How do you know Christianity is the right religion?

My question is how do you, or Christians, know that Christianity is the "right" religion? I've been looking at other religions and realize many have their own version of the Bible, i.e. the Koran or The Book of Mormon. Where is the proof that the Bible is the truth if many other books state that their word is the right source? I'm curious. Thank you.

Sincerely,

--Just Wondering

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Dear Just Wondering,

Welcome! You join the myriad of souls down through the ages who have wrestled with the same question. How can we know for certain what the truth is about our existence? Just the fact that there are “religions” attests to the knowledge imbedded in all human beings that there is a need to connect somehow with the unseen, higher reality that lies beyond time, space, matter or energy. The fact that you do not question the existence of God shows that you have either done your research already or you have come to trust your gut instinct. The science of mathematical probability has already proven beyond question the existence of a “designer” behind all observable life.

So, does it just depend on whether you happen to be born into a Muslim or Buddhist or Mormon or Voodoo or Atheist or Christian home that determines which religion, if any, you are taught and should follow? Do they truly all lead to the same place? That seems to be the fashionable way of thinking today because this doesn’t require any commitment or sacrifice from anyone. In essence, people would rather think it doesn’t matter so they can do whatever they want without consequence. You, however, are very courageous to continue seeking what is truth because in the end it might require not only an adjustment of your beliefs, but of your entire life.

I will attempt to explain in just a few sentences the “proof” that has persuaded me to believe the Bible and follow Jesus Christ, but realize that it only makes sense for YOU to ask God, Himself, to reveal to you what is true. This is called prayer. And just like any parent, God desires for His children to talk to Him, share with Him, laugh with Him, cry with Him, “connect” with Him, listen to Him, create with Him, love with Him. We were created to love and be loved….a relationship with our Creator. Yet, love requires passion, commitment and, at times, the greatest sacrifice. The love of God for us has been shown to us fully in Jesus.

You asked about books. The Q’ran (Koran), the Book of Mormon, the Torah, the Writings of Confucious or of the Buddha are all examples of books of doctrine written down by one single man. Now there are bits of truth in each, enough to keep people interested, but they are not even in the same league as the Holy Bible. The Bible was written by over 40 different people over a span of 1500 years, yet all relating the same theme and message, perfectly complimenting each other in their revealing of the character and purpose of God. There are scientific and historical references, as well as fulfilled prophecies that are mind-boggling in their accuracy.

The clincher for me, however, was pure logic. There is more secular verification of the existence of Jesus than there is of, say, Abraham Lincoln. Through prayer and study God revealed to me exactly who Jesus was and what He did on the cross. British intellectual, C. S. Lewis, put it this way. Either Jesus was a liar (because He claimed to be God)…or he was a lunatic (with the same reality-check as someone claiming to be a poached egg)…or he was Lord (God in human form, dying on the cross out of love for us). He cannot, as Buddhism or Islam would like to label him, be a “good” man or even a “good” teacher. He is either who He said He was or else He was an insane con-man. I choose to believe that what Jesus says is truth. Now I have conversations, two-way, every day with Him. In short, the Bible teaches me to not follow a religion, but to seek a relationship. Yet, I must identify myself as “Christian” to the world.

The facts point to the Bible and Jesus being trustworthy, worthy of putting your faith in. Faith is acting as if something were true, even if you cannot see it with your eyes yet. At some point in your questioning, you will have to choose to make a commitment of faith or not. Hebrews 11:6 states, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” If He were to reveal Himself to us in all his glory, we would be “forced” to believe. God wants us to “freely” come to Him. People, much smarter than I am, have written entire libraries on these subjects so I do not claim to be able to satisfy you with my little column. If I sense the sincerity of your question correctly, however, you do seek a way to have a loving relationship with the one true God rather than just choose a religion. Matthew 7:7 records Jesus’ words to YOU, my friend….”Seek and ye shall find!”

“Blessing on your journey, “Just Wondering!”

The Pastor’s Wife

P.S. Here is the address of a tiny site that might help you in your research….. www.bibletruths.org/salvation/wordgod.html

How to choose an official for a wedding ceremony?

Dear Pastor's Wife,

My fiance and I are looking to get married in the not too far distant future. We are having difficulty choosing an official to perform the ceremony. What would be some good questions to ask the official to help us better get an understanding of their personality, and the way they perform their ceremony to help us in our decision?

