---

entrusted with a heavier responsibility in tuanqi, i've been getting myself into more bible studies, personally trying alot harder to do my own quiet time.

recently during a certain bible study, i was asked this question.
Is jesus precious to you? What's the difference between christianity and any other religions?

well
think about it for awhile, dear reader.


when we say yes, jesus is precious to me, why do we say that?
because.. erm. he rescued us from hell and we get to enjoy the comforts of heaven?
(brings us back to the previous, previous post where God asked us if we loved his gifts more than we love him)

jesus is precious, because without him, i cant get anywhere.
when i die, i'll be eating God's wrath raw, in my face.
Jesus is precious, because im throughly wretched.

Am I totally wretched? I asked myself, on the spot.
I know i am, but i know in disbelief.

Again there is always a line between knowing and believing.

reminds me of how i was in a bus, and in a hurry at the same time, one fine day.

I was going to be late, and it wouldnt be nice. A traffic junction dictated my fate.
red light- late
green light- not too late.

shamelessly i was praying for a green light.
The light was green then.

just when the bus was inches away from crossing the junction, the lights moved from green, to orange, and finally red.

Right then in my mind, i was reminded.
some time ago, i was speaking with an atheist on the net.
he said " if there was a God, how come so many prayers go, but nothing happens?"

At that very moment, the red light made sense.
we've got everything wrong.
If we dont get what we pray, it actually proves that there is a God.
There is actually someone who has the ability to judge and decide, to give or not to give.


alright erm back to the point.
So whats the difference between christianity and other religions?

Could it be that in christianity we do good for God's glory and not for our own glory?
I'm afraid suicide bombers believe in the same thing.

i dont have other examples to offer so i'll head to my point.

the difference is, in christianity, we have a saviour.
the difference is, in christianity, we learn that we cannot do good.

to put it shortly, in christianity, we learn that we are nothing but useless bags of trash.
In us there is NOTHING good.
We cannot save ourselves, even if doing good actually earns salvation, BECAUSE WE SIMPLY CANNOT DO GOOD!

And thats why we have a saviour.
But unless we come to terms with our condition (hopeless, useless) we will never truly accept the saviour.
But the problem is pride.

We cannot deal with pride.
No proud person would even intend to deal with himself.

so my mentor said.
read the bible, read it with all due humility
And let the bible do the reprimanding.

there is no shame in being humble
but being proud is absolutely shameless.

God help us all.