Over the last few weeks we answered some important apologetics’ questions from Genesis concerning human origin, purpose and destiny. As a focus of this class, we are emphasizing the truths of Scripture, and the Christian faith, by looking at the evidence. In this session we will look at the age old question: Are they many paths to God and Heaven, or only one? Christianity makes an exclusive truth claim in this area, and this week we explore how it stands up to the others:

Overview notes from the presentation:

Religious Pluralism

“I remember when I was 10 years old, I asked my mother, ‘If there’s only one God, why are there so many religions?’ I’ve been pondering that question ever since, and the conclusion I’ve come to is that all religions are true.” -George Lucas

Don’t all religions have a path to God? NO, NOT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE

Cyanide vs. salt: The differences matter more than the similarities!

Major Belief System	Who is God?	Where did I come from?	What’s wrong with the world?	Is there a solution?	What is my purpose?
*Biblical Christianity*	Creator of everything; Monotheistic and Triune Nature	Created in the Image of God	The Fall: Original sin = Human responsibility	Salvation by atonement through Christ’s death and resurrection	Do God’s will; spread the Gospel; bring truth and hope to a fallen world
*Judaism*	Creator of everything; Monotheistic	Created in the Image of God	The Fall: Original sin = Human responsibility	Following of the Law/Torah	Follow the Mosaic Law; live a sacrificial life; look for Messiah to come
*Islam*	Allah; Monotheistic	Created by Allah, NOT in the image of Allah	NO original sin; evil deception; the self	Salvation by arbitrary will of Allah; do more good than bad	Submission to Allah; if you earn it then it is possible to get to paradise
*Eastern Religions*	All matter and space is god; pantheistic/ polytheistic	World is an illusion; we are part of the universe	Bad karma; Ignorance; human desires	Mystical experiences; eliminate desires	Accept karma-reincarnation; deny self/ personal extinction
*New Ageism*	Humans are gods; a higher power exists; pantheistic	Eternal universe—we’ve evolved and are evolving	Oppression; Western Civilization; religions	Personal autonomy; tolerance enforced by law; decon-structionism	To create a utopian earth; self-improvement and enlightenment
*Secular Naturalism/* *Atheism*	No god exists; only matter exists	We are a product of undirected evolution; Time + Chance	Humans NOT responsible: Genes, disease, environment, culture, etc.	Secular ideology; Humanism; better education/law	Self-fulfillment; being a good person

The world’s religions are fundamentally different, and these differences are logically irreconcilable on vital questions such as:

What is my origin?
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
What is sin?
What is my purpose?
What constitutes salvation?
Where do we go after we die?

The world’s religions are foundationally different:

Each has a different historical beginning.
Each has a different, or many different holy books.
Each one looks to a founder or leader who taught very different concepts about this life and the afterlife, none of whom claimed to be the Son of God, except one.
Each leader or founder’s essential views are in opposition and contradictory at best.

The world’s religions are salvationally different, teaching very different pathways about very different eternal destinations:

Heaven/hell (Christianity and Judaism)
Paradise/eternal damnation (Islam)
Brahman (Hinduism)
Nirvana (Buddhism)
The Bridge (Zoroastrianism)
Jiva/Ajiva (Jainism)
Utopian afterlife (New Ageism)
Nothingness (Secular Naturalism/Atheism)

Religious Pluralism …

promotes tolerance of all religious beliefs as if they are equally true
lays claim to being “politically correct” because we don’t want to offend anyone (even with the truth)
denies objective truth and promotes a type of relativism
rejects the exclusive claims made by Jesus
rejects the exclusive teachings of the Bible
falls under the banner of the religious institution known as “Universalism”
opens up a ‘smorgasbord’ approach to faith: “I like some of Christianity, but not all, I’ll take a little from Islam, and a whole lot from Hinduism, and if I am a good person God can’t possibly turn me away from Heaven”

Christianity’s Exclusive Claims:

Definitions
Inclusive vs. Exclusive

Exclusivism: Asserts that only one way is true and all others are in error.
Inclusivism: Asserts that while one set of beliefs is absolutely true, other sets of beliefs are at least partially true.
Religious Inclusivism is the belief that God is present in non-Christian religions to save adherents through Christ. It is God in Christ who reaches out to the individual in his own personal religious history to save him. (THIS IS WHAT RELIGIOUS PLURALISM TEACHES)

Christianity, by its definition, makes an exclusive claim to truth

If we are followers of Christ then we must be followers of what He taught.
Today, religious pluralism and political correctness has changed what Jesus said in John 14:6 from, “I am the way, the truth and the life” to ‘I am a way, a truth and a ’

