Why Are You A Christian?
Introduction. Our response to this question depends upon our perspective. If we are thinking about loving God with all our heart, our answer would be to honor, please and serve him. If someone is asking “the reason for the hope that is in us” we would describe forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. If we are discussing how being a Christian enhances our life we can explain the power of prayer and the value of wisdom found in a submission to Scripture. If we are idealistic and want to truly make a difference, then being a Christian offers a unique opportunity to help others with the terrible consequences of sin. The truth is there are many wonderful reasons to be a Christian.
What are our reasons? When people ask us about our hope how do we respond? Jesus endured the cross because of the “joy that was set before him” (Heb. 12:1-3)! Moses endured ill treatment with God’s people because he looked at the “recompense of reward” (Heb 11:24-26). Paul suffered the loss of all things and counted them refuse to “attain the resurrection of the dead” (Phil 3:7-11). Peter stayed with Jesus because “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (Jn. 6:68).
One thing is obvious, our reasons are our motivations. The more clear and powerful our reasons, the greater our zeal and determination. Stop and consider for a moment: What are your reasons? Are those reasons strong enough to help you “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” and “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). Reasons convince us that our service to God is not only reasonable, but exciting and challenging. Here are some of the reasons that have helped those who lived before us.
Gratitude. For those who are listening and truly seeing, everyday is an adventure of discovery. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1-2) and “his everlasting power and divinity” are “clearly seen in the things that are made” (Rom 1:20). Without even opening the pages of the Bible, the reasons to be a Christian are all around us! Every joy we have ever known, every challenge we have ever conquered, every breath that we take came from him. As we learn more of his goodness and his power, giving thanks becomes a joyful experience (1Th 5:18). We will find our most basic reason to be a Christian is gratitude and appreciation. I am a Christian because God gave me life, emotion, intellect, family and friends. As long as we are thankful we will be faithful. But those who stop giving thanks, “became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.” (Rom 1:21).
Reconciliation with God. Our feelings of guilt and remorse rise to their highest level when we first hear the gospel. While those listening to Peter were “pricked in their heart,” (Acts 2:37), “Felix was terrified” as Paul “reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25). Paul became a Christian because Ananias told him “why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins.” (Acts 22:16). We are a Christian because as a Christian we are “justified by faith” and “have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Each day we are blessed that when “we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I Jn 1:9).
As long as we remember this cleansing we will be highly motivated and excited to be a Christian. Those who have “forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins,” become “shortsighted, even to blindness” (2 Pet 1:9).
Comfort and Security. The future is uncertain and we are always vulnerable. God is not. As a Christian, we have God’s promise that “I will never leave you or forsake you” and “so we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me” (Heb 13:6)? As a Christian, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” With Him I “lie down in green pastures” and “beside the still waters,” and “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Ps 23:1-4).
These verses give us powerful answers for the hope in us. By living faithful and being diligent, we receive God’s assurance that he will protect and care for us, giving us the strength to endure all the tragedies and uncertainties of life.
Prayer. While he who “turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination (Prov 28:9), a Christian is asked to “pray without ceasing” for “the prayer of the upright is his delight” (1Th. 5:17; Pr. 15:8). A faithful Christian is promised the “prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16). It is such a blessing when faced with terrible tragedy to know we can ask God for his help and know he wants to hear from us and will be influenced by what we have to say.
The Bible: A Lamp Unto Our Feet. When Ford designs a new car, engineers fine tune its performance. Once perfected and ready for optimum use, a manual is sent to all mechanics explaining how to keep it that way.
This is exactly what God’s Word does for the Christian. It reveals the best way to live and the safe paths through life. God guides us in the use of our emotions and shows us the important goals to strive for. He offers counsel in raising children and in loving our spouse. When we listen to Him every facet of our life is enhanced and our success guaranteed. “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Pr. 4:18)
Friends and Brethren. Some things are better when shared. God designed the church as a place where those who love and respect Him have fellowship with one another. One of the great blessings of being a Christian is that we are never alone. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (Ecc. 4:9-10). The best people we will ever meet are those with a “like precious faith.” For these it is a pleasure to “Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).
Conclusion. There are many other reasons to be a Christian. It is the right thing to do, it gives us the strength and knowledge to change and overcome our weaknesses, it gives us courage and confidence. A Christian has a spring in his step and an anticipation of a bright future.
