From Bondage To Freedom

Message to Our Hindu Friends... \O/

2008-08-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Vandhana Khanna

Testimony-Interview-Pandit Dharm Prakash Sharma

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Vedic Message

Vedic Bridge to Christ
Have you heard of the ancient Hindu Mantra, the
Gayatri Mantra? Do you know what it says?
“Oh God! You are the Giver of Life,
Remover of pain and sorrow,
The Bestower of happiness,
Oh! Creator of the Universe,
May we receive your supreme
sin-destroying light,
May you guide our intellect in the right direction.”
The line that I find most interesting is, “may we receive
your supreme sin-destroying light.” I am really excited
because I have found what the ancients who wrote this
passage were talking about! I have found the “sin destroying
Light!” Everyone desires to find the way to
reach God, and we desire to find the way to Creator
God. May I share with you what I have found about
this “supreme sin-destroying Light?”

Vedic Brideg: English View Download

Vedic Brideg: Hindi View Download
Vedic Brideg: Bengali View Download

Truth Triumphs : English View Download
kannada-evangehand View Download

Moksha (English) View Download
Moksha (Hindi) View Download
Moksha (Oriya) View Download

Eternal Guru (English) View Download
Eternal Guru (Hindi) View Download
Eternal Guru (Nepali) View Download
Eternal Guru (Punjabi) View Download

Why Moksh is FREE? ( English) View Download
Why Moksh is FREE? ( Hindi) View Download

Seven Questions, (English) View Download
Seven Questions, (Hindi) View Download

Revolution of the Cross (English) View Download
Revolution of the Cross (Hindi) View Download

Ak Nam Tract Hindi View Download
Dharma Parivarthan (Hindi) View Download
Prabhu Yesu Tract (Hindi) View Download
Theerth Yatra (Hindi) View Download

Prem Lal Ka Dil-The Heart of Prem Lal

2008-08-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

Click on the image to go to the full story of Prem Lal

True Independence Day

2008-08-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

Freedom Isn’t Free!

Freedom does not come cheap. Many soldiers, slaves, and common people fought to win our freedom. Many knew that they would not taste freedom for themselves but they still gave their lives as a sacrifice to enable others to be free.

Monuments honor these patriots, holidays remember them and riveting stories recall the

ultimate price they paid for our freedom!

But imagine their shock if they knew that although they gave their lives for our freedom, we decided to continue living under the laws of the old regime? They would be astonished! Yet, this happens every day with people we know—perhaps even you!

There is a tyrant that is far more invasive than one country ruling over another. It is far more
personal. It destroys lives and families. Its grip is so mighty that there is nothing we can do to free ourselves from it.

What is this tormenter? Try going one day without being judgmental, or lusting, or becoming angry or being selfish. Never again say a wrong word, instead always give yourself completely to help others. Can any of us do this?

No! None of us are able to truly master our own hearts. We are all held in bondage to this tyrant that pervades our thoughts, actions and desires. This tyrant is called sin—and we all have committed it!

Romans 3:23 proves this when it says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”* Sin is anything contrary to God’s will. God has created us. He has told us how to live. Yet, we reject God’s standards and sin against Him. Sin is not merely being occasionally bad, it is rebellion directed against our gracious Lord.

One definition of sin is “to miss the mark.” Imagine an archery target. To shoot perfectly
would be to always hit the target dead-center. The bull's-eye is precise. Anything off the dead-center is not a true, perfect shot. Although many skilled archers can hit nickels and

split arrows, no one can shoot perfectly every time.

Even the best archers occasionally miss. Sin is like that. Every situation that you are in—each thought that you think—is like shooting at that bull’s-eye. Throughout the long course of
our lives none of us can hit perfection every time.

The result is that we have all sinned and do so often—and we fall short of the glory of God.

But doesn’t God know we can’t do everything perfectly? Why does He still judge us for “being human”? The answer lies in God’s holiness. God is perfectly pure and holy. His holiness is
unchanging. Psalm 5:4 says, “No evil dwells with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes.” God’s holiness consumes sin. Thus, no sinner can stand before a holy God.

But none of us are perfectly perfect! Did you know that just one single sin is enough to make us unqualified to be with God in heaven? Just one sin? Can’t He allow a few sins in? No—any sin is a sin against God and brings about our spiritual death and future punishment in hell.

If a soldier in battle is shot in the heart, he dies. Shooting him with hundreds more bullets does not make him any more dead. One shot was all it took. Sin is like that bullet. James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” Just one sin results in our complete spiritual death. Any additional sins we commit do not make us more spiritually dead. We are like that dead soldier, without life. That is why Ephesians 2:1 describes us as being “dead in our trespasses and sins.” In addition to being dead, we are also separated from God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “For your sins have made a separation between you and your God.” We are unable to do anything to make ourselves spiritually alive. We are utterly helpless. No amount of good works or church-going can give life to our spirit.

