» What makes Jesus unique among other gods and religions?

» Why does God allow evil, pain and suffering?

» How do you connect with God?

» Do you have to leave your intellect behind when you try to connect with God?

» Predestination vs. Free Will

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What makes Jesus unique among other gods and religions?

Q: What's Unique About Jesus When Compared With Other Gods and Religions?

A: How many times have you heard that "all religions are alike. They're all on the same mountain, marching up different paths, ending up at the same place"? The reality is that statements like these are ignorant of world religions and perspectives. The truth is that there are exclusive claims made by all five major religions of the world.

When looking at the "Big 5" religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism), there are different truth claims that are exclusive. The following are some examples:

Different Views of God

Christians are Trinitarian. Christians believe in only one true God, but in the unity of the Godhead. There are three eternal and coequal Persons. Jews and Muslims are strong Unitarians. They believe in one true God and only one true Person in the Godhead. The Hindus tend to be Pantheists whose God is an eternal, nonpersonal and abstract being without knowable attributes. The popular sects of Hinduism are polytheistic, a belief that there are many gods. Various sects of Buddhism hold a variety of views of God. Buddhist sects are either polytheistic, pantheistic or atheistic.

Destinies are Different

Christians believe that they will live eternally in Heaven. There is a personal existence and an intimate communion with God. With Jews, there is a broad spectrum of beliefs: Some say nothing exists after they die (annihilation); others believe they will go to the hereafter that will be enjoyed in the company of their Messiah.

Muslims believe that they will join Allah in Heaven for an eternity of sensual pleasure and gratification. Hindus believe they will eventually end up becoming one with the impersonal supreme being (Brahman) in a state of Nirvana. The individual ceases to have his or her own personal identity. Buddhists aspire to Nirvana as a state of total nothingness, a final annihilation of individual consciousness.

Different Ways to Achieve One's Destiny

Jews believe they gain salvation by turning back to God and living a moral life. Muslims would try to earn their salvation by believing in the Five Doctrines of Islam and by performing the duties of the Five Pillars of Faith. But it all depends on a person's behavior, so no one can be sure.

Hindus believe they achieve a desired state of oneness with Brahman through a series of reincarnations. The Law of Karma says Hindus reap in the next life the rewards or punishments of the present life. Buddhists believe they earn their release from the endless chains of reincarnations by following the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Christianity maintains that a person must enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Christ's death on the cross was a full payment for our sins. Based on faith in Jesus Christ, not good works, we can become his children.

Four of these major religions say, "You have to earn your way to salvation." Jesus says, "I paid it all." Exclusivity ways to God are also claimed by Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Hindus are the only ones who may equivocate on the exclusivity clause.

Yet Ramakrishna stated that "many faiths are but different paths to one reality-God." On the surface, it appears that Hindus allow for different ways to get to Nirvana. A closer look at Hinduism reveals that Hindus allow for an openness to other faiths but stresses the superiority of their own.

Reflection: While Many Believe We're Going the Same Direction, the Reality is We're Not Even on the Same Mountains

Furthermore if all these religions are radically different. How can all be right at the same time? This is where the Law of Noncontradiction helps us out.

The Law of Noncontradiction is the most basic law of logic. Simply stated, it says that if two statements about one particular issue contradict each other, then: (1) only one of them is true; or (2) they are both false. They cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time.

Therefore, if statement A contradicts statement B:

Either A is true and B is false;

or A is false and B is true;

or A is false and B is false.

If someone says, "All dogs shed hair." And another person says, "Poodles don't shed hair." Then either both are wrong or one is right. They both can't be right. If Christ claims to be the only way to God, and Mohammed says there is another way to God, then either Christ is right and Mohammed is wrong, or Christ is wrong and Mohammed is right or they are both wrong. They cannot both be right.

Because the major religions contradict one another, we can apply the Law of Noncontradiction. Either one of them is right and the rest are wrong, or they are all are wrong. They cannot all be right. So the issue is not what is narrow but what is true.

