With all of the different religions, how can I know which one is correct?

[Patriot]

What is theistic agnosticism / agnostic theism?

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Question: "What is theistic agnosticism / agnostic theism?"

Answer: Theism is a belief in a god or gods, and agnosticism is the belief that a god’s existence cannot be known with surety. Theistic agnosticism or, more commonly, agnostic theism seems to be a contradiction in terms.

A summary definition of agnostic theism is as follows: “a belief in the existence of a god held simultaneously with an uncertainty of any god’s existence, doubt that such existence could be proved, or mistrust that any god can be fully known.” Agnostic theism has elements of personal faith, but it remains uncertain as to the validity of faith’s claims in the absence of tangible evidence.

A nuanced form of agnostic theism is commonly seen among theologians who accept the idea that God is so transcendent that He has certain characteristics impossible to completely know or prove. This type of agnostic theism is not an attempt to disprove God; rather, it is an acceptance that God is uniquely God. In the Garden of Eden, there was one tree that Adam and Eve were not permitted to possess. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil belonged exclusively to God (Genesis 2:17). In other words, there are some realities that belong to God alone. He does not have to disclose all knowledge, and He does not have to reveal His reasons for keeping some things to Himself.

We see a redefinition of agnosticism emerging in modern culture. That is to say, an agnostic can believe that God exists, while living as if He did not—because God is not fully knowable or His sovereignty is limited in some way. This is where the subjectivity of agnostic theism gains traction in modern society. This theological position is defined by one’s own preferences, opinions, and sense of personal satisfaction.

Many people who engage in religious rituals or join a religious group practice religion for the sole purpose of self-improvement or personal affirmation. Agnostics can do this, finding a spiritual utility in tradition and social improvement. In performing religious acts, the agnostic can assign a level of knowability (or unknowability) to the god of his own imagination. If the function of religion meets his ego-centric needs, why does he need to know God?

This type of pragmatic religion could be seen as a form of agnostic theism. The popular “prosperity gospel” seeks to define God/a god in terms of one’s own need for self-actualization and improvement. This is in contrast to the biblical revelation of God and His nature being supreme over all creation. What we know about God is fully realized in the Scriptures and in the personal revelation of Jesus Christ.

The incomprehensibility of God is made comprehensible by God’s own desire to make Himself known to man through divine revelation. The Bible does say that God is beyond our ability to fully know Him (Psalm 145:3; Isaiah 55:8–9; Romans 11:33–34; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:13–16), yet God is willing to make Himself known in the sufficiency of His grace.

The knowability of God is a divine gift that enlivens faith through the working of God’s grace in the human heart. God is most fully revealed in Christ Jesus (Jeremiah 9:23–24; 1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14; John 17:3; Hebrews 8:11–12; 1 John 4:7–8). God’s perfect revelation of Himself in Christ is the solid foundation for believers. By faith (not by the scientific method) Christians can live in certainty in the midst of postmodern views such as agnostic theism.

Philosophies such as agnostic theism emerge from the world’s attempt to regulate what is acceptable and debatable in society. People are viewed as more intelligent, politically correct, and socially sensitive if they compromise on their personal faith in Christ. If they admit to some “doubt” concerning the existence of God, the world will see them as more “enlightened.”

While many professing Christians claim to believe in God, many act as if He does not really exist. They clamor for the things the world offers and pursue the same life of those who have no faith. They do not know what the Bible says about God, so they settle for a form of agnosticism (see 2 Timothy 3:5) while denying the certainty of God’s revelation of Himself.

Recommended Resource: Hard Questions, Real Answers by William Lane Craig

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[Patriot]

What does it mean to be spiritually lost?

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Question: "What does it mean to be spiritually lost?"

Answer: One line in the familiar hymn “Amazing Grace” says, “I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” We may have sung it a thousand times without realizing what lost means. The term lost is used in the Bible and in Christian circles to refer to persons who have not yet found eternal life in Christ. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Those who are spiritually lost are separated from God and unable to find their way back to Him.

To be lost is to have wandered away and to be helpless to find the way back. A hiker may be lost when he takes a wrong path and does not know how to return to the right one. A child may be lost when he wanders too far from his parents and does not know where they are. Human beings are spiritually lost because we have wandered away from God and we do not know how to find Him again.

Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The Bible compares human beings to sheep (Psalm 23; John 10:11–14) because sheep are, by nature, defenseless. They are not overly bright and tend to follow a leader, regardless of where that leader is taking them. Sheep need a shepherd to survive. A shepherd protects them from attacks, guides them to good grazing, and keeps watch so that none are lost. Sheep tend to wander from the herd and can become easy targets for predators. In a spiritual sense, people are prone to wander and become easy targets for our enemy, Satan. Without Jesus, our Good Shepherd, we are spiritually lost and unable to find God on our own.

Jesus told a parable about a lost lamb to explain the Father’s heart for lost people (Luke 15:3–7). The Good Shepherd was willing to leave the ninety-nine sheep in the fold to go in search of the one lost lamb. The lamb would never have found the Shepherd on its own. This parable demonstrates God’s tender concern for every individual. He stops at nothing to find those who need Him and bring them safely into His presence. Just as lost sheep cannot find the Shepherd on their own, lost people cannot find God on their own (Psalm 53:2–3; Romans 3:11).

Religion is man’s attempt to find God on his own. Religion creates a goal, which may be a deity or a higher plane of existence, and then declares certain steps necessary to reach that goal. Because of religion, lost people consider themselves not lost. Imagine a hiker who has lost his way. After hours of fruitless searching for the right path, he decides to set up camp in an unknown forest and declare that he is now home. He will no longer try to be rescued. Although he still does not know where he is, familiarity with his immediate surroundings gives him the illusion of being found.

Christianity does not follow that pattern. Christianity teaches that it is futile for the lost to attempt to find God, and that’s why God sent Jesus to find the lost. God did for us what we could not do for ourselves (Romans 5:8). Even when we do not even realize we are lost, He knows our condition. So the Son of God left heaven to find us and bring us home (Philippians 2:5–8; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16–18).

We are born lost because we have a sin nature inherited from our first parents (Genesis 3) that drives us to rebel against our Shepherd (Romans 3:23). We were created to be at home with Him, walking in harmony and obedience. But because of our sin, we are lost (Isaiah 59:2). The gulf between us and God is impossible for us to bridge, and we cannot find our way back into His presence. Spiritually lost people are bound by their sin and condemned to hell (Luke 12:5; Romans 6:23). But when the lost place their trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a bridge opens up before them. Because of God’s mercy and love, the lost can come home (1 Peter 2:25).

Every human being is either lost or found. We all belong to one of those two categories. The first step in becoming found is to admit that we are lost. We agree with God that our sin deserves punishment, and we acknowledge that the punishment Jesus suffered was sufficient to pay for it. We humbly receive that gift through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). In a divine exchange, God transfers our sin to the cross and transfers Christ’s righteousness to our account (Colossians 2:14). We then enter into a new relationship with God as His own beloved children. We are no longer lost. We have been found, forgiven, and given a fresh start (2 Corinthians 5:17). That’s why Christians can joyfully sing, “I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.”

Recommended Resource: Created in God’s Image by Anthony Hoekema

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[Patriot]

Is God a delusion?

Question: "Is God a delusion?"

Answer: The idea of God being a delusion is promoted by Richard Dawkins, the world’s chief apostle for atheism. Dawkins has been Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University since 1996. In his 2006 book The God Delusion, Dawkins labels God and belief in God as “delusions.” Dawkins is a gifted writer, and his position at a leading university in the English-speaking world gives him great prestige in intellectual, cultural, and political circles. His atheism is fierce. The jacket of The God Delusion calls the God of the Old Testament “a sex-obsessed tyrant” and the deistic god of the 18th-century Enlightenment a “more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker.” Belief in God, says Dawkins, subverts science and knowledge, breeds ignorance, foments bigotry, and abuses children. All this happens for the simple reason that God is a delusion. Not only are “fundamentalists” unintelligent for “know[ing] they are right because they have read the truth in a holy book,” but even moderation in faith, says Dawkins, “fosters fanaticism.”

