Good news…
It’s all about Jesus!
Perhaps the most surprising thing about Christianity is that it’s not technically a religion at all! Every ‘religion’ has at its heart the idea that each person, by their own effort, discipline, and religious activities, must try to achieve ‘Paradise’, ‘Nirvana’, ‘escape’, ‘salvation’, etc., themselves
Unfortunately, this is ‘bad news’ for humanity. The task is impossible!
Every religion (and even every person, including you) has their ‘ideal’, yet “there is no one on earth who always does what is right and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 in the Bible).
‘Religion’ ultimately turns out to be a frustrating and futile.
(Hint: ask any religious person you know if they have 100% assurance of achieving their religious aim? Do they have an iron-clad guarantee of salvation? You will find that the answer is ‘No’!)
Thank God, there is some good news! The ‘good news’ (which is what the word ‘gospel’ means) is that God, our Creator, is aware of our predicament, yet rather than being distant, separate, and detached from humanity and our problem (like other religions teach), He loves us and has brought about a wonderful solution to our problem. It could be summed up in the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16, which says:
Another verse explaining the ‘good news’ puts it this way:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed.
And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done
– so none of us can boast about it.
For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
(Ephesians 2:8-10 in the Bible)
Seen in this light, Christianity can be described as ‘anti-religion’!
Religion says: “You must do it! Go on! Try harder”! (even though everyone fails!)
Religion says you must attempt to earn salvation, but Christianity is summed up in the word ‘grace’ – salvation is an undeserved, loving, overwhelmingly generous, gift.
Religion = DO.
Christianity = DONE … through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Jesus never said “try harder”, “be good”, “earn salvation”, “keep rules”, etc.
He said “Come to me and I will give you rest for your souls.”
Christianity is all about a Person – Jesus – not about ‘being religious’.
Isn’t that wonderful! That’s why it is called the ‘good news’.
There is obviously much more for you to think about. MCU is here to help you investigate the good news of Jesus on ‘neutral territory’ – while you are Uni – the very place you are encouraged to pursue and test ideas and claims. Christianity has the biggest and most unique ideas and claims of all!
Please contact us and we will help you with whatever questions you have.
Check out the links below to dig deeper…
EXPLORE & THINK DEEPLY
Christianity
BE THINKING
Probably the best place to start for anyone thinking about Christianity. You name it, it’s got it!
Material at various levels: Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced.
THE CENTRE FOR PUBLIC CHRISTIANITY
INVESTIGATING CHRISTIANITY
https://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/
The Christian gospel – the good news – simply and faithfully in six drawings.
Also in Chinese, French, and Japanese.
– A helpful site for non-Christians.
https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/
Read the Bible in your own language. Also compare the different English translations and see that the variations in words across the translations are minor (stylistic) and do not alter the teaching of the Bible at all. Put an end to ‘The Bible has been changed’ and ‘There are so many versions you don’t know which one is true‘ myths once and for all!
OTHER RELIGIONS…
Islam
ANSWERING ISLAM
A web site designed to help all people, but especially Muslims, think through the differences between Islam and Christianity.
THE WORD OF LIFE
A web site designed for Muslims to clarify misconceptions about what Christians believe and includes a short course called ‘Life Giving Words’.
The web site says: This series of 20 lessons is written to introduce a Muslim to the beliefs of those who follow Sayyidna Isa (Jesus). It uses as references both the Qur’an and the Bible and answers common questions asked by Muslims. The first ten lessons contain basic information about the Bible and the teaching of Sayyidna Isa. The second half deals with the life of Sayyidna Isa Al-Masih (Jesus Christ) and His teaching in more detail.
‘BE THINKING’ – ISLAM
https://www.bethinking.org/islam/
PUBLIC CHRISTIANITY: ISLAM
Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, ‘New Age’, etc.
https://www.bethinking.org/other-religions/
PHILOSOPHY AND CHRISTIANITY
THE CENTRE FOR PUBLIC CHRISTIANITY
C.A.S.E. – THE CENTRE FOR APOLOGETIC SCHOLARSHIP AND EDUCATION
CASE exists to explore the importance and place of Christianity in today’s world. It carries out Christian apologetics-the activity of defending the Christian faith, engaging with other world views and attracting ‘thinking people’ to the message of the Christian faith. CASE equips Christians to understand their faith and talk about it creatively and intelligently. CASE also provides an open, intellectual environment in which non-Christian enquirers and sceptics can seek and obtain meaningful input about the relevance of the Christian faith. Some articles are free, others are for subscribers only.
BE THINKING
https://www.bethinking.org/right-wrong/
ATHEISM
Here’s some big-brained, high-level, deep-thinking Christians who are probably more qualified than your Lecturers at Murdoch.
For example, Alistair McGrath was once an Atheist and became a Christian. Put to bed the “I study science so I can’t be a Christian” argument once and for all.
A REASONABLE FAITH – William Lane Craig – PhD Philosophy, University of Birmingham
https://www.reasonablefaith.org/media
https://www.youtube.com/user/reasonablefaithorg
ALISTER MCGRATH – PhD Molecular Biophysics, Oxford University
JOHN LENNOX – Professor of Mathematics, Oxford University