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Christ or Nothing

Why are you a Christian? I wonder how many of us have been asked that question in our lives. I know I have. It took me by surprise when I received however many years ago. At the time I honestly didn't know how to answer. This was, in part, due to my being an introvert and liking time to process answers to questions but it was also due to the fact that at the time I'm not sure if I really knew.

Having served in ministry coming upon seven years I've been able to interact with and better understand the reasons why different people identify as Christian. Some value the community and sense of family a local congregation brings. Others love the worship and singing. Still others see it more as a political statement than a faith commitment. Some want to go to heaven when they die, and others simply want to avoid hell.

Years ago I think the reason I was a Christian was because I didn't know any other way of living. Church was just a part of what you did in life. I was told God was important to my life, but honestly I didn't see how. It just was what you were supposed to do. There was more to it than just that, but that was part of it.

The church in America is, to put it mildly, facing crisis right now. The number of people who identify as a Christian is plummeting, church attendance is in the tank, and the public perception of the church is one of hypocrisy, political power grabbing, and hatred. What has gone wrong?

It all comes back to the first question; why are you a Christian? A lot of the answers I gave earlier are not bad reasons to follow Christ, but they aren't good ones either. I think the problem comes down to one, simple truth.

Many Christians don't actually want Jesus.

We want what Jesus can give us, promises of heaven when we die or safety for our children or even a loving community. We want the benefits of the resurrection without the agony of the cross. We want to be saved from the fires of hell but not necessarily be saved for life with Christ. 

The goal of the Christian life is Christ himself. The reason for the Christian life is Christ himself. The reward for the Christian life is Christ himself. The consolation for all the grief and pain we will feel in this world is Christ himself. The source of our joy and wonder is Christ himself. 

We must long for Christ himself. Nothing else will suffice. He alone is sufficient. He alone is enough. He alone is worth it. 

So again I ask you, why are you a Christian?

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