There are plenty of intelligent answers to Dawkins’ contention that God is a delusion and to his crusade against all things religious. Dawkins firmly asserts that God is a delusion, but the Bible just as firmly states that God is not a delusion. Psalm 14:1–3, for example, says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Fools who deny the existence of God are corrupt, and so are their deeds. Because their understanding is also corrupt, “they do not seek after God.” Note that the Bible and Dawkins are directly opposed to one another. Dawkins says there is no God and that people who believe in God do terrible things. The Bible says there is a God, and it is rather the people who deny God who do terrible things.

God is not the delusion; atheism is. The apostle Paul declares that the reason people who deny God are able to gain and maintain such large followings, as Dawkins has, is that the human race in general is lost in sin and self-delusion. People naturally seek after those whose rhetoric reflects their own self-delusion. Those who deny God follow eagerly after Dawkins and his ilk because they share a common hatred for God (2 Timothy 4:3).

The denial of God is the true delusion, a delusion that extends to the atheist’s view of humanity as “good,” all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. A sober assessment of human beings recognizes that we lie, cheat, steal, lust, complain, envy, hate, and forget and that we are careless, ruthless, disrespectful, resentful, and loveless. We are all these things naturally from birth. This is what God means when He says, “There is no one who does good” (Psalm 14:3). We are so obviously sinful that it is silly to call human beings “good.”

Nobody teaches children to lie; they do it naturally. Nobody teaches teenage boys to lust; they do it naturally. Nobody teaches the employee to resent his boss or spread malicious gossip about the coworker with whom he is competing for a promotion; he does these things naturally. Nobody teaches the wife to unjustly criticize her husband or the husband to neglect his wife; both do these things naturally. Yet in the sixth chapter of The God Delusion, entitled “The Roots of Morality: Why Are We Good?” Dawkins explains why human beings are good—based on nothing more than his own opinion—despite the fact that there is no God who can define what is “good.” Dawkins not only directly opposes the Bible’s teaching but he denies what is obvious to even the most casual observer of human nature and behavior.

The ninth chapter of The God Delusion is called “Childhood, Abuse and the Escape from Religion.” In this chapter Dawkins replies to a question about clergy sexual abuse: “Horrible as sexual abuse no doubt was, the damage was arguably less than the long-term psychological damage inflicted by bringing the child up Catholic in the first place” (page 317). Human beings are good, says Dawkins, and even the sexual abuse they perpetrate is better than a religion that tells them they are not good. How he explains the desire for “good” men—priests or otherwise—to sexually abuse children is a mystery. The Bible, however, does explain it. Men do evil because their hearts are evil (Matthew 12:35), and unless men are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), they will continue to do evil because it is their natural inclination (Romans 3:5–6, 10–11).

Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines delusion as “something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary; also, the abnormal state marked by such beliefs.” The last clause is significant: intellectual and moral delusion have permanent effects on the mind and heart. Believing lies causes the mind to begin to operate abnormally and to exist in a state that is not healthy and perhaps even dangerous, both for itself and for others. This is what the Bible calls “sin,” and a core element of our sin is our delusion that God does not exist.

The God Delusion was written by a science professor, and it should be stated clearly here, given how often atheism presents itself under the banner of science, that science is not to blame for atheism or any other symptom of human sinfulness. In fact, many great scientists of the past were Christians, believing that God made the heavens and the earth and established the laws by which the natural world operates and which scientists investigate. Most of the “giants” of modern science were Christians. They pursued a rational understanding of the cosmos because they believed that God, who has a mind, had created the cosmos according to the principles of rational and mathematical operation that govern the human mind, which is fashioned according to the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

Belief in God is no delusion. It is inherently and fundamentally rational—a logical response to seeing God’s handiwork (Psalm 19:1). Belief in God is the source of true wisdom regarding why human beings do evil things so often and so naturally, why we can work so hard to be good and still fail, and why Jesus Christ and only He is the spiritual hope for mankind.

Recommended Resource: God Is Great, God Is Good: Why Believing in God Is Reasonable and Responsible edited by William Lane Craig & Chad Meister

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[Patriot]

What impact did Friedrich Nietzsche have on the Christian faith?

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Question: "What impact did Friedrich Nietzsche have on the Christian faith?"

Answer: Friedrich Nietzsche (1844—1900) was born in Rochen, Prussia, to a Lutheran pastor who ultimately died of a disease of the brain. The women in Nietzsche’s life (mother, sister, two aunts, and grandmother) strongly dominated his early life. Although given a strong religious upbringing, Nietzsche rejected Christianity initially in college and more strongly while serving in the Prussian medical corps.

Those influencing Nietzsche from a philosophical sense included Heraclitus (act of becoming), Kant (agnosticism), Schopenhauer (atheism), Darwin (evolution), F. A. Lange (materialism), and Voltaire (anti-Christianity, anti-supernaturalism). Nietzsche’s written works include Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, The Genealogy of Morals, The Antichrist, and Ecce Homo, an autobiography written near the end of his life.

Nietzsche’s philosophical bent was toward existentialism; he was one of the few existentialists to confess that, without God, life has no ultimate meaning (i.e., nihilism) and no objective moral values. With respect to morality, Nietzsche admitted, “You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist” (paraphrased from Thus Spoke Zarathustra, trans. by Walter Kaufmann, Penguin Books, 1966, p. 195).

Nietzsche was furiously opposed to Christianity and declared God was dead in his 1882 short work, “The Parable of the Madman.” However, he acknowledged that his rejection of the Christian faith was not rational but instead volitional: “It is our preference that decides against Christianity, not arguments” (quoted by Henri Lubac, The Drama of Atheist Humanism, Ignatius Press, 1995, p. 49). Being committed to evolution and the survival of the fittest, Nietzsche had strong contempt for Christ because of the mercy He showed to the weak and outcasts: “What is more harmful than any vice?—Practical sympathy for the botched and the weak—Christianity. . . . Mankind . . . doesn’t have to thank mere tolerance and humanitarianism for its own existence” (The Antichrist, trans. by H. L. Mencken, Alfred A. Knopf, 1924, pp. 43, 63). This stance may have had some influence on his anti-Semitism: “The whole history of Israel ceased to be of any value: out with it!” (ibid., p. 84).

Like many atheists, Nietzsche wrongly viewed the Christian faith as an epistemology (i.e., a method for gaining knowledge) versus a response to previously acquired knowledge: “But when faith is thus exalted above everything else, it necessarily follows that reason, knowledge and patient inquiry have to be discredited: the road to the truth becomes a forbidden road” (ibid., p. 76). He went so far to say, “Whatever a theologian regards as true must be false: there you have almost a criterion of truth” (ibid., pp. 51– 52, emphasis in the original).

At its core, Nietzsche’s philosophy consisted of a hatred for and rejection of love. On love, he wrote, “When a man is in love he endures more than at any other time; he submits to anything. The problem was to devise a religion which would allow one to love: by this means the worst that life has to offer is overcome—it is scarcely even noticed.—So much for the three Christian virtues: faith, hope and love: I call them the three Christian ingenuities”(ibid., p. 77, emphasis in the original).

In 1889, at the age of 44, Nietzsche suffered a psychotic breakdown and was admitted to the mental asylum in Basel, Switzerland. He was later transferred to the asylum in Jena, Germany. For over a year, Nietzsche lingered in a state of complete mental collapse, and he died in August 1900.

Today, Nietzsche’s relativism, naturalism, and nihilism continue to impact philosophy, art, and culture. His defiant rejection of religion, especially Christianity, and his advocacy of violence and self-seeking make his ideas the antithesis of biblical love and self-sacrifice. Various individuals have attempted, with little success, to integrate Nietzsche’s ideas with religion, creating such philosophies as “Christian atheism.”

