Why am I a Christian?

Reasonable faith, Satisfied Soul 

By Chico J. Collie

June 2021

Note. If reading from a mobile phone, landscape view is recommending.

I find it fascinating that many adults haven’t seriously invested time and thought toward considering the ‘big questions’ of life. I remember transiently entertaining some concepts as a young child, but it wasn’t until about age 19 years that the weight of existence and consciousness started to truly impress itself upon my thoughts. Over time, with research, contemplation, and prayer, I’ve concluded the following:

1. Objective truth exists

2. God exists

3. There are immense implications of God’s existence

4. The gospel of Jesus Christ is comprehensive, coherent, and compelling

5. The truth of the gospel is immensely consequential

6. The alternatives are insufficient.

Therefore, I trust.

 The following is a short elaboration on the points listed.

Objective truth exists

By ‘objective truth’, I mean that which corresponds with absolute reality – it remains true independent of subjective perception. Despite the rise of relativistic thinking in our culture, this remains self-evident. For example, the statement ‘objective truth exists’ is objectively true (Try the alternative out for yourself). Nevertheless, it should be acknowledged that not all objective truths are of equal importance.

God ‘exists’ (More specifically, ‘God is’)

In my estimation, theism offers the more reasonable and convincing philosophical rationale for the existence of the material universe, as well as many common phenomena such as justice. The cosmological (origin), teleological (design) and moral arguments[1] support the existence of a self-sufficient, eternal, immaterial, all-powerful, all-good, personal, sovereign, and transcendent being which is consistent with the monotheistic concept of God.

There are immense implications of God’s existence

I cannot fathom a more substantial objective truth than the existence of a Sovereign, Holy God. It not only answers the question of origin but suggests that ultimately the meaning/value and purpose of all things are rightfully His prerogative. I don’t imagine that violating God’s right to be God would be an inconsequential enterprise.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is comprehensive, coherent, and compelling

 The Gospel is comprehensive. It answers the ‘big questions’ of origin, purpose, and value, accurately propagating a theocentric (God-centered) ideology. Furthermore, it also identifies the greatest underlying problem in the world, namely a rebellious disposition towards a Sovereign, Holy God, and announces the solution.

The Gospel accounts exhibit external and internal coherence. Unlike legend or mythology, they are, at least, historical (therefore falsifiable) documents claiming to be eye-witness testimony of events occurring in history such as Jesus’ unparallel life/ministry and his radical personal claims. The ‘minimum facts’ surrounding His death, including those verified by extra-biblical sources, are best explained by His resurrection [2], which serves as the bedrock of the Christian faith [3]. From a theological perspective, Christ fulfills numerous Biblical prophecies [4] (ex. Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 53) made centuries prior as well as complements the central themes of the Kingdom of God and the Glory of God.

The Gospel message is compelling. I cannot envision a more harmonious display of seemingly paradoxical truths than in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Biblical narrative of redemption, termed ‘redemptive history’, introduces an intriguing question, ‘How can a just God rightly lavish undeserving sinners with grace?’ [5]. The answer, convincingly provided through the Gospel, is found in Christ. In his being in lies the dual nature of Creator and created, God in the flesh, “two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved and concurring in one person and one subsistence” [6]. It is this unique aspect of His person engaged in an atoning, sacrificial death that enables Him to be both Just and Justifier as well as Judge and Savior. Furthermore, Jonathan Edwards prudently observes, “There is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ” and comments on His majesty and meekness, justice and grace, and sovereignty and submission [7]. As I study the Gospel accounts and its meaning expounded in the Epistles of Paul, there is an accompanying cognitive and emotional satisfaction arising from its theological depths that bears witness to something beyond itself that is true, weighty, and fulfilling.

The Truth of the Gospel is immensely consequential

 In the final analysis, if there is no such God, then there is no ultimate purpose or value. But if He lives, then He necessarily reigns, and all of life, even the seemingly mundane, has potentially everlasting significance. I wholeheartedly concur with Biblical testimony that God, being an optimally great and impeccably good being, must objectively be the most valuable, praiseworthy, and trustworthy entity in existence (Note. Expounded upon elsewhere). As such, all true wrongdoings are not just violations of sociobiological conventions but also a defiance of His rightful authority and defamation of His very nature.

