Christians are much better off by being Christians instead of not being Christians. The main reason is we are living in a godless, sinful, immoral, corrupt, evil, wicked, and spiritually bankrupt world.
When one comes to trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, a spiritual transformation occurs in that person’s innermost being, and affects his mindset, behavior, and attitude towards God and others.
It was definitely not God’s intent to call Christians home to heaven immediately after they trusted Christ as their Savior. God allows Christians to remain in the world to, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
In His intercessory prayer to His Father, Jesus said: “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:15-17). The “evil one” in the text is Satan.
The Bible also stipulates what the LORD requires. It says, “He has told you O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
There is so much more to life than the things around us that we can physically see, feel, touch, and handle. These things are at best temporal things, that is, they come and go, and eventually pass away just as time comes and goes.
King David declares this in a Psalm of praise to God: “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate” (Psalm 145:3-5).
A creed is a statement of personal beliefs. The word creed is derived from the Latin word ‘credo,’ which means ‘I believe and trust’.
The “Apostles’ Creed” is a brief statement of Christian beliefs. Church congregations and individuals say or recite this Bible-based creed to proclaim their faith in God.
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into Hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven: And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.”
For the Christian, God has revealed Himself through “His Word,” the Holy Scriptures, and also through His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shed His blood and died on the cross for the sins of mankind. On the third day God raised Him from the dead. Following His resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven and is now seated at God’s right hand; “ever living to make intercessions for us.” He has also promised to return to earth and take those who know Him as Savior back to heaven with Him.
One of the most important things about the Christian faith is the “second advent” of Jesus Christ. Christians expect the Lord’s return at any moment. No one knows the day or the hour when this great event will take place. Some have falsely speculated on an actual day and time. While others have questioned the delay by asking “where is the promise of Christ’s return?”
Jesus said: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; If it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
To those who are questioning the delay, the Bible says, ”Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3,4).
The Bible gives the answer: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
The fact is that God is giving people more time to repent and believe the good news of the gospel and come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus before it is forever too late.
Since Christians are definitely better off by being Christians, we continue to be “ambassadors for Christ. God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
An ‘ambassador’ is an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country. Therefore, Christians are ambassadors by representing Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God to others in this present world.