Jesus Christ represents the most extraordinary life our world has ever known. Even atheists acknowledge the staggering impact the Lord Jesus has made on our society.
The Irish historian and atheist W. Lecky wrote of that impact: “The character of Jesus has been the highest pattern of virtue ... and has exerted so deep an influence that it may be truly said that the record of three short years of active life has done more to regenerate and to soften mankind than all the discourses of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.”
People view Him with considerable debate from two dissimilar quarters. He is respected and even revered, or He is simply ignored and even despised. What’s the basis of the dispute? It’s not about His teachings on morality or behavior. It’s not about His miracles, about whether they were supernatural or illusions. It’s not even about the fact or fiction of the resurrection.
The controversy centers on His words about salvation. He declared that His death on the cross was the door through which sinful humanity might come to God, be forgiven, and experience a new kind of life. He called it “abundant life.” “I am come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:1010The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)).
These words cannot be called “moderately” important. C. S. Lewis, who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, made his living selling stories, but he knew the difference between a fairy tale and the truth. He said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” Would you say the words of Christ are of no importance or of infinite importance?
The theologian Augustine said something about the unique words of Jesus: “I have read Plato and Cicero’s sayings, and they’re very wise and very beautiful, but I never read in either of them, ‘Come unto Me, all [you who] labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)).”
Jesus uniquely invites us to come to Himself. And notice, He did not say, I came to give you morality, religion, rituals. Rather, He came to give us Himself. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)). The Apostle John wrote, “[Whoever has] the Son [has] life” (1 John 5:1212Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? (John 5:12)). Jesus Himself is the point in question.
Recently, friends have argued about whether atheists without a religion can have morality, a standard of behavior. Of course they can. God wrote a moral code, that is, a standard of behavior — call it the conscience if you like — in the software of every human mind. But the argument misses the impact of the life of Jesus Christ. You see, the core of Christianity is not morality or rules or even religion — but Christ Himself. HE is the issue.
Now I have a question for you. What is the Gospel of Matthew? It is the first of the four gospel accounts in the New Testament. They each present Jesus Christ, not morality, not religion. It makes for very interesting reading, and as C. S. Lewis reminds us, this is not “moderately important.” Go ahead, pick up that New Testament, and begin. Let Him impact you.