Question:
Which religion is the oldest in the world?

Answer:
The Peace of God be with you! Thank you for your question.

The Holy Bible tells us that there is one God who created the world and all that there is. In the first book of the Bible it says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) At that time God and humanity had a perfect relationship. Adam and Eve worshipped God and knew who he was. But then they disobeyed God and turned from him and our world is the result. The prophet David in the Psalms (Zabur) (53:2-3) says, "God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one."

We see the truth of Prophet David's words all around us. There are wars because people are greedy for power or money. There is family conflict because of selfishness and anger. There are lies and people who say one thing and do another because the human heart is deceptive. This is the truth of the world but God in his love was not done with humanity.

He sent more prophets to share his will and his plan for mankind. The prophets warned that disobeying God would bring judgment. The prophets also spoke about God's rescue plan for mankind. The prophet Isaiah speaking 2,700 years ago said this at God's command, "We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the sin of us all." (Isaiah 53:6) The prophet said that we wander away from God as sheep wander from their shepherd. But he predicted that God would send someone and place our sins on him.
2,000 years ago God sent Jesus. He was the one that Moses, Isaiah and all the prophets predicted. He came to free us from the judgment we all deserved. That is why Jesus went to the cross. Isaiah describes why Jesus would die with these words. "He was pierced for our evil actions, he was crushed for our sin, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed." (53:5) Jesus came to take our place and be punished for us. He did that so we could have a personal relationship with God and have paradise guaranteed to us because of God's mercy.

This is the oldest religion—that there is One God who is just and punishes evil. But this God also is merciful and planned man’s salvation and carried it out on the cross of Jesus. Jesus will also come again and judge mankind and on that day every knee will bow before him.