Question 29 – Why should I believe Christianity is the only truth?
In the section, Science and Faith, we will deal with the evidence and arguments for the existence of a creator. Although this evidence provides information that some kind of intelligent originator exists, the information does not reveal what kind of God we are dealing with. Is He the God of the Christians or the Muslim God? Is He one of the Hindu gods? We have a very serious question before us, one we must investigate and assess. Why should the God of Christianity be the only true God into whose hands we place our whole life and all our hope? Many people are displeased when Christians state the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. They consider it politically incorrect and an expression of disrespect for other people who see the world differently. They say it is audacious arrogance that leads to hatred and creates tension between people. Why should we not stay open minded to other variants?
"We should be open to the possibility that we could be wrong, and it is not good to stubbornly hold to our opinions regardless of the evidence against us. Likewise, we should not make serious decisions without an unbiased review of all the evidence. But should we remain open even when all the evidence shows that there is only one conclusion? That is the same as the error of being closed-minded. What if the absolute position is true? We should not confuse open-mindedness with empty-headedness. One should never remain open to another alternative if only one can be true."- Christian philosopher Norman Geisler [24]
In my explanation, there is no universal or unequivocal answer to this question. I will restrict myself to a short outline of several basic arguments and elaborate on them in the following questions. I recognise that some readers may not be familiar enough with the distinctions between Christianity and other religious systems to compare them. However, owing to limited space, I will restrict myself to the unique aspects of Christianity. I believe these arguments will speak for themselves.
1) Jesus Christ, a Person beyond Comparison
"Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times." - Philip Schaff, historian [24].
Jesus, called the Christ, is incomparable, because human history is divided into a time before his birth and after his death and resurrection. No other person has aroused more controversy, embarrassment, and questions. No other religion can be compared with Christianity in regards to its founder's identity. In all other world religions, the teaching is important, more important than the one who taught it. In Christianity, it is the opposite; the teaching is about a person, Jesus Himself and our relationship with Him. Buddhism was founded on Buddha, Confucianism on Confucius, Islam on Mohammed, and Hinduism on no founder. All of these teachers came, taught, died, and were buried. Jesus, however, is unique in all respects. He healed the blind, lame, and lepers, raised the dead, cast out demons, and forgave sins. Most notable was the fact that He claimed to be God, something no other religious founder claimed. Jesus considered Himself to be God in the flesh and the One who taught people the truth. He identified Himself as the Truth:
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6)
What about the statement, I am God? Many mentally disturbed people throughout history have made such a claim. However, I daresay that none of them changed the course of history, changed millions of lives, had hundreds of millions of followers, or was an excellent counsellor and teacher. Moreover, none of them rose from the dead. If you ask why Christianity should be the one and only authentic religion, know that true Christianity is about the living God who became a man, captivated crowds during his lifetime, performed many signs and miracles, and let Himself be crucified because of us. However, death could not keep Him; He was raised. As the Risen One He returned to the glory He had known earlier, before the world existed. No other religious founder or religious teacher can be compared to the person of Jesus Christ. He cannot be compared in who He was, in what He did, or in the historical evidence that speaks of the truthfulness of His statements and the verification of His identity. You will find more details about Jesus Christ, including evidence for His resurrection, in the section of questions concerning Jesus Christ (questions 46-51).
Note: It is very interesting that many people have no problem talking about Buddha, Confucius, or Mohammed. However, when you mention the name Jesus, people frequently become aggressive, abstract/theoretical, or irritated. Why does this name produce such a strange unease? What do you think?
2) The Bible as a Unique Book with No Rival
As has already been mentioned, the Christian faith stands on the person of Jesus Christ, the living and reigning God. However, Christianity is not based on a subjective experience of Him. Christians are, at the same time, people of the Book, the Bible. They do not consider the Bible unique only because it is unrivalled in its distribution, in its translation, and in being the most read book in all of human history. These reasons, in and of themselves, have a certain value, but quantity is not a guarantee of quality, nor is it a guarantee of the truth (even a sceptic could make this point).
Other religious systems have their holy books as well. Hindus have the Veda, Islam the Koran, Mormons the Book of Mormon, and so on. In what ways is the Bible different? Why should we pick it up and put the others aside? I admit that I have not studied other religious books in detail. In my opinion, it is not possible for one person to do so even if he/she devotes his/her entire life to it and studies a hundred years without stopping. Nevertheless, many of them have been tested over the centuries for their practical influence on the individual and society, and studied critically and in detail by their followers, from which I am also informed. I agree and identify with the propositions of Christian scholars and scientists who have been occupied with and have dealt with these matters. They have found the Bible to be exceptional, not a book of blind faith, but a reliable, well-founded, tested book with no competitors among the other holy books, neither in its declarations nor in its historical and critical research. The Bible asserts itself to be the Truth and claims itself to be the only authority direct from God the Creator. Of course, just because it claims to be this is not proof. However, many supporting indices exist that confirm this claim.
