At the heart of Christianity is a relationship with Jesus. He really stands at the centre of everything, and you can’t understand Christianity without Him. Essentially Christianity is about being a disciple of Jesus When Christian’s talk about faith, they don’t mean a feeling or a quality that they have in themselves. They are talking about faith in Jesus… a relationship of love, trust, belief and obedience with Him.
The story of Christianity is a big story, with a long history, but here a short version:
A triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - created a good and perfect creation from the overflow of His love. Into that creation, He created humanity… men and women, who were made in the image of God. They were created to have a unique dignity and role, stewarding God’s creation, and living with him in a relationship of love, trust and obedience. One of the Christian confessions puts it like this:
What is the chief end of mankind?
To glorify God, and enjoy him forever.
Have you ever wondered why humanity often seems so good, and powerful, and creative?
Why the world is such a beautiful and glorious place?
This is why.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for humanity to spoil God’s plan. Humanity rebelled against God in disobedience. They shattered the relationship with God. They shattered the relationship with each other. And they plunged the creation into decay, destruction and death. We live our lives by substituting worship of God with any number of idols that we think will satisfy (money, fame, power, control, sexual fulfillment, romantic relationships, achievement, and the list goes on…), but when these take the place of God in our lives it leads to slavery and destruction. This inward corruption is known as sin.
Have you ever wondered why humans can be so cruel, selfish and destructive?
Why our world seems wracked by so much chaos and pain?
This is why.
The good news is that God so loved the world, that he sent his Son Jesus to rescue us, and redeem the fallen creation. Jesus came and joined us in our humanity. He lived the life of perfect obedience to God that we couldn’t live. He died the death that we deserved on the cross. And he rose again from the dead decisively defeating sin, death and the power of the Devil.
Because of Jesus' death and resurrection we can have forgiveness, freedom, new life, and a new and restored relationship with God.
What do you think can fix the brokenness in the world?
Jesus' death and resurrection is God’s rescue plan to redeem his people, and restore his creation. After Jesus' resurrection he promised to return to judge the living and the dead. At his return, he promises to fully and finally restore the broken creation, and to dwell with his people in peace forever. While we enjoy foretastes of his coming kingdom now, Christians are longing in hope for a day when the wrongs will be right, and the goodness and perfection of God’s creation restored.
Where do you think things are heading?
Do you have a hope for a redeemed humanity, and a restored creation?
There is plenty more to learn, but at the heart of it is a relationship with God, through Jesus. We respond by turning away from sin, and turning to Jesus in faith.
If you want to begin a relationship with Jesus, and receive forgiveness, freedom and a new life with him we would love to pray with you, and help you start out. Please fill in the contact form below so we can follow up with you.