Christianity

Christianity is a religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians believe in one God, experienced through three aspects called the trinity: God the Creator, Jesus the Savior, and Holy Spirit, the Comforter. They believe that Jesus, God’s son, lived on earth as a man, was crucified, died and was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day, returning to his Father in heaven. Christians believe that we may all be saved through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Jesus’ teachings are found in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, in the parables and stories he told, his admonitions to his disciples or followers, and his Sermon on the Mount.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus listed what is called The Beatitudes, or groups of people who will be blessed.

Jesus said, “Blessed are…

The poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
The merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
The pure in heart, for they shall see God.
The peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Among his teachings, Jesus also taught his followers to care for others in these ways:

feed the hungry
give water to the thirsty
clothe the naked
welcome the stranger
care for the sick
visit those in prison

He said that when we care for “the least of these,” it is as if we are doing the same good deeds for God.

Some people call themselves Christian, but they may not live fully by these teachings of Jesus. They may judge which poor people are worthy of being fed. They may focus more on some of the Old Testament’s strict rules about sexuality, foods, and other practices which are no longer adhered to by most Christians. For instance, according to the Old Testament we must not eat shellfish, a man must never cut his beard, and we may not wear garments woven of two fabrics. The practice in Old Testament times was to stone a grown son who is rebellious and drunken, or a daughter who loses her virginity before marriage. Obviously, these are not rules that most of us live by today. Each individual interprets their own faith in their own way, and we are not here to try to challenge what someone else believes.

When Jesus came into the world, a lot changed for those who chose to follow his teachings. Love is more important than following archaic rules. When Jesus fed the hungry, he did not ask them why they didn’t get a job. If they were hungry, Jesus fed them, no questions asked.

This is one of the things I love about Christianity, the unconditional outpouring of love and support for all people everywhere; not just those who look, believe, or love like we do, but everyone.