>It has just left me curious about how people can
>believe these things.
>Why is it different to say believing in magic.

Because Jesus is God. He defeated Satan's hold on mankind at the cross. He now stands victorious over sin. Victorious over death.

There is real power there. The power to set men free. The enemy (Satan and his demonic brigade) know this and tremble at the sound of His name. They work continuously to keep men distracted, their ears filled with noise, their eyes filled with images, their mind filled with clutter.

God is that "still, small voice" on the inside. Of peace. Of life eternal. Of truth. Of love. Hr calls out to guide us conrinually back to Him, no matter what path of sin we mistakenly choose due to our weaknesses in the flesh. "Where sin has abounded, grace has much more abounded." Forgiveness from judgment.

Jesus saves people from Hell. He gives them a rebirth into life eternal (of the spirit). He turns no one away. All who come to Him, rich, poor, young, old, every race, every tongue, not one is cast off.

Magic cannot do that. ONLY Jesus can, and only because of what He did at the cross.

We have to understand the power of sin. There is a real enemy at work against us. Sin is what gives him power and authoritty over our lives. We can't stop sinning because sin exists, and because this powerful enemy uses it against us. We succumb.

Jesus defeated sin at the cross. He gives men His Holy Spirit so we can know the truth. And to those who will believe, they are set free from Satan's hold on them through sin, set free from its bondage, set free from the sentence of eternal damnation hanging over everyone's head because of sin.

Magic cannot do that. It has no eternal substance. Only Jesus (1) can and (2) wants to do this for all of us.