Lesson Thirteen: Recap

We have been through a marathon of different beliefs and religions. What are your thoughts now? Please respond to your overall class experience and knowledge.


It's been fun!!!

Lesson 12: Pagan Religions

For this lesson there will be several links that will lead you to the information. Read the different websites and come back and Comment:

Wicca

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca

Satanism (Modern)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Satan


Discussion

What are your thoughts on either of the "religions" above?

Lesson 11: Atheism, Darwinism and naturalism

Atheism

Agnostics are teamed up with Atheists in most discussions but they are different. Agnostics believe that there is insufficient evidence for the existence or nonexistence of God. They really don't take a position on God one way or the other. Atheists deny the existence of any supernatural beings. They do not believe in any meaning of the universe and they disregard any life commitment to a supernatural being. For the most part, a person believes one of the following three statements:

1. There is a God.
2. Maybe there is a God.
3. There is not a God.

Darwinism

Until 1859, American Atheists had to maintain a low-profile because what they believed was not popular at all. until that time, the existence of the world, humanity, and all of nature was a compelling argument in favor of creation by God. (Can you imagine?) However, Charles Darwin's book, On the Origin of Species, was released hinting at some claims. It was not until his next book, The Descent of Man, came out that the real shocker was announced. His claim was that all living creatures are descended from a single ancestor. Here is his theory:

• Life started on its own as a tiny cell that developed over time into all forms of life, including humans.
• Nature acted like a breeding machine and produced biological changes. Harmful traits were eliminated and useful ones were passed on to the next generation.
• While these changes were small, over time they developed.

Darwin was right when it came to microevolution, change within a species; however, he was wrong when it came to macroevolution, change of one species into a different species. This new theory gave Atheists the ammo it needed in attacking the foundational truth that the world and everything in it was created by God. It has survived all these years without any disclaimer and without any proof of macroevolution.

Naturalism

Darwin's legacy is a new riligion. It is not called Darwinism but it is called Naturalism. Most people do not consider this a religion but as a worldview. Naturalists view the world as follows:

• Everything that exists is the result of natural causes.
• Humans are at the top of the evolutionary chain.
• With our intelligence, we can use science to harness nature for our best purposes.
• The solution to society's problems can be found within the scope of intelligence and ingenuity.

There is no need for God. God is irrelevant in naturalism. Naturalism disregards and denigrates anyone who adheres to a theistic belief. These are then the implications of naturalism:

1. Nature is the only reality.
2. Nature is a closed system.
3. Theists are out of touch with reality.

Discussion

1. How do we prove to an Atheist that God exists?
2. How can you use the Theory of Intelligent Design to combat these three movements?

Lesson 10: New Age

A Quick Look at New Age

• According to Russell Chandler, "New Age is not a cult or sect per se," but rather "a hybrid mix of spiritual, social, and political forces, and it encompasses sociology, theology, the physical sciences, medicine, anthropology, history, and the human potential movement, sports and science fiction."
• As many as 12 million Americans are active New Age participants.
• Another 30 million are avidly interested.
• There is no definite statement of New Age beliefs, no founder, no central church or headquarters, and no formal structure.
• More than 3000 publishers offer New Age and Occult books.
• Bestselling New Age books include A Course in Miracles, A Return to Love, Out on a Limb, and Celestine Prophecy.

New Age Basic Beliefs

1. God is who or what you want him to be.
2. Truth is what you want it to be.
3. Salvation depends on you. - Since you are a god there is no need for salvation

What New Age borrows from other Religions

• Hinduism - ideas of monotheism, pantheism, and reincarnation.
• Buddhism - Meditation and elightenment (nirvana). Rely heavy on Zen Buddhism.
• Taoism - There is no absolute truth.
• Gnosticism - Dualism
• Native American religions - Belief in the nature spirits. Also, shamanism, healed by spirits.
• Occultism - Belief in a power based on a hidden knowledge about the universe and its hidden forces.

Recap

• The influence of new age spirituality is embeded in all aspects of society.
• Many New Age practitioners are thoughtful professionals who have a common vision to transform society and bring about a new era of harmony and human progress.
• New Age spirituality has characteristics of monism, pantheism, defication of humanity, transformation, ecological centerdness and a belief in a new world order.
• The New Age and the Bible present different realities about God, truth and salvation.

Discussion

What New Age influences do you see today?

Lesson 9: Buddhism

A Quick Look at Buddhism

• There are more than 350,000,000 Buddhists worldwide, although obtaining exact statistics is difficult because there are not organized churches in many regions and the religion is often attributed to all residents in an area.
• Buddhism is most prevalent in the countries of China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
• With the growth of Asian ethnicities in the United States, the Buddhist population is increasing in the U.S., with perhaps 500,000 followers. Buddhism is the main religion in Hawaii.

This Way to the Middle

Buddha indentified the key to living in the way of the middle was found in these four noble truths:

1. Life is all about suffering - Life is tough. Existence is painful. And because reincarnation keeps the pattern of birth-life-death in a repeating cycle, the suffering doesn't stop with death.
2. The cause of suffering is our desire and greed. The three roots of evil are desire, hatred and ignorance. Selfish craving is at the root of all suffering.
3. There is a way to overcome our desire and greed. One can transcend the three roots of evil and enter into a state of nirvana and the cycle of suffering will end.
4. The path to happiness and relief of suffering is an eight-step process known as the Noble Eightfold Path.

Whay are there so many statues of Buddha?

Believe it or not people are not worshipping the statue of Buddha. They serve as a reminder of the possibility of enlightenment. Buddhists bring offerings of flowers, incense, candles, etc. to the statues out of respect.

The Way To Nirvana

• Samsura - Life consists of three compopnents - suffering, change and the absence of an eternal soul that survives independent after death.
• Renunciation - True reality involves the renunciation of life as we know it and beleive it to be. Only by letting go of it can we obtain the real meaning of life.
• Reincarnation
• Nirvana - liberation from the cycle of suffering.

Tiratna (Three Jewels)

These are the three fundamental principles upon which the religion is based.

1. Buddha - He found the path to enlightenment and taught it to other people.
2. Dharma - The teaching about the true way of things.
3. Sangha - Community of monks, nuns, laypeople who practice and promote dharma.

