Essay on Christian Traditions and Principles

Introduction

Christianity is considered to be among the world's oldest religion and one of the widely practiced, with more than 2.1 billion followers all over the world. The religion is associated with a prophet known as Jesus Christ, who lived about 2,000 years ago. It is also believed that Jesus who was also known as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth founded the religion, in the Roman-occupied Jerusalem predominant of the classical Greeks. The history of Christianity relates to the Christian religion and Christendom among other denominations in the first century to the present time. One of the largest Christian denominations is the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox, which were also the first religions to spread all over Europe during the middle ages. The major symbols of Christianity are the Christian cross, which represents the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and a three-dimensional symbol of the body of Jesus. Several central themes are used to capture an understanding of the Christian faith, which include the belief in "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit" (Robert 56). Among other dogmas that support these beliefs is the death of Jesus Christ, His resurrection and ascension to Heaven, which can also be related to the lives of His followers who according to their faith will undergo the full process of death, descent into hell, resurrection, and ascension, in the last day. Christians also revere the Sacredness of the church and the communion of the saints. Other common Christian beliefs include repentance of transgressions and subsequent forgiveness, miracles through faith, people's final destination referring to Heaven and Hell. This paper will study the Christian faith by analyzing its fundamental beliefs such as the Trinity, the Bible, and incarnation to find the relevance in history and modern day Christian life and human longings.

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The doctrine of Trinity is the belief of three supernatural beings in one, 'God' the Father, 'Jesus Christ,' who is 'God' the Son and the 'Holy Spirit,' who are controllers of universe and all that therein. These three words represent the judgment of the Christian faith and are the central theme of Christianity. Christians believe that there is only one God, who they refer to as Father according to the teachings of Jesus Christ during his time on earth. 'God the Father' is the supreme ruler and authority and is believed to be the creator of all universe, all living and non-living things, which were created to respect and worship Him. The basic Christian definition of God is, a true God who is unbiased, the creator of heaven and earth, is eternal, unchangeable, almighty, infinitely powerful, holy and wise (Thomas 102). Jesus is recognized by Christians as the son of God, who he sent to the world to save man from sin and eternal death. Through Jesus, Christians were able to be taught ways to which could lead them to their God. Christians also believe Jesus to be the intermediate between them and 'God the Father,' and the being who pleads with God on their behalf. It is clear in Christianity that anyone who does not believe and prays through Jesus does not have their prayer answered and therefore is not Christ follower or Christian for that matter. Additionally, Christians believe in the justification of faith, which comes through the belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God, a belief in His death and resurrection. The 'Holy Spirit' is the God that remained on Erath to comfort, guide and help God's people after the ascension of Jesus Christ to Heaven. As per the Christian beliefs, the Holy Spirit is what Jesus promised to give them to help them in completing his work on earth that He had started. Therefore, the Holy Spirit continues to guide and encourage Christians in the course of life.

The belief in the Trinity is fundamental in Christian faith as it defines the supernatural being that Christians should lay allegiance to. Trinity should always not be confused with a belief in three Gods, because it is three in one God who is Equal and Eternal, distinct yet in unity and. Any Christian who does not subscribe to this doctrine is considered not be a Christian by faith. During the early church times, Christians struggled to understand and comprehend this doctrine (Robert 56). This led to a reduced belief in the Trinity to two statements, which concluded that God is one in essence and thee in person. Modern theologians use the term "Godhead" to refer to God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Trinity, therefore, defines Christian faith because it is the belief in their creator, their mediator and their helper towards achieving their heavenly goals.

The Bible is the main reference that Christians use to learn and understand their God and His teachings for them. It can be referred as a collection of books and texts or scriptures that were written by saints with the help of the Holy Spirit to deliver messages to Christians. The bible is considered to be among the oldest books that exist apart from being holy. Early Christians mostly Jews used the Torah, which consisted of five books of Moses and was a central and important document used to shape their religion and beliefs. To be a Christian during the ancient times, one had to be conversant with the teachings of the bible and follow them to the later. Through the scriptures, God inscribed His commandments as a covenant with Christians (Craig et al. 141). According to Christians, the Bible gives detailed information about the creation of the universe, history of their faith from the time of Jesus Christ, prophesies from the past and present happenings and a clear critical analysis of Christians during early times and in the present times. The Bible has been instrumental in guiding Christians and changing the thoughts and beliefs of many Christians of the modern world, who still consider it as a holy book. In general, the Bible is the guide and main gate pass to heaven as per the Christians because it offers

Incarnation is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. This belief asserts that Jesus was God and man in totality but of two distinct natures. During His time on Earth, most people recognized Him as God while others viewed Him as an ordinary human being. However, in the classical world, people were not familiar with the fact that God could descend to Earth the way Jesus did and lead a humble life. Therefore it became unlikely for them to believe in this doctrine. Additionally, the torture and death of Jesus did not make it any better for their belief. In contemporary Christian society, many believe that there are few references to Jesus being God (Davis 615). From the scriptures, Jesus was born of Mary who was a virgin, having conceived through the Holy Spirit. She gave birth to a boy who grew up to be superhuman and deified, which built an idea that Jesus was an adopted son of God and the main premise for Christians to base their faith in Him. However, over time, Christians have been divided over trying to uncover the real being of Jesus Christ, which prompted the fifth ecumenical council in 553. The council's decisions were influenced by politics and power hence did not give any reliable solution, and since then, Christians have been divided between the doctrine and many others that hold their faith.

Conclusion

To conclude, there are so many doctrines that the Christian faith seeks premise in, and it is evident that changes in interpretations and practice have occurred over time. This change is the reason for major differences in various Christian denominations, which tend to employ different procedures of worship and even beliefs. It is true that the doctrines were meant to guide, shape and create uniformity in the way Christians believe and worship. However, many modern Christians have been confused because their faith cannot create a connection with the major Christian doctrines. The belief in Trinity, the Bible and the doctrine of incarnation are basic aspects that create an original connection to the faith of Christians from the origin of religion to the contemporary settings. The understanding of these three aspects can help Christians to appease their longings and answers to fundamental questions concerning their faith. Personally, from the study and understanding of the three components of Christian faith, it makes my faith stronger because it gives me principles and a basis to lean on to as a Christian. However, the major changes in the understanding of the principles have created a shift for many to the Christian stance.

Work Cited

Thomas, David. "The doctrine of the Trinity in the early Abbasid era." Islamic Interpretations of Christianity. Routledge, 2013. 98-118.

Craig, William Lane, and Joe Gorra. A reasonable response: answers to tough questions on God, Christianity, and the Bible. Moody Publishers, 2013.

Davis, Todd. "The earth as God's body: incarnation as communion in the poetry of Mary Oliver." Christianity & Literature 58.4 (2009): 605-624.

Robert, Dana L. "Shifting southward: global Christianity since 1945." International Bulletin of Missionary Research 24.2 (2000): 50-58.