A valid response to "Why are you a Christian?"

[chuckd]

Why are you a Christian?
Why do you believe in Jesus?
etc.

Is a valid response "I don't know."

Works righteousness answer: "Because I'm a good person and try to obey God."
Arminian: "Because I have faith and believe in Jesus."
Calvinist: "Because the Lord had mercy on me."

Ok, why did the Lord have mercy on you?

"...hmmm...I don't know."

 

[sevenzedek]

According to my understanding, Romans 9:23 comes closest to giving the answer to why God has mercy on those who are saved. Beyond this, I don't know. Therefore, this I don't know is a valid answer.

Romans 9:23
...that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy...

There are other valid answers, but they never get beyond the one that says I don't know

 

[crimsonleaf]

Romans 9:23
...that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy...

Why?

Because that's what God wants.

 

[he beholds]

If someone asked me that I'd say because I believe the Bible, and what it says about God, to be true. I see this world and the Biblical understanding of it convinces me that it is true. That is true, not simply Arminian. I do believe that. It is thanks to God that I believe it, but they aren't typically asking how are you a Christian, but why.

When we're told to be ready to give a defense for our faith I think we're told to be ready to reason.

 

[jwithnell]

"Because the creator of the universe has, in his Mercy, provided a means for fallen man to be reconciled to Himself." If pressed on why me? "Even if I am not one of God's own, it is incumbent upon me, as someone created in God's image, to worship and glorify him."

 

[MarieP]

A friend asked this question on his blog not to long ago. "Why do you call yourself a Christian?" is how he phrased it

I replied: Because Christ called me by His grace and love in the Gospel and bid me take up my cross and follow Him! (And I was given the ears and heart to obey)

As to "I don't know," it would depend on the person saying it and the context in which it was said. I would inquire further. I'm reminded of the hymn, "Why was I made to hear Thy voice and enter while there's room, while millions make a wretched choice and rather starve than come!" Of course, the hymn gives the answer, "Twas the same love that spread the feast that sweetly drew us in, else we had still refused to taste and perished in our sin!"

I could give an even shorter answer, "But God!"

 

[Miss Marple]

Because I love Jesus, and want to follow Him.

 

[Zach]

Grace.

 

[Jack K]

Arminian: "Because I have faith and believe in Jesus."
Calvinist: "Because the Lord had mercy on me."

"Because I have faith in Jesus" is a valid answer for a Calvinist, too. We agree on the necessity of faith. We say it's faith that unites us to Christ. We also affirm that this faith is the irresitable result of God's purely gracious choice. But we don't always have to say this when someone asks how we became a Christian. To say that it's by repentance and faith is a good, biblical answer.

To tell why I place my faith in Jesus and what about him has captured my heart, from the perspective of my conscious decision to believe, is valid too. We do decide to believe. Yes, it's an inevitable result of pure grace. But at another level it's based on my reason and desire. I don't necessarily always have to add the caveat that the Spirit's mysterious work in my heart led to that reason and desire.

So I suppose "I don't know" could be a valid answer, but it'd require a lot of explaining and would turn the discussion into one about election. The "why are you a Christian?" question is seldom meant to ask about that. It is, rather, asking you to explain your reasons and desires. It's a great opportunity to "give the reason for the hope that is within you." Beginning with election is not generally the best way to do that, nor is it a biblical pattern when the gospel is proclaimed to curious onlookers. It's a theological discussion that's usually best saved for some other time.

 

[earl40]

To tell why I place my faith in Jesus and what about him has captured my heart, from the perspective of my conscious decision to believe, is valid too. We do decide to believe. Yes, it's an inevitable result of pure grace. But at another level it's based on my reason and desire. I don't necessarily always have to add the caveat that the Spirit's mysterious work in my heart led to that reason and desire.

I have always found that this part you wrote interesting. I have found I simply believe something about anything not because of any "decision" but because my neurons were pointed the correct way.

 

[crimsonleaf]

I believe that desire and reason answers the "why?" and the Holy Spirit answers the unasked question, "How?"

 

[KevinInReno]

You could also respond, "Because the work of Christ on the cross". The benefit of this response is you can quickly get into the work of Christ on follow ups, rather than having the conversation focus on your personal faith. Essentially having a discussion rooted in Christ being worthy for worship even if you are hell bound. That any idea of you only worshipping God just because you want to "be saved" or "goto Heaven", get a get out of hell free card, etc, would be evil. But you see the work of Christ on the cross and know He is worthy of worship - no matter if you're bound for heaven, or bound for hell.

Would that be the only thing to cover? Probably not, frankly I would then goto election, but a great place to have it start.

 

[Jackie Kaulitz]

Great and helpful response, Jack. I am always trying so hard to avoid any "Arminian terminology/phrases" that I often lump popular phrases into "Arminian" and don't stop to think deeply "Wait a minute... Calvinists affirm that too!" I found the book Tell the Truth by Metzger to really help me clarify what is "Arminian" vs "Calvinist" in evangelism. So far, it's my favorite book on evangelism because it really straightens out the confusion between how and what Calvinists preach vs how and what Arminians preach.

Arminian: "Because I have faith and believe in Jesus."
Calvinist: "Because the Lord had mercy on me."

"Because I have faith in Jesus" is a valid answer for a Calvinist, too. We agree on the necessity of faith. We say it's faith that unites us to Christ. We also affirm that this faith is the irresitable result of God's purely gracious choice. But we don't always have to say this when someone asks how we became a Christian. To say that it's by repentance and faith is a good, biblical answer.

To tell why I place my faith in Jesus and what about him has captured my heart, from the perspective of my conscious decision to believe, is valid too. We do decide to believe. Yes, it's an inevitable result of pure grace. But at another level it's based on my reason and desire. I don't necessarily always have to add the caveat that the Spirit's mysterious work in my heart led to that reason and desire.

 

[Scott1]

Ok, why did the Lord have mercy on you?

In the spirit of being ready in season and out, and to have an answer for every man....

Because God saves sinners. For reasons known only unto Himself He chose to save me from sin, by giving me faith in His Son Jesus, and that to the praise of His Glorious Grace!

 

[ThyWord IsTruth]

My response would be: "I am a biblical Christian because every word contained in the bible is truth and the truth has set me free. Now if you would like to know how, let us dine together and go through these scriptures that hold the truth and I will show you who God is and who we are in comparison to the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. "