Who are Christians? Meaning and origin of the word. How do Christians differ from Orthodox Christians?

Interreligious disagreements have always arisen. People began to argue about faith ever since they began to believe that human life is not limited only to 60-80 years on earth, but also continues after death. Such concepts began to develop into creeds and religions. Some believe in Allah, some in Buddha, some in Odin or Perun. Who do Christians believe in? Who are they and what is the Christian faith?

This question led to very heated debates, even among Christians themselves. How many schisms and heresies, Ecumenical and local councils has the Christian Church endured? Can't count. But the debate about the Christian faith has not decreased.

One could focus on explaining the dogmas of the Christian Church, explaining the basic postulates and laws, but that is a completely different story. Although, without this it is difficult to understand who Christians really are, but we will try to figure it out.

Nowadays, many who have nothing to do with Christian religion, when they hear the word “Christians,” they imagine a crowd of crazy Orthodox old women in old, worn headscarves and “priests in Mercedes,” “living on parishioners’ money.” Or Catholics, Protestants and Baptists, singing their songs about how “Jesus loves us.” Or simply strange people who do not have the right to a free, personal opinion. Expressed the point of view of a Christian - get the verdict “Orthodoxy of the Brain” or simply “fanatic”.

It’s strange, but in a world that is so tolerant of “freedom of speech,” “freedom of thought,” and “freedom of action,” in a world where they believe that there is nothing wrong with same-sex marriage and other perversions, they are so not tolerant of Christians . The way of life of Christians, especially Orthodox Christians, causes so much indignation that it becomes scary. Thank God, at least in our time people are not burned at the stake or crucified on the cross. At least thanks for that.

And yet, who are Christians? And why do so many people dislike them?

Christians are people who believe in the Holy Trinity. God the Father, God the Son (Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. And this Trinity is the One, Undivided God. Yes, many questions immediately arise and this concept just doesn’t fit in my head. But this is the basis of the Christian faith. This is the whole point - faith. Christians simply believe that God exists. That He is with them, that He will not leave them or forsake them.

So, we understand what lies at the basis of Christianity. And from this it becomes clear why Christianity often acquires strange features of mental illness. It’s just that everyone has their own limits of reason and not everyone is able to maintain a sane mind when studying these beliefs.

Also, it should be noted that Christians are simple, ordinary people. And they differ from the rest only in their outlook on life. And no more. Yes, they go to temple. They pray. They participate in Christian sacraments that cannot be immediately understood. But otherwise, they are the same people. With the same vices, sins, virtues, prejudices as everyone else. Only they are trying to change themselves in order to get to Heaven. This is where all the differences end.

All people are different. And we shouldn’t mistake people who are different from us for aliens or crazy people. They are the same as everyone else. And when priests are accused of selfish intentions, it is worth looking at the village ministers and realizing that there are not so few good Christian priests.

Choose your faith yourself. Don't listen to anyone. And don’t be afraid that you might be labeled as a “fanatic,” as many Christians are. Believing is much more interesting and pleasant than not believing in anything.

Christianity has many faces. IN modern world it is represented by three generally recognized movements - Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism, as well as numerous movements that do not belong to any of the above. There are serious differences between these branches of the same religion. The Orthodox consider Catholics and Protestants to be heterodox groups of people, that is, those who glorify God in a different way. However, they do not view them as completely devoid of grace. But Orthodox Christians do not recognize sectarian organizations that position themselves as Christian but are only indirectly related to Christianity.

Who are Christians and Orthodox?

Christians – followers of the Christian faith, belonging to any Christian movement - Orthodoxy, Catholicism or Protestantism with its various denominations, often of a sectarian nature.
Orthodox– Christians whose worldview corresponds to the ethnocultural tradition associated with Orthodox Church.

Comparison of Christians and Orthodox

What is the difference between Christians and Orthodox?
Orthodoxy is an established faith that has its own dogmas, values, and centuries-old history. What is often passed off as Christianity is something that in fact is not. For example, the White Brotherhood movement, active in Kyiv in the early 90s of the last century.
The Orthodox consider their main goal to be the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments, their own salvation and the salvation of their neighbors from the spiritual slavery of passions. World Christianity at its congresses declares salvation in a purely material plane - from poverty, disease, war, drugs, etc., which is external piety.
For an Orthodox Christian, the spiritual holiness of a person is important. Evidence of this is the saints canonized by the Orthodox Church, who demonstrated the Christian ideal with their lives. In Christianity as a whole, the spiritual and sensual prevail over the spiritual.
Orthodox Christians consider themselves co-workers with God in the matter of their own salvation. In world Christianity, in particular in Protestantism, a person is likened to a pillar that should not do anything, because Christ accomplished the work of salvation for him on Calvary.
The basis of the doctrine of world Christianity is the Holy Scripture - the record of Divine Revelation. It teaches you how to live. Orthodox Christians, like Catholics, believe that Scripture was isolated from Holy Tradition, which clarifies the forms of this life and is also an unconditional authority. Protestant movements rejected this claim.
A summary of the fundamentals of the Christian faith is given in the Creed. For the Orthodox, this is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. Catholics introduced into the formulation of the Symbol the concept of filioque, according to which the Holy Spirit proceeds from both God the Father and God the Son. Protestants do not deny the Nicene Creed, but the Ancient, Apostolic Creed is considered generally accepted among them.
Orthodox Christians especially venerate the Mother of God. They believe that she had no personal sin, but was not without original sin, like all people. After the ascension, the Mother of God bodily ascended to heaven. However, there is no dogma about this. Catholics believe that the Mother of God was also deprived original sin. One of the dogmas of the Catholic faith is the dogma of the bodily ascension to heaven of the Virgin Mary. Protestants and numerous sectarians do not have a cult of the Mother of God.

TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between Christians and Orthodox Christians is as follows:

Orthodox Christianity is contained in the dogmas of the Church. Not all movements that position themselves as Christians are, in fact, Christians.
For Orthodox Christians, internal piety is the basis right life. For modern Christianity, the bulk of it is much more important than external piety.
Orthodox Christians try to achieve spiritual holiness. Christianity in general emphasizes spirituality and sensuality. This is clearly seen in the speeches of Orthodox and other Christian preachers.
An Orthodox person is a co-worker with God in the matter of his own salvation. Catholics take the same position. All other representatives of the Christian world are convinced that a person’s moral achievement is not important for salvation. Salvation has already been accomplished at Calvary.
Foundation of Faith Orthodox man– Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition, as well as for Catholics. Protestants rejected the Traditions. Many sectarian Christian movements also distort Scripture.
A statement of the fundamentals of faith for the Orthodox is given in the Nicene Creed. Catholics added the concept of filioque to the Symbol. Most Protestants accept the ancient Apostles' Creed. Many others have no particular creed.
Only Orthodox and Catholics venerate the Mother of God. Other Christians do not have her cult.

Christianity(from Greek - " anointed", "Messiah") is a doctrine based on faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God, Messiah, God and Savior of man ( Greek word Christ means the same as Hebrew Messiah).

Christianity is the largest faith in the world, in which there are three main directions: Catholicism, Orthodoxy And Protestantism.

The first Christians were Jews by nationality, and already in the second half of the 1st century Christianity became an international religion. The language of communication among the first Christians was Greek language. From the point of view of clergy, the main and only reason for the emergence of Christianity was the preaching activity of Jesus Christ, who was both God and man. Jesus Christ in the form of a man came to earth and brought people Truth. His coming (this past coming is called the first, in contrast to the second, future) is told in four books, Gospels, which are included in New Testament Bible.

Bible- a book inspired by God. She is also called Holy Scripture And By the Word of God. All books of the Bible are divided into two parts. The books of the first part, taken together, are called Old Testament , second part - New Testament. For man The Bible is more of a guide in daily practical life , in business, study, career, everyday life, and not a book about some restrictions, about the past and the future. You can read the Bible at any time in your life, in any mood, finding answers to literally all the questions and queries of your soul. Christianity does not deny material wealth and speaks of the harmony of spirit and matter.

Man, according to Christian teaching created in the image and likeness of God and endowed with free will, initially perfect, but by eating the fruit he sinned. Having repented and baptized with water and the Holy Spirit, a person gains hope for resurrection. Resurrection subject soul, but not body.

Christianity is a monotheistic belief in one God. God one in three forms: God the Father, God the Son And Holy Spirit. God gives to man grace And mercy. God is love, we read in the Bible. Jesus always talked to everyone about love. An entire chapter in Corinthians is devoted to love.

Jesus showed us what love is for people. Life in love is a different life. Everything Jesus did was to try to reach a person, and the responsibility for whether this love is revealed lies with the person himself. God gives life to man and then he himself chooses how to live. The desire to please someone is the beginning of love. Having touched the love of God, a person will fall and get up, he will demonstrate strength. The strength of a person's faith is determined by the strength of love. It is the love that the Bible speaks of that provides strength, faithfulness, and resourcefulness. Love and faith can make a person smile when there is no reason for it. If a person is driven by love, he is ready to do everything possible and impossible. Love is an abyss that cannot dry up and never ends.

Jesus Christ is considered saints, whole, undivided. Holy means unchangeable, it will remain when everything else has passed away. Holiness is permanence. The Bible talks about Kingdom of Heaven which a person builds within himself. And by the Kingdom of Heaven we mean a world that does not change.

The central concept of Christianity is faith. Faith is the work of man. Jesus spoke of practical faith, not ritual faith, faith that " idle, dead"Faith is strength and independence in human affairs.

People move towards faith, towards God, towards joy, towards happiness in different ways. Christians They believe that God is in man, and not outside, and each person has his own path to God.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says, “I remind you, brethren, of the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you stood, and by which you are saved, if you keep what was taught, just as I preached it to you, unless they believed in vain. For I taught you from the beginning what I also received, that is, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

In essence, this is what Christianity is all about. Christianity differs from all other religions in that it is based more on relationships than on religious rituals. Instead of following a list of “dos and don’ts,” the goal of Christianity is to achieve an intimate relationship with the Almighty Father. This relationship is only possible through the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian.

Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God and that its teachings have the ultimate authority (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Christians believe in one God in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit.

Christians also believe that humanity was created for a relationship with God, but sin led to man's distance from God (Romans 5:12; 3:23). Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ actually lived on this earth, fully as God but also fully as man (Philippians 2:6-11), and that He died on the cross. Christians believe that after dying on the cross, Jesus was buried and resurrected, and is now right hand from the Father, continually interceding for those who believe (Hebrews 7:25). Christianity proclaims that Jesus' death on the cross fully paid for human sin and restored our relationship with God (Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:10; Romans 6:23; 5:8).

To receive salvation a person must simply believe in the feat of Jesus Christ on the cross. If someone believes that Jesus died in their place and paid for their sin and then resurrected, then that person will receive salvation. No one can earn salvation on his own, and no one can please God by being “good” because we are all sinners (Isaiah 64:6-7; 53:6). Moreover, nothing more needs to be done, because Christ has already done all the work for us! Dying on the cross, He said: “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

Just as it is impossible to earn salvation, so it is impossible for someone who believed in the feat of Jesus on the cross to lose it. Don't forget that Jesus completely made atonement for sins! In salvation, nothing depends on the person who accepts it! John 10:27-29 states, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them; and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no one can snatch them out of the hand of My Father.”

In light of the above, some may come to the conclusion: “Wonderful! If I am saved, then I can do whatever I want, since salvation cannot be lost!” This is not true, because salvation is not the freedom to do whatever you want. Salvation is independence from the old sinful nature and the ability to have an intimate relationship with God. As long as believers live on earth in their sinful bodies, they will constantly be in a struggle with temptation. Sin hinders our relationship with God, and if we return to sin, we will not be able to maintain the necessary connection with God. However, we can overcome the battle against sin by studying God's Word (the Bible), putting it into practice in our lives, submitting to the leadings of the Holy Spirit, and being guided by His instructions.

Thus, while other religions require a person to perform or abstain from certain actions, Christianity is about spiritual intimacy with God and the belief that Jesus died on the cross to pay atonement for our sins and rose again on the third day. Your sin is atoned for and you can become God's friend. You can overcome sin and live in fellowship with God and in obedience to Him. This is what real Christianity is all about.

The most powerful, influential and numerous of all the main ones existing today, ahead of Buddhism and Islam, is Christianity. The essence of religion, which breaks down into so-called churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and others), as well as many sects, lies in the veneration and worship of one divine being, in other words, the God-man, whose name is Jesus Christ. Christians believe that he is the true son of God, that he is the Messiah, that he was sent to Earth for the salvation of the world and all humanity.

The religion of Christianity originated in distant Palestine in the first century AD. e. Already in the first years of its existence it had many adherents. The main reason The origin of Christianity, according to the cultists, was the preaching activity of a certain Jesus Christ, who, being essentially a half-god, half-man, came to us in human form in order to bring people the truth, and even scientists do not deny his existence. About the first coming of Christ (second christian world just waiting) written four holy books, which are called the Gospels. The sacred writings written by his apostles (Matthew, John, as well as Mark and Luke, the disciples of the other two and Peter) tell about the miraculous birth of the boy Jesus in the glorious city of Bethlehem, about how he grew up, how he began to preach.

The main ideas of his new religious teaching were the following: the belief that he, Jesus, really is the Messiah, that he is the son of God, that there will be his second coming, there will be the end of the world and the resurrection from the dead. With his sermons, he called for loving one's neighbors and helping those in need. His Divine origin was proven by the miracles with which he accompanied his teachings. Many sick people were healed by his word or touch, he raised the dead three times, walked on water, turned it into wine and fed about five thousand people with just two fish and five cakes.

He expelled all merchants from the Jerusalem Temple, thereby showing that dishonest people have no place in holy and noble deeds. Then there was the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, accusations of deliberate blasphemy and brazen encroachment on the royal throne and a death sentence. He died, being crucified on the cross, having taken upon himself torment for all human sins. Three days later, Jesus Christ was resurrected and then ascended to heaven. About the religion Christianity says the following: there are two places, two special spaces that are inaccessible to people during earthly life. and paradise. Hell is a place of terrible torment, located somewhere in the bowels of the earth, and heaven is a place of universal bliss, and only God himself will decide who is sent where.

The religion of Christianity is based on several dogmas. The first is that the Second is that he is trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The birth of Jesus occurred by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; God became incarnate in the Virgin Mary. Jesus was crucified and then died to atone for human sins, after which he was resurrected. At the end of time Christ will come to judge the world and the dead will rise. Divine and human nature inextricably united in the image of Jesus Christ.

All religions of the world have certain canons and commandments, but Christianity preaches to love God with all your heart, and also to love your neighbor as yourself. Without loving your neighbor, you cannot love God.

The religion of Christianity has its adherents in almost every country, half of all Christians are concentrated in Europe, including Russia, one quarter - in North America, one sixth - in the South, and significantly fewer believers in Africa, Australia and