Not only are we spiritually dead and separated from God but His holy justice requires that we suffer the penalty for our sins. In our country, there are laws about crime. If we commit a crime, the penalty is determined by more than just the degree of the crime; but
also by what or who has been harmed.

For example, if we smash a rock in anger we generally suffer nothing. But if we kill a man in
anger, we go to jail because a man is more valuable than a rock. Likewise, God is perfect and infinitely valuable. If we disobey His laws, we have harmed His infinite glory and marred His perfect plan.

Since we sin against an infinite God, our penalty is even greater because of who we have harmed. Each sin we commit demands an infinite punishment no matter how “good” we may or may not be. Imagine a murderer pleading to a judge, “Let me go— just look at all of the people that I have not killed!” Real justice is still required. Likewise, with God, a “good” life cannot balance out even one single sin. Because of sin, we owe God an infinite debt of punishment. Since God, whom we have harmed, has infinite value, we must pay with infinite time in an eternal Hell

Is There Any Hope?

There are two ways to attempt to pay off an infinite debt or punishment. One way is to
make a payment that is infinite in quantity. The only thing that human beings have that is infinite is our time. So if we attempt to pay off sin’s debt it requires an eternity in Hell.

The only other way to pay an infinite debt is to offer something that is infinite in perfection. The only One who is perfect and infinite is God. Therefore, because of His love towards us, God sent His son Jesus Christ to offer Himself as the infinite and sinless payment for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Because of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection, the enemy is conquered—sin is defeated! Those who are spiritually dead can be made alive! Jesus Christ has made us free indeed! This freedom only comes through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on our behalf.

The Bible God’s Word says in Eph 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as the result of works, so that no one may boast.” Having faith means believing what the Bible says about you, your sin and trusting only in Christ's death on the cross to satisfy God’s justice.

To receive this gift, confess to God that He is holy and that you stand before Him a guilty, lost and helpless sinner. In sincere repentance, ask Christ to save you and take His rightful place as the Lord of your entire life and enable you to live for Him.

There is hope indeed! Romans 10:9 promises, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”

Those who trust Christ for their salvation are children of God. The Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”—John 1:12. If this is true of you, then get to know your Lord through prayer, the faithful study of His Word and involvement in a good Bible teaching church so that God can use you for His glory and your joy!

My Experience as a Hindu Guru

2008-08-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

My Experience as a Hindu Guru

Growing up with Hindu beliefs

by Rabi Maharaj

No matter how fulfilling life becomes, there are always certain regrets when one looks back. My deepest sense of loss involves my father. So much has happened since his death. I often wonder what it would be like to share it all with him, and what his reaction would be.

We never shared anything in our lives. Because of vows he had taken before I was born, not once did he ever speak to me or pay me the slightest heed. Just two words from him would have made me unspeakably happy. How I wanted to hear him say, "Rabi. Son." Just once. But he never did.

My Hindu beliefs and higher consciousness

For eight long years he uttered not a word. The trancelike condition he had achieved is called in the East a state of higher consciousness and can be attained only through deep meditation.

"Why is father that way?" I would ask my mother, still too young to understand. "He is someone very special -- the greatest man you could have for a father," she would reply. "He is seeking the true Self that lies within us all, the One Being, of which there is no other. And that's what you are too, Rabi."

Father had set an example, achieved wide acclaim, and earned the worship of many, and it was inevitable that upon his death his mantle would fall upon me. I had never imagined, however, that I would still be so young when this fateful day arrived.

When father died I felt I had lost everything. Though I had scarcely known him as my father, he had been my inspiration -- a god -- and now he was dead.

My Hindu beliefs and astrology

At his funeral, my father's stiff body was placed on a great pile of firewood. The thought of his body being sacrificed to Agni, the god of fire, added a new dimension of mystery to the bewilderment and deep sense of loss that already overwhelmed me.

As the flames engulfed him, it was impossible to suppress the anguish I felt. "Mommy!" I screamed. "Mommy!" If she heard me above the roar of sparks and fire, she made no indication. A true Hindu, she found strength to follow the teaching of Krishna: she would mourn neither the living nor the dead. Not once did she cry as the flames consumed my father.

After my father's funeral, I became a favorite subject for the palm-readers and astrologers who frequented our house. Our family would hardly make an important decision without consulting an astrologer, so it was vital that my future be confirmed in the same way. It was encouraging to learn that the lines on my palms and the planets and stars, according to those who interpreted them, all agreed I would become a great Hindu leader. I was obviously a chosen vessel, destined for early success in the search for union with Brahman (the One). The forces that had guided my father were now guiding me.