Why should a perfect and just God allow sinners into heaven? Does God have an obligation to enter into fellowship with those who are indifferent or antagonistic towards Him?

If the Gospel is true, then it’s not simply an intriguing ideological contemplation but is profoundly practical. God has freely vindicated His desire for both the righteous acquisition of justice and the loving distribution of grace to the benefit of those who humbly acknowledge their guilt and entrust themselves to Him through Christ.

I am a wrongdoer and don’t live as I should. I am morally imperfect and in possession of a sinful disposition. I don’t need clever philosophical concepts to convince me of that truth. I need only to sincerely inspect the testimony of my own desires, thoughts, and behaviors. What should become of me if I choose to ignore or reject God’s marvelous display of love, holiness, and wisdom at the cross of Christ?

The alternatives are insufficient

A worldview can be defined as “a collection of attitudes, values, stories and expectations about the world around us, which inform our every thought and action” [8]. It is composed of a variety of interconnecting concepts that span the entire gamut of experience. We all have one. This is important to realize for when there is a change in one’s worldview, there is an acceptance and/or rejection of often conflicting ideas.

 I mention this to say that it isn’t enough just to point out the perceived deficiencies of a particular belief; logical support for the alternative must also be offered. Admittedly, I don’t understand all aspect of the Christian faith exhaustively. But as I learn more about it and the competing worldviews, I haven’t been convinced of an alternative with a greater combination of explanatory scope, explanatory power and overall plausibility.

‘And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who seek him.’

Hebrews 11:6

 ‘Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls’

1 Peter 1:8-9

Therefore, I trust

Biblical faith involves both intellectual and volitional assent – cognitive recognition that something is objectively true followed by the entrusting of oneself to that truth. It is a belief that is necessarily accompanied by behavioral changes. Trust is placed into an object worthy of trust, namely God himself. It is the appropriate valuing, praising, trusting, and enjoyment of God that justly honors Him as most valuable, praiseworthy, trustworthy, and satisfying.

Final thoughts: God at Work in me

Why am I a Christian? In one sense, the answer is simple and just as I described. In another, more profound sense, the answer holds a level of complexity of which I can only loosely apprehend but, nonetheless, say joyfully with all of God’s saints, “To God be all the Glory”.

Post-script

What did you think of the article? Why are (or aren’t) you a Christian? Please share your thoughts with us by emailing them to: maygraceprecede@gmail.com

References

1.      Craig, William L., Does God Exist? | Reasonable Faith. [online] Reasonablefaith.org. Available at: <https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/popular-writings/existence-nature-of-god/does-god-exist1/>.

2.      Habermas, Gary R., "The Minimal Facts Approach" (2009). LBTS Faculty Publications and Presentations. 155. Available at: <https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/lts_fac_pubs/155>

3.      See 1 Corinthians 15:14 (Bible, English Standard Version)

4.      For a shortlist of additional fulfilled prophecies, see the following:

<https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/swisscottage/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2014/11/44-Prophecies-Jesus-Christ-Fulfilled.pdf>

5.      Extrapolated from Romans 3:22-26 (Bible, English Standard Version)

6.      Creed of Chalcedon, AD 451. [online] Prca.org. Available at: <http://www.prca.org/about/official-standards/creeds/ecumenical/chalcedon> [Accessed 16 June 2021].

7.      Edwards, Jonathan., “The Excellency of Christ”. Select Sermons - Christian Classics Ethereal Library. [online] Available at: <https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.excellency.html> [Accessed 16 June 2021].

8.      Gray, A., 2011. Worldviews. [online] PubMed Central (PMC). Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6735033/> [Accessed 16 June 2021].

Melodies From A Grace-seized Heart

‘As Unworthy as I am’

By Chico J. Collie

Feet, knees, hands and face

Tile, rug, throne of grace

Creature, sinner, know thy place

As unworthy as I am

His judgements – wise, glorious and pure

His grace abounds all the more,

In Christ, entering through the door

As unworthy as I am

Face, hands, knees and feet

Creator, creature – commune and meet

‘Control’, ‘A’, and ‘delete’

As unworthy as I am

November 2020

Many are called, but few become Readers:

Steps to reading for Non-readers

By Chico J. Collie

Are you a Non-reader?