Recommended Resource: Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by William Lane Craig & J.P. Moreland

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[Patriot]

What is Mormonism?

Question: "What is Mormonism? What do Mormons believe?"

Answer: The Mormon religion (Mormonism), whose followers are known as Mormons and Latter-day Saints (LDS), was founded less than two hundred years ago by a man named Joseph Smith. He claimed to have received a personal visit from God the Father and Jesus Christ (Articles of Faith, p. 35) who told him that all churches and their creeds were an abomination (1 Nephi 13:28; Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith – History 1:18, 19). Joseph Smith then set out to "restore true Christianity" and claimed his church to be the “only true church on earth” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 670; 1 Nephi 14:10). The problem with Mormonism is that it contradicts, modifies, and expands on the Bible. Christians do not have a reason to believe that the Bible is untrue or inadequate. To truly believe in and trust God means to believe in His Word, and all Scripture is inspired by God, which means it comes from Him (2 Timothy 3:16).

Mormons believe that there are in fact four sources of divinely inspired words, not just one: 1) the Bible “as far as it is translated correctly” (8th Article of Faith). Which verses are considered incorrectly translated is not always made clear. 2) The Book of Mormon, which was “translated” by Smith and published in 1830. Smith claimed it is the “most correct book” on earth and that a person can get closer to God by following its precepts “than by any other book” (History of the Church 4:461). 3) Doctrine and Covenants, containing a collection of modern revelations regarding the “Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored.” 4) The Pearl of Great Price, which is considered by Mormons to “clarify” doctrines and teachings that were lost from the Bible (Articles of Faith, p. 182–185) and adds its own information about the earth’s creation.

Mormons believe the following about God: He has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321) but attained that status through righteous living and persistent effort (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). They believe God the Father has a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Brigham Young taught that Adam actually was God and the father of Jesus Christ—although this teaching has been abandoned by modern Mormon leaders.

In contrast, Christians know this about God: there is only one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6–8). He always has existed and always will exist (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17). He was not created but is the Creator (Genesis 1; Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 37:16). He is perfect, and no one else is equal to Him (Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 40:25). God the Father is not a man, nor was He ever (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hosea 11:9). He is Spirit (John 4:24), and Spirit is not made of flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).

Mormons believe that there are different levels or kingdoms in the afterlife: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, the telestial kingdom, and outer darkness (Mormon Doctrine, p. 348). Where mankind will end up depends on what they believe and do in this life (2 Nephi 25:23; Articles of Faith, p.79).

In contrast, the Bible tells us that after death we go to heaven or hell based on whether or not we had faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. To be absent from our bodies means, as believers, we are with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6–8). Unbelievers are sent to hell or the place of the dead (Luke 16:22–23). When Jesus comes the second time, we will receive resurrected, glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50–54). There will be a new heaven and new earth for believers (Revelation 21:1), and unbelievers will be thrown into an everlasting lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15). There is no second chance for redemption after death (Hebrews 9:27).

Mormon leaders have taught that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary (Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 115; Mormon Doctrine, p. 547). Mormons believe Jesus is a god, but that any human can also become a god (Doctrine and Covenants 132:20; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345–354). Mormonism teaches that salvation can be earned by a combination of faith and good works (LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697).

Contrary to this, Christians historically have taught that no one can achieve the status of God—only He is holy (1 Samuel 2:2). We can only be made holy in God’s sight through faith in Him (1 Corinthians 1:2). Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), is the only one ever to have lived a sinless life, and now has the highest place of honor in heaven (Hebrews 7:26). Jesus and God are one in essence, Jesus being the only man who existed before physical birth (John 1:1–8; 8:56). Jesus gave Himself to us as a sacrifice, God raised Him from the dead, and one day everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:6–11). Jesus tells us it is impossible to get to heaven by our own works and that only by faith in Him is it possible (Matthew 19:26). We all deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but God’s infinite love and grace have allowed us a way out. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Clearly, there is only one way to receive salvation and that is to know God and His Son, Jesus (John 17:3). Receiving salvation is not done by works but by faith (Romans 1:17; 3:28). We can receive this gift no matter who we are or what we have done (Romans 3:22). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Although Mormons are usually friendly, loving, and kind people, they are deceived by a false religion that distorts the nature of God, the Person of Jesus Christ, and the means of salvation.

(Editor’s note: many of the references in our articles on Mormonism are Mormon publications, such as Mormon Doctrine, Articles of Faith, Doctrines of Salvation, History of the Church, Doctrine and Covenants, and so forth. Others are from the Book of Mormon itself, e.g., books such as 1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, and Alma.)

Recommended Resource: Reasoning from the Scriptures with Mormons by Ron Rhodes

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What is Mormonism? What do Mormons believe?
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What is Mormonism? What do Mormons believe? How are the beliefs of Mormons different from the beliefs of Christians?

 

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I am a Mormon. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?

Question: "I am a Mormon. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?"

Answer: Anyone from any religion—or no religion at all—who asks, “Why should I consider becoming a Christian?" should consider the claims of Christianity. For a Mormon asking this question, the differences between the tenets of biblical Christianity and LDS philosophy should be the primary area of inquiry. If the Bible is the Word of God (both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young believed this), then the foundational beliefs of Mormonism and the Latter-day Saints (if those beliefs are reliable) should be consistent with what the Bible teaches. However, there are inconsistencies, and we will look at four areas of discrepancy between Mormonism and the Bible.

1) A Mormon who is considering becoming a Christian should understand that Mormonism teaches dependence on extra-biblical sources. The Bible teaches that it is sufficient for instruction in Christian living (2 Timothy 3:16) and that God specifically cursed anyone who claimed authority to add to what God had already revealed in the Bible. In other words, God pronounced His written revelation complete (Revelation 22:18–19). Therefore, there is no reason for God to write more. A God who writes His Book, says it’s complete, and then later realizes He forgot something either didn’t plan for the future or didn’t know enough to write everything the first time. Such a god is not the God of the Bible. Yet Mormonism teaches that the Bible is only one of four authoritative sources, the other three being the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. These three came from a single man who declared them to be God-inspired despite their being contrary to the Bible, the first and only truly inspired text. To add additional material to Scripture and call it inspired is to contradict God.

2) A Mormon who is considering becoming a Christian should understand that Mormonism promotes a lesser god. Mormonism teaches that God has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321) but attained that status through righteous living (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). Yet who defines righteous? That standard can only come from God Himself. So, the teaching that God became God by meeting a predetermined standard originating from God is a contradiction. Additionally, a god that is not eternal and self-existent is not the God of the Bible. The Bible teaches that God is eternally self-existent (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17) and He is not created but the Creator Himself (Genesis 1; Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 37:16; Colossians 1:17–18).

3) A Mormon who is considering becoming a Christian should understand that Mormonism teaches an inflated view of humanity that is completely inconsistent with biblical teaching. Mormonism teaches that any human can also become a god (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345–354; Doctrine & Covenants 132:20). Yet the Bible teaches repeatedly that we are all inherently sinful (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10–23; 8:7) and that God alone is God (1 Samuel 2:2; Isaiah 44:6, 8; 46:9). Isaiah 43:10 records God’s own words: “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.” How Mormonism can assert that men will become gods in the face of such overwhelming scriptural evidence is a testimony to the depth of man’s desire to usurp God’s place, a desire born in the heart of Satan (Isaiah 14:14) and passed on by him to Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:5). The desire to usurp the throne of God—or to share it—characterizes all who are of their father the devil, including the Antichrist, who will act on the same desire in the end times (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). Throughout history, many false religions have played upon the same desire to be God. But God declares there is no God but Him, and we dare not contradict Him.