My Hindu beliefs and being worshipped by others

I was only eleven and already many people were bowing before me, laying gifts of money, cotton cloth, and other treasures at my feet and hanging garlands of flowers around my neck at religious ceremonies.

How I loved religious ceremonies -- especially private ones in our own home or those of others, where friends and relatives would crowd in. There I would be the center of attention, admired by all. I loved to move through the audience, sprinkling holy water on worshipers or marking foreheads with the sacred white sandalwood paste. I also loved how the worshipers, after the ceremony, bowed low before me to leave their offerings at my feet.

While vacationing at an aunt's ranch, I had my first real encounter with Jesus. I was walking along enjoying nature one day and was startled by a rustling sound in the underbrush behind me. I turned quickly and, to my horror, saw a large snake coming directly toward me -- its beady eyes staring intently into mine. I felt paralyzed, wanting desperately to run but unable to move.

In that moment of frozen terror, out of the past came my mother's voice, repeating words I had long forgotten: "Rabi, if ever you're in real danger and nothing else seems to work, there's another god you can pray to. His name is Jesus."

"Jesus! Help me!" I tried to yell, but the desperate cry was choked and hardly audible.

To my astonishment, the snake turned around and quickly wriggled off into the underbrush. Breathless and still trembling, I was filled with wondering gratitude to this amazing god, Jesus. Why had my mother not taught me more about him?

My Hindu beliefs in question

During my third year in high school I experienced an increasingly deep inner conflict. My growing awareness of God as the Creator, separate and distinct from the universe He had made, contradicted the Hindu concept that god was everything, that the Creator and the Creation were one and the same. If there was only One Reality, then Brahman was evil as well as good, death as well as life, hatred as well as love. That made everything meaningless, life an absurdity. It was not easy to maintain both one's sanity and the view that good and evil, love and hate, life and death were One Reality.

One day a friend of my cousin Shanti, whose name was Molli, came by to visit. She asked me about whether I found Hinduism fulfilling. Trying to hide my emptiness, I lied and told her I was very happy and that my religion was the Truth. She listened patiently to my pompous and sometimes arrogant pronouncements. Without arguing, she exposed my emptiness gently with politely phrased questions.

She told me that Jesus had brought her close to God. She also said that God is a God of love and that He desires us to be close to Him. As appealing as this sounded to me, I stubbornly resisted, not willing to surrender my Hindu roots.

What my Hindu beliefs did not provide

Still, I found myself asking, "What makes you so happy? You must have been doing a lot of meditation."

"I used to," Molli responded, "but not anymore. Jesus has given me a peace and joy that I never knew before." Then she said, "Rabi, you don't seem very happy. Are you?"

I lowered my voice: "I'm not happy. I wish I had your joy." Was I saying this?

"My joy is because my sins are forgiven," said Molli. "Peace and joy come from Christ, through really knowing Him."

We continued talking for half a day, unaware of how the time had passed. I wanted her peace and joy, but I was absolutely resolved that I wasn't going to give up any part of my religion.

As she was leaving, she said: "Before you go to bed tonight, Rabi, please get on your knees and ask God to show you the Truth -- and I'll be praying for you." With a wave of her hand she was gone.

Pride demanded that I reject everything Molli had said, but I was too desperate to save face any longer. I fell to my knees, conscious that I was giving in to her request. "God, the true God and Creator, please show me the truth!" Something inside me snapped. For the first time in my life, I felt I had really prayed and gotten through -- not to some impersonal Force, but to the true God who loves and cares. Too tired to think any longer, I crawled into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

Soon after, my cousin Krishna invited me to a Christian meeting. I again surprised myself by responding: "Why not?" On our way there, Krishna and I were joined by Ramkair, a new acquaintance of his. "Do you know anything about this meeting?" I asked him, anxious to get some advance information.

"A little," he replied. "I became a Christian recently."

"Tell me," I said eagerly. "Did Jesus really change your life?" Ramkair smiled broadly. "He sure did! Everything is different."

"It's really true, Rab!" added Krishna enthusiastically. "I've become a Christian too -- just a few days ago."

A caring shepherd not found in Hindu beliefs

The preacher's sermon was based on Psalm 23, and the words, "The Lord is my shepherd," made my heart leap. After expounding the Psalm, the preacher said: "Jesus wants to be your Shepherd. Have you heard His voice speaking to your heart? Why not open your heart to Him now? Don't wait until tomorrow -- that may be too late!" The preacher seemed to be speaking directly to me. I could delay no longer.

I quickly knelt in front of him. He smiled and asked if anyone else wanted to receive Jesus. No one stirred. Then he asked the Christians to come forward and pray with me. Several did, kneeling beside me. For years Hindus had bowed before me -- and now I was kneeling before a Christian.

