PRESIDENTdesk
“Why do I have to believe in Jesus? I’ll believe what I believe, you believe what you believe, I don’t bother you, you don’t bother me, and we’re all happy. So why do I have to believe in Jesus?” A friend argued.
Another one said, “Why so stubborn? It doesn’t matter whether or not you believe in Jesus. If you believe then you believe, if you don’t then you don’t, do whatever you want!” He seemed to be stubborn too.
Yet another asked, “What is so good about believing in Jesus? I don’t believe and I’m like this, you believe and you’re the same, so what’s the difference between us? Why do I have to believe in Jesus?”
Dear friends, why believe in Jesus? Is it irrelevant? Is it optional? Is it the same whether or not we believe?
Why do you have to believe in Jesus? Thank you for your honest question. Allow me to answer you sincerely:
Sin forgiven
Why believe in Jesus? Because you and I have sins that need to be forgiven. No religion can completely solve the basic problem of humanity: sin, except for Jesus, because only He died on the cross for your sins and mine. And no one on earth, or any religious leader, is sinless. Only Jesus is the sinless God-man, so He can take our sins upon Himself and forgive our sins. He not only died, He also resurrected. No religious leader rose from the dead, only Jesus, so only He can save you and me from death.
Death forsaken
Why must we believe in Jesus? Because you and I need to escape death. We all face the cruelest reality in life: death. Whether healthy or ill, weak or strong, old or young, we all must die. But Jesus said boldly, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24) Who can proclaim this so audaciously? Only the Lord Jesus Christ, because only He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Home forever
Why do we have to believe in Jesus? Besides sin forgiven and death forsaken, the most important reason to believe in Jesus is: because you and I are prodigal sons and daughters and we need to go home. We were created by God, but we left God. We ignore Him, disobey Him, do not believe in Him, and do not worship Him. We even worship ourselves, living a self-centered life. Or we worship all kinds of idols that we imagine, choose, or create. But God never forsakes us. His heart is the heart of a loving father, waiting every day for His prodigal son to return home. As Jesus said in the parable of the prodigal son: “So [the prodigal son] got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20) The Father is waiting for you to come home, to come back to the spiritual home here on earth (the church), then finally return to home above (heaven).
Why believe in Jesus? Because “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Dear friends, believing in Jesus is not irrelevant. It is not optional. In fact, you must believe! I sincerely invite you to believe in Jesus, because only in Him, your sin is forgiven, your death is forsaken, and you can be home forever.