Why Christianity?: Part 1

Why Christianity? The desire is to articulate some major points to consider as to why Christianity is true compared to other beliefs. It should be noted that many things labeled “Christian” is anything but and we will devote an entire post on that. For this post, we will take into account the general answers and beliefs of Christianity itself.

Before thinking of the different opinions, thoughts, teachings, beliefs and branches of Christianity there are, and then labeling Christianity as too confusing and convoluted to be true, please understand, Christianity is not alone in this. Islam, Hinduism, Buddism, Catholicism, New Age Mysticism, and on and on and on, each have many varying branches that sometimes counter each other and consist of their own set of standards, ideals, conformity. It would be unfair, and irregular, to expect a level of unity within Christianity that is not expected in any other movement or religion of the world. Because of the depth of this topic, and how many different varieties of beliefs there are in the world, this will be a multi point post, and we will not address every world belief system. We will address some of the major ones and draw the distinction between Christianity and those.

Why is Christianity the only way or truth?

1. Christianity presents a different view of mankind’s nature. There is a belief that mankind is generally good in most religions of the world. The problem with this view is that human nature then can make things better with enough training, education, help, resources. Yet, why is there still pain, sorrow, hurt, grief, struggle? Christianity presents mankind as generally bad. Only one time (Genesis 1 & 2) is mankind pictured as being pure but it is lost in Genesis 3. Instead, Christianity makes hard statements such as

   A. All have sinned - Romans 3:23

   B. All are lost and need to be redeemed, not good and can fall - John 3:18

   C. All are separated from God - Isaiah 59:2

2. Christianity shows that there is no way to be rescued from our fallen state on our own. Other beliefs have a form of redemption, but look through these beliefs. To some form or another, there is the reality that the individual must work to be redeemed. Do more good. Do better good. Do not do bad. Keep the check list. The weight is put on the individual to do enough good deeds to be redeemed and rescued from our fallen state. The Bible and Christianity teaches differently. Christianity delivers the harshest blow that shows there is no way to be rescued from our fallen state on our own.

   A. We do not earn salvation in ourselves - Ephesians 2:8-9.

   B. We have an outward work because of Salvation, but not to EARN salvation - Philippians 2:12-13

   C. It is not on our doing, but on God’s mercy - Romans 9:16

3. Christianity shows that salvation can only be had through one way, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). This is exclusivisity, or the belief that only one way is possible. Before Christianity is attacked at being exclusive in its teachings, understand that all three of the world major religions also teach exclusivisty.

   A. Christianity teaches (as seen in the passage above) that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. We are fallen and cannot rescue ourselves. We, must put our faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross (Romans 5:1). Confess Him and His resurrection, and believe on Him for our salvation (Romans 10:9).

   B. Islam teaches that one must believe in Allah sufficiently enough that the good deeds outweight the bad. They must follow the practices of Muhammad and obey his teachings well enough to get to heaven.

   C. Judiasm teaches that one must accept the Hebrew God and then follow the Torah. Only in strict obedience, are we able to find freedom from our sinful nature.

   D. Therefore, it is not wrong to be exclusive. It is a logical fallacy to deny Christianity the same level of allowance, simply because it is hated, then grant this privledge to any other religion.