Read all about it - Eternity
 |
What makes Christianity different? |
Why can't we take the best out of all the religions and go for that? Why is the Christian the only one who is going to heaven? Isn't that narrow minded?
These doubts and criticisms seem reasonable. Let's look at why Christians make these bold claims.
The God of the Bible claims to be the only true God.
Jeremiah 10:10-12: "The Lord is the only true God, the living God. He is the everlasting King! The whole earth trembles at His anger. The nations hide before His wrath. Say this to those who worship other gods: 'Your so-called gods, who did not make the heavens and earth, will vanish from the earth. But God made the earth by His power, and He preserves it by His wisdom. He has stretched out the heavens by His understanding.'"
Either this is true or God is a liar.
Jesus claims to be the only way to God.
John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me."
The Bible is claimed as the only true revelation from God.
Isaiah 8:20: "Check their predictions against My testimony," says the Lord. "If their predictions are different from mine it is because there is no light or truth in them." Revelation 22:19: "If anyone removes any of the words in this prophetic book, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city described in this book."
The way of salvation presented in the Bible is claimed to be the only way.
Galatians 1:9: "If anyone preaches any other gospel than the one you welcomed, let God's curse fall upon that person."
So why should we accept these claims?
Christianity is based on historical acts and facts. Other religions are based on the teachings of their founders.
| Jesus did more than just teach (like Mohammed, Buddha and Confucius). He practiced what He preached by healing the sick, raising the dead, staying away from wrongdoing, performing great miracles like feeding 5000 people and rising from the dead. If He didn't do these things people would not have followed Him. |
 |
What are these historical facts that make Christianity so different?
1. Origins
Other religions believe in evolution - they try to explain how primeval matter may have gradually been transformed into the present world. The Babylonian 'Enuma Elish' began with a primeval chaotic mixture of three kinds of water. The Egyptians assumed a watery chaos which started life. The Greeks and many animists did the same. Many Romans assumed that a blind meeting of atoms started life.
 |
Our modern evolutionary theories have no scientific explanation for the origin of life or how animals and plants evolved from a single-celled organism. |
Only the Bible starts with the special creation of all things by an eternal, personal and all powerful God. Only an eternal, all-powerful and everywhere present God can explain the marvelous creation we have around us. Check out 'All About Science' on your search engine.
2. Jesus is unique
| His coming was prophesied in great detail.
His birth from a virgin is unique and yet He was a man in every way. Go to the link Birth of Jesus - Different to ours? |
 |
 |
His teachings were unique,
e.g. Sermon on the Mount, the Parables. Go to the link : Life of Jesus - Different to ours? |
| His death was unique.
He decided how and when He was to die. ' It is finished and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.' (John 19:30) He prophesied He would do this. (John10:18) Go to the link : Death of Jesus - He is GOD! |
 |
3. Jesus rose again
Jesus is the only person in history who rose again from the dead by His own power. And He predicted it!
"I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again." (John 10:18)
There is overwhelming evidence that He did rise again. Go to the link : Death of Jesus - Back from the Dead!
All other religious founders are dead and we know where most of their tombs are.
 |
Jesus' empty tomb is visited by 1000s every year.
Death comes to us all... but Jesus showed what He can do by conquering death, showing us He is "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). |
4. The Bible is different to all other books and can be trusted as telling the truth because:
| a. 66 books by 40 authors over 2000 years yet it is united with no errors.
No other book is like this. Go to the link : Does the Bible tell the truth? |
 |
 |
b. Hundreds of prophesies in the Bible were fulfilled hundreds of years later. No other holy book does this. Go to the link Prophecy and Eternal God and Prophecy today... |
| c. History and Science is showing the Bible is accurate.
Archeological discoveries every year show the Bible is right and the doubting scholars wrong. Go to the link Evidence of the Creation Theory and Ancient History and the Bible |
 |
d. Enemies have tried to destroy the Bible over the centuries but it is still the most read book ever and has the earliest copies of all ancient books. Go to the link Does the Bible tell the truth?
e. The writers of the Bible claimed that God gave them their thoughts to write down (inspired them).Mohammed said this too but the number of Bible writers who said this and their strong fierce anger over any phonies is truly amazing.
f. Christianity is the only religion which does not teach that you can get to heaven by working for it. While others teach that you must have faith and works. Christians are saved through faith alone. It is a free gift of God which is called grace.
Romans 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 6:23: "The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Men would never invent a religion where you could not earn salvation by works or have such a high standard. But God's ways are not our ways nor are His thoughts our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).
You were bought with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Why can't other religions help me find God?
All other religions are alike in that they were founded by sinful men who are all in their graves, defeated by death. Their books are nothing like the Bible and their method of salvation by doing work is faulty and without proof.
Islam means "submission to God"
 |
Mohammed (570 -632 AD) was an orphan given to mysticism who was both generous and cruel, zealous and sensual. He received visions and revelations which he claimed added to the Old and New Testament prophecies. The 114 'Suras' or chapters, became the Q'ran (Koran). |
Salvation and heaven are earned by the Muslim through belief in one God (Allah), angels, the Koran, the prophets(of whom Mohammed was the last and greatest), the final judgment and God's decrees, and through the faithful practice of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, recital of the creed (No God but Allah and Mohammed his prophet), and a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca.
Hinduism, the national religion of India.
| There are many types but they are similar to the ancient Greeks in their worship of many gods.
Their writings are the four Vedas (Veda means knowledge) and later included the doctrines of reincarnation (new Being) and Karma (deeds which lead to a better or worse reincarnation). Nirvana is the ending of all this existence by good works, meditation or ritual devotion to the gods. |
 |
 |
Buddhism Gautama (563-480BC) reacted to popular Hinduism, attained a foretaste of Nirvana.
He taught that it could be achieved by 8 steps - right beliefs, aspirations, speech, conduct, means of livelihood, endeavours, mindfulness and meditation. There are many offshoots in Tibet, Japan, etc. |
| Confucianism Confucius (551-478BC) was a Chinese practical philosopher who devised an ethical system rather than a religion.
It is silent about the existence of God and a future life. He wrote "Analects" and other semi-sacred writings. He taught ancestor worship and tolerated polytheism (worship of many gods) though he was a humanist. He was worshipped by many after his death, e.g. Tao (the way) |
 |
 |
Animism is the common name given to beliefs that worship nature and spirit beings that control the processes of nature. Animism is only passed down through oral tradition in tribes in Africa, India, Sth Pacific and Asia. Animism is similar to ancient polytheistic religions and occultism and spiritism today. |
Many so-called 'Christian systems' are also works-based where humans are the focus instead of Jesus. There is no power or future in any of them.
If your study the evidence carefully you will see clearly why you can be sure Jesus is the way to God.