The Bible is very clear on the teachings of Jesus and there are many passages that support His exclusive claims…

The Christian claim is exclusive, but the invitation in inclusive:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

John 14:6

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

Acts 4:12

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

1 Timothy 2:5

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Acts 13:47

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”

Titus 2:11

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Ephesian 2:4-10

Christianity has to be exclusive because…

Jesus is the only one who claimed to be the Son of God and proved it through his ministry, miracles and resurrection.
Jesus is the only one who fulfilled all of the prophecies given hundreds of years before his time.
Jesus is the only one who brought not just mercy (forgiveness of debt), but grace (a gift of eternal life).
Jesus is the only one who said it is done so that we do not have to do anything to earn salvation and entrance into Heaven.

Christianity is inclusive because…

All are welcomed into the family of God through His Son Jesus (John 3:16)
There is nothing a person can do to earn or work their way to eternal life (Romans 3, Galatians 2)
Jesus said to the thief on the cross: “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

Some common arguments against Christianity’s exclusive claims:

“People in other religions are so sincere”

There are devout sincere people of many faiths, but people can be devoutly and sincerely wrong.
Sincerity is not a test for truth.
Sincere faith in an improperly packed parachute won’t matter—we must be diligent in our preparation for eternity.

“Christians are arrogant for claiming Jesus is the only way.”

Arrogance is not a test for truth, the question should be: Is it true; is what I believe true?
Arrogance is a description of an individual, not whether or not they have the truth.
Truth is discovered, and Christians are claiming to have investigated and discovered the truth by looking at the evidence.

“Exclusive religious claims have led to war, violence and oppression.”

There have been more wars in history over politics, ethnicity and power than there have been over religion.
True Christians do not lay claim to people in history that used Christianity for their own purposes.
Religion is not the fundamental problem, people are—something is deeply wrong with the human heart and that is the root of all of the wars and oppression in history, and Christianity has the best answer for the solution to that problem.

When you closely examine the life and teachings of Jesus and His followers you will see the true essence of Christianity emerge.

-Jonathan Morrow, Biola University Professor

Reflection

Practice knowing the books of the Old Testament and their categories

What are the 39 books of the Christian Old Testament and their categories, in order? (clue: 5-12-5-5-12)
What are the major events, who are the major players and what are the major Covenants in the book of Genesis?

Bible Study

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us.

Read Genesis Chapter 27 through Chapter 29 – Then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions. NOTE: The answers are found in the text (except for “Going Deeper”)

Jacob’s deception; The stolen blessing; Jacob is sent away; Jacob and Laban; Jacob starts a family – the beginning of the Nation of Israel

(Genesis 27:1-41) In this chapter, we find the story of Jacob and Rebekah’s deception – Summarize the story by answering the following:

What did Rebekah do, and why? (Cross-reference clue: go back to chapter 25:22-23)
What was the blessing that Isaac gave Jacob, instead of Esau?
How did Esau respond when he discovered what had happened, and how did his father Isaac answer him?
Going Deeper: Culturally speaking, what was the importance of the blessing? How is it different from the “birthright” Jacob also stole earlier in chapter 25:30-34?

(Genesis 27:42 through 28:9) In this section Jacob is sent away:

Where was Jacob sent, and why?
Isaac blessed Jacob before he left – What part of the Abrahamic Covenant did Isaac emphasize? (Focus on 28:3-4)
Esau had married some of the “daughters of Canaan” – Who else did he marry, and why?

(Genesis 28:10-22) In this section Jacob begins his journey to Haran:

Describe Jacob’s dream – what did he see? (verses 12-13) Cross-reference with John 1:48-51 – who does the “Ladder” picture?
What parts of the Abrahamic Covenant did God promise Jacob?
What did Jacob do and say after God spoke to him?
Going Deeper: Do you think Jacob was fully committed to God at this point, and why?

(Genesis 29:1-20) In this section Jacob meets his family from Haran:

What happened between Jacob and Rachel?
How did Laban respond to meeting Jacob, and why?
Who was Leah, and what was the comparison between her and Rachel?

(Genesis 29:21-35) In this section Jacob begins his family by working for Laban:

Describe how Jacob ended up with Leah, even though it was Rachel he loved?
How did Laban respond when Jacob confronted him? Is Laban a better deceiver than Jacob?
Because she was unloved, God allowed Leah to conceive first – who were the first four sons born into Jacob’s family?
Application: Are there always consequences to favoritism in families or other relationships? Do you have a personal experience that you’d like to share?

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Old Testament, Session 4, Part 2 – Christianity and Islam”

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15