Hello dear friends. I am going to be completely honest and share that I really struggled to figure out what I wanted to write about this week. Usually the ideas flow and I get really excited about sitting down and writing, but not this time. I procrastinated, I got lazy, and most of all, I felt uninspired.
I ended up turning to a friend for ideas, and through the back and forth, I realized there was one topic that emerged above all the others: the fact that Christianity is so vastly different from other religions.
I love this topic because it can give fuel to dwindling faith, but it can also perhaps ignite faith in a non-believer who wrote-off religion when they lumped all the different beliefs together. I did that for a long time, and I had no idea how wrong I was until I finally heard the true Gospel.
Now, before I reveal the unique nature of the Christianity, I wanted to provide a little summary of some of the major world religions and how salvation is achieved, so that we can all be on the same page. Sound good? Let's go!
This is what a quick google search revealed:
Judaism (15 Million / 0.2% of world population)
- Judaism is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. They follow a wide body of practices and texts, the largest one known as the Tanakh, which includes the Torah, a book which contains god's commandments for his chosen people.
- Jews believe salvation can be attained by following the Torah, and free will allows each person to choose whether to do good or bad
Sikhism (26 Million / 0.3% of world population)
- Sikhism is an Indian religion that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century; Sikhs believe there is one god who is all good, all knowing, and embodies truth. They believe 10 gurus have revealed all there is to know about god, humankind, and salvation.
- Sikhs believe salvation (which ends the cycle of reincarnation) is obtained through 3 components: devoted meditation on the name of god, service to the holy book and the Sikh community, and obtaining the grace of god - which they believe is given as god pleases but can be earned through meditation and service.
Buddhism (500 Million / 5% of world population)
- Buddhism is an Indian religion based on a series of original teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha. Buddhism encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on the Buddha's teachings (born in the 5th or 4th century BCE) and resulting interpreted philosophies.
- Buddhists believe salvation is reaching Nirvana. Nirvana is a transcendental, blissful, spiritual state of nothingness where you become a Buddha (i.e. god). To reach Nirvana you must follow the Noble Eightfold Path: 1. Right Understanding, 2. Right Resolve, 3. Right Speech, 4. Right Action, 5. Right Occupation, 6. Right Effort, 7. Right Contemplation. 8. Right Meditation. In other words, salvation is secured through human works.
Hinduism (1.25 Bn / 15% of world population)
- Hinduism teaches that a human being's basic nature is not confined to the body or the mind. Beyond both of these is the spirit or the spark of god within the soul. This spirit is within us and also within everything we see. All beings and all things are really, in their deepest essence, this pure or divine spirit, full of peace, full of joy and wisdom, ever united with od.
- Hindus believe that salvation is reached through acts of worship, based upon the love for a god (there are thousands of gods in Hinduism). Salvation is a very orderly process, and it is for all. They believe nobody is denied salvation, even if they do not believe in the Hindu gods, or any god at all.
Islam (1.5 Bn / 25% of world population)
- Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion. The derivation of "Muslim" is from an Arabic word meaning "submitter". Muslims consider the Quran, their holy book, to be the verbatim word of god as revealed to the Islamic prophet and messenger Muhammad.
- Muslims believe that salvation is attained by the will of Allah through obedience to his law, the Shari’ah. Consequently, in Islam, a person is to live a good life, pleasing god in all that they do. They are to submit to him and follow his commandments.
Before we take a look at Christianity - the largest religion with 2.4 Bn followers - I wanted to pause here and notice the common trend among all these different religions. While they have originated at different time periods and geographical locations, and believe in different gods, the method of attaining salvation is strikingly similar.
Each of these religions calls believers to obey certain rules or act in a certain way in order to receive salvation. In other words, they all follow a pattern of "salvation by works".
While I do not follow any of these religions myself, I can imagine this type of salvation may lead believers to have one of two possible reactions: the first is that a person may think they have done more good than bad, and therefore are worthy of being saved. While I am sure this may feel good, I am certain that most would grow an arrogant heart, full of self-contempt and pride.
On the other hand, a person that believes they have done more bad than good may become depressed, anxious, and full of despair at the idea that they must work to regain the correct balance of good and bad. I can image the anguish at not knowing whether they have really done enough.
Personally, before becoming a Christian, I was definitely in the first category. While I wasn’t following a specific world religion, I was following the religion of self. I was my own God, which was so convenient because I got to make my own rules of what was right and wrong.
Now, it’s time to talk about the thing we’ve all been waiting for: why is Christianity different from other religions?
It is the only religion where salvation is not offered through works. Nothing you do or don’t do can cost you your salvation!
I want to share a few verses which explain all of this from a Biblical standpoint:
As Christians, we acknowledge that this world is rife with sin. no matter where you look, you are sure to see evil - whether in the shape of violent crime, or in the shape of selfishness. We all have a proclivity towards evil whether we like to admit it or not.
With that in mind, it is only logical that a juste and fair God would judge us fairly, looking at both or good and evil deeds. And as Romans 6:23 says, the consequence of our sin is that we must die.
While the story could end there, it doesn’t. God in His infinite wisdom sent His only son to die for us so that we may live. He paid the debt that we owed so that we may have eternal life, even though we don’t deserve it. The only thing we need to do is have faith in Jesus, and our salvation will be given as a gift.
the only possible response to this good news is absolute gratitude. It cannot produce arrogance in the heart, and it will not lead to sadness but to a fullness of joy.
That is something worth living for.
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