Andrew Springer
1 min readJan 20, 2025

--

The religion about Jesus that you describe would have been completely foreign to Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Palestinian Jew. These beliefs about Jesus's divinity, virgin birth, and sacrificial atonement developed centuries after his death, shaped by Greek philosophy and Roman imperial power rather than Jesus's actual teachings.

Jesus never asked to be worshipped. He asked to be followed. He called us to love God and love our neighbors. He showed us how to stand with the oppressed and challenge injustice. He demonstrated what it means to live a life of radical love and build beloved community.

The "gospel" you describe isn't found in Jesus's earliest teachings. It's a later theological construction that turns Jesus's revolutionary message of love and justice into a system of beliefs about him. We're more interested in what Jesus actually taught and lived than what others later claimed about him.

You're welcome to believe what you wish about Jesus's divine nature. But we choose to focus on following his example and teachings rather than worshipping him. We think that's what he would have wanted.

--

--

Andrew Springer
Andrew Springer

Written by Andrew Springer

Emmy winning journalist, producer and entrepreneur. Co-founder of NOTICE News, follower of Jesus. 🏳️‍🌈🌹 Weekly newsletter: https://bit.ly/jesusmovementemail

No responses yet