If there are thousands of gods throughout history, why should we believe the Christian God is the right one?
The Devotional Answer
This is one of the most intellectually honest questions a person can ask. It forces us to move beyond "that's just what I was taught" and examine the evidence. Christianity does not ask for blind faith; it claims to be based on an event in history that sets it apart from every other world religion.
The Simple Answer
The Christian faith claims that its God is uniquely the right one because of three major proofs: 1) His self-revelation through documented history, 2) the fulfillment of detailed prophecies, and 3) the unique identity and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Deeper Dive: Three Ways the Christian God is Distinct
The "thousands of gods" throughout history are largely gods of mythology—deities that are often projections of human traits (jealousy, anger, power) and are not rooted in verifiable history. The Christian God, however, operates within the real world.
1. The God Who Enters History
Most mythologies start with a god or gods outside of human history, or they have heroes who become deified. The Christian God is unique because the central event is a historical claim.
The Old Testament is an account of God revealing Himself to a specific people (Israel) through real events like the Exodus, the giving of the Law, and the Babylonian Exile. The New Testament is centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, a person whose existence is affirmed by both Christian and secular historians.
The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:1 (NIV), speaking of Jesus: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." The faith is based on tangible, witnessed facts.
2. The God Who Foretells the Future
The Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) contain hundreds of detailed prophecies written centuries before Jesus was born. These predictions speak to His birthplace, His manner of death, and the very purpose of His life.
No other world religion can point to the hundreds of prophecies concerning their founder that were written and collected hundreds of years beforehand. For example, the prophet Micah predicted Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and the prophet Isaiah described His suffering and silent endurance (Isaiah 53).
The life of Jesus fits the prophetic mold perfectly, culminating in the single greatest confirmation: His Resurrection, as discussed in our previous question. If God can accurately predict the future through His prophets, it validates the source of those messages. As the Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:21 (NIV): "For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
3. The God Who Sacrifices Himself
Perhaps the most significant difference is the nature of the Christian God, as revealed through Jesus. All other gods demand sacrifice from humans; the Christian God made the sacrifice for humanity.
In other religions, humans are trying to appease an often-fickle god. In Christianity, God, in the person of Jesus, freely gave His life to cover the failures (sins) of humanity. This is a God who pursues relationship, not demanding ritual or appeasement.
Romans 5:8 (NIV) sums up this unique love: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." The Christian God is defined by unconditional love, mercy, and grace—a character far removed from the power struggles and human-like flaws often attributed to mythical deities.
God’s Assurance
The Christian God reveals Himself not through hidden knowledge or secretive rituals, but openly through the pages of history and the love shown on the cross. This invitation is open to all who will simply look at the evidence.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible..."
— Colossians 1:15-16 (NIV)
Your Takeaway Thought
The claim of the Christian God stands not on historical or cultural preference, but on verifiable claims—claims that challenge every other system of belief and offer a unique relationship of grace.
