Here are some things that I've realized about the Christian faith through experience and hearing various messages over the years that demonstrate just how peculiar it really is!
- IT'S SIMPLE: It was never intended to be a complex religion, but the simple (and only) means to a personal relationship with God. - John 14:6
(It's only a religion now because people, due of greed and misunderstanding, have added conditions, traditions, and rules to the simple message of the Gospel.)
- IT'S EXCLUSIVE: It's founder, Jesus Christ, taught that a person can know God only through believing in him. - John 3:16-18
(Religion teaches that you need to go through a pastor, priest, or a set of rituals to know God.)
- IT'S ACCEPTING: Jesus said that anyone could come to him, and that they don't need to have their act together or try to be perfect in order to be accepted. - Matthew 11:25-30 (note the word "all" in v. 28) and John 6:35-40 (emphasis on v. 37)
(It's only certain self-proclaiming "Christian" churches and denominations that practice otherwise.)
- IT'S RESILIENT: Its times of greatest growth have occurred during times of great suffering and persecution, not during times of peace and prosperity. All attempts to destroy the Bible have also failed.
- IT'S UNIVERSAL: Jesus only ministered for a period of three years over 2,000 years ago, yet has a global following to this day. Jesus' followers come from all known races, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds.
- IT'S COMPLETE: Jesus claimed that he did not come to destroy the Jewish Law, but rather to fulfill it. The "Old Testament" teachings about a Messiah have been fulfilled through Jesus Christ. - Matthew 5:17-18
- IT'S DIVINE: Jesus claimed to be God and a man at the same time, i.e. God living in human flesh. - John 14:7-11
- IT'S ALIVE: He is the only spiritual leader known to have been raised from the dead AND witnessed (by hundreds of people) for many days after the fact. - I Corinthians 15 (emphasis on vv. 3-11)
- IT'S THE ONLY FUTURE: He is the only spiritual leader who is coming back to rule and reign. - Acts 1:1-11 (emphasis on v. 11), Revelation 1:7-8; 7:9-17 (where "the Lamb" = Jesus); 20:4-6; 21:1-8, 22-26; 22: 18-19
- IT'S BACKWARD: Among other things contrary to human reasoning, Jesus taught that strength comes from being weak, and that leadership comes from being a servant.
(The strongest and most effective leaders that I have ever met and heard of are people who have lived these principles.)
- IT'S MIRACULOUS: Though no longer on this earth, people throughout history have reported being healed by Jesus, yet no medical reasoning has been able to explain how healing could have occurred otherwise.
(I refer to true, documented cases of healing, often occurring in the presence of only a few people, not those supposedly happening at staged, mass "healing crusades".)
