What about other religions?
This message was about the tough issue of other faiths. Today in America there are more Hindus than Orthodox Jews, more Buddhists than Seventh Day Adventists and more followers of Islam than Episcopalians. The question is whether or not these religions are all wrong or do all religions come to the same basic conclusions about the important matters of life.
My response was framed in three parts:
#1 I believe that Christianity shares common ground with many religions.
#2 I believe that there are critical differences between Chrsitinaity and other religions.
#3 I believe that Christianity is the only true religion pointing us to the only true God.
I backed the third point up with the evidences of prophecies in the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament about Jesus and the evidence we have of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
And as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, “If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished! And if we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most miserable people in the world.”
If the prophecies about Jesus in the are accurate, and by all accounts they are. If Jesus actually did rise from the dead, and there is compelling evidence that he did. Then Jesus really is God and we need to judge all religions by the words of Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one come to the Father accept through me.” (John 14:6)
I cast my lot with Jesus.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Hey Pastor Tim…fantastic sermon this Sunday. I have always struggled with this topic, as I had very good friends growing up that were Hindu. I loved learning about their religion and saw similarities, as you did with your brother. As a young girl I struggled with the thought that they were technically “wrong” in their beliefs…it just didn’t seem right to me when I saw what wonderful people they were and how strong their faith was. As I said earlier, you did a wonderful job approaching this topic on Sunday. I would have loved to have attended your evening seminar, but was unable to make it.
As I’ve said to you before, I could listen to you talk about paint drying and find it interesting!!!
Have a great week.
Jamie
September 29th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Tim,
I have been thinking about your recent comments about the churches you might attend if you only had the choice of a few local churches. I believe you said you could possibly attend a “bible study” with a Catholic group, but not attend their church. I wonder about the position of the Episcopal or Anglican church in your determination of a protestant theology. You didn’t mention this denomination in your remarks. This is a traditional protestant denomination, but it has a history and church service that is very “high church”. I came from a a catholic background and found the Episcopal church as a place that mirrored the catholic reverence for Jesus and the Eucharist with a liturgical theology that reflected a protestant slant. Not counting the recent drift towards the liberal that many mainline churches are going through, what are your thoughts on this, one of the first protestant churches?
Thanks for your consideration
Frank
Reply
Great question! In my seminar on cults last Wednesday, I mentioned several denominational churches I would attend verses churches I would not attend such as a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness church. I certainly would consider as an option attending an evangelical Episcopal or Anglican church. Thanks for asking the question and giving me a chance to clarify my position.
Tim