What does it mean to be
"Born Again?"
Why Should I Become A Christian?
What's in it for me? This is a common question in our modern
world. I will try my best to explain the benefits of being a Christian.
When I say "Christian" I do not mean it in the common watered down way,
as just a form of religious practice, i.e. being Christian as opposed
to being Buddhist. Here Christian means the same as it did nearly 2000
years ago in Antioch, Syria where the term was first used. Then it
meant, "followers of Christ," the risen Savior, the Son of God,
followers who have entered into a personal relationship with God
through Jesus.
Death
When most people contemplate their death, they have
difficulty visualizing what will happen. The grave seems like a black
wall, an end of existence, or a great unknown. It is difficult to
contemplate and makes one shudder at the possibilities. It seems
impossible to accept the end, the finality of our existence.
The benefits of being a Christian are numerous. As a
Christian, a born again believer, I know what there is beyond the
grave. The Bible tells us that "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no
mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." This
tells me that no matter how wonderful I picture eternity in heaven,
it's even better. This gives me, as a Christian, a great peace, knowing
that the future is better than the present.
Life
Have you ever wondered why people who seem to have
everything, mess up their lives with artificial happiness, or commit
suicide? I used to, until I realized that it is because their
lives are empty. They have money, fame, looks, health, attractive
companions, yet their lives are so empty that they turn to drugs,
alcohol, illicit sex, and all other manner of worldly stimuli to find
relief from the emptiness. Some, who find no fulfillment at all, take
their own lives. Everybody who does not know Jesus as their Savior
knows this emptiness to one degree or another. It is especially
noticeable when one contemplates the meaning of their life. When a
person understands that no matter how famous they are now, how loved by
their family, how big their bank account, what they built, even how
many children they have, a hundred years from now the mention
of their name will bring a quizzical, "who?" as a response. Then,
it is realized that fame, family, and fortune are all fleeting and
life has no meaning beyond now.
In Christ we have a fullness and a purpose in our lives.
No matter how mundane our present life is now, there is still a
heavenly purpose if we are walking close to Jesus. Galatians 5:22
tells us that, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In
Philippians 4:7 the Apostle Paul tells us that, "the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus." We have an
inner peace and joy that comes only from knowing Jesus as Lord of our
lives. Its called a joy inexpressible in 1 Peter 1:8 and is given as a
promise of our life in Him. "Though you have not seen him, you love
him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and
are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." (1 Peter 1:8) I
can absolutely testify to this
joy, it is true, words do not describe the joy I have in knowing
Jesus in a personal way. It far exceeds any happiness I ever had
from any outside sources.
Views of Life
The Evolutionist View: If one accepts the common
evolutionary view of life, then life really doesn't have any meaning.
We as humans are no more than the result of an indeterminable number of
chemical accidents and reactions, nothing more. Our existence is
strictly here and now, there are no later consequences for
anything one does on this life. There is no right or wrong, these
are just concepts that were thought up by some other human or humans.
The only thing a person must do, is avoid getting caught, and paying
for what society says is one shouldn't do.
The Christian View: The world and everything and
everybody in it are the creations of God. We have been put on this
Earth for the purpose of serving and loving God. There are
eternal standards of right and wrong, and we will bear the consequences
of our choices in eternity. We can come to know Jesus in a personal
manner and thereby secure our existence in heaven for eternity.
We live in the peace, joy, and forgiveness that was purchased by
Jesus on the cross.
The Great Gamble: I hold the Christian view. If I
am wrong, then I have lived a life of peace and joy. I have given some
of my time and treasure to a church in the belief that I am serving
God. These personal sacrifices only add to my joy. I don't miss the
time or money spent in service to my God. When I
approach death, it will be with an sense of anticipation for what lies
ahead. When I die, I die without fear, because I have faith that I will
be in the presence of the one I worshipped for eternity future. If I am
wrong, I have lived in peace, died in ignorance, AND I WILL NEVER KNOW
THAT I WAS WRONG.
If I held the atheist view, I may be able to live in
peace. I may help financially and physically with some charities, for
the betterment of mankind. I will always know, that my life has no real
meaning beyond today. No matter what I do, I will eventually just be
forgotten history. The only way my existence has any meaning is in the
genes that I pass on to my progeny. When I approach
death, I will be approaching the end of all consciousness, but
I may have fears and doubts because of religious people I have
met, or religious material I may have read. When I close my eyes
for the last time, that will be it. If I am wrong, I WILL KNOW FOR ALL
ETERNITY THAT I WAS WRONG. I WILL REGRET FOR ALL ETERNITY NOT MAKING
THE RIGHT DECISION.
There is the great gamble, as a Christian, I am in
a no lose situation. My beliefs and faith give me peace and joy
that is inexpressible. If I am wrong, I don't care now, and I
will never care later.
The atheist non Christian is in a no win situation. He has
no joy, because his life is, in reality, without meaning. He has no
peace, because of the infinitesimal doubts that he may be wrong. In
eternity he will forever have to pay the consequences of rejecting
salvation through Jesus Christ.
So my question to you is, do you know Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior?
Is that your "final answer?"
Makes "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" seem inconsequential.
If you have any questions or comments, 
.
