In 60 seconds

Christianity in 60 Seconds

Here is the whole thing, briefly. God made the world good. People turned away from God and broke it, and themselves. God did not give up. He came in person, as Jesus, lived the life we could not, died to carry the wrong we had done, and rose again to defeat death. Now he offers forgiveness and new life as a free gift to anyone who trusts him. One day he will make everything right. That is Christianity: not a religion you climb up to God by, but God coming down to us in love.

The story in six beats

• Creation. God made everything, and it was good. People were made to know and love him.
• The break. People turned away from God. That fracture runs through the whole world and through every human heart.
• Jesus. God did not stay distant. He came in person as Jesus, fully God and fully man, and lived among us.
• The cross. Jesus died willingly, carrying the weight of human wrong, so forgiveness could be given freely.
• The resurrection. He rose from the dead, defeating death and opening the way to new life.
• The invitation. He offers forgiveness and life as a gift, received by trusting him, and promises to return and make all things new.

If you want it even shorter, the person at the center of it all is Jesus, and you can meet him in about thirty seconds at Jesus in 30 seconds.

Frequently asked questions

What do Christians believe, in one sentence?

That God came to us in person as Jesus, died and rose to rescue us from sin and death, and now offers forgiveness and eternal life as a free gift to anyone who trusts him.

Is Christianity about being a good person?

No. Christianity teaches that we cannot make ourselves good enough for God, so God came to us. Salvation is a gift of grace received by faith, not a reward earned by good behavior, though love and goodness follow from it.

What makes Christianity different from other religions?

Most religions describe people reaching up toward God through effort. Christianity says God reached down to us, becoming human in Jesus, dying and rising to do for us what we could not do ourselves.