1) The New Testament makes more sense of the world than any other philosophy.
Why is their beauty in the world, but also evil and violence?
Why does my heart want justice?
Why does my heart invent ways of doing evil?
When I pose those three questions to every worldview, religion, philosophy, or life slogan; the New Testament has the strongest, most believable, reasonable answer.
2) Either Jesus said and did what "The Gospels" report; or his followers made it up to start a religion.
Either the reports of Jesus's life are fakes, or they are real. God's signature is on the whole thing. I find it easier to believe that they are true and reliable, than followers invented the content of The Gospels.
3) He found me.
I believe in Jesus because he found me. He stopped my own plan for my life, tracked me down, hemmed me in and found me. He converted me.
Why does the horse like running? It's a horse; and it has a horse's nature. Why do I like Jesus; I'm a Christian and I have a new nature.
4) I haven't seen any other power for people to change
5) Animals, landscapes, human history seem designed.
There seems to be a personality behind the created order and history. It forces the question: who is it? What's he like? Does he require anything? Is he pleased or upset with me? Will he reveal himself to those who seek him?
6) Sovereign grace
I'm a Christian because God, before time began, chose me; not based on any foreknowledge of whether I would respond positively to him or not.
Though I loved breaking his law, and teaching others to do so as well, he sent his Son to die for me. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He will keep me by this same love forever.
7) I would never come out of my bedroom is Jesus isn't raised.
I'm too depressed about the state of the world, myself, where things are headed, a meaningless life, and an extinguishing death; if Jesus wasn't raised from the dead.
If he wasn't raised, I'm stupid, and we are all screwed. If he was, there is hope.
8) Answered prayers
God answers my prayers, specifically. I have not yet seen every prayer answered, but I've seen a lot. Enough that people would scoff at me for leaving Christianity after seeing this many prayers answered. I ought to start writing them down more.
9) In poker terminology, I've already gone "all in"
In poker, when you bet every chip on one hand (go "all in"), you are committed to see that hand all the way to the end. If it wins; you win big. If it loses, you lose everything.
I have a sin problem, in that I'm a sinner. I've wagered all my hope to be saved on Jesus. I've never seen anything else that comes close to being a cure for my sin problem, so I'm "all in" on Jesus.
Check out this "hand": I'm guilty. Jesus Christ lived the perfect life before God. He died the death a sinner deserves. The Son of God hung on a cross crying, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" and the world turned dark at midday.
He was buried. He was raised on the third day.
All of a sudden, a "giant loophole" opened in the universe. God can be just, and justify a sinner. I'm really dirty, and now God can tell me I'm clean without lowering his standards.
Jesus Christ died for sinners!
So I'm gathering up all my chips, every place where I've been hedging my bets to be safe, prosperous, and feel normal; and moving all those chips onto Jesus that he can give me more than I ever wanted.
I'm already "all in" on Jesus. So I'm going to stay a Christian until the end to see if my hope is well placed.
10) He likes me
God is my new favorite. I like history, he likes history. I like Nashville, he likes Nashville. Jesus wants to rescue a people for himself, I want to be rescued. I want to be with God and his people, where the adventure and the conversation never has to end. He's going to make it happen.
He loves... me! And I love being loved by God.
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