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V |
Questions About Other Religions |
| 1. | Did God create the other major religions for His own purposes? |
| 2. | Do all roads lead to God? |
| 3. | How do we know Christianity is true? |
| 4. | Where can I find the evidence for Christianity? |
| 5. | Is it possible to be saved without Christ (i.e.: Old Testament people, Jews, etc.)? |
| 6. | Why are Catholics and Mormons (and perhaps others???) not considered “Christians”, even though they believe in Jesus Christ? |
| V | Questions About Other Religions |
| 1. | Did God create the other major religions for His own purposes? |
| The Bible affirms that God did not create other religious systems
other than Judaism which finds its fulfillment in Christianity with
Jesus Christ as the promised Deliverer of the Old Testament and the
revealed Deliverer of the New. The Bible says that men created their
own religious systems because they would not acknowledge God and His
sovereignty in their lives. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman Church … “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. {22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools {23} and EXCHANGED the glory of the immortal GOD for IMAGES made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. {24} Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. {25} They EXCHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR A LIE, and WORSHIPED AND SERVED CREATED THINGS rather than the Creator--who is forever praised.” — Romans 1:21-25 (NIV) |
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2. |
Do all roads lead to God? |
| This is a good question. At some point in our search for God we all
come to this question. The answer is essentially “YES!” The remaining
question is “what will happen when you get there?” God is the Creator
and Judge of this universe. There is no escaping Him. All roads
ultimately lead to Him. But then, AFTER that, some roads lead us to
spending eternity in His presence and OTHER roads lead us to an
eternity separated from Him. So, the first question we need to come to
terms with is whether all religions essentially teach the same thing?
The answer is clearly NO. The atheist says there is NO God. The Christian says there is. There is NO WAY to reconcile those two teachings. One is True and one is NOT. That is not Christian Exclusivism. That is common logic. The Buddhist says that the best we can hope for is to attain a level of humanity in which we are in complete harmony with the universe. Christianity says that we are transcendent creatures and our ultimate destiny is to become children of God, not in some esoteric sense but in a very tangible sense. There is no way to reconcile those 2 teachings. Islam says there is no God but Allah and Mohammed is His prophet. Christianity says, there is no God but Yahweh, and Jesus is His Son. You can say that Allah and Yahweh and 2 different names for the same Being but only IF that were true. But the FACT is, the God described by Mohammed and the God described by the Bible are not the same God. They have different character, morals and personalities. They are irreconcilable. We live in what philosophers call a determinate universe. All of our science and knowledge is based on that fact. It means that we live in a universe in which something that is ONE thing is, by virtue of that fact, NOT another thing. Things in this universe can only be Blue, by NOT being Yellow. They can only be Living by NOT being Dead. IF you are heading North, doing so, excludes the possibility of simultaneously heading South. The fact that some things in this universe are true demands that other things which are NOT those things be false. Again, That is not Christian Exclusivism. That is common logic. IF Christianity is TRUE, that demands that statements within other religious systems that contradict Christianity must necessarily be false. That does not mean that EVERYTHING within those systems must be false, just those statements which contradict the truth. So, the fact of the matter is that it is not Christianity that says that there is only one way to Heaven. It is the nature of the universe that demands it. Whatever the way IS that gets us to Heaven, directions that are NOT that way, will not get us there. That is not Christian theology, that is a general philosophical statement about our universe that forms the FOUNDATION of all of our knowledge. |
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3. |
How do we know Christianity is true? |
| So, now the question becomes, how do we KNOW which religious system is
true? The question can properly be asked, How can we know that
ANYTHING is true? How do I know that atoms and neutrinos and dinosaurs
are true? The answer is, because their existence explains what I independently observe in a particle accelerator or in the fossil record or in the universe at large. Christianity is not a mythology. It is not a subjective experience. It is a philosophical system that is grounded on objective fact. God exists. He created space and time. Then, in space and time, He came to Earth in the person of a man who lived in real cities, touched real people, said real things. He died in a specific place in a year we can identify to pay the penalty for my sins. He was buried in a tomb in a particular garden and on the 3rd day, not the 4th, He rose from the dead. He was seen by real people who touched Him, talked to Him and wrote about the experience. That is not an abstract, transcendent or individually experiential statement. That is a statement that can be tested and verified by concrete evidence. I, Pastor Tony, know that Christianity is true, because I have personally checked out the story and verified the facts to my satisfaction. The only way that YOU can know if Christianity is true is for YOU to do the same thing. “Come now, LET US REASON TOGETHER,” says the LORD. — Isaiah 1:18 (NIV) |
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4. |
Where can I find the evidence for Christianity? |
| The exact questions were, Where can I find the evidence for the
resurrection, for the existence of Jesus, for the existence of God.
