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WORLD RELIGIONS
CHRISTIANITY
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INTRODUCTION: |
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����������� Christianity was an outgrowth of the Judaism in much the same way that Baha'i was an outgrowth of the Muslum faith, and Buddhism was an outgrowth of Hinduism.� After spending some 2500 years trying to be perfect with no organized religion, no ritual but sacrifice (which then became the person's meal), and no rules, the fore-runners of the Jews still could not be perfect on their own.� Then the Jews were given the Law of Moses with its religious hierarchy and rituals, and many hundreds of rules. But after about 1500 years of living by that, they still could not be perfect on their own.�
Throughout �the Jewish scriptures was a prediction of a God-King who would come to rule a perfect kingdom and there would be complete peace (Isaiah 9:6-7, and many other places). While Christians believe in the entire Bible, including the first half (Old Testament) they believe the hundreds of regulations in the Law of Moses were nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14) and that God instituted a new Last Will and Testament (Isaiah 8:20ff; Hebrews 8:13; 10:3-5). Therefore, forms of worship are taken from the New Testament. |
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GOD: |
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����������� The Christians worship the same God as the Jews.� The only difference is that Christians believe a part of God entered a human body and lived as a human for awhile (John 1:1, 14), and he was the fulfillment of the prophecy of a God-King.� That person was Jesus, and he is introduced in the first book of the New Testament ~ Matthew.� The Jews do not believe in the New Testament.� Jesus said he was the manifestation of God (John 14:6-7) so people could understand how the invisible God would act if he were on earth in a seeable form.� Whereas the God of the Old Testament �was seen a great deal as a judge, the God of the New Testament was seen more as patiently trying to get people to act right toward their fellow man .� |
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WORKS: |
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����������� Christians believe in the same good works and attitudes toward one's fellow man that other world religions do.� To disobey this common goodness is what is called sin.� There are several lists of sin scattered around the New Testament which overlap each other, and all have one thing in common ~ most are sins of attitude.� For example II Timothy 3:2-8 lists as sins loving self, loving money, boastfulness, pride, abusiveness, disobedience to parents, ingratitude, unholiness, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, not self-controlled, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherousness, rashness, conceit, lovers of pleasure, denying power of godliness, controlling the weak-willed, never acknowledging truth, opposing the truth, having a depraved mind.� But there are also sins of omission, that is, good deeds that people should do but don't.� That would including helping the poor, etc. |
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����������� The Apostle Paul admitted that it was impossible to be sinless because everyone has weaknesses and things too hard to give up.� He said, "I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.� What I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do....As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.� I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.� For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.� For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do ~ this I keep on doing....For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.� What a wretched man I am!� Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:14-24). Then he answered himself: Jesus would. |
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RELIGION/WORSHIP: |
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����������� The Christian worship is a simple version of what the Jews did elaborately in the Old Testament as explained in the book of Hebrews in the New Testament.� It is not always represented in the many rituals various denominations have added since the first century by people reverting back to Old Testament Jewish worship.� The purpose of worship is to encourage each other to have love and good works (Hebrews 10:25).� There is prayer for fellow man (including for political rulers) ~ talking to God; and reading scriptures ~ God talking to man (I Timothy 2:1-2; 5:13).� �These can be done any time.� But on the first day of each week (Sunday) two special things are to be added.� One is giving in keeping with one's income (no percentage is ever given) (I Corinthians 16:2).� The other is keeping the communion in order to remember Jesus' death in the place of mankind (explained below) (Acts 20:7; Matthew 26:26-28).� The only hierarchy in the church is congregational elders (also translated pastors or bishops) and deacons (I Timothy 3 and Titus 1).� All other church hierarchy seen today is patterned after Judaism and not in the New Testament for Christians. |
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����������� Christians believe that Jesus lived a completely sinless life, the only one to ever achieve that distinction (Hebrews 4:15).� So, just as on the Day of Atonement that the Jews kept once a year to get rid of their sins, he became the final, once-for-all sacrifice for mankind (Hebrews 9:11-14).� At last, after all the centuries of trying to be perfect with and without religion, someone had actually accomplished it, even in the face of excruciating crucifixion.� He is represented as being the Lamb of God (John 1:29 and 3:16).� Then, after being dead several days, Jesus came back to life. �At that point, God told the world that, just by imitating Jesus' life and deeds, he would consider them sinless too and bring them back to life after they die (Romans 6:1-7). |
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HEAVEN: |
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����������� Heaven is described in some detail in the last book of the New Testament, Revelation, as being a place of great beauty and where there will be no pain or tears (Revelation� 21 and 22).� As with other religions that believe in heaven, Christians also believe in hell.� All hell is, is the absence of heaven and God.� � |
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| Heaven has no pain (Revelation 21:4), therefore hell does (Luke 16:24, Matthew 25:30).� �Heaven has no tears (Revelation 21:4), so hell does (Luke 13:28).� Heaven has water (Revelation 22:1-2), so hell doesn't (Luke 16:24).� �Heaven has food (Revelation 7:16), so hell doesn't.� Heaven has light (Revelation 21:23), so hell doesn't (Matthew 25:30).� Heaven has warmth (Revelation 22:2), so hell doesn't (Matthew 24:12; 8:12).� Heaven smells like incense (Revelation 8:3-4), so hell doesn't (Revelation 21:8).� �Heaven has foundations and a solid footing (Revelation 21:10, 14), so hell doesn't (Revelation 20:3, Jude 13).� �Heaven has singing and joy (Revelation 5:11~12), so hell doesn't (Matthew 24:51).� Heaven has crowds (Revelation 7:9-10), so hell is lonely (Matthew 22;13).� Heaven is where God remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 10:17), so hell is where Satan constantly reminds us of our sins (Revelation 12:10).� Hell is simply the absence of heaven. |
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