The following sections give an introduction to Christianity - both its theory and its practice:

So God sent his only Son, Jesus, to solve the problem of our sin Himself. He did this through His death on the cross, which God considered a sufficient sacrifice for all our sins. Jesus' death thereby became a bridge by which we can be reconnected to God.

In saving us from the consequences of our sin (i.e. separation from God), Jesus, whom God raised to life again, became mankind's Saviour. However Jesus will only agree to be our Saviour on one condition - if we agree to accept Him as Lord of our lives as well.

This is a big step as it means giving up control of our lives to someone else. However it is not as bad as it might at first appear! God is not asking us to be His slaves or servants. He wants a relationship with us based on love, the best possible kind of relationship, full of mutual commitment and giving on both sides, that results in endless enjoyment and fulfilment for both Him and us. Letting Jesus be our Lord leads to a finding of life and fullness rather than losing it.

This offer is completely free and it is open to everyone. It does not matter who you are or what you have done. You can have been really evil, opposed to God, insulting to Him or just very far away from Him and He still offers you immediate forgiveness and a fresh start. There is just the one condition attached - that we accept Jesus as the Lord of our lives from now on.

"He is a God who has wonderfully revealed himself in many ways, especially through his Son Jesus Christ. He is a God who is alive today and is powerfully at work in the hearts of all those who are open to him. He is a God who heals broken relationships, who calms the storm in our lives, who brings peace to our consciences, who longs to fill our whole being with inexpressible joy, who loves us and cares for us more than anyone else ever could. He is a God who knows how to comfort us in all our sorrows, who is right beside us in the midst of pain and depression; a God who wants to lead us through the path that is best for our life. He is a God who can bring reconciliation where there has been bitterness, hatred or violence. Nothing is too great for his power, and nothing too small for his love.

Such a God is worthy of all our trust and of every part of our life. He is there when we wake. He is there whatever we are doing or wherever we may be in his creation. He is there when we sleep. He is there at the moment of death; and he will be gloriously before us at the first moment of resurrection. He is a God who will never disappoint us, never fail us, never abandon us. One day we shall be privileged to see him face to face, to become like him, and to live with him forever."

Reproduced by permission of Hodder and Stoughton Limited.

What you think about Jesus of Nazareth is the most important judgement that you will make in your life. Someone has described life without Jesus as like a powered toy without batteries - you can play with the toy without them, but it only really comes alive when you put the batteries in. And not only can becoming a Christian radically improve your life now, your decision about Jesus is also the only thing that can determine your eternal destiny.

Many people think that Jesus is just a good teacher, but that is not how the Bible describes Him. Jesus makes many claims for Himself that go way beyond being just a good teacher:-

Someone who was just a good teacher could not make these amazing claims about himself. Either he was completely deluded (and therefore not a good teacher but an insane megalomaniac), or he was a liar (of epic evil proportions) or he was telling the truth and he was the Son of God. Mad, bad or God - take your pick - there are no other options.

Jesus was a powerful miracle worker. He healed all sorts of diseases and infirmities - including enabling the lame to walk, the blind to see and even bringing some dead people back to life. When a need arose He could also walk on water and turn water into wine. It is difficult to believe that a mad or bad man could do these sorts of things or even delude others into thinking that he had done them.

Jesus also had an incomparable character. He was strong but gentle, uncompromisingly righteous but full of tender compassion. He cared for children and outcasts. He touched untouchables. He never retaliated, never grew resentful or irritable. He always had time and love for people, whatever they were like or whatever they had done.

He believed ardently in what he taught but was no fanatic. His doctrine was unpopular but he was not eccentric. He was utterly unselfish. Although believing Himself to be divine He did not put on airs or stand on his dignity. He was humble, never pompous or self-important. He knew Himself to be the Lord of all, but He behaved as the servant of all. He exhibited both the greatest self-esteem and the greatest self-sacrifice.

He allowed Himself to be misrepresented, unjustly treated and even killed. He had utter disregard for Himself in the service of God and mankind. Normal people may show occasional flashes of such nobility, but the life of Jesus radiated it with a never-fading glory. It is impossible to believe that any man could act in such a way if he was either just deluded about himself or deliberately trying to lead others astray.

His disciples, men who had lived with him for 3 years and knew him intimately, didn't think he was deluded or a liar. They said the following sorts of things about him:-

Other people also reached the same conclusion (see Luke 23:41 & 47, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15 & 7:26). Jesus of Nazareth was not mad or bad, and therefore he must be who he claimed to be - the Son of God.

Another pointer to the divinity of Jesus is that when He was killed, He rose from the dead. There really is no other credible explanation for Jesus' missing body, His undisturbed grave clothes and His appearances after His death, than that God had indeed raised Him from the dead.

A former Lord Chief Justice of England, Lord Darling, commented that "In its favour as living truth there exists such overwhelming evidence, positive and negative, factual and circumstantial, that no intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in a verdict that the Resurrection story is true."

