Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the New Testament of the Bible. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of humanity. Here is an overview of some of the core beliefs of Christianity:
God
Christians believe in one God who exists as three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. This is known as the Trinity. God is the eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent creator of the universe. God is love and perfectly good.
“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born of a virgin birth, who lived a sinless life on earth. Christians believe Jesus is fully God and fully human. Jesus came to reveal God and redeem sinful humanity by his crucifixion and resurrection. He is the way to salvation and eternal life in heaven. After his death, Jesus rose from the dead and later ascended into heaven where he reigns with God and intercedes for believers.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who indwells and empowers believers. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and enables them to live righteously. Through the work of the Spirit, Christians are born again, sanctified, and sealed for salvation. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers for ministry, worship, and evangelism.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
The Bible
The Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God. It consists of the Old and New Testaments and was written by men guided by the Holy Spirit. The Bible reveals God’s truth and His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is the ultimate standard and foundation for Christian doctrine and living.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Humanity
Humans were created in the image of God but became alienated from God through disobedience and sin. This resulted in separation from God, spiritual death, and physical death. Humanity can only be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Christ are spiritually reborn, regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
Salvation
Salvation is God’s deliverance from sin and its consequences. It is only by God’s grace that anyone can be saved. Salvation is a free gift received through faith alone in Christ alone. People cannot earn salvation through good works. Those who repent of their sins and believe that Jesus died for their sins receive forgiveness and eternal life.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The Afterlife
There is life after death. Those who believe in Christ will spend eternity with God in heaven. Unbelievers will suffer eternal separation from God in hell. Heaven and hell are real physical places that last forever. Every person will be resurrected and face judgment for how they lived their life on earth.
“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).
The Church
The church is the universal body of believers that exists around the world and across history. It consists of all those who have trusted in Christ for salvation. Local churches are physical communities of Christians that gather regularly for worship, preaching, prayer, fellowship, service, and administration of the sacraments (baptism and communion).
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
The Great Commission
Jesus commanded his followers to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). This Great Commission compels Christians to spread the gospel message to the lost world. Through evangelism and missionary work, the church aims to bring new believers to faith in Jesus Christ.
Christian Living
Christians are called to live in obedience to the commands and example of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Christians are to love God above all and love their neighbors as themselves. The fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – should increasingly characterize a Christian’s life (Galatians 5:22-23). God also calls Christians to pursue righteousness, integrity, purity, self-control, prayer, worship, Bible study, and service to others.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).
Core Values and Virtues
Some key values and virtues emphasized in Christianity include:
– Faith – Belief and trust in God.
– Hope – Confident expectation of God’s promises and eternal life.
– Love – Selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love for God and for people.
– Grace – Undeserved favor and blessing from God.
– Mercy – Compassion, forgiveness, and kindness.
– Justice – Fairness, equality, advocacy for the oppressed.
– Humility – Considering others above yourself, lowering pride.
– Integrity – Wholeness, purity, honesty, strong morals.
– Servanthood – Willingness to serve others.
– Generosity – Liberality in giving to help others.
Prayer
Prayer is vital to Christian spirituality. Christians pray to communicate with and worship God, confess sins, give thanks, make requests, and intercede for others. Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer as a model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Prayers are offered in Jesus’ name. The Holy Spirit helps Christians to pray.
Worship
Worship is the act of honoring and adoring God. Worship involves praising God’s glory, attributes and actions through prayer, singing, listening to preaching, giving offerings, observing the sacraments, and other acts of devotion and obedience. Worship can happen corporately in church services or individually.
Sacraments
The two sacraments instituted by Christ are baptism and communion. Baptism is the one-time immersion or sprinkling of water on a believer to symbolize cleansing from sin and spiritual rebirth in Christ. Communion, also called the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist, involves consuming bread and wine (or juice) to remember Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross.
