A Brief Overview Of What Major Non-Biblical Religions &
Philosophies Teach About Jesus Christ And Salvation
First...
Minimalist Definitions:
Salvation: To eternally exist in a consciously
joyful and pleasant state after death. This necessitates the
avoidance of any deserved punishment for one's individual
sins against a personal, perfectly righteous and just Creator.
All men have sinned, and therefore, all are in danger of this
judgment. Romans 3:23 tells us, "All have sinned and
come short of the Glory of God."
Christ: The Human/Divine Person of the Biblical
Jesus of Nazareth.
The Watchtower Bible And Tract Society
Populary Known As: The Jehovah's Witnesses
Salvation: You are saved if you "endure
to the end" by legalistically keeping all of the commandments
of JW's "Watchtower" headquarters in Brooklyn, New
York.
View Of Christ: He is a created being also
known as the Archangel Michael and not God (YHWH) become man.
The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints
Populary Known As: The Mormons
Salvation: You are saved unto exaltation
and godhood if you keep the rules of the LDS authorities as
revealed in their writings.
View Of Christ: Spirit brother of Lucifer
and one of the "gods" who are the spirit grandchildren
of many "gods" and "goddesses."
"Jesus Only" Pentecostalism (Oneness
Groups)
Salvation: Achieved by believing in their
concept of Christ, rigid legalism and finally by baptism using
the proper formula in the name of "Jesus only" thus
their nickname.
View Of Christ: He is not the Second Person
of the Triune God but the only Person in the Godhead making
Christ's prayers a charade.
Roman Catholicism
The Vatican's Magisterium
Salvation: By keeping the many sacraments
of the church, doing good works and after death by spending
time in purgatory, one merits the merits of Christ and may,
therefore, enter heaven.
View Of Christ: Contains many Biblical elements
but denies He is the "...only mediator between God and
man the man Christ Jesus" (1Timothy 2:5). This is so
because they wrongly exalt Mary to the position of Co-Mediatrix
and even Co-Redemptrix.
Islam
Salvation: Keeping the laws of the Koran
or being a martyr for Allah (not YHWH of the Bible) may earn
you paradise.
View Of Christ: They deny the deity of Christ
and instead view Him as a great prophet.
The New Age Movement
Salvation: The NAM has many facets and teachers.
Most hold to a modified Hindu worldview or cosmology that
would allow for reincarnation, as a human but not as an animal.
Reincarnation continues until the goal of "higher consciousness"
and eventual spiritual evolvement into a "higher plane
of existence" is achieved.
View Of Christ: Jesus is usually viewed
as a great psychic teacher/guru who embodied the ideal concept
of "Higher Christ Consciousness".
Atheism/Humanism
Salvation: There is no God and therefore
no hope beyond the grave! When you die you're just a banquet
for the worms. There is no ultimate personal meaning as the
universe moves by random chance.
View Of Christ: Everything from denying
His existence to saying He was just a good moral teacher,
a lunatic or a liar.
All of these religions/philosophies have one thing in common.
If they believe in salvation at all, they believe you must
earn it. Man's pride insists that salvation must be earned
so he can have something to boast of. Biblical faith is quite
different and is based on
Ephesians 2:8,9 which says, "You have been saved grace
through faith, and that not of yourselves, not of works lest
any man should boast.".
Evangelical (Biblical) Christianity
Salvation: Jesus, the Second Person of the
Triune God, allowed Himself to be crucified in payment for
all the sins of mankind. An individual becomes saved by trusting
in Him and His sacrifice. You can show this trust by asking
Him to save you from the tyranny of sin and God's just punishment.
Since He exists everywhere you can just talk to Him. For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans
10:13).
Christ: The real Jesus is the Second person
of the Triune God (YHWH) fully God and fully man Who will
return to rule and reign. Whosoever denieth the Son the same
hath not the Father: [but ] he that acknowledgeth the Son
hath the Father also (1John 2:23)."Unless you believe
that I Am (the divine name of God) you will die in your sins.
He who believes in Me shall never die but have eternal life"-Jesus
as recorded in John 8:24;11:26. Without Christ mankind is
dead in "trespasses and sins" (Eph..2:1) and because
death begets death their religions are spiritually dead.
Do you agree with man's cults & world religions? Or do
you trust the God of the Bible? Your answer determines your
eternal destiny!
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