4) A Mormon who is considering becoming a Christian should understand that Mormonism teaches that we are capable of earning our salvation, contrary to Scripture (Articles of Faith, p.92; 2 Nephi 25:23). Although we will certainly live differently because of our faith, it is not our works that save us, but only the grace of God through the faith He gives to us as a free gift (Ephesians 2:4–10). This is simply because God accepts only His own perfect righteousness. Christ died on the cross to exchange His perfection for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can only be made holy in God’s sight through faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2).

Ultimately, faith in a false Christ leads to a false salvation. Any salvation that is “earned” is a false salvation (Romans 3:20–28). We simply cannot be worthy of salvation on our own merits. If we cannot trust God’s Word, then we have no basis for trust at all. If we can trust God’s Word, then we must recognize that His Word is consistent and reliable. If God could not or did not preserve His Word accurately, then He would not be God. The difference between Mormonism and Christianity is that Christianity declares a God who is eternally self-existent, who set a perfect and holy standard that we cannot live up to, and who then, out of His great love, paid the price for our sin by sending His Son to die on the cross for us.

If you are ready to place your trust in the all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you can speak the following words to God: “Father God, I know that I am a sinner and am worthy of your wrath. I recognize and believe that Jesus is the only Savior. I place my trust in Jesus alone to save me. Father God, please forgive me, cleanse me, and change me. Thank you for your wonderful grace and mercy!”

Have you placed your full trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior because of what you have read here? If so, please click on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below.


If you have any questions, please use the question form on our Bible Questions Answered page.

Recommended Resource: Reasoning from the Scriptures with Mormons by Ron Rhodes

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What does it mean to have a personal relationship with God?

Question: "What does it mean to have a personal relationship with God?"

Answer: Having a personal relationship with God begins the moment we realize our need for Him, admit we are sinners, and in faith receive Jesus Christ as Savior. God, our heavenly Father, has always desired to be close to us, to have a relationship with us. Before Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 3), both he and Eve knew God on an intimate, personal level. They walked with Him in the garden and talked directly to Him. Due to the sin of man, we became separated and disconnected from God.

What many people do not know, realize, or care about, is that Jesus gave us the most amazing gift—the opportunity to spend eternity with God if we trust in Him. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God became a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ to take on our sin, be killed, and then be raised to life again, proving His victory over sin and death. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). If we accept this gift, we have become acceptable to God and can have a relationship with Him.

Those who have a personal relationship with God include God in their daily lives. They pray to Him, read His word, and meditate on verses in an effort to get to know Him even better. Those who have a personal relationship with God pray for wisdom (James 1:5), which is the most valuable asset we could ever have. They take their requests to Him, asking in Jesus’ name (John 15:16). Jesus is the one who loves us enough to give His life for us (Romans 5:8), and He is the one who bridged the gap between us and God.

The Holy Spirit has been given to us as our Counselor. “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). Jesus said this before He died, and after He died, the Holy Spirit became available to all who earnestly seek to receive Him. He is the one who lives in the hearts of believers and never leaves. He counsels us, teaches us truths, and changes our hearts. Without this divine Holy Spirit, we would not have the ability to fight against evil and temptations. But since we do have Him, we begin to produce the fruit that comes from allowing the Spirit to control us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

This personal relationship with God is not as hard to find as we might think, and there is no mysterious formula for getting it. As soon as we become children of God, we receive the Holy Spirit, who will begin to work on our hearts. We should pray without ceasing, read the Bible, and join a Bible-believing church; all these things will help us to grow spiritually. Trusting in God to get us through each day and believing that He is our sustainer is the way to have a relationship with Him. Although we may not see changes immediately, we will begin to see them over time, and all the truths will become clear.

Recommended Resource: Masterlife: Developing a Rich Personal Relationship with the Master by Avery Willis

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How is the Islamic idea of jihad different from the violence in the Bible?

Question: "How is the Islamic idea of jihad different from the violence in the Bible?"

Answer: Immediately following the horrific terrorist attacks on 9/11, many Westerners began to take notice of Islam for the first time. Many were shocked to find out that Islam’s holy book (the Koran) provides specific injunctions to engage in acts of violence as part of the “holy war” (jihad) in the cause of their religion. Soon many secular thinkers began to draw comparisons between Islamic terrorist attacks and the violence found in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament. But are these comparisons valid? Are the commands of Yahweh to the Israelites in the Old Testament the same as jihad as prescribed in the Koran? What is the difference between the violence found in the Bible and Islamic jihad?

To answer this question, we must define what we mean by “jihad.” The word jihad means “striving” or “struggle.” Within Islam, there are several categories of jihad. The word can be used to describe various types of struggles such as “jihad of the pen” (which would involve persuasion or instruction in the promotion of Islam) or “jihad of the heart” (a battle against one’s own sin). However, the most well-known form of jihad is that which involves physical violence or warfare in the cause of Islam. While the Koran does contain passages that encourage Muslims to engage unbelievers with grace and persuasion (Sura 16:125), the Koran contains other verses that appear to command Muslims to engage in offensive physical warfare against non-Muslims.

In Sura 9 we read, “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem [of war]; but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful” (Sura 9:5). Also in Sura 9, “Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, [even if they are] of the People of the Book [Christians and Jews], until they pay the jizya [tribute] with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (Sura 9:29).

In addition to the teachings of the Koran, Muslims also follow the Hadith, a supposedly inspired record of Muhammad’s words and actions. The Hadith explains how Muhammad instructed his commander when sent out on an expedition, “When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action. If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withhold yourself from doing them any harm. Invite them to [accept] Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them. . . . If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them” (Sahih Muslim, Book 19, Number 4294).

But what about the violence commanded by God in the Old Testament? Is that any different? The most often-discussed episodes of violence in the Old Testament are Yahweh’s command for the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites and take possession of the land He had promised Jacob’s children. When assessing these incidents, we must understand the context in which these events took place. The Canaanites were a brutal and wicked culture that frequently engaged in incredibly decadent behavior. As Christian author Norman Geisler put it, “This was a thoroughly evil culture, so much so that the Bible says it nauseated God. They were into brutality, cruelty, incest, bestiality, cultic prostitution, and even child sacrifice by fire. They were an aggressive culture that wanted to annihilate the Israelites.”

By ordering the destruction of the Canaanites, God enacted a form of corporate capital punishment on a people that had been deserving of God’s judgment for some time. God had given the Canaanite people over 400 years to repent (Genesis 15:13–16). When they did not, the Lord used the Israelites as an instrument of judgment on an evil and deeply depraved society. The Canaanites were not ignorant as news of God’s awesome power had reached them (Joshua 2:10–11; 9:9). Such awareness should have driven them to repentance. The example of Rahab and her family is a sure proof that the Canaanites could have avoided destruction if they had repented before Israel’s God (Joshua 2). No person had to die. God’s desire is that the wicked turn from their sin rather than perish (Ezekiel 18:31–32; 33:11).

We must also remember that Yahweh did not sanction all of the wars recorded in the Old Testament, and that the wars specifically commissioned by Him beyond the time of Joshua were defensive in nature. A number of the battles that Israel fought on the way to and within Canaan were also defensive in nature (Exodus 17:8; Numbers 21:21–32; Deuteronomy 2:26–37; Joshua 10:4).

The more difficult question, however, has to do with God’s command to kill all of the Canaanites, including the women and children (Deuteronomy 7:2–5; Joshua 6:21). In response to this, we can point out that, while the Bible records that such a command was given, it may well be that, in some cases, no women or children were actually killed. Most of the battles in Canaan would probably have involved only soldiers, and, given the chance, women and children would likely have fled. As Jeremiah 4 indicates, “At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them” (Jeremiah 4:29).

