What is Christianity?
Key Person or Founder, Date, Location:
Jesus Christ. Founded about AD 30-33, in the Judean province of Palestine (modern day Israel), under the Roman Empire. Followers of Jesus Christ became known as Christians.
Key Writings:
The Bible, written originally in Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament), and Greek (New Testament).
Who is God?: The One God is Triune (one God in three Persons, not three gods): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Often the title "God" designates the first person, God the Father. God is a spiritual being without a physical body. He is personal and involved with people. He created the universe out of nothing. He is eternal, changeless, holy, loving, and perfect.
Who is Jesus?: Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity. As God the Son, He has always existed and was never created. He is fully God and fully man (the two natures joined, not mixed). As the second Person of the Trinity, He is coequal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. In becoming man, He was begotten through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus is the only way to the Father, salvation, and eternal life. He died on a cross according to God's plan; the full sacrifice and payment for our sins. He rose from the dead on the third day, spiritually and physically immortal. For the next 40 days He was seen by more than 500 eyewitnesses before ascending into Heaven. Jesus will come again visibly and physically at the end of the world to establish God's kingdom and judge the world.
Who is the Holy Spirit?: The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is a person, not a force or energy field. He comforts, grieves, reproves, convicts, guides, teaches, and fills Christians with His Spirit.
How to Be Saved?: Salvation is by God's grace, not by an individual's good works. Salvation must be received by faith. People must believe in their hearts that Jesus died for their sins and physically rose again. This belief is the assurance of one's forgiveness and the resurrection of the body. This is God's loving plan to forgive sinful people. What Happens After Death?: Believers go to be with Jesus. After death, all people await the final Judgment. Both saved and lost people will be resurrected. Those who are saved will live with Jesus in Heaven. Those who are lost will suffer torment of eternal separation from God (Hell). Jesus' bodily resurrection guarantees believers that they, too, will be resurrected and receive new immortal bodies.
Other Facts, Beliefs, or Practices: Group worship; usually in churches. Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion). Active voluntary missionary efforts. Aid to those in need: the poor, widows, orphans, and downtrodden. Christians believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah promised to Israel in the Old Testament (Tanakh). Jesus said His followers would be known by their love for one another. No secret rites.
How To Become a Christian: The Bible says God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) God loves you and wants a relationship with you.
Here are God's promises:
A. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, 1 John 1:10)
B. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31, John 1:12)
C. If you Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9, Ephesians 2:8,9)
If you have come to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and your risen Savior after reading this page, please email Office@merrillwesleyan.com or call 989.643.3000. We would love to connect with you further about following Jesus Christ.