October 19, 2014

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

Imagine you are walking your dog in your neighborhood when a stranger pulls up to the curb and asks you for directions. That person is hoping you will give him very clear, simple and specific directions.

What will you do?

You start thinking about the way you should tell him to go, but then you get worried that when you tell him the one way he should go that he will be offended and call you intolerant and narrow-minded. So, you respond. "Well, you COULD go to your left at the next intersection and then go two blocks and take a left then go straight for a mile. OR, you could turn around and go back the way you came until you come to the intersection. Take a left at that intersection where you will turn right and go for five blocks. OR, you could take a right at the next intersection and go five blocks and take a lift at the Fire Department. You can choose whichever way you like because they will all get you to the same place - eventually. After all, it doesn't really matter which way you take as long as you are sincere."

You wouldn't do that. No one would. When someone asks you to show them the way you will direct him in the best way you know.

Why, then would you hesitate to direct someone to the one true way to Heaven, through faith in Christ?

And why should someone call you intolerant if you tell him that Christ is the only true Way to Heaven? 

If he expects clear and specific directions to his desired earthly destination, why should he be offended if you share clear specific directions for his eternal destination?

But, how can you do less than share the truth about how to get to Heaven when you know the way?

How can you do less than share the one way to Heaven when you believe in that way and when you have trusted in that way for your own eternal destiny?

If they ask you for directions, and if you know the way and if you are personally convinced of that way, why should you worry about them being offended? If you don't share the truth about Heaven for fear of offending him, you will be offending God and your own conscience.

You know you can't isolate yourself to Heaven as the Buddhists try to do by avoiding all attachments and distractions in life. So why would you direct anyone down that road?

You know you can't meditate yourself to Heaven as the Hindus try to do. So why would you ever want to someone to take that road?

You know you can't earn yourself to Heaven by way of good works like the Muslims and several major cults try to do. So why you ever want to tell someone else to go on that road?

The way to Heaven comes through a relationship because Heaven is about a Person! If Heaven was just a place, then maybe a religion could get you there, but it is about God! Heaven is His place! It is the place of His presence, and the place of His peace, and the place of His purity!

Jesus boldly declared that He is the ONLY Way to Heaven, so you if you are hesitant to say that there is only one way to Heaven, just quote the Words of Jesus, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me!" 

Exclusive?

Sure! And you may be considered narrow-minded.

Intolerant?

Sure! And some day it might considered "hate speech" to say that  Christ is the only way.

True?

Absolutely!

October 18, 2014

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:4-7

We have examined three possible roads to Heaven so far.

1) The Isolation Road - just separate and detach from all pain, suffering, and corruption of life and you will become holy. That is the mindset represented by Buddhism.

2) The Repetition Road - when things get too bad hope for better next time. This is the plan of the Hindus and New Agers who believe in reincarnation, essentially you live life in such a way that when it ends you will recycle into a better form.

3) The Exertion Road - by working harder and doing more good things you can earn your way into Heaven at the end of your life on earth. Muslims and many of the best-known cults.

4) The Relation Road - this idea is that God is a personal God Who craves a relationship with the people He created and then redeemed at the expense of His own Son. This road involves depending on what He has done for us rather than anything we can do for Him. Christianity follows this road and seeks to lead others to this belief. Christians believe that the purpose of faith is to enter into a spiritual relationship with God, not just enjoy the rewards of Heaven.

Christianity believes in the concept of grace, God's undeserved kindness expressed to us when He choose not to act justly toward us as our sins deserved, but to extend His mercy to us through the life and sacrificial death of Jesus, God's Son.

This is an idea so antithetical to the mind of man because it cannot be earned or achieved. It can only be received as a gift through faith.

Christianity's Founder, Jesus Christ, was born in Bethlehem, probably around 4 BC. At age 30, Jesus began to heal, teach and perform miracles while preparing His disciples to carry on His ministry. In AD 29 He was lynched, falsely accused, crucified, buried and resurrected from the grave. For 40 days He appeared to people before finally ascending into Heaven.

Ten days later, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus' followers, empowering them to preach, heal and perform miracles. The Christian church was born and grew rapidly in Jerusalem and then spread abroad when it experienced intense persecution. Today, Christianity is the largest faith on earth with over 2 billions of followers. Current estimates indicate 100,000 people convert to Christianity each day.

John 3:16 explains how this conversion happens, expresses the grace that makes it possible and describes the relationship that results from responding to grace, "For God so loved the world that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

John also records Jesus' own claim that He is the sole road that leads to God and to Heaven, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me." John 14:6.