Let me suggest some resources. Our tape series “Is It Reasonable to Believe?” is a good place to start. It’ll give you an overview. Then some books, “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” by Josh McDowell has the most comprehensive bibliography on the subject you can find for under $100. “Ancient Secrets of the Bible” by Sellier & Russell is great reading. It’s the kind of book you can read to your kids. “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis, “Jesus: The Great Debate” by Grant Jeffreys is an excellent book. There are 3 books by Robert Faid on a “Scientific Approach to Christianity” that are very technical but for those that want to go that deep, they are excellent. All of these resources and more are available at our Resource Center or from our resource partner at ChristianBooks.com. The evidence is real. You have to form your own conclusions but Christ never asks us to check our brains at the door. He says, You will seek me and FIND ME when you seek me with all your heart. — Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) |
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5. |
Is it possible to be saved without Christ (ie: Old Testament people, Jews, etc.)? |
| The
answer to the question asked is “No.” The answer to the question
behind the question is “Maybe.” First, is it possible to be saved
without Christ? Absolutely not! Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. — John 14:6 (NIV) The Apostle Peter said, Salvation is found in NO ONE ELSE, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” — Acts 4:12 (NIV) The Bible is clear that our sins require a sacrifice, Without the shedding of blood THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS. — Hebrews 9:22 (NIV) The ONLY sacrifice that God accepts, is the only sacrifice that was without sin. That being the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God, who without sin, died on the cross to provide substitutionary atonement for the world. Apart from Christ there is no forgiveness offered and without forgiveness, there can be no salvation. That being said, can we be saved without knowing about Jesus? The answer is “yes” and “maybe.” During the period of time, we call the Old Testament. From Adam to Christ, God called people to salvation. During that period of time, salvation was offered based on faith in the Messiah whom God promised to come. They didn’t know His Name or even much of who He was or what He would do but they put their trust in the promise of God. These people were saved. Not all people or all Jews who lived during that time were saved. Then, as now, only those who surrendered the leadership of their lives to God’s chosen one, whom they called the Messiah, whom we call Jesus were saved. Salvation occurs when we surrender the leadership of our lives to God’s appointed King whether we know His name or not. Indeed, the name Jesus isn’t even His rightful name. It was most likely Yeshua. Whether we know His name or not, whether we know anything about Him or not, we surrender the leadership of our lives to Him and BY HIS DEATH we are saved. Abraham was saved by the death of Jesus Christ even though Jesus would not die for another 2000 years. So much for Old Testament believers, now the hard question. What about people today who have never heard of Christ? My first answer is, if you know of one, tell them. But that doesn’t get to the heart of the issue. God says, You will seek me and FIND ME when you seek me with ALL YOUR HEART. — Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) Someone who is truly seeking after God, will be given enough knowledge and understanding to be saved. More than likely that knowledge will come from someone - you, me, a missionary, someone - who tells them the story of Jesus. But, I remain open to the possibility that God may do something new. God has spoken through angels in the past. He has even spoken through a donkey. Who can say what God will speak through in the future. But however, the knowledge comes, if this person surrenders the leadership of their life to the God of Creation, even though they may lack a complete understanding of Him, he will be saved. And that salvation will be effected by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ whether or not they know His name or understand what He has done for them. But the real issue that we face is not really “what about people in the Old Testament or remote tribal villages that have never heard of Christ?” The issue you and I face is, “What about me?” If you have never surrendered the leadership of your life to Christ, Jesus says to you, Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I WILL COME IN and eat with him, and he with me. — Revelation 3:20 (NIV) Open the door of your life right now and let Him in. He loves you and wants to give you your heart’s desire. Let today be your day of salvation. If you are a follower of Christ today and there are people around you who do not know about Jesus. It may be that you are the one God is sending to tell them. The Scripture says, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? {15} And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS!” — Romans 10:14-15 (NIV) If you know Jesus and you know them, consider this encounter your invitation to tell them what you know. There are no coincidences in this life. Instead, our Sovereign God arranges Divine appointments. Don’t miss the opportunities that God beings your way. If you think you don’t know enough, make sure you attend our STEP classes. |
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6. |
Why are Catholics and Mormons (and perhaps others???) not considered “Christians”, even though they believe in Jesus Christ? |
| A common question. Believing in Jesus Christ does not make a person a
Christian any more than believing in farming makes a person a farmer.
Surrendering the leadership of your life to Jesus Christ is what makes
a person a Christian. I believe that Bill Clinton was once the
president of the United States but that doesn’t make me a Democrat.
The Apostle James wrote, “You believe that there is one God. Good! EVEN THE DEMONS BELIEVE THAT—and shudder.” — James 2:19 (NIV) Jesus said, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘LORD, LORD, did we not PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME, and in your name drive out demons and PERFORM MANY MIRACLES?’ {23}Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU. Away from me, you evildoers!’” — Matthew 7:22-23 (NIV) A Christian is not a person who SAYS things about Jesus. A Christian is a person who FOLLOWS Christwho has given control of his life to Christ, who lives his life FOR Jesus. It doesn’t matter if you call yourself a Mormon, or a Catholic, or a Baptist, or a Life Springer. You are not a Christian by virtue of what Church you attend, what good things you do, or even, what you SAY you believe. You are not an American simply because you live in America and espouse American ideals. You become an American when you surrender your sovereignty to the Constitution of the United States. Likewise, you become a Christian only when you surrender the leadership of your life to Jesus Christ. Some groups teach doctrine that is consistent with historical Christianity and clear Scriptural instruction. These Churches are referred to collectively as Evangelical. Life Spring Community Church falls into this category. Some Churches teach doctrine that is consistent with historical Christianity even in areas where that historical Christianity is in opposition to the clear teaching of Scripture. These Churches are referred to sometimes as Orthodox or Mainline Churches. The Catholic Church falls into this category. Other Churches teach doctrines that are contrary to historical Christianity and the clear teaching of Scripture. These Churches are referred to collectively as Christian Cults. Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses fall into this category. |
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Micah 4:5 All the nations may walk in the name of their gods;we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. |
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 Life Spring Community Church - 5384-B Kazuko Ct - Moorpark - CA - 93021  Copyright © 2009 Life Spring Community Church |
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Other - Religions