We Have Limited Capacities

Sir Isaac Newton had worked for hours on his scientific inquiries into the very core of the physical universe, exhaustedly laboring by candlelight. By his side over the weeks sat his beloved dog. On one occasion, when Newton left the room for a moment, the dog jumped up to follow him and accidentally bumped into the side of the desk, knocking over the candle and setting the papers ablaze. All that seminal work was reduced in moments to a pile of ashes.

When Newton returned to his study to see what remained of his work, his heart was broken beyond repair. Rescuing what little was left of the room, he sat down and wept with his face in his hands. Gently stroking the dog, he said, "You will never, never know what you have done." Even if it were possible for the dog to grasp that something tragic had happened, it was impossible not only for the creature to know the kind of tragedy but also the degree of what had been done.

By analogy, that kind of distance is what makes our situation impossible. Living in an evil world makes it easier to understand wickedness, but when it comes to thinking clearly about purity, it's more difficult. We become suspicious. In fact, actors and actresses will tell you that it's easier to act evil than good.

In his biography of Mother Teresa, Christopher Hutchens' goal was to find something that would mar her character. He said of Mother Teresa, "She is the great white whale for the atheist in me." How revealing that is of our human nature. Is it any wonder that we cannot understand God?

The gap isn't morality but capacity. It's easier to think in terms of time than eternity. There is a German phrase that separates existence from life: "dasein ohne leben" ("existence without life"). Jesus came to remind us that we are bound to the temporal and subsist without life's blueprint. Though we continue to exist, we miss life for what it was meant to be.

That's why we have problems with Jesus. It is said that "truth is stranger than fiction." G.K. Chesterton, with his brilliant wit, said, "It is because we have made fiction to suit ourselves." Modern-day techniques have only enhanced the capacity to mass produce lies. With that combination of propensity and facility, we live with a reality that sometimes seems impossible to believe.

So What Makes Jesus Unique?

1. His Virgin Birth

If Jesus had no beginning, then His virgin birth must explain how He could be "born" and yet have no beginning.

Larry King, the popular CNN talk-show host, was once asked whom he would choose if he could interview one person throughout history. He replied that he would like to interview Jesus Christ and that he would ask him one question: "Are you indeed virgin born?" "The answer to that question," said King, "would explain history to me."

Larry King is right. The virgin birth, if true, at least points to a world unbound by sheer naturalism. The claim is lofty. How do you verify it? There is common Hebrew testimony of this, but possibly the most astounding affirmation of the virgin birth comes from one religion that for centuries has attempted to stand against the Christian gospel-Islam.

Even the Koran, written 600 years after Jesus, affirmed His virgin birth (see Surah 19:19-21). So His birth was not by natural means. A Son not born out of physical consummation nor out of a need for communion, but the consummate expression of God in the flesh, in eternal communion with the Father.

This cannot be said of Mohammed, Krishna or Buddha. They have never been able to break free from a contradiction of their own making on the matter of Jesus' Sonship. This demonstrates how Jesus transcends the means that we are bound by.

2. His Unblemished Life

His antagonists tried to demonstrate that His life was unclean. His life has always been considered the purest that ever lived. He challenged his adversaries to lay any charge of sin at His feet.

By contrast, no other individual received such accolades. By their own admission (Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna) their lives and their struggles are recorded in their own scriptures.

The view of all Muslims is that all of the prophets were sinless. Interesting, because that was never the view of the prophets themselves. The shortcomings of two of the most renowned and respected prophets in Islam, Abraham and Moses, are plainly stated in the Koran.

For example, in Surah 28, 16, Moses asked for forgiveness for slaying the Egyptian. In Surah 26, 82, Abraham asked for forgiveness on the Day of Judgment. The word used here, which Muslims translate as "fault" rather than "sin," is the same word that in other contexts they translate as "sin."

In Surah 47 and 48, Mohammed himself was told to ask for forgiveness for sin, once again translated as "fault" rather than "sin." But what is a fault that needs forgiving? Mohammed's marriages to 11 wives have been a fascinating subject for Muslims to explain. Also were some of Mohammed's practices, which included an embarrassing Koranic description of Heaven as "wine and women."

