I was once asked, “Why do you have faith in Jesus Christ?”
This should be simple, right?
Well, I was stumped. It took me shamefully long to try to articulate an answer as to why I have shaped my whole life on a belief in Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
Maybe it was because I was so overcome by all He has done for me I could not articulate it or maybe it was because growing up in a Christian home, my beliefs had never been questioned, but I was not confident in the answer I gave.
So, I’m going back to that question to provide an answer to solidify Christians’ faith in Jesus and to give non-believers insight as to what Christianity is really all about.
First, I am convinced of the truth of the Gospel and the story of God. The Bible has never been disproven by science, by archeological digs, by historical documents, by anything. We can have confidence in what we believe. There is overwhelming evidence not only for the life of Jesus but also His death and resurrection. Guys, to have faith in Jesus, we must be completely convinced of the truth about Him.
But, this is only the “what” of our faith. We still haven’t hit on the “why,” the reason, the purpose of our faith. People face humiliation, persecution, and even death because they are so sold out for Jesus- why is that?
I could sum it all up in one verse-
“For God so loved the world that, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3:16 (ESV)
When you truly understand the grace of God, it messes you up in an incredible way. Your life will look radically different after realizing how much love God has for you that even when we were dead in our sin, He made a way for us to be alive in Him, by sending Jesus to die on a cross.
I’m going to go along with this overarching idea that God loves us so much and expand my answer to three points:
1) Our past is redeemed.
We all have junk in our lives that we are so ashamed of. The guilt has overtaken us, and we feel like we will always be defined by what we have done.
But guess what? In Christ, you are made new.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
We are declared not better versions of ourselves but completely new beings when our faith is in Christ. We are set free from bondage of our past.
2) We have joy in our present.
Try living the way the world tells you to, and see how quickly the satisfaction runs out. Trust me, I know firsthand. In the book of John, Jesus speaks to His disciples,
“The thief [devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” -John 10:10 (ESV)
This abundant life never fails. It never runs out. You will be completely full of a joy that surpasses knowledge. Your satisfaction will be in Christ instead of in the world.
3) We have hope for the future.
This is not our home. Bottomline. We do not have to be overcome by the chaos of this world because this is temporary. When we die, we know that we will dwell in heaven with Christ.
“I write these things to you who believe in the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” -1 John 5:13 (ESV)
When we are faced with trials, we can have the peace of mind in knowing that God is in control, and that it is all so minuscule compared to the eternal glory that awaits us.
So, that is why I have faith in Jesus. That is why my life may look different than yours. I am not perfect by any means, but every day, I try to die to my desires and live for Him. He has made me new, He has given me life, and He has granted me hope for eternity.
I pray you ask yourself who Jesus is to you and what He has done for you.
Let His grace consume you, for you are loved by Him.
