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How Do You Know Christianity Is the True Religion?
“How Do You Know Christianity Is the True Religion?”
Assumptions:
- Each of the world’s religions claims to be revealed by God
- They must either all be wrong or only one is right (they could not all be right, but they could each have portions that are right and portions that are wrong, but then they would be wrong about it being revealed by God)
- We should therefore expect the true religion to have the right answers about several key areas relative to truth and judge them by how they compare?
The Four Major Religions of the World
Hinduism
Was expressed in written form from 1400-800 B.C. in their Scriptures known as the Vedas. Though they worship God under many names and manifestations, Vishnu and Siva being the most prominent, Hindus see in their scriptures the suggestion that these manifestations are but representatives of the one true God. Buddhism is the most prominent offshoot of Hinduism, but makes no statements about God or how to know Him.
Islam
Started around 600 A.D. by Muhammad after he claimed an angel of God spoke to him and revealed that neither the paganism or worship of multiple gods by his people was right, nor that the Judaism and Christianity some of them had embraced was the exact right kind of monotheism. He produced Islam’s holy scriptures, the Qur’an, a collection of messages Muslims claim he received from God, whom they call Allah.
Judaism
Began about 1400 B.C. when Moses (according to Islam, Judaism and Christianity) received the Law (Torah) from God. The offspring of Abraham through Sarah became a nation ruled by God and led by God out of captivity in Egypt into the land known then as Canaan. They knew God by the common title Elohim and by His revealed name, Yahweh.
Christianity
Claimed to be the fulfillment of the promised coming Messiah of Judaism when, almost 2000 years ago, Jesus of Nazareth had a ministry of teaching and apparently miraculous healings and demonstrations of power that identified him as Judaism’s promised leader who would establish God’s kingdom on earth. Christianity claims that Jesus is God.
How the Four Major Religions Deal with the Most Basic Questions of Life
Who is God?
- Hinduism has two streams of thought historically – the stream of thought which sees God not as a person, but as a name for the impersonal force that lies behind all that exists, and the stream of thought that sees God as a person who is the source of all that exists. The gods are manifestations of the ultimate God.
- Islam sees God as a singular person who created all that exists, including the laws of right conduct, and there are no other divine beings. There are other spiritual beings (jinn) who may impersonate gods.
- Judaism sees God as a singular person who created all that exists but whose laws spring from His own character, and there are no other divine beings. There are other spiritual beings (Satan and demons) who may impersonate gods.
- Christianity sees God as tri-personal, three persons who share the one, undivided nature of God and act in accord with each other to create and sustain all that exists, and there are no other divine beings. There are other spiritual beings (Satan and demons) who may impersonate gods.
How do we have a good relationship with God?
- Hinduism: Those who see God as impersonal (the majority however worship one or some of the hundreds of avatars of God who are seen as personal beings), see the way of “salvation” as alignment with the principles of the universe (absorption into the “all” instead of continued reincarnation in lesser forms). Those who see God as personal hope for His forgiveness through living in ways that honor and are obedient to Him. There is no atonement.
- Islam requires (1) recognition of Allah as the only true God and Muhammad as his most exalted prophet, (2) contribution as one can to the needs of the poor, (3) observance of daily prayer, (4) fasting during the holy days, and (5) a pilgrimage to Mecca, if possible, as the basis for acceptance by Allah. There is no atonement.
- Judaism once required faith in the atoning sacrifice provided by God, but now requires repentance for forgiveness, and doing the good works of the Law of Moses. (Since the temple does not exist there can be no sacrifices offered for atonement.)
- Christianity offers forgiveness on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior whose atoning death on the cross paid the debt of disobedience we could not pay. Good works are expected to follow, but are not the basis for, right relationship with God.
The questions we may ask about each religion:
- Is it reasonable to believe that God is anything other than personal?
- Is it correct to think that humans are basically capable of keeping divine requirements?
- Does this religion make a way of “salvation” that is readily available to all regardless of their station in life or ability to perform the requirements?
- Is it acceptable for God to forgive without atonement?
About the Author Randall Johnson
A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.
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Daniel 1:17-21, The Excelling of the Hebrew Young Men
Paul and Antisemitism in 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16
Imprecatory Prayer in Scripture
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