Suppose that God did create the earth and all that we see.

            There are a lot of different religions worldwide that each claim to be the true way to know God. Let’s examine some of these and compare them. We will study the religion’s founder or key person, date founded, key writing or holy book, god or supreme being, after-life beliefs and the method to achieve a good or eternal life.

ISLAM

     Muhammad (570-632) sent by Allah (God). The Islamic calendar began in A.D. 622 when Muhammad fled to Mecca. The Quran is the holy book which includes the biblical law of Moses, Psalms of David, and the Gospel of Jesus. Life after death includes the resurrection of bodies. Fear of eternal torment is a prevalent theme of the Quran. Paradise includes a garden populated with houris, maidens designed by Allah to provide sexual pleasures to righteous men. The balance between good and bad deeds determines eternal destiny in paradise or hell. Allah’s mercy is believed to tip the balance to heaven, as his will is supreme.

JUDAISM

     Abraham of the Bible, about 2000 B.C., and Moses are the main figures. The Tanakh (Old Testament), and especially the Torah (first five books of the Bible), and the Talmud (explanation of the Tanakh) are the holy writings. God is believed to be spirit. To the Orthodox Jews, God is personal, all-powerful, eternal, and compassionate. To other Jews, God is impersonal and unknowable. They believe there will be a physical resurrection. The obedient person will live forever with God, and the unrighteous person will suffer. Some Jews do not believe in a conscious life after death. Some Jews believe that prayer, repentance, and obeying the Law are necessary for salvation.

HINDUISM

     There is no individual founder, but there are many sects. This religion began 1800-1000 B.C. in India. There are many holy writings, including the Vedas (oldest, about 1000 B.C.), the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita. They believe that God is “the Absolute,” a universal spirit. Everyone is part of God (Brahman) like water drops in the sea, but most people are not aware of it. People worship manifestations of Brahman (gods and goddesses). They believe in reincarnation into a better status (good karma) if a person has behaved well. If one has been bad, he can be reborn and pay for past sins (bad karma) by suffering. Release from the cycles of reincarnation is achieved through yoga and meditation. This can take many lifetimes. Final salvation is absorption or union with Brahman.

BUDDHISM

     Gautama Siddharth (563-483), also known as the Buddha (Enlightened One) founded this religion by becoming its object of worship. This religion was founded in modern day Nepal and India as a reformation of Hinduism. The Mahauastu (“Great Story,” a chaotic collection covering the Buddha’s life story) is its main document. The Buddha himself did not believe in the existence of God. They believe that the goal of life is Nirvana, to eliminate all desires or cravings, and in this way escape suffering. They believe in reincarnation, people do not have their own souls or spirit. One’s desires and feelings may be reincarnated into another person.

CHRISTIANITY

     Jesus Christ founded this religion about A.D. 30-33 in the Judean province of Palestine (Israel today), under the Roman Empire. Followers of Jesus Christ became known as Christians. The Bible, written originally in Hebrew and Aramaic (Old Testament), and Greek (New Testament) is the only holy writing. They believe that the one God is Triune (one God in three persons, not three gods): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

LINK FROM “GOD IS TRIUNE”]: To understand the Trinity, think of water in three different forms: ice, liquid, and steam. Often the title “God” designates the first Person, God the Father. God is a spiritual being without a physical body. He is personal and involved with people. He created the universe out of nothing. He is eternal, changeless, holy, loving, and perfect. He is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscience (all knowing), and omnipresent (exists everywhere). Jesus is God, the second Person of the Trinity. As God, the Son, He has always existed and was never created. He is fully God and fully man (the two natures joined, not mixed). He was born through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is a person, not a force or energy field. He comforts, grieves, reproves, convicts, guides, teaches, and inhabits Christians.

     They believe that one obtains eternal life by God’s grace, not by an individual’s good works. Obtaining eternal life is also known as “salvation,” being rescued from perpetual torment in Hell. Salvation comes through believing in and following Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus go to be with him when they die. After death, all people await the final judgment. Both those who have accepted the free gift of eternal life and those who chose not to accept will be resurrected. Those who accepted Jesus’ gift of eternal life will live with Jesus in Heaven. Those who did not accept eternal life will be lost and suffer the torment of Hell, in eternal separation from God.

But, how do we determine which one is the true religion?

These religions all have good writings or holy writings. Muhammad, Abraham/Moses, the Budda, and Jesus actually existed and died.

            But there is one big difference: Only one of them said he would rise from the dead. Jesus didn’t say, “I am going to Nirvana, or Heaven.” He didn’t say, “I will be reincarnated.” He said that he would rise from the dead. There is no way to prove if Heaven exists or if there is such a thing as reincarnation. But, can we prove whether Jesus rose from the dead or not?
 

    According to numerous historical writings, Jesus died on a cross by the hands of the Roman soldiers. After he was removed from the cross, his body was put into a cave, and a stone was rolled in front of the entrance, which was customary for that time. Three days later, some women went to finish preparing the body, which they had not had time to do prior to burial before the Sabbath (Saturday). When they got to the tomb, the body of Jesus was gone.

 

 

Did someone take the body? Who could have rolled the stone away and stolen the body of Jesus?

 

First, we might consider the Roman soldiers.

            They were already guarding the tomb, so why would they steal the body? But what if they did? Once the disciples started telling everyone that Jesus had risen from the dead, the Romans would simply have presented the body and said that they stole the body – thus proving that Jesus did not rise from the dead. But they remained silent.

 

Second, we might consider the religious leaders.

            They had heard that Jesus was suppose to rise on the third day, so perhaps they bribed the soldiers and took the body of Jesus themselves. Once the disciples started telling everyone that they had seen Jesus risen from the dead, the religious leaders would have said, “No, we stole the body,” and the disciples would have been exposed for lying. But the religious leaders also remained silent.

 

Third, we might consider the disciples.

            What if they stole the body of Jesus, then told everyone that Jesus had risen from the dead and they had seen him. There is one big problem. Many of the disciples were put in prison and even killed for claiming that Jesus had risen from the dead. Anyone can lie, but would you go to prison or be put to death for a story that you knew was a lie? Neither would the disciples.

 

Fourth, we might consider that some other group stole the body.

            We still have to consider that the disciples were dying for something they claimed was true – that Jesus had risen from the dead.

 

So, by the actions of the disciples and other witnesses, the only remaining conclusion is that Jesus must have risen from the dead. This is not a giant leap, but deductive reasoning and common sense.

 

Now, if Jesus said that he was going to rise from the dead, there is a good chance that the other things he said were also true. John 14:6: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

One more thought. Are you a GAMBLER?

 

NO GOD / THERE IS A GOD

 

The one who doesn’t believe in God BREAKS EVEN if there is not a God, but LOSES if there is a God.

 

The one who does believe in God BREAKS EVEN if there is not a God, but WINS if there is a God.

Please email us if you have any questions or comments about God. We would be happy to respond to your questions.

When reading the Bible we recommend The  NIV  VERSION.

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