Jesus, having become fully human, suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, but did not sin. While there have been many theological disputes over the nature of Jesus over the first centuries of Christian history, Christians generally believe that Jesus is God incarnate and " true God and true man" (or both fully divine and fully human). The core Christian belief is that through belief in and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, sinful humans can be reconciled to God and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life. The Christian concept of the Messiah differs significantly from the contemporary Jewish concept. The Greek translation Χριστός ( Christos) is the source of the English word " Christ".Ī depiction of Jesus as a child with his mother, Mary, the Theotokos of Vladimir (12th century).Ĭhristians believe that Jesus, as the Messiah, was anointed by God as savior of humanity, and hold that Jesus' coming was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.
The title "Messiah" comes from the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ ( māšiáħ) meaning anointed one. The central tenet of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah (Christ). Main articles: Christian views of Jesus, Christology, and Jesus Christ in comparative mythology In addition, Christianity is the state religion of several countries. Christianity represents about a quarter to a third of the world's population and is the world's largest religion. Following the Age of Discovery, through missionary work and colonization, Christianity spread to the Americas, Australasia, and the rest of the world, therefore Christianity is a major influence in the shaping of Western civilization.Īs of the early 21st century, Christianity has between 1.5 billion and 2.1 billion adherents. Originating in the eastern Mediterranean, it quickly grew in size and influence over a few decades, and by the 4th century had become the dominant religion within the Roman Empire.ĭuring the Middle Ages, most of the remainder of Europe was Christianized, with Christians also being a (sometimes large) religious minority in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of India. Christians call the message of Jesus Christ the Gospel ("good news") and hence refer to the earliest written accounts of his ministry as gospels.Ĭhristianity began as a Jewish sect and is classified as an Abrahamic religion. He is considered the model of a virtuous life, and both the revealer and physical incarnation of God. Most denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge all humans, living and dead, and grant eternal life to his followers. They further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven where he rules and reigns with God the Father. These professions state that Jesus suffered, died from crucifixion, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead to open heaven to those who believe in him and trust him for the remission of their sins (salvation).
The foundation of Christian theology is expressed in the early Christian ecumenical creeds, which contain claims predominantly accepted by followers of the Christian faith. Christians, therefore, commonly refer to Jesus as Christ or Messiah.Īdherents of the Christian faith, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (the part of scripture common to Christianity and Judaism). Christianity (from the Greek word Xριστός, Khristos, "Christ", literally "anointed one") is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament.Ĭhristians believe Jesus is the son of God, God having become man and the savior of humanity.
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