What's that again? (Recap)

1. Buddhism got its start in the 6th century when Siddharth Gautama (Buddha) broke away from his isolated, extravagant lifestyle in the palace and was confronted with harsh realities of real life.
2. His great awakening brought understanding that there is a middle way between the extremes of self-denial and self-indulgence. With this truth, he became the enlightened one and was then called Buddha.
3. Buddhists follow the four noble truths that were articulated by Buddha, recognizing that this life is all about suffering that is brought about by our own greed and cravings. Suffering can be overcome by following the 8 fold path, a person can transcend greed and reach a state of nirvana that is the realization of ultimate truth and understanding.
4. Buddhists believve in reincarnation. Following death, rebirth continues. Ideally, with each rebirth you attain a higher level of understanding until you reach nirvana.
5. Buddhism involves an intense dedication to meditation. While prayer in other religions is a search to bring God to humanity, the meditation of Buddhists is a search to find the spiritual nature within the individual.

Discussion

1. What did you notice about God in Buddhism?
2. What do you know (or google) about Zen?

Lesson 8: Hinduism

A Quick Look at Hinduism

• The Word Hindu comes from the Sanskrit Word shindu, meaning river, or more specifically, the Indus River.
• There are appx. 790, 000, 000 Hindus worldwide.
• Thirteen percent of the world's population is Hindu.
• More than 80% of the people of India practice some form of Hinduism.
• Nepal, where 89% of the population is Hindu, is the only nation where Hinduism is the state religion.
• Approxiamently 1 million Hindus live in the United States, primarily in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles and the San Francisco bay area.

Hinduism and Christianity

• Hindu ism states that there are many gods, Christianity states that there is just one God. None of the Hindu gods are personal and you are free to pick the one or ones you want to worship.
• To Hindus, Brahma is the impersonal creator of the world. Brahman is the Universal Soul and ultimate reality. This is an example of "the force". Cristianity believes in the trinity.
• Reincarnation is how Hindus become one with the ultimate reality. Christianity believes that we live once and physically die once.
• Hindus believe that good works will ultimately save you. This is known as karma. People keep going through the cycle of reincarnation because their bad works outweigh their good works. When their good works are more then they will become onewith the ultimate reality. Christians believe that faith in Jesus Christ alone will save the unbeliever. Works is a byproduct of faith.

Recap

1. Hinduism is a major world religion with no founder and no single creed or doctrine.
2. The main goal of Hindu is to break free from the world as we see it to unite with the ultimate reality.
3. Ancient Hindus believe in reincarnation, polytheism and the essential spiritual unity of humankind.
4. The most important Hindu scriptures are the Vedas, composed over a thousand year period beginning in 1400b.c.
5. The three main Hindu gods are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The preists of Brahma climbed to the top of the religous and social order and established the Hindu system of castes.
6. The only way for the individual soul to unite with the Universal Soul is through reincarnation and karma.
7. Moshka occurs when the individual soul finally unites with the Universal Soul. There are three ways to attain it: way of activity, knowledge or devotion.
8. Understanding the beliefs of Hinduism can help you understand many other religions and belief systems of the world.

Discussion

1. How do we explain that there is no force that we absorb into and Christianity is true?

Lesson 7: Mind Sciences

History

The "mind sciences" we will be discussing are Christian Science, the Unity School of Christianity, and the United Church of Religious Science. They will be collectively called the mind sciences because of the similarities between them. The founders of these religions believe that the human mind is the most powerful thing in the universe, even more powerful than God. This idea that the human mind is above everything else did not originate with the mind science cults. You can find this in philosophy, science, politics, and the popular culture. One French philosopher and mathematician by the name of Rene' Descartes (1596-1650) believed that in order to figure out the world, all one needs is reason and math. Descartes believed that the way to prove things exist is to think about them. One example of this is that to prove his own existence Descartes believed that ("I think, therefore I am"). He also believed that God existed because "he" thought about Him. ("I think about God, therefore He exists") Descartes believed that all you need to believe in God is reason, not faith. Another man who influenced this Age of Reason or Enlightenment was Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727). With his new discoveries and inventions (gravity, calculus, etc) the belief that thinking and reason of the mind were the keys to the universe hit a high. Almost overnight, reason became more important than religion.

Another movement from history is that is similar to the mind sciences today is New Thought. This movement took philosophy, science, and religion to a different level by emphasizing metaphysics and mental healing. Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-1866) is considered the founder of New Thought. He believed that all sickness originated in the mind and was a consequence of false beliefs. Quimby believed he could heal physical disease by mere suggestion. Quimby also believed that the person being healed had to be open to the wisdom of God, which he called "the Christ". This isn't the Christ as in Jesus Christ, but an impersonal principle of the mind. Quimby believed that Jesus was a human being who used the Christ principle to heal people and not Jesus Christ the Savior as we know Him as Christians. New Thought evolved into the Divine Science Church which taught:

• God is the sole reality.
• Sickness is the failure to realize this truth.
• Healing comes when you realize that the human race is one with God.

New Thought is basically pantheism, which is the belief that all is God. God is more like a "universal life force" or an "infinite idea" and not a personal Creator who is independent from His creation. They believe that the life of God and life of man are the same which is from Hinduism. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were both pantheists.

The "Mind Sciences"

The three main mind sciences are looked upon as cults and share these basic beliefs:

• God is an impersonal principle, or Divine Mind.
• The Divine Mind is all that is real.
• The material world does not exist; it is only a part of the Divine Mind.

Christian Science

Christian Science is the best-known of the mind sciences. It was founded by Mary Baker Eddy who was born in 1821 in New Hampshire. Baker was a sickly child who got involved in spiritualism and occultism as an adult. In 1862, Mary Baker went to eh mind healer Phineas Quimby for spinal inflammation. She claimed that she was healed. Eddy became a student of Quimby's metaphysics and mental healing. After Quimby died, Eddy published a book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures which is believed to have been plagiarized from Quimby. Eddy established the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, where she taught her principles to 4000 students for a period of eight years. In 1879 she founded the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston. When she died in 1910, the church had a million members, far more than today. Currently there are 2300 Christian Science churches worldwide with 1600 int he United States. Christian Scientists have traditionally forbidden members from seeing doctors. As a result, there have been court cases where some of their members have been charged with manslaughter, child abuse, and murder because of this stance. The church as since, softened its prohibition of medical treatment, although it is still discouraged.

Unity School of Christianity

Charles and Myrtle Fillmore founded this religion in 1891. Myrtle Fillmore was introduced to Quimby's New Thought at a lecture in 1886 by one of his followers. Fillmore had tuberculosis at the time and learned that "a child of God" does not get sick from the lecture. She claims that she experienced a complete healing at this lecture and immediately embraced this belief. Soon after, Myrtle started reading every piece of New Thought and Christian Science literature she could find. Myrtle's husband Charles also studied metaphysics, occultism, Hinduism, and Christian Science. In 1889, he started a magazine called Thought. A year later, Charles Fillmore claimed he had a vision in which a voice said "Unity". He took that and he and Myrtle formed the Unity School of Christianity which took ideas from the other religions. Unity has 300 churches and 100,000 members. It also has a mailing program that sends over 33 million pieces of literature a year.

