What is the essence of Christianity?

Surely it is the love of God toward the human race. Think of it this way. What would your best friend do for you? Lend you $1,000; help you move house; give his own life to save yours? The first two are likely, the last unlikely.

Yet God showed love far beyond that. First he sent Jesus to show us how to live. When people saw Jesus they saw God. The Bible says he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Then Jesus, holy, sinless and perfect, took thirty-nine lashes of a metal-laced Roman whip, then suffered for hours nailed to a cross before death and resurrection from the grave.

He promises those who believe will be resurrected also. On that cross Jesus forgave your sins. He did it to save your soul, to redeem you, to put you in right standing with God, because we are all sinners, all guilty.

No matter how respectable, how decent we think we are, all of us have broken God´s laws. On a personal level: did you ever tell a lie; did you ever take God´s name in vain (using it as a swear word); did you ever steal anything, even a ruler at school? If so you have broken three of God´s Ten Commandments. The Bible says without the salvation of Christ we go to eternal death.

"Oh we all die anyway," you might say. Yes, but eternal death is the second death. The Bible tells us we all have an appointment with God. It says that after the first death comes God´s judgment. It says the books will be opened and anyone´s name not written in the Book of Life goes to a lake of fire. An awful truth, not the favourite topic of today´s local preacher, but it´s there in Revelation 20:15.

It will happen no matter how much we try to put it out of mind. That is the bad news.

Now here is the good news!

The way for your name to be written in that book of life is to repent, and trust in Jesus. Then you are redeemed, saved, sanctified. Is that "getting religion"? No, it´s the beginning of a daily, personal relationship with God.

As Michael Combs sings, there ain´t no middle ground. You´re either in or out, lost or found. You are living like a sinner or living like a saint.

How do you know the Bible is true? By believing it. Folks say show me and I´ll believe, but God says believe and I´ll show you. Then you will know God is real, as sure as the sun rises tomorrow. That is this writer´s experience.

If you are going to believe anything in this life, believe the Bible.

What does Jesus promise if you come to him? Abundant life, a daily spiritual helper (despite trial and tribulation) in this life. After that, a mansion waiting in heaven, then eternal life there; where there is no more death, mourning, pain, or night. Read about it in Revelation chapters 21-22.

The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but each of us has to choose whether we perish or not.