But there is an objective definition of true Christianity, rooted in the words of Jesus Christ as recorded by the gospel writers in their works, and by a historical, contextual discernment of that doctrine, theology and practice, among the works of the Apostles in the New Testament, most of whom were eyewitnesses to the life and teachings of Christ and who were instrumental in the development and leadership of the early Christian church. In the 27 different "books" of the New Testament, the writers lay out a consistent, systematic theology identifying Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic promise of the Old Testament, record his gospel message for the redemption and restoration of humanity to its creator God, from sin which separated them at the fall in the garden of Eden, and the establishment and doctrinal foundation of the Christian church, balanced by the inclusion of the teaching and writing of six different authors, five of whom can be identified as part of the twelve disciples and later Apostles of Jesus, the author of the book of Hebrews being the lone exception.
What they lay out is not a matter of opinion, and they do not leave theology or doctrine open to individual interpretation or discernment. New Testament theology is systematic, supported by evidence, consistent and relatively simple to understand. The hermeneutics involved in interpreting the scripture and applying it to a consistent practice of Christian faith are clear. Jesus is quoted in Matthew 5:17 as saying that his purpose was not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them. So interpreting the Bible is a matter of acknowledging the words of Christ that are recorded within as the standard and the criterion.
The Confession That Makes One "Christian" and Which Defines Christian Faith
Matthew records a conversation between Jesus and his disciples near the Roman administrative capital of Palestine, Caesarea Philippi, in which he asked them to tell him how people were identifying him. After hearing their response, he asked for their response, saying, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter responded, "You are the Messiah (Latin, the Christ), the son of the living God."
Jesus affirms Peter's response by saying, first of all, that the statement he made was revealed to him by God himself, that he would build his church on the foundation of this confession, and he would give to Peter, and by implication to all who make this confession, the "Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven." This confession, that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the hope that Israel had been looking for since the days of the Abrahamic covenant, and was the divine one who would redeem humanity from its sin and restore it to God, is the defining doctrine of Christianity.
The Apostle John also affirms this core belief in his gospel, recorded in chapter 3, verse 16, and then again, in his church epistle, I John 4:1-3, where he says, "every spirit that confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist of which you have heard that it is coming; and now is already in the world." [NRSV]
That's not just mere intellectual assent that the person of Jesus was fully divine and fully human in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy about him, but it is acceptance of all that he taught in the time he spent in public ministry, up to his crucifixion and after his resurrection. It requires acknowledgement and practice of the virtues Jesus claimed were evidence of a life changed by the gospel, and understanding of exactly what he meant when he claimed to fulfill the law and the prophets. Jesus rejected the temptation to make himself known, and bring his gospel, through any kind of worldly, political power, and he proclaimed the Kingdom of God to be a spiritual kingdom in a spiritual realm, not a worldly, political kingdom along the lines of Israel's theocracy. The Kingdom of God would be inclusive of all nations and tribes, according to Jesus himself.
The Interpretive Key to the Bible
Acknowledging Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah who was the subject of much prophesy in the Old Testament, gives a clear key to interpreting the Bible. The words of Jesus, recorded in the gospel accounts of the New Testament, and in the book of Revelation, provide the interpretive standard for all of the rest of scripture.
The "Sermon on the Mount," found in Matthew Chapters 5-7, and portions also found in Mark and Luke's gospel accounts, provides a concentrated framework by which to interpret all of the other writers and works in the Bible through the filter of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:7, Jesus says, "I have not come to abolish the law and the prophets, I have come to fulfill them. That is a major interpretive key, as is Revelation 1:1-3 where John records a vision given to him by Christ, and declares "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and keep what is written in it for the time is near."
Those two quotes put bookends on the New Testament, and determine the historical context of all that is recorded there. It makes the evidence found to support a systematic theology and instructions for practice of Christian faith objective in nature, rather than subjective. It's not a matter of picking and choosing what to believe to suit personal biases and prejudices, and make the Bible say whatever one wants it to say. Christian theology, doctrine and practice are consistent and systematic because the Bible's writers agree on content, cite sources, explain contexts and make the purpose of their writing clear. Those who deviate from this widely accepted standard interpretation of scripture are apostate and engaging in heresy.
Although there are nuances of interpretation on secondary and tertiary doctrines, the main branches of Christianity, in spite of their lack of ability to get along, generally agree on the basic concepts required for being defined as a Christian, which is, according to I John 4:1-3 "believing that Jesus is the Christ." That is a simple statement meaning that Jesus was the promised Messiah of the Old Testament whose purpose was to save people from the consequences of their sin. All of the major Christian expressions, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox, share this core belief that is the only true essential belief of Christianity.
The combination of Jesus as the interpretive standard of the Bible, understanding the cultural and historical content of what it written in it, and using the original languages to translate and attempt to understand produces objective theological and doctrinal points by which all beliefs claiming to be Christian are measured. If a belief or claimed expression of Christianity is nor supported by scripture, it is not Christian. No part of the Bible can be interpreted out of its context or applied out of its context. Systematic theology is a framework of objective facts. The only opinion involved is, perhaps, the discernment of how to take the meaning and apply it to modern circumstances.
Christianity is a personal faith, defined by a set of objectives which rests on a foundation of doctrine and theology put in place by Jesus, the Christ. Those who claim it as their own faith and practice must accept its basic, foundational theology which defines the identity of Christ, or Messiah, and follow its doctrine. They cannot define themselves as "Christian" and then determine their own theology, doctrine and salvation.
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