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Why Christianity is the largest religion in world

blogger — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 03:28:00 +0000

Christianity is not a religion; it’s all about Jesus and to be his children. The followers or the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). God reveals his love for us in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God wants every human to be with him in the eternity but the sins of the mankind which breaks the relationship with God and out eternity life with God in heaven. That’s why the reason Jesus came from heaven to earth to show the way for our life for eternity.

James 1:27 speaks about the truth about religion that is “pure and faultless” before God “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” And, since James highlights that he is focusing on “pure and faultless” religion, there must be religions which are opposite of this like “unclean and imperfect”- a religion which doesn’t have the foundation of love in them.

Here are a few reasons why Christianity turned out to be largest religion in the world

Jesus- The Spotless Lamb was sacrificed for us

Every other religion expects sacrificial offer from people to get away from the sins and Christianity is the only religion where God came down from the realms of the heaven to die for our sins to make us clean and pure. He died for our sins and paid all the debts of us. He redeemed us from Satan’s trap.

Other religions may impose conformity over certain kind of behavior, whereas they don’t make any impact in transforming or changing the heart. Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross reveals his love for us which transforms lives. Christianity teaches that we are “dead to sin” and now lives “in the newness of life” through Jesus (Romans 6:2, 4).

Love that overcame the world

Jesus commanded to his disciples a new command: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). Christianity or “Christ Jesus” is about “love” he loved us even when we’re sinners. None of the religion talks primarily about what Christianity talks about love for humanity or to love one another, forgive others etc. That was the reason, many missionaries all over the world, proclaimed the goodness of Gospel and the love of God. Their love for the Lord made them reach the unreached, orphans, widows and people who are thrown by the community to show the love of God in them in spite of discomfort and persecution. That is why we can see so many hospitals, orphanages, build by missionaries all over the world. Christianity is still growing at rapid speed because it is not a system of protocols to follow but a celebration of unselfish love. “Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).

Matthew 28:19 says “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Jesus himself said his disciples or the order for all his disciples in to go and make disciples throughout the world. Since this was the great commission said by Jesus before His ascension His followers obeyed to spread the good news of Jesus. This made to extend Christianity throughout the globe as the largest religion.

Key Teachings and Doctrines of Jesus

Another reason why Christianity is largest growing among other religions is that the teachings of the Bible are practical, and they are applicable in our day to day life. They transform lives, and they never are a hinder in progressing in our life’s. When Martin Luther King discovered the biblical teaching that “the righteous will live by faith,” it changed his life, and it changed the world. This principle—justification by faith—formed the basis of Reformation thinking. Since it was one’s personal faith that connected with God, there was no need for any priest or pope to mediate that relationship. The principles of the Bible focuses on love, humility, forgiveness, acceptance, helping, and these traits can impact the others and reveals God through our life. This made Christianity extending its wings. Other religions principles are mostly unfollowable as they are sprigged with myths and stories.

Free to follow Jesus

Other religions focus on reaching God for their sins, blessings etc, whereas in Christianity alone, God sought us to get away from the bondages and transgressions of us. Other religions allow only certain people to reach God and consider others as unfit. Whereas anyone can pray and come near to Jesus and can follow Him, and this was yet another factor for the growth of Christianity throughout the world. If anyone feel that, “I’ve gone too far and my stains are too big” or “Anyone who has ever laid awake at night and said “I can’t believe what I’ve done” or ever looked in the mirror and said “I can’t believe what I’ve become.” If you think so, you are not too far to follow Jesus, anyone who knows deep down that they have really got nothing to offer Jesus, it is what Jesus offers us the life that changes things. A follower is far from perfect. We continue to need His grace to continue the journey of perfection. His grace doesn’t just invite us to follow, it teaches us to follow.

Christian Men or women wear earrings?

blogger — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 17:01:00 +0000

Should Christian men or women wear earrings, or should women alone wear them, or should they refrain from them altogether? This is an issue that has generated a lot of controversy over the ages. First, God is concerned about what we put on because He wants everything about our lives to glorify His name. In the whole chapter of Deuteronomy 22, He carefully stated to the children of Israel what He desired from them as a nation. Part of what He told them was that a woman should not wear that which pertains to men, neither shall a man put on a woman garment.

We all know that the nature of dressing will dictate the ornaments that will be used, God wants everything about our dressings to be different from that of the world so that we can easily be identified as children of God. As it is often said, the way we dress is the way we will be addressed.

Wearing Earrings as Part Of Some Culture

The history of earrings encompasses how earrings have been used as adornments throughout history, from ancient to contemporary times.

Earrings are believed to have been made during the fourth millennium BCE. People wore earrings for various reasons including to accentuate a woman’s beauty or the jewelry could indicate the status of its wearer. Earrings were worn by both sexes and used for social or religious reasons. This trend started with the Egyptians.