Aloud I repeated after him a prayer inviting Jesus into my heart. When the preacher said, "Amen," he suggested I pray in my own words. Quietly, choking with emotion, I began: "Lord Jesus, I've never studied the Bible, but I've heard that you died for my sins so I could be forgiven and reconciled to God. Please forgive me all my sins. Come into my heart!"

Before I finished, I knew that Jesus wasn't just another one of several million gods. He was the God for whom I had hungered. He Himself was the Creator. Yet, He loved me enough to become a man and die for my sins. With that realization, tons of darkness seemed to lift and a brilliant light flooded my soul.

After arriving home, Krishna and I found the entire family waiting up for us, apparently having heard what had happened. "I asked Jesus into my life tonight!" I exclaimed happily, as I looked from one to another of those startled faces. "It's glorious. I can't tell you how much he means to me already."

Some in my family seemed wounded and bewildered; others seemed happy for me. But before it was all over with, thirteen of us had ended up giving our hearts to Jesus! It was incredible.

Cremating the relics of my Hindu beliefs

The following day I walked resolutely into the prayer room with Krishna. Together we carried everything out into the yard: idols, Hindu scriptures, and religious paraphernalia. We wanted to rid ourselves of every tie with the past and with the powers of darkness that had blinded and enslaved us for so long.

When everything had been piled on the rubbish heap, we set it on fire and watched the flames consume our past. The tiny figures we once feared as gods were turning to ashes. We hugged one another and offered thanks to the Son of God who had died to set us free.

I found my thoughts going back to my father's cremation nearly eight years before. In contrast to our new found joy, that scene had aroused inconsolable grief. My father's body had been offered to the very same false gods who now lay in smoldering fragments before me. It seemed unbelievable that I should be participating with great joy in the utter destruction of that which represented all I had once believed in so fanatically.

In a sense this was my cremation ceremony -- the end of the person I had once been...the death of a guru. The old Rabi Maharaj had died in Christ. And out of that grave a new Rabi had risen in whom Christ was now living.

(Note: If you would be interested in a detailed account of Rabi's conversion, read his book Death of a Guru. Rabi is presently based in Southern California and is involved in evangelism all over the world. He invites you to write: East/West Gospel Ministries, P.O. Box 2191, La Habra, CA 90632.)

For further info on Hindu beliefs, you may want to read Connecting with the Divine.

Discovering for the Truth about Jesus

2008-08-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

Who Is Jesus?

Jesus was born into a Jewish family 2,000 years ago. He grew up in the small town of Nazareth in Israel. When He was about thirty, and for three years, He began speaking a unique message and performing unusual deeds throughout the region. Today, the followers of Jesus represent the largest religion in the world.

Over the years, people have regarded Him as a Palestinian peasant, prophet, enlightened avatar, Son of God, swear word, object of worship, superstar, demon, guru, wonderful man! From these diverse perspectives, Jesus has been loved and hated, deified and demonized, worshipped and spat upon.

Who's right? What are the facts? Whatever your perspective, at least one thing is certain: Jesus has endured. In the words of Dr. James Allan Francis:

"Twenty wide centuries have come and gone, and today he's the centerpiece of the human race-the leader of the column of progress.... All the armies that have ever marched, ... all the kings that have ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as has that one solitary life."

There is no difficulty recognizing the historical reality of the man Jesus of Nazareth. Research scholar Dr. Edwin Yamauchi sets the record straight on this: "From time to time some people have tried to deny the existence of Jesus, but this is really a lost cause… There is overwhelming evidence that Jesus did exist…"

The difficulty for some, though, is that the only detailed biographies of Jesus are the biblical Gospels of the New Testament from nearly 2,000 years ago. Are these documents an authentic and historically reliable record of the words and deeds of Jesus? Did Jesus claim to be God? If so, why should we believe Him? And if the facts should reveal His claim is true, then what?

In the following pages, we will seek to discover the truth about Jesus-and His significance for each of us-by looking into:

The Historical Records

No original for any ancient writing has been found. Hand-written copies made in the centuries prior to the printing press are our only source of written knowledge about ancient people, places and events. How can we know that these copies have integrity?

1. NUMEROUS COPIES assure greater integrity
The number of hand-copied manuscripts of other ancient literature ranges from 1 to 643. Archaeologists have found over 24,600 New Testament manuscripts!

2. EARLY COPIES assure greater integrity
Among ancient literature, only the Gospels have manuscript copies from the author's generation. The John Rylands fragment of the Gospel of John (A.D. 120) and quotes of all four Gospels in late first-century literature prove they were written before A.D. 95. Fragments of Matthew, Mark and Luke are dated before A.D. 70, proving they were authored within years of Jesus Himself (crucified about A.D. 30).

3. ACCURATE COPIES assure greater integrity
Distortion rates due to copying errors are 5%, 10% and more in other ancient literature. The New Testament has only 1/5 of 1% (0.2%) distortion.