Spiritual Gifts
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers for the building up of the church. Gifts include teaching, preaching, evangelism, leadership, encouragement, giving, mercy, healing, miracles, prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, discernment, service, and others (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 4:11). Not all Christians possess the same gifts.
Theological Doctrines
Major theological doctrines include:
– The Trinity – God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
– The Incarnation – Jesus is fully God and fully human.
– Original sin – Humans are born with a sinful nature since the Fall.
– The Atonement – Christ’s death pays the penalty for sin.
– Resurrection – Christ rose bodily from the grave.
– Justification – The forgiven are declared righteous by faith.
– Sanctification – Believers grow in holiness through the Spirit.
– Future things – Jesus’ second coming, final judgment, heaven, and hell.
Denominations
There are many Christian denominations with varying traditions, practices, and theological emphases including:
– Catholicism – Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox
– Protestantism – Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican, Pentecostal, Evangelical, Non-denominational
– Restorationism – Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ
Yet they share the core tenets of Christianity based on biblical doctrine. Denominational differences often relate to aspects like church leadership, worship style, and social issues.
Persecution and Growth
Christians have faced persecution throughout history and endure suffering for their faith today, especially in certain regions. Despite this, Christianity has grown to be the world’s largest religion with about 2.5 billion adherents globally. The gospel continues to spread through missions and evangelism.
Major Holidays
Important Christian holidays commemorating events in Jesus’ life include:
– Christmas – Celebrates Jesus’ birth
– Good Friday – Remembers Jesus’ death on the cross
– Easter – Celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead
– Pentecost – Celebrates the sending of the Holy Spirit
Key Practices
Christian practices and disciplines include:
– Prayer – Communicating with and worshiping God
– Bible study – Reading and meditating on Scripture
– Worship – Praising and glorifying God
– Fasting – Abstaining from food to focus on spiritual things
– Evangelism – Telling others the gospel message
– Service – Helping and caring for those in need
– Tithing and giving – Contributing money to the church’s work
– Lord’s Supper – Partaking of communion
– Sabbath rest – Setting aside time for spiritual renewal
Christian Ethics
Christian ethics seeks to live according to God’s moral standards as revealed in the Bible. Key ethical issues include:
– Sanctity of life – Opposing abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty
– Marriage and sexuality – Honoring marriage between one man and woman; opposing sexual immorality
– Honesty and integrity – Eschewing deception, corruption, greed, and laziness
– Stewardship – Using resources wisely for God’s glory
– Justice – Defending the oppressed and marginalized
– Race relations – Promoting equality, inclusion, and reconciliation
– Immigration – Treating foreigners humanely based on biblical principles
– Environment – Caring for God’s creation
– War – Seeking peace and protecting human dignity and life
Apologetics
Christian apologetics defends the reasonableness and truth of the Christian faith. Apologetics provides well-reasoned answers to objections against Christianity and argues for its theological and philosophical soundness using logic, evidence, and argumentation. Apologists cite cosmological, teleological, moral, historical, and experiential arguments to make a compelling case for Christianity.
Christian Influence
Christianity has significantly shaped Western civilization and global culture in diverse ways including:
– Advancing education, science, and medicine through its institutions
– Influencing philosophy, politics, economics, art, architecture, literature, and music
– Inspiring moral and social reforms movements
– Establishing charities, hospitals, orphanages, and famine relief organizations
– Promoting human rights and dignity rooted in the idea that all people are created in God’s image
– Preserving and transmitting ancient manuscripts and texts
– Spreading ideals of freedom, justice, equality, compassion, and human dignity
Conclusion
In summary, Christians believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the triune God, the Bible as God’s Word, humanity’s fallenness due to sin, salvation by grace through faith, the afterlife in heaven or hell, the church as God’s people, and the call to live in holiness while taking the message of Christ to the world. Core Christian values and ethics stem from God’s nature and biblical revelation. Through the Holy Spirit, Christians seek to trust, worship, and obey God in their personal lives and the community of faith.
