What religion is the oldest?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The origin of religion is traced back to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve rejected God's revelation and chose to believe Satan's falsehood, desiring to be like gods themselves (Genesis 3). Later, Cain and Abel understood that sacrifices to God were necessary (Genesis 4:3-4). Then, "people began to call on the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26). After the great Flood, Noah built an altar for offerings to God (Genesis 8:20). Judaism is considered the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, with its origins dating back nearly 4,000 years, beginning with the covenant between God and Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) around 2,080 B.C. Christianity is the continuation of God's redemptive plan revealed through the Hebrew Bible and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The gospel is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Adam and Eve’s fall came about as their attempt to become like God (Genesis 3:4-5), and this is also the goal of many non-Christian religions. In contrast, we should be like Jesus, who came as a servant.
• Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve's first sons, brought sacrifices to God (Genesis 4:3-4). This is the first recorded act of worship in the Bible. The concept of offering to the Lord is central to worship throughout the Bible.
• Genesis 4:26 records the beginning of organized worship and a collective acknowledgment of God's sovereignty: "At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26). This occurred sometime before 3,000 B.C.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The writer of Hebrews refers to Cain and Abel, noting that Abel's offering was accepted because it was made in faith, and because of his faith Abel was commended as righteous (Hebrews 11:4).
• Prior to the great Flood, Noah warned the world of God's righteous judgment (2 Peter 2:5). Noah and his family worshiped and obeyed God.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

What religion is oldest depends on what is meant by the term religion and its evolution: Does it require written texts? Can those texts be precisely dated? Must it be the same now as it was at its founding? Tribal traditions for worship were passed down orally for centuries before being written down. Historical records are often vague or incomplete, making precise dating difficult.

But we do know that the worship of the one true God dates back to the Garden of Eden, the very beginning of Creation.

When believers share the Gospel, though, the question about the age of Christianity is less important than what it stands for: Christ and what He accomplished on the cross. Ultimately, people will be less interested in the limited past than in the eternity they will spend in the Lord’s presence when they place their faith in Christ.

UNDERSTAND

• Religion started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.
• Judaism dates back nearly four thousand years, beginning with the covenant between God and Abraham.
• God’s redemptive plan was revealed through the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that worship began with Adam and Eve influence the way you approach God?
• How does it impact your faith knowing that the God of the Bible revealed Himself since creation?
• How does understanding God’s redemptive plan through Jesus shape the priorities of your spiritual life?

ENGAGE

• How does recognizing the historical roots of Judaism and Christianity impact our appreciation of God’s faithfulness across generations?
• What challenges arise when trying to explain the continuity of God’s plan to those from other religious traditions?
• How can we maintain our focus on God even while adressing the origins and evolution of worship across history?