The Uniqueness of the Bible
Jesus cited the Bible (Old Testament) as God's Word.
The Bible was written over more than 1,500 years by many different authors, most of whom never saw each other. Some writers were educated and well-known (for example, a king and a doctor) but others were ordinary, unknown, and uneducated (fishermen and a tax collector). Despite these differences, they developed a unified, consistent message. This shows that Someone was systematically developing the whole message, guiding these people.
Throughout many centuries, people tried to destroy the Bible and the Christian faith. Time and again, reading the Bible was illegal, and being found in possession of it meant punishment in various ways. However, when no despot or government was able to physically eliminate the Bible, a series of liberal and scientific criticisms were brought against it. In recent centuries, these critics have intensified their attacks on the claims the Bible makes and asserted that it is unreliable and contains fairy tales, superstitions, and so on. However, no one has been able to destroy its authority, although many would not agree with me. World empires have fallen, oppressors died, critics silenced by new archaeological discoveries, but the Bible remains.
The Bible contains hundreds of remarkable/noteworthy prophetic fulfilments, written many centuries before they happened.
The Bible is unrivalled as the best documented and credible historical literature of all time. More and more often, modern textual criticism (a scientific discipline) and archaeology are confirming the truthfulness and accuracy of Biblical texts.
The words of the Bible speak into the lives of millions of people and its message has changed their lives in miraculous ways. The Bible has influenced whole nations. It has brought values such as the dignity of mankind, the protection of life, the dignity of women, private ownership, the basis of western law, and so on. We see the differences between countries that developed under the influence of Christianity and others that developed under other religions.
Although not its primary goal, the Bible states scientific knowledge/findings and is, in this area, timeless. It contains some truths, not known at the time of writing, that have only been discovered by modern scientific research.
The Bible conveys a meaningful message about who we are, where we are going, and how our history will end.
Discourses about miracles and other supernatural events do not carry with them a mythical character as many other books do. On the contrary, many biblical accounts contain uncomfortable information that would do harm by spreading it if the writer's intent was to lie. All of this verifies the reliability of the written text.
I could write much more in defence of the Bible's uniqueness but there is already plenty of expert literature on this topic. I would like to finish this section with the words of William F. Albright (PhD, LHD, DHL, DTh, LLD), one of the all-time greatest authorities in the field of Oriental Studies. He was President of the International Organization of Old Testament Scientists, Director of the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, and author of over 800 publications about archaeology and biblical and oriental research. He wrote the following about the Bible:
"The reader may rest assured: Nothing has been found to disturb a reasonable faith, and nothing has been discovered which can disprove a single theological doctrine except that of verbal inspiration, which is not included in any standard Christian creed" [25]
3) The Message of Christianity
On introducing this argument, I would point out that true Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with the living God. Religion is generally a collection of rules and commands about how to reach God and please Him. Christianity, however, goes the opposite way. The God of Christianity/ The Christian God has the following attributes that would be difficult to find in other systems of faith:
Only in Christianity does God take the first step, lowering Himself to a fallen, protesting humanity and offering His favour and presence. People cannot become acceptable to God in their own strength, so God accommodates them, offering them grace and forgiveness.
Christianity is the only religion in which success is measured by how one behaves towards others. It is never measured by the number of actions taken or prayers made, but by the love one has for others.
God is interested in us and loves us.
God knows what it is like to be human; He understands us. He humbled himself, lowering Himself to our level in Jesus Christ.
He was willing to suffer in our place and be condemned for what we did.
We can know Him personally and be in a relationship with Him that He describes as that of a loving father to His children.
He has everything under His control, every atom in the universe and all of human history.
No one can manipulate Him. He will not collapse under a wave of emotions. He is stable and constant.
Christianity gives a meaningful and consistent answer to who we are, why we are here, and where we are going.
Christianity gives meaning to suffering and pain (unlike some who trivialize pain or deny it by saying it is an illusion).
The Christian moral law (forgiveness, love, respect for the freedom of others, respect for life etc.) is fully compatible with the conscience of mankind.
Christianity brings out the equality of all people before God, whether rubbish collector or king, and removes any kind of caste system. We are all equal before Him.
Christianity identifies the degenerate human heart as the main source of all humanity's problems.
The true message of Christianity changes the world for the better. Love, forgiveness, compassion, and help for the poor provide dignity for those who are overlooked.
4) God Changes the Lives of His Children.
If you could follow God's influence in the lives of true believers throughout history, you would find remarkable changes in personality and character, miraculous wonders and changes of heart in the followers of Jesus.
For example:
Jesus changes the selfish, hateful, unforgiving, promiscuous, and uncontrolled into people who love others, show compassion and empathy, and are gracious and willing to sacrifice themselves for others. There are innumerable personal testimonies of damaged individuals who hated themselves and others, or mistreated others, who were taken hold of by the power and love of God and fundamentally changed.
