by Katelyn Vercoe

Created on: May 03, 2008   Last Updated: July 25, 2008

The future of Christianity is certain. Outward expressions of Christianity may be discarded as obsolete,popularity and enthusiasm waxes and wanes, but Christian faith is singly focused on an unchanging Jesus Christ and the sure and certain destiny of eternity in paradise.

Too often, Christianity is defined as either a factious, irrelevant and judgmental religious movement, or, more simply, as the institutions of the church worldwide (Eastern, Roman Catholic and Protestant). Christianity is a lifestyle, never intended to be strangled by religion, and a personal faith shared by a body of millions spanning the globe, through two millennia.

Whilst the Christian church has been seen as proud, judgmental, legalistic, power hungry and manipulative, Christians model their lives on One who is the antithesis of each of these descriptors. Jesus Christ spent his short life on earth in humble circumstances. He mixed with all classes of people, yet was kindest to those considered unworthy outcasts of society. Although Jesus never denounced or ridiculed the laws of his religious culture, He questioned and condemned the hypocrisy of those who enforced rules at the expense of compassion and sincere devotion. Jesus resisted offers of earthly power and placed little value on public acclamation, preferring and advocating servanthood. There is no record of Jesus ever using his divine power or his earthly popularity to manipulate or coerce any person into believing in Him, or obeying His words. He simply gave invitations and accepted people's decisions. He neither turned a seeking soul away nor denied a skeptic the dignity of personal choice.

No finer example of selflessness; no greater exhibition of love has ever graced planet Earth than in Jesus Christ - Christianity's blue print. Such purity and integrity will never cease to attract followers. Such a lifestyle will never become defunct.

Christianity is a lifestyle. It is also a faith. Christianity is a belief in the existence and supremacy of God; in humanity's inherent inadequacy; in the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ enabling reconciliation with God and Eternity in His splendor.

Despite the oft-denounced judgment dealt out by Christianity, the defining quality of the Christian faith is grace. CS Lewis famously pointed out that no other faith offers its devotees the mercy and grace that is freely available to all who genuinely seek. Christianity hinges on the understanding that human effort is futile in attaining salvation. Salvation is a free gift of God, unable to be earned, undeserved, yet never denied.

Grace is amazingly liberating. Guilt and condemnation are abolished and for those who have experienced God's grace, the future is bright and alluring. Problems of life may not diminish (indeed they may appear to increase), but faith gives strength, inspiration and a definite hope of glory to come.

The essence of the Christian lifestyle and the essence of the Christian faith are universally and timelessly attractive. The challenge for the Christian church is to present this lifestyle and this faith to the world without clouding their appeal with irrelevance, hypocrisy or any other flaw associated with yet to be perfected humanity.

In many nations, particularly of the developing world, Christianity is growing rapidly. The Bible prophesies that every people group on Earth will be reached by the gospel of Christ before the end of time....and few would argue the finite lifespan of the Earth. The Bible promises that, when the end does come, Christ and His faithful followers will reign over the Earth and then enter into an Eternity in the perfection of God's presence.

That is the promise, the hope and the certain future of Christianity.

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