Christianity In Perspective – Focus On Jesus Christ

Christianity is unique. The uniqueness of Christianity is rooted in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, to understand Christianity is to understand a little bit about Jesus Christ.

The virgin birth and death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ were prophesied in the Bible. Jesus was crucified for the sins of the whole world, resurrected from death, ascended into heaven, and will come back and take his followers to heaven. Membership of the Christian faith is open freely to all who are saved, or who desire to be saved, by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. All are welcome to Jesus.

Christianity is based on faith; that is, faith in God through Jesus Christ. According to the writer of Hebrews, “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). We receive faith by hearing and hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Having received a measure of faith, the Christian thereafter lives by faith, not by sight (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). That is why the Apostle Paul wrote that the just or righteous will live by faith (Romans 1:17).

Christianity has a long and rich tradition. The roots of Christianity go far wider, deeper, and higher than many people can imagine. Christianity starts with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins, but it does not end there. It goes back to King David who was described as a man after God’s own heart, but it does not end there.

It goes back to Abraham, a man of faith whose strong belief in God was credited to him as righteousness, but it does not end there. It was through Abraham’s son Isaac and grandson Jacob that God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:4 that he would be the father of many nations was fulfilled.

The Christian tradition goes back to Noah, the righteous man who obeyed God and rescued his family from the flood to preserve and continue the human race, but it does not end there. It goes back to Adam and Eve who were created by God in His own image and whose sins damaged the relationship between God and man, but it does not end there.

Finally, it goes all the way back to the Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth and everything therein. And even there, we find Jesus, the Son of God and pioneer of the Christian faith who, as part of the longest prayer recorded in the Bible, revealed his prior relationship with God as follows: “And now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (John 17:5 NIV). And so Christians are linked to Jesus Christ who is “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13 NIV). That is the lineage of the Christian tradition.

Despite the glory that Jesus had “before the world began,” he laid it aside and came down to earth to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He took the form of a human, became a servant, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8). ”Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV).

The unique position Jesus occupies is further manifested in some of his pronouncements. Jesus knew what he was talking about when he said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30 NIV). On another occasion, Jesus answered Thomas, one of his disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.

From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7 NIV). And the Apostle Peter declared that, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NIV). The outstretched arms and open palms of Jesus on the cross during his crucifixion were, and still are, an open invitation to all to come to him for salvation.

Love and faith are cornerstones of Christianity. It was love that made Jesus come down to earth to offer himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins, and so he lived and preached love. He summed up the commandments for his followers in two parts: love God and love your fellow human beings. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, raised the dead, preached good news to the poor, and forgave sins.

He helped all who put their faith and trust in him and believed in his mission to save the world from sin and Satan. Jesus also preached peace and unity, and Christians pray and hope to live in peace and unity with all people. And it is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ that we have been saved into membership of the Christian faith.

These values are at the core of Christianity. Jesus delivered on his promise to ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to his followers which filled and empowered them to carry on with his mission on earth. Born-again followers of Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit as their counselor, teacher, companion, and resource to help them.

God may give the Holy Spirit to the believer at conversion, baptism, or at any other appropriate occasion or time appointed by Him. For example, as a public affirmation of Jesus as the Son of God, when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove, and a voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22 NIV; John 1:32-34 NIV). Later, God reaffirmed His relationship with Jesus during the Transfiguration when He said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5).

The intervention of the Holy Spirit has been of immense help to Christianity by encouraging and strengthening Christians to endure the violence and sufferings inflicted by evil forces. From the time when King Herold wanted to kill baby Jesus and stop his mission on earth, through the time when Jesus was crucified and resurrected, to the present age, Christians have suffered persecutions and killings, but Christianity has not only endured or survived, but thrived.

Today, the Christian tradition that Jesus revealed with 12 apostles, has grown to over 2.3 billion people worldwide, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center study. The number of Christians continues to grow. They join a long Christian tradition that historically includes patriarchs, matriarchs, priests, prophets, preachers, pastors, disciples, apostles, teachers, saints, sinners, and many others.

Christians of various denominations worship God, alone or as a congregation in appropriate places of worship such as cathedrals, churches, chapels, temples etc. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, it is not the particular place of worship that matters most, but true worshippers of God must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24). Christians worship to honor the Almighty God and to equip ourselves for service to God and mankind. By faith, we believe God is present during our worship, consistent with what Jesus said that where two or three come together in his name, he is there with them (Matthew 18:20). Worship is open to all. At the heart of worship are prayers, singing, praises, thanksgiving, Bible reading, and preaching – all in an atmosphere of reverence. We claim by faith that our prayers are heard by God who is unseen and our worship is acceptable to Him.

Christianity was not established by man. Christianity is unique, unequalled, and divinely-established. It goes all the way back to Jesus Christ and beyond his time on earth. Satan and his evil forces may continue to undermine, destroy, and even kill some Christians, but we agree with the Apostle Paul that, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord“ (Romans 8:37-39 NIV).

Christianity goes on stronger and bigger than ever before, but there is more to be done to expand it further. There is no better way for anyone to obtain salvation and to worship the Almighty God than through our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Son of God who died on the cross for our sins, resurrected, ascended into heaven, and will come back and take his Christian followers to heaven. “Sinners” are particularly invited to come, taste, and see that our Lord is good.

Prayer is the key. May God grant us the grace to seek Him daily through our prayers.

Dr. Daniel Gyebi, Attorney-at-Law, Texas, U.S.A., and Founder, PrayerHouse Ministry, Kumasi, Ghana.

PrayerHouse Ministry is dedicated to providing a quiet facility for Christians to pray individually by themselves without any intermediary priest, pastor or any other person. This is a free service. No money is demanded or accepted. One facility is located at Kyerekrom / Fumesua, near Building and Road Research Institute Offices, one mile off the Kumasi-Accra Road and next to a house called Grace Castle. If you are interested, please contact Agnes at 054-7498653. Another is located at Kantinkyiren, at the junction of Kantinkyiren and Konkori, off the Kumasi-Obuasi Road, branching left at Trede junction. Contact Kwadwo at 020-8768461 / 0246-989413.