You will have to decide for yourself, or the decision will be made for you. Which road will you choose in your search for God and the security of Heaven?

Will choose Someone Who came from Heaven, went back to Heaven and promises to come again, OR someone who thinks he has been enlightened OR one who thinks he can earn his way?

October 17, 2014

"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

A third major religion we will review has the second largest number of adherents and it is Islam. One person in five worldwide is a follower of Islam.

Mohammed, the founder of Islam was born in Mecca, near the Red Sea, in 570 A.D to an upper-middle class family. At the time of his birth, his Arab people were polytheistic. Some say they worshiped a different god for each day of the year. Allah, the moon god was one of the many gods worshiped. Allah's symbol, the crescent, is still seen as the chief symbol of Islam today.

In 610 A.D. at the age of 40, Mohammed testifies to having a visitation from a spiritual being he believed to be the angel Gabriel. In the Koran he wrote that this spiritual being told him that Allah is the one true god and that he was the true prophet of Allah. 

Taking courage from this vision, Mohammed began to zealously teach his newly "inspired truth" demanding absolute submission to Allah. A system of moral laws called "sharia" was developed to guide the behavior of adherents to Islam. Those laws prescribe harsh and drastic penalties to those who do not submit to Allah and the central practices of the Five Pillars of Islamic faith:

1) Recite the shahada, ("There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.")

2) Pray (salat) five times a day facing Mecca.

3) Give (zakat) alms to the poor.

4) Fast (sawm) during the month of Ramadan.

5) Perform a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca at least once.

Muslims are taught that faithful performance of these Five Pillars of their faith will earn them entrance into Paradise. Their Paradise is a place of great happiness and enjoyment centering around sensual pleasures with virgins.

There is no mention in the Koran of how women benefit from Paradise.

It must be noted that during his lifetime, Mohammed conquered by the sword and commissioned his followers to continue the practice. He said, "Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous." (Sura 9:123) In at least 18 places in the Koran, Allah commands his followers to fight and kill the enemies of Islam. Sura 5:51 forbids a Muslim to ever take a Jew or a Christian as a friend.

The Muslims are divided into two main sects, the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. The split happened as a result of quarrels over who should succeed Mohammed following his death in 632 A.D. These two branches of the faith have warred against each other over the centuries.

To better comprehend what is happening in the Middle East right now you will need to do some research on the Sunni Shi'ite struggle and their end time beliefs about the Twelfth Imam. Prepare for some OMG moments!

Anyone paying attention to current events is well aware that Islam claims to be the one true way to God and to Heaven. They are so thoroughly committed to that belief they zealous seek to convert or kill all who disagree with them.

But their god, Allah, is not the God of the Bible Whom we worship and serve. So, obviously, since God dwells in heaven, their Paradise cannot be the same as our heaven. Allah is not presented as a personal god to be known in a personal relationship as our God is. 

Islam is gaining tremendous strength and influence  around the world because of the zeal and intensity of their beliefs. They have submitted and surrendered to Allah and count their own lives of value only in their service to him.

How can Christians hope to counter their influence unless we match their level of commitment and dedication?

October 16, 2014

When you watched "The Lion King" and sang along with the catchy theme song, "The Circle of Life" little did you know you were celebrating one of the central tenets of Hinduism.

Hinduism has some 900,000 followers today making it one of the world's major religions. Dating back to 3,000 B.C., Hindus believe in many gods and that god is in everything. Brahman is the great universal force, the "circle of life" that ordains everything and keeps everything in order. It is that unconscious and impersonal force they believe governs the universe.

Ancient Hindus looked around their surroundings and noticed a certain hierarchy to our world. The fish eats the worm, the cat eats the fish, the coyote eats the cats, the mountain lion eats the coyote and the mountain lion gets captured by the game warden before he eats the warden's children. They also noticed this hierarchy goes through a predictable cycle: the game warden dies, is buried in the ground, worms eat his body and the whole thing recycles. Hindu people developed their concept of the road to heaven called, "transmigration of souls," or reincarnation. They hold that all life has an animating force that inhabits certain physical forms based on its level of goodness earned in previous lives.

The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to become completely on with the Brahman of the universe or achieving "Nirvana". "Nirvana" literally means "blown away". Because the Hindus god is a vague impersonal force that dwells everywhere and in everything, reaching Nirvana means losing all sense of consciousness and being absorbed into the unconsciousness of the universe.

