While there have been many around the world who follow Jesus Christ, we should be aware of the multitudes who reject and dishonor Him. World religions do not accept Jesus as Lord. They often have a human leader exalted to the role of a savior. They bring Jesus down to a human level and exalt their leaders to the status of a lord. Others reject Jesus for the world. They choose the sinful deeds of the flesh rather than the godliness and righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is just as wrong for sinners to choose the flesh as it is for world religions to reject Jesus as Lord.

A British agnostic, Bertrand Russell, delivered a speech to the National Secular Society in London, England, in 1927. His message was titled, Why I Am Not A Christian. Some of the reasons given in his speech were: Injustice abounds, the world is not really good, fear is the foundation of religion, Jesus was not the wisest and the best, and there is no evidence that man survives death. These reasons express his own unbelief. I am convinced that men do not reject Jesus based upon purely intellectual reasons. Jesus said, "This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God." (John 3:19-21.)

In bold contrast to what Bertrand Russell presented, I want to give you some good reasons for being a Christian.

Jesus once said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6.) Pilate asked Jesus, "Art thou a king then? To this end was I born, and for this cause came I unto the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?" (John 18:37-38.) One chapter before, John recorded these words of Jesus in prayer. "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." (John 17:17.) Not only is God’s Word the truth, but Jesus in his life is the embodiment of truth. He is Divine.

Jesus made some bold, all-encompassing pronouncements during his ministry. He did not leave any room for compromising, no room for negotiating or hedging his words. Either His words are true or they are false! He did not claim just to be a prophet from God, but He claimed to be Immanuel, which is God with us. (Matt. 1:23.) "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." (John 1:14.) "The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:17.)

We should not and we cannot compromise the words of Jesus Christ. He not only spoke the truth, but He is the truth. If we reject Jesus for the world, we reject truth! If we reject Jesus for self-proclaimed world religious leaders, we deny the Lord of glory! If we reject Jesus, we cannot claim the approval of God. Listen to John:

"Who is a liar, but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son, the same hath not the Father, but he that acknowledges the Son hath the Father also." (1 John 2:22-23.)

Jesus said, "For the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men might honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son, honors not the Father which hath sent him." (John 5:22-23.) "Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me?" (John 14:10.)

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:3-5.)

John, the apostle and prophet, wept when no one was found in heaven or in earth that could open the book in the hand of God. (Rev. 5.) The only One found who could break the seals of the book (judgment and redemption) was the Lion of the tribe of Judah. (5:5.) No one in all of history is able to fulfill the role of Mediator between God and man except Jesus of Nazareth.

We should emphasize the need for a Mediator. Such a need exists because of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. Since Adam and Eve were driven from the presence of God, man has not had direct communication with God. Man is separated from God. We are taught to pray in the name of Jesus. This is our privilege in Christ Jesus and through no other name. To pray to God without a Mediator is to seek to pray on one’s own merit as if man is equal to God. There exists a need of a sufficient sacrifice for sin. Only the sinless Lamb of God can atone for man’s sins. Imagine being without such a sacrifice. All non-Christian religions are without a satisfactory sin offering. Micah asked earnestly how he could approach God? With burnt offerings, burning of incense, offering rivers of oil, or maybe the sacrifice of his first-born son? (Micah 6:6-8.) All of Scripture points to this Sufficient, Sinless Sacrifice of Jesus. We need a high priest that is better than the sons of Aaron. We need One who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens. (Heb. 7:26.)

Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and all others are without such a Mediator between God and man. Everyone should be a Christian because Jesus is that perfect Mediator, accepted of God and needed by man. It is obvious that other religious bodies see the need for such a mediator. In almost every non-Christian religious body, there exists someone that is put in the role of mediator. There is Muhammed, Siddhartha Guatama the Buddha, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs called Khalsa SIKH, Krishna, Abraham for the Jews, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, etc. But all of these were sinners and remain in their graves. Jesus was sinless and was raised the third day giving us hope of life eternal.

