Cliff Notes for Christians

By Jean-Thomas Louvier 

As undoubtable many of you reading this may know (or at least have formed an educated guess there of) I am a christian. I enjoy my personal relationship with Jesus, and I truly find this walk of faith, being a christian, a wonderful thing.  Like many wonderful things, such as Key Lime pie, people manage to muck up perfectly simple concepts. (It's not green, people. And the right topping is whipped cream, not meringue! Find some other use for those egg whites.)  Lately I have been challenged on not only my beliefs but also my simplistic view there of. So consider this my "cliff notes" to simplistic Christ Following.  

Chapter 1: Why I believe in Jesus 

1. It is reasonable that God might exist. (While there may not be any scientific and mathematical evidence to prove this, there is also no similar evidence to disprove this)

2. Further, it is reasonable (based on the evidence) that this God who might exist might be personal and therefore have communicated with human beings.

3. The world’s religions are a reasonable place to look for evidence of such communication.

4. Among those representing the world religions, Jesus of Nazareth seems to hold the consensus as the person most likely to provide convincing evidence of the God who might exist. (Since Jesus is- in some way- incorporated into allmajor world religions. )

5. The resurrection of Jesus is a reasonable explanation for the existence of Christianity as a distinct belief system from Judaism.

6. An examination of the various alternatives and existing evidence convinces me that the Resurrection is, in fact, true.

7. If the Resurrection is true, then Jesus’ statements about himself, God, Truth, Sin, etc. (The Christian worldview) are true by deduction.

8. Based on this conclusion, I relate to the God who I now believe exists through Jesus.

9. My experience matches what Jesus describes, providing personal verification of the truth of Christianity.

Chapter 2: Why I Am A Christian

1. It is not because I find a life of sin disdainful.  (even the bible admits that sin is pleasurable in many many ways)

2. It is not because it makes life easier. (The further I travel on this walk of faith the less paved the road becomes)

3.  It is not because I believe it's the only way to be happy. (This is a common erroneous claim made by some misguided christians)

4. It's because I love God (After my searching into Jesus and why I believe in him I discover how much he loves me and just as the Bible says in 1 John 4:19 "We love Him because He first loved us."

5. It's because there is a gap between who I am and who I want to be. (Just as ever person similarly aspires, I want to leave behind a legacy. I want to leave something for my children and my children's children to be proud of. I realize I can not do this on my own)

Chapter 3: Why I Read the Gospel

1. To learn more about God's plan for this world

2. To learn more about God's plan for humanity

3. To learn more about God's plan for my life

4. To increase my faith

5. To seek guidance

6. To find hope and comfort

7. To discover LOVE

Chapter 4: Why I Share the Gospel

1. A desire to obey God and submit to something greater than myself

2. A love for people ( The more time I spend with God and in his word, the more my view on life and the people in change... I can no longer look at people and only see them in passing.)

3. A humble honor (The fact that I remember where I came from and realize that I am just one person nothing more and nothing less, I realize that it's not a duty to spread this message but the greatest honor any human being can be given.)

4. A chance for a legacy (I realize that in sharing this message I have the chance to become a part of something so much greater than myself. Something that I can hand to not only my children but many generations to follow. I stop an realize that the possibility of me taking just a few precious moments with one person might possible have an effect on the lives of an endless number, this is not unfathomable)

5. A chance to live (Yes as a believer I do look forward to the glories of heavenly life, but I realize that my moments here on earth are for a purpose larger than counting down days till my burial. I want to live in the greatest adventure ever promised to a single soul. And I want to share that adventure with each person I meet.)