Why do You Believe?

| May 4, 2012

I was just talking to a friend at breakfast. We are frequently on opposite sides of the fence, but enjoy the banter. At one point today, while on a different subject, he said that that there are many ways to God.

“Then do you reject Jesus’ words as something someone made up?” He answered that if the Bible said that, he rejected it.

“So, you, as a Christian, reject Jesus’ statement that only He was the way to the Father.” Answer was “Yes”. I found his logic interesting and couldn’t help but wonder why he attends worship of this mistaken Lord every Sunday?

If you reject what Jesus says in the Gospels, then you have no reason (other than a philosophical agreement with Jesus’ teachings) to be a Christian. BUT, if you reject Jesus’ words about himself, you have no way to know what His philosophy was. The Sermon on the Mount? How do you know He ever said those things if you do not accept that He said other things? Your philosophical following of Jesus makes no sense.

Christianity is not a buffett. “I think Jesus said this, but not that.” Or “I agree with Jesus on this, but not that.” Christianity is not even a philosophy–it is a Person. Eye witnesses recorded His bodily resurrection from the dead. If that is not true, as Paul said, then we are of all people to be most pitied. Eye witnesses tell us that He said, “No one comes to the Father except by Me.” His resurrection proves that he was telling the truth.

This isn’t just about what many feel is Christian “exclusivism”. Ask an Islamic person, or a Jewish person if they believe that what their religion teaches is right and true; ask them if they accept the words of their holy writings?  Christians seem to be among the few religions that has members who believe only what they feel like believing.

If you disagree, sit down and do some study–make an informed decision on what you believe about the religion that you claim to follow.

Denominational doctrine is not the question here. The question concerns whether you accept Jesus as He presented Himself. If not, then on what do you base your Christianity?

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Category: Apologetics, Discernment

About the Author ()

Sue Wilson Native of Michigan (Traverse City); transplanted temporarily to San Diego area for husband's deployment to Vietnam; then off to Arkansas for thirteen years and then to Des Moines, IA where they have lived for most of the last seventeen years. Sue majored in Bible and History at Central Baptist College in Conway, AR. Among my 130 hours or so, she has several semesters of Greek and Hebrew. Her favorite area--Old Testament history and theology. After a position as a tech writer for a local manufacturer disappeared in January of 2009, she decided to settle down and pursue freelance writing. She has served on staff for the Iowa District West – LMCS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) offices as a writer and editor; also served on staff as a Director of Christian Education at a church in West Des Moines, IA and as a communications assistant to a pastor in Arkansas. Sue is politically conservative, socially conservative, culturally conservative--at least according to current definitions. She is a Lutheran Christian committed to the Lordship of Christ. Fan of Deitrich Bonhoeffer and Ravi Zacharias. Jesus calls us to a personal relationship with Him, and the Holy Spirit is working within us to make that possible. She has written weekly devotions for Iowa District West of the LCMS for ten years; she teaches adult Bible studies and always writes her own materials; I write two blogs which are basically verse by verse Old and New Testament commentaries (she’s currently on break from these and plans to reevaluate in September); She also writes devotions for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Urbandale, IA and has rewritten (with author's permission) a course called "Divorce Care" to better fit some Lutheran doctrinal differences. Sue is married with two adult children and four grandchildren, and a beagle that rules their lives. She is working diligently right now on her family history and getting their historical photography scanned and distributed to cousins; she also enjoys nature photography, golf, shooting, computer gaming, hiking, reading, biking, working out, and driving (as odd as that may sound). Someday she would really like to get organized.

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