United Church of Religious Science

The fastest growing of the mind science cults is the United Church of Religious Science, or Science of Mind. This was founded by Ernest Holmes in 1927. Holmes was influenced by some of Quimby's students like the Fillmores. He wrote a 600 page book called The Science of Mind. He also started a magazine called Science Journal. Holmes spread his religion by speaking in person and on radio. He gained admiration from politicians, celebrities, and even some clergy. One of these include Dr. Norman Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking.

Overview of Beliefs

These three mind sciences have many similarities. The more we learn about these religions and beliefs, the more we realize that people will go to great lengths to get around the truth of the Bible, which is truth about God, Jesus, humanity, sin and salvation.

The Bible

As Christians, we know that the Bible is the most trustworthy, reliable, and practical scripture. It is the only divinely inspired written message from God to humankind. (2 Tim. 3:16) The mind sciences take a different view:

• Christian Science teaches the Bible is no more important than a regular history book. If the Bible is interpreted literally then it will lead to "unbelief and hopelessness", they believe. The only way to interpret the Bible is spiritually, and to do that you have to use their founder's book Science and Healthy with Key to the Scriptures. Mary Baker Eddy says that her book is the only "absolute Truth."
• The Unity School religion of the Fillmore's believes that the bible is fine, but to capture all the truth, you need to study the holy books of all the religions. They also say that if you don't want to go to that trouble then you can unlock the truth from your own being, or get a copy of the Unity book, the Metaphysical Bible Dictionary.
• Religious Science teaches that there are many holy books, and they are all equal to the Bible as far as divine revelation. Holmes was fond of Hindu scriptures. He taught that ultimately, the Science of Mind is " the culmination of all religions."

God

The Bible reveals that God is the eternal (Isaiah 40:28), holy (Isaiah 6:3), all-powerful (Revelation 19:6), all-knowing (Proverbs 5:21), loving (1 John 4:7-9), creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1). The mind sciences believe very different.

• Christian Science teaches that because God is all and all is God and God is Spirit, only the spirit is real. The material world does not exist-it is an illusion. The trinity does not exist, just the Divine Principle, which is expressed in a trinity of its own: Life, Truth, and Love.
• The Unity School believes that everything visible is a manifestation of God, the one Spirit. God is not a being with life, love, intelligence, and power. God is the Divine Principle that live in everything.
• Religious Science believes that the universe is the body of God, a view called panentheism. Every person is part of the universe, so every person is part of God. Holmes says "Taking the best from all sources, Religious Science has access to the highest enlightenment of the ages."

Jesus

Christianity is the only religion that believes that Jesus Christ is Savior. All other religions and cults have stripped Jesus of His divine nature and try to make him a mere human. The Bible teaches that Jesus was fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:9). The mind sciences believe:

• Christian Science follows Quimby's principle of "the Christ." Jesus was a human who merely possessed the "divine idea: of the Christ. They believe that Jesus didn't save anybody when He died on the cross. We save ourselves through metaphysical principles.
• Unity School teaches that human Jesus was different from the impersonal Christ principle. We are the same as Jesus, except that we haven't yet expressed the Christ principle as fully as Jesus did.
• Religious Science believes that Jesus merely showed us the way. Jesus embodied the Christ "consciousness," and we can do the same thing. They do not believe in death and do not believe Jesus every died on the cross.

Humankind and Sin

Christianity says that God created people in His image (Genesis 1:26-27) but our relationship with God was broken because of sin (Romans 3:23). The mind sciences see humankind differently.

• In Christian Science, humans are part of God because God is everything. We also possess the Divine Mind, which is good and do not sin. Humans once they become one with the Divine Mind, do not sin and do not get sick and die.
• Unity School believes that all is in God, so there is no sin. The only sin is to believe in sin.
• Religious Science teaches that all human beings are divine. We don't sin, just make mistakes. The only sin is to be ignorant of our own divine nature.

Salvation and Death

The Bible teaches that as sinners, all people need salvation. Without it, we will face judgement. Salvation is the only way to be made right with God. The only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8-10). As Christians, we will go to heaven to to be God forever in heaven (john 3:16; 14:1-3). Those who reject Jesus will go to hell for eternity. (Revelation 20:15). The mind sciences view salvation very differently.

• Christian Science believes that Life, truth, and love (the trinity of their religion) are the keys to salvation. When you stop believing in sickness and sin, you will be saved. They believe that "Man as God's idea is already saved." They also do not believe in hell and heaven results from correct thinking. Death is merely transition for the mind, which keeps on living to correct the wrong thinking about sickness and death.
• Unity School believes that sins are forgiven when you cease to sin by understanding that you are good. They embrace the Hindu belief in reincarnation and through a series of reincarnations you can become more like Jesus, who embodied the Christ principle. Eventually, you will be saved and won't need reincarnation anymore. There is no hell, in the end everyone is saved.
• Religious Science says that God does not punish sin, so there's no need for salvation. "As we correct our mistakes, we forgive our own sins." Salvation is essentially a matter of the mind. Heaven and hell are merely illusions we create in our own minds. Everyone is already saved, so all we have to do is rid our minds of the illusion and embrace reality. Heaven is already in us, we have to embrace it.

Discussion

1. What is one founder and example of a religion or belief from the mind sciences that most surprised you?
2. Although the mind sciences are considerably small in number, they seem to be popularized in our culture. What are some ways, we as Christians can combat this appeal to the lost?

Lesson Six: Catholicism

*** Special Note - CCC stands for Catechism of the Catholic Church ***

Use this website if you would like to read the CCC references. Just type the number into the search engine.

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm


Similarities Between Catholics and Evangelicals

The Trinity

• God is one.
• God has revealed himself as three persons. (CCC 253)
• Catholics do not consider Mary part of the Trinity.

Jesus

• Jesus is the second person of the trinity.
• He is fully divine and fully human. (CCC 464)
• Born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on a cross, buried, resurrected from the dead.

Miscellaneous

• Sinfulness of humanity.
• Necessity of Salvation
• Numerous Social Issues (i.e. abortion)

Differences

Authority

Catholics

• Have 3 sources of authority.
• The Bible (CCC 133)
• Tradition (CCC 82)
• Magisterium - teaching ministry of the church (CCC 85, 87, 95)

Evangelicals

• Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone).