Jesus heals the sick. There are innumerable testimonies of people who were supernaturally healed in the name of Jesus Christ. God heals many kinds of illness including allergies, blindness, deafness, infertility, and cancer.
Jesus frees captives. There are innumerable testimonies of those whom Jesus freed from various addictions. Sometimes, there was immediate freedom from severe drug addictions, addictions to alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, and many other enslavements. He also brings freedom from fear and demon possession.
Jesus also gives power to go against the current or to even die for the faith. The beginning of Christianity was characterized by brutal persecution, where Jesus' followers were ruthlessly treated and many massacred. This treatment, however, did not stop them from standing on the Truth they knew. In the same way, thousands of Christians are killed or tortured for their faith today.
Jesus brings peace where there is chaos, unrest, and strife.
Jesus brings hope where hopelessness reigns.
Jesus gives meaning to life, to those who do not have it and want to commit suicide.
If we were to continue in a similar vein and compare Christianity to other systems of faith, it would be difficult to find that which Jesus gives His followers. Of course, Satan, through many philosophies, can also perform supernatural acts. Some peaceful religions can also do much good or teach certain true doctrines (e.g. love). The more difficult it is to recognise the lie, the more dangerous it becomes! A drop of poison in a barrel of water is much more detrimental than a bottle labelled poison, because it looks like the truth and it is not easy to identify a lie. Therefore, I do not want to state that Christians are the only ones whose teaching or knowledge pleases God. But without a relationship to God and in the context of His will, half the truth is incomplete, insufficient and, in the end, futile.
I would like to add that the answers above are not unconditional promises to believers. God heals many, but in many other cases and for various reasons He chooses not to heal. He frees us from some addictions immediately but allows us to battle others over a longer term. Through these battles we can learn endurance and dependence on God.
5) The Assurance of the Holy Spirit
This point is perhaps the most important for those who meet God. Earlier we tried to study many arguments and proofs to support Christianity and the existence of God in order to believe. However, after God allowed me to know Jesus in a supernatural way, I did not need any of these proofs or rational arguments, even though they can encourage my faith. My faith stands more on God's touch, His relationship to me, and His assurance. Nevertheless, I am fully aware that this is a purely subjective matter and can in no way be passed on or demonstrated.
God works in human beings in many ways through the Holy Spirit. He leads us, gives us understanding in various areas, opens our understanding of the Bible, convicts us of things He does not like, and assures us that God exists and we belong to Him. A person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and gives himself fully to Him is, in a spiritual sense, born again according to biblical terminology. At that point, God gives him the Holy Spirit who lives in/indwells him and begins to form a new creature more and more like God's perfect character. In practice, this means that the Holy Spirit gives us the desire and power to love and obey God, convicts us of our sin, encourages us, and changes our character and thinking. If a person belongs to God, the Holy Spirit allows that person to know that God exists and that Jesus is the only Truth and way to eternal life in a peculiar, indescribable manner.
I am well aware that subjective experiences, ecstatic states and feelings, states of harmony, and so on are experienced by people from other religions. In the same way, they claim they are completely convinced and know the truth and something inside tells them this is so. From a point of reasoning, this is one person's word against another's. Nevertheless, I consider it an important area to mention.
If you doubt this, try considering the following question: What would you expect if a living God, interested in having a relationship with yo, existed? Would you expect Him to answer you and assure you of the true way or would you expect nothing of the sort? Therefore, if an all-powerful God exists, He certainly has the power to give you assurance that you are where you should be as well.
The question arguing the validity of Christianity is immense and expansive. It is not in my power to state its validity in detail or present comprehensive arguments. The goal of this answer was to point out the exceptional elements of Christianity. It is now up to you whether or not you commit yourself to further examination of Christianity and its comparison with other faiths. I would also like to again emphasise that no one can open the "internal sight" of another by any kind of argumentation. It is God alone who gives a person an understanding of who He really is and where the Truth lies.
Allow me one last comment concerning this topic. One argument from those holding a false tolerance is that any religious exclusivity leads to hatred and violence. Allow me to state that true Christian exclusivity never leads to any such thing. Certainly, the majority of us know what many people have done in the name of Christianity and this will be discussed in other questions. Nevertheless, if a person follows God according to His will, no hatred or violence will come from his side. Jesus commands us to love even our enemies. A person with a different opinion is not our enemy and we are to love him/her! Are we supposed to be proud that we know the truth about the Lord Jesus and others do not? Absolutely not! It is not our doing. God's grace alone opened our eyes. None of us is better than an atheist or someone from another faith. We do, however, insist on the exclusivity and uniqueness of Jesus.
Summation:
Christianity is unique for many different reasons. Its claim to be the truth is based on the identity of Jesus Christ and the conclusive evidence of the Bible above all. Although faith as a logical concept is a matter of conviction and trust, God has left us enough rational proof so a sincere seeker can track Him and find Him.