Christianity Notes

When Christianity first began it was somewhat like a cult. Most of what we know comes from the Gospels. Jesus was a Jewish preacher in Judea. Jesus taught that one must strive for perfection since God was perfect and Jesus sought out the imperfect in society. Jesus' followers believed he was the Messiah who had come to end the world and bring the truly faithful into the kingdom of God. Jesus was seen as a threat to Roman rule which caused him to be crucified. Apostles were the people who attempted to spread the word of his teachings. Paul of Tarsus was a Jew who became a follower of Jesus after a miraculous vision on the road to Damascus. Paul talked of "predestination" which meant that God chose who was to be saved & who was to be damned. Paul was well-traveled, he helped found churches in many places, and he kept in touch with these new Christians by letters (Corinth, Thessalonia, Rome, Ephesus).