What distinguishes Christianity from other religions?

There are many rational arguments for and against the Christian faith. And the intellectual debate about faith seems important to me, because God has given us a rational mind as well.

So I don’t see any contradiction between thinking and believing, but at the end of the day, intellectual debates boil down to the fact that a Christian cannot prove the existence of God, just as an atheist cannot prove that God does not exist.

So, for a change, in this article I would like to mention some (unsorted) points that have struck me personally as “unique selling points” of the Christian faith, without claiming to be exhaustive:

1. The best future

If we believe in Jesus, we can be one hundred percent sure that we will go to heaven after death. There we will be with God and experience the greatest joy; He will wipe away all our tears. Sickness and death, sorrow and grief will no longer exist in heaven. We will live there forever; death no longer exists for us.

(Further reading: 1 Corinthians 15:55; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 21:4)

2. The greatest gift

God Himself came to earth in the form of Jesus to save us human beings. We do not have to learn complicated prayers or perform hours of rituals to appease God. The way to heaven is open free of charge and immediately, if only we give up our pride and submit to Jesus.

(Further reading: Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8)

3. Eternal faithfulness

No one can ever take away our assurance of going to heaven. We can rely on God throughout our lives and for eternity, no matter what may happen, even if human relationships break down. God is faithful to all who cling to Him with all their heart.

(Further reading: John 10:28; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; 2 Timothy 2:13; Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 13:5)

4. A second chance

In the Bible, God repeatedly shows Himself to be a loving Father who shows mercy before justice – Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross is the culmination of this. Even in seemingly hopeless situations, we always have the opportunity to come back to God and ask for forgiveness.

(Further reading: Luke 15:8-32; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:1)

5. True peace

Through forgiveness from God, we have peace with Him. Even when we are too critical of ourselves, God gives us the assurance that we are accepted. God helps us to come to terms with things that are out of our control. What seems too big for us to handle, we can confidently place in God’s hands.

(Further reading: Isaiah 9:6; Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20)

6. Overflowing love

Jesus solves the problem that we cannot pull ourselves out of the mire. God first loved us through Jesus, and that frees us to do good. Because God has given us eternal satisfaction with a ticket to heaven, we can assist others without fear of losing anything ourselves.

(Further reading: Psalm 23:5; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 1 John 4:19)

7. The Supreme God

As Christians, we believe that our God is the Creator of heaven and earth and all living things in them. Therefore, we believe that our God has the power to save us from death and bring us back to life, but also to intervene in what is happening in this world and to help the poor and the weak.

(Further reading: Psalm 145; Luke 1:37; Colossians 1:16)

8. God listens

Our God is a personal God to whom we can speak and who listens to us. He knows our concerns and takes them seriously. God gives us comfort and hope. Even when all the people around us are against us, God is always just a prayer away.

(Further reading: Matthew 11:28; 1 Peter 5:7)

9. God is good

God is a loving God who is to us like a father who means well with us. He is not a strict, rule-oriented God who only cares about keeping certain commandments. God knows every human being very well and knows about our weaknesses and our efforts.

(Further reading: John 1:12; Galatians 4:6)

10. A long-term plan

We know that God has an individual plan for each person’s life. Although we may not always realize it, as children of God, all things serve us for good in the long run. We can rest easy in the confidence that God has already prepared good events for us.

(Further reading: Psalm 23:4; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 2:10)

11. A familial community

With faith in Jesus, all Christians worldwide have a common foundation. God models for us how to maintain good fellowship with others. Even if we don’t always succeed, in Jesus we have an example that shows us how to sort out interpersonal differences.

(Further reading: Roman 5:17; Ephesians 4:32; 1 John 4:11; Hebrews 13:2)

12. For all people

The core message of Christianity (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is simple and understandable to everyone. To become a Christian, one need not have a particular intellect, belong to any particular culture, or be born with any particular ancestry. The Christian faith is open to everyone.

(Further reading: Romans 10:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4)