What makes Christianity different from any other religion out there? This is what I thought about this week, amongst other things. It all started when I had to visit the doctor. I had flu. Essentially, I was a ticking time bomb. Everyone, on every side of me, had been sick and somehow I had stuck it out healthy, alert and full of energy …until Tuesday night. That lurgy had made it’s way into my system too. Ugh.
Anyway, so there I was at the doctor’s office. It was very nice, they gave me coffee and the reception area had Elle Magazines (must be to cover the R50 increase in consultation fee since my last visit). Not that I cared that much, honestly I wanted to get home and take a long nap in a quiet room.
I stepped into the doctor’s office, bag of tissues and book in hand. I plonked the book on the desk in front of the doctor and I took my seat ready for analysis. “Good day”. The doctor was nice.
“Hi,” I responded through the snotty mass which clogged my nasal passages.
The doctor stopped what he was doing, “Oh, what do we have here?” He picked up the book I had put on the counter. “That’s what I’m reading,” I told him.
“Starving Jesus?”
“Yes, it’s about being a Christian who actually represents the real Jesus, not just someone who ticks the boxes on a form, or says Christian to appease the company he is in, or attends church to feel like he does the right thing.” This clearly interested the Doctor.
Yes, he said and he looked away. “That’s very important. It’s very important to keep that relationship with God the most important thing. No matter what God you believe in. I too believe in God,” he told me.
“Ok,” I nodded showing him he could continue.
He pointed to some plagues on the wall, “Here are some of the things I believe in and which motivate me.”
I looked up and read the plagues he was pointing to – they didn’t seem to make a lot of sense to me but that may have been because my brain was hardly functioning at that stage. It sounded airy fairy spiritual, but I didn’t tell him that. “You know,” he was evidently enjoying having someone who he could talk to about spiritual things. “I have had so many things happen which I know must be God. Some people would say its co-incidence, but I don’t. I believe we need to pay attention to these things.”
I agreed and he launched into a scene by scene story of how once he had been helped at Home Affairs and how he was working with his now business partner.
Later when I left the office I thought clearly the man had a sense of God. I guess I believe everyone has some sense of God. What was it then that made what I believed different? Could we just believe in any God and it was all the same, with a different wrapping.
Spot the difference
What makes Christianity special? I researched. Here’s what I found.
- You can’t work your way into God’s good books
Christianity is based on the principle that you will never be good enough for a holy God. In the Old Testament (the first half of the Bible) we learn that God created rules for mankind to live by – these are called the 10 commandments. Jesus paid the price for our inability to keep God’s holy rules (sin) and so we are made ok with God through Jesus.
2. Christianity isn’t a religious system
It’s actually about a real relationship with God. A relationship which he maintains. A two-way street, like any friendship. We aren’t seen as small and insignificant. Instead we are seen as sons and daughters of God.
3. Christianity has the Bible
The Bible is considered God-inspired for Christians. It talks of prophecies and also shows them coming true. It is the book based on eye-witness accounts and shows a great deal of literary consistency.
4. Christianity has the resurrection
Jesus died and rose again. He defeated death. Krishna did not do this, Confucius did not do this, Buddha did not do this, and Muhammad did not do this. He claimed to be God and miracles followed him wherever he went.