Christianity and Such

As the Christmas season approaches (and retailers certainly won't allow us to forget it), we should reflect upon the magnitude of the gift.

Why does God so love us that he would become man and suffer such humiliation and pain?

Why did Jesus think that I was worth it? What have I done to deserve it?



Please comment on which of these versions you prefer and why.



I sometimes think that God requires too much of us in regards to faith. We are asked to believe based upon ancient documents written by rumored authors. A re-reading of C.S. Lewis usually sets me back on the right track.

Of Lewis's many insightful observations, one sticks out at the moment. He writes in reference to those who believe that Christianity specifically and God in general are the product of men. If you took it upon yourself to create a religion filled with rules and a recipe for eternal salvation, would you design such a difficult curriculum? Would you make it so hard to be good? Would you sell your religion to the masses by telling them that they are so bad that they can only be saved by grace?

The beauty of that observation is that it's so obvious. No sane man would simply make up Christianity, and so many people would not follow the preachings of a lunatic. Remember what it took for Saul/Paul to convert.

I still can't get over why Jesus would die for us. That, my friends, is the mystery of faith.