Early Egyptians Wore Earrings

Men and women in early Egyptian civilization wore earrings. Together with nose rings they were used by both sexes and worn for social or religious reasons. Earrings were first seen in the ancient Egyptians around the first half of the 4th millennium BC. The earring-wearing population peaked in approximately the 19th Dynasty around the 17th century BC. Earrings had a spiritual purpose. They were associated with the goddess Hathor and were often found in the burial chambers. The earrings were also associated with the afterlife and were a part of the funeral process. The majority of earrings were made of gold and were sometimes linked to the person’s name, although not always. Women wore earrings when entering the afterlife and men were not allowed to wear earrings in the afterlife. Some earrings were ornate and would contain symbolic elements.

Middle Ages Time and Earrings

Earrings became more popular during the Middle Ages. Earrings in general were associated with women and were worn by both sexes. Earrings were associated with fertility, health, and youth. However, this view changed by the 15th century, and earrings became associated with the devil. The use of earrings in Europe increased greatly during the 16th century as the Protestant Reformation spread across the continent.

Where Earrings Made People to Sin In The Bible

Some modern Christians have concluded that God does not want us to use earrings at all, whether a man or woman. They argued that earrings made of gold or pearls, and other costly materials are instruments in the devil to make people sin against God. When Moses went up to Mount Sinai to collect the Ten Commandments which God had promised His people, he stayed on the mountain for 40 days, and the people taught he had died there.

They believed that the fire that was burning on the mountain must have consumed Moses because the Bible recorded that God descended on the mountain with great fire, thunder, and lightning. When the children of Israel could not wait for Moses any longer, they asked Aaron his assistant to give them another god who will lead them to the Promised Land. In Exodus 32:2-3, Aaron said to them “Break off the earrings in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters and bring them to me.” He gathered all together and used them to make a golden calf which Israel took as their new God. God got angry with them and destroyed some of them as a result of this.

The issue of the wrong use of earrings surfaced again in the story of Gideon, one of the judges of Israel. He was used by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites who mightily oppressed them for 7 years. God gave Israel victory through Gideon, but in Judges 8:24, he demanded the golden earrings and other ornaments that men of Israel collected from the Midianites and used it to make an ephod which people began to worship. It became a snare unto Gideon and his household.

There are cases in the Bible where earrings golden ornaments have been used constructively. but these are few when compared with how it was used to make God angry. In Numbers 31:50, the princes of the tribes of Israel brought spoils of war to Moses and Aaron at the camp. Among these were ornamental objects made from gold. The total weight of all the golden articles was 500kg. They didn’t take any of these things, but they brought them to the Lord for Temple uses. In Song of Solomon 2:10-11, The writer describes her lover’s beauty as “rows of jewels, with chains of gold.” Meaning that just as ornaments made from gold and silver are precious and highly desirable, so is the beauty of his lover.

Use of Earrings in The New Testament

The Christians in the New Testament were spirit-filled, they devoted their time more to pleasing God as they fervently proclaimed the gospel and testified about the resurrected Christ. They believed that modesty should be the lifestyle of the followers of Christ, not wearing expensive clothing, or using costly ornaments.

In one of his messages, Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 said that women who profess to belong to Christ should strive to bring honor and glory to God, not by dressing to please men but as the Bible says, “I am the Lord your God, be ye holy as I am holy.” They should not make braided hair or any such outward beautification their standard, but they should be sober, modest, and God-fearing.

The issue of dressing is not a matter of personal preferences as some people believed and preached. We are not at liberty to do what we like. We must obey God at all times and in all things. This is applicable to both men and women, especially those who are waiting for the second coming of Christ. We are not of this world; hence we should not allow anything that is of this world to deprive us of our heavenly home.

is drinking a sin in the bible

blogger — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 03:38:00 +0000

This is one of the most controversial questions of faith. A lot of people even religious leaders have different views pertaining to this. This argument gains its facts from various scriptures and religious traditions. These facts are as follows; the feast of the holy communion which is mostly alcohol, the reference of Paul to Timothy in where he told him to take little alcohol for his stomach. Other facts include Jesus turning water into wine.

On the other hand, in the book of Proverbs, King Solomon said a lot about wine and it ranges from the advice to Lemuel that kings don’t drink wine and we as children of God are seen with dual nomenclature which is priests and kings.

Is it wrong for a Christian to be an introvert?

blogger — Sun, 24 May 2020 06:02:00 +0000

The term ‘introvert’ is a term that explains how some people relate with the world. An introvert (or an extrovert) are simply descriptive terms of a personality trait.