--Guidance Seeker

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Dear Guidance Seeker,

Congratulations on your decision to become life partners! Marriage, like parenting, is one of the most difficult yet most rewarding life-long commitments anyone can possibly make. The fact that you are having difficulty choosing an official for your ceremony indicates that maybe neither one of you has yet found a church body or family of faith to connect with. If this is the case, it might be more wise to ask yourselves a couple of questions before interviewing for an official. Is there a reason you wish to have a religious ceremony versus a civil ceremony? Is it just because you had always dreamed of a “church” wedding or is it deeper than that? If spiritual truth and a relationship with God are important to you, I have suggestions to help you find an official that will not only be a help on that one single day of the ceremony but will also provide the needed spiritual and emotional support, counsel and aid that your marriage will need in the many days to come.

Whether Captains on ships, Rabbis in synagogues, Judges in courtrooms, weddings have always been officiated by those who have both authority and responsibility over the couple. They were assumed to be the couple’s teacher, protector, advisor and help. While people who get married in the “Chapel of Love” in Vegas, or elope in Tijuana might still end up with lasting marriages, it only makes sense to get all the help available to ensure the best future for your life together? In Proverbs 15:22 God tells us that, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Here are just a few steps and a list of questions to help you find the best person to officiate your wonderful wedding! . Jesus , while embracing the spirit of his own religion and race (especially its faithfulness to the truth of there being only one true God), harshly rebuked what it had become. Judaism had morphed, as all “religions” (including Christianity) eventually do, into a hierarchy of power-mongering people clawing to keep themselves over and above others. The entire 23rd Chapter of Matthew records Jesus’ words concerning the leaders of the Jews. Jesus brought something better than the Hebrew commandments, He brought the ability to actually live them fully and freely, through His Spirit of love and power. If everyone became free in God’s love, then the religious leaders risked losing their place on the ladder of prestige. Therefore, Jesus’ own Jewish leaders had him killed. We follow Jesus’ example by choosing to pursue the “relationship” with God that Judaism aspired to rather than simply follow a “religion.”
Step One: Consider personal connections. Is there a pastor who already knows your family or that of your future spouse? That way you could ask people who know you if they think this official would be a good fit for your wedding. You just might find a candidate this way so that you do not have to begin from scratch. Either way, you should still move through the remaining steps and questions.

Step Two: Check the statements of faith held by the official’s church or denomination. These can usually be provided in pamphlet form by the official’s office staff. Do their beliefs match yours, at least in the BIG things?

Step Three: Set up a meeting with the person. Have your list of questions written out with room at the side for you to jot down notes after each one. Here is a sample list that you could revamp to make your own!

1. Are these dates open on your calendar? (Rehearsal/Ceremony/Marriage-Prep Meetings)

2. What do you charge?

3. Do you require/recommend pre-marital counseling sessions? If so, how many and when? What topics do you cover? Is there a “Mentor-couple” program we can take advantage of? What about Marriage-Enrichment groups for afterward?

4. Would you anticipate any difficulties associated with the venue we have chosen?

5. Do you prefer a more formal/elegant/serious atmosphere for the ceremony or are you more comfortable with a casual/fun-loving/party-type atmosphere?

6. Could you describe (and could we have a copy of) what your normal marriage ceremony entails? Do you plan on telling any jokes from the platform or are you going to be delivering any sermons? If so, what are they going to be about?

7. How flexible are you or are you allowed to be by your church? Would you be open to us doing this? ______________(fill in with your own preferences)_______ How late is “too late” to make changes in the ceremony?

8. If we run into problems in the future, how much of your time could we expect to receive for counsel and help? 1-2 hours? 4-6 meetings? However long needed? Would there be a charge?

9. Do you have contacts in the professional counseling community that you could refer us to if needed in the future? Do you know what they charge? Do you have Young Couples Groups or Marriage-Enrichment Groups you could refer us to in the future?

10. Give us your definition of a “marriage” and describe what you consider are the most important aspects of it.

Add any other questions you feel you need to, in order to tell whether this person will not only make your wedding “DAY” wonderful, but will be a tool God can use to help your entire married life, including future “family,” rock-solid committed, joyous and loving!

While finding the right “personality” for your one hour ceremony was all you were referring to in your request, I hope you can see that you have the opportunity to add a HUGE asset to your entire married life through this one little decision about who to have officiate your wedding. Whether you take advantage of it or not, is your decision. Let me end by saying that there is only thing I regret about my wedding…and I regret it deeply…and that is not having had any preparation or pre-marital counseling sessions. My husband and I could have saved ourselves YEARS if not decades of unneeded pain and misunderstandings if we would have been mentored or helped in this way BEFORE we got married. So, don’t ignore question #3. Once again, CONGRATULATIONS! And I will be praying for you with JOY, Guidance Seeker!

The Pastor’s Wife