If christianity is right, why aren't we all christians?

Question

please try answering this without using the bible to reinforce your answer. eg, the 'free will' argument only exists WITHIN christianity, and doesn't explain things to a non christian.

Answer 1

If Christianity is right, then the God of Christians is right. Right? What if this God decides some people will become followers of Christ Jesus (which is what being a Christian is) and enables them to become such, but that other people will remain outwith such discipleship (for very good reasons that I won't go into here because I don't want to lose you by quoting from the Bible). If this God explains that - due to sin - everybody is spiritually dead, but that he will bring to spiritual life certain ones, you or I might not like that, but if God is God, then he can make such decisions and carry them out. And there's not a thing you or I can do about it.

You have asked a deep question about Christianity and it is impossible to answer it without using Christian reasons. The explanation is found within Christianity. You don't have to believe it. You don't even have to like it. But that's the explanation. Keep on asking deep questions, friend!

Answer 2

In matters of logic, if one starts with(or incorporates) a faulty premise, one ends with a faulty conclusion. So I have to say I think the premise that "free will" is a biblical principle rather than a philosophical one is faulty. Humans HAVE free will, we prove this everyday. Are you asking why God gave free will?

Your question brings the conclusion that if any particular religion is "right," then everyone would follow it. So why did you pick Christianity, why not Islam? Judaism? Religion in general?

Christianity teaches that the world is in a progression. There has been a plan of redemption since the beginning. Christians believe that we (the population as an entirety)just "aren't there yet."

Answer 3

Well, whatever the ultimate truth is, why aren't we all that? Do you mean that freewill does not exist outside Christianity? Why would a supreme being force his people to his way. Does a parent want to force their children to love them and do what they say? Or do they want the children to love and obey them because it is the right thing to do. Most religions are moral in their beliefs--but why isn't everyone moral? If Christianity is right, why aren't we all Christians? That's like asking: if exercise is good for you, why doesn't everyone do it?

Answer 4

"Go up there and hit a home run but trying doing it without a bat." OK. That makes absolutely no sense.

As the Bible points out, each individual will have the opportunity to make a decision in their own lives whether to accept the sacrifice of Christ and make Him their Lord and Savior, or reject Him. "I put before you Life and Death. Choose ye, therefore Life."

Each action has a consequence attached to it. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior gives us access to Heaven and an eternity with God. Rejecting Salvation gives the person access to Hell and an eternity separated from God.

Answer 5

It is nonsense to say that the free will argument only applies within Christianity.
You have the freewill to decide whether you join or not.
The very fact that you are free to ask proved that.
Were God, however, to 'make' everybody a Christian then we would cease to be human in any meaningful sense as we would NOT have the power of choice.

Answer 6

We arent all Christians, because it is a creation of man. Religion was created in order to explain things that people otherwise dont have answers for. The first religions on the planet were Mythology. They assigned aspects of life to "gods" which were sopposed to be responsible for things they could otherwise not explain. Mythology, or Polytheism came LONG before Christianity . Then someone decided that they wanted to rise to power with a new system of religion, a new way to explain everything that was already being done with multiple gods, and throw them all into one supreme being, but on a much gentler take, and created Christianity. Since Christianity is a much more inclusive and non-hands-on approach to religon Then man suddenly became responsible for the rest of what was happening in their lifes, as well as since god forgave sins, you could sin and repend, which gave more freedom, no more love isnt in their hands, no more war isnt in their hands. It gave the people more controll over their life, but not the beginning and the end of their life thus popularity is easy especially now a day, when science can explain everything else in life, except for the beginning of life, and the end of life. So ultimately, Religion is the construction of man to explain the unexplainable....that is why we arent all christians.

Answer 7

Due to the fact that these
Christians use the Protestant Old Testament which is lacking 7 entire books 2 (Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus/Sirach, Baruch, I Maccabees, and II Maccabees), 3 chapters of Daniel and 6 chapters of Esther may be one of the reasons they ask catholics so many questions.

For the Sola Scriptura this is too bad .
In the 16th c., Luther removed those books from the canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine, relegating them to an appendix. Removed in this way were books that supported such things as:

prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45),

Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7),

intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14),

and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15).

The lesson, though, is this: relying on the "Bible alone" is a bad idea; we are not to rely solely on Sacred Scripture to understand Christ's message. While Scripture is "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), it is not sufficient for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. It is the Church that is the "pillar and ground of Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)! Jesus did not come to write a book; He came to redeem us, and He founded a Sacramental Church through His apostles to show us the way. It is to them, to the Church Fathers, to the Sacred Deposit of Faith, to the living Church that is guided by the Holy Spirit, and to Scripture that we must prayerfully look.

Answer 8

Religion has been around since the beginning of recorded history, so ask yourself why aren't we all good?

I'd like to think this whole God relationship is a little too much for humanity to wrap it's collective head around. But on the good side of things most people still try to be good and seek a meaning to their lives.

I honor any prophet that illuminates the divinity in us all. The rest of any religion is window dressing, a common set of customs and language for a community to share in.

Answer 9

Actually I am not a christian and I excert free will all the time. For example by choosing not to be a Christian.
Your question is a self defeating argument.

Answer 10

Because revelation of the divine sort only comes from the prompting of the holy spirit. I wasn't a christian until I met Jesus after being stirred in my soul by the holy spirit. Ask and see what happens.