I believe in Jesus as Savior, Redeemer, High Priest, Lord and Mediator, in part, because He is exactly what man needs in life and death. The great questions of life are now answered in His life, death and resurrection.

We have always known that life is uncertain. The wise man wrote, "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." (Prov. 27:1.) Isaiah told Hezekiah, "Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." (Isa. 38:1.) Amos admonished, "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." (Amos 4:12.)

Due to the massive destruction and death inflicted upon our nation on September 11^th, we have all felt an insecurity and vulnerability that exceeds any that has come before. The sheer number of deaths and the amount of destruction are shocking. I read this week, (The World Book Encyclopedia), that 7,400 Americans were killed in the nine years of fighting the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). After the war, thousands more died from wounds, disease and in prison camps. The death toll from September 11^th is now approx. 6,000. Nearly as many were killed in one hour as those who died over nine years of fighting a war! I have not known anything in my life that has affected our nation as much as this one horrific event. We all have been touched deeply by it.

Everyone should be a Christian because the only real security in life is found in Christ Jesus our Lord. If one dies in Christ, all is well. Paul wrote, "For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain." (Phil. 1:21.) Jesus said, "I go my way, and you shall seek me and shall die in your sins. Whither I go, you cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? Because he saith, Where I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above; your are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." (John 8:21-24.)

Learning how to live is a tremendous challenge. Many never learn; yet this is at the heart of what Jesus taught. His teachings were not just "church doctrines." It was about life. Jesus asked, "Is not the life more than meat and the body more than raiment?" (Matt. 6:25.) His teachings apply to children, parents, husbands and wives. The home will be a place of indescribable joy if the family members live as Christians. Each will know how to abound in times of joy and endure in moments of sorrow.

Christians are taught the highest view of humanity. Man and woman are made in the image of God. (Gen. 1:26-27.) God so loved the lost world that He gave His only begotten Son. (John 3:16.) Husbands and wives are taught to love one another and to live together according to knowledge. Peter wrote that they are "heirs together of the grace of life." (1 Peter 3:7.) Children are described by the Psalmist as "an heritage of the Lord and a reward from God." (Psalm 127:3.)

In contrast, Muhammed taught that women are inferior to men. He allowed his male followers the right to marry as many as four women if they could support them. The Qur’an gave permission to men to beat their wives if they disobeyed them and to starve them to death if they committed fornication. Viewers around the world saw evidence of that teaching as they watched in horror as veiled women were being beaten by a Muslim man in Afghanistan. Another women was shot execution-style for teaching a young Muslim girl to read.

A Christian family (where each member follows Christ) has a foundation that cannot be destroyed. Jesus referred to those who build a house upon sand and those who build upon a rock. When the rains descended, the floods came, and the winds blew against the house, it stood because it was founded upon a rock. (Matt. 7:24-27.) But sin can destroy our families. Just one family member out of control can cause the whole family great distress and grief. Just one member can sink a family financially. A wayward son or daughter can cause godly parents to go to their graves in grief. A sinful husband or wife can destroy the marriage and home.

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." (Prov. 14:34.) "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." (1 Peter 2:17.) "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (1 Tim. 2:1-2.)

Great nations have existed for awhile and then fell. Remember Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, and Rome. Recall what happened to Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jerusalem. At the heart of the reason for nations falling is sinfulness. This includes injustice, pride, love for power, forgetting God, materialism, hedonism, atheism, etc. Only those who follow Jesus can bless a nation because Jesus taught justice, fairness, godliness, love of neighbor, love for enemies, sharing one’s bounty, and peace. If any person, family, community or nation lives contrary to the way of Christ, they will weaken, cheapen, shame and destroy that nation.

You are either living a Christ-like life or one contrary to it. Have you obeyed the Gospel of Christ? (Rom. 6:17-18.) Are you a blessing to your family, community and nation?

"I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." (Gen. 12:2.) You can only be a blessing by having the faith of Abraham and trusting Jesus the Lord.