Why Does Christianity Work?

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 NLT)

Christianity, as I understand it, isn’t a religion, as much as it’s a relationship. So, the question above could also be asked, as with any relationship, “Why does a relationship with the God of the Bible work?”

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that when I first came to know the Lord, at age 15, my adventure with prayer began when I sat an empty chair across from me and believed Jesus was sitting in it. So, I began talking with Him as if He was exactly who He claimed to be – God in human form.

An invisible God is a mystery, one with whom it’s very difficult to have any kind of meaningful relationship. Perhaps that’s why so many other religions tie their belief systems to a human being, now dead, of course, but who once lived. Buddha, Muhammed, Joseph Smith, to name a few.

Their religions work for them because they tie their beliefs to a person who taught what they now believe. On some levels they saw their beliefs embodied in and revealed in and through that person. Even though, in most cases, their religions were only helpful in this life, it sustained them and gave them something to hold onto while on this earth.

The second issue that is troublesome about other world religions is that they are incomplete. For the most part they create an environment that demands loyalty defined by “good works.” These good works can, and often do, result in some very pious and, from all outward appearances, good people, but their performance on earth leaves them wondering whether they will ever qualify for life after death, if indeed there is life after death in their belief system.

The third element that calls to question the validity of a founder of a religion is honesty – is the proponent of all the good things they taught truthful about their own adherence to their expectations of those who follow them? Is what they taught true?

Lee Stobel was an atheist who used his investigative skills learned as a journalist to seek the truth about Christianity. Lee wrote: “Christianity isn’t true because it works. It works because it’s true.” Christianity is the only world religion where God came to man. Every other world religion has some means of man working their way to God.

God poured Himself into human flesh, becoming a man who gave visibility to the invisible God. He not only taught well, He lived what He taught, so much so He was killed for claiming to be God, whom He of course was, but not many believed Him – until He walked out of His grave under His own authority.

Christianity works for me because the “invisible” person in the chair to whom I prayed was and is real, alive, and actively involved in my life. You can go to the tomb of every other founder of a world religion and find their remains, only Jesus’ tomb is empty. Only Jesus is alive and interacting with His followers every day and in ever detail of our lives.

Who are you following? If it’s not the God of the Bible, revealed in and through the person of Jesus, you’re wasting your time and effort. Jesus is the only way to heaven. Not your goodness, personal merit, and not your efforts to prove you’re worthy. The blood of Jesus alone is payment for sin and the only way anyone can “deserve” heaven is by placing their faith and trust in the only One who paid for their admission.

If you don’t yet know Him, yield your life and allegiance to Jesus today. Click on the link below if you’re not certain how to give your life to Jesus. You are loved beyond measure. You’re the reason Jesus was willing to give His life on the Cross. If you’d been the only person on earth who needed a Savior, He would have still died, just for you! Please go to Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge illustration so you can be certain your sins are forgiven and you have new life in Jesus.

Blessings, Ed 😊