How was Christianity introduced to mankind?

Answer 1

Jesus of Nazareth lived from about 4 BC to about 30 AD. During the last three years of his life, he healed the sick and spoke teachings, aphorisms, and parables, many of which alarmed the religious leaders of ancient Israel, where he lived. He became somewhat popular, and many were amazed at him. One of his own disciples handed him over to the religious leaders, who wanted him dead. They had him crucified. According to Christian believers, he rose from the dead three days later, before ascending into heaven forty days after that. His disciples, along with new followers, such as Saint Paul, interpreted his teachings in the following years to set up the doctrines, or principles, of the new faith. Those who believed in Jesus as the Messiah entered the Christian community, which was founded, organized, and led by notable missionaries, writers, and disciples of Jesus, many of whom are now saints. As is the case with any new religion, there was uncertainty as to how the teachings of the religion would apply to the community. Some Christians, called Judaizers, wanted to keep Christianity as a sect of Judaism, but Saint Paul and other early leaders admitted gentiles into the community without circumcision, thus establishing Christianity as an independent religion. This independent religion has lasted until today, becoming legal in the Roman Empire in 313 AD. Many Christians since then have split from the main branch of Christianity, such as Marcionites in the 100s, the Eastern Orthodox Church in 1054, and Protestants in the 1500s and 1600s.

Another thought:

As mentioned above, the faith of 'Christianity', as such, was preached and spread to all the earth by apostles and disciples of it's founder, Jesus Christ, as he commanded: Matthew 28:19&20, Matthew 24:14.

The concept of Christianity, however, was introduced to mankind LONG before Jesus' time period, long before the Jewish time period, and in fact, soon after creation, and the sinning of Adam and Eve. Immediately after Satan rebelled, turned Adam away from God and sin entered into the human race(Romans 5:12), God set a solution in motion. In Genesis 3:15, the first prophecy in the Bible, it foretells a 'savior' who would reverse the damage done by Satan. This savior was Jesus, the 'messiah' or 'Christ' (meaning 'anointed one').

Adam was a perfect man, and CHOSE to betray God and rebell.

Jesus was a perfect man, and CHOSE to remain faithful to death. (Romans 5:12,18,19)

Jesus paid the ransom with his life, and now we all have a choice of WHICH 'father' to follow.(Romans 6:16)

The entire Bible points toward the coming of this savior, who will 'save mankind from their sins' and ultimately fulfill God's original plan for humanity (Genesis 2:7-17).

The Jewish Law and worship was all built around and pointing forward to the coming of this messiah. (Galatians 3:23-25) Someone who could BUY US BACK from sin.

Since the Mosaic Law was perfect, no imperfect human could keep it perfectly. That's why animal sacrifices were needed, to cover our sins. This pointed to the NEED for a messiah...someone who could rescue us, cover our sins and teach us how to please God. Jesus fulfilled this need.

The Christian congregation in the first century was organized to let people know about this choice, to alert people to the fact that Jesus fulfilled all the Messianic prophecies from the 'Old Testament', and would fulfill all the ones yet to come, to teach people what God expected of them, to spread the 'good news of truth', and help people bring their lives into harmony with God's will.

So, the concept of 'Christianity', that is, the NEED for a Christ, or Messiah, was taught from the beginning of sinful mankind's history, and introduced to mankind through oral tradition and then the pages of the Bible starting with Moses' writings in 1513 BCE, and has continued until our day, through the Christian congregation (Matthew 24:14) and soon ALL the prophecies will be fulfilled, and the earth will again become a paradise, with Christ as the King of God's Kingdom. (Daniel 2:44, Psalms 37:11 & 29, Matthew 5:5, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Revelation 21:3-5)(Daniel 7:13&14)