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Christianity

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Christianity is the faith centered on the triune God, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and the gospel revealed in Scripture. It includes the beliefs, worship, and way of life that flow from that revelation.

At a Glance

Christianity is the biblical faith that confesses the one true God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and centers salvation, worship, and discipleship on Jesus Christ.

Key Points

Description

Christianity is the religion and worldview founded on God’s revelation in Scripture and centered on the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and on the saving person and work of Jesus Christ. In biblical and historic Christian understanding, God created the world, humanity fell into sin, and redemption is accomplished through the incarnation, obedient life, atoning death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, received by grace through faith. Christianity therefore includes doctrinal belief, covenant worship, discipleship, and the life of the church under the authority of God’s Word. As a worldview, it affirms that truth, morality, human dignity, meaning, and final judgment are grounded in God rather than in autonomous human reason or shifting cultural consensus. Because the term is often used broadly, it should be distinguished from merely cultural, nominal, or heterodox forms of Christianity.

Biblical Context

Scripture does not use the abstract noun Christianity as a formal label, but it does define the faith to which the term points. The New Testament centers the gospel on Jesus Christ, the apostles’ teaching, the work of the Spirit, and the identity of the church as God’s people under the authority of Christ.

Historical Context

The term Christianity developed in the early church to describe those who belonged to Christ. Over time it came to name the whole faith, its confessions, its worship, and the historical communities shaped by the gospel. Care is needed, however, because the label has also been used for cultural identity, institution, and tradition apart from genuine gospel faith.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Christianity emerged from the fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures and the messianic hope of Second Temple Judaism. Its claims are inseparable from the biblical storyline of creation, covenant, promise, fulfillment, and redemption in the Messiah.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

The English word Christianity is derived from the term Christian, from Greek Christianos, first used of believers in the New Testament era. The abstract noun itself is later, but it names the faith defined by allegiance to Christ and the apostolic gospel.

Theological Significance

Christianity is central to biblical theology because it gathers together the doctrines of God, Christ, salvation, church, and Scripture. It is not merely a private spirituality but the covenantal life of those who confess Jesus as Lord and receive the gospel by faith.

Philosophical Explanation

As a worldview, Christianity asserts that reality is created and governed by the triune God, that human beings are morally accountable, and that truth is ultimately grounded in divine revelation rather than autonomous human judgment. It offers an account of meaning, knowledge, ethics, suffering, redemption, and destiny that is coherent only if God has truly spoken and acted in history.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not equate Christianity with Western culture, church membership, or moralism. Nor should the term be stretched to include views that deny the Trinity, the deity and humanity of Christ, the authority of Scripture, or salvation by grace through faith. Biblical Christianity should be distinguished from nominal or merely institutional religion.

Major Views

In common usage, Christianity may refer broadly to all groups that identify with Christ. In biblical terms, the standard of definition is the apostolic gospel and historic orthodox confession, not mere self-identification.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Christianity must be defined within the bounds of Scripture: one God in three persons, the full deity and humanity of Christ, His sinless life, atoning death, bodily resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word. Any use of the term that contradicts these truths is outside biblical Christianity.

Practical Significance

The term helps readers connect Bible doctrine with discipleship, worship, evangelism, and the life of the church. It also guards against confusing true faith in Christ with cultural religion or generic morality.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

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