Mary

Catholics

• Mary is the "Holy Mother of God" (CCC 975)
• She was preserved from original sin and pure from all sin in her life (CCC 508)
• Devotion to Mary and the saints intrinsic to worship (CCC 971; 2683-2684)

Evangelicals

• Mary is honored as a godly woman.

Sin

Catholics

• Two types of sin.
• Mortal - destroys the saving grace of God (CCC 1856-1859)
• Venial - does not destroy the saving grace og God. (CCC 1863)

Evangelicals

• No dual concept of sin.

Sacraments

Catholics

• The sacraments are a means of grace.
• The grace of God is infused in s person through the sacraments.
• Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, Matrimony)

Evangelicals

• They are symbols of grace.

Baptism

Catholics

• Infant Baptism (CCC 1250)
• All sins forgiven, original sin and personal sins, as well as punishment for sin. (CCC 1263)
• Completed at Confirmation.

Evangelicals

• Testimony of regeneration not sacrament of regeneration.

Eucharist (Lord's Supper)

Catholics

• Transubstantiation - The bread and the wine actually transform into the body and blood of Christ. (CCC 1376)
• By receiving eucharist, one is receiving Christ.

Evangelicals

• It is a memorial meal, not eucharist sacrifice.

Confession

Catholics

• Sinner confesses mortal sins to priest; priest imposes acts of penance and offers forgiveness of sins. (CCC 1461)
• Reconciles one with God. (CCC 1468)

Evangelicals

• The Doctrine of the Priesthood of the Believer.

How Can One Be Saved?

How can I, a sinner, be made right with God, who is perfect and holy? By Justification

Catholics and Evangelicals agree that "We are justified by grace through faith because of Jesus Christ."

Catholics and Evangelicals disagree that "We are justified by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. Evangelicals agree with this statement.

Sola Fide (Faith Alone)

• Martin Luther: "the doctrine upon which the church stands or falls."
• John Calvin: "the hinge upon which everything turns."
• This is the heart of the Gospel.

The Council of Trent

• "If anyone says that by faith alone the sinner is justified, so as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification...let him be anathema (condemned; excommunicated)" Session 6, Canon 9

Paul

• "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel...If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned." Galatians 1:6-9

Discussion

1. What are your thoughts on this culture that you live in?

2. We can not judge if whether a person is going to heaven or hell but looking at the beliefs of the Catholic church how well do they match up with Christianity?

Lesson Five: Jehovah's Witness

History

The Jehovah's Witness movement was founded in by Charles T. Russell in Pittsburgh, PA, in the late 1800's. Russell was influenced by members of the Seventh-day Adventists and their belief in an imminent return of Christ to establish the millennial era. At this time it was 1872 and he was 20 years old. Russell grew up believing in the ideas of traditional Christianity. He established the International Bible Student's Association and predicted the millennial age would start by 1914. His organization became known as the Zion's Watchtower Tract Society where he printed the first magazine known today as The Watchtower. Russel's skills as a communicator really helped stimulate the interest in this new religion. He published his sermons, published a seven volume series entitled Studies in Scripture. This would become the doctrinal foundation. He even said it would be better to read his writings than the Bible.

Russell died in 1916 and Joseph Rutherford took his place in leadership. He published many writings and they became the standard for doctrinal and scriptural interpretation. He made significant changes which include:

• The Golden Age Magazine (now known as Awake)
• Reinforced door-to-door witnessing.
• By 1933, 403 radio stations were broadcasting Bible lectures.
• In 1931, to distinguish themselves from Christian denominations, the name of the group became Jehovah's Witness.

After Rutherford died in 1942, Nathan Knorr became president of the Witnesses. During this time the Witnesses were involved with many court cases stating their objections to certain political requirements. Between 1930-40, they won 43 cases before the Supreme Court. They did a lot for minority civil rights. Under his leadership, they grew from a membership of 115,000 to more than 2 million by 1977.

Knock, Knock !

Chances are you have had a Jehovah's Witness come by your house. On average, each Witness spends about 10 hours a month in door-to-door visits. They are concerned about your spiritual condition but this visiting is a requirement for their salvation. Jehovah's Witness has a works based salvation. The door-to-door evangelism has proven effective for them. They average about 5,500 converts per week. On top of those 10 hours the Witness must attend 5 hours of meetings each week. Interestingly enough these meetings do not include audience participation. No questions are allowed. Each member is instructed to accept the teachings of the Watchtower Society as authoritative, definitive and final. Jehovah's Witness is a tightly organized religion. Witnesses meet in their local Kingdom Hall. Strict guidelines on structure and doctrine are dictated from their headquarters in Brooklyn, NY. Today there are currently over 6,000,000 Witnesses in 230 countries in the world.

Beliefs

Bible

They believe that the Bible is the only authority. However, they believe that they alone interpret the Bible correctly. The have their own version of the Bible and it is the only authoritative one. This version is the New World Translation. Their Bible is similar to any Christian Bible but there are some major differences.

There is God, But No Trinity

The Witnesses believe that there is one God and the correct name is Jehovah. They believe that the exclusive use of this name is a mark of a religion being true. They do not consider Jesus to be the Son of God. Instead Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel who was the first of God's creations. When he came to earth he was called Jesus and after going back to heaven he was back to being Michael. Jesus isn't God and Witnesses can not pray to Him because it is heresy. Anyone guilty of this is disgraced from the organization. They have a concept of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a God but is an active force (like electricity).

There is life after death (for the Witnesses) but No Hell (for everyone else).

The Witnesses deny the existence of hell. There is no eternal punishment. All non-Witnesses are annihilated immediately upon death. For witnesses, there is an elite class of 144,000 who will actually get into heaven. The rest of the Witnesses will live on the earth during Jehovah's millennial reign. Until then, the spirits of past witnesses lie in a unconscious state.

There is Salvation, but You Have to Work for It

Because Jesus (really Michael) is not considered to be God then he doesn't play a significant part in the salvation process. His death on the cross only cancels out Adam's sin. Humans now have the opportunity to attain righteousness on our own. This happens by being a Witness and testifying for Jehovah.

Oppositions

Jehovah's Witnesses are famous for being oppossed to certain activities. They consider these to be immoral. They believe these claims are mandated in the Bible. They are as follows:

• Blood Transfusions
• Birthday Celebrations
• Christmas Celebrations
• Other parties and Festivities (i.e. - Thanksgiving)
• Patriotic Customs (Voting, Saluting the Flag, or Pledging Alligiance)
• Serving in the Military

Discussion

1. Please look back through the beliefs section of this blog. What are some of the major differences in Jehovah's Witness and Christianity?

2. As we saw in our study of Mormonism, Jehavah's Witness is even more famous for their door-to-door evangelism. What is the most effective way that we can get the Christian message out to non-believers?

