Request for information: what is Christianity? which bit(s) are essential?

[MorkandMindy]

What is Christianity?
I’ll explain where I’ve got to on this question so far:

DEFINITION OF CHRISTIANITY TAKE 1
It is a belief system based on the teachings of Jesus Christ

CHALLENGE
Which teachings, can you be specific?

TAKE 2
It is a belief system based on statements recorded in the gospels accredited to Jesus Christ.

CHALLENGE
American Christian Fundamentalists consider the teachings in the gospels to have been made to the Jews and therefore to be in the dispensation of law and not grace, and therefore do not accept them as a basis for doctrine.

CHRISTIANITY was first explained to me using a diagram with God as perfect and man as imperfect and the cross providing the forgiveness for sin man was then given which enabled him to commune with God.

Obedience to the teachings of Jesus were not considered essential as they were works but only faith was considered essential.

TAKE 3
A Christian is one who has accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on his behalf and accepted him into his life, and then lives by faith, doing, well, um, well, if the gospels are to the Jews then we don't have much idea what to do other than listen to self proclaimed religious leaders, and of course evangelizing and inviting others to do the same thing, we evangelize to get others to evangelize

I've failed and I need ideas

 

[Key]

What is Christianity?
I’ll explain where I’ve got to on this question so far:

DEFINITION OF CHRISTIANITY TAKE 1
It is a belief system based on the teachings of Jesus Christ

CHALLENGE
Which teachings, can you be specific?

TAKE 2
It is a belief system based on statements recorded in the gospels accredited to Jesus Christ.

CHALLENGE
American Christian Fundamentalists consider the teachings in the gospels to have been made to the Jews and therefore to be in the dispensation of law and not grace, and therefore do not accept them as a basis for doctrine.

This is wrong, all Christians accept that the Letters by Saint Paul, to be for the Gentiles (non-Jews) as such, they are meant for us. And equally so, the Teachings and words of Jesus "The Red Words", are for us as well as the Jews. I have no idea how anyone could say they do not apply.

A Christian is one who Follows Christ.

CHRISTIANITY was first explained to me using a diagram with God as perfect and man as imperfect and the cross providing the forgiveness for sin man was then given which enabled him to commune with God.

Christianity is picking up your Cross and following Christ.

Obedience to the teachings of Jesus were not considered essential as they were works but only faith was considered essential.

Obedience to the LAW is not Essential,

The Teachings of Christ are a different Matter entirely.

To be a Christian you need to Follow Christ.

TAKE 3
A Christian is one who has accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on his behalf and accepted him into his life, and then lives by faith, doing, well, um, well, if the gospels are to the Jews then we don't have much idea what to do other than listen to self proclaimed religious leaders, and of course evangelizing and inviting others to do the same thing, we evangelize to get others to evangelize

I've failed and I need ideas

I believe you have just been confused, by some issues of Doctrine.

Following the Teachings of Christ, to pick up your cross and follow Christ, is what a Christian is.

I have no idea where you get the idea that the Gospels are to be ignored, as they carry the Teachings of Christ.

I hope I have Explained this.

God Bless

Key.

 

[Secundulus]

DEFINITION OF CHRISTIANITY TAKE 1
It is a belief system based on the teachings of Jesus Christ

CHALLENGE
Which teachings, can you be specific?

Gospel is a Greek word meaning good news. The Good News is that Jesus Christ will gift you eternal life in heaven if you believe in him and follow his commandments. He specifically told us that his commandments may be summed up in two parts 1. Love God, and 2. Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

This is the Gospel in its most basic terms.

TAKE 2
It is a belief system based on statements recorded in the gospels accredited to Jesus Christ.

CHALLENGE
American Christian Fundamentalists consider the teachings in the gospels to have been made to the Jews and therefore to be in the dispensation of law and not grace, and therefore do not accept them as a basis for doctrine.

The Gospels contain the teachings and life of Jesus as recorded by his followers who were with him. What you have written in the CHALLENGE is wrong.

CHRISTIANITY was first explained to me using a diagram with God as perfect and man as imperfect and the cross providing the forgiveness for sin man was then given which enabled him to commune with God.

This is more or less accurate as an analogy.

Obedience to the teachings of Jesus were not considered essential as they were works but only faith was considered essential.

Not really true. The writers of the New Testament were consistent in saying that to Love God means that one follows his instructions.

Basically, the gist is that nobody is in themselves capable of following God perfectly. Through our faith he gives us the desire and ability to live by his teachings.

 

[tapero]

The only bit that's essential is belief in Jesus death and resurrection, and by this belief we are forgiven for sins, and no longer separated from God, but now are God's children.

morknmindy, when I came to Christ I did not know such.

I came by two questions:

Would I commit my life to Christ.
Would I die for Christ.

When I answerd those questions, I was born again (my term.)

All things were new, the old had past the new had come.

Thief; He knew Jesus was good. God knew His heart.
Paul; Who are you Lord?
Thomas; by touching the Savior.

So, many come in different ways; but if asked what's essential I would say what i wrote above is essential.

We know all this from the context of the whole bible.

Blessings,
tapero

 

[Merlin]

A Christian is one who has accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on his behalf and accepted him into his life,

Take 3 is the closest.
The rest of Christianity is about a growing process.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to mold us into more of the person God would want us to be.

Galations 5 sums it up:
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control.

We seek to 'bear fruit'

 

[MorkandMindy]

Gospel is a Greek word meaning good news. The Good News is that Jesus Christ will gift you eternal life in heaven if you believe in him and follow his commandments. He specifically told us that his commandments may be summed up in two parts 1. Love God, and 2. Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

This is the Gospel in its most basic terms.


