Celestial Diary

This season, I’ve set out a new goal for myself: diving deeper into the Word and exploring the Why and How of Christianity. To kick off this journey, I asked google why I should consider Christianity and the answers I found online were quite amusing.

We Christians come to Christ for different reasons: some are born into the faith, others convert later in life for various reasons, some experiment and eventually choose Christianity, and some are baptized and identify as Christian from that point forward.

Regardless of the reason, not everyone understands why they are Christians or why they should be Christians. Have you ever tried explaining to someone who asks, ‘Why should I choose Christianity over other religions?’ We often respond automatically with phrases like, ‘Well, because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’

Such answers, however, mean little to someone outside the faith. We know He is, but how do we help an unbeliever understand this without quoting scripture or repeating standard phrases we’ve heard from others? How much do we really know about our own faith? We know the stories, but how are we certain they are more than just stories? How can we convey this to the world in a simple, yet understandable way?

Before I can even answer the question: Why should I choose Christianity over other religions?
I need to know what Christianity means and have a knowledge of it’s difference from other religions before I can even attempt to explain it to another person.

According to Wikipedia, Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Meaning that it is a part of a grouping of three major religions (Judaism, Islam and Christianity) that are descendants of Abraham, who all believe that there is one true God. While Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share many common beliefs and values, they have significant differences. All three believe in one God, but differ in their understanding of God’s nature and relationship to the world. Judaism views God as transcendent and personal, Christianity teaches the Holy Trinity, and Islam sees God as absolutely one.

Their views on the Messiah also differ: Judaism awaits the Messiah’s arrival, Christianity believes Jesus is the Messiah and son of God, while Islam regards Jesus as a prophet, not divine.

Each faith has a central holy book: Judaism’s Torah and Talmud, Christianity’s Bible with different emphasis on other texts, and Islam’s Quran and Hadith. Their beliefs about the afterlife vary as well, with Judaism evolving in its views, Christianity focusing on heaven and hell, and Islam emphasizing a final judgment. These differences highlight the complexity and nuance within each religion.

Even now, I’ve jumped ahead a bit. The points I’ve mentioned are only relevant if one believes in the existence of God. So, how do I convince someone that God truly exists? This question alone could be the subject of a PhD dissertation, so I won’t pretend to have all the answers. All I can offer is that there are aspects of the world that science cannot fully explain. If we agree that there is a higher power overseeing everything, then that power must be extraordinary in every way, as it controls the universe and beyond. This power must possess a form of sense and intelligence beyond human comprehension, right?

If we agree on this, we can move forward. Let’s refer to this higher power as “God.” There are indeed many gods across major religions, as well as in cults, traditions, countries, cultures, and regions. So, how do we determine which God is the right one?

What is a God?

• Omnipotence: The power to do anything possible (Matthew 19:26).
• Omniscience: The knowledge of everything, including past, present, and future events (Hebrews 4:13).
• Omnipresence: The ability to be present everywhere at the same time (Jeremiah 23:24).
• Omnibenevolence: The quality of being all-good or perfectly good (1 John 4:8).
• Transcendence: Existing beyond or independent from the physical universe and its limitations (1 Timothy 6:16).
• Immanence: The presence and involvement in the world and in the lives of individuals (Matthew 28:20).
• Eternality: Existing outside of time, with no beginning or end (Revelation 1:8).
• Sovereignty: Supreme authority and control over all things (Daniel 4:35).
• Creator: The ability to create and sustain the universe and everything within it (Genesis 1:1).
• Moral Authority: The source of ethical and moral standards and principles (Exodus 20:1-17).

Our God clearly fulfills the characteristics of what a deity ought to be. While other religions may also claim their gods fit these descriptions, it’s challenging to understand how a man-made god could surpass the wisdom of its creators. Additionally, gods that demand human sacrifice or inhumane acts to grant wishes seem inconsistent with the concept of omnibenevolence.

Now that we’ve acknowledged the existence of God and described His attributes, what comes next? Although Abraham is also a forefather to both Jews and Muslims, we still hold different beliefs despite our shared heritage.

Christians, for instance, believe in Jesus Christ as The Lord and Savior. Christianity emerged after His life, with followers striving to live according to His teachings. Christians view Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah, believing His coming fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. Through belief in His death and resurrection, we know that humanity can be reconciled to God, receiving salvation and the promise of eternal life.

This Christian understanding of the Messiah differs significantly from the Jewish concept. While Christianity sees Jesus as the fulfillment of messianic prophecies, Judaism awaits a different kind of Messiah.

Why do we believe that Jesus is both the Messiah and God?
Look it up yourself, the evidence of His life and teachings is substantial, and exploring this evidence—both within the scriptures and beyond—can provide deeper insights.

Despite many theological debates in the early centuries of Christianity, the core belief is that Jesus is God incarnate, embodying both “true God and true man” (fully divine and fully human). Jesus experienced human suffering and temptation but remained without sin. As God, He rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. According to the New Testament, Jesus will return to complete the Messianic prophecies, including the resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment, and the final establishment of the Kingdom of God.

Essentially, being a Christian means acknowledging the existence of God and specifically believing that God manifested in human form as Jesus Christ. To gain eternal rest with Him, one must listen to His teachings and strive to live a life modeled after Jesus, who is described as “the way, the truth, and the life.”

I still have questions, but for now, this understanding of Christianity is enough. Diving deeper without proper preparation and time can be overwhelming given the amount of information available. I hope I’m not alone in wondering about the reasons for serving and following God—not out of rebellion or skepticism, but out of genuine curiosity.

Stay Blessed x