Christianity: What We Believe

by Teresa Carr

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Christianity: What We Believe by Teresa Carr Most people have mistaken Christianity as another religion. In fact, it is not. Religion is a way of seeking for God. In Christianity God meets us where we are, and longs to have a relationship with us. Christianity was named after its founder Jesus Christ, who is God eternal and human. Before He was our Lord and Savior he was Creator of heaven and earth and the universe. He was with the Father (Yahweh) from His throne of old from everlasting (John 1:1-5, 10-14; Micah 5:2). Through history Christians have been persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Other religions on the other hand are man made with their own belief systems. They have even borrowed ideals from the Christian faith. No one has a patent on Christianity or Jesus Christ. Christ is the Lord of every kindred, tribe and nation who believes that He is the Messiah that will bring His Kingdom to the earth for eternity. Christianity has gotten a bad name ever since it’s beginnings in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus. Even most recently, Christianity has been misunderstood about its beliefs and its true intentions. If a person speaks of the name of Jesus Christ in public it is illegal, but if some speaks of Islam or Allah no one says a word. Odd isn’t it? What other faith can claim God’s solution to a sick and dying world. Jesus came into the world to save mankind from the destruction of sin and bring true peace now and forever more. For all this He suffered on the cross and rose three days later from the tomb. Jesus’ name in Hebrew means ‘Yeshua’ means Savior, or help of the Lord. In ancient Palestine his disciples called him the Messiah, or anointed of the Lord. The name of Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, which means anointed one. The teachings of Jesus unite people from many lands into a Spirit led revival that has spread over the world. Mohammed, the founder of Islam regarded Jesus as a great prophet and developed many of his ideas. Democratic beliefs in equality, responsibility and care for the weak owe much to Jesus’ lessons in brotherhood and love. The first five books of the New Testament tell all we know of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. These books are the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the Acts. The word Gospel means ‘good news.’ Matthew and John were two of Jesus’ disciples. They followed him saw his works and worked with him during his last three and a half years of His life and ministry. The Acts tell what happened during the next thirty years. The epistles, or letters of Paul tells something of Jesus and his sayings are found in the book of Revelation and elsewhere. There are also non-Christian records of Christ and the times in which He lived are found in the writings of Flavius Josephus (b. c A.D. 37 wrote Antiquities of Jewish History account A.D. 68), Pliny the younger (wrote c. A.D. 112 in his Letters to historian Tacitus), Tacitus (wrote c. A.D. 117), and Suetonius (wrote c. A.D. 120). The work of Christianity is by one work and one only. This work is the saving grace of Jesus Christ (John 10:10). It’s a free gift of salvation. You can’t work for it or earn it. It was debt paid in full that we could never pay. Christ’s sacrifice was once and for all. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. Mary’s husband was Joseph a carpenter who lived in Nazareth. When the time came for Mary to be delivered, Joseph had to go the register for the census in his place of ancestry, which was in Bethlehem, the City of David (Micah 5:2). It was there Jesus was born (Luke 2). Jesus grew up in Nazareth. He was strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. Jesus began to reveal the special mission of His life when He was about thirty years old. John the Baptist prepared the way for Him by preaching repentance and by baptizing those who accepted the message. Jesus went to John to be baptized. Afterwards the spirit led Jesus into the desert for 40 days. There He was tempted by the devil. Jesus began preaching about the Kingdom of God at Galilee. He chose Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee as His headquarters. Jesus’ disciples were Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Bartholomew (Nathanael), James the Less, Thaddeus (Jude), Matthew, Philip, Simon, Thomas, and Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him). Jesus carried out most of this ministry in Galilee. He also visited Samaria, Jerusalem, and areas north of Galilee. He announced the Kingdom of God and taught He had power to forgive sins. Many of His teachings spoken at this time were on the Sermon on the Mount given in Matthew 5, 6, 7. Many teachers (Pharisees) didn’t trust Jesus. They feared Him because He seemed to change accepted practices such as conduct on the Sabbath. His disciples believed in Him. Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matt. 16:16). Soon after Peter, James and John had a vision of Jesus in glory with Moses and Elijah. There were 36 miracles Jesus performed. He did this to prove His authority to His disciples and attracted many believers. The first miracle was at a wedding feast at Cana. His host ran short of wine and Jesus turned water into wine. At Lake Gennesaret, Jesus had Simon Peter catch so many fish in a net that their boat almost sank. Jesus blessed 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes, and divided there among 5,000 men, women and children so that everyone had enough to eat. Jesus once amazed His disciples by walking on the sea in a storm. Jesus healed the sick and the blind. Jesus brought His friend Lazarus back to life after Lazarus had been dead and buried four days. Jesus used His power to show the love and mercy of God. The last few months of Jesus’ life led to the Passion, His suffering, for all mankind. Jesus had made many enemies in Jerusalem and He knew it would be dangerous to go there. He believed it was His duty to do so. He was determined to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and of forgiveness. Jesus knew His destiny that He come to earth to save all people by giving His own life. Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for Passover week. He made a triumphal entry into the city on Palm Sunday. The next few days He taught in the Temple. The rest of the time he meditated and prayed in Bethany. On th night of the Passover Jesus attended the Last Supper with His 12 disciples in Jerusalem. During the supper Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. He promised He would see them again in the Kingdom of God. He gave them bread and wine known as the Holy Communion or Lord’s Supper. He said to them take eat, “This is my Body. This is my Blood.” Later that night, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane on the slope of the Mount of Olives just opposite the Temple. Jesus prayed in agony but submitted Himself to God’s will. Armed men came to arrest Jesus as He prayed. Judas Iscariot showed who He was by greeting him with a kiss on the cheek. He betrayed his Master for 30 pieces of silver. Judas later hanged himself (another account says his bowels spilled out). The men took Jesus to the high priest. Jesus was accused of sedition and blasphemy, claiming that He made Himself God. The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ time did not approve of His claim that He was the Messiah, the promised deliverer of the Jews. They considered this action as blasphemy. The Romans authorities felt that Jesus’ claim to be King of the Jews amounted to treason. They feared that He meant to lead an uprising against Roman rule in Palestine. As a result Pontius Pilate, who governed Judea as a Roman province, tried him. They charged Him with treason against Rome for claiming to be King of the Jews. Pilate then sent Him to Herod Antipas. Herod mocked Jesus dressed Him in a kingly robe and sent Him back to Pilate. It was custom to release one prisoner during Passover season. Pilate took Jesus and a condemned murderer, Barabbas on the steps of his palace and told the crowd to choose which one to go free. The mob turned against Jesus and chose Barabbas. Jesus was then beaten and scourged by the Roman soldiers. The method of torture of the Romans was so brutal that many of their victims did not survive the violent flogging. Jesus was returned to Pilate to be sentenced to die on the cross. Christ’s journey from the pavement to Golgotha is the street called the Via Dolorosa. Crucifixion was a common Roman form of execution usually for the lowest criminals. The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus. They dressed Him in a red robe and put a crown of thorns on His head and a reed in His hand. Then they beat Him and spat on Him. They forced Him to carry His cross like a criminal. Because of His exhaustion they ordered Simon of Cyrene to take the cross and carry it part of the way. The Romans nailed Jesus to His cross outside the city, on a hill called Golgotha or Calvary. Pilate had an inscription written in Latin, Greek and Hebrew to be place above Jesus on the cross. The inscription read IESUS NAZARENUS REX IUDAEORUM (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews). They set the cross up between two thieves. Before Jesus died, He called out, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:24). During His suffering He cried, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). After three hours, Jesus died. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus took His body to a new tomb, which they sealed with a stone. The Gospel tells how Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning after the Sabbath. She found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. After that, Jesus appeared to her and to Simon Peter. Two disciples saw Him on the road to Emmaus. The Gospels say that the 11 faithful disciples met with Him first in Jerusalem and then in Galilee. He taught them during the next 40 days about the Kingdom of God. Then He ascended to heaven. Continues on the next page

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