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The very earliest humans DID know God, deeply and personally. Then they rebelled against him, fell from his holy and sustaining grace, and forsook him to follow after their own evil ways. Having forsaken God, the source of all good, humans were turned over to pure evil and foolishness.
In our evil and foolishness we invented "gods" after our own sin-tainted image, to satisfy our God-given need for worship within the context of an inherently evil nature. The real God made us in his image, but we rebelled against him, willingly suppressed the truth in unrighteousness, and invented "gods" in our own image. Ultimately all religion is idolatry. Christianity is not religion per say, its a real relationship with the one true and living God.
So to answer your question directly, God did reveal himself to us from the beginning. But we walked away from him. So he chose to reveal himself to and through the nation of Israel, and through this people he brought forth his Son, the Messiah, to bear the sins of mankind and suffer condemnation in our place. In so doing all can be reconciled to God. Even though we rejected him, hated him, and invented "gods" of our own to worship, he was so gracious that he poured out our just penalty upon his own son that we could be reconciled, if only we'd repent and believe in him. God is hardly unjust in his dealings with us, he is eminently and unfathomably merciful and gracious.
Excellent reply. I would also add that Christianity did not begin until after the death of Jesus. God established his covenant in the beginning with His people, the Jews. God gave them the law, i.e. The Ten Commandments. Once mankind had thoroughly demonstrated to itself, that keeping the law was impossible, Jesus came to earth, died and paid for our sins so we didn't have to, and ushered in the new covenant of grace. The history of the new, fledgling church is documented in Acts.
Confusing enough?
The gospel isn't a set of timeless set of beliefs. It's something God has done.Question.Everything said:Why was Christianity not the first religion?
If you were the loving creator of life, what is the purpose of allowing hundreds of millions of people to believe in false religions before yours?
What was the first "religion"?Why was Christianity not the first religion?
If you were the loving creator of life, what is the purpose of allowing hundreds of millions of people to believe in false religions before yours?
The very earliest humans DID know God, deeply and personally. Then they rebelled against him, fell from his holy and sustaining grace, and forsook him to follow after their own evil ways. Having forsaken God, the source of all good, humans were turned over to pure evil and foolishness.
In our evil and foolishness we invented "gods" after our own sin-tainted image, to satisfy our God-given need for worship within the context of an inherently evil nature. The real God made us in his image, but we rebelled against him, willingly suppressed the truth in unrighteousness, and invented "gods" in our own image. Ultimately all religion is idolatry. Christianity is not religion per say, its a real relationship with the one true and living God.
So to answer your question directly, God did reveal himself to us from the beginning. But we walked away from him. So he chose to reveal himself to and through the nation of Israel, and through this people he brought forth his Son, the Messiah, to bear the sins of mankind and suffer condemnation in our place. In so doing all can be reconciled to God. Even though we rejected him, hated him, and invented "gods" of our own to worship, he was so gracious that he poured out our just penalty upon his own son that we could be reconciled, if only we'd repent and believe in him. God is hardly unjust in his dealings with us, he is eminently and unfathomably merciful and gracious.
What was the first "religion"?
good question.Why was Christianity not the first religion?
If you were the loving creator of life, what is the purpose of allowing hundreds of millions of people to believe in false religions before yours?
The very earliest humans DID know God, deeply and personally. Then they rebelled against him, fell from his holy and sustaining grace, and forsook him to follow after their own evil ways. Having forsaken God, the source of all good, humans were turned over to pure evil and foolishness.
In our evil and foolishness we invented "gods" after our own sin-tainted image, to satisfy our God-given need for worship within the context of an inherently evil nature. The real God made us in his image, but we rebelled against him, willingly suppressed the truth in unrighteousness, and invented "gods" in our own image. Ultimately all religion is idolatry. Christianity is not religion per say, its a real relationship with the one true and living God.
So to answer your question directly, God did reveal himself to us from the beginning. But we walked away from him. So he chose to reveal himself to and through the nation of Israel, and through this people he brought forth his Son, the Messiah, to bear the sins of mankind and suffer condemnation in our place. In so doing all can be reconciled to God. Even though we rejected him, hated him, and invented "gods" of our own to worship, he was so gracious that he poured out our just penalty upon his own son that we could be reconciled, if only we'd repent and believe in him. God is hardly unjust in his dealings with us, he is eminently and unfathomably merciful and gracious.
Can you cite your source?Pagan religions most likely, but I'm sure cavemen had religious practices unknown to us. The Egyptians worshipped Ra for tens of thousands of years before Judaism.
Can you cite your source?
Any one of those would be helpful. Genesis chapter 4 is the first record of worship that I find. This would, in fact, be the "Christian God" though that term is a bit anachronistic at this point.To me those statements were just common knowledge on world religions that I either picked up in school or watching various programs. If you want I can try to dig up archaeological records online, would you want proof of
1) Hinduism predating Judaism. To my knowledge Hinduism has been believed to be about 5,000-6,000 years old, with some evidence suggesting older than that.
2) The belief in Ra thousands of years before Judiasm.
3) The worship of pagan idols tens of thousands of years before Judaism.
I've never looked up major historical proof of these online before, so I'm not sure how tough and time consuming it'll be. Pick one.
Any one of those would be helpful. Genesis chapter 4 is the first record of worship that I find. This would, in fact, be the "Christian God" though that term is a bit anachronistic at this point.
Question.Everything said:I realize this is Wikipedia, but for simplicities sake I think it will do. You can further check out the sources from the links. This is a general timeline of religious discovery: Timeline of religion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The oldest religious structure of worship is dated to be from around 9,000 BC, thousands of years before Judaism. Before then, religion was much less organized and idolatry seemed to be popular back 100,000 years and beyond.
Sorry for the delay...the end of tee ball season makes for a busy timeI realize this is Wikipedia, but for simplicities sake I think it will do. You can further check out the sources from the links. This is a general timeline of religious discovery: Timeline of religion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The oldest religious structure of worship is dated to be from around 9,000 BC, thousands of years before Judaism. Before then, religion was much less organized and idolatry seemed to be popular back 100,000 years and beyond.
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