In the twentieth century, Indian gurus began migrating to the United States and presenting their teachings on reincarnation. Upwardly mobile, optimistic Americans didn't appreciate the idea that they could regress in their spiritual development. After all, the American dream is about getting and becoming more, not less! So as Hinduism spread in America, we modified the transmigrational highway, making it run only one way - UP! This hybrid belief system formed the foundation of "The New Age Movement" which believes in reincarnation but in an upward direction, never in a downward direction. New Age teachers proclaim we are all gods and the god-part of us migrates upward as we acquire "good karma".

There is little doubt if you talked with a committed Hindu he would be adamant that his way is the only way to God/Heaven, which is interesting since they, like Buddhists don't believe in a personal God or a real Heaven.

Compare that to Jesus' clear affirmation, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me." John 14:6

Isn't it interesting how many people believe that all roads lead to Heaven when some of those "roads" don't even teach about Heaven - at least as we think about Heaven?

What is your plan to get to Heaven?

October 15, 2014

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by me." John 14:6

Hall of Famer, Yogi Berra, has become one of the most quotable athletes of our time. One of his famous quotes was, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it!"

While you chuckle at that notion, it reflects the attitude many take toward religion. "It doesn't matter which faith road you take since all religions lead to God/Heaven."

Doesn't that sound like a nice, comforting, non-offensive, non-judgmental and politically correct statement to make? Some would even regard that statement as enlightened and sophisticated!

A vast majority of popular opinion holds that all religions are pretty much the same and it really doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. And if you are sincere about your faith and I am sincere about mine, don't try to push your beliefs on me!

There are also those of a more religious bent who claim that since Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, then everyone has been saved from their sins by virtue of His sacrifice!

This idea of one religion being better than another and of any religion being the exclusive way to God and to Heaven is widely condemned and rejected by much of modern culture.

So, who would dare to contradict that notion and risk being accused of intolerance?

I would!

So, do each of the major religions in the world!

Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity all claim they are the exclusive way to Heaven!

If all of them are right then none of them are right, right?

If one of them is right then all the others are wrong, right?

If one of them is right and the rest are wrong, you had better know which one is right and which are wrong.

The best way to figure that our is to do a quick study of the claims of each of these major religions.

BUDDHISM:

Buddhism has some 376 million adherents or about 6% of the world's population. It's founder, Siddhartha Gautama, was born some five and a half centuries before Christ in a Hindu family in Nepal. Disillusioned with his Hindu upbringing, he meditated under s fig tree for 40 days and nights. During his prolonged meditation he claims he received "enlightenment" about the nature of life and the means to eternity. For the final 50 years of his life He was regarded as "The Enlightened One."

During his meditation under the fig tree, the Buddhist discovered The Four Noble Truths. These four truths explain the reality of life:

1) Suffering is Universal. The very act of living results in pain and suffering. If you are human you will suffer.

2) Craving is the Root Cause of Suffering. If we didn't desire things we would never feel like we were deprived or lacking anything.

3) The Cure for Suffering is to Eliminate Suffering.  

4) You Eliminate Suffering by Following the Eightfold Path which consists of right views, right thought, right speech, right behavior, right occupation, right effort, right contemplation, and right meditation.  (Who determines what's right?)

The goal of Buddhism is to be free from pain and suffering. Like Hinduism from which it sprang, Buddhism believes in Nirvana (the state of ceasing to exist), but only as a temporary place.

According to Buddhism, ".....there are six realms of existence into which one can be reborn: as a Hell being; a "hungry" ghost, an animal, a human being, a jealous god, and a heavenly being. The most preferred of these is seen to be human birth as it gives one the best chances of attaining enlightenment.

Note that there is no mention of God in their belief system. They believe in whatever ultimate Reality might be, it is beyond understanding of the finite human intellect.

So, in Buddhism you are on your own and the more alone you are the better since relationships with others can be a possible source of pain and suffering.

Obviously, this is a brief summary of Buddhism but hearkening back to the original notion that all religions lead to God/Heaven, how can Buddhism lead to God or Heaven when it doesn't really address either in its tenets?

October 14, 2014

One of the common objections to Christianity is, "I believe all roads lead to Heaven but Christians claim there is only one way!"

