11 reasons why being a Christian is totally worth it

Check out the “Living the Gospel” podcast episode based on this article!

As a Christian you are enrolled in the highest school that exists – the university of Mount Zion. Your education and training in this life will prepare you for ruling the world to come, together with Jesus and His saints. There is no higher calling or purpose in life!

Read more in this article: The college on Mount Zion

But what is a Christian, actually? We read in the book of Acts that the disciples were called Christians. (Acts 11:26) So a Christian is a disciple. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23. In other words, being a Christian means that I deny my own will and choose to do God’s will, every day.

But, what is it that makes this life so rewarding? What is it that makes the Christian life the very best life there is? Here are eleven incredible benefits of being a Christian.

1. All your sins are instantly forgiven.

Part of becoming a Christian is that you must confess your sins to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. See 1 John 1:9. If you have sinned against other people, you must put that right as well. The quicker you do it, the better. To be forgiven is a great joy and relief! You do not need to continue bearing a burden of guilt for your past sins, no matter how great or small. There is tremendous joy in knowing that you have put your affairs right before God and man. With forgiveness we are actually released from eternal perdition and are reconciled with God Himself!

2. You get help to stop consciously sinning altogether!

Even better news is that our salvation doesn’t stop at forgiveness. In fact, as a Christian you get help so that you don’t have to sin consciously, ever again. Forgiveness is an enormous gift, but how much greater to get help from Jesus in the time of temptation, before you fall in sin. You really can be free from sin! See Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:15-16.

3. The Holy Spirit starts to teach you and free you from yourself.

Every day, the Spirit wants to show you more of your own sinful human nature: stubbornness, arrogance, demands on others, envy, laziness, etc. See John 16:13. These things run deep in our nature. The Spirit teaches us to deny ourselves in these areas (and more) and take up our cross every day, just like Jesus said. As these things begin to die, gradually the virtues of Christ begin to grow and take their place. What a blessing to not be controlled by our lusts anymore! These virtues are part of the divine nature, eternal life, which has been promised to us! (2 Peter 1: 2-8)

4. You have peace and joy that nothing can take away.

As you live this overcoming life, you will have peace in your heart—peace from Jesus Himself. Nobody and nothing can take it away from you! Scriptures like Romans 8:28 and Psalm 23:1 can help you—right when life is pressing you from all sides. You know that God is in control! He guides every detail of your life with precision and you can have perfect confidence in His care.

5. Jesus is your mighty Helper and Friend!

Jesus knows what it’s like to have a human nature and be tempted by it—and He was the first to overcome, every single time. He can help you do the same thing. See Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:15-16. He is standing by your side, ready to help. You, too, can overcome in every temptation you meet! You can cast all your cares on Him. The more you open your heart to Him, with whatever you’re experiencing in the moment, the closer your relationship will become. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you.

6. Your earthly and material needs will be taken care of.

The Scriptures promise every disciple that their earthly needs will be met. See Matthew 6:31-33. Does this mean you should quit your job to read your Bible all day? No. Neither is it a guarantee that you will live in luxury. But it does mean that you will always have enough. You should not—and do not need to—be anxious about your earthly needs ever again.

7. Your life will become stable.

Believing in God and in the Scriptures will make you a stable, grounded person. See Ephesians 4:14. You won’t be knocked off balance by emotional circumstances, strong people or the latest social media buzz. You will learn to not be a pushover. You will learn to go through difficult situations, rather than avoiding them or finding an easy way out. People will respect you more, and you’ll respect yourself more.

8. You will always have something to do.

As a Christian, boredom is a thing of the past. See Ephesians 2:10. Your mission, every day, is to find God’s will in your everyday life. The Bible is your handbook, and it’s full of instructions. But you have to read it and start applying it. A simple place to start is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, for example. When you do this, you will find that you always have something to work on. You will also discover that your mission is to bring joy and blessing to the people around you! This is a life worth getting out of bed for!

9. You will have meaningful relationships.

You won’t be alone in this school! (1 John 1:7) Being a Christian in this dark world can feel lonely at times. But there is a fire blazing brightly where disciples gather to be strengthened in their mutual training. Seek this fire, and seek fellowship with disciples. You will find comfort and strength, and be challenged to live even more fervently for God. These will be the most meaningful relationships of your life.

10. You will be a light in this world.

As evil takes greater hold on this world, things just keep getting darker and darker. But the power in us through the Holy Spirit is greater than any evil in this world. See 1 John 4:4, John 16:33 and 1 John 5:4. Yes! You can be a light to those around you, rather than being dragged down by the sins of our time. Don’t be dismayed by what you see, either within yourself or in the world. Jesus said, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

11. You will rule in the world to come.

The Christian life is one of intense training. It requires giving up everything, not just at the beginning, but again and again as the Holy Spirit leads you against your own sinful nature. But in the world to come, we will rule and reign with Jesus for all eternity. See Revelation 3:21. The end of your earthly life will become a gateway into the glory that God was preparing you for all along. You will step through the door—and into the commencement of real life. This is your calling!