So who is Jesus Christ? He's hard to describe to someone who doesn't know Him. But I'll try my best. On a factual level, He lived in the Roman Empire about 2000 years ago. He was crucified, and buried, but his body disappeared from a burial cave under the guard of Roman soldiers. This is all well-documented and generally agreed upon by all historians.
Who do I think He is? He is my Lord and my Savior. He is my best friend, and the one who satisfies me like none other can. I believe that the truth behind Jesus's life is that He, being the Word of God, came down from heaven and became flesh. He taught us His truth, and showed us where we had strayed from God. He proved His Godliness with his words and deeds, and in a final act of grace, sacrificed Himself as an unblemished atonement for you and me.
How do I know this? He has revealed it to me, through His grace. He has made the Word (the Bible) comprehensible to me, and He has changed my life.
The words of Ecclesiastes always strike me: (*) "Meaningless! Meaniningless... Everything is meaningless! ... What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?" (*Some translations prefer the word "vanity") Think about it... what do we gain from all our hard work? In the end, it doesn't matter, since we all will meet the same fate... we will die, and return to the dust from which we were formed. It doesn't matter if you're black or white, rich or poor, good or bad. Death is not picky. It doesn't play favorites.
But wait! There is hope! Christ gave us a way out. Though we have all sinned and don't deserve anything from God, Christ died for us. Through God's grace, we've each been given the opportunity to leave this weary world and serve another master... one who gives eternal life. Unlike earthly toils, serving God does is not laboring in vain. Why? Because serving Him allows you to build treasures in heaven that last forever. Compare that to any other earthly delights... What treasure on earth lasts more than a blink of an eye? Will any of those stay with you forever? I don't think so!
If you don't know Christ, and are unsure of His existence, pray to Him. Be earnest and humble, as you would be with any human being. Let Him speak to you, and don't put Him in a box. If you truly pray with all your heart, He will give you an answer. He will speak to you, and you will know when He does.
If you are sure He doesn't exist, then I challenge your certainty. How can you, a limited being, who simply looks at the world and tries to understand things by observing trends, be sure of anything? Science only explains the workings of the physical realm, and even it is incomplete. How many models of the atom has the scientific community gone through? Don't you think that each scientist was "sure" that each one was correct?
Exploring spirituality is difficult in today's society, where so much emphasis is put on scientific evidence, which relies on analysis of the physical realm. I believe in science as a great way to study the rules that God encoded our world with. But science is not perfect. It alone cannot satisfy the hunger that is in all of us... a desire for His love.
What is your purpose? What gives meaning to your life? Higher grades? A higher payroll? Finding that right guy/girl? None of these things are ultimately fulfilling. If you get good grades, you'll want better ones next academic period. If you make a lot of money, you want even more. And if you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with... you'll find that even they can't satisfy all that's in your heart. Once you achieve those things that you think will make you happy, you won't be happy... you'll want more. The only one who can satify your needs is God, and Christ is your bridge to Him.
I challenge all of you, Christian or not, to really evaluate what you're living for. Then think if you'll be satisfied if you attain your goals. For the road to the earthen pot of gold has no end, but the road to heaven is paved with riches beyond your dreams.
If you want to know more about Christ, email me at:gkwan@cs.stanford.edu, or ask your neighboring Christian.