In conclusion, there is a radical difference between the violence in the Old Testament and Islamic jihad. First, the violence prescribed by God in the Old Testament was intended for a particular time and limited to a particular people group. The conquest of Canaan had clear limits, geographically and historically, making it very different from the continuing Islamic commands regarding jihad. The conquest of Canaan set no precedent to continue the warfare beyond what God had commanded. In contrast, the Koran actually prescribes and condones military jihad in the promotion of Islam. At no time in the Bible do we see God commanding His people to kill unbelievers in the promotion of biblical faith.

It is beyond dispute that, in its earliest years, Islam was promoted by the sword. It is exactly the opposite for early Christianity. Many of the early Christians were severely persecuted and martyred for their commitment to Christ. As one Christian philosopher put it, “Both Islam and Christianity were spread by the sword, but the swords were pointing in opposite directions!”

Finally, for the Christian, the final and complete revelation of God is in Jesus Christ, who was remarkably non-violent in His approach. If a Christian engages in violence in the name of Christ, he is doing so in direct disobedience of His Master. Jesus taught that all who live by the sword will die by it (Matthew 26:52). The teachings and example of Muhammad are quite different. A Muslim who desires to commit violence in the name of Islam can find ample justification for his action both in the Koran and in the words and actions of the prophet Muhammad.

Recommended Resource: Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross by Norm Geisler

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Should a Christian participate in acupuncture / acupressure?

Question: "Should a Christian participate in acupuncture / acupressure?"

Answer: The origin of acupuncture is Chinese Taoism. Taoism is the philosophical system evolved by Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu that advocates a life of complete simplicity, naturalness, and non-interference with the course of natural events in order to attain an existence in harmony with the Tao, or life-force. It is closely related to Hsuan Chaio, which is a popular Chinese religion that purports to be based on the doctrines of Lao-tzu, but which is actually highly eclectic in nature and characterized by a pantheon of many gods, superstitions, and the practice of alchemy, divination, and magic.

In this Chinese philosophy/religion there are two principles. The first is the "yin," which is negative, dark, and feminine, and the second is "yang," which is positive, bright, and masculine. The interaction of these two forces is thought to be the guiding influence for the destinies of all creatures and things. One’s fate is under the power of the balance or imbalance of these two forces. Acupuncture is a mechanism practiced by adherents of Taoism that is used to bring the "yin and yang" of the body into harmony with Tao.

While the underlying philosophy and worldview behind acupuncture is decidedly unbiblical, that does not necessarily mean the practice of acupuncture itself is against the teachings of the Bible. Many people have found acupuncture to provide relief from pain and other ailments when all other treatments have failed. The medical community is increasingly recognizing that, in some instances, there are verifiable medical benefits from acupuncture. So, if the practice of acupuncture can be separated from the philosophy/worldview behind acupuncture, perhaps acupuncture is something a Christian can consider. Again, though, extreme caution must be taken to avoid the spiritual aspects behind acupuncture. Most acupuncture practitioners genuinely believe in the Tao/yin-yang philosophy that is at the origin of acupuncture. A Christian should have nothing whatsoever to do with Taoism.

As to the difference between acupuncture and acupressure, with acupressure, instead of needles, pressure is placed upon nerve centers. For instance, there are pressure points said to be in the sole of the foot and the palm of the hand that correspond to other areas of the body. Acupressure would seem to be very similar to deep-tissue massage therapy, where the muscles of the body are exposed to pressure to increase blood flow. However, if acupressure is practiced to bring the body into the harmony of yin and yang, then the same problem arises as with acupuncture. Can the practice be implemented without the philosophy?

The important issue here is separation for the born-again believer from any and all practices that would bring him or her the danger of bondage to counterfeit religions. Ignorance of evil is a danger, and the more we inform ourselves as to the true origin of the Eastern philosophies and practices, the more we see that they are rooted in superstition, occultism, and false religions that are in direct opposition to God’s Word. Can a valuable medical procedure be invented by a non-Christian? Of course! Much of Western medicine has its origin in practices/individuals that were just as unchristian as the developers of acupuncture. Whether or not the origin is explicitly Christian is not the issue. What procedures we subject ourselves to in search of healing/relief from pain is a matter of perspective, discernment, and conviction, not dogmatism.

Recommended Resource: Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook, Updated and Expanded by Dr. Walt Larimore

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Inclusivism vs. exclusivism—what does the Bible say?

Question: "Inclusivism vs. exclusivism—what does the Bible say?"

Answer: Is personal faith in Jesus the only way to heaven (exclusivism), or did Jesus’ death also provide salvation for some who do not believe (inclusivism)? This question is often posed by non-Christians when first confronted with the claims of biblical Christianity. Many skeptics charge that it is unreasonable for God to demand allegiance to Jesus Christ in order to receive the forgiveness of one’s sins. In the last several decades, many Christians have begun to opt for a different answer than that which has traditionally been given by the majority of Christian believers. The trend is toward “inclusivism.”

Inclusivism is the view that people actually appropriate God’s gift of salvation only on the basis of Jesus Christ’s atoning work, but that the sinner need not explicitly believe the gospel in order to actually receive this salvation. Inclusivism teaches that Christianity is the only true religion (including the belief that Christ is the only Savior of men), but that this salvation could be made available through means other than explicit faith in Christ. The inclusivist believes that adherents of other religions and even atheists can be saved by responding to God’s revelation in creation or through the elements of truth contained within their non-Christian religion.

Inclusivists will quickly point out that any person who is saved is ultimately saved by Jesus Christ, but the sinner need not believe that Christ is Savior in order to receive this salvation. Inclusivists will sometimes refer to such people as “anonymous Christians.” Inclusivists refer to several biblical texts in an attempt to support their view; however, their primary argument is more philosophical than exegetical (derived directly from the Scripture). The question of the ultimate destiny of the un-evangelized is often raised by inclusivists, along with issues related to the salvation of infants, the mentally handicapped, and others who are prevented from making a rational choice for or against Christ.

“Exclusivism” or “restrictivism” is the traditional evangelical Christian view dealing with the salvation of non-Christians. This is the view that a sinner can only be saved by a conscious, explicit faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Exclusivists argue that a positive response to general revelation is simply insufficient to ensure salvation from a biblical perspective. Exclusivists appeal to multiple scriptures to support their view, including John 14:6; John 3:16–18; and Romans 10:13–15.

It appears that a straightforward reading of these texts reveals the inspired Scripture is clearly teaching Christian exclusivism (that one must place his faith in Christ in order to be saved). It is important to point out that there may be exceptions to this principle (such as the death of infants or children of a very young age who have not yet developed sufficiently to comprehend their sin and to make a rational choice of trusting in Christ). Second Samuel 12:23 states that King David’s infant child went to heaven after death. Isaiah 7:15–16 also hints at an age of moral accountability: “He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.”

These exceptions would in no way undermine the position of Christian exclusivism. Rather, they show the infinite mercy of God in providing salvation for those who might otherwise not attain it. Our position is that explicit faith in Christ is necessary for all sinners who are capable of actually trusting in Christ and believing the gospel. Christian exclusivists believe that the biblical texts used to support inclusivism are far from compelling and that the texts used by exclusivists are, in fact, clear. It is difficult to see how the inspired writers could have been clearer that explicit faith in Christ is necessary for salvation (for those who are capable of it). It is also important to point out that the Christian exclusivist does not necessarily believe that the un-evangelized person will be condemned for failing to believe in a Jesus that they have never heard of. Rather, such a person would be judged for his or her failure to respond to the message of general revelation and for sinning against God’s moral law that had been written on the heart.

In the end, we can be confident that God will not judge anyone unfairly. The un-evangelized will only be judged based on the sins that they have willfully committed. Christian exclusivism certainly should provide the church with more than sufficient motivation to evangelize every person on Earth, for, literally, people’s eternal destiny hangs in the balance. God has simply not informed us of any back-up plan He may have for those who do not hear the gospel in this life. We must assume that there is none.

Recommended Resource: Encountering World Religions by Irving Hexham

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How should a Christian view Ayurvedic medicine?

