BECAUSE YOU HAD THE DRIVE AND COURAGE TO ASK
Seems it can be as complicated as you might wish to make it - and some folks/organizations do seem to go for complication. But, it also is very simple and can be so for anyone. This may be too skeletal for some Christians but, in the most brief of terms, I would explain Christianity as follows: (Sorry - I already know that it will become more wordy than some will want - can't help it)
God created us and gave us laws to live by - and also gave us free will. By our nature, we have chosen to disobey in various ways and become sinners - some to greater degrees than others - and God is the only true and just judge of those degrees.
As a loving God, he sent his Son Jesus to live among us, to show us His example of how we should live, and then to symbolically and actually take all of our sinful nature upon Himself and be crucified - after which he went to live with His Father.
God also has created and clearly described Heaven and Hell, and provided the means for us to choose our destination.
In our sinful state, God has given us a choice - a simple choice. We can accept the fact that Jesus, His Son, is our Savior because He died for our sins. We can confess our sins to Him, ask forgiveness and believe in Jesus as Savior. God has told us that, if we do that, we should walk with the Savior and do our best to live as God has directed - but all we have to do is believe - and we are Heaven bound. It all boils down to a matter of faith. Some have it - and believe - others reject faith, and seemingly do not believe. It is strictly an INDIVIDUAL and PERSONAL choice. None of us are to judge another. God is the only adjudicator of the degree of our faith.
If we choose not to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and follow Him, we are not Christians. We then are something else and have chosen to fend for ourselves after this earthly life.
Hope I did not mess this up in the eyes of the scholars and those who have studied much more than me - the intent is totally to be helpful and keep it simple here. Some folks may choose to dismember my explanation and elaborate quite a bit. That is OK.
