Christianity is radical. It stands in opposition to the world and to every other religion. It calls us to sacrifice our own desires at the throne of a Holy, trancsendent God and take on His ways and His thoughts. To submit to him in alll things and serve His will.
The promise of Christianity is the greatest promise of all time... Eternal immortality. We never die... Forever. Its like Buzz Lightyear says; "To infinity and beyond!"
Eternal life is the gift that has been sought by every culture and desired by every religion since time began. To live beyond this brief, mortal life has driven mankind to believe in the most outrageous promises. Promises of returning as another creature, of living with dozens of virgins, owning our own planet and more! And none of these promises have paid off.
The hope people have placed in idols, false prohets and imaginery gods has proved futile for millions. While our society boasts of many paths to etenal life and is willing to recognize mutiple truths... even though the truths contradict each other...there is one great truth that will not fail, will not perish, and will not be corrupted by the lies of the world.
Christianity stands as the only great hope and promise of mankind. It is not a religion of works, but a religion of surrender. In opposition to other relgions Christianity calls mankind to surrender our own will to the will of the One, Holy God and to trust in the sacrifice of His Son. In doing so, our sacrifice is the sacrifice of pride and the sacrifice of our desires. We die to our lusts, dreams, and goals and through submission and obedience take on the goals of our heavenly Father.
Some have referred to Christianity as the "Great Exchange". We exchange our sinful lives for the rigthteousness of Jesus Christ. Think about this. Like the Prodigal Son who returned to His father covered in filth and dirt we come to Jesus with our filthy lives of sin. And Like the father in the parable, God places on us a new robe to cover our sin. The boys robe represented his fathers love and established his identity as a child of his father. Our robe is not made of silk or cotton, but it is the robe of the righteousness of Christ. With this spiritual robe or sins are covered and we inherit a new identity.
We become a child of God, a royal priest, a servant of the King, an inheritor of eternal life, a saint in His Kingdom, a sheep to be cared for, and a partaker of the abundant life He promises.
Christianity is radical. Its radical love for people who don't deserve it. It's a radical sacrifice of an innocent man. It's a radical promise of eternal life. And it calls us to live with radical committment and love for a Holy God.
Live for Him today and then live with Him forever... and beyond! Peace, Jay
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