One of the most intellectual and influential writers of the twentieth century, C.S. Lewis, who was both an Oxford and Cambridge scholar, is quoted as having said…
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
What is Christianity?
This is only a brief summary, but in a nutshell, Christianity is a belief-system based on the person, life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth and the Holy Bible which includes both the Old and New Testaments. We believe that there is one true God, that he is triune (existing as three distinct persons in one being): as (1) God the Father, who is spirit; (2) God the Son, who is Jesus Christ who came to Earth in the flesh as a man, and (3) as God the Holy Spirit.
We believe that he created the Earth, the universe around us, the heavenly realm, the unseen spirit world, and that he created mankind for fellowship with him.
Sin Brought Eternal Death
Adam and Eve were the first man and woman, and God created them to have fellowship with him. Like the angels, who God also created, God gave Adam and Eve free will to choose him and his way. They were given dominion over the Earth and everything in it, and they lived in the Garden of Eden where everything was provided for them. God also gave them the right to choose whether or not to be obedient to his perfect will. He told them they could eat of any tree in the garden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2 & 3).
The pair were deceived by Satan (leader of the fallen angels who rebelled against God). Satan suggested to Adam and Eve a lie, and they bought into it, choosing to doubt God's motives, and so they were disobedient and ate from the forbidden tree. This brought sin into the world.
Sin is any transgression against God's spiritual law. Sin blocks us from having intimacy (a close friendship) with God, and sin is the reason we have so much chaos, destruction, and hatred in the world today. Every single person, past, present, and future, apart from Jesus Christ, has or will sin, and because our God is holy and just, the penalty for sin is eternal death. Why? Because that's literally what sin does to us. It's like a poison, and at its very nature, sin brings about a physical and spiritual death within us.
The Solution
God is all-knowing. He knew Adam and Eve would eat of the forbidden fruit, but out of love, he still had to give them that choice. Thankfully, he is merciful and loves us more than we could ever comprehend, so he already had a plan of redemption before they ever touched that forbidden fruit.
God personally came to the Earth, born of a poor virgin as the man Jesus Christ. He lived on the Earth and eventually began ministering to teach others of his great love for all of us. He then literally became the sacrifice for our sins. In other words, he paid the penalty for all of us. In this selfless act, he suffered the unimaginable torture of death on a cross to reconcile us and restore us to right relationship with him. As a result, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
We also believe that he was resurrected (brought back to life) on the 3rd day after his death, thereby conquering hell and the grave (death), and that when we truly believe in him and live for him that we are reconciled to him “saved” and will spend eternity with him.
What a gift!
When we receive Jesus into our hearts, he sends us a helper, his precious Holy Spirit, to dwell within us. The Holy Spirit guides us, teaches us, intercedes for us, and comforts us. He also empowers us to mature in the faith, helps to keep us on the right course spiritually, and gives us additional spiritual gifts for serving and encouraging others.
When Jesus’s death paid the penalty for our sins, it paved the way for us to have a personal and intimate relationship with him and God the Father. God's desire to fellowship with us is the whole purpose of salvation, and we can have eternal life with our Father in Heaven because of Christ’s sacrifice.
If you are ready to receive Jesus into your heart and live your life for him, then please visit the following article:
How to Accept Christ and Your Next Steps
Need More Questions Answered Before You Make a Decision?
We understand that many of our readers may not have grown up in an environment that taught them about the Christian faith. If that describes you, then you likely have a lot of questions, and that’s wonderful, because God doesn’t expect his followers to just have “blind” faith. No, in fact our faith is evidence-based through eye-witness accounts.
You can learn more through these other great resources:
(These links will take you to other websites)
The Proof You Need to Believe in Jesus Christ