Pastor Ray Pritchard, President of Keep Believing Ministries said, "Certainly we have all become aware of the spread of Islam in the last few years. I mention the changing face of America because the social culture we grew up with is rapidly disappearing. We have no choice but to learn how to get along in a nation where our neighbors follow religions vastly different from our own. As America changes, we face the danger of reducing the genuine religious differences to a kind of bland, lowest common denominator, “all religions are equal” approach. But when you hear people say, “All religions are equal,” you can be sure of two things:

    A) They don’t know what they are talking about, and

    B) They haven’t really studied anyone’s religion very closely.

Saying “all religions are equal” insults thoughtful followers of every religion. Talk to your Muslim friends for a while, and you’ll discover that their beliefs and our beliefs are radically different. But talk to a Buddhist, and you’ll discover that their beliefs are different from ours and from the Muslims. The same is true for followers of Judaism, Hinduism, and so on. It’s easy to say, “All roads lead to heaven” when you haven’t studied the map carefully. What we need is an accurate road map that tells us which road leads to heaven. Find that road and you will end up in the right place.

Some years ago the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches was asked to name the #1 theological issue facing Christians worldwide. His answer was unequivocal: “The uniqueness of Christ.” If Jesus is not unique, there is no gospel and we have no Good News to preach to the world".

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by Me." John 14:6

I believe that there is only one way to Heaven and that is through believing in Jesus Christ for salvation from sin. I believe that because He says so!

While all of the leaders of the major religions, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism claim their faith is the only true faith and exclusive way to Heaven, Jesus boldly declares He is the only way to Heaven.

What sets Jesus and His claims apart from all the other great religions of the world is NOT what He said BUT what He accomplished!

He alone came as God in the flesh through the miracle of the virgin birth!

Christ alone, because of being born of a virgin and living a sinless life, was able to die on a cross to become the sacrifice for mankind's sins.

Only Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, was able to arise from death on the third day to conquer death for all who would believe in Him.

Jesus is not just the ONLY leader of a major religion Who came back from the dead! He is the only One Who predicted His death and His resurrection and then did what He predicted!

Not only did Jesus predict His death and resurrection, but all the significant events of His life were prophesied hundreds of years before He came and all 330+ of them happened just as they were predicted!

Jesus is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions! 

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October 13, 2014

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16

Why are my sins important to anyone else - unless I happen to sin against them? James seems to indicate that my sins could be a problem to you and and yours to me because the church is a body - The Body of Christ!

I guess the first question to ask is, "What is the Church?"

As I mentioned, the church is the Body of Christ, but the name for the Church in Scripture is "eklessia". It literally means "called out". The Church is the Body of the "called out ones".

Called out from what? Called out to what?

Good questions!

Being the Body of Christ you can easily reason that the Church would be called out from sin. Don't you think that is reasonable? So, if you are called out from sin and you continue to sin how does that impact the Body? If I continue to sin or if I sin against you, doesn't that impact the Body?

Being the Body of Christ you can also logically assume that we are called out to God. I mean, who is it that would call us out of the world other than God? So, if the Church is called out from sin and to God, how do you think sin affects that?

Being the Body of Christ we are called together. You are called out and I am called out and together we are the Church. So, if we are called out together how does sin impact that relationship? If I sin against you doesn't that create some stress or tension in our relationship? Of course. And vice versa.

Think about what sin does. Sin separates us from God. How can that be good for the Church that is called out by God for God?

Sin also complicates. Once Adam and Eve sinned their lives got immediately complicated. Sin harms relationships, impairs judgment, stirs up guilt and alienates us from God. How does complicating life enhance the Church? It doesn't!

Just those two problems caused by sin are damaging enough to the Church to make the case that sin needs to be dealt with within the Church if the Church is to fulfill its mission as the Body of Christ called out of the world.

James prescribes drastic action to deal with sin. Confess them to each other and prayer for each other. When you know what my sins are and I know what your sins are then I can pray specifically for God to strengthen you. I can also do something else significant, I can hold you accountable. You can hold me accountable. We will each know how seriously the other is dealing with our sins. Transparency and accountability are effective weapons against sin in the church. If I am intentionally standing against my sin and you are standing with me against my sin, doesn't it make sense that I will be stronger in resisting sin?

Sin prospers in the darkness but withers in the sunlight (Sonlight) of truth. James says expose it to the light of truth and shine the searchlight of accountability on it and you will be healed! When you are healed and I am healed guess what happens to the Church? Health!

So, why wouldn't you want to do that? There is a direct connection between holiness and church health! The holier a church becomes the healthier it grows. What church wouldn't  want that?

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