But did the Gospel authors record the facts-are they historically reliable?

1. EVIDENCE of ARCHAEOLOGY assures historical reliability
People: Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate, and Tiberius Caesar
"Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas…" (Matthew 26:57) "Pilate then took Jesus…" (John 19:1).
In 1990, a sculptured, first century bone box was discovered, with "Joseph Caiaphas" inscribed on the side.
A cornerstone was uncovered in ancient Caesarea Maritima, inscribed: "Pontius Pilate, the Prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius."

Roman Crucifixion of Jesus:
"And they crucified Him…" (Mark 15:24).
A crucifixion victim was discovered in 1968, near Jerusalem, with a nail through his feet. His crucifixion was dated to A.D. 42. This confirms the Gospels: There were nails used for crucifixion at the time of Jesus!

2. EYEWITNESS AUTHORS assure historical reliability
The facts about Jesus were proclaimed within days after his death and were accepted in Jerusalem, where people were in the best position to know whether or not they were true, and where accepting them would cost them dearly.

Conclusion: The biblical Gospels have the greatest integrity and are the most historically reliable writings of antiquity!

The Eyewitness Evidence

With the Gospel accounts as reliable sources of history, we can step into the eyewitnesses' shoes via their accounts. With their ears we can hear what Jesus claimed and with their eyes see what He did.

Evidence of Jesus' Claims
"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" (Matthew 22:42)
King David referred to his descendent, the Messiah, by the name of God (Hebrew = Adonai). Jesus used this to point out that as Messiah, He is both man and God.

"I and the Father are One." (John 10:30, NIV)
"One" here means "essence": Jesus and God the Father are equals and share all the divine attributes. This fits the grammar and the context perfectly, and explains the Pharisees' attempt to stone Him for blasphemy, because He claimed to be God.

Evidence of Jesus' Actions
He "rebuked the wind and the surging waves… and it became calm." (Luke 8:24-25)
Jesus' mastery over nature was so instant and decisive that those with Him appropriately asked, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?"

"Young man, I say to you, arise!" (Luke 7:14)
Meeting a funeral procession carrying a widow's son for burial, Jesus raised her son from the dead. Seeing Jesus' power over death, the people exclaimed, "God has visited His people!"

Evidence of Jesus' Resurrection
There is no greater credential to authenticate Jesus' claim to be God than His resurrection.

The Empty Tomb Affirms its Truth–The tomb, which was covered with a sealed, one-and-a-half ton stone, was guarded by Roman soldiers. There was no defensible explanation for the missing Jesus except His resurrection.

His Post-resurrection Appearances Affirm its Truth–The Gospels record ten distinct post-resurrection physical appearances of Jesus-to both believers and unbelievers.

Transformed Lives Affirm its Truth–After seeing Him alive again, Jesus' disciples were transformed from scared, hiding men into bold proclaimers of His resurrection, willing to die for their conviction.

Conclusion: The eyewitness evidence clearly validates Jesus' claim to be the incarnation of the infinite and personal God.
We are each faced with Jesus' timeless question: "But what about you? … Who do you say I am?" (Luke 9:20, NIV)

The Value of Discovery

The historical records and the eyewitness evidence helped us to discover the truth that Jesus is God. But so what?

Compare being faced with two problems: a terminal illness and a math equation. Discovering the truth about Jesus is like finding the cure for the terminal illness. Unlike the math answer, we would never be content merely to discover the cure. We would make it our highest priority to apply the cure to our illness. The value of discovering the truth about Jesus is in applying it to our life situation.

The Bible says that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23) and further that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a). We all have a terminal spiritual illness within us that will-sooner or later-take our life. But Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies…" (John 11:25). Discovering the truth about Jesus is realizing that a loving God has provided the cure that replaces despair with hope. The Bible says, "For 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" (John 3:16, NIV).

Remember, though, that the value of the discovery is in applying it. To be healed from a terminal physical illness, we must trust ourselves to the doctor who administers the cure. Likewise, we submit ourselves to God, the Great Physician, as described in the Bible:

"...if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

Unlike costly medicine, the cure God offers us is absolutely free. The Bible says, "...the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23b). That's the truth about Jesus!

We invite you to experience the power of resurrection life that Jesus promised. The Bible says that "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). Let the truth about Jesus give you a future and a hope. Talk to God right now with a simple prayer like this one:

Dear God,
Having discovered the truth about Jesus, I want to experience the miracle of new life that He came to give. I believe that Jesus is Lord, and that You raised Him from the dead. I confess my sin that has separated me from You and turn from it. Thank You for forgiving me, and for Your promise of eternal life in heaven with You when I die. I want to follow You in obedience through the guidance of Your Word.
Amen.

