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WhatHas
Christianity Done
for
YouLately?
by
Clayton Steep
Many say they are Christians. But does today's Christianity give the
answers to personal, social, health, even financia} problems?
Has it made your life happy, full of hope, free from worry and fear?
M
AK E
no mistake about
it. When Jesus was on
earth h e t a ught a
remarkable and different way
of life. He described it as the
way of "abundant" life (John
10: 1O)- life t hat is full of
interest and accomplishment,
overflowing with h appiness
and contentment , crowned
with a sense of purpose and
peace of mind. These are cha r–
acteristics of real Christian–
ity- the Christianity J esus
a nnounced.
Why are so few experiencing
that kind of Christianity to–
day? Why is it that many who
would answer "Christian" if
asked which religion they
belong to are frust rated, worry–
filled, empty,
unhappy?
Whether they attend religious
services regularly, rarely or not
at all, for these vast numbers
of professing Christians, the
story is pretty mucb the same:
They lack purpose in life. They
don't know wby tbey are alive.
They just "tough it out" from
January
1985
day to day. They are "hanging in
there."
But "hanging in"
where?
In an
existence that is little more than an
endless series of problems and dis–
appointments interrupted only by
whatever fleeting moments of
escape entertainment, diversions, in
sorne cases even drugs or alcohol
can provide?
Is that what life is meant to
be?
Not at all!
Plainly, wbat those people bave
viewed as Christianity has not giv–
en them the abundant Jife J esus
talked about. How can tbat be?
Many are greatly surprised when
they learn that the Bible speaks of
two
kinds of "Christianity"--one
that is genuine and one that is imi–
tation. Would you know how to dis–
tinguish between the two? Let's
look at a few of the hallmarks of
true Christianity-the way of life
Jesus announced.
Peace of Mind
This is a troubled age.
If
there is
one characteristic most people have
in common today it is that they are
troubled in heart, worried. Tbey
are worried about nuclear war.
Tbey are anxious about their health
or the heaJth of their loved ones.
They are fearfu l of being a crime or
accident victim. They fret about
their job, or about not baving a
job.
An increasingly complex society
has created more things to worry
about, rather than more opportuni–
ties for peace of mind. The stress
and strain of having to cope dai ly
with the unpleasant, the tedious,
the ugly, the unknown, the threat–
ening, the unpredictable takes its
toll. It is killing people.
If
not driv–
ing them to suicide- an option sta–
tistics show to be tragically increas–
ing even with children and adoles–
cents- then it is taking lives
through st ress-related diseases.
The Bible foretold long ago that
in the tumultuous times at the
clí–
max of this civilization we would
witness "men's hearts fai ling them
for fear" (Luke 21:26) . How dif–
ferent is Jesus' instruction to his
followers! "Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid"
(John 14:27).
True Christianity produces
peace of mind. "Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you,"
J esus declared (same verse). The
religion Jesus founded is more than
a list of beliefs. I t is a total way of
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