Three proofs that Christianity is . . . The Right Path By Peter Sletmoe

On a cloudless August morning, my brother and I set out to conquer Mt. McLaughlin’s nine thousand nine hundred and forty five feet. The hike to the top was physical, but the view from the summit was awesome. So when my sister asked me for a great hiking idea somewhere in southern Oregon, I was quick to tell her about Mt. McLaughlin. My sister and our cousin took me up on my suggestion a few weeks later, but their trip was much more eventful than mine.

Laura and Kim started up the mountain in the warm afternoon sunshine. However, as they took in the view from the summit, they realized the sun was beginning to set. In their haste to get off the mountain, they chose the wrong path. What had looked like an equally good path from the top quickly turned into a dark forest as they reached the base of the mountain. After regrouping, they realized the only way to make it safely back to the parking lot was to climb back up to the top of the mountain and find the right path. Finally, after spending nearly fifteen hours on the mountain, they made it safely back to their vehicle.

Our walk with God is very much like this mountain climb. Somewhere in the past, someone invited you into the Gospel. Maybe a friend invited you to Sunday School. Maybe a coworker invited you to church. Maybe you grew up in a Christian family and you have gone to church as long as you can remember. But now that you are on this Gospel path, you find yourself faced with pressing questions.

As you sit in biology class, you learn about the theory of natural selection. You are told that Creation is just one of many explanations of how we got here. As you eat lunch at work, your coworkers start talking about world religion. They say that Christianity is just one of the many pathways to God. When you hang out with your friends, they wonder if your faith might all just be in your head. Maybe it's just a good feeling and nothing more. What these questions all add up to is this: how do you know that you are on the right path? The wonderful thing is that we can know which path is right. Better yet, we can ensure that we are on the right path.

Someone once said that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. In that same way, we judge the success of our decisions based almost entirely upon the outcome of those decisions. For my sister and cousin, it wasn't hard to know which path was right. The path that led to the parking lot was the right path. For us, the path that leads to Heaven is the right path. The problem that most of us encounter is that none of us have ever died before. None of us have ever been to Heaven. So how do we prove to ourselves, and to a watching world, that we are on the right path? I believe there are three proofs that speak volumes on behalf of the Gospel.

The first proof is that this Gospel is not just some great feeling. God gives us real answers to our prayers! Just a short time ago, I was standing in the delivery room of a maternity ward watching my third daughter come into this world. But after Sierra was born, she wouldn't take a breath. I watched in agony as her tiny body turned from pink to purple to dark blue. The doctor was doing everything in his power, but the situation didn't improve. In that moment, I prayed a very real prayer on her behalf. Now, as I hold my daughter in my arms, I know that my very real prayer was answered in a very real way.

If you look in your past, I'm sure that you can recall a time when God answered prayer for you. This is especially true if you are saved because God radically changed your life. The fact that God answers prayer proves to me that I am on the right path. This can be a reassurance to you as well.

The second proof of the Gospel is that, unlike many scientific theories, the Bible proves itself to be true. When we do what the Bible says to do, God begins to work and move in our lives the way the Bible says He will. The next time you are at church, pay special attention to the testimonies. There will probably be someone who testifies about being delivered from a drug addiction. Someone else may testify about a divine healing he received. Someone else might testify about how a promise from the Bible was played out in her own life. In every case, you can go back to the Bible and see where it says that all these victories are ours as we commit our lives to God. If you think back through your own life you, will find times where the Bible's truths were proven.

Finally, in the midst of all the other world religions, how do you know that Christianity is the right one? The third proof is the experience of salvation. Think back to the day that you were saved and remember how you felt before you were saved. Then, think about the deep-settled peace that God put into your heart when He saved you. What you found that day was a real peace backed by real power. You’ve found the peace that only God can give.

Someone may approach you some day, and try to draw you into a debate about your faith. You may walk away from the situation not knowing whether or not you won. But, at the very least, you can say to yourself, I know that I am on the right path because God answers prayer, the Bible is true, and I have peace in my heart!

Peter Sletmoe is a minister of the Apostolic Faith Church in Grants Pass, Oregon.