What is it about Christianity that makes it different from the “New Age” movements that have become so prevalent in the world?  After all, within society today, you can just about find as many paths of belief as you can people.  It seems as though anyone can come up with an idea and someone, somewhere will decide it is the belief system that they have been searching for.

In this world of discovering “truth” as it relates to us and shaping a belief system that suits our lifestyle as opposed to believing in something that will change our life, it is imperative that we recognize the major difference between what a follower of Christ believes and what other faith systems offer.

Most of these paths seek to give the individual a sense of power over their destiny and/or circumstances.  Either they ask proponents to strive toward higher enlightenment so that they can tap into their full power, or they emphasize the control over their inner self as a method of coping with the day to day struggles of life.  Regardless, the belief is centered on self, using sayings, platitudes, or mottoes that supposedly uplift the spirit while reminding us that “If it is to be, it is up to me.”  These statements can originate almost anywhere from long dead statesmen, philosophers, or even what some have decided are spirits from “another dimension.”

The difference between these “religions” and Christianity is very easily summed up in one word…love.

Followers of Christ are unique in their belief that the Creator of all things, the One Who placed the stars in the sky, loved each person on earth so much that He was willing to have His Son leave the perfection of heaven and become a human.  What is important for anyone to notice is that God loved each person, not just those who chose to believe in Him. 

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.  (John 3:16 – Amplified Bible)

GOD LOVED THE WORLD – all of it!  He created all people and loves all people.  He established that sin could only be forgiven through sacrifice and then sent His Son as the substitute sacrifice so that He could express His love for us for all eternity.  He offers this opportunity for any who will believe.  There is the difference.  No other belief system recognizes the greatness of God yet emphasizes His love for His creation in such a way that He sacrificed for us.

Once we believe in this amazing event, it is not difficult to understand that God is the source of all happiness and joy.  He created us, loves us, and His Son suffered tremendous pain for us. Surely the things that we deal with in life are within His domain!  Yet His promise is not that all our suffering will be relieved, our pain does not always suddenly disappear, nor do we mystically reach a new level of enlightenment.  Rather, we find that there is sweet relief in the idea that we can depend upon the One Who created all instead of relying upon ourselves. 

Some would say that followers of Christ are using God as a crutch on which to lean.  Yep, guilty as charged!  Completely unashamed I will do just that; lean on Him.  I have found too many times that standing on my own, while at first may seem empowering, always ends up with me falling.  I would rather lean on the One Who never falls.

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