The Gospels contain the teachings and life of Jesus as recorded by his followers who were with him. What you have written in the CHALLENGE is wrong.


This is more or less accurate as an analogy.


Not really true. The writers of the New Testament were consistent in saying that to Love God means that one follows his instructions.

Basically, the gist is that nobody is in themselves capable of following God perfectly. Through our faith he gives us the desire and ability to live by his teachings.

You gave two specifics:

Love God. I think this means follow his commandments, so that leads to the other specific you gave:

Love your neighbour as yourself. This is common to many cultures and does not distinguish between Christianity and most other religions or the behaviour of many animals where the community is genetically related.

The part about not being able to follow God perfectly I have only been able to use as referring to the two specifics you mentioned, which amount to 'love your neighbour as yourself'.

I'm not sure I understood your response correctly, but I have not yet found in it something that is distinctively Christian.

 

[Secundulus]

You gave two specifics:

Love God. I think this means follow his commandments, so that leads to the other specific you gave:

Love your neighbour as yourself. This is common to many cultures and does not distinguish between Christianity and most other religions or the behaviour of many animals where the community is genetically related.

The part about not being able to follow God perfectly I have only been able to use as referring to the two specifics you mentioned, which amount to 'love your neighbour as yourself'.

I'm not sure I understood your response correctly, but I have not yet found in it something that is distinctively Christian.

If you are looking for what is unique, then that is Jesus Christ is God.

I would be very surprised if you found his other teachings to be unique as it is written in the book of Romans that God has written his laws on the hearts of ALL people.

 

[ebia]

It's not entirely clear what you are asking. Are you asking "what is distictively different about Christianity?", "what is it essential for Christians to do/belive to be saved?", "what is a minimum statement of Christianity" or what?

To some extent all your "Takes" are true, but drastically incomplete - as any three line summary must be.

DEFINITION OF CHRISTIANITY TAKE 1
It is a belief system based on the teachings of Jesus Christ

CHALLENGE
Which teachings, can you be specific?

All of them. Best summerised as "Love the Lord your God... and Love your neighbour as yourself". And no, I don't believe the first of those means simply "Follow his commandments" as that makes the rest of Jesus statement - "all the law and the prophets follow from these two" circular. If one does truely love God one will naturally do that which is contained in the commandments, not out of obediance but naturally.

TAKE 2
It is a belief system based on statements recorded in the gospels accredited to Jesus Christ.

CHALLENGE
American Christian Fundamentalists consider the teachings in the gospels to have been made to the Jews and therefore to be in the dispensation of law and not grace, and therefore do not accept them as a basis for doctrine.

Jesus' commandments were, in the first instance, delivered to the Jews, within the culture of 1st century Judaism, but they speak to all of us not least because we have all been adopted into Abraham's family through Christ's death and our baptism.

CHRISTIANITY was first explained to me using a diagram with God as perfect and man as imperfect and the cross providing the forgiveness for sin man was then given which enabled him to commune with God.

Obedience to the teachings of Jesus were not considered essential as they were works but only faith was considered essential.

A faith that doesn't lead to works isn't real, as St James makes clear.

TAKE 3
A Christian is one who has accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on his behalf and accepted him into his life, and then lives by faith, doing, well, um, well, if the gospels are to the Jews then we don't have much idea what to do other than listen to self proclaimed religious leaders, and of course evangelizing and inviting others to do the same thing, we evangelize to get others to evangelize

The Gospel's aren't just to the Jews. Whoever suggested they were hasn't begun to understand them or St Paul.

 

[MorkandMindy]

This is wrong, all Christians accept that the Letters by Saint Paul, to be for the Gentiles (non-Jews) as such, they are meant for us. And equally so, the Teachings and words of Jesus "The Red Words", are for us as well as the Jews. I have no idea how anyone could say they do not apply.

A Christian is one who Follows Christ.



Christianity is picking up your Cross and following Christ.



Obedience to the LAW is not Essential,

The Teachings of Christ are a different Matter entirely.

To be a Christian you need to Follow Christ.



I believe you have just been confused, by some issues of Doctrine.

Following the Teachings of Christ, to pick up your cross and follow Christ, is what a Christian is.

I have no idea where you get the idea that the Gospels are to be ignored, as they carry the Teachings of Christ.

I hope I have Explained this.

God Bless

Key.

If I understand you correctly then being a Christian means following Christ.

'Following Christ' must mean doing the same sorts of things, following the same principles.

Sources of guidance are then the issue.

The Catholic Church, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and some other organisations provide guidance to follow.

Some have been told that the Holy Spirit would guide them, others to follow reason, I was told to learn the scriptures because I would find guidance in them and in prayer.

What exactly do you do to follow Christ?

 

[MorkandMindy]

This is wrong, all Christians accept that the Letters by Saint Paul, to be for the Gentiles (non-Jews) as such, they are meant for us. And equally so, the Teachings and words of Jesus "The Red Words", are for us as well as the Jews. I have no idea how anyone could say they do not apply.

As I understand it, the dispensation of Mosiac Law runs from Moses to Acts 2.4 and the dispensation of grace from there.

Hard for a dispensationalist to see why Jesus would speak to Jews about the Law as he did otherwise, when Paul says it brings death whereas grace brings life.

I can understand a more complex theology that resolves this issue, but many do put the end of the dispensation of Mosiac Law at Acts 2.4 thereby putting Paul’s letters in the dispensation of grace and leaving the gospels behind in Law. Hence the high regard for the gospels and O.T. but use of only Paul’s letters in deciding doctrine.

I did not say I still hold this belief, though there was a time when I did for about a year when I was with some Brethren.

 

[sbbqb7n16]

Romans 10:8-10

8. But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9. that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10. for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.