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We Christians use two keys words in relation to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are Church and Christianity.
This short article seeks to state some factual differences between the two words to deepen the knowledge of Christian believers.
First of all, the word “Church” is found in the Bible but “Christianity” is not.
Church is derived from a Greek word “ekklesia” which means “the elect of God” or “the assembly of called out ones.” Biblically, Church does not mean a building in which believers gather to worship.
Christianity, on the other hand, is etymologically derived from a Greek word “christianos” which means Christian. But Christianity is commonly defined as: “the religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
Moreover, Church was used by the Lord Jesus Christ whereas Christianity was used by Ignatius of Antioch, a father in the Christian faith, in his writing around (100AD).
Church was used in reference to the Disciples of Jesus Christ before or in the first-century. Christianity, on the other hand, was used in reference to a religion based on the teachings of Jesus in the 14th century.
The early Disciples of Christ understood Church but they had little or no idea about a religion called Christianity.
By definition, Church is about people but Christianity is about a thing.
Jesus Christ declared to build His Church and not His Christianity.
Finally, Jesus Christ is not coming back for Christianity but His Church.
By James Quansah
