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Christianity is the religion
of the followers of Jesus Christ.
The Christian movement began its development in Palestine,
in a Jewish environment. Jesus Christ was a Jew and was born
in Palestine and worshipped in the Jewish synagogues but when
He grew up, He preached the finer points of the Jewish Law
laid down by Moses, a great leader of the Jews. Fidelity to
the law became the hallmark of Jewish piety. Jesus Christ
said, among many other things, " ‘The Law says an
eye for an eye’ but I say unto you, whosoever shall smite
thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also"
(Matthew 5:38-39). His opponents, the teachers of the Law,
the Pharisees felt threatened and so, put Him to death. It
was after this that the teachings of Jesus was spread throughout
the Middle East by His disciples especially by Paul of Tarsus.
And it was in Antioch in Syria that for the first time the
followers of Christ were called Christians.
Christianity revolves closely around the person, work and
teachings of Christ. A knowledge and understanding of His
life are requisite for the comprehension of Christian truth.
His life was believed to be a life of absolute purity and
devotion to God and it presents not only the perfect standard
for moral conduct, but also the ideal type of religious aspiration
and devotion.
Jesus Christ was born in AD 6 or 7 in a stable in Bethlehem
in Judea. His mother Mary and His reputed father Joseph were
devout Jews of the tribe of Judah. His childhood and youth
were spent in His father’s carpentry shop. Even as a
youth He displayed a high and great knowledge of God whom
he called His Father. His ministry was a very short period
of 3 years, and yet it was one of intense activity and full
of hope and promise. Although he did not openly called himself
the Messiah, long awaited by the Jews, He assumed an authority
which proved to His followers that He was the One.
The Christians believe that Jesus Christ was not only a real
historical person but also that He was the Son of God, born
of the Virgin Mary and that He took the human form to live
among men and then die as a sacrifice for their sins. History
tells us that He was crucified on Mount Calvary, died on the
cross and was buried. He rose again on the third day , on
Easter morning and appeared to His followers, thus proving
the reality of His Resurrection. They believed that He ascended
into heaven and that He would come again in person to judge
mankind according to their deeds. They also believed in an
Universal Church, the resurrection of the body and eternal
life, after death.
The Christian’s Holy Book is the Bible. It consists of
two parts - the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old
Testament consists of the history of the Jews, the giving
of the Law to them by God, and the way God led and guided
them. Prophesies in the Old Testament pointed to the coming
of the Messiah - Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains
the story of Jesus Christ and the spread of His teachings
outside Palestine and to many parts of then known world. The
Bible is a source of great knowledge, inspiration, comfort
and guidance to the Christians. It is widely read throughout
the world, not only by Christians but also by non-followers
of the faith. It is the largest published work for all times
in the world. In the Bible, the Bible is the Word of God,
and God speaks to the world His word. His message is that
men should repent their sins and live a life of love and service
to God and man. "Love God and thy neighbour as thyself"
said Jesus and this is the central theme of the Christian
doctrine.
Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, that is, three personalities
in ONE God; God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In
this trinity, Jesus Christ is identified as the Son.
The Denominations.
From the time of the early churches, there has come into existence
many Christian denominations according to their dogma. The
main denomination are the Catholic bodies - the Roman and
the Greek. The Protestant Churches came into being after the
Reformation. The main Protestant Churches are the Church of
England, Methodist Episcopal Church and the Lutheran Church.
But as time marched on, many new churches sprang up under
different names. But whatever the differences in forms of
worship, they have kept to the central demand - to live a
holy life in the spirit through faith in Christ and to bear
themselves in love towards their brethren. Now, through the
Council of Churches Malaysia they are trying to understand
each other more and more and move towards a Christian Unity.
The main Christian religious festivals are:-
Christmas - the birthday of Jesus.
Lent - a period of fasting and meditations for 40 days prior
to Easter.
Good Friday - the day Jesus was crucified.
Easter - the day of His Resurrection.
Christianity today is as new as it was 2000 years ago. It
already embraces more than a third of the human race and is
still expanding its influence over the hearts and lives of
humans.
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