Taking the Next Step

We hope you enjoyed this FaithSearch Pocket Guide, and that it helped you to discover the truth about Jesus. We would love to hear from you if this material was helpful, or if you have any further questions. Don't hesitate to contact us at the address on the back.

If you have made a faith commitment to Jesus for the first time in your life, or if this booklet has helped you to renew your faith in Jesus, the Christ, then congratulations! We want to highlight two matters of great importance to your future spiritual confidence and fulfillment in life.

First, the Bible says very clearly, "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11,12, NIV). You have God's promise that your eternal life began the very instant you received His free gift by placing your faith and trust in Jesus. Turn to this promise often for assurance.

Second, Jesus also promised his followers abundant life here and now. Once again, you get that kind of life by application. The difference between a "so-so" existence and the abundant life Jesus promised is found in building your relationship with God through the study of His Word, the Bible.

"And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust Him, too, for each day's problems... See that you go on growing in the Lord, and becoming strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught" (Colossians 2:6,7, TLB).

FaithSearch has prepared a book called Growing Faith that will help you to understand the Bible and stimulate your spiritual growth. It is available from our office, and we are offering this valuable resource FREE OF CHARGE to anyone who calls or writes our office and has made a faith commitment to Jesus Christ for the first time as a result of this Pocket Guide. We look forward to hearing from you.

If you would like further information, we encourage you to contact us as well. We offer a number of publications and events that may help you find answers to life's most important questions.

For example, the book Surprised by Faith, by former skeptic and Ph.D. biologist Dr. Don Bierle, tells the story of his personal, life-changing discoveries about God, the Bible and personal fulfillment. The information in the book is also offered as FaithSearch, a live event and video or audio tape series.

See our Web site (www.faithsearch.org) for details, including a full description and schedule of events taking place near you.

We look forward to hearing from you, especially if we can be of any assistance in helping you further discover the truth about Jesus. We encourage you to freely acknowledge now what the Bible promises everyone will face at the end of time:

"…that at the name
of Jesus every
knee should bow…
and every tongue confess
that
Jesus [the] Christ
is Lord…"

—Philippians 2:10-11,

Reference materials used in this presentation:

• Dr. Don Bierle, Surprised by Faith, (Bend, OR: Global Publishing Services), 2003;
• Dr. James Allan Francis, The Real Jesus and Other Sermons, (Philadelphia: The Judson Press), 1926;
• Gary R. Habermas, Ancient Evidence for the Life of Jesus, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson), 1984.

Are world religions really all the same?

2008-08-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Are world religions really all the same? A look at Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and New Age.

By Marilyn Adamson

We all want to make it through life with some degree of success, some sense that we did it right. And if others think they know how life can be satisfying, even meaningful, it's at least worth checking out. What about the major world religions? Is there anything in them that would give our lives greater stability and value? The following is an opportunity to look into the major world faith systems...Hinduism, New Age, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.* Included is a brief description of each, its distinguishing characteristics, and what a person can gain from each. The author then presents for your consideration the ways in which Jesus' teaching differs from the world's religions. *Each of these systems has sects with differing beliefs. The description given here focuses on the heart of that system. Other major religions, such as Judaism, could be discussed, but for brevity, we have chosen these.

Hinduism

Most Hindus worship one Being of ultimate oneness (Brahman) through infinite representations of gods and goddesses. These various manifestations of gods and goddesses become incarnate within idols, temples, gurus, rivers, animals, etc.

Hindus see their position in this present life as based on their actions in a previous life. If their behavior before was evil, they might experience tremendous hardships in this life. A Hindu's goal is to become free from the law of karma...to be free from continuous reincarnations. There are three possible ways to end this cycle of karma: 1. Be lovingly devoted to any of the Hindu gods or goddesses; 2. Grow in knowledge through meditation of Brahman (oneness)...to realize that circumstances in life are not real, that selfhood is an illusion and only Brahman is real; 3. Be dedicated to various religious ceremonies and rites. In Hinduism, a person has the freedom to choose how to work toward spiritual perfection. Hinduism also has a possible explanation for the suffering and evil in the world. According to Hinduism, the suffering anyone experiences, whether it is sickness or starvation or a disaster, is due that person because of their own evil actions, usually from a previous lifetime. Only the soul matters which will one day be free of the cycle of rebirths and be at rest.

New Age

New Age promotes the development of the person's own power or divinity. When referring to God, a follower of New Age is not talking about a transcendent, personal God who created the universe, but is referring to a higher consciousness within themselves. A person in New Age would see themselves as God, the cosmos, the universe. In fact, everything that the person sees, hears, feels or imagines is to be considered divine.

