many fine Christians have given a great answer.


If you are asking why it is the obvious choice for pleasure, satisfaction, or altruistic thinking, it would take some effort to conclude Christianity. It isn't for those who want to seek pleasure or satisfaction in anything they could do. If you want to achieve "pleasure" in working for being satisfied, go ahead and look for a religion that emphasizes works for salvation. However, the selfless concern for others through love is encouraged (if not required by Jesus and His disciples to become a disciple of Christ)

If what we want out of it is faithfulness, you can't learn that from any religion; that's a personal issue that you need to deal with on your own (of course we are all willing to help you out if you like). The fact that so many professing Christians denounce their faith because of one or multiple hypocritical actions by their brother is that faithfulness (or lack of) can show when you are faced with a decision.

(a) walk away from the problem and show only the problem, don't even consider a solution
(b) deal with the problem but walk away simply because of the problem
(c) deal with the problem and ask for guidance from God and try to keep your brothers and sisters in the faith to stay obedient to God genuinely.

I am not talking bad about the church nor any of the followers. I don't mean harsh words towards priests nor any professing Christians. From all of the professing Christians, there must be at least one who is true. (Hopefully more)

The "key" to Christianity is obedience to God, your Creator, and love* towards everyone.

I am happy that you are (seemingly**) considering Jesus as your Lord. Be wary however, that not all professing Christians will be entered into the Kingdom. This shouldn't scare you*** as this is only because either they didn't accept Christ as their Lord and they live like Christ is not their Lord – or they simply do not want Jesus as their Lord, it might be too hard for them.

*True, genuine love: births concern when it sees a brother or sister failing to be what Christ asks them to be.
**I'm not saying you aren't, I'm just saying you sound like you are, so... welcome!
***It should scare you that more people won't be saved than people who are. However don't assume you are one of these (unless you don't mean it when you say you give your heart and soul to God)

p.s. I am not perfect, nor do I claim to be. I slip sometimes, and I sometimes come close to losing faith in myself. But the reason I love Christianity is because it reminds me that no matter how close I come to losing faith in myself, God never lost (loses or is losing) faith in me. I can be sure that if my heart is completely sold (or souled ) out to Christ, and I keep God as my #1, I am forgiven by God and am not bound by anything that I do, and I can live freely (obeying the law of God) and help others (and myself) when we slip and trip up.

Peace, Joy, and Love be with you Chany.

p.s.s (lol) if you don't want to come to Christ (and "accepting" Jesus as Lord would be lying to yourself), ask more questions! Come to Christ humble, and count the cost of following Him. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, and make sure to bring some soap and a towel.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Out of all the religions of the world, what makes Christianity the obvious choice over all the others?

Others have answered for themselves already. As for me the answer is fairly simple. Jesus of Nazareth.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[seekingagnostic32]

Fear of hell and being dogmatized as a child.

 

[ChristianT]

Fear of hell and being dogmatized as a child.

are 2 main reasons many professing Christians denounce their "faith." That is why I asked Chany to keep asking questions. Don't settle for fear or dogma. The Bible calls for fear of God, but not the kind of fear a terrorist or evil person demands, the fear it calls for is that a child has of their father, who they love and respect. It doesn't ask us to be scared of God, but to respect Him enough to realize He isn't a pushover.

 

[seekingagnostic32]

are 2 main reasons many professing Christians denounce their "faith." That is why I asked Chany to keep asking questions. Don't settle for fear or dogma. The Bible calls for fear of God, but not the kind of fear a terrorist or evil person demands, the fear it calls for is that a child has of their father, who they love and respect. It doesn't ask us to be scared of God, but to respect Him enough to realize He isn't a pushover.

That is weird. Most Christians I know expect everyone to be afraid of God. A real hellfire lot, they are. I think there are many reasons for people denouncing their religion. Those might be some of them, but they are also what largely keep their followers in the faith as well.

 

[ChristianT]

That truly is sad, hence why many will ask God why they won't be allowed into the Kingdom despite them calling out "Lord, Lord."

Anything can keep "followers" in the faith. A gun pointed to their head could (most likely not in their heart... hopefully not..), however we realize this is wrong. Why do those people not see that that complete fear doesn't lead to salvation? It only should bring you closer to accepting the truth of the Gospels. After you become saved by grace, you should be happy that you are saved, not fearing that you aren't, lest you aren't.

Jesus even told us our creates commandment is to love God. How can we love Him completely while fearing Him as if He were plotting to smite us any second?

 

[Publius]

are 2 main reasons many professing Christians denounce their "faith." That is why I asked Chany to keep asking questions. Don't settle for fear or dogma. The Bible calls for fear of God, but not the kind of fear a terrorist or evil person demands, the fear it calls for is that a child has of their father, who they love and respect. It doesn't ask us to be scared of God, but to respect Him enough to realize He isn't a pushover.

If you're not afraid of God, then you've got the wrong god.

 

[grasping the after wind]

That is weird. Most Christians I know expect everyone to be afraid of God. A real hellfire lot, they are. I think there are many reasons for people denouncing their religion. Those might be some of them, but they are also what largely keep their followers in the faith as well.

We have very different Christian acquaintances. Most Christians I know are not motivated by fear at all. I can't understand how fear can keep someone faithful, obedient maybe but fear just doesn't seem a good way to produce faithfulness.

 

[ChristianT]

If you're not afraid of God, then you've got the wrong god.

Oh trust me, I fear God. It's just that fearing Him isn't the sole reason I am a Christian. Nor is it why I enjoy God's presence (or presents.).

 

[seekingagnostic32]

We have very different Christian acquaintances. Most Christians I know are not motivated by fear at all. I can't understand how fear can keep someone faithful, obedient maybe but fear just doesn't seem a good way to produce faithfulness.

Fear works VERY well at keeping people in line. Dictators know this. It's worked for thousands of years and will continue to work. I am convinced if not for fear of hellfire and everlasting torture, most Christians would not even be Christians. Fear produces compliance, even if not what you mean by true 'faithfulness'.

 

[grasping the after wind]

If you're not afraid of God, then you've got the wrong god.

Fearing God is not equivalent to being afraid of God. There are other religions that have gods that if I actually believed in them I would be afraid of because they are whimsical or pitiless or uncaring or even sadistic. The Christian God is one I fear but has told us over and again to "be not afraid".

 

[seekingagnostic32]

If you're not afraid of God, then you've got the wrong god.

That's a typical Christian response. How wonderful it must be to be in constant dread of a sky deity monitoring your every thought, waiting for you to slip up so he can judge you.