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Question: "How should a Christian view Ayurvedic medicine?"

Answer: The spiritual underpinnings of Ayuvedic medicine are from the Hindu religion. Knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine is supposed to have been handed down from the gods and discovered through meditation. Some of the practices seem to be purely spiritual such as the balancing of the life energies with the life force of the universe. This has become popular today under the broader “New Age” label. Other practices and treatments of Ayurvedic medicine are more physical, having to do with the use of herbs and essential oils.

Obviously, a Christian must resist any treatment that would embrace a pagan philosophy or involve the Christian in a pagan ritual. If the Aruvedic practitioner is attempting to help the Christian discover his or her inner divinity to facilitate healing, then the treatment is unbiblical and should be avoided. Since most people who would describe themselves as Aruvedic practitioners would embrace the whole treatment philosophy, we would counsel Christians to steer clear.

On the other hand, the Bible does not forbid the use of legitimate medicinal treatments. If there are certain aspects of Aruvedic therapy that have physical benefit apart from pagan practice or theology, such as the use of an herbal combination to provide relief from intestinal inflammation or the use of an essential oil to relieve a headache, then they could be used the same as any other treatment.

It seems that many undiscerning Christians are drawn to Ayurvedic and other forms of alternative medicine because of the “spirituality” of those forms and because they seem to avoid some of the more undesirable aspects of “modern medicine.” Many people reject modern medicine because they consider it to be the result of an atheistic, naturalistic view of the universe, filling our bodies with unnatural and harmful chemicals, and requiring exorbitant prices charged by greedy drug companies. Even many who believe only in faith healing will accept “natural” compounds such as what are offered in Ayurvedic medicine. Some will uncritically accept a “spiritual” approach to their illness as being more in keeping with the way God created things, even if the spiritual base of that approach is blatantly unchristian.

The truth is that God has created the universe with incredible potential for benefit that man is free to discover. There are many “natural” chemical compounds in plants and animals that are useful for healing ailments. Likewise, there are many “man-made” compounds that are really nothing more than combinations of the “natural” components. All of it ultimately comes from what God created. “Man-made” medicine may have harmful side effects. “Natural” or homeopathic compounds can also have harmful side effects. There are cautions to be heeded on all sides.

In the final analysis, the motto at the Tenwek Hospital in Kenya is completely accurate: “We Treat, Jesus Heals.” Christians trust God and pray for healing, but one of the ways He heals is by giving us skilled medical professionals and both “natural” and “man-made” medicines and procedures. Some aspects of Ayurvedic medicine may be beneficial. As long as the procedure does not involve something that is pagan or anti-biblical, then the Christian has the freedom to consider it. However, if the practitioner is steeped in non-Christian religion or Eastern mysticism, then the treatment process will normally contain pagan practices, and the Christian should not participate. If the treatment or the medicine used can be separated from the pagan practice, and it proves medically beneficial, then the Christian can benefit from it, thanking God for His common grace that allowed pagan people to discover something good in His universe.

Recommended Resource: Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook, Updated and Expanded by Donal O'Mathna, Ph.D. & Walt Larimore, M.D.

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What is Ramadan?

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Question: "What is Ramadan?"

Answer: Ramadan is a holy month in the religion of Islam and is marked by a time of required fasting. Observance of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. By fasting during this month, Muslims believe they earn spiritual rewards and draw closer to Allah.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is lunar-based. Based on the region, either astronomical calculations or moon sightings mark the beginning of this month of fasting, which ends at the next new moon. Ramadan officially commences when a Muslim imam announces it. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims seek the mercy and attention of Allah by fasting from dawn to sunset. Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sex during the daylight hours. It is said that good works done during the month of Ramadan will result in a multiplication of the normal reward for the same works performed in other months. For this reason, generosity and charity increase during Ramadan. Muslims are also encouraged to read the entire Qur’an during Ramadan and to recite special prayers. Ramadan ends with the feast of Eid al-Fitr / the Festival of Breaking the Fast.

The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic word ramida, which means “intense, scorching heat or dryness.” It is believed among adherents of Islam that Ramadan burns away a person’s sins with good deeds. Muslims seek to suppress everything sinful in themselves, putting away all vices and bad behavior and desires, in order to show their dedication to Allah and their hope that he will be merciful to them. The word Islam means “submission,” and the posture of obedience and self-denial taken during month of Ramadan is the ultimate act of a Muslim’s submission to Allah.

Fasting is also found in the Bible. For a Christian, fasting is usually accompanied by prayer and is a way to express deep distress and dire need. However, there is a big difference between a Christian fast and the Islamic fast of Ramadan. For one thing, the New Testament never commands a fast (even in the Old Testament, the Jews were only commanded to fast one day a year, on the Day of Atonement). Christian fasts are voluntary, not obligatory.

Also, Christians do not believe that fasting will atone for or burn away sins. Self-denial has long been associated with Christianity (see Mark 8:34), but what the Bible says about self-denial is quite different from the Muslim understanding of it. In Islam, self-denial is a way to persuade Allah to “repay” the worshiper. For a Christian, self-denial is a natural occurrence due to a change of heart and a desire to follow Jesus (Romans 6:17–18).

The idea that a god will be appeased by works of charity, generosity, or the suppression of natural desires is almost universal in world religions. In fact, the only religion that does not believe in appeasing the gods with good deeds is Christianity. The Bible teaches that a Christian’s faith will result in good works animated by God’s Spirit (James 2:26; Galatians 5:16–18). Faith itself is a gift (Ephesians 2:8–9), and, even when Christians falter and sin, we do not have any fear that God’s love will be revoked (Romans 8:1, 38). Muslims have no such assurance and must continually seek Allah’s approval by performing good works and fasting during the month of Ramadan. To fail to fast during Ramadan is to face the wrath of Allah.

Recommended Resource: Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross by Norm Geisler

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Is Scientology Christian or a cult?

Question: "Is Scientology Christian or a cult?"

Answer: Scientology is a difficult religion to summarize. Scientology was founded in 1953 by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard and has gained popularity due to some Hollywood celebrities who have embraced it. Hubbard became a multi-millionaire as a result of creating Scientology. In fact, one of the most common criticisms of Scientology is that it is nothing more than a complex money-making scheme. The LA Times reported that the financial policy of Hubbard’s organization was, in Hubbard’s own words, “MAKE MONEY, MAKE MORE MONEY, MAKE OTHERS PRODUCE SO AS TO MAKE MONEY” (Joel Sappell and Robert W. Welkos. “The Scientology Story, Part 2: The Selling of a Church.” latimes. Monday, 6/25/1990, page A1:1. Los Angeles Times. WEB. 11/23/2015).

Scientology teaches that mankind is an immortal being (called a Thetan) not originally from this planet, and that man is trapped by matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). Salvation for a scientologist comes through a process called ”auditing,” whereby ”engrams” (basically, memories of past pain and unconsciousness that create energy blockage) are removed. Auditing is a lengthy process and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. When all engrams are finally removed, the Thetan can once again control MEST instead of being controlled by it. Until salvation, each Thetan is constantly reincarnated.

Scientology is a very expensive religion to pursue. Every aspect of Scientology has some sort of fee associated with it. This is why Scientology’s “pews” are filled only with the wealthy. It is also a very strict religion and very punitive against those who would try to leave behind its teachings and membership. Its “scriptures” are limited solely to the writings and teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.

Though scientologists will claim that Scientology is compatible with Christianity, the Bible counters each and every belief they hold to. The Bible teaches that God is the sovereign and only creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1); mankind was created by God (Genesis 1:27); the only salvation available to man is by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:8); salvation is a free gift that mankind can do nothing to earn (Ephesians 2:8-9); and Jesus Christ is alive and well and is seated at the right hand of God the Father even now (Acts 2:33; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3), awaiting the time when He will gather His people to Himself to reside with Him for eternity in heaven. Everyone else will be cast into a very real hell, separated from God for eternity (Revelation 20:15).