Also when people become Christians they claim to be able to know Jesus as a living person (which they couldn't do if He was dead), and their lives can often be utterly transformed as well. It can be so life-changing that some people call it being "born again". How could this be possible if Christianity wasn't true and Jesus wasn't who He claimed to be?

You must decide what you think about Jesus. Will you believe the evidence of the Bible, the changed lives of Christians and their claims to know Jesus personally? And if Jesus is the Son of God will you also agree to accept Him as your own Lord and Saviour?

Abridged from "Basic Christianity" by John R W Stott published by IVP UK.

Indeed, instead of a focus on earthly survival as one would expect, anthropologists report that a belief in an afterlife has been a feature of every human society discovered so far. We all seem to want something more than simple earthly survival.

Christians believe that our spirits come from God, not evolution, and that this explains our common belief in something out there to turn to in a crisis and to give meaning to life. It also explains our common belief in an afterlife, our common sense of morality, and the value we place on emotional and spiritual experiences - in pleasure, relationships, art, leisure and so on - none of which have anything to do with survival of the fittest.

Most religions offer a way of earning your way into a pleasant afterlife through devotion to god(s) and obedience to a set of values. Christianity is different. It says that you cannot earn your way into heaven.

Instead, God so loves us that he came down to earth and died on a cross so that we might be forgiven all our sins and given free entry into heaven, no matter how good or bad we have been.

So while other religions can encourage a sense of spirituality and morality and tell you something about yourself and God, Christianity says that none of them can get you into heaven. No other religion can deal with your failure to be able to earn your own way there yourself.

Jesus summed it up by saying "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

This is a question which God declines to answer.

We know from Jesus' words that we are so precious to God that "even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30). We know from Jesus' actions in healing the sick and making the disabled whole that suffering is not God's will and that His desire is to take away our pain and make us well. We also know from Jesus' death that God is prepared to enter into our suffering and even die for us.

So God does love us tremendously, but for some reason He also allows us to suffer. We don't know why this is, but God asks us to trust Him anyway. He believes that He has shown enough of His love for us in Jesus for us to be able to do that. 

God may seem demanding in insisting that a good life is never good enough for Him and that the only way into heaven is to let Him be Lord of your whole life. But it is actually only for our benefit.

Christianity says that sin corrupts all that we do and that left to our own devices we are never truly good or free or fulfilled for long. It is paradoxically only in giving up control of our lives to God that we will become truly free. It is only in giving up seeking our own pleasure that we will find true contentment. And it is only in emptying our lives of self that we will find life in all its fullness.

By living life God's way we get back far more than we ever give up for Him.

Many experts respect the accuracy of the Bible's historical accounts. It is very open and honest about the flaws of its religious leaders and followers throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is not a fanciful or idealistic book, but is full of gritty realism and genuine insight as well as down-to-earth advice.

Jesus himself treats the Old Testament as utterly reliable - he frequently used it for the basis of his teaching, he regularly appealed to it for authority and he understood his mission as fulfilling many of its prophecies.

Also, when you become a Christian, you find that God starts speaking to you in a new way through the Bible. Words which may have been read many times before suddenly take on new meaning. Individual verses ring with conviction that this is what God is saying to you personally at that moment. When Christians have this kind of experience it is no wonder that they too treat the Bible as the authorative and reliable Word of God.

Not all Christians and churches are like this. However God does give us freewill to make of our relationship with Him what we will. If we really want to get to know Him then we will. If we are willing to allow Jesus to come into our lives and be our Lord, then He will and we will be transformed and blessed as a result.

Sadly, many individuals and churches seem to prefer to compromise and try to keep God at arm's length. They will follow God in part, but not give their whole lives to Him. It is not surprising therefore if their faith sometimes lacks true consistency, integrity, life or relevance.

Becoming a Christian is the most important decision that you will ever make, so if you are unsure about it then you should make it a priority to become sure. Take time to give it as much consideration as it needs, so that you can be certain whether it is something that you want to do or not.

Consider reading one of the four gospels in the Bible (e.g. Mark) in a modern translation. As you read it ask God, if he really exists, to reveal himself to you through what you are reading.

If you have any Christian friends then ask them some questions and see if their church has any meetings that are appropriate for you to attend to find out more about Christianity.

However if you feel an inner conviction that Christianity is true then accept Jesus as your Lord & Saviour now. Don't hesitate and say you'll decide later when you've thought about it further - you may never get another chance. Isaiah 55:6 gives the wise advice to "call on him (God) while he is near". If God has been speaking to you then the time to act is now.

Read the following prayer through to yourself first and when you are ready speak the words to God either out loud or in your heart. There is nothing else you need to do. Just pray this prayer and believe it and you will be a Christian - forgiven of all your sins, having a new, loving relationship with God and also guaranteed entry into heaven.

Being a Christian return to top

You know if you have this transforming presence of God within you and if you have this kind of relationship with God or not. If you don't but you would like to, then all you need do is agree to let Jesus be the Lord of your life from now on. Why not do it now?