Highly eclectic, New Age presents itself as a collection of ancient spiritual traditions. It acknowledges many gods and goddesses, as in Hinduism. The Earth is viewed as the source of all spirituality, and has its own intelligence, emotions and deity. But superseding all is self. Self is the originator, controller and God of all. There is no reality outside of what the person determines. New Age teaches a wide array of eastern mysticism and spiritual, metaphysical and psychic techniques, such as breathing exercises, chanting, drumming, meditating...to develop an altered consciousness and one's own divinity. Anything negative a person experiences (failures, sadness, anger, selfishness, hurt) is considered an illusion. Believing themselves to be completely sovereign over their life, nothing about their life is wrong, negative or painful. Eventually a person develops spiritually to the degree that there is no objective, external reality. A person, becoming a god, creates their own reality.

Buddhism

Buddhists do not worship any gods or God. People outside of Buddhism often think that Buddhists worship the Buddha. However, the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) never claimed to be divine, but rather he is viewed by Buddhists as having attained what they are also striving to attain, which is spiritual enlightenment and, with it, freedom from the continuous cycle of life and death. Most Buddhists believe a person has countless rebirths, which inevitably include suffering. A Buddhist seeks to end these rebirths. Buddhists believe it is a person's cravings, aversion and delusion that cause these rebirths. Therefore, the goal of a Buddhist is to purify one's heart and to let go of all yearnings toward sensual desires and the attachment to oneself.

Buddhists follow a list of religious principles and very dedicated meditation. When a Buddhist meditates it is not the same as praying or focusing on a god, it is more of a self-discipline. Through practiced meditation a person may reach Nirvana -- "the blowing out" of the flame of desire. Buddhism provides something that is true of most world religions: disciplines, values and directives that a person may want to live by.

Islam

Muslims believe there is the one almighty God, named Allah, who is infinitely superior to and transcendent from humankind. Allah is viewed as the creator of the universe and the source of all good and all evil. Everything that happens is Allah's will. He is a powerful and strict judge, who will be merciful toward followers depending on the sufficiency of their life's good works and religious devotion. A follower's relationship with Allah is as a servant to Allah.

Though a Muslim honors several prophets, Muhammad is considered the last prophet and his words and lifestyle are that person's authority. To be a Muslim, one has to follow five religious duties: 1. Repeat a creed about Allah and Muhammad; 2. Recite certain prayers in Arabic five times a day; 3. Give to the needy; 4. One month each year, fast from food, drink, sex and smoking from sunrise to sunset; 5. Pilgrimage once in one's lifetime to worship at a shrine in Mecca. At death -- based on one's faithfulness to these duties -- a Muslim hopes to enter Paradise, a place of sensual pleasure. If not, they will be eternally punished in hell. For many people, Islam matches their expectations about religion and deity. Islam teaches that there is one supreme God, who is worshiped through good deeds and disciplined religious rituals. After death a person is rewarded or punished according to their religious devotion.

Christianity -- faith in Jesus Christ

Christians believe in a loving God who has revealed himself and can be personally known in this life. With Jesus Christ, the person's focus is not on religious rituals or performing good works, but on enjoying a relationship with God and growing to know him better.

Faith in Jesus Christ himself, not just in his teachings, is how the Christian experiences joy and a meaningful life. In his life on Earth, Jesus did not identify himself as a prophet pointing to God or as a teacher of enlightenment. Rather, Jesus claimed to be God in human form. He performed miracles, forgave people of their sin and said that anyone who believed in him would have eternal life. He made statements like, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."¹ Christians regard the Bible as God's written message to humankind. In addition to its being an historical record of Jesus' life and miracles, the Bible reveals God's personality, his love and truth, and how one can have a relationship with him. Whatever circumstances a Christian is dealing with in their life, they can confidently turn to a wise and powerful God who genuinely loves them. They believe that God answers prayer and that life takes on meaning as they live to honor him.

Is there a difference?

In looking at these major belief systems and their views of God, we find tremendous diversity:

Hindus acknowlege multitudes of gods and goddesses.

Buddhists say there is no deity.

New Age followers believe they are God.

Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable God.

Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable.

Are all religions worshiping the same God? Let's consider that. New Age teaches that everyone should come to center on a cosmic consciousness, but it would require Islam to give up their one God, Hinduism to give up their numerous gods, and Buddhism to establish that there is a God.

The world's major religions (Hinduism, New Age, Buddhism, Islam, following Jesus Christ) are each quite unique. And of these one affirms that there is a personal, loving God who can be known, now in this life. Jesus Christ spoke of a God who welcomes us into a relationship with him and comes along side us as a comforter, counselor and powerful God who loves us. In Hinduism a person is on their own trying to gain release from karma. In New Age a person is working at their own divinity. In Buddhism it is an individual quest at being free from desire. And in Islam, the individual follows religious laws for the sake of paradise after death. In Jesus' teaching, you see a personal relationship with a personal God -- a relationship that carries over into the next life.

Can a person connect with God in this life?