For the sake of this article, I define a ‘non-reader’ as a person who can read (at some level) but prefers not to read because he/she doesn’t enjoy reading, doesn’t value reading appropriately, or isn’t energized or excited to read. And I’m talking about ‘hard copy’ books or the e-book equivalent (I’m not referring here to those who read articles in newspapers, magazines, online, etc. This type of reading has its own unique set of challenges that will be addressed in a different article). Also notice that the above working definition has nothing to be with whether you have (or perceive to have) time to read.

Try this quick assessment. Note how many of these sentences you agree with about yourself:

• I hate to read

• I like to read but don’t love to read

• Reading doesn’t excite me

• Reading bores me

• I usually watch more movies over the course of a week than read books over the course of three (3) months

• Whenever I read, its usually because I must for school or work and far less likely out of personal preference

• I spend more time on social media (ex. Facebook, Instagram, etc.) in one day than I spend reading a book in two (2) weeks.

• I have watched and completed more TV series this year than books read over the same span of time.

• I have not completed a book chapter within the last two weeks.

If you’ve answered ‘Yes, I agree’ to any of the above sentences, then it’s more likely than not that you are a non-reader. You probably knew this or had an inkling. And since you’re reading this article, I imagine that you’re at least entertaining the thought of becoming a reader and I’m glad to offer a bit of advice to help you towards that goal.

STEP 1: Start reading today… right now!

Persons who are familiar with my personality may find it surprising that I would put this as my first advice. I like to plan things out before trying something new. For me, I feel like I need to know the answers to all sorts of questions beforehand like, “What books should I read and which ones to avoid”, “what’s the best way to go about reading”, “what’s my goal for reading” and “what should be my goal for reading?”. All of these are very important questions of course. But I also know, from experience and by observing others, that sometimes we get so preoccupied in the preparation process that we never actually get to do the activity!

This is tragic because one of the best ways to become a reader is to practice reading. One of the worst decisions you can make concerning reading is to choose not to read or to put off reading indefinitely. With that said, my advice to you is to stop viewing this article right now, find and order several books (about 3-5 books) that you think you might like or always thought about reading and come back to the article after doing so. (Or, if you have an interesting book readily available, read some of it now and come back here after.) Remember to choose something that you think sounds interesting within your preferred reading genre (ex. Fictional novel, History, exposition, practical book, etc.)  and is likely to be within your reading level. For me, I started with the works of classic writers such as Charles Dickens, John Steinbeck, as well as reading about the stories I watched on TV such as the Sherlock Holmes series and ‘The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’.

Please complete this step before moving forward. It’s crucial!

STEP 2: Brace for Impact

If you didn’t follow my advice in step 1 then the remainder is not likely to help you transition to a true reader. Thanks for you time and good luck.

For those who did complete step 1… congratulations! Get ready for war, a bio-psycho-social war. Let me explain. Biologically, the ‘happy’ hormones in your brain do not associated the activity of reading with pleasure at this point. So, something else is more likely to hold your attention. Psychologically, you have viewed reading as boring, uninteresting, and frustrating or have associated it with punishment or hard, strenuous work for years. That won’t change after one reading session. Socially, there are always a multitude of options for investing your limited time and money. The demands of your job/career, family obligations and other personal interest such as sports, games, music and TV shows are all competing for your attention. Combine these factors together and you’ll see why developing an enjoyable reading habit is going to be a challenge. To make matters worse, there is also a spiritual obstacle to reading for many people (2 Cor. 4:4-6).

The reason I bring this up is not for you to feel overwhelmed and give up. But rather, so that you can build mental fortitude early and think of solutions to anticipated challenges before they fully arise. Moreover, true reading is a habit of grace, so I encourage you to pray for the desire to read, the self-control to continue reading, and the joy in reading.

STEP 3: Confront yourself

In my article, “Why I read: motivation for non-readers”, I confessed that I wasn’t always a ‘reader’. Part of my process to becoming one involved confronting my thoughts, motivations, and habits surrounding reading. I suggest that you sit down periodically, be honest with yourself, and think about this question:

“If reading is essential (not optional) to the completeness of my joy and fulfilling the ultimate purpose and meaning for my life, why am I not a reader?”

Have a sincere conversation with yourself, write down your responses and challenge illogical notions (ex. “God doesn’t want me to be a reader or else he would have given me a desire to read already” - This statement is grossly unbiblical!). If needed, involve a trustworthy, insightful friend, spouse or a mentor (ex. Appropriate pastor or counselor) to assist with the process.