Lesson Four: Mormonism

Overview

Mormonism is also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Mormon church membership is over 11 million with an average of over 300,000 converts per year. Mormons embark on a 2 year mission after graduating high school. There are approximately 50,000 missionaries in 200 countries. Mormons consider themselves to be Orthodox Christians and on the outside they may appear this way. Unfortunately, the Mormon church is a cult and they are eventually unorthodox in every belief.


History

The founder of the Mormon church was Joseph Smith. He was born in 1805. One day in the spring of 1820, Smith was praying in the woods near his home when he received his vision in which two "personages"- The Father and the Son - appeared to him. The personages told him that all of the churches and their beliefs were wrong. A new church was started and Joseph Smith was the one start and lead it. ( Note that Smith was only 15 years old). Smith got really involved in treasure hunting, "seer" stones (peep stones) which was considered occultic and it was illegal. "Peep Stone Gazing" is a practice in which a person would place a stone into a hat and then put his face completely in the hat, shutting out the light. The magic rock(s) would then shine to reveal the location of buried treasure. On September 21, 1823, Smith claimed to have another vision this time from the angel Moroni. Note Smith was now 18. This angel told Smith where a book was inscribed in gold plates containing the information about the former inhabitants of America along with the true gospel which had been given to these ancient inhabitants by the "Savior". It was not until three years after this that Moroni told Smith where the gold plates were buried. By 1830, Smith had published these golden plates and called them the Book of Mormon and founded the Mormon Church. Interestingly enough, The angel Moroni took the golden plates back to heaven with him after the translation. They can not be viewed for inspection. As the church grew so did opposition. The opposition came from Smith's "inspired scriptures" and the practice of polygamy. Smith died in 1844 when a mob stormed a jail where Smith was being held. Brigham Young then took over as leader and lead the group to what is now known as Salt Lake City, Utah. This city was established a "The New Zion (Jerusalem)". Polygamy flourished but ended in 1890 when the 4th president of the Mormon Church, Wilford Woodruff, had a new revelation from God that they should give up the practice. Not coincidentally, the U.S. government had threatened to confiscate the churches property, temples and deny Utah the opportunity for Statehood.


Mormon Scriptures

Mormons believe in four "standard works" of scripture. They do believe that the original manuscripts of the Bible are accurate but they believe that it has been corrupted along the way. They also believe God continues to give revelations.

• The Book of Mormon - Smith once called this "the most correct book on earth." Smith claimed to have translated this from the writings of ancient civilizations (golden plates). The evidence shows that Smith copied thousands of words and even some whole chapters directly from the King James Bible.
• Doctrines and Covenants - He not only called the Book of Mormon the most correct book but he also called it the most "complete." However, The Book of Mormon was followed up three years later with the Book of Commandments and two years after that revised it and called it Doctrines and Covenants.
• Pearl of Great Price - This sacred Mormon book also "translated" by Joseph Smith. This contains Smith's own "correct" translation of the Book of Moses, the Gospel of Matthew and the Articles of Faith. Non-Mormon scholars have determined that the artifacts Smith used for his translation were remnants of a common Egyptian funeral text.
• The "Inspired" Version of the Bible - Smith did his own translation because he believed and taught that every other translation was corrupt. However, Smith could not read Greek or Hebrew. Basically, he made thousands of changes to the King James Bible. The Mormon Bible even has a passage in Genesis 50 predicting the coming of Joseph Smith.

Basic Beliefs

The Nature of God (Two Important Beliefs)

• Eternal Progression - God is not eternal, self-existent, all-powerful God of the universe. God is nothing more than a man who became a god. Each "god" was created by another "god". The current "Father God" was once a mortal man but he progressed to become "god". This belief that god was once a man leads to the belief system that God still has a physical body.
• Polytheism - This is probably the most basic difference between Mormonism and Orthodox Christianity. Mormons not only believe that the present Father God is descended from an eternal progression of other gods, but they believe that any Mormon can become a god too.

The Person of Jesus

According to Mormon Theology, after the current Father God was created, he grew up as a man on another planet and then became God. He then had sex with Mother God and had "millions" of spirit children. The first-born of these children was Jesus, and the second-born was Lucifer. The Father God then came up with a plan for the rest of his spirit children to populate and live on earth, be tested, only to return to him after death. Mormons sometimes refer to Jesus as elder brother. Jesus was chosen as Savior and it made Lucifer mad so he rebelled. The Father God had physical relations with Mary and this is how Jesus was born. They believe Jesus got married and had several children. He died on a cross, was resurrected with a new body, returned to heaven, where he is waiting to take the place of the current Father God, who will progress to even greater realms.

Humankind

Mormonism believes that every person born once existed as a spirit in heaven. A person can also progress to be a god. Once you have become a god, you can have spirit children of your own and they will eventually come to earth and repeat the cycle.

• Sin and Salvation - People are born in an innocent state. Sin is not a condition of rebellion against God but more like having poor judgement or making a mistake. Mormons believe that salvation is how we get right with God. That means you will be resurrected and have a body. Mormons believe that because Jesus was resurrected then everyone will be. They do not believe that you are saved by believing in and accepting Jesus. All people are eventually saved, and you are saved by doing good works and by obeying "the laws of the Gospel" (Meaning people who follow the beliefs of the LDS church).
• The afterlife - Mormons believe that all people will enter one of three heavens when they die: the celestial, the terrestrial or the telestial. Only faithful Mormons would enter the celestial heaven. The not so good Mormons and the really good non-Mormons enter the terrestrial heaven. The third heaven includes most people because they have been mostly bad.

Mormonism and Christianity

Scripture

The Book of Mormon

• Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from the writings of ancient prophets engraved on gold plates he found buried near his home.
• The translation involved a "seer" stone, which Smith claimed to gave him the power of God.
• The Book of Mormon contains thousands of words, even entire chapters, copied from the King James Bible.
• There is no decisive archaeological evidence for any of the ancient civilizations described by the Book of Mormon.
• Despite Mormon claims, the Book of Mormon is not prophesied in the Bible.

The Bible

• God used the Holy Spirit to inspire 40 different human writers over a period of 1600 years. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
• Several different individual church councils discovered which writings were Scripture by recognizing the writings that spoke with the authority of God.
• The Bible has been carefully transmitted and translated from the original manuscripts and languages to the current day.
• Archaeologists have uncovered more copies of the ancient Bible manuscripts than any other document in antiquity.
• There is abundant corroborating evidence to confirm the claims of the Bible. Not every person, place, date, or fact about the Bible has been verified through outside sources but many have and not one has been shown to be false.

