While promoting my first children’s book, a friend of mine asked me to name seven things people should know about Christianity. The request caused me to step back a moment. It’s not like asking someone to make a list citing seven things to know about blogging or climate change or budgets. How does one break down something so personal into seven little blurbs?

So I thought…and I prayed. Ultimately, I found the answer in God’s Word–where else should I have found it, silly me.

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

Despite my years of faith and desire to follow God’s plan for my life, I fail. I’ve used this verse with some of our youngest Sunday school students to assure them everyone sins.

What’s actually going on here is Paul’s response to the Jews who felt they had an advantage because they were God’s chosen people. In this chapter, Paul explains everyone needs to be saved through Jesus Christ. God doesn’t play favorites. None of us deserves the salvation God gives us. We have no right to brag about ourselves because nothing we do makes us worthy; a person is only made right with God through faith.

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Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

There are several verses that discuss God’s love for us, but I feel this one is special because it points out that God sent His Son to die for us though we remain sinners. God doesn’t put conditions on His love; and what’s more, Christ willingly offered up His life for us.

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Mark 12:30 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

This is Jesus’ response when a scribe asked Him what the first commandment of all was. Seeking to discredit His ministry, the religious leaders of the time posed questions meant to find fault with Jesus. On this topic, there was enough contention among them already. Some felt the positive commandments held more importance, while others believed God looked more kindly on those keeping the negative prohibitions.[1] Neither held true. With these words Jesus focused on our true purpose as God’s people. We miss something very important if we don’t open ourselves up to a personal relationship with God. Only by loving God with everything we are, with every portion of our being, can we become all we are meant to be.

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Psalm 84:10 “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

For whatever reason, David could not be at the temple in Jerusalem, and he longed to be in the place that symbolized God’s presence with His people. The last line of the second verse actually says, “My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.” Can you imagine how much David must have longed to be in God’s presence and with His people to say his such a thing? Can you picture what that type of longing must look like?

In verse 10, David is saying he would rather be a lowly doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell with wicked people. Is that our mindset now? Do we look to the world to provide for us or do we look to God? Do we have hearts that long for God?

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John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

In an anxious world filled with dangers, trials, and tribulations, we have received the special gift of peace; a sure peace that we are no longer of this world, but that we belong to Christ. A peace in knowing our sins are forgiven. A peace that comes through Christ’s death and Resurrection. A peace that comes from knowing we will share eternity with God. A peace we can only know when we enter into a relationship with God and cast our burdens onto the Lord.

Jesus knew His time with the disciples grew short. He knew they would be facing the loss of their teacher and their friend. He knew they would meet opposition, just like He did. But the peace of God would help them, just as that same peace helps us cope with the hardships we face in life.

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Matthew 28:6 “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said…”

Imagine being Mary Magdalene on that third day. She and the other Mary are walking down to the tomb where the body of Jesus had been hastily buried. Suddenly the earth is shaking; an angel of the Lord rolls away the stone and sits on it, scaring the guards to death. And then the angel tells you not to be afraid. Yeah right. But then the angel tells these women what they hoped to hear, “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said…”

This is as much a message of hope for us today as it was that morning. God promised He would send a Savior, and He did. Jesus promised He would rise again, and He did. God is faithful forever. We can put our trust in Him.

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Mark 16:15 “…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

This is commonly referred to as “The Great Commission.” It is the last direct instruction Jesus gave to His disciples before He ascended into heaven. The Gospel of Matthew words it this way, “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

This is the basis for evangelism and missionary work. Christians are charged, by Christ, to “make disciples of all the nations” and to be witnesses for Him to the end of the earth. This gives us the opportunity to put our faith into action. Not only that, it allows us to share the message of hope, love, and faith we know when we engage in an intimate relationship with God. Just look at the news these days. All the suffering. All the pain. This message can make a difference in people’s lives. We must share it.

[1] Keathley, III, J.H., (2004, June 9). “The Paramount Issues of Life (Mark 12:28-31).” Bible.org. Retrieved October 25, 2013 from https://bible.org/