Scientology categorically denies the existence of the God of the Bible, heaven, and hell. To a scientologist, Jesus Christ was simply a good teacher who unfortunately was wrongfully put to death. Scientology differs from biblical Christianity on every important doctrine. Some of the most important differences are summarized below:

God: Scientology believes that there are multiple gods and that some gods are above other gods. Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, recognizes the one and only true God who revealed Himself to us in the Bible and through Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Him cannot believe the false concept of God as taught in Scientology.

Jesus Christ: Like other cults, Scientology denies the deity of Christ. Instead of having a biblical view of who Christ is and what He did, they assign to Him the characteristics of some sort of lesser god who has obtained legendary status over the years. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was God in the flesh and through His incarnation He could act as a sacrifice for our sins. It is through Christ’s death and resurrection that we can have the hope of eternal life with God (John 3:16).

Sin: Scientology believes in the inherent goodness of man and teaches that it is despicable and utterly beneath contempt to tell a man he must repent or that he is evil. On the other hand, the Bible teaches that man is a sinner and the only hope for him is that he receive Christ as his Lord and Savior (Romans 6:23).

Salvation: Scientology believes in reincarnation and that personal salvation in one’s lifetime is freedom from the cycle of birth and death associated with reincarnation. They believe that religious practice of all faiths is the universal way to wisdom, understanding, and salvation. In contrast, the Bible teaches that there is only one way of salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Comparing the teachings of Scientology with the Bible, we see that the two have very little, if anything, in common. Scientology only leads away from God and eternal life. Scientology, while sometimes disguising its beliefs in Christian-sounding language, in fact diametrically opposes Christianity on every core belief. Scientology is clearly, and most definitely, not Christian.

Recommended Resource: The Kingdom of the Cults, 6th edition: The Definitive Work on the Subject by Walter Martin

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Why do Christians try to impose their values on others?

Question: "Why do Christians try to impose their values on others?"

Answer: Christians are frequently accused of trying to impose their values or their beliefs on others. The oft-heard accusation is that Christians are trying to “shove their religion down our throats.” In addressing this question, we must also address the implied accusation that Christians are an authoritarian group that seeks to impinge on the rights of others. Of course, there have been tyrants who were professed Christians, but true followers of Jesus Christ do not seek to infringe on anyone’s basic human rights. The same God who granted volition to the believer also granted volition to the unbeliever.

God extends His general blessings to everyone (Matthew 5:45); therefore, freedom for all is a Christian value. Man is a special creation of God (Genesis 1:27); therefore, human dignity and respect for the individual are Christian values.

Some say that it is wrong to try to “legislate morality.” We say that it is impossible not to. Every law “imposes” someone’s moral “values” on someone else. A law that prohibits murder, for example, imposes a belief that murder is wrong and upholds the Christian tenet that human life has intrinsic worth.

Almost everyone agrees that murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and greed are wrong. Most people agree that respecting one’s parents is right. This sense of right and wrong, woven into the fabric of our society, reflects six of the Bible’s Ten Commandments. Those who object to the “imposition” of Judeo-Christian values should perhaps work to repeal the laws against murder, perjury, and theft.

Christians don’t want to impose their values, but they do recognize that, in every society, someone’s values must reign supreme. The question is whose values will predominate? There is no such thing as a neutral value system. Therefore, Christians work to advance their values in the sincere belief that, in a world of competing convictions, Christian values best promote the general welfare and preserve the domestic tranquility.

Christians don’t want to impose their values, but they do see the importance of having an authority higher than ourselves. Societies which attempt to produce a moral code based solely on human rationale can be manipulated by whoever has the most votes or the most weapons. Whether it’s the case of a humanistic despot such as Joseph Stalin or a collective tyranny such as the French Revolution, the exclusion of Christian principles leads to less freedom, not more.

Christians don’t want to impose their values, but they do want to live peaceably in whatever society they dwell (Romans 12:18; 1 Timothy 2:2). Christians are obligated to do good to all (1 Corinthians 6:10) and to pray for everyone (1 Timothy 2:1). Christ taught His followers to return blessing for cursing (Matthew 5:44), a teaching which He modeled perfectly (1 Peter 2:23).

There are some who wish for a purely “secular” society where religion is relegated to its cloister and all Christian opinion is silenced. To those individuals, we offer these reminders:

1) Christians have as much right to be involved in the political process as anyone else. This means they may vote, rally, lobby, caucus, and hold office just like any other citizen—all the while promoting laws that reflect their own values. Christians do not seek to subvert the political process; they engage it, as it is the right of every citizen.

2) Christians in a pluralistic society have as much right to voice their opinions as anyone else. This means they may broadcast, write, speak, publish, and create art as they will—all the while voicing their own view of morality. Christians are sometimes accused of censorship, on the basis that they have criticized a certain book or have objected to their tax dollars funding anti-Christian speech, but they are not burning books. The reality is that freedom of expression is a Christian value.

3) Christians in a religiously free society have as much right to live out their beliefs as anyone else. This means they may preach and teach the gospel and live according to the Bible and their conscience. When a Christian says, “You must be born again” (John 3:7), he is not trying to impose his values; he is speaking the truth, which anyone is free to accept or reject.

There is no doubt that when Christians share the joy that comes from faith in Christ, some see that as an attempt to impose Christianity on others. But the truth is that as Christians, we know that we have the antidote for human misery in this life and an eternity in hell in the next. To not share that cure with others, as we are commanded by Christ to do (Matthew 28:18-20), would be like knowing the cure for cancer and refusing to share it with the rest of the world. We can’t force our beliefs on anyone; all we can do is offer them the cure and pray they will accept it. If some see that effort as “imposing” our beliefs on them, that is a matter of their perception, not a reflection of reality.

Recommended Resource: Living Above the Level of Mediocrity by Charles Swindoll

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[Patriot]

How does God judge those who were raised in non-Christian cultures?

Question: "How does God judge those who were raised in non-Christian cultures and have been taught their entire life that their own religion (such as Islam or Hinduism) is correct, and Christianity is wrong?"

Answer: This question presupposes that the ability to be saved is dependent upon where we are born, how we are raised and what we are taught. The lives of millions of people who have come out of false religions—or no religion at all—through the centuries clearly refute this idea. Heaven is not the eternal dwelling place of those who were fortunate enough to be raised in Christian homes in free nations, but of those who came to Christ from “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). People in all cultures and in every phase of history are saved the same way—by the grace of God given to undeserving sinners, not because of what we know, where we are born or how we have been indoctrinated, but “because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Romans 5:5).

While some may be ignorant of the content of Scripture and the teachings of Christ, they are by no means deprived of any knowledge of what is right and wrong, nor are they deprived of the knowledge of God’s existence. Romans 1:20 tells us, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” In reality, it is not that some people have not heard about Christ. Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have heard and what is readily seen in nature. Deuteronomy 4:29 proclaims, “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” This verse teaches an important principle: everyone who truly seeks after Truth will find it. If a person sincerely desires to know the true God, God will make Himself known.

Those in false religions are always subject to the teaching of salvation by works. If they believe they can satisfy a holy and perfect God by the keeping of rules and laws, God will allow them to continue in their efforts at self-justification until He finally judges them rightly. If, however, they respond to the goading of a conscience awakened by God and cry out to Him—as the tax collector in the temple did—“Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:9-14), God will respond with His truth and grace.

