Many people have asked me this question quietly, sometimes with genuine curiosity, sometimes with a searching heart. It often comes from encounters with friends of other faiths, or from our own desire to understand what makes Christian belief unique. Asking such a question is not a sign of doubt—it is a sign that the soul wants to know whom it is truly trusting.
At the heart of Christianity is not simply a belief in “a god,” but a relationship with a God who reveals Himself. The Christian faith proclaims that God is one, yet lives eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mystery, which we call the Trinity, is not a puzzle to be solved but a truth to be entered. God is not solitary or distant; within Himself, He is an eternal communion of love. This already tells us something profound: love is not something God does occasionally—love is who God is.
What truly sets the God of Christianity apart is that He does not remain far away from human suffering. In Jesus Christ, God steps into our history, our weakness, and even our pain. He does not simply send rules from heaven; He walks our roads, weeps at graves, touches the wounded, and embraces the cross. Other religions often speak of gods who demand offerings or obedience, or who remain above the world’s brokenness. The Christian God, however, offers Himself. On the cross, we see a God who would rather suffer for humanity than abandon it.
Another difference lies in how salvation is understood. In many religious traditions, human beings strive upward toward the divine through moral effort, rituals, or enlightenment. Christianity turns this movement upside down. We believe that God comes down to us first. Grace is not earned; it is received. Forgiveness is not achieved through perfection but offered through mercy. As Saint John writes so simply, “We love because He first loved us.” This changes everything about how we see ourselves and others.
Finally, the God of Christianity desires a personal, intimate relationship with each human heart. He knows our names, our fears, and our hidden wounds. Prayer is not an attempt to persuade a reluctant deity, but a conversation with a loving Father. Faith becomes not only belief, but trust—trust that we are held, even when life feels uncertain or painful. This is why Christians dare to call God “Abba,” a word as tender as “Father” or even “Dad.”
In the end, this question is not meant to lead us into comparison or argument, but into encounter. The Christian God reveals Himself as love that seeks us, saves us, and stays with us. When we begin to see this, faith stops being an idea and becomes a living relationship—one that gently invites us to love as we have first been loved.
May we never be afraid to ask honest questions, and may every question draw us closer to the God who already walks beside us, quietly and faithfully.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
