Why Does Anyone Become a Christian?
Why Does Anyone Become a Christian? - Timothy Keller, Nov. 2016
Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Those words echo in my heart and guide what I share in my speaking, writing, and counseling ministry.Even though it’s the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and you might be expecting some thoughts on the season, I decided to share something I came across today. When I read this article by Tim Keller, a well-known and respected pastor, author, and theologian, I knew it was something that would “feed my sheep”. It’s long, and I know everyone is busy, so I’ve divided it into two. I’ll share the second half in my next blog, Hope this helps you grow in your faith!
Christianity is under attack by our changing culture. Here’s help to face today’s challenges.
“Many say that Christians who maintain the historic, traditional doctrines are behind the times, are too exclusive, and are “on the wrong side of history.” Two recent books that cast doubt on this view are from historian and biblical scholar Larry Hurtado, Destroyer of the gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World(Baylor University Press, 2016) and Why on Earth Did Anyone Become a Christian in the First Three Centuries? (Marquette University Press, 2016).The earliest Christians were widely ridiculed, especially by the cultural elites, excluded from circles of influence and business, and often persecuted and put to death. Hurtado says that Roman authorities were uniquely hostile to them, compared to other religious groups.Why? It was expected that people would have their own gods, but that they would also be willing to show honor to all other gods as well. Nearly every home, every city, every professional guild, and the Empire itself each had its own gods. You could not even go to a meal in a large home or to any public event without being expected to do some ritual to honor the gods of that particular group or place. To not do so was highly insulting, at the least, to the house or the community. It was also dangerous, since it was thought that such behavior could bring the anger of the gods. In particular, it was seen as treason to not honor the gods of the empire, on whose divine authority its legitimacy was based.Christians, however, saw all these rituals and tributes as idolatry. They were committed to worship their God exclusively. While the Jews had the same view, they were generally tolerated since they were a distinct racial group, and their peculiarity was seen as a function of their ethnicity. Christianity, however, spread through all ethnic groups, and most of them were former pagans who suddenly, after conversion, refused to honor the other gods. This created huge social problems, making it disruptive or impossible for Christians to be accepted into most public gatherings.Christianity’s spread was seen as subversive to the social order, a threat to the culture’s way of life. Christians were thought to be too exclusive to be good citizens. But in light of the enormous social costs of being a Christian in the first three centuries, why did anyone become a Christian?Why did Christianity grow so exponentially? What did Christianity offer that was so much greater than the costs? Hurtado and others have pointed out three things.”I hope you’ll read the three things Christianity offered back in the first three centuries, and offers NOW. If you’re really curious and don’t want to wait for the second half of Tim Keller’s article, click http://www.timothykeller.com/blog/2016/11/11/why-does-anyone-become-a-christian
Qu: What are your thoughts about Christianity and our culture? How do you respond to skeptics? Leave a comment or share your thoughts below.Let’s be strong in the Lord, celebrate His birth, and also grow in knowing why we believe!
Hugs and blessings, Poppy