We were all created in God’s image and as such, everyone of us—introverted or extroverted—have unique abilities for the edification of the church.

An introvert is a person who tends to focus more on his inner thoughts and life, seeking solitude in deep conversations with few people rather than a large crowd. This trait as a Christian is amazing because it allows you to be still and not immersed in the things of the world.(Psalms 37:7a)

An introvert is also more inclined to study and spend time alone with the Father.

Still, an introvert can be shy to the extent that he/she may not be able to follow the commandments of the Lord (preaching the gospel to every creature—Matthew 28:19-20)

Hence, it is not wrong for a Christian to be an introvert, neither is it perfectly right.

All personality traits have their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Yet, no matter the weakness, if we willing submit to him, and lean in his perfect love to transform us.

what does the bible say about appearance

blogger — Sat, 23 May 2020 12:44:00 +0000

What does the Bible say about appearance, does God care about how we dress? Contrary to what many people believe and say, God cares about what we wear and how we live our lives. This He showed to us in the book of Genesis after the fall of man. Adam and eve having realized the evil they have done and seeing themselves naked, covered themselves with leaves. When God came, He killed an animal and used the skin to cover them, signifying that God wants us to cover our bodies properly. We are created in the image of God and we must show forth His glory. The Bible detailed out how God created man differently from all other creatures. When God was about creating man He said “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness.” That is not a mere saying. It is a call to create a special being that is closest to God. He created all things visible and invisible, yet He wants a being that will look just like Him. The Bible later recorded that “So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” The Psalmist in Psalm 139:14 shed more light on this by saying we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God followed up the issue of dressing and appearance with the children of Israel when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. He did not want them to pattern their lives after the Egyptians among whom they have lived for over 400 years. He stated how they should dress and what they should wear. He clearly stated that there should be a demarcation between men and women dressing. He discouraged cross-dressing in its totality. “The woman shall not wear that which pertains to a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment.”

God Wants Us to Be Like Him in Holiness

As we see in many Bible verses, one major attribute of God is holiness. He is so holy that the Bible records that even the angels in heaven are not pure before him. Now if God in whose image we were created can be so holy, what would he expect from us? The same nature of holiness of course. Many people believe that we should not look shabbily and we must always appear in the way that people of the world will not look down upon us or despise us. By that, they believe women, in particular, should put on outward adornments like gold, or pearls, or costly things that will make them appear beautiful. They believe doing that is showing the glory of God. The truth is that God’s definition of beauty is different from our own. While man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. In Samuel 16, the Lord said to Samuel when he wanted to anoint a king from the house of Jesse not be carried away with an outward appearance that can be deceptive. He said “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him:” We like celebrating physical beauty and see it as what should be desired, but the Bible says in Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” The female He created in the garden of Eden was a helpmate, to complement the efforts of Adam so that the two of them can fulfill God’s purpose on earth. Man sees the man from the outside, but God sees man from the inside. Wearing of gold jewelry, fine clothes, braided hair, and such likes mean nothing to God. What He wants is the beauty of a gentle spirit. God desires the gentle and quiet spirit that will acknowledge Him as God and surrender to His will at all times. No matter what intelligence, beauty, or natural endowment man may have, he is just an image. In the image of God he was created, he cannot be above that.

The Role of Church

Unfortunately, very few churches are guilty of the sin of not showing the qualities of good characters that the Bible describes as the beauty that God desires. The church today is behaving like the scribes and the Pharisees that Jesus condemned in Matthew 23. They know the law and the will of God, but not only that they refused to do them, but they also discouraged people who would have loved to do them. It is a sad situation that has to change if the Spirit of God must return to the Church. If the modern church will experience another Pentecost and do great exploit for God like the Apostles of Old. To be the church is to show forth Christ Jesus in all His glory. God uses the church to be His public display. His glory dwells within the church. As we grow up in Christ we become more and more like Him. His example of life is the life we should live. We should continue to show the world, and in particular, ourselves, how we walk with the Lord. God wants to be glorified. He wants to be recognized as the God of the universe. His glory and majesty must be seen. It was for this purpose that Christ came. He came to die and to live again. He has fulfilled His purpose. The purpose of Christ is to be glorified. The glory of Christ is to be seen and felt and known. The church is to be Christ’s light and His display. We cannot be another person’s display. The bottom line is that you must see yourself as God’s image and present yourself so. Princes and princesses don’t live like commoners because they know they are not one. To appear in a way that is contrary to God’s will is to live unworthily of the glorious life that God has called us unto by making us share his glory. We need to understand that it is only by following God’s instructions alone that we can be fulfilled, joyful, and prosper in life. It is time to quit doing things our way. Quit following what is right in our minds, and do what God expects of us.