MURIEL LARSON
What makes Christianity different?

Why should Christians try to convert other people into believing in Jesus Christ? Just about every tribe and nation in the world has some kind of god. Is it not enough if people are sincere and try to live according to the rules of their culture? It cannot be denied that there is some good in many of the religions of the world. The teachings of their founders often stress living good lives, although there is quite a variance as to what is considered “good”.

In the Bible, the book which Christians believe contains the true teaching about God, is a concise definition of Christianity: “I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins as the Scriptures say. He was buried, and three days later He was raised to life” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This is explained further: “God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die” (John 3:16).

Answers the sin problem

True Christianity is different from other religions in that it is the only faith that answers the sin problem.

Few people would deny that sin is the cause of the major problems in the world. Humanity is beset with wars, crimes, alcoholism, injustice and guilt. Humans have tried to get rid of sin and all that goes with it, but they haven’t succeeded. A former hippie, who had talked of the need for people to love one another and live in peace, admitted that all the time his mind had been filled with hatred toward others. He could not change himself; how could he change the world? Many strive to live good lives, but not one person has succeeded in being perfect. Somewhere along the line, we all do evil things, no matter how hard we try not to. The Bible correctly says, “No one is acceptable to God! . . . There isn’t one person who does right” (Romans 3:10-12).

However, the Bible also goes on to say, “But God showed how much He loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful” (Romans 5:8). Human beings could never succeed in becoming good enough to live for eternity with the holy God who made them. Therefore, God became a man (Jesus Christ) in order to take care of the sin problem by sacrificing Himself on the cross, dying to pay the penalty for our sins. The Bible says: “Christ never sinned! But God treated Him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). That same chapter of the Bible also says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Salvation by faith

True Christianity is the only religion that teaches that “salvation” (forgiveness for past sins and help to stop doing evil in the future) comes by “faith” rather than by “work”. All other religions make our salvation dependent on ourselves, on the work we do in trying to be good. But, as has been shown, humans’ efforts to be good and to do good are feeble at best.

Everyone of us has failed many times. Who can bridge the gulf between the holy God and sinful humans? Only God can do it – and He did. The Bible says that God “saved us because of His mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us. . . . He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. . . . He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5-7).

Changed lives

True Christianity is also the only religion that gives evidence of its truth by the changed lives of its followers.

Commitment to Jesus Christ has changed many a self-centred sinner into a loving person. It changed a demon-possessed prostitute Mary Magdalene into a woman of God. It changed a killer, persecutor and proud legalist named Paul into one of the first Christian missionaries. It changed the extortionist Zacchaeus into a generous and honest man. All of their stories are found in the Bible, but Christian faith has continued to change people’s lives down to today. It has changed drunkards and drug addicts into sober, productive citizens. It has changed self-centred people into selfless servants of God and others. It has changed cannibals into godly people. Christianity has established hospitals, orphanages and schools around the world. This is why the Bible insists, “Only Jesus has the power to save” (Acts 4:12).