The Nature of God

Mormons

• God the father is an exalted man from another planet.
• He came from another species of gods, who existed before him in an infinite series of gods, who were also men.
• God is ever evolving.
• God has a physical body.
• God the father had physical relations with the Mother God resulting in millions of spirit babies.
• Although matter is eternal, God is not.

Christians

• God is God, not an exalted man (Hosea 11:9)
• There is only one God (Isaiah 45:5)
• God is a spirit (John 4:24) and does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).
• God is eternal (Isaiah 40:28)
• God does not change (Malachi 3:6)
• There has never been a time when God was not completely God (Psalm 90:2)

Jesus

Mormons

• He was a created being and the brother of Lucifer.
• He was born of Mary having sex with God.
• Jesus had to earn his own salvation, just like the rest of the created beings.
• Jesus is a greater being than other spirit children on the earth, but he has the same nature.
• Jesus was a polygamist.
• The atonement of Jesus took place in the garden of Gethsemane and was for Adam's sin only.
• Our salvation begins with atonement but is made complete by our good works.

Christians

• Jesus is fully God and one with God the Father (John 10:30).
• Jesus was born of a virgin through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-20)
• Because He is God, Jesus didn't need to be saved (1 John 5:20)
• There is no evidence that Jesus ever married once, let alone several times.
• The atonement of Jesus took place on the cross, and it was effective for all humanity (Romans 5:18)
• There is no other way to be saved except by faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; Ephesians 2:8-9)

Bickel, Bruce and Stan Jantz. World Religions and Cults 101. (Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, 2002), 91-108.

Discussion

1. You have all seen the commercials put out by the Mormon church. You have probably seen the missionaries on bikes in your neighborhood. The Mormon Church is very marketable and aggressive. What can we as Christians learn from them in this area???
2. Except for me, everyone in this class are females. The Mormon woman celestial heaven is to be Mother God over a planet with Father God. Mother God is to have millions of spirit babies. Does this sound like heaven to you???
3. It is my opinion that the Mormon Church is the #1 threat in America to Christianity. An average of 300,000 converts a year and the majority of those were evangelical Christians. However; no one within the church is really "beating the drum" about Mormonism. Maybe its because they are good people...wealthy... or they really don't understand Mormonism. What can we do to get the true word out about Mormonism?

Lesson Three: Islam

Beginnings

Muhammad ibn Abdullah was born in 570 A.D. in Mecca. As a child, he lost his mother, father and grandfather to death. He had to live with his uncle. His uncle was head of the Quraish clan. This clan had the responsibility for the Ka'aba, a Meccan shrine and place of pilgrimage in Arabia. Most of the people in Mecca were polytheistic; worshipped many "gods" and natural phenomena. Two of the main religous practices in this polytheistic culture were offering sacrifices and going on pilgrimages. In 610 A.D., Muhammad was sitting in a cave when he received the first of a series of mystical visions. He eventually believed that the archangel Gabriel was deliving God's message to him. The message was that there was one true God and that idolotry was an abomination. It wasn't until 612 A.D. that he began to preach and he began to get converts. Muhammad recited these revelations to his disciples since he could not read or write. They wrote his revelations down and this collection became the Qur'an (Koran). In 612A.D., Muhammad and his followers moved from Mecca to Medina.This date starts a new time period for the Muslims. Hegira is the depature of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina and the beginning of the Muslim era. Thus, starting with 622A.D., Muslims now have their own calendar with A.H. 1 (and so forth).


Get This to Understand Where We Are Today!

Muhammad organized a small army to establish peace among the various tribal fighting groups in Medina. Through combat and diplomacy he acheived stability in the region. A mosque was built and a government was formed to set rules for the people in all walks of life: religous, economic, political and social. In 630 A.D., after 6 years of fighting, Muhammad conquered the city of Mecca. He destroyed every shrine and idol there except the Kaaba. Mecca is the most sacred place on earth to the Muslims. He was a combined religous leader and government ruler enforcing the worship of Allah. Muhammad died in 632 A.D.
Just this snapshot alone should help one better understand why the Middle East is why it is!


The Five Doctrines

Doctrine #1 : God

God's name is Allah. Muslims believe in his existence and preeminence. They believe in his omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence (Christians believe these things except for the name Allah). Muslims memorize the "99 beautiful names" for Allah and they describe a characteristic of Allah. Missing from this list of characteristics is ...Love. The Qur'an does not describe Allah as loving. His character is described in terms of judgement and power. Allah does love those who are good (do good deeds and practice 5 pillars) but Allah does not love the person whose bad deeds outweigh the good things he/she has done. Allah only loves the good. Muslims also take offense to the notion that a person can know God. They do not believe in a personal relationship with God. They believe he is mysterious and distant. Muslims also believe that Christianity is polytheistic because of the Trinity. They believe Christians worship three gods. Because of the Trinity, Muslims view Christians as unbelievers. These are major differences between Christianity and Islam.

Doctrine #2: Angels

Muslims believe that each human has two recording angels that keep track of their good deeds and their bad deeds. This is done throughout an entire lifetime. On Judgement Day, the deeds are weighed to see which one, good deeds or bad deeds, outweighs the other.

Doctrine #3: Sacred Scriptures

According to Islam, Allah has revealed himself through four sacred writings:

1. The Torah (Books of Moses in the Bible)
2. The Zabur (Psalms of David)
3. The Injil (The Gospel of Jesus Christ)
4. The Qur'an (The revelation of Muhammad recited to his transcribers)

The Qur'an prevails over all these because it was Allah's last revelation. Much of the teaching about God in the Qur'an is consistent with the teachings in the Bible. Muslims accept the Torah and the Gospels but believe that Jews and Christians have misinterpreted them. They believe them to be corrupt and the Qur'an to be in the original perfect state. They believe it to be Muhammad's exact revelation on paper and nothing errant about it. Most of the work to collect all the revelations into the Qur'an are based on the work of Zaid ibn Thabit.

Doctrine #4

Muslims believe that over 100,00 prophets have been sent to human beings throughout history. The Qur'an list less than 30. Here are some:

• Adam
• Noah
• Abraham
• Moses
• David
• Solomon
• Jonah
• John the Baptist
• Jesus

Muslims recognize Jesus as an important prophet but not the Son of God. To them this is blasphemy and the Qur'an denies that Jesus is the Son of God. Interesting enough that Muslims believe that He was sinless and Muhammad was not. The Qur'an teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin. Muslims respect and honor Jesus but they consider him less significant than Muhammad. Muhammad was the greatest of the prophets and the message he brought applies to everyone for all time.

