How Is Christianity Different From World Religions? Series

How is Christianity different from world religions?

We live in a world where there is a mixture of cultures, nations, races and religions on an unprecedented scale. In 24 hours it is possible to reach almost anywhere in the world and the advances in modern broadcasting allows us to experience ‘live’ events in other countries. The internet allows real-time conversations with friend and strangers across the globe.

Everyday we come into contact with people from different backgrounds and cultures with different beliefs or value systems. It is important we understand and are able to express why Christianity is unique.

There may be times when you find it difficult to reconcile God’s truth to your own opinion or worldview, God’s truth is eternal, it does not change, our understanding of the truth does change as we allow God to work in our hearts and minds.

These sessions are not about opinion, they are about learning truth, the truth contained in the Bible, together we are going to focus on how we apply God’s truth, black & white in a grey world. To set godly priorities, grow in Christian character and live according to God’s standards so that we are a living witness to others.

John 14:1-7 (New International Version)

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.

From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Is Christianity Unique?

As a Christian you will often be faced with questions from non-Christians about your faith. Many people may be interested in learning about what you, believe, others may be seeking the truth for themselves. You may also be face with people who are antagonistic about Christianity, people who believe that we are at best misguided and at worst stupid in our belief in Jesus Christ.

In the multicultural world that we live in there are many who think that Christianity is only a variation on a basic theme running through all religions.

To put it another way, “Don’t the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or Jew worship the same God as Christians under a different name?.

Many are unwilling to accept that Christianity is the only true way in the ‘enlightened’ 21st Century and many wonder how anyone could accept that Jesus Christ is the only way to God when the atheists so proudly state ‘there is probably no God so enjoy yourself.’

The Bible clearly asserts that Jesus is the only way to God and that apart from Him there is no salvation. Maybe we can appear bigoted, or that we think we are better than everyone else when we state Jesus is the only way. Christians believe this not because we have made it up as a rule, but because the Bible and Jesus Christ himself stated it. This core message is woven through both the Old and New Testaments. Christians are not giving a biased viewpoint but explaining Biblical fact.

When have you faced the question of whether Christ is the only way?

It is impossible for a Christian to be theologically inclusive with world religions. The cornerstone of the Christian message is Jesus Christ - God come to earth. Without this basis, any other parts lack meaning. There are multiple places in the New Testament when this is stated, here are three of them:

Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”

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

This is a fixed unchangeable truth. There are some laws or truths that we do have control over, for example the penalty for speeding is determined by human law. It is not inherent to the act itself. The penalty could be set at £50 or £500 pound, or the human law about speeding could be abolished completely.