As popular news magazines give their polite nod to Christianity’s entrance into its third millennium and chronicles its spread throughout the world at the end of its twentieth century, (an ironic phenomena, considering the bold predictions of its demise by such writers as Voltaire, H.G.Wells, and Frederich Nietzsche) it is remarkable how reporters fail to recognize the driving force that causes it to flourish. What propels Christianity is something more than the moral example and teaching of its founder, as powerful as these may be. It is Christ Himself who makes Christianity work.

Unlike other religions and philosophies, Christianity depends upon the life of its founder for its continuance. One can be Muslim and not be very much concerned with, much less dependent upon the life of Mohammed. One can be a Zoroastrian and not be very much concerned with the person and work of Zoroaster. In fact, little is known about his life. One can be a Platonist and not be concerned with Plato. Take away Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism and you still have Buddhism. Take away Mohammed from Islam and you still have Islam. Take away Confucius from Confucianism and you still have Confucianism. Take away Jesus Christ from Christianity and you have nothing. It all hangs on Him. He is indispensable to Christianity. It has been said, "Christianity is Christ." Consider the radical claims of Jesus of Nazareth: He claimed to be without sin. What other leader has dared to make such a claim? The closer we get to an understanding of the holiness of God, the more aware we become of our own sinfulness. Human piety begins with repentance. Jesus demanded repentance from others but He Himself never repented. Even when He submitted to John's baptism, it was not for repentance, but that righteousness be fulfilled (Matthew 3:15). Jesus never expressed any trace of regret, suggestion of shortcoming, evidence of wrongdoing, hint of remorse or shade of misgiving. He did nothing for which He was sorry. His closest friends found Him to be without any faults. Even His enemies, the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Roman authorities, could find no fault in him. He was condemned only on the basis that He claimed equality with God and the charge that he said he would destroy the temple and raise it up in three days. (He spoke of the temple of his physical body which would be raised from death on the third day after his crucifixion; Matthew 26:61; John 2:21)

Jesus asserted that the human heart was evil and that evil corrupts even the best intended of natural relationships, even parenthood: ("If you (parents), being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children.." Luke 11:13) Jesus taught His disciples to ask for forgiveness when they prayed (Matthew 6 :12; Luke 11:4) yet He never did so Himself. Jesus never acted as though he were conscious of doing anything other than that which was wholly pleasing to God, the Father (John 8:29). Christianity is unique in that it claims to deliver from sin, and this claim is based upon the sinless life of Christ. His sinless living qualified Him for His substitutionary dying, as a perfect sacrifice for sin. He was qualified to be the spotless Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Jesus claimed to be the Messiah of the Jews. This was evident from His first day of public ministry (Luke 4:16-21) to His last (Acts 1:6-8). He claimed to be humanity's Savior (Luke 19:10), the fulfillment of all the Hebrew Torah and prophets (Matthew 5:17), He claimed the right to be the ruler and supreme motive in people's lives (Luke 9:23-24, Matthew 10:37-38; 16:24-25). He called for universal obedience, calling all people to follow Him. He preached the kingdom of God and announced Himself as its King (John 18:37). He claimed to be one with the Father. All of these claims, which would look ridiculous on anyone else, are perfectly matched with all that we know about Jesus of Nazareth.

Bronson Alcott (the Concord philosopher and transcendentalist peer of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, and the father of the author of "Little Women", Louisa May Alcott) wrote British historian and essayist Thomas Carlye stating that as a transcendentalist he could honestly use the words of Jesus "I and the Father are one". Carlyle countered, "Yes, but Jesus got the world to believe him!" The claims of Christ fit well on Christ alone.

Jesus of Nazareth claimed the unique prerogatives of deity: to be able to forgive sins, reveal the Father, to be the source of eternal life, peace of heart, deepest satisfaction and rest of soul . He claimed eternal existence saying "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). In this and in other cases He took upon Himself the titles reserved for God alone. He referred to Himself as the "Son of Man", the prophet Daniel's term for the Messiah (Daniel 7:13) and received willingly the title of "Son of God" (Matthew 16:16-17; Mark 14:61-62; John 1:49; 4:25-26). His resurrection from the dead was the seal of His Messiahship (Psalm 16:10; Romans 1:4; Acts 2:24-28; 13:35-37). The doubting Thomas fell to his knees when Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection. We can join with Thomas' confession, saying "My Lord and My God" (John 20:28). Jesus received his worship. He will receive ours if we believe His claims.

The true reason that Christianity lives is that Jesus lives.