How Christ and His followers influenced organizations and people of their day - Research Paper Example

There is no denying the overarching impact Christ and his followers have had on modern-day Western society. For more than 2000 years, Judaeo-Christian values have guided civilization. The reality is, even secular institutions and environments have seen their moral code derive from Christ’s value system. Amazingly, this has occurred in spite of the fact that they have refused to worship him or openly abide by his teachings. This begs an important question – If Christ’s impact truly has been as great as we now know it to be, what is the secret to the success achieved by him and his followers?

Why have they been able to impact organizations and societies at large to the degree that they have in modern terms?The answer to these questions lies in the fact that Christ was much more than a typical man of the cloth. While many preachers and prophets of his time spent their time speaking in negative terms, Christ’s approach was one of offering rather than damnation. Prior to Christ’s rise in the Holy Land, God was viewed as a much harsher force. The evidence for this can easily be found within the pages of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament tells the tale of a God that is vengeful and angrier. The God of the Old Testament was responsible for what can only be described as the end of civilization with the events of Noah’s Ark. Additionally; the God of the Old Testament tortured individuals merely so that they could prove their loyalty (see Gob). Many more examples could be referenced in which the God of the Old Testament is portrayed as vindictive, cruel or harsh. It was this God that the early Jews were introduced to by the religious teachers of their time.

It was this God that was referenced in their holy books and religious texts. It was not until Jesus Christ and his followers began their mission did a kinder, more thoughtful and more careful God emerge. Christ’s God did not only appear to be kinder, thus more appealing naturally, but he was also willing to barter. The God that Christ preached of had much to offer and his terms were simple. In exchange for worship and obedience, he would grant eternal salvation. To the ordinary man or woman, eternal salvation was an appealing offer.

In addition to being kind and caring, Christ’s God offered humanity a structure and a formula for success. To abide by the rather straight forward and simplistic teachings of his son, Jesus Christ, would mean a pleasant eternity. Christ’s God introduced laws and rules that clearly separated right from wrong. Ultimately, Christ’s God provided a road map for success with clear and specific instructions. Making him even more appealing, Christ’s God was forgiving. Under Jesus Christ’s teachings, one could stray away from God’s laws and still return to the fold in time for eternal salvation.

Christ’s God has a longevity that previous incarnations did not. This is due to the fact that he appeals to some of the most basic human desires. Humans long for happiness that extends beyond their time on earth, but they also prefer activities that are easy. Jesus Christ and his followers were able to draw people in because their rendition of God did not deviate far from the moral code of the time (and continues to guide us today), but he offered more and asked little in return. Even if you could not meet all of his demands, he initiated a process for reconciliation.

Essentially, it was very difficult not to achieve salvation so long as you were a person of faith. The accessibility and the ease Christ provide is one potential explanation for how his followers were able to multiply so quickly, remain relevant and influence the organizations they encountered. Even in what become an increasingly secular society, this remains true today. Christ’s appeals to what has been our moral code for more than 2000 years, therefore it is not difficult for an ordinary person to adopt his teachings.

However, his true success derives from the simplicity of his divine program.