Core teaching of Christianity
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If you are of a Hindu background, then, to the extent to which you might be familiar with the Hindu concepts of moksha and nirvana, especially as they are understood within the schools of Yoga or Buddhism, then these would appear very similar to the Eastern Orthodox notion of engodment, whose main attributes are dispassion, inner purification, and the indescribable spiritual bliss that is said to inevitably follow or accompany their presence. This is believed to be achievable by asceticism and prayer.
To us, Eastern and Oriental Christians, entering within this state of mind constitutes the very essence of the Christian faith, inasmuch as, in our understanding, God became man, so that man might become God, as Saint Athanasius the Great so eloquently put it, one and a half millennia ago.
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Christianity in two words: Law, Gospel.
Right, that won't do, but those two ideas are nevertheless the basis of Christianity, and suggest that we may be able to get the basics across in two sentences, or at least two coherent thoughts.
Law
Every human¹ is sinful; we do bad things, have bad thoughts, and fall short of God's expectation of perfection, and are accordingly condemned before God. We cannot, by our own power, redeem ourselves. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
(¹ Except Jesus Christ, who, according to Trinitarians at least, is also God, and can therefore be reasonably exempt from "every human". The exact sense in which Christ is or is not God, and is or is not human, is not a trivial subject.)
Gospel
God, in His mercy, sent His only Son to atone for our sin in order to redeem those who believe. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Note, however, that many (though not all) Christians believe that faith is necessary for forgiveness. It is a free gift, but one that can be rejected.
TL;DR
You are sinful (law). You are forgiven through Christ (gospel).
Upvote:2
There is a very well-recognized one-line summary of Christianity. It's a bit overused, and some consider it cliched, but there isn't a really better one-or-two-liner with general agreement.
To answer the question in comments, this is a verse from scripture, so pretty much every denomination will agree with it (they might have different interpretations of the details). The scripture reference is "John 3:16" which you might see displayed in different places.
Upvote:2
Core teaching of Christianity
Christianity is, of course, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Of those teachings, one stands out as the basis on which everything else follows:
“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34)
Yes, love is the guiding principle or core of what Jesus taught. The Greek language has different words for love depending on which 'love' is being expressed. The 'love' that Jesus was teaching is the Greek word agapé. This 'love' is based on good principles and is doing what needs to be done out of the goodness of one's heart. Agapé is also referred to as unconditional love or Christian love. (For more information on 'love' as used in the Bible, see the topic "Love" in the Insight on the Scriptures)
You may be interested in the brochure "Why Should We Worship God in Love and Truth?" (published by Jehovah's Witnesses) that can provide additional information on what God requires of us. This digital brochure is written with Hindus in mind.
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