In the beginning was the Word . . . .

I was not a Christian by birth, having been born into a nominally Hindu family. My parents and grandparents are all really wonderful people, who taught me to have respect for persons of all creeds and races, and I was raised in a home that was very secular and not particularly religious.

But, God – has always been something, actually Someone, that I have been inexorably drawn to. I was not always a believer, but the concept of God drew me like a magnet. I spent a lot of my life wondering and reflecting on it. But thankfully, those days came to an end some time ago, when I became a believer.

I believe that the Living God came to the world in the human form, as Jesus of Nazareth, of the lineage of King David and Abraham, amongst the people Israel, as prophesied by the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist.

Jesus did not hang out at the Country Club, or vote Republican. Nor was He a white guy. Born in the 'Hood (in a manger), of an 'At-risk Teenager' (Mary was unwed, and about 13 when she gave birth). Jesus was the ultimate Liberal of all time. During His brief 33 years of life, Jesus preached only for the last 3. And during this time, he spent most of His time talking about radical concepts like 'Loving Thy Neighbor' (sounds like the Flower Children of the American '60s, right?) – largely amongst thieves, prostitutes and tax-collectors – the people considered the Lowest of the Low, the people looked down upon by the 'respectable' in the society of that time. Jesus was rather contemptuous of the so-called 'righteous' people (the Sadducees and the Pharisees), whom He accused and decried on countless occasions. And His talk of Love, of the underlying inadequacy of the "Law" (the Torah – Old Testament), and His liberal attitude in general was so offensive to the 'Establishment' of His day, He made them so uncomfortable – that He incurred the intense dislike of the 'Good People' of His day. And He was ultimately killed by them, at the behest of the Leaders of society and of the priesthood. This was also the fulfillment of Scriptural promise.

I believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross of Calvary, for my sins – past, present and future. And He was resurrected on the third day after His crucifiction. After He rose from the dead, He revealed Himself – first to Mary Magdalene, the prostitute, and then to the eleven living apostles. And through them, He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, who lives in the heart of every Christian. And He promised us Eternal Life after death, if we should do ONLY ONE thing – accept Him as the Son of God and receive His Grace in our hearts (John 3:16). Salvation is not something we can ever earn through our works and deeds. It is, and can only be – a gift, given to us by Grace!

As we are all of the flesh, we are all sinful by our very nature. And in God's eyes, there is no difference between different levels of sin. That is to say, in the context of biblical theology, Charles Manson, the heinous convicted killer, Larry Flynt, the pornographer, and Dr. Billy Graham, the Evangelist and most respected Christian leader, are all equal. They are all equally sinful, and they each are or can be saved – only by God's infinite Grace, should they choose to accept it (obviously Dr. Graham has, and as best as I know, the other two have not)!

I know that although I am an extremely flawed man, and have sinned much, all my sins have been washed away by the Blood of Jesus some two thousand years ago. All this I accept. In all this I put my Faith, and all this – I unconditionally trust.

• I believe.
  • I am a Christian. 
    • I profess my faith with no shame or reservation; but with gratefulness, and perhaps a little pride. 

My faith – my relationship with God – is – unequivocally and without any conditions thereattached – the most important thing in my life – more radically significant to my life and death than any and all the things of money or love.

Since the time I came to accept God in my life – my life has become immeasurably richer for it. And I don't mean just material prosperity – many Christians do not experience that (and many non-believers do). Today, whatever happens to me – good or bad – I am at peace, because I know with every certainty that God will provide for me whatever blessings I need, and allow me no more temptation and/or adversity than I can bear. And in my mortal life, I seek only to know Joy in obedience to His Divine Will! Whether He places me in the killing fields of the high Hindu Kush in Afghanistan, or the boulevards of Paris or Rome, or our own Beverly Hills – I am here to serve God in whatever manner He asks me to serve – where He leads, I shall follow.

There was a time when I believed that my faith was a very private matter. I kept my faith to myself, out of respect for those who did not share my views. But recent events in the world, and the subsequent changes to my own life – have brought my own mortality home to me – the fleeting breath, the preciousness of life, the transcience of societal virtue, the frailty of the human condition, and the need for absolutes to hold on to, to navigate by... Who knows what tomorrow will bring, for each of us! And I certainly do not want to die without my Faith!

I still respect the views of those who believe differently from myself, of people of other faiths than mine – my fellow-travellers in this journey of life! But I no longer feel the need to hide my Faith, or apologize for it. I also feel drawn to an ecclesiastical life, perhaps in the mission field. I have to wait awhile though, to see what God's direction for my life really is!

Despite my gathering intimacy with Christ – I am not, however, a 'bigot'. On the contrary, I remain extremely open-minded. Many of my friends are of other faiths – Jewish, Hindu, Moslem, Buddhist. I even have some good acquaintances who profess to be agnostic, atheistic and some followers of Wicca and other Earth Religions. (Now, the atheists I really do not understand.) But they all remain my friends. I do not try to impose my beliefs on them, or try to convince them that they are wrong or that my ways are any better. Instead I respect their needs and views. I point this out to make the point that I do not impose my religious beliefs on others, or let it stand in the way of my friendships.

Disclaimer:

Certain views relating to Christianity and Jesus Christ: have been expressed by me – particularly on this page. These are my views, and my views only. Please note that, I do not speak for the Church or any denomination, and my views may or may not coincide with the views of any denomination or church,