A querist asks, “Why should I become a Christian? What’s the advantage of being a Christian versus a non-Christian?”
There are many biblical reasons for our becoming a New Testament Christian, but here are three primary reasons that stand out in this writer’s mind:
1) Our Past The inspired writer Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 “….for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” Since our sins separate us from a holy God (Isaiah 59:1-2), and since sin’s wages is spiritual death (Romans 6:23), there has to be a means by which our sins are forgiven, thus bringing us back into a proper relationship with God. That “means” is the sacrificial offering of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7; cf. Romans 3:24-25; Hebrews 9:11-12) .
2) Our Present God has only promised us the present – the “now” in which to accomplish His purpose in our lives. James tells us in James 4:13-14:
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.“
Through our obedience to the gospel, we can experience joy and peace “now” (cf. Acts 8:39; Acts 16:34; Philippians 4:7). Part of that “joy” has to do with God bestowing us with “exceedingly great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4), one of those being our salvation from sin not having to face God’s wrath (Titus 2:11-14; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 5:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
3) Our Future The Bible not only gives us a glimpse of future judgment (Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 17:31), but also emphasizes the fact that there are only two eternal states of existence either “everlasting punishment” or “eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). Our names must be found written in the “Book of Life” (Revelation 20:12), or we will be “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Yes, the above listed reasons are great reasons for becoming a Christian, being obedient to our Savior’s conditions of salvation. There is absolutely no good reason (or reasons) for remaining outside the saved body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23; cf. Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:47).
Related Audio:
- Why Sinners Should Become Saints