Christianity today presents itself mainly as a belief system centered on Jesus—especially the belief that he is “the Christ.” Acceptance of this belief is often treated as the foundation of the faith. But this raises a serious question: Is Christianity built on the solid rock of Jesus’ life and teaching, or on the shifting sand of beliefs about him?
If all beliefs about Jesus are removed, he is not reduced to a mere moral teacher. What remains is a profound observer of human and social sickness and a guide toward healing. Jesus diagnosed the deep problems of his society—fear, hypocrisy, exclusion, violence, and obsession with power—and offered a way of life that restores wholeness. His teachings are practical, existential, and transformative.
Jesus did not ask people to believe ideas about him. He asked them to follow him. Discipleship meant imitation: living as he lived and acting as he acted. Forgiving enemies, rejecting domination, trusting God rather than wealth, and serving others—this was the path he embodied and called others to walk.
Over time, Christianity shifted from this lived way to a system of beliefs. Creeds about Jesus replaced imitation of Jesus. Faith became intellectual assent rather than embodied practice. As a result, one can hold correct beliefs about Jesus while living in contradiction to his teaching.
This shift explains why Christianity often feels fragile. When belief becomes the foundation, challenging a belief threatens the whole structure. But Jesus never intended belief about him to be the foundation. The true foundation is a life shaped by truth, compassion, justice, and self-giving love.
Christianity’s crisis, therefore, is not about losing beliefs but about losing practice. To recover its integrity, Christianity must move back—from believing about Jesus to living like Jesus.
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