Friday, April 2, 2010

The Case For Christianity




#545

The Case For Christianity

Albert Einstein, one of the world's greatest minds, Jewish, said Christianity was the greatest topic he could discuss, particularly the Eucharist, Holy Communion, substantiation, meaning Thanksgiving. The symbolic taking of the body and blood of Jesus Christ into our body...in memory of what Christ did for the believer on Calvary.

Libraries are filled with books on Christianity. On this Holy Thursday, the day, probably on which Christ was crucified, 200 years ago, we think again of the real essence of Christianity. Antioch was one of the largest cities of he world at the time of the Disciples. Peter preached in Antioch and Antioch is mentioned more than any other city in the Acts of the Apostles. The Gentile believers were first called Christians at the city of Antioch. (Act 11:26) Those who are born again, believers in Jesus Christ, call themselves Christian or, Christ-Like. I do not call myself Christian because I am not Christ like and I know very few who are. Rather, I call myself a born again believer in Jesus Christ. In the act of Baptism, we have portrayed the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. One who believes in Christ, wants to be Baptized by immersion in water. This symbolic act, the initial ordinance of the New Testament Church, shows to the world that you are a new creation in Christ, that you have been washed from your old life of sin and rejection, raised to walk in newness of life...Jesus, when he was Baptized went up, straight-way out of the water. (Mat 3:16)

The recurrent ordinance of the New Testament Church is Communion, wherein you take a small piece of bread representing stripes of Christ's body and a small sip of wine representing his shed blood for your sins. It is Christ's atonement, redemption, the sacrifice made by God that we as Christians have salvation.

It is unbelievable that God would use his only begotten son for the forgiveness of the entire world (John 3:16). It is unbelievable that sin, whether small or large, whether acts of war or acts of defiance, would be forgiven by the God of the universe...omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, the one who knows our every thought. It is unbelievable that God, who breathed into man life and soul, would forgive the taking of life...the most innocent of life...in the abortion holocaust or, the God of life who designed man and woman for reproduction would forgive the homosexual agenda...homosexual marriage, homosexual pastors and bishops...pedophile priests.

It is unbelievable that the very hairs of our head are numbered but, it is unbelievable that every snowflake that has ever fallen was individually designed by God. It is unbelievable that in the nano-technology available at our fingertips is just a small impression of God's power..

It is unbelievable that the first Passover in Egypt, involving his chosen people or our salvation today, is just as profound as our devotion to Christ. How could anyone not be thrilled by the knowledge found in his precious word? We walk either under the banner of Christ or the banner of Satan...there is no middle ground. Many pretend, many participate in the masquerade, particularly at the church house. I find that many cheat themselves of the joy of salvation.

In the mediocrity which surrounds us, most give the excuse of not being able to understand the mystery of God's sacrificial profundity. Those who cannot understand the mystery at the end of the telescope or the mystery at the end of the microscope should rejoice in the knowledge that even a small child can know the joy of eternal life. I heard the dean of the Union Theological Seminary say, “the thirteen most important words in the world are these; Jesus loves me, this I know, for the bible tells me so”. On this day, when we rejoice in the sacrifice made for us, we know that the tender heart of Jesus Christ forgives, and so should we. We know, from the shortest verse in the bible, “Jesus wept”...just two words that he still weeps because of our disbelief. We do what we do because we believe what we believe. The second shortest verse in the bible is just three words, “God is love”. Take refuge in the fact, in this Easter season that God loves us and will, according to his last words on earth, never leave us.

[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Heb 13:5-6)

No comments:

Post a Comment