Doctrine #5: Future Judgement

Remember the doctrine of angels? There are two angels, good and bad, that record all your actions. Allah weighs these actions against each other to see which way the scale tips. This determines a person's eternal destiny!

LOOPHOLE!!!

There is a loophole that would allow a Muslim-and only a Muslim-to avoid judgement. Those who die as martyrs in defense of the Islamic faith or in a "holy war" (a jihad) go directly to heaven and avoid the uncertain outcomeof waiting to see which way the scales tip.

The Five Pillars

If the scale is going to tip in favor of a Muslim then they perform certain good deeds that are compatible with the teachings of the Qur'an and the Hadith. Chief among these are the Five Pillars of Faith. A muslim must perform these if the scales are to tip in their favor.

Pillar #1: Recite the Creed

It is called the Shahadah. The english translation is "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messanger."Muslims are expected to recite this publicly and doing so throughout their lifetime confirms a persons membership in the Islamic faith.

Pillar #2: Pray the Prayers

Prayer is the discipline most consistent Muslims practice because it shows obedience to Allah. Prayer is a ritual that occurs five times a day: dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, after sunset and at night. Prayers must be said facing the city of Mecca. Prayers can be said anywhere except on Fridays at noon when Muslims must come to the mosque.

Pillar #3: Give the Alms

Alms equal 2.5 percent of a person's income. The money is given to the Muslim community to benefit widows, orphans, the sick and travelers. ALms are also used for the institutional and administrative purposes of Islam (i.e. - building mosques, salaries of Muslim missionaries).

Pillar #4: Fasting

Muslims observe an entire month of fasting during Ramadan. Muslims abstain from food, drink and pleasures during the month. Any eating must be accomplished after sunset and before dawn.

Pillar #5: The Pilgrimage

The Qur'an requires that a Muslim make a pilgrimage(hajj) to Mecca once in a lifetime. There are exceptions for the sick and poor. To Muslims, the hajj is a symbol of the global unity of Islam and everyone's quality before Allah.

Sects

The two major sects are the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. There was a split of these two groups that happend not long after Muhammad's death in 632 A.D. The Shi'ites broke away because they believed that Muhammad's successor should be in Muhammad's bloodline. They also believe religous leaders should be political leaders. The Sunnis believe that the leaders should be elected and their should be a separation of religion and government.

Recap

• Allah - The most powerful ruler in the universe. The oneness of his character contradicts the Christian Trinity.
• Humanity - They are in charge of creation and under Allah's authority. They are to instill moral order through the teachings of Islam. Conscience is a higher value than love.
• Sin - The human tendency to sin comes from a weakness rather than from a sin nature.
• Salvation and Afterlife - The two recording angels record your good and bad deeds and weigh them on the final judgement. This determines eternal life for the muslim. Remember the Loophole!!!
• Morals - Otlined in the Qur'an.
• Worship - It is best revealed by strict adherence to the five pillars.
• Jesus - A great prophet but certainly not God. Muhammad was a mere mortal (Like Jesus) but was the greatest prophet.

Islam and Christianity

The Muslims believe that Allah does not love and that he is not a personal god. They believe justice is his strongest characteristic. Christians believe God's biggest characteristic is love (John 3:16) and that He desires a personal relationship with His creation. Muslims do not accept Jesus as the Messiah, nor are they looking for one. Islam is a religion where works equals salvation whereas Christians believe works are a byproduct of salvation. Christians only believe the Bible.

Discussion

After studying Islam, what is your thoughts on the present situation in the middle east and the world? Does this help you understand where they are coming from and why they do what they do???

Bickel, Bruce and Stan Jantz. World Religions and Cults 101. (Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, 2002), 61-79.

Lesson Two: Judaism

Abraham

Judaism is the religion of the Jews. Judaism begins with Abraham and one can find his story recorded in Genesis. God formed a covenant (promise) with Abraham and it involved:

• A People - God told Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. Abraham was an old man when God said this to him. (Gen 12:2; 15:5)
• A Place - God promised Abraham and his descendants a homeland. Canaan is the region now known as Israel and Palestine. (Gen 17:8)
• A Purpose - The purpose of using Abraham and his descendents was to teach the world about the one true God. (Gen 12:3)

The Jews have always been called "God's chosen people" and with good reason.

"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt." - Deuteronomy 7:6-8

The Messiah

Jews have been awaiting the arrival of the Messiah for centuries. They expect the Messiah to not only be a Savior for the Jews, but also a blessing to all humanity. Many Jews are looking for a military Messiah, along the lines of King David, who would bring victory. This is what people were waiting for and expecting in the Messiah. Jesus did not fit the description to them. The majority of Jews at that time, and still today, have rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Jewish officials at that time ruled Jesus to be be a Messiah imposter and they were not allowed to teach about Him. Some did accept Him as the Messiah based on the prophecies about the "suffering servant" and they believed that His kingdom that would be established was spiritual. The Christian church was initially comprised of Jews that believed Jesus was the Messiah. Many Jews believed that one could not be a Christian without first becoming a Jew. Peter's vision in Acts 10 and his explanation in Acts 11:1-17 lead to the following conclusion:

"When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." - Acts 11:18

Some Jews even view the Messiah as a time period of prosperity and not an actual person.

Rules & Writings

It was God's plan to use the Jews to demonstrate His principles on how to live. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. These commandments showed how humanity was to relate to God and the rest of humanity. These however are not all the rules for a Jew. There are 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the sacred writings of Judaism. Some are positive (things to do), some are negative (things not to do) and some refer to Temple procedures. The Temple does not currently exist. The Torah is the name of the entire Jewish Bible. The Written Torah, Tanakh, is what Christians call the Old Testament. It contains the same 39 books but just in a different order and some even combined (i.e. - Samuel is one book not two). It is arranged as the Law, Prophets and Writings. The closest thing to a widely accepted explanation of Judaism is found in the writings of Moses Maimonides. These are what he considered to be the basics of the Jewish faith:

1. God exists and is the sole creator.
2. There is only one, unique God.
3. God has no bodily form or shape.
4. God is eternal.
5. We should pray to God and to Him alone.
6. The words of the prophets are true.
7. The prophecies of Moses are true, and He is the greatest of all the prophets.
8. The Written Torah (Tanakh) and the Oral Torah (Teachings of the Talmud) are true.
9. The Torah is not subject to change, and there will never be another Torah from God.
10. God nows the thoughts and deeds of every person.
11. God will reward those who are good and will punish those who are wicked.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. The dead will be resurrected.

