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what's so different about christianity?

 I was listening to a debate the other day between John Lennox and Peter Atkins, two Oxford professors with very different views on the Christian faith. If you're a nerd like me, you might enjoy watching the debate here. At the end of their debate, they were asked a question that boiled down to "Why do you believe the Christian faith is or isn't the right one?"

John Lennox is a mathematician trained at Cambridge, Oxford, and Cardiff. He is also a Christian apologist who often speaks on how science and the Christian faith can coexist. If you've spent much time here, you know my views on the so-called conflict between science and faith, so I truly enjoy listening to Dr. Lennox (though I have to admit that I believe we likely disagree about a few things). When I heard the question and then Lennox's answer, it promoted this post.

In the United States, the Pew Research study from 2022 said that 81% of people believe in God. I tried to find a number worldwide, but that was a lot harder to do and varied a lot. However, all the numbers I found showed that a majority of people worldwide say they believe in God.

But what exactly does that mean?

There are some who would argue that all those people believe in the same thing--some "Higher Power" that is called by a bunch of different names, and it doesn't matter which one you believe in as long as you genuinely believe in something. That's the basis of the "Coexist" bumper sticker that became so popular a while back. The Christian faith, however, is by nature not a faith of tolerance and coexistence. I've written about that before, so you're welcome to check that out here. That's not my point in this post, though. Instead, I want to address the question asked in the debate: what makes Christianity different from all the others?

No matter which of the main religions you look at, they seem to agree on these basic tenants: we as humans really aren't very good by nature, and we need to change our lives if we want to experience peace for eternity.

What stands out the most, and what Professor Lennox pointed out, is what it takes to reach the culmination of whichever religion you're talking about. These are definitely oversimplifications, but the basics:

  • In Buddhism, you are striving to reach nirvana by being good enough in the cycle of lives you live that you can escape the cycle of suffering.
  • In Hinduism, you are struggling through the cycle of lives until you've done enough good to finally earn a state of eternal peace
  •  In Islam, you are working with the hope that your good deeds will outweigh your bad at the final judgment
  •  In Judaism, you are hoping to keep the Law well enough that you will satisfy the requirements of God

A belief in the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, however, promises something different: believe in Jesus, and you will have eternal life with God.

That's it. Not how many rules you can follow or how good of a life you can lead. Not trying everything you can in life and then hoping that at the final judgment, God will be merciful (though there are denominations that call themselves Christian and push that). Yeshua, or Jesus, of Nazareth told us that He is the only way to get to God the Father, but He also told us the incredibly wonderful fact that anyone who believes in Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for our sins will spend eternity with God.

That doesn't mean that God isn't concerned with how we live our lives. While Jesus walked on this earth, He taught that those who follow Him should obey God's will. We should live lives that align with His commands, but we should do that because we are grateful for the gift He has already given us.

Professor Lennox had a great illustration: imagine a man handing a young woman a manual for how she should live as his wife, one that contains everything he expects from the young lady as his wife. With the manual, he tells her, "Here's how you are to live as my wife. You follow every rule and do everything the right way, and after 40 years I'll tell you if you've done it well enough for me to love you and spend my life with you."

A faith based on works is just that--do everything you can, then at the end maybe you'll earn what you hope for.

I truly believe the God of the Christian bible is the One True God. I believe He is the Creator of the universe, the Ultimate Judge, the only one with the right to determine eternity for those He created. I also believe He loves each one of us so much that He is willing to meet us right where we are, as evidenced by the conversation Jesus had with the men hanging and dying beside Him on the cross:

"32 Jesus wasn’t the only one being crucified that day. There were two others, criminals, who were also being led to their execution. 33 When they came to the place known as “The Skull,” they crucified Jesus there, in the company of criminals, one to the right of Jesus and the other to His left.

Jesus: 34 Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.

Meanwhile they were drawing lots to see who would win Jesus’ clothing. 35 The crowd of people stood, watching.

Authorities (mocking Jesus): So He was supposed to rescue others, was He? He was supposed to be God’s Anointed, the Liberating King? Let’s see Him start by liberating Himself!

36 The soldiers joined in the mockery. First, they pretended to offer Him a soothing drink—but it was sour wine.

Soldiers: 37 Hey, if You’re the King of the Jews, why don’t You free Yourself!

38 Even the inscription they placed over Him was intended to mock Him—“This is the King of the Jews!”

39 One of the criminals joined in the cruel talk.

Cynical Criminal: You’re supposed to be the Anointed One, right? Well—do it! Rescue Yourself and us!

40 But the other criminal told him to be quiet.

Believing Criminal: Don’t you have any fear of God at all? You’re getting the same death sentence He is! 41 We’re getting what we deserve since we’ve committed crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong at all! 42 (turning to Jesus) Jesus, when You come into Your kingdom, please remember me.

Jesus: 43 I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise."
(Luke 23:32-43, Voice translation)

 The criminal hanging beside Jesus on the cross didn't have time to live a good life. He couldn't change the way he was living and start following the Law and the commands of God. All he did was admit that the things he had done in life were wrong, that he deserved punishment, and then to ask Jesus to remember him.

That's all that is required of us, too. Because of that, I'm eternally grateful and want to live a life worthy of the gift I've been given...but my works could never earn me a place with the Father. Only the sacrifice and gift of the Son can do that.

 

 

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