Hinduism is not exempt either. The playfulness of Krishna and his exploits with the milkmaids in the Bhagavad-Gita is, frankly, an embarrassment to many Hindu scholars.

How does Buddha measure up against the standard of personal purity that Jesus set? The very fact that he endured rebirths implies a series of imperfect lives. His enlightenment was an attainment. Even taken at face value, it was a path to purity, not purity per se.

Mahatma Gandhi made the comment that of all the truths of the Christian faith, the one that stood supreme to him was the cross of Jesus. He granted that it was without parallel. It was the innocent dying for the guilty, the pure exchanged for the impure.

3. The Teaching Matched the Teacher

He was identical to his message. His walk matched His talk. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty."

At the heart of every religion is a leading exponent. As the exposition is studied, something very significant emerges. There comes a bifurcation, or a distinction, between the person and the teaching. Mohammed to the Koran. Buddha to the Noble Path, Krishna to his philosophizing and Zoroaster to his ethics. They all point to their teachings. Kind of a "do as I say, not do as I do."

They have a way of life. It is not Zoroaster to whom you turn; it is Zoroaster to whom you listen. It is not Buddha who delivers you; it is his Noble Truths that instruct you. It is not Mohammed who transforms you; it is the beauty of the Koran.

By contrast, Jesus did not only teach or expound His message. He was identical to His message. The Scriptures say, "In Him, dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily." He didn't just proclaim truth. He said, "I am the truth." He did not just show a way. He said, "I am the Way." He did not just open up vistas. He said, "I am the door." "I am the Good Shepherd." "I am the resurrection and the life." "I am that I am." That's why being a Christian is not just a way of feeding and living. Following Christ begins with a way of relating and being.

For example, let's look at Buddhism, which many in Hollywood are embracing. It is often very simplistically defined as a religion of compassion and ethics. The truth is that there is probably no system of belief more complex than Buddhism. While it starts off with the Four Noble Truths on suffering and its cessation, it then moves to the Eightfold Path on how to end suffering. But as one enters the Eightfold Path, there emerge hundreds upon hundreds of other rules to deal with contingencies.

Those who follow Buddha's teachings are given 30 rules on how to ward off those pitfalls. But before a believer even deals with those, there are 92 rules that apply to just one of the offenses. There are 75 rules for those entering the order. There are rules of discipline to be applied: 227 for men and 311 for women. Buddha had to be convinced that women be permitted to disciples' status.

The most common prayer for forgiveness in Buddhism, from the Buddhist common prayer, reflects this numerical maze: "I beg leave! I beg leave, I beg leave. . . . May I be freed at all times from the Four States of Woe, the Three Scourges, the Eight Wrong Circumstances, the Five Enemies, the Four Deficiencies, the Five Misfortunes and quickly attain the Path, the Fruition and the Noble Law of Nirvana, Lord."

4. His Resurrection

"All right," Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 "What!" they exclaimed. "It took 46 years to build the Temple, and you can do it in three days? 21But by "this temple," Jesus meant his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, the disciples remembered that he had said this. And they believed both Jesus and the Scriptures." (John 2:19-22)

There are many ways Jesus could have shown His authority. The main one He chose was the temple. The temple was the perfect metaphor for His physical yet divine body. It is important to note that Jesus not only predicted a spiritual resurrection, but also a physical, verifiable resurrection. He was laid in the tomb, so the temple authorities needed only to produce His body to disprove His claim. But they could not.

Here these skeptics wanted a sign. Jesus said, "Destroy this temple!" They were thinking of the building. Jesus was thinking about His body. Centuries of determination to try to prove Him wrong have come up empty-handed. His conquering death was the greatest sign of all that we are no longer bound by the power of evil-that we have been set free. So death actually becomes a victory!

Many of the above thoughts were gleaned from several books. Two that we highly recommend are Jesus Among Other Gods, by Ravi Zacharias, and Letters from a Skeptic, by Dr. Gregory Boyd.

