Christianity grew out of a long-standing Jewish hope for a Messiah—a leader sent by God to bring justice and renewal. For centuries, whenever a strong or inspiring leader appeared, people wondered whether he might be that promised Messiah.
Jesus appeared in this same setting. He taught, healed, and spoke about God’s kingdom, so some began to think he could be the Messiah. But when the Roman authorities arrested and executed him, those hopes collapsed. A man who died on a Roman cross did not look like God’s chosen deliverer, and his followers were left disappointed and afraid.
Soon after, however, Jesus’ followers became convinced that he was alive again. This experience changed everything. Their lost hope returned, stronger than before, and they now believed that God had raised Jesus and confirmed him as the Messiah. From this point on, belief in Jesus as the Messiah became the foundation of Christianity.
As time passed, this belief took on new meanings. Paul taught that Jesus’ death was a sacrifice that brought forgiveness of sins. Later, the Gospel of John described Jesus as existing with God from the beginning of creation and sharing in God’s very nature. In this way, Jesus came to be understood not only as the Messiah but also as divine.
While these beliefs about Jesus were developing, his original teachings—about loving others, seeking justice, forgiving enemies, and living the values of God’s kingdom—received less attention. Gradually, Christianity became more focused on what people believed about Jesus than on how they lived according to his teachings.
This shift shaped Christianity into the religion we recognize today: one centered primarily on belief, rather than on the way of life that Jesus himself taught.
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