Why Christianity Still Matters: The Radical Teachings of Jesus That Changed History

When we talk about Christianity—especially in a world saturated with competing worldviews, faith systems, and spiritual pathways—it’s fair to ask: what makes this one different? Why should it matter anymore? Why should it be trusted or even explored? I’m not here to disparage other faith traditions. I’m here to focus in on something specific and say: if you’re going to consider Christianity, at the very center of that conversation has to be Jesus.

The person of Jesus—what he said, what he did, and what he taught—is what makes Christianity significant. And when you look at Jesus’ words through the biographies written about him, especially in Luke’s Gospel, there’s one ethic that rises to the top. It’s an ethic that not only defined his message but shaped the world around it in ways we still experience today.

Let’s look at Luke 6. Now, if you’re familiar with Matthew, you know he gives us the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5–7—a deep, expansive look at Jesus’ core teachings. Luke gives us a condensed version, but don’t let that brevity fool you. What Luke includes packs a punch. In Luke 6:27, Jesus says:

“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.”

This isn’t just moral advice. This is a worldview-shattering command. Jesus takes the natural human tendency to retaliate or avoid and flips it. He’s telling us to engage, to move toward the people we most want to move away from—not with hostility, but with love. That’s a big deal.

This isn’t a feel-good quote on a coffee mug. It’s a challenge. It’s a defining ethic that asks his followers to break down the walls of “othering”—to refuse to treat people as enemies, outsiders, or less-than. And here’s the thing: in Christianity, you don’t get a choice. If you’re following Jesus, you are bound to this ethic. It’s not optional. It’s the air you breathe in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus doesn’t just say, “Love the lovable.” He says, “Love your enemies.” And not just in theory. He shows us how—with action. Do good. Bless. Pray. Treat others the way you want to be treated. If you want to know what Jesus is about, start there.

Now here’s why this matters: When Christians have taken that ethic seriously, it has changed the world—literally. Let me show you how.

The First Hospital: Basil of Caesarea and the Birth of Compassionate Healthcare

In the 4th century, Basil of Caesarea—a bishop in what is now modern-day Turkey—read the teachings of Jesus and decided to do something radical. At the time, there was no public healthcare system. The Roman Empire had medical support, sure, but only for their soldiers. The wealthy had access to doctors, but the poor, the sick, the elderly? They were left to suffer.

Basil changed that. He created something brand new: homes specifically for the sick, elderly, and destitute. These were full-time facilities, staffed by nurses and caregivers, operating 24/7 to provide care. They weren’t just for healing broken arms—they functioned as hospices, maternity wards, poorhouses, and more. It was the first organized public hospital system in history.

Why did he do it? Because of Jesus. Because of passages like Matthew 25, where Jesus says:

“I was sick, and you took care of me… whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.”

To Basil, this wasn’t metaphorical. It was a theological reality. When you cared for the vulnerable, you were caring for Jesus. That belief changed healthcare forever. The next time you walk into a hospital, you are walking in the legacy of someone who took Jesus seriously.

Rescuing Abandoned Children: The Early Church and the Roman Law of Exposure

Let’s talk about another ancient practice: the Roman law of exposure. In the Greco-Roman world, if a family didn’t want a baby—often because the child was female or disabled—they could legally leave the infant outside to die. That was a socially accepted norm. We even have letters from Roman soldiers, like Hilarion, who write home instructing their wives to keep the baby if it’s a boy, and to expose it if it’s a girl. It’s heartbreaking.

But here’s the thing—Christians saw that and said, “No.” They went out, found these children, took them in, and raised them. Why? Because they believed that every human life bore the image of God. That every baby was worth saving. And even when the culture around them told them otherwise, they held fast to the teachings of Jesus.

This wasn’t just charity. This was theology in action. It was the ethic of Jesus—love your neighbor, care for the vulnerable, value life—on full display.

Why This Still Matters

Today, many of us take for granted the values of compassion, dignity, and human rights. We assume they’re just natural, common sense. But history tells a different story. As Tom Holland (the historian, not the actor) argues in his book Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, these values emerged directly from the teachings of Jesus and the ethic of early Christianity.

Whether it’s hospitals, orphan care, civil rights, or social justice—when followers of Jesus have taken him seriously, society has been changed for the better. Not always. We know the Church has messed things up too. We’ve talked about church hurt before. There are plenty of examples of Christians getting it wrong. But the ethic Jesus gave us—when lived out—has the power to change lives, families, and nations.

So if you’re exploring Christianity, don’t start with the institution. Start with Jesus. Start with the biographies—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Read his words. Watch how he treats people. Notice how he interacts with outsiders, enemies, the forgotten. And then ask yourself: if people lived like this, what kind of world would we have?

That’s why I think Christianity matters. That’s why I think Jesus is worth following.