I found this excerpt from the book i was reading the other day, Mere Christianity, by Christian theologian CS Lewis. Yes, he's the same guy who wrote the Chronicles of Narnia and i bet ifhe were to see the movies these days he'd wish his books never got made into movies. But thats besides the point. This inspiring exerpt has him answering the question some non Christians have about God, which is

"If God is real and powerful, and He's supposed to be in charge, then why isn't he showing Himself here on Earth now so that more people would believe in Him? Why couldn't He just stay on earth after his resurrection, if he really wanted to save us? Why would he allow the world to be corrupted by sin and suffering and evil under the devil's control, as Christians claim"

A close friend of mine recently asked me this: "Why can't we accept Jesus after we die? When we can know FOR SURE whether He is real or not. Why must we only become believers before we die in order to be saved?"

Here is Lewis' answer to both questions, and I think I couldn't agree more...

"Another possible objection (to Christianity) is this: Why is God landing in this enemy-occupied world in disguise (as Jesus in human form) and starting a sort of secret society (Christianity) to undermine the devil? Why is He not landing in force, invading it?Is it that He is not strong enough? Well, Christians believe He is going to land in force; we don't know when. But we can guess why He's delaying. He wants to give us the chance of joining His side freely.I do not suppose you and I would think much of a Frenchman who waited till the Allies were in Germany and thenannounced he was on our side. God will invade.But I wonder whether those people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realise what it will be like when he does. When that happens, its the end of the world. When the author walks onto the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right, but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else-something it never entered your head to concieve, comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise (in His true divine form); something so overwhelming that it will either strike irresistable love or irrisistable terror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time we discover which side we have chosen, whether we realised it or not."

"God is holding back to give us that chance (to choose to believe in Him freely). It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it." (CS Lewis,Mere Christianity, parenthesized words mine)

So God actually wants to give us a free choice to choose or reject Him. God doesn't want to force us to believe. But when you die, or when God comes again (whichever comes first) its game over. You will finally meet God face to face. You can't change the results or restart the game. You can't switch sides. And your game results have eternal consequences. Its simple: either eternal death or eternal life.

Sounds horrible? No. Actually we are already destined for eternal death, because of our sin. This is the only way out.

In subsequent posts I shall try to answer some people when they say "Christianity is selfish"

Mr CLZL, I hope this answers ur question:)

ardeo alis aquilae in solus Christo