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Hard questions
By Benjamin Tomczak
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Christianity and Other Religions: What's the Difference?What's so different about my Jehovah's Witness friend? He seems spiritual, caring, and sincere. Growing up, I used to play with neighborhood kids who didn't go to my church. They didn't go to a "church" at all. They went to a Kingdom Hall. They were Jehovah's Witnesses. I knew they didn't believe the same things I did. What I didn't know was that what they believed meant they wouldn't join me in heaven. I'll bet you know someone who isn't a Christian. Maybe it's the Mormon who comes to your door occasionally, an Islamic co-worker, or a friend who is Wiccan. Despite their different beliefs, these people have two things in common. They are not Christian. They are going to hell. Non-Christians are going to hell?Why would someone who is not a Christian be condemned to hell? The answer is simple. Christians believe there is nothing anyone can do to save himself (Ephesians 2:8,9). Christians believe God has done it all, by sending Christ as our Savior. That's why we're called Christians. Only faith in Jesus gives heavenAll other religions believe that in some way people work their way towards their own salvation. Each one of these religions believes that whatever the end goal of their faith-life on a perfect Earth (Jehovah's Witness), a harem with 72 virgins (Islam), or your own planet (Mormons)-it can be achieved by good works and personal virtue. Christianity is the only religion that insists we don't have to do anything to be saved. In fact we cannot-and God doesn't want us to. Being a Christian means having faith in the sinless life, death, and resurrection of the Jesus Christ, sent by God to do what we could not. The Bible on how we're savedGod, in his Word, talks about the difference between Christianity and all other religions. John 3:16, his good news in a nutshell, is an excellent summary. "God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." No other religion points people to Jesus as the way to eternal life. Allah, the god of the Muslims, didn't send his son to die for humans. For Muslims Jesus is only a prophet, like Moses is a prophet. Allah insists we keep his laws to please him. For Mormons the way to eternal life is by doing good and following the rules of their church. Jehovah's Witnesses also trust their exemplary lives to win their god's blessings. When we fail to trust Jesus as our Savior, we miss out on his salvation. There is nothing we do to win God's love. God has done everything. That's the difference. Further reading:
Ephesians 2:8,9 |
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