With all these rules the predominant view of Judaism is that it is very legalistic. Just like any other religion it can be legalistic. The term halakhah describes the relationship between Jewish people and their laws and customs. Halakhah literally means "the path that one walks". Jewish people do not view their laws and customs as being bound by chains in a prison. No, they view their laws and customs as a tool to provide religous significance to their everyday acts. Getting dressed, eating, etc now have a religous meaning to them. Jews do not see themselves as being burdened down by rules but a way that God can be glorified. Living a life according to these rules and customs reminds a Jew of their faith.

Sects

There are three main sects (divisions) in Judaism.

1. Orthodox Jew - Oldest and most conservative branch of Judaism. They strictly adhere to all the laws, customs and practices. Every word of the sacred text is considered to be divinely inspired and mandatory.
2. Reform Jew - This is the most liberal and more permissive side of Judaism. This is many of the Jews in North America. Basically, they follow the ethical laws of Judaism and that is about it. They do not adhere to the customs. They use English instead of Hebrew. Musical instruments are permitted and so are female rabbis. Instructions from God are progressive and can be changed.
3. Conservative Jew - This is actually what most would consider moderate. It retains much of the tradition while making accommodations for contemporary lifestyles.

A Religion or A Race

Judaism was within and for a specific bloodline (Abraham). However, even a person outside the blood-line (gentile) can be a Jew. A person doesn't even have to believe in God to be a Jew. Many Jews do not believe in God and just practice the faith out of a sense of heritage. Judaism also requires no certain DNA to be a Jew (like many other races). They are more than a religion or a race. They are a nation. This refers to the universal connectedness amongst Jews. They would describe themselves as "the Jewish people" or "children of Israel".

Recap

1. God - He is the powerful ruler of the universe. He is loving and just. There is a tension between the nearness and the fairness of God, but hummanity can communicate with Him.
2. Humanity - People are basically good because they are created in the image of God. They have the ability to make ethical choices and are responsible for their actions.
3. Sin - Although people have a good nature, they have an evil inclinationthat may lead them astray.
4. Salvation and Afterlife - This is not well developed. Your eternal existence is determined by your moral behavior and attitudes. God offers forgiveness to those who repent and atone for their sins through positive action. You are responsible for leading a moral life while here on earth; any judgement in the afterlife is best left to God.
5. Morals - The desired pattern for behavior is addressed in Jewish literature. Morality is based upon the good of the community and social justice. Marriage and children are valued.
6. Worship - This is a major part of life. Rituals and cermonies play an important role. Jewish worship is prayer-centered.
7. Jesus - Some recognize that He was a great teacher of morality. Most consider Him to be an imposter Messiah.

Judaism and Christianity

What is the difference? Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah and most Jews do not. The Israeli Supreme Court has even ruled that Jews who believe in Jesus as Messiah are not Jews under the law, which grants citizenship to all Jews. Jews that have accepted Jesus as the Messiah consider themselves to be completed or fulfilled Jews. Personally, As I read the Bible I see how God's chosen people have not been perfect. This gives me hope. However, just like Christians today, they have constantly been in a cycle just like they were in the book of Judges.

Discussion

1. Why did Jesus not fit the expectation that Jews had for the Messiah?
2. Other Questions/Comments.

Bickel, Bruce and Stan Jantz. World Religions and Cults 101. (Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, 2002), 41-58.

Lesson One: Christianity

What Sets Christianity Apart From All Other World Religions

Many religions have a lot of things in common with Christianity so what sets Christianity apart from these other religions.

The answer is Jesus.

Only Christianity says Jesus is the only Son of God and He came to the earth to save sinners and freely give them eternal life in Heaven. Jesus' life, ministry, death and resurrection are at the very heart of Christianity.


Our World Today

The growing and ever-present ideology in the world today is that you believe what you want to and that becomes your very own personal truth. Each person develops their own personal truth and the result of this is that there are no more absolute truths that people accept. This is called Post-modernism. An effect of post-modernism is religous pluralism which states that "all roads lead to the same place". This means that it does not matter which religion you follow or what "god" you believe in, as long as you are faithful you will go to Heaven.

This is wrong!

Another characterictic of other world religions is that some of them have Christian aspects mixed with error. Christianity is true and never mixed with error. Any error equals a false religion. these two characteristics, post-modernism and religions with Christian aspects mixed with error , give us the world that we have today. One of Satan's biggest weapons is confusion (Genesis 3:1)


Christianity: The Truth

1. The truths of Christianity are consistent with history.
2. The truths of Christianity are consistent with science.
3. The truths of Christianity are consistent with reason.

Christianity is true in what it says about God. God is real and not just something humans came up with. He is self-existent and the creator of everything. God is eternal, holy and unchangable. God is also just. God is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient) and God is everywhere (omnipresent). Two other very important aspects of God is that He is love and is personal. Throughout scripture, God has always been personal with His creation and He is so today.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." - John 3:16-17 (NIV)

Jesus: Our Salvation

Because God is love and He is personal, John 3:16-17 comes to life through His only Son Jesus Christ. It is here that one can see that Christianity is not just some religion where if we just follow the rules, go to church and act good enough we will go to Heaven when we die. NO! Christianity is not a religion but it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.

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

A Christian is one who believes in what Jesus has done for them:

1. Jesus is the Son of God with all the characteristics of God (John 10:30).
2. Jesus came to the earth though the virgin birth (Luke 1:26-33)
3. Jesus was crucified on a cross, buried and rose from the dead to save humanity from their sins. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Humanity Must Now Respond

God has spoken through His creation (general revelation: Rom. 1:20), through His written Word (special revelation: the Bible) and through the living Word, Jesus Christ (John 1:1).

Christianity does not teach that all people will go to Heaven nor can one earn their salvation with good works.

THE ONLY WAY TO RECEIVE THE FREE GIFT OF SALVATION IS BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE. (Romans 10:9-10)

Recap of Christianity

1. Jesus is the one thing that separates Christianity from all other religions or cults.
2. Christianity is the truth and all religions should be measured against it.
3. The God of Christianity is the one and only true God.
4. God has spoken to us through His creation (general revelation), through His written Word (special revelation), and through His Son, Jesus Christ.
5. Christianity is more than a religion. It is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
6. The only way to receive salvation and have eternal life in Heaven is through faith in Jesus Christ.
7. The only way to be forgiven of our sins and be reconciled to God is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Discussion

Please leave a comment for the following:

1. In a world that says there are no absolute truths and everyone develops there own truth, how do Christians convey the message of the absolute truth of Jesus Christ?
2. Any other questions or comments from Lesson One: Christianity.

Bickel, Bruce and Stan Jantz. World Religions and Cults 101. (Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, 2002), 19-40.