STEP 4: Be consumed but don’t burn out

Keep reading and read often. No magic tricks, no gimmicks, no fluff. Simply choose to read. That’s the emphasis for early part of the process.

If you feel like your losing interest in one book, switch to another! (That’s why I recommended getting several in Step 1). I frequently have 3-4 books in my reading rotation at a time. If reading alone doesn’t work for you, read with your spouse, read with your children, read with a group of friends. Interested in a particular topic? Read a book on it! Talk about what you recently read. Make a culture of reading!

If you’re like most people, when you start something new, you may get an unusual burst of fervor for it. Use this to your advantage and keep reading as much as possible. Eventually, however, this burst of desire which I call ‘the fervor of novelty’ fades. To me, when it comes to reading, that’s fine! (Once you you know what to do next)

I believe that these are key moments and phases that help to shape us. When the ‘fervor of novelty’ and the façade of wanting to be a reader is gone, real character development can begin, and change comes to those who choose persistence. Now, you are free to read to your own pace.

STEP 5: Quality readers mandate quality time - Plan to adjust

If Steps 1-4 were the planting and nurturing of the seed for lifelong reading, then steps 5-7 are part of the pruning process.

It is often said that we should set realistic expectations and goals, which is true. But the problem is, how do you determine what is realistic for your unique individual circumstances? I’ve found that, with reading, experience is your best guide. By attempting to read as much as you can early, it supplies you with an idea of how much this new habit impacts your day-to-day life.

Set realistic, sustainable reading goals that facilitate a healthy, happy reading habit. Make a reading schedule. There are as many variable ways to make a reading schedule as there are individual circumstances. So, it’s up to you. But I recommend that your schedule be shaped in such a way that you would be on pace to complete a (standard 180-page) book every 2 ½ to 3 weeks. I think that’s quite achievable for most persons. Most of us have pockets of free/down time throughout the day that we spend daydreaming, socializing, playing games on our phones, needlessly searching the internet or consuming the content of our social media feeds. Gradually replace some of this time with reading a book. Waiting on a line or waiting for someone? Great! Pull out a book. Learn to associate evening and pre-bedtime relaxation with reading a light, easy-going book instead of watching TV.

If you fail to keep your schedule perfectly, that’s fine. It happens. Simply re-adjust and move forward. Try again. The seasons in our lives are dynamic and so our reading habits need to have enough fluidity to adjust as needed yet have enough stability to support growth. If all your answers to the questions in the assessment section of this article remain unchanged (or change in a bad way) over time, then that may be a clue that your reading plan isn’t sufficiently vigorous.

STEP 6: Quality time requires quality books - Read what is valuable

Not every book is worthy of being read. We glossed over this fact earlier because developing the reading scaffold was more important. But now, we want to focus on being good readers. When I say ‘good’, I don’t necessarily mean ‘fast’ but rather discerning what to read and developing methods that facilitate why it is being read. It entails fruitful, meaningful and satisfying lifelong reading.

At this point, you should have developed somewhat of a growing reading habit and will be acutely aware of how valuable your time is. My advice now is to preferentially dedicate your time to worthwhile books. I recommend ‘Lit: A Christian Guide to reading books’ by Tony Reinke to gain a greater insight into what makes a book valuable, how to choose a good book and other reading tips.

Ask for help from passionate (and sensible) readers that you know. Inspect book reviews judiciously (I’ve seen many 5-star, bestselling books that would have been more useful if its paper remained a tree). Feel free to follow me at MayGP.org, where I post short book reviews and recommendations.

STEP 7: Quality books shape quality readers - Read with purpose

Mature readers know that books are means to greater ends and so they employ reading methods that make them more effective readers. I recommend ‘How to read a book: Classical reading guide to intelligent reading’ by Mortimer J. Adler for those seeking to develop their reading habits further. Getting better at reading really helps to motivate one to continue to read.

The End of the Matter

In conclusion, becoming a ‘reader’ takes time and effort but it’s well worthwhile. Make the commitment and start reading as soon as you can, anticipate challenges and devise solutions, confront your inner antagonism, and read regularly while making wise adjustments along the way. Lastly, ‘Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God’ (1 Corinthians 10:31).

September 2020

Why I Read:

Motivation for Non-readers

By: Chico J. Collie