The answer is yes. Not only can you connect with God, you also can know that you are fully accepted and loved by God.

Many world religions place an individual on their own, striving for spiritual perfection. Buddha, for example, never claimed sinlessness. Muhammad also admitted that he was in need of forgiveness. "No matter how wise, no matter how gifted, no matter how influential other prophets, gurus, and teachers might be, they had the presence of mind to know that they were imperfect just like the rest of us."² Jesus Christ, however, never alluded to any personal sin. Instead, Jesus forgave people of their sin and he wants to forgive us of our sin also. We all are aware of our faults, the areas of our lives that may cause others to think less of us, areas that we ourselves wish were not there...maybe it's an addiction, a bad temper, impurity, hateful remarks. God loves us but hates sin, and he has said that the consequence for sin is separation from knowing him. But God provided a way for us to be forgiven and know him. Jesus, the Son of God, God in human form, took all of our sin on himself, suffered on a cross, and willingly died in our place. The Bible says, "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us."³ God is offering us complete forgiveness because of Jesus' death for us. This means forgiveness for all our sins...past, present and future. Jesus paid for them all. God, who created the universe, loves us and wants to be in a relationship with us. "This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."⁴ Through Christ, God offers us real freedom from our sin and guilt. He does not leave a person's failures on their shoulders, with a dim hope of becoming a better person tomorrow. In Jesus Christ, God reached toward humanity, providing a way for us to know him. "For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."⁵

God wants us to know him.

We were created by God to live in relationship with him. Jesus said, "He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty...and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."⁶ Jesus called people not only to follow his teachings, but to follow him. He said, "I am the way, and the truth and the life."⁷ In claiming to be the truth, Christ goes beyond mere prophets and teachers who simply said they were speaking the truth.⁸ Jesus identified himself as equal to God, and even gave proof. Jesus said that he would be crucified on a cross and that three days after his death, he would come back to life. He didn't say he would reincarnate someday into a future life. (Who would know if he actually did it?) He said three days after being buried he would show himself alive to those who saw his crucifixion. On that third day, Jesus' tomb was found empty and many people testified that they saw him alive again. He now offers eternal life to us.

It's a two-way relationship.

Many religions focus on a person's spiritual efforts. With Jesus Christ it's a two-way interaction between you and God. He welcomes us to go to him. "The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth."⁹ You can communicate with God, who will answer your prayer, give you greater peace and joy, provide direction, show you his love, and transform your life. Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly."¹⁰ It will not mean that life will become perfect and free of problems. But it means that in the midst of life, you can relate to God who is willing to be involved in your life and faithful in his love.

This is not a commitment to a method of self-improvement like the Eight Fold Path or the Five Pillars, or meditation, or good works or even the Ten Commandments. These seem clear, well-defined, easy-to-follow paths for spirituality. But they become a burdensome striving for perfection, and connection with God is still distant. Our hope is not in following laws or standards, but in knowing a Savior who fully accepts us because of our faith in him and his sacrifice for us. We don't earn our place in heaven by religious efforts or good deeds. Heaven is a free gift to us, when we begin a relationship with Jesus Christ. Would you like to be totally forgiven and personally come to know God's love for you?

Beginning a relationship with God.

You can begin a relationship with God right now. It is as simple as sincerely asking God for his forgiveness of your sin and inviting him to enter your life. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him."¹¹ Would like to begin a relationship with the God who created you, who deeply loves you? You can do so right now, if it is your heart's desire: "God, I ask you to forgive me and invite you to enter my heart right now. Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins. Thank you for coming into my life as you said you would." The Bible tells us that "as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God."¹² If you sincerely asked God to come into your life, you have begun a personal relationship with him. It is like you have just met God and he wants to help you grow to know him better, to know his love for you, to guide you with wisdom in whatever decisions confront you. The book called "John" in the Bible is a good place to learn more about a relationship with God. Perhaps you might want to tell someone else about the decision you have made to ask Jesus into your life. In the world's religions a person has a relationship with teachings, ideas, paths, rituals. Through Jesus, a person can have a relationship with the loving and powerful God. You can talk with him and he will guide you in this life now. He doesn't just point you to a path, a philosophy, or a religion. He welcomes you to know him, to experience joy, and to have confidence in his love in the midst of life's challenges. "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God."¹³

{1} John 8:12
{2} Erwin W. Lutzer, Christ Among Other Gods (Chicago: Moody Press,1994), p. 63
{3} 1 John 3:16
{4} 1 John 4:9
{5} John 3:16
{6} John 6:35
{7} John 14:6
{8} Lutzer, p. 106
{9} Psalms 145:18
{10} John 10:10
{11} Revelation 3:20
{12} John 1:12
{13} 1 John 3:1
For more information on world religions, you might find this link helpful: World Religions Index.