Are All Religions The Same?

Part two.

 

By Nick Bibile

 

Many people believe basically all religions are the same. They believe there are different cultures and according to the culture all countries have a religion. Many of them agree religions are good as they teach good moral values. What really matters is to be a good person in the society and live a life that is beneficial for others with good moral values. Religion helps immensely to accomplish this task. So if you are a Christian, Moslem, Hindu or a Buddhist it does not matter really as long as the principles of religion helps you to be a good person. Some even goes on to say that all religions have the same god but god deals with them according to their culture. Now this sounds so good and many believe it.

 

If you are one of the people who believe the above concept, there is a problem. The problem is not a small one but immensely big. What is it?  The problem has to do with Jesus. Many would say, oh! No we believe in Jesus, Jesus was a good man, he was a good teacher. My question to you is; do you think Jesus lied? Their answer would be; certainly no, Jesus is like all the other good religious teachers, they did not lie but they taught good moral values.

 

Let me explain the problem. Jesus believed only in one God. Read the following.

 

Mr 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

 

Hindus believe and worship many gods. Buddhism is a branch of Hinduism, Buddhists also believe in many gods. Hinduism believes in polytheism. Polytheism believes in many gods. They deny the existence of one living God who created the heavens and the earth. Here comes the problem. Jesus believed in one Creator living God. Hinduism and Buddhism deny it. Dalai Lama rejects the existence of a Creator God. The problem is not a minor one but a huge one; it is like black and white one-way or the other. If all religions are basically the same here we see in the very core of religion in basic issues there is a problem. Hinduism and Buddhism clash with Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Both cannot be true, either one is telling the truth or the other is simply not telling the truth.

 

Judaism, Christianity and Islam believe in Monotheism, meaning in one God only.  But does this mean Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all one. Certainly not.

 

Next problem. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

 

Jesus did not say I am a way or one of the ways to God but the way, the only way to God, he did not say I am one of the truths of many but the truth, now he nailed down to the very point by saying no one can come to the Father, meaning the Creator God but only through him.

 

Do you still believe that Jesus is a good teacher? Good teachers do not lie. Jesus is basically telling that the only way to God or to heaven is through him. Here Jesus is posing a major problem to all the religions of the world, he is telling the truth and others are not.

 

In Islam the teacher is Mohammed, Jesus is telling it is not Mohammed but he is the way to God, in Hinduism there are many gods and many teachers Jesus is telling, no, there is one God only and it is not through the teachings of Hinduism but by him only to God. Buddhism believes in Buddha’s teachings, Jesus is telling No to Buddhism as he said; he is the way to God. Jesus is telling all the religions, he is the truth and life.

 

Now you the crux of the matter is either Jesus is telling the truth or simply he is lying. Either Jesus is a great liar or he is telling the absolute truth. We cannot say he is a good teacher and he is not lying and yet does not believe when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Be honest to logic.

 

Without a shadow of a doubt I believe Jesus is telling the truth and the other religions are not.

 

Look at all the other religious leaders of the world and compare them to Jesus. There is a significant difference. The first difference is in all the other religions, the teachings comes first and the teacher is in the background, it is the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam that people believe. But in Christianity, it is the teacher that comes first, he is not in the background but in the foreground and the teachings are in the background. This is a major difference.

 

The difference is believing who Jesus and not just what he taught.  Who is he?  Jesus said: “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) He is one in essence and nature with God. Jesus is God.  This is the difference.

 

This was the reason why they crucified Jesus, because he claimed to be God who came in human flesh as the Savior. Take a peep at the scene before the crucifixion.

 

But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!" (Matthew 26:63)

 

The word Son of God has a significant meaning. It means a divine person, which was predicted by the prophets long time ago, the Messiah, the only Savior, Christ, the King, the Lord.

 

Let us see the answer of Jesus to the high priest.

 

Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Mat 26:64)

 

The reaction of the high priest.

 

Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!

 

Why blasphemy? Because he claimed to be God. That is the main reason why he was crucified.

 

Predictions of the coming Savior.

 

There are over 300 prophecies predicted in the Old Testament was fulfilled by Jesus. There are no predictions given by any religion to any religious leader only Christianity predicted and was fulfilled by Jesus. Let us see just a few of them.

 

No other religion in the world predicted how their leader is going to be born and the exact place. But about 800 years before the birth of Christ, God spoke through Isaiah the prophet and told him the following.

 

Isaiah 7
14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. [1]

Footnotes

1.        7:14 Literally God-With-Us

Fulfillment.

Birth of Jesus.

Lu 1:26  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.

 31 And, behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS.

Mt 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Again Isaiah the prophet about 800 years before the birth of Jesus predicted his death.

Isaiah 53
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

In the Old Testament the capital punishment was stoning to death, but in here Isaiah the prophet in the Old Testament predicts it is not stoning but Christ will be pierced. During this time there was no crucifixion but stoning but see how accurately Isaiah predicted the crucifixion!

Look at the following scripture again by Isaiah.

Isa 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

See the fulfillment by Jesus after 800 years of this prophecy.

Mark 14:65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

In the crucifixion Jesus hands and feet were pierced. But thousands of years before the birth of Jesus the Psalmist predicted the following.

Ps 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Fulfillment by Christ Jesus.

Mr 15:24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Again we see the major difference between all the other religious leaders and Jesus is the resurrection. All the other religious leaders their graves are occupied but go to the grave of Jesus he is not there. Apostle Paul rightly said the following.

1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

What he is saying is if Christ did not rise from the dead then why preach Christianity, you can pick whatever religion you want to, then it is a dead faith, but we have a living Savior and a living faith. Apostle Paul even used witnesses by saying the following.

1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

Paul is saying if you don’t believe he appeared to over 500 people who are still living, go and ask them.

English journalist Frank Morrison who did not believe in the resurrection of Christ wanted to write a book with facts so he could tell the whole world that Christ did not raise from the dead. He went to Israel and did his research. Well, he became a Christian, as he could not prove. All the authorities would’ve had to do was PRODUCE the body of Jesus! Why didn’t they do it? Read Morison’s book with even a half-open mind and I believe that you will finish it in agreement with me... that they DID not, because they COULD not.

You can buy the book at Amazon for $8.79

Who Moved the Stone?
By Authors: Frank Morison
Released: 27 August, 1987
ISBN: 0310295610
Paperback

Sales Rank: 32,583

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Psalmist predicted about thousands of years ago of the resurrection of Christ.

Psalm 16
10For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
 Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

The apostles were martyred for telling the truth, Peter was crucified upside down, who will die for a lie?

Lastly as all the other religious leaders are dead you cannot have fellowship with them. Christ Jesus is alive and the difference between all the other religions and Christianity is that in Christianity there is a relationship with a living Savior but in all the other religions it is just a religion. Look at what apostle John said.

1Jo 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

 

 Thomas did not believe in the resurrection. Here is what he said.

 

Joh 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

 

After eight days of the resurrection Jesus appeared to Thomas.

 

Joh 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

 

Why is it that people would like to attack only Christianity but not Hinduism or any other religion? Why is it that the Bibles were burned? Why is it that Christians were martyred in history, they were crucified, tortured and burned. There were about 500 reformers including children were burnt to death by bloody Mary in England. Even now in many parts of the world Christians are being persecuted and killed.