Christianity and World Religions

Summary of Christianity and World Religions

Although it is very popular and accepted to say this type of thing, that all religions have some truth and are paths to God or an ultimate being, that is not a position that is consistant with the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, God or the Bible or the beliefs of myself and other biblical Christians. It is true that there are some positive elements of most if not all world religions such as inspiring and calling on good works from their followers and their founders, if they are known, being very pious people in many cases seeking to have a significant effect for good in reforming society, Christianity alone other than to some degree Judaism, seeks to teach trusting in the Creator God and His work of redemption or restoring people who had strayed and become separated from God back to God.

God

Although Islam as well as Christianity teach a personal God, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and to some degree Sikhism and some other faiths teach an impersonal god and Islam doesn't teach a God that can be known to the same degree that Judaism and especially Christianity do. However Allah the god of Islam is not the same as the God of the Bible but Allah is associated with Sin the moon god of the ancient Sumerians in what is now Iraq. Christianity, Judaism and Islam also teach a transcendant God that is before and distinct from His creation while the mystical religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism that their impersonal god is one with creation.

Jesus Christ

Among other things, Biblical Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was God who took upon himself sinless human form and nature so that he could identify with man and reveal God in a personal way. This was especially so he could experience death which he did as a substitutionary sacrifice for us and our sins and so he could rise again from the dead and assure the eventual resurrection from the dead of all other people to life or to condemnation. Judaism generally teaches that Jesus was a good teacher or false Messiah. Islam teaches that Jesus was a great prophet but not as great as Mohammed but was definitely not the Son of God or co-equal with God. The mystical eastern religions or their followers teach that Jesus was a good teacher and perhaps a mystical teacher or guru who received enlightenment similiar to Buddha but deny that his principal purpose was to die for the sins of all sinful human beings or that their was any need for Jesus or anyone else to do that.

The Bible

The Christian scriptures teaches the Bible is the word of God fully inspired or breathed by God through His Holy Spirit that led the human writers of the Bible to convey to the world the revealed thoughts and words of God. In this view although God might give Christians some inspiration for teaching or poetry etc. these are not at the same level or revelation, purity or directness and importance as the contents of the Bible. Biblcial Judaism regards what Christians call the Old Testament especially the first five books called by Jews the Torah the same way but doesn't acknowledge what Christians call the New Testament as scripture or from God. Muslims say that the Bible is scripture from God but that it has been corrupted in its current form by Christians and Jews and that the Quran is the superior and only uncorrupted scripture or revelation from God. I think Hindus, Buddhist and Taoists might think the Bible has some noble teachings such as the Sermon on the Mount but do not regard the Bible as directly and completely revealed and verbally or word for word inspired by God.

The World

While Christianity, Judaism and Islam have a linear view of history with a definite beginning of man and the world created by God and an ending in God's judgment of the human race and a new eternal order, many other faiths such as the eastern mystical faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism have a more indefinite cyclical view of history with no real beginning or end. Biblical Christianity and I think Biblical Judaism teach that the world was originally created good and later fell into evil through sin or rebellion against God and will eventually be restored to God and goodness when God comes to rule the world through the Messiah. Liberal or humanistic Christians and Jews teach that the world and its culture even now is good and should be embraced and that the world is not essentially corrupted but liberal Christians teach God is reigning now spiritually on the world through the church while liberal Jews teach that it is part of their duty to try to redeem the earth and its systems through humanitarian efforts and care of the environment. Islam teaches that their is the world at peace which is supposed to be the world dominated by Islam and the world at war which is supposed to be the part of the world not dominated by Islam. The mystical eastern religions teach that the world is essentially good and that it is their duty to care for and respect all life and be at and seek peace. Christians are also taught to care for all life but that that doesn't exclude eating plants and animals for food or using them in other constructive ways. Christians in the Bible are also taught we should try to be at peace with other people but that part of the way to bring this to pass with non-Christians is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them and pray about it in the hope God will use this witness to bring non-Christians to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and become transformed by God's Holy Spirit and brought into fellowship with Christians and God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Nature of Man

Christianity and to some extent Judaism and Islam teach that man is sinful and Christianity teaches that man is so sinful or God is so holy that we can't possibly earn salvation or become sufficiently righteous by our own efforts in God's sight. This is why Christians believe Jesus needed to die in our place. Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism teach that man is essentially good and can earn salvation which in that case is to receive enlightenment and eventually blend in with an impersonal cosmic consciousness called such names as Brahman, Nirvana or the Tao.

The Way of Salvation

The main difference between Christianity and other faiths is that Christianity teaches that salvation has already been accomplished through the death on the cross for our sins and resurrection from the dead to give us new life of God's Son and Annointed One Jesus Christ and we just have to trust in Him and His work. Virtually every other faith teaches that we must earn our way to heaven or favour with God by our own good works.

Ultimate Goal

Christianity especially and to some extent Judaism and Islam teach that our goal should be to preserve especially the best parts of our identity for eternity especially in heaven with Christianity teaching that when we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ we get a new sinless nature indwelt and empowered by the Spirit of God that will make us suitable for a holy God and His abode of heaven. Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism teach that one's goal should be to lose one's identity in eternity and to blend in with the impersonal cosmic consciousness called Brahmin in Hinduism, Nirvana in Buddhism or the Tao in Taoism.

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