I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).
The preceding verse taken from the Book of John in the New Testament speaks about what every Christian intends to accomplish in his or her lifetime. Jesus Christ as the Messiah is a central idea in Christianity, and this is the belief of one third of the world’s population. With a population of 2.18 billion people, Christians comprise the world’s largest religious group (Pew Research, np).
Core Beliefs
The core beliefs of Christianity are reflected in the Universal Creeds. The Apostles Creed begins with the words “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth” and continues with “and in Jesus Christ” and then “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” For the first core belief, Christians believe in God. This God is seen as the father. The image of a father signifies a relationship between believers and God. A father takes care of his children and provides for them. It is the father who created heaven and earth for his children.
The second core belief is God being an almighty God. He is powerful and he is capable of anything.
Christians’ trust of God stems from the relationship they have with him. As Father He wants only what is good for His children. Christians believe in God having a plan for each of his children. Sometimes, there may be occasions when a person feel his life is going nowhere and he is suffering from so much adversity. But then when he puts his trust in God, he realizes at the end that everything he has gone through has made him a better person or has changed his life for the better. There are indeed many occasions when the Christian realizes that it was God’s plan that made their life better.
The third core belief is the Trinity. According to Catholic and Christian teachings, there are three persons in one God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Logic makes it difficult to comprehend how could there be three persons and yet just one. But Christians believe in the Trinity because these are manifested in the New Testament. “The Father is revealed in Christ through the Spirit” (McGrath 122). God the Father is the creator, God the Son is the Saviour, and God the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier. (Jenkins 18). In the Gospel, Jesus said to his disciples “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28: 19-10).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was born in a manger. This signified his unity with the poor. However, kings bowed unto him with the arrival of the three kings on his birth. This was a symbol of his divinity. Jesus grew up in a simple family with his father (Joseph) being a carpenter. The life of Jesus is presented in the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. His death and suffering comprised the Sorrowful Mystery.
Before his death and suffering, Jesus was teaching his disciples and the people. His teachings include the Sermon on the Mount where he explained to his listeners the ways to be able to enter the kingdom of God. He also relayed parables to show through metaphors the ways by which the people should live their lives.
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the center of the Christian faith. The Father had decided to send his only Son to die on the cross, to save His people on Earth. The death of Jesus on the Cross is the ultimate sacrifice because Jesus knew that his death was bound to happen. Yet despite the suffering and pain, he accepted his fate so that the people on earth may be saved and gain new life.
Conclusions
Christianity is the most populous religion in the world. The belief on Jesus Christ as the Messiah or the Savior of man is the central element of this religion. The first core belief is that of God as the Father. This signifies that there is a relationship between God and man and God as a father provides for his people. In the Apostles Creed, the words “creator of heaven and earth” attest to this. The second core belief is God as and almighty God. Christians believe in God’s plan for them and trusts Him. The third core belief is the Trinity. There are three persons in one God. The Father is the Creator, the Son is the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier.
Jesus Christ is the center of Christianity. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as well as his teachings are manifested in the books of the New Testament. He uses parables and metaphors in his teachings to enable the people to understand his words. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross is the ultimate sacrifice because by doing so He has saved man from their sins. Jesus Christ is the light of the world and it is only by following him that man would be saved.
Works Cited
Jenkins, Joe. Christianity. Oxford: Heinemann Educational, 1995. Print
McGrath, Alister E. Christianity: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Print
Novak, Philip. The World’s Wisdom: Sacred Text of the World’s Religion. USA: Harper Collins, 2011.Print
King James. The Holy Bible. Print
