LogoNNN
The Norfolk and Norwich Christian community website

Opinion column


hand cloud sun 750pb

Why following Christ is a win-win proposition

Regular columnist James Knight explains why everyone stands to benefit by following Christ’s teachings.

One of the most ingenious things about Christ’s Truth is that the best way to live your life if Christianity is true is also the best way to live your life if it isn’t true.
 
That’s quite a remarkable and profound depth of thought to contemplate - that redemption through love is the way to live, and that if you do so by believing in Christ, you will be saved, but yet if you do so because you recognise there is no better way to live (either individually or collectively), you are likely to see God in Christ.
 
Usually when a proposition is either true or false, there is a distinct difference in how a decision bears out. If, for example, our hotel is South of where we are, then travelling North will certainly take us further away from our destination. If it is better to have a good work ethic, then not having one is expected to be detrimental to our life chances. If shaving with a razor is better for our skin than shaving with a saw blade, then we’d expect better results from shaving with a razor.
 
But, such is the genius of Christianity, that the Christian truth of a world redeemed by love and grace is the most powerful, truthful and beneficial way to live, whether that love and grace is from God or is inspired by a noble human collective.
 
Don’t get me wrong, it makes all the difference in the world whether Christ died for our sins – but I’m making a different point here. Regarding the signpost to whether Christianity is true, and how one can see God in creation:-  If you live your life as though a world redeemed by love and grace is the most powerful, truthful and beneficial way to live, then if you believe Christ died for our sins, you will call Him Lord and have salvation; and if you live your life as though a world redeemed by love and grace is the most powerful, truthful and beneficial way to live, but do not yet believe Christ died for our sins, it won’t be very long before you realise that He has done so, and then you will call Him Lord and have salvation.
 
It’s a testament to God’s genius, His grace, and His love, that He set us up with eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11) so we couldn’t go astray if we live in accordance with Christ’s teachings, and act that out as though a world redeemed by love and grace is the most powerful, truthful and beneficial way to live.
 
It’s like one way is the Truth we have accepted in Christ, and the other way is a mirror that shows us the Truth in Christ and invites us to accept it.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay



JamesKnight300James Knight is a local government officer based in Norwich, and is a regular columnist for Christian community websites Network Norfolk and Network Ipswich. He also blogs regularly as ‘The Philosophical Muser’, and contributes articles to UK think tanks The Adam Smith Institute and The Institute of Economic Affairs, as well as the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC). 


The views carried here are those of the author, not necessarily those of Network Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users. 


We welcome your thoughts and comments, posted below, upon the ideas expressed here. 
 
Click here to read our forum and comment posting guidelines

You can also contact the author direct at j.knight423@btinternet.com
 

17170 views
To submit a story or to publicise an event please email: web@networknorwich.co.uk