Why am I a Christian

This week is UWE Christian union events week where the Christian union seek to put on different events, open to all with the opportunity for all to hear and question who Jesus is, and the radical difference that our decision about him makes. I will be hosting one of these events in my house titled ‘games, food and discussion (why am I a Christian). Initially I thought of doing the presentation but I passed the responsibility to one of the speakers of the events week. Anyways I knew what I would say if I was to do the presentation and thus I write it on this blog. It is exciting to see how this week will unfold and I am confident that God’s will will be done.

Before I answer the question why am I a Christian, it is important to give a definition of what is a Christian. A Christian is someone who follows Jesus as presented in the bible. Therefore the definition of a Christian cannot change from generation to generation and a Christian will believe the fundamental truths that the bible clearly portrays of who Christ is. That Jesus is the Son of God, he died and rose again, he died for our sins and through him alone I am justified and made righteous before God, 1 John 4:13-15. A Christian is someone who has been born again (John 3:3), they have become a new creature (2 Cor 5:21), God has put in them His Holy Spirit and they have decided to follow Jesus and turn away from their sins. A Christian will remain in Jesus until they die and should they die denying Jesus it shows that they were not a Christian, 2 John 1:9. Therefore a Christian is summed up in the person of Jesus Christ.

If a Christian is summed up in the person of Jesus Christ, a man who lived 2000 years ago, then why am I following him? What we know about Jesus is summed up in a book called the bible and it is remarkable of what the bible says of Him before he was born and after he died and rose again. He has been the fascination of scholars and ordinary men ever since his birth and for the rest of history thus far. He claimed to be God, to give eternal life, to forgive sins, he predicted the exact time of his death in fact he marched towards it. He raised the dead, he knew what people thought before they spoke, he performed miracles and many more. The life of Jesus alone is enough to say why I am a Christian and there are many more reasons that I could give, e.g. the reliability of the bible, the prophecies made before it actually happened, present testimonies and etc. But the main reason why I am a Christian is yet to be presented.

The reason why I am a Christian is because of God’s grace; God had mercy on me and decided to save me and to bring me into a right relationship with himself so that I may enjoy God forever. But you may say, save me from what? From his wrath, the penalty that I deserve which is hell.  For you see, we all know that we are all sinners, we have done what we know was wrong, we have lied, steal, use God’s name in vain, we have lusted after others in our hearts, we are selfish, boastful and etc. we have all turned our own way, we have rejected God’s way and the punishment for all of this is wrath. This is God’s righteous anger against anything evil. God hates sin and because we are sinners he must punish you for your sins. But because of God’s great love for us, Jesus came willingly to come and die for our sins, to take our punishment so that whoever believes in him and ask for mercy through Jesus Christ will be forgiven and enjoy God forever. I believe because of God’s grace towards me and through believing in Jesus, He saved me and I was reconciled to him.

Will you not today ask God for mercy? And if not ask yourself why? Do you hate God and love your sin? I am a Christian because of the grace of God and I plea with you to cry to God for mercy before you die when the flames of hell will make you unclench your fist and see the misery of your decision.

Lots of Love
K.Oni