But remember this! We cannot run the race set before us without reasons. It is the very foundation of our faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1). We need to remember them. We need to be able to “quench the fiery darts of the evil one” with this “shield of faith.” (Eph 6:16). Life will have its ups and downs, tribulations and trials. But through it all, these and other reasons will strengthen, motivate, and give us the ability to answer others who might question why we have chosen to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
What are our reasons? When people ask us about our hope how do we respond? Jesus endured the cross because of the “joy that was set before him” (Heb. 12:1-3)! Moses endured ill treatment with God’s people because he looked at the “recompense of reward” (Heb 11:24-26). Paul suffered the loss of all things and counted them refuse to “attain the resurrection of the dead” (Phil 3:7-11). Peter stayed with Jesus because “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (Jn. 6:68).
One thing is obvious, our reasons are our motivations. The more clear and powerful our reasons, the greater our zeal and determination. Stop and consider for a moment: What are your reasons? Are those reasons strong enough to help you “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” and “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). Reasons convince us that our service to God is not only reasonable, but exciting and challenging. Here are some of the reasons that have helped those who lived before us.
Gratitude. For those who are listening and truly seeing, everyday is an adventure of discovery. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1-2) and “his everlasting power and divinity” are “clearly seen in the things that are made” (Rom 1:20). Without even opening the pages of the Bible, the reasons to be a Christian are all around us! Every joy we have ever known, every challenge we have ever conquered, every breath that we take came from him. As we learn more of his goodness and his power, giving thanks becomes a joyful experience (1Th 5:18). We will find our most basic reason to be a Christian is gratitude and appreciation. I am a Christian because God gave me life, emotion, intellect, family and friends. As long as we are thankful we will be faithful. But those who stop giving thanks, “became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.” (Rom 1:21).
Reconciliation with God. Our feelings of guilt and remorse rise to their highest level when we first hear the gospel. While those listening to Peter were “pricked in their heart,” (Acts 2:37), “Felix was terrified” as Paul “reasoned of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25). Paul became a Christian because Ananias told him “why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins.” (Acts 22:16). We are a Christian because as a Christian we are “justified by faith” and “have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Each day we are blessed that when “we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I Jn 1:9).
As long as we remember this cleansing we will be highly motivated and excited to be a Christian. Those who have “forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins,” become “shortsighted, even to blindness” (2 Pet 1:9).
Comfort and Security. The future is uncertain and we are always vulnerable. God is not. As a Christian, we have God’s promise that “I will never leave you or forsake you” and “so we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me” (Heb 13:6)? As a Christian, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” With Him I “lie down in green pastures” and “beside the still waters,” and “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Ps 23:1-4).
These verses give us powerful answers for the hope in us. By living faithful and being diligent, we receive God’s assurance that he will protect and care for us, giving us the strength to endure all the tragedies and uncertainties of life.
Prayer. While he who “turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination (Prov 28:9), a Christian is asked to “pray without ceasing” for “the prayer of the upright is his delight” (1Th. 5:17; Pr. 15:8). A faithful Christian is promised the “prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16). It is such a blessing when faced with terrible tragedy to know we can ask God for his help and know he wants to hear from us and will be influenced by what we have to say.
The Bible: A Lamp Unto Our Feet. When Ford designs a new car, engineers fine tune its performance. Once perfected and ready for optimum use, a manual is sent to all mechanics explaining how to keep it that way.
This is exactly what God’s Word does for the Christian. It reveals the best way to live and the safe paths through life. God guides us in the use of our emotions and shows us the important goals to strive for. He offers counsel in raising children and in loving our spouse. When we listen to Him every facet of our life is enhanced and our success guaranteed. “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Pr. 4:18)
Friends and Brethren. Some things are better when shared. God designed the church as a place where those who love and respect Him have fellowship with one another. One of the great blessings of being a Christian is that we are never alone. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (Ecc. 4:9-10). The best people we will ever meet are those with a “like precious faith.” For these it is a pleasure to “Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).
Conclusion. There are many other reasons to be a Christian. It is the right thing to do, it gives us the strength and knowledge to change and overcome our weaknesses, it gives us courage and confidence. A Christian has a spring in his step and an anticipation of a bright future.
But remember this! We cannot run the race set before us without reasons. It is the very foundation of our faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1). We need to remember them. We need to be able to “quench the fiery darts of the evil one” with this “shield of faith.” (Eph 6:16). Life will have its ups and downs, tribulations and trials. But through it all, these and other reasons will strengthen, motivate, and give us the ability to answer others who might question why we have chosen to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ.