What makes Christianity unique is that it differs dramatically from all other religions. It is not a religion but a way of life. It is not trying to reach God by works, but God reaching us.
The uniqueness of Christianity includes, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and His subsequent return to reign on the earth with His believers. His death provides forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life, John 3:16. All other religions worship their god, but only Christianity fellowship their God in a personal relationship.
Religion and Works
Religions are a belief of works, with a lot of man-made rules. Islam says ‘Profession of faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage. Buddhists believe that life is full of suffering, but this can be overcome by attaining enlightenment. Hinduism believes in the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth, while accepting many gods.
The uniqueness of Christianity is that it is the only belief system that teaches a triune-God. Judaism believes in a monotheistic God who cannot be God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. However, they have long prophesied of a coming Messiah who will save them from all oppression, but it is a religion of works under the Law of Moses. Catholicism is a form of Christianity, but like all other religions its largest component is based on works by the believers.
Christianity alone teaches of the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of God for all people. Man has nothing to offer God, Isaiah 64:5-9, except acceptance of Him and a reciprocal love.
The Word
There is no greater power on earth or in heaven, than the Word of God. ‘In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God’, John 1:1. Everything starts and ends with the Word of God and He alone declares the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10.
God is not only the Creator, but He wants to fellowship with the created. God loved us first, 1 John 4:19. The created cannot reach God unless God first draws them to Himself, John 6:44.
Belief in the Word of God is paramount, for ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among men,’ John 1:14, in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The indwelling Word means the believer has an inner, activating and guiding force. It is therefore, vital for the believer to read and understand the written Word of God.
Christianity is Unique as God Desires Fellowship
The all-powerful, all-knowing God and every-where-present God has always displayed a desire to fellowship with the created. God walked with Adam in the Garden of Eden prior to Adam disobeying God and sin entering the entire human race, Genesis 3.
God told Moses to create the Tabernacle, a shadow of heavenly things, Hebrews 8:5-7. The presence of God dwelling in the midst of His people was represented by the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day. They were also given the law as the standard of righteousness between God and man. Sinful man found it impossible to keep the law, making the law weak.
The wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23, and this means separation from the Created. Only God could provide the bridge that would return man to fellowship with God. Jesus said, ‘I Am the Way, and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me, John 14:6.
Covenantal God
God only operates inside a covenant. In the Old Testament God made covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David. Some parts of these covenants were everlasting, but all pointed to the everlasting New Covenant. This was sealed with the sinless blood of the Son who paid the price of redemption. It is unique in that it is a covenant between God the Father and God the Son.
The life and death of Jesus Christ fulfilled every requirement of the Mosaic law and all the other covenants, Matthew 5:17. It also provided a way to fellowship God, for His blood cleanses us from all sin, 1 John 1:7 and makes us partakers of the New Covenant. This alone makes Christianity totally unique, for no other religion provides a heavenly covenant with man and a way to enter into fellowship God.
Christianity’s Uniqueness is God Indwelling His People
God desires those who believe in Him to have a personal relationship with Him, rather than just the knowledge that the Great I Am exists. This is totally unique to Christianity.
From eternity God planned to redeem his creation through the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the earth, Revelation 13:8. God created all things to achieve His good will, Revelation 4:11; Isaiah 46:10.
Only Christianity sees God as One who indwells His believers. He gives them the free gift of redemption and eternal life through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Romans 6:23.
The Way Makes Christianity Unique
Moses’ Temple and its rituals of sacrifice are long gone, but the New Covenant provided a way where God could indwell those who believe in Him and invite Him in, Romans 10:9.10. We are first born of the flesh but all need to be born again of the Spirit of God, in order to enter the Kingdom of God and have eternal fellowship with the Creator, John 3:5.
Just as God was present in Moses Tabernacle, so He chooses to be present in His own people. ‘If anyone love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make our Abode with him, John 14:23.
The Word of God is a living and active word, Hebrews 4:12, ever guiding and strengthening the believer. As the believer cherishes and searches the Word of God, the believer is to mature to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ, Ephesians 4:16. ‘
Free Will
Man has been given a free will and it is ever his choice, how much of himself he will yield to the guiding and loving hand of the Heavenly Father.
In Him was the life and the life as the light of men’, John 1:4. The followers of Jesus are a witness to a sinful and dying world, for ‘You are the light of the world’, Matthew 5:14-16, just as Israel was called to be the light of the world and God’s witness on earth.
Man is either a slave to sin, or a servant to a holy God. We are either moving towards eternal life, or eternal damnation and death. We have to make a choice about whom we will follow.
God in His love and mercy offers us the loving road of grace and forgiveness. However, narrow is the gate that leads to life and few find it. Wide is the gate that leads to destruction, Matthew 7:13,14. The warning signs are there for all mankind to make a choice. Fellowship with a living God or know eternal death. This is what makes for the uniqueness of Christianity. We worship a God who indwells those who believe in the Son of God.
