What's the Difference?

This past Sunday, I talked about how the gospel answers all the main questions that people ask. Here are some:

• What's the point of life?
• What's wrong with the world?
• Where will I spend eternity?

As I got done with my teaching, I sat down and had a discussion with a couple of teens. One of the girls said something very interesting. She goes to a Christian school, and there are several foreign exchange students there. One of the students recently said something like this to her: "As I have heard people in church talk about God, I think it is the same spirit we talk about in Buddhism." This teen said to me that she didn't know how to respond to this student.

What was my response, you ask?

I first explained that in every false religion, there are elements of truth in them. Secondly, I explained again that what sets Christianity apart is Christ and the good news of Him living, dying and rising in our place!

Living by faith is the point of life (because it's impossible to please God apart from faith), our sin is what's wrong with the world, and Heaven and Hell are eternal realities that are addressed in the cross and resurrection.

In reality, good works don't set us apart from other religions. All other religions promote "good" works. What really sets us apart is CHRIST and the GOSPEL of forgiveness and real hope in Jesus. My works may not look so different from my neighbor (although I hope it is), but now I have confidence, by faith, that my works glorify God and He will use them as He sees fit.

What are your thoughts?