Only in Christ the Savior is a man freed from the liability of guilt, sin, and shame. Our right standing before our Judge is established on one thing only: the finished work of Christ crucified who shed His blood so we could live (John 19:30). We are released from our sins by His blood (Revelation 1:5). He has reconciled us in His earthly body through His death (Colossians 1:22). Jesus bore our sins in His own Body on the cross so that by His wounds we are healed (1 Peter 2:24). We are made holy through the offering up of Jesus’ body as a sacrifice once for all (Hebrews 10:10). Christ appeared once for all to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:26). God sent His Son to remove the wrath that we ourselves deserved (1 John 4:10). The penalty of sin that is rightly ours is absolved by grace through faith, not by any righteous deeds of our own (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Christ’s final marching orders were that His followers preach this good news to sinners throughout the world and until the end of the world when He will return to judge the living and the dead (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Timothy 4:1). Where there are hearts opened by the Holy Spirit, there will God send His messengers to fill those open hearts with His truth. Even in countries where preaching Christ is forbidden by law, God’s truth still finds its way to those who truly seek it, including through the internet. The stories of thriving house churches in China, conversions to Christ in Iran and other Islamic countries, and the inroads into remote areas of the world all attest to the limitless power of God’s love and mercy.

Recommended Resource: Encountering World Religions by Irving Hexham

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[Patriot]

Is belief in God nothing but wish fulfillment?

​

Question: "Is belief in God nothing but wish fulfillment?"

Answer: In his 1927 book The Future of an Illusion, Sigmund Freud called the hopes offered by religion “illusions, fulfillments of the oldest, strongest, and most urgent wishes of mankind. . . . We disregard its relation to reality, just as the illusion itself sets no store by verification” (pp. 21, 31). In other words, Freud saw religious belief as wish fulfillment, the illusory gratification of a desire.

Freud saw religious belief as a coping mechanism that assisted people in dealing with the harsh realities of life. A belief in God was nothing more than a wish to have a strong father figure in one’s life. The desires of individuals, according to Freud, cause them to look past their intellect to something that isn’t real and can’t be verified. He asserted that the religious person’s belief satisfies a strong desire to meet some emotional need. He has a wish to fulfill, and so he yields to it.

Freud also believed that illusions such as God can and should be resisted by people and that those who choose to participate in religion are “guilty of every possible sort of dishonesty and intellectual misdemeanor” (ibid., p. 42).

Is Freud correct in his assumptions where Christianity is concerned?

To answer, let’s begin with the understanding that Freud’s wish fulfillment sword cuts both ways. Could it be true that an atheist like Freud has wishes and desires of his own? Perhaps Freud and others like him wish that a deity such as the God of the Bible does not exist—a God who will call them to account one day for their actions—and their construction of an atheistic belief system is simply wish fulfillment on their part.

The desire for there to be no God can be quite motivating and drive a person to hold an atheistic/agnostic position. Charles Darwin demonstrates just this when he says, “I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true; for if so the plain language of the [biblical] text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my Father, Brother, and almost all my best friends, will be everlastingly punished. And this is a damnable doctrine” (The Autobiography of Charles Darwin, 1809—82, Penguin Books, 2002, p. 50).

Contrary to what many atheists believe, the Bible exhorts against fuzzy, wish fulfillment-type thinking and instead commands people to think strongly about their beliefs. For example, God says to Judah, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD” (Isaiah 1:18, NASB). Paul told his apprentice Timothy, “Think over what I say” (2 Timothy 2:7, ESV). Paul also told the church in Corinth, “Stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20, BSB).

Any argument that says Christianity promotes some sort of mindless, fideistic approach to belief about God is simply out of touch with the Bible’s teachings.

Unlike the mythology of the Greeks and Romans, Christianity firmly rests on strong philosophical, empirical, and historical evidence. The events surrounding the origin of Christianity occurred in space/time history and are capable of being verified. Moreover, the hope delivered by Christianity defies Freud’s definition in that it is backed by a person—Jesus of Nazareth, who history says lived and died—and whose resurrection is backed by good historical evidence.

In the end, Freud’s charge of wish fulfillment can easily be turned back upon itself, His allegations that Christians are in search of coping mechanisms or father figures fall flat when measured against the strong evidence that exists for the Christian faith.

Recommended Resource: Inside the Atheist Mind by Anthony DeStefano

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[beensetfree]

Looking Unto Jesus: Our God and Saviour! Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13 KJV _______________ My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent men you save me. 2 Samuel 22:3 NIV _______________ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2:1 KJV While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 2 Peter 2:19,20 KJV _______________ But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 RSV _______________ We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 1 John 4:14 NASB _______________ God, Whose grace is all sufficient, be glorified! Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

1 John 2:1

“If any man sin, we have an advocate.” Yes, though we sin, we have him still. John does not say, “If any man sin he has forfeited his advocate,” but “we have an advocate,” sinners though we are. All the sin that a believer ever did, or can be allowed to commit, cannot destroy his interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, as his advocate. The name here given to our Lord is suggestive. “Jesus.” Ah! then he is an advocate such as we need, for Jesus is the name of one whose business and delight it is to save. “They shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” His sweetest name implies his success.

Next, it is “Jesus Christ” — Christos, the anointed. This shows his authority to plead. The Christ has a right to plead, for he is the Father's own appointed advocate and elected priest. If he were of our choosing he might fail, but if God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, we may safely lay our trouble where God has laid his help. He is Christ, and therefore authorized; he is Christ, and therefore qualified, for the anointing has fully fitted him for his work. He can plead so as to move the heart of God and prevail. What words of tenderness, what sentences of persuasion will the anointed use when he stands up to plead for me!

One more letter of his name remains, “Jesus Christ the righteous.” This is not only his character but his plea. It is his character, and if the Righteous One be my advocate, then my cause is good, or he would not have espoused it. It is his plea, for he meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by the plea that he is righteous. He declares himself my substitute and puts his obedience to my account. My soul, thou hast a friend well fitted to be thine advocate, he cannot but succeed; leave thyself entirely in his hands.

 

[beensetfree]

Who Are You Willing To Follow?



We are all trying to lead. We want to be the boss. The one in charge. We want to call the shots and have others do our bidding. We want to be the captain steering the ship, the General giving the orders.
Each of us has charge over exactly one person on this planet – ourselves. And it stands to reason that if we are responsible for that one person, we should want that one person to succeed in every way. Fame. Fortune. Power. We want it all for our one person. We want control. We want…deity.

All of this causes quite a quandary. Because a) there are billions of others trying to do exactly the same thing as we are and b) life is bigger and more complex and more true than any one human could hope to embody or contain.

Leaders Who Follow
The result of this chaos is, much against a part of our will, we are forced to follow something. Or someone. We have to trust something when our own capacity fails. When we reach our limits, there is something external we must commit ourselves to.

The question about what we follow is perhaps more important than what we will do when we lead. Perhaps they are two ways of asking the same thing.
We waste so much time trying to accumulate power we don’t even know what to do with. We try to get people to follow us because we believe leadership is some marker for or indication of success.
Case and point. We end up following what we believe will a) get us closer to the money and fame we desire and b) we will be able to usurp when the time is right.


Following Values
We follow what matters to us. No matter what false humility we claim, we follow what we believe is in our best interest. What matters to us most.

The healthiest people realize that there is some letting go, some sacrifice of the ego, that is actually better for us than the vice grips we put on our own agenda. There is a weird sort of meaning in purpose that brings more life as we let go of more of it. Simplicity. Community. These are ideas that seem to be uninteresting for our self-interest and then totally against it. The truth is they are neither. And both.

And the more we tap into the true why behind our values, the more we discover this dichotomy to be true.
We use a lot of terms for it – values, purpose, mission. The truth is this is what matters to us. It is what we long to follow. To chase. To pursue. We will follow the people and the institutions that promote our values.

If we have a true perspective, we will be able to discern the people and the institutions that really promote our values and the ones who just pretend to. It is a tricky and subtle difference. But we will find it if we are looking for it. Even within our own hearts, there is the difference.
Take a break from chasing leadership. From trying so hard to be the one in control. Ask yourself how to be an effective follower (which is the first step to leading well) and exactly what it is you are willing to follow.