-50% of major cities in Roman Empire were Christian while people in the country were pagan = whatever captures the city captures the country, the overall society
- today is reversed, cities mostly pagan...evangelical Christians don't want to live in cities
- Manhattan (1990s): 40% Catholic, 20% Jewish, 6% Protestant, 2% other, the rest non-religious...country is 60% Protestant
-how people who list a series of moral laws and rules are not truly preaching the Bible - actually making Christianity like any other religion that saws "be good" > Bible is mostly about Jesus
-"I obey, therefore I'm accepted" vs. "I'm accepted, therefore I obey."
=motivation of religious person is based on fear and insecurity vs. motivation based on grateful joy
-obeying to get things from God vs. obeying God to get God
-when circumstances go wrong, religious person believes "I'm leading a good life, therefore I deserve to have a good life" so God has let me down or believing that haven't lead a good enough life vs. Jesus, who took upon all real suffering, may allow suffering for my changing and I know that God will help me through my trials
- in light of criticism: devastated because attached to self-image (I'm a good person) vs. my identity being wrap up in Jesus
-prayer: petition, heaps up when I'm in trouble, main purpose of prayer is to control the environment vs. mostly praise and adoration because main purpose is again to get God
-identity and self-worth based on something you achieved, therefore leading more readily to feeling of superiority vs. centered on the one who died for His enemies, shared in unique grace
