Christianity Straight Up - with Halie

You can look long and hard, but you won't find any chapter in the Bible titled, "What Is This Christianity Thing All About Anyway?"...or something similar, that might have made things easier to explain. But one of the beautiful things about Christianity is that it doesn't fit in a nice, convenient, little box. It can't necessarily be explained in "first A, then B, then C" terms, either.

One really needs to study the entire Bible to get a bigger picture of what God has revealed to us. However, sometimes this can be an overwhelming task because of the amount of information contained within its pages. Without some basic background information to guide the way, many soon get bogged down, or even give up all together.

Therefore, I'd like to present some basic information regarding Christianity from the perspective of a new believer, or anyone who seeks a little more enlightenment on the subject. Hopefully, this series on the basics will be helpful to all who are interested in learning more about Christianity! Now, let's begin by addressing some very common questions regarding Christianity.

Who is a Christian?

In essence, a Christian is a person who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There are many people in the world who seek to know God and to do the will of God in the way they live. It is important to note here, that while Christians do believe in God and seek to live a good life in the service of God and our fellow human beings, that is not what makes a person a Christian. What matters in becoming a Christian is what a person believes about Jesus. It's how a person relates to Jesus Christ that is the unique and crucial character of a Christian.

Who is Jesus Christ?

Jesus was a teacher who lived at Nazareth and taught in Galilee and Jerusalem in the time of the Roman Empire. We believe he is the Son of God, who lived and died for others and was raised from the dead. Jesus of Nazareth announced the coming of the kingdom of God. He lived our human life, healing the sick and teaching his disciples and the crowds who came to him, until he was killed by crucifixion at Jerusalem under the rule of Pontius Pilate, and then God raised him to life again.

Jesus himself, in his life and sacrificial death, made the response of humility, obedience and trust which God had long sought in vain. God confirmed and completed the witness which Jesus bore to God, and made in Jesus a representative beginning of a new order of righteousness and love. To God in Christ all people are called to respond in faith.

Why is Jesus called Christ?

Jesus is called Christ because we believe he is the Messiah, the anointed one, who came from God to establish the Kingdom of God in which people are restored to a new relationship with God. When Jesus was called Christ by the apostles it meant that they accepted him as the Messiah whom God had promised to send to lead his people. The expected Messiah was a king who would establish the rule of God and lead people to victory over the enemies of God. Jesus showed them that his victory would not be like that of earthly kings, for he would humble himself and become their servant, even to the point of dying for them.

In this way he overcame sin and death, the enemies of God and of humanity, which divide people from God and from each other; so he reconciled us to God and to one another and was given great honor as the King of kings and Lord of lords. After his victory Christ was raised up to a special place with God and honored as he had been from the beginning in which he shared with God in the creation of the world.

Why is Jesus called Lord?

Jesus is called Lord because we believe he is God and because he rose from the dead. Jesus is both truly God and truly human. How that can be is learned from scripture, which incorporates the witness of those who knew him well, especially the apostles, and it is confirmed in Christian experience. We believe that Jesus is human and divine; as well as being a humble servant and wise teacher, his is our Savior and Lord. We believe this because of the way he lived and died, according to the scriptures, and because of the difference faith in him makes to our lives.

Why is Jesus called Savior?

Jesus is called Savior because through the sacrifice of his life and his conquest of sin and death he saved us from the consequences of sin. Because of the rebellion of humankind against God and our desire to put ourselves in the place of God, we are alienated from God, and from our fellow human beings. This state of separation, pride and willfulness is sinful, a state from which we cannot rescue ourselves.

Only by the grace of God can we be restored to communion with our Creator and fulfill our potential to become children of God and brothers and sisters of one another. In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God reached out to us, broke the power of sin, healed and reconciled us, saving us from death and offering us eternal life. -M. Schmidt

There you have it! These are the central Christian beliefs, which are the basis for a life of discipleship. I pray that that you find this beneficial to you in your walk with our Lord Jesus Christ!

May God bless you,

Halie