Expert: Brenda Martin - 11/28/2006

Question
Can you share with me the Biblical foundation for Christianity with proofs citing chapters and verses?

Answer
"BIBLICAL FOUNDATION FOR CHRISTIANITY"

First let me say; the standards of original Christianity were different from the permissive mores of today. Christendom’s history and its modern moral state is not a true reflection of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Now that said--

The name Christianity is built upon the name Christ, which is a title by which Jesus of Bethlehem-Judah was called. Hence Christianity means the imitating of Jesus Christ and the obeying of his teachings and commandments. God foretold in his book the Bible that Christianity would be established at a certain time.

Immediately after mankind’s fall into sin (Genesis 3), God said what the cure would be, in Genesis 3; 15 he promised; “a seed”.  To avoid all doubt about the correct identification of the “Seed,” God inspired many different prophets to provide details about the birth, life and death of this promised deliverer. These prophecies about the “Seed” or “Messiah”—of which over 300 have been counted—were all fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Genesis begins tracing the lineage of this coming Seed, focusing on the lives of some of the Seed’s faithful ancestors, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

For example-- Exodus describes the birth of Moses. In many ways Moses’ life foreshadows that of the coming Seed.

Deuteronomy. Pointing to the coming Seed, Moses urges the nation to listen to ‘a prophet that God will raise up.’—Deuteronomy 18:15.

Ruth tells of a God-fearing woman, who lives during the period of the Judges and who has the privilege of becoming an ancestress of Jesus Christ.

Psalms has numerous prophecies that further enlighten us about the coming Messiah.

Jesus’ actual genealogy is traced right back to Adam by the Gospel writer Luke, tracing it through Judah, to whom the promise was given that from him the “scepter [kingdom rule] will not turn aside . . . until Shiloh comes.” (Luke 3 23-28)

In essence then; those who had read and understood the Hebrew Scriptures or (OT) knew when to expect Jesus and the establishment of Christianity, and he arrived bang on time.

Christianity was started therefore by, Jesus the promised "seed"

How was it established--With the outpouring of the holy spirit at Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, Christianity began to have an explosive growth. On that day alone 3,000 persons became disciples.

During the days following Pentecost the number of believers increased daily. Unlike those who responded to the preaching done before Jesus died, these were formed into an organization that was distinctly separate from the Jewish religious system of things. This was not possible before Jesus died because the law covenant was still valid, and Jesus could not properly establish an organization that would compete with that which existed under the Law.

After his death had fulfilled the purpose of the Law, bringing it to an end, the time had arrived for forming the Christian organization. It began with 120 persons, all Jews, at Pentecost, with the apostles being the governing body.

The rapid growth of this new organization was due to the fact that all who became Christians participated in the Christian ministry and God’s blessing was upon their preaching efforts. (Acts 2:47)

When these new followers of Jesus Christ returned to their home countries after Pentecost, they did not remain silent about what they had learned. Like the eighty-two persons Jesus had sent out to preach, they too engaged in the Christian ministry. They let the light of truth shine out just as Jesus had instructed. “People light a lamp and set it, not under the measuring basket, but upon the lampstand, and it shines upon all those in the house. Likewise let your light shine before men, that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father who is in the heavens.”—Matt. 5:15, 16.

All the best
Brenda