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Why does God allow evil, pain and suffering?

Q: Why Does God Allow Evil, Pain and Suffering?

A: Like many of these questions, we don't know all the answers to these complex concerns. While there is a theological response that may be logical, emotionally, the wall of pain and evil is a hard issue to address. Yet, we do know that God is not the author of evil or temptation. In fact, His incredibly sacrificial and loving response was to send His Son Jesus Christ to bring redemption to a broken world.

For God to be truly loving, we have to allow for choices. God would not desire for us to be forced to love Him and to live a righteous life. Because of this freedom of choice, there are always those who choose to do what is contrary to God's intent. Hence, pain and suffering commence with the choices of humankind.

In other Scriptural references, pain, evil and suffering seem to be allowed because they give us the opportunity to hear and see God. C.S. Lewis said that God shouts to us in our pain. We are also convinced that suffering and pain can have a good purpose in us as well-namely, so that we can comfort others. Pain provides a common ground for many of us to connect.

And, finally, it's important to note that we don't see the whole picture. The reality is that evil, pain and suffering don't ultimately triumph. According to the Scriptures, God does away with all this in the end. He restores that which has fallen.

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How do you connect with God?

Q: How Does One Connect With God?

A: God connects with people through the Bible, prayer, pain, joys, the Church, individuals, circumstances and even dreams. Hence, we encourage you to ask God to speak to you as you interact with the Bible and attend a church. Our hope is that you'll see His divine fingerprints all around you and in your life.

When you are ready, then take the plunge. Admit your own sinful lifestyle. Trust that Jesus came to suffer and die for you and exchange your shame and sin for His grace. Believe that Jesus loves you and wants to have a transforming and intimate relationship with you. Ask him to forgive you of your sins and to take the driver's seat in your life. He promises that if you will do this, He will come into your life and be your LIFE, joy and peace.

If you make this commitment, please don't hesitate to let us know. We'd love to offer available resources to you. After you commit your life to God in this way, then what? We encourage you to join a community of faith that will help you grow spiritually. Connect with a community that has processes and people to help you grow in your new relationship with God. We have a variety of churches that we could recommend. BTW, we admit that Newsong is not the church. We're simply one of the little pieces of what God is doing in our world.

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Do you have to leave your intellect behind when you try to connect with God?

Q: Do You Have to Leave Your Intellect and Reason at the Door When You Try to Connect With God?

A: Ravi Zacharias, intellectual, philosopher, author and lecturer at many universities around the world, answers this well in his book Jesus Among Other Gods.

He pens: "First, let us clearly understand what faith is not before establishing what it is. The faith that the Bible speaks of is not antithetical to reason. It is not just a will to believe, everything to the contrary notwithstanding. It is not a predisposition to force every piece of information to fit into the mold of one's desires. Faith in the biblical sense is substantive, based on the knowledge that the One in whom that faith is placed has proven that He is worthy of that trust.

"In its essence, faith is a confidence in the person of Jesus Christ and His power, so that even when His power does not serve my end, my confidence in Him remains because of who He is. Faith for the Christian is the response of trust based on who Jesus Christ claimed to be, and it results in a life that brings both mind and heart in a commitment of love to him. Is this an irrational or unreasonable response based on all that Christ demonstrated Himself to be?

"Each individual who comes into this kind of faith in the one true God does so through a different struggle. In the Old Testament, Moses was the classic example of how faith was built into someone for whom the implications of trust were not easy. Repeatedly and protractedly, God pursued Moses until Moses understood that the God he served expected his trust and that He would prove Himself, both before and after the trust had been followed through. God gave him just enough along his journey to demonstrate who He was but saved the climatic proof for the end of Moses' journey of faith.

"On the other hand, Abraham is shown to us as one who so hungered after God that he was willing, with minimal outward proof, to leave his home and to build for posterity a community of faith in the living God. But even in his case, every step in his faith-building process was met with the affirmation of God. God deals with both kinds of us, those of us who long for more evidence and those of us for whom a little evidence will do. But He works always in concert with a television of His character.

