There are many challenging questions to the Bible and the Christian faith. And I don’t have all the answers. But here are five things that I think are both fundamentally right about the Christian faith and of great benefit to human society.
- The forgiveness of sins – We carry guilt and remorse and we need to know that we are forgiven. The Christian faith says, “Your sins are forgiven.” Additionally, the only thing that has the power to end the never-ending cycle of revenge is love and forgiveness.
- Humility – We are proud and need to be humbled. The Christian faith says, “You are not smart enough to have figured out God’s plan on your own. God had to reveal it to you.” And “God loves you and sacrificed himself for you, even when you didn’t care about him.” Divine revelation and sacrificial love are unique and powerful antidotes to human pride.
- Hope beyond death – We struggle with the fear of death, and we spend our time and resources fighting against death. We need to know that, in the end, death will not win. The Christian faith says, “There is hope beyond death because Jesus has defeated death through his resurrection.”
- The unity of all humans – We struggle with racism, nationalism, and classism, which leave deep divisions across the landscape of humanity. The Christian faith says, “Everyone is made in God’s image and God loves the world.”
- Accountability – We need to know that our actions matter and perfect justice will be administered. The Christian faith says, “God will judge everyone with perfect justice.”
Where else can we find these five things that we desperately need?
After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. My latest book focuses on Paul’s work as a tentmaker and what it means for today.