To See Or Not To See: 2015

These days people say things like, "that may be true for you, but it's not true for me." They'll argue that everything is relative. Everything is subjective. Everything is a matter of perspective. Everything can be revised. "There is no absolute truth."

"You can't handle the truth!"

Is the statement "there is no absolute truth" true? If not, then no need to worry, right? On the other hand if the statement is true, then it follows that it is not true, since there is no absolute truth. So if the statement is false, it’s false; and if it's true, it’s false. So either way the statement is false.

Therefore there IS absolute truth. This means that there is only one truth and since the different religions teach vastly different things, then really only one can be true.

Why is Jesus the only way to God?

1. Why do we need Jesus anyway?

a. The Fall (Genesis 3)

i. Relationship between God and man is broken (v.8)

ii. Relationship between man and his fellow man is severed (v.12,13)

iii. Bond between man and nature is broken (v.17-18)

iv. Man’s separation from himself (emptiness, loneliness)

b. God’s promise to make it right again (Genesis 3:15) by sending a Savior.

c. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, thus everyone needs a savior.

d. The prophesied characteristics of the Savior make it statistically impossible for any one person to fulfill them, yet Christ did.

e. Christ died in our place so we could again have a right relationship and be reconciled with God. NO OTHER religion provides such provision!

2. Testimonies to Christ’s Lordship

a. Jesus Himself said so.

i. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

ii. “If you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

b. Peter

i. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

c. Paul

i. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

3. If there are other ways to God, then Christ’s death was in vain and His resurrection is meaningless.

4. The precepts of other religions and the characteristics of their deities:

1. Exclude Christ as God

a. Christ’s Identity

i. Christianity: Fully God and Fully man.

ii. Islam: Man. A good teacher and Prophet. Allah is the only one god.

iii. Hinduism: Varies. Mostly a wise Man, or perhaps an incarnation. There is no consistency in Hinduism.

iv. Buddhism: A wise and enlightened Man.

2. Contradict the Bible and Christ’s teachings and are mutually exclusive.

a. Salvation. In ALL other religions, salvation is dependent on the works of the person.

i. Christianity: By Grace through Faith, not by works. Dependent upon God (free gift). A person simply must accept the gift of God. It is not dependent upon self or how ‘good’ you have been. In ALL other religions, salvation is dependent on the works of the person. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. No other religion provides an atonement and reconciliation to God.

ii. Islam (from Quran and other Islamic teachings) Dependent on SELF, not GOD to be “good enough” (or other conditions such as martyr) to be saved:

1. Those who believe and do good deeds (with contradictions “The good deeds of any person will not make him enter Paradise.”)

2. Allah purifies who he pleases

3. “Repentance with Allah is only for those who do evil in ignorance, then turn (to Allah) soon, so these it is to whom Allah turns (mercifully), and Allah is ever Knowing, Wise. And repentance is not for those who go on doing evil deeds, until when death comes to one of them, he says: Surely now I repent; nor (for) those who die while they are unbelievers. These are they for whom we have prepared a painful chastisement. S. 4:17-18 Shakir” According to this, Allah does not and will not accept the repentance of a person at death. (Conflicts with what Christ told the criminal on the other cross)

4. Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger (Muhammad) said: “When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your RESCUE from Hell-Fire”. (Sahih Muslim, Book 037, Number 6665)

5. Male Muslims will receive virgins in heaven for the purpose of sexual pleasure whenever they want it. The virgins are also referred to as wives or spouses in various Islamic teachings. This contradicts Christ’s words in Matthew 22:29-32.

iii. Hinduism (again, dependent on SELF, not GOD to be “good enough” to be saved):

1. Salvation for a Hindu is called Moksha. Moksha is when an enlightened human being is freed from the cycle of life-and-death (the endless cycle of death and reincarnation) and comes into a state of completeness. He then becomes one with God. There are four ways to Moksha:

a. The Way of Action: This involves carrying out certain religious ceremonies, duties and rites. The objective is to perform works without regard for personal gain.

b. The Way of Knowledge: This requires using your mind and philosophy to come to a complete comprehension of the universe.

c. The Way of Devotion: Salvation is reached through acts of worship, based upon the love for a god (there are millions of gods in Hinduism).

d. The Royal Road: The use of meditation and yoga techniques. This method of reaching salvation is typically only used by wandering monks.

2. Each of these ways to salvation in Hinduism requires that a person do certain things. Salvation is through what a Hindu does. It is through human works. This completely contradicts Biblical salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)

iv. Buddhism (again, dependent on SELF, not GOD to be “good enough” to be saved):

1. For a Buddhist salvation is reaching Nirvana. Nirvana is a transcendental, blissful, spiritual state of nothingness--you become a Buddha. To reach Nirvana you must follow the Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Path is:

a. Right Understanding: accepting the Four Noble Truths. (The existence of suffering; the cause of suffering; the end of suffering; and the end of pain.)

b. Right Resolve: renounce the pleasures of the body. Change your lifestyle so that you harm no living creatures and have kind thoughts for everyone.

c. Right Speech: do not gossip, lie or slander anyone.

d. Right Action: do not kill, steal or engage in an unlawful sexual act.

e. Right Occupation: avoid working at any job that could harm someone.

f. Right Effort: heroically work to eliminate evil from your life. Through your own effort develop good conduct and a clean mind.

g. Right Contemplation: make yourself aware of your deeds, words and thoughts so that you can be free of desire and sorrow.

h. Right Meditation: train your mind to focus on a single object without wavering so as to develop a calm mind capable of concentration.

2. Following the Noble Eightfold Path requires that a person do the above eight things. Salvation is through what a Buddhist does. It is through human works. Again completely contradicts Biblical salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Regarding the topic of “What if some tribe in the deep dark jungle has never heard of Christ? What about them?” For that I refer you to Romans 1:17-20 and Hebrews 11. My thought on this is: God knows whether or not someone will accept the Gospel and will provide a way for them to hear the Gospel. Why didn’t God send the Israelites priests into Jericho to convert the town? Because He knew they would not turn to Him. In Joshua 2:9-11, Rahab says that they all knew that “the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below”, yet they did not turn to Him and repent. The same goes for the other places that God told the Israelites to destroy “with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.” (6:21) There was no point in trying to convert the town. God knew they would not turn. I think the same goes for today. God WILL get the Word to those who will accept it. It is also important to note that God had Israel forewarn the people that he told them to destroy, so they had ample time to flee or surrender. This shows God's mercy, despite knowing the people would not accept Him.

_____________________________________________________________

Compared the 4 major religions of the world for the above notes.