"But notice that there are twin angles here. The first is that of trust. Jesus claimed to be the consummate expression of God. The true believer trusts Him to be speaking the truth. Everything He said and did sustains that claim, and contrarily, nothing He said or did challenges that claim. It has been said that human nature abhors a vacuum, and that must be true of our faith, too. None of us live comfortably with a vacuous faith. There ought to be both substance to our faith and an object of our faith.

"But there is a second common misunderstanding about faith. We often assume that it is a crutch for those who are hurting or are in need of some kind of transcendent intervention in a situation from which they cannot rescue themselves. How often do we hear testimonies of faith from the sick and the dying or the injured and bleeding. That, we assume, is the greatest expression of faith. Without a doubt, a faith that stays strong in the storms of life is a faith that must be envied.

"May I suggest, however, that in reality this kind of situation is more often the realizing or the testing of one's faith. An equally viable faith is demonstrated when dependence upon God is shown in the midst of success, when everything is going right. That kind of faith knows that every moment and every success in life is a gift from God. . . .

"One of the most startling things about life is that it does not start with reason and end with faith. It starts in childhood with faith and is sustained either by reasoning through that faith or by blindly leaving the reason for faith unaddressed. The child's mind has a very limited capacity to inform it of the reason for its trust. But whether she nestles on her mother's shoulder, nurses at her mother's breast or runs into her father's arms, she does so because of an implicit trust that those shoulders will bear her, that her food will sustain her and that those arms will hold her. If over time that trust is tested, it will be the character of the parent that will either prove that trust wise or foolish. Faith is not bereft of reason."

(Jesus Among Other Gods, pages 58-60)

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Predestination vs. Free Will

For some people, theological issues like predestination are really huge obstacles to their progress towards God; while for others, they are essentially smokescreens to making any personal commitment to Him. God alone knows for sure.
 
I understand your friend's love and concern for the welfare of his parents, particularly when it relates to their eternal destiny. One brief observation is that even the most extreme predestinarian (e.g., a hyper-Calvinistic, supralapsarian theologian) would not claim that humans are automatons, divinely programmed only to act in certain fixed ways. In particular, God does not program us to receive (or reject) His love or offer of salvation. When people temporarily or permanently reject God's gracious offer of salvation, God basically says to them "your will be done."
 
Interestingly, as we read of Moses' encounters with Pharaoh, who refused to let God's people go out of Egypt, the earlier parts of Exodus say "Pharaoh hardened his heart," but later say that "God hardened Pharaoh's heart," an illustration of God making permanent what the leanings of the heart were.
 
I'm not going to go into a long discourse of predestination from the perspective of historical and systematic theology. I won't overwhelm you with a stockpile of Bible proof texts, though I may mention a few. I won't attempt to explain either the 5 points of Calvinism (TULIP, where U stands for Unconditional Election/Predestination, and divine sovereignty is emphasized), or the position of Arminius (or even Barth) where human freedom is emphasized.
 
Very simply and hopefully not too simplistically, there are Scripture which indicate that God desires all to be saved (e.g. 1 Tim 2:3-4; 2 Pet 3:9); and this is the simplest interpretation of John 3:16. On the other hand, passages like Romans 9-11 strongly emphasize divine sovereignty tempered with mercy. Our problem in understanding passages such as these is that we are finite beings using human language to describe the divine realities and sovereign actions of an infinite, timeless God. Having said this, our problem is sometimes not understanding what Scripture says about God, but accepting both God's role and ours.
 
You probably know that Christianity does not stand or fall on the issue of predestination or our position on it. Also, just as the medical profession doesn't stand or fall on the character or practices of some bad doctors, Christianity does not stand or fall on the hypocrisy, phoniness, or failures of some Christians.
 
Your assumption, or even your friend's claim that his present disinterest or rejection of Christianity is due to his rejection of his present understanding of predestination, may be true; but it may be a smokescreen to making that full commitment to God.

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