Being a Christian
From the very beginning men and women have longed to make sense out of life, to understand their place in the whole scheme of things. Scripture says God has 'set eternity in the hearts of men' (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We intuitively know that the universe must have meaning or we are finally left with only absurdity and despair. The famous French writer and atheist, Albert Camus, concluded that the only real question left is the question of suicide.
Our world has meaning because a meaningful God created it and has set the boundaries for what is good. When men and women seek to live life apart from this true God, they are left with only their own ideas of what is good. To modern people this seems like ultimate freedom, but in God's world it is ultimate tragedy. God made us to know Him and to fill our hearts with his presence. To fill our hearts with anything else leaves us lost and without eternal bearings.
But how can we know God? Is it a matter of trying harder to be moral or getting into meditation or accepting all religions as viable alternatives? The words of Jesus are clear, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). This is a staggering claim. These are not simply the words of a moral leader or religious crusader. Jesus claims to be the exclusive way to knowing God. How can that be? Earlier when speaking of his soon coming death he had said, . . . it was for this very reason I came to this hour (John 12:27). Jesus came into the world to die and rise again. In fact, it is by his death and resurrection that he becomes the way to God. Scripture says his death was a kind of payment for our wrong. It is our misdeeds that keep us from God. But Jesus did something to solve our problem. He willingly gave up his life as a way to suffer for our sins and bring us to God. When he rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven to live forever and give new life to all who would turn to Him. This turning to Him the Bible calls faith. It is this faith, this reliance only on Christ that brings a person to God. Jesus said, I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned (John 5:24).
Entering into the Christian life is not a matter of trying to do better or joining a church. It is a matter of turning to Jesus and then seeking to please Him. We are not made new by good works, rather we are made new by believing on Christ. But once we come to Christ we continue to be made new by good works. This is where reading the Bible, prayer and involvement in a Bible teaching church come in. Scripture says it like this, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works . . .(Ephesians 2:8-10).
Jesus came into the world so that we can know God. He is the way to God. Believe on Him, turn to Him and then make it your goal to please Him. We will never be able to understand all things about our world, but we can know the Creator and the meaning of life. We can actually know God in a deep, personal way. It is this knowledge that delivers us from despair and gives us true meaning.
