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Uniqueness of Christianity

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Christianity is not religion!  Religion is man attempting to achieve the approbation (approval) of God by “good works” (self-effort); whereas Christianity is a union or relationship with a Person—Jesus Christ, which can only be accomplished by faith alone in Christ alone.  Because of this, Christianity is most unique among all systems of thought and inspiration under the sun.  More specifically, it is the Person and Work of Jesus the Christ that sets Christianity apart as truly unique.

 

If one prefers to classify Christianity as “religion,” he must recognize that no other “religious leader” in all of history can compare to Jesus Christ.  No other person was God incarnate.  No other person paid for the sins of the entire world.  No other person resurrected Himself from the dead.  These three factors pertaining to Jesus Christ, more than any others—and there are others, are primarily what makes Christianity truly unique.

 

Jesus Christ was God in the Flesh (God incarnate)

 

Jesus Christ is the second Person of the Triune Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).  He was born of a virgin in order that (1) He could be of the woman’s seed spoken of in Genesis 3:15 and of the seed of Abraham and David (Matthew 1:1) while (2) not being contaminated by the sin nature that is contained in human blood, which is derived from and passed down by means of the male’s participation in the procreation act.

 

It was only by a truly holy (perfect, without sin) sacrifice that man’s sin, without man’s corrupting involvement, could be dealt with to the satisfaction of the most Holy God.  It was therefore necessary for God Himself to personally take care of the problem of sin by becoming flesh in the Person of the Son, a fact well established by Scripture.

 

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . .  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)

 

Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him [Christ], because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. (John 5:18)

 

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”) [John 8:58 (Exodus 4:14)]

 

I and My Father are one. (John 10:30)

 

. . . . Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. (Romans 9:5)

 

Who [Christ], being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God

(Philippians 2:6)

 

He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn [a term of position signifying priority and sovereignty] over all creation. (Colossians 1:15)

 

For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9)

 

Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)

 

Who [Christ] being the brightness of His [the Father’s] glory and the express image of His [the Father’s] Person . . . . (Hebrews 1:3)

 

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him [the Father] who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

 

Jesus Christ Paid the Penalty-Price for the Sins of the World

 

The primary purpose for Jesus Christ coming “in the flesh” to the world was to die on a Roman rugged cross at Golgotha—the place of the skull (Calvary).  But it was not the physical torture or death that Christ experienced prior to or on the cross that is significant.  Various martyrs (for various causes) throughout history have experienced equivalent or more extensive physical suffering and death.  Although the physical aspects of Christ’s suffering and death must never be trivialized, Christians should never allow them to divert their attention from and understanding of what was the reality of the cross—the real suffering, pain and death that Christ experienced, which fulfilled His objective for being on the cross.

 

As a sinner with no power to save himself (to achieve the approbation of God and eternal life), man could only be saved if a qualified Person, as man’s substitute, paid the “price for his sin” in order to achieve these goals.  Man would have to be redeemed by someone else.  This payment for sin was accomplished by Jesus Christ between the 6th hour and the 9th hour as He hung on Calvary’s cross.  During this time the sky turned to darkness while God turned away from His Son (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34), because a Holy Father could not behold the sin that Christ took upon Himself—in effect this was a spiritual death or separation within the Godhead—and it was this spiritual suffering and death that was the most horrific experience suffered by Christ on the cross of Calvary.  Jesus Christ not only bore the sins of the world, but He actually became this sin so that man by faith alone in Christ alone could become the righteousness of God in Christ. 

 

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

 

In Him [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. (Ephesians 1:7)

 

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"). (Galatians 3:13)

 

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18, 19)

 

Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:14)

 

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12)

 

For He [God the Father] made Him [God the Son] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

 

Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe . . . . (Romans 3:22)

 

It was only after Christ declared that the payment of the penalty-price for sin (the redemption of man) was finished (John 19:30), that He, by His own will and power, gave up His physical life (John 10:17, 18; Luke 23:46) and was entombed at the hands of man.

 

Jesus Christ Resurrected Himself from the Grave

 

The vicarious (substitutionary) sacrifice by/of Christ alone would make Christianity truly unique, except for the fact that if Christ would have remained in the grave the Christian’s confident expectation of a personal resurrection and eternal life—the Christian’s hope—would be of no avail.  But on the third day Jesus Christ came back from death’s domain and in His resurrected body showed Himself to a multitude of His followers.  He was seen in His resurrected body by:

 

  1. Mary Magdalene—John 20:11-18.
  2. The other women –Matthew 28:9, 10.
  3. Peter—1 Corinthians 15:5; Luke 24:34.
  4. Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus—Luke 24:13-35.
  5. Ten of the apostles in a locked room—John 20:19-25; Luke 24:36-42.
  6. Thomas and the others a week later—John 20:26-29.
  7. Cephas—1 Corinthians 15:5.
  8. The twelve—1 Corinthians 15:5
  9. Over 500 disciples—1 Corinthians 15:6.
  10. James the Lord’s brother—1 Corinthians 15:7.
  11. Seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee—John 21:1-23.
  12. Apostles at His ascension—Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:4-9.
  13. Others, as alluded to in Acts 1:3.

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is of particular importance to every Christian for the following reasons.

 

 

  1. It confirms scriptural passages concerning the coming Messiah that are evident in the Old Testament, and it completes the gospel (good news) message concerning Him.

 

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.  (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4)

 

 

  1. It is God’s confirmation and verification that Jesus the Christ is indeed God Almighty.

And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.  (Romans 1:4)

 

 

  1. It is God’s confirmation that the reality of death, which was instigated by man’s disobedience (Adam, see Genesis 2:17), is now no more (abolished/eliminated) for those who trust in Christ for their salvation.

 

For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  But each one in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.  (1 Corinthians 15:21-23, see also Acts 2:23, 24)

 

But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

(2 Timothy 1:10)

 

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  (John 11:25)

 

 

  1. It is the Christians hope (confident expectation of a personal resurrection and eternal life).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (1 Peter 1:3-5)

 

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 

(1 Corinthians 15:51-54, see also 2 Corinthians 5:1-4)

 

Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  (Luke 20:36)

 

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.  But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  (1 Corinthians 15:19, 20)

 

 

  1. It confirms the believer’s faith as efficacious (effectual)

And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 

(1 Corinthians 15:17)

 

 

  1.  It is God’s demonstration and assurance to the believer of (a) the hope of God’s calling—the assurance of the believer’s heavenly destiny, (b) the riches of the glory of Christ’s inheritance in the saints—the priceless treasure the believer is to God and (c) the exceeding greatness of God’s power to believers—the divine strength available to him for daily living (Ephesians 1:18-20).

 

  1. It verified Christ as Sovereign of the universe, the Head of the Church (Body of Christ), and that He makes intercession for all believers at the right hand of God the Father (Ephesians 1:21-23, Hebrews 1:3).

 

In conclusion, the three most important factors that make Christianity truly unique are (1) the Person of Christ—who He was, (2) the death of Christ—what He actually experienced on the cross, and (3) the resurrection of Christ—His victory over death.  Because of Jesus Christ and these events that He experienced for mankind, every Christian should not only understand how special he or she is in the mind and plan of God; but should daily be filled with joy, thanksgiving and praise for the mercy and grace of God that has been extended through His Son.