With Catholic, Orthodox, and About 300 Protestant Denominations,

What is the Essence of Christianity?

baptism, from the Greek “baptizo”, which means to immerse…for more about Christian baptism, click here

Last year, I explained why I believe, in “How I Became Convinced the Bible is True”, “Ancient History and Archaeology, Powerful Evidence the Bible is True” , and “A Letter to Unblelievers, How Real Scientific Evidence Converted Me From Agnosticism”, and some others. On substack, you can sort through previous posts by searching for the category on the top line menu; Science, Finance, or Faith – in this case, clicking on ‘Faith’ will show all posts that have something to do with faith. 

a very important premise

When Jesus was asked a question similar to ‘What is the Essence?’, or What is most important?, He boiled it down to this:

“And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets”   Matthew 22:37-40

A similar point is made by the apostle Paul in the chapter on love -

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” 1Corinthians 13:1-3

So, why so many different churches?

It’s a spiritual problem. Logic only goes so far. The bible explains, right from the beginning, that there is a spiritual battle going on all around us. There is a devil, Satan, and he is just as real as the Savior, Jesus.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:12

The New Testament has many warnings that there will be false teachings, false doctrines, and evil infiltrators that sneak into churches. Here’s an example, from Jesus Himself:

““Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  Matthew 7:15

Here’s another, from Peter

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies,…”  2 Peter 2:1a

When Paul bade farewell to the Ephesian church elders, he said

“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” Acts 20:29

This spiritual battle even in the churches causes division, and that’s why there are so many different churches. Ideally, we would all be one, with no divisions. That is Jesus’ prayer

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone (the disciples), but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

What then?

Remember our premise - And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets”   Matthew 22:37-40

In every church, there will be error, but there also will be those who love the Lord God with all their heart. God looks at the heart:

“…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1Samuel 16:7b

The living Word

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

The role of Spirit

Christianity is not just a system of belief, nor is it just an intellectual pursuit. It is a changed life. The bible reveals that God is One, but in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We humans can hardly understand this, but I believe it because I believe the bible really is the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit is the power behind the Christian Faith that can change lives, no matter what background.

the gospel – what we should be united on

This is my understanding of the essence: God is Creator of the heavens and the earth and all life. Jesus is part of the threefold Godhead, depicted as God’s Son. Jesus left heaven to be born of a virgin, and grew to manhood to proclaim the gospel (translated “good news”) and then to die as a sacrifice for mankinds’ sins. Then Jesus was raised from the dead and rose up to heaven. Belief in this gospel is absolutely essential to be saved from the consequences of sin and to be assured of eternal life in heaven. If a church doesn’t believe and teach this gospel, it’s not a Christian Church, by definition.

Notice – there are several miracles – the virgin birth, Jesus raising from the dead, and His ascension into heaven.

Obviously, you have to believe in God in order to believe in miracles. Then the miracles can be explained this way: If God created the whole universe by merely speaking, (like, He said “Let there be light, and there was light”, etc) then surely God can do anything. We serve an awesome God!

Jesus is calling

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus is calling us to follow Him, but He’s asking for a total commitment.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

The ultimate test

In every church, of every denomination, there will be some who are sincerely putting Jesus and His word above all else, even if persecuted to the death. But there are also undoubtedly those who are just ‘playing church’, hypocrites who want to appear godly but only for outward appearance and selfish reasons.

The ultimate test, in my opinion, will be on Judgment Day. Those who have saving faith and have been wholeheartedly obedient to that faith, submitting to the Word of God as the ultimate Truth, will be found and raised up to be with Jesus in heaven forever.

2024

Jesus is calling not just for another New Year’s resolution. He’s calling for you to be “born again” – a completely changed life. It’s time to get off the fence. Will you believe, and give your life to Jesus? On the Day of Pentecost, when the church began, the people responded to Peter’s message by asking “What shall we do?”. Here’s his answer:

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” Acts 2:37-39