A crude summary of probably most, if not all religions is the following: Suffering exists in this world, but we all strive for a better world without this suffering. How can we get there?

This certainly applies to the so called five world religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Christianity, Judaism and Islam are particularily similar: God (Jesus, JHWH or Allah) is a personal being and created this world in a perfect state. We sinned and introduced suffering. A better eternity (Heaven) awaits the righteous ones. Buddism knows the Nirvana (a state where one neither exists nor does not exist), which can be attained by following the Noble Eightfold Path. Finally, in Hinduism humans try to attain a good Karma to be reincarnated under better circumstances.

The reason why Christianity, and at the center of it Jesus, is so different is in the how we get there. In all other religions the onus is on us humans to do good and be blessed for our good deeds. We must not sin, we must give to the poor, we must meditate/pray etc.

Jesus, the God of Christianity, understood that we humans will never achieve this goal, so instead of letting us fail he did it for us. He, as God descended to earth, becamse human at Christmas (which is why that holiday is so central) and lived the perfect live, without ever sinning. Then, at the end of his life he got crucified at the cross, not because he did something bad, but because we did. He took the punishment for our sins (the cross) such that we can have the blessing for his good deeds (heaven). So at the center of Christianity is not whether we are good or do good deeds, but whether we take the offer of Jesus, to swap places with him. Of course a few quesetions remain: 1. How is that fair? 2. But I don’t want to depend on somebody else, I’m independent 2. But isn’t Christianity also about doing good deeds? 3. Isn’t that a heroic reinterpretation of a failed man?

1. We usually don’t call it fair in Christianity, we usually call it grace :). So no, it’s in a way not fair, we get what we don’t deserve, nor does Jesus get what he deserved. It is acceptable because Jesus agreed to this and deliberately chose the path of the cross to set us free.
2. I get it, as adults we typically want to see us as the heroes in our story. Maybe a more childlike view would help. I have 4 kids, and most of them often make a mess. Let’s say my 4 year old pushes over a large glass of milk. He would certainly try to clean it up, but he can’t really. He can try, but he will realise that he’s only making a bigger mess out of it. He then comes to ask me, and I gladly help him. I’m not angry, I love the fact that I can help him and he gladly accepts. I get the “punishment” for his failure by having to clean up his mess, and he gets the clean kitchen. I see the story of Jesus very similarly, compared to him I’m the helpless child and he comes to help me clean my mess.
3. Yes and no. Christianity is a lot about doing good deeds, but not to come into heaven. We could never be so good to get into heaven, which is why Jesus opened the way into heaven for us. We then do the good deeds out of gratefulness and love to him. Not to attain heaven, but becuase it’s the right thing to do. That’s why in Christianity not the “good” people come into heaven, but the ones made righteous by Jesus.
4. No, that’s the cool part. This story was told before even Jesus went to the cross. In fact this story was told centuries before Jesus even was born. The cross has not been reinterpreted, but rather is the fullfilment of century old prophecies. Most specifically Isaiah 53 tells the story of Jesus on the cross (without the name Jesus) and how his sacrifice sets us free.