Posted on 07/08/2017 10:26:52 AM PDT by ealgeone
Answer: Is Christianity really unique, or is it just one of many roads on the path to Truth? Is Christianity truly unique among the many religions around the world? If it is, what makes it so? Unique among all religions, Christianity makes several claims that others do not. First, all other religions exhort man to reach up to God and grasp hold of Him through their own efforts. Christianity is the only religion where God reaches down to man. Second, other religions are systems of do’s and don’ts to appease God; whereas Christianity is a relationship with God. Third, Christianity looks to the Bible as the singular source of Truth. Finally, Christianity is based upon truly the most amazing event in all of human history—the resurrection.
As to the first issue, other forms of religion subscribe to a system of works—those we should do and those we should avoid—which will make us “good enough” to please God and merit His favor. Christianity, on the other hand, is based on the biblical principle that we can never be good enough to be in the presence of a perfect, holy God. The Mosaic Law was given to mankind to prove to us that we can’t keep it. Galatians 3 describes the purpose of the Law. It is a “tutor” or “schoolmaster” to lead us to Christ because “…by observing the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). The impossibility of keeping the Law is revealed in what Jesus called the “first and greatest commandment” in Matthew 22:37: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This would mean loving God with every fiber of our being 24/7, with never a thought for ourselves, an impossible task for anyone. But rather than condemning us as law-breakers and leaving it at that, God provided a substitute—Jesus Christ—who obeyed the Law perfectly for us. By faith in Him and accepting His work on our behalf, we are justified and made righteous. Here is the crucial difference between Christianity and all other religions.
As to the second point, Christianity is not a religious system, but a relationship with God, one that He initiated and maintains. Christians believe that mankind was created specifically to have a relationship with God, but sin separates all men from Him (Romans 3:23, 5:12). Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and yet fully man (Philippians 2:6-11), and died on the cross to restore the relationship that was broken by sin. After His death on the cross, Christ was buried, He rose again, and now lives at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for believers forever (Hebrews 7:25). The intimacy of this relationship is revealed in two poignant pictures. Now no longer seen as law-breakers, we have been adopted into God’s own family as His children (Ephesians 1:5). Even more intimately, believers are the very “body of Christ” of which He is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23), having been purchased by His blood (Hebrews 9:12). No other religion makes assertions that even begin to approximate this incredible truth.
Another thing that makes Christianity unique is its source of information. All religions have some sort of basis of information that outlines its beliefs and practices, but none have one source of information that makes the claims Christianity does about the Bible—it is the written Word of God, and it is infallible and inerrant and all that is necessary for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16). Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired—literally “God-breathed”—Word of God and that its teaching is the final authority (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Though there are other religions that use prophecy, none are 100% accurate, as are those in the Bible, and none of them point to someone like Jesus who made incredible claims and performed incredible deeds.
Perhaps the most defining principle of Christianity that makes it truly unique in every way and provides its fundamental basis is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Within Christianity, the resurrection is vitally important, for without it, Christianity does not exist, and our faith is useless (1 Corinthians 15:14). It was Jesus' resurrection that changed the lives of the disciples. After Jesus was crucified, the disciples ran and hid. But when they saw the risen Lord, they knew that all Jesus had said and done proved that He was indeed God in flesh. No other religious leader has died in full view of trained executioners, had a guarded tomb, and then rose three days later to appear to many people. The resurrection is proof of who Jesus is and that He did accomplish what He set out to do: provide the only means of redemption for mankind. Buddha did not rise from the dead. Muhammad did not rise from the dead. Confucius did not rise from the dead. Krishna did not rise from the dead. Only Jesus has physically risen from the dead, walked on water, claimed to be God, and raised others from the dead. He has conquered death. Only in Christianity do we have the person of Christ who claimed to be God, performed many miracles to prove His claim of divinity, died and rose from the dead, and claimed that He alone is “the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
The resurrection of Jesus.
This Noachide believes that the United States could never have been founded without Christian influence.
Thus, thank God for Christianity.
YES!
1 Timothy 3:15
15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth
Did you read further?
Because only the Bible is the Divinely-inspired, written word of God, it is the rule of faith by which ANY other teachings/traditions are to be measured. That is what is meant by saying the Bible is "the singular source of Truth".
Of course it counts! But seeing as "traditions" are teachings, where else do you find the teachings of the Apostles outside of the epistles and letters they wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit along with the gospel accounts of Jesus' teachings along with Moses and the Prophets? Why would the Holy Spirit have neglected to include in Scripture all that pertains to godliness, for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work? This is the method God has used for thousands of years both before and after the start of Christianity to preserve His word. Jesus said,
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matt. 25:35)
The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
Ok, you know what "pillars" and "bulwarks" do, right? They are not the SOURCE of the truth but the SUPPORTERS of the truth. The rule of faith, once delivered unto the saints, as preserved in the Word of God, is what the church/body of Christ is supposed to uphold and support, proclaim and teach.
This Jew agrees with you. Thank Gd for Christianity.
I might not belong on this thread but from the outside I would say that the responses I’ve seen about the forgiveness from sins and the concept of Jesus having paid for your sins are the most unique things about Christianity.
I missed a lot in my college comparative religions class but Judaism ALSO is about having a deep relationship with Gd, not about solely pleasing Him.
So that wouldn’t be unique.
And of course for Catholicism, possibly unique to have a divine human, though maybe Buddhism has that as well? I don’t understand exactly how the Pope becomes divine or part divine, or is he just a vessel through which Gd speaks?
No I’m not God. However we can compare Mormonism to Christianity and see fundamental differences that renders Mormonism as a cult.
When you figure that out you let me know and we'll discuss you banishing me off to hell.
Mormonism rejects what the Bible teaches about Jesus.
Whoever is a Mormon believing this is not a Christian.
Let's deal with that first.
Mormons also believe that Jesus was a god, but not God Himself (Mormon Doctrine, p. 547; Articles of Faith, p. 35; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 372). It is essential to Christian faith that Jesus is one with God and that He is God’s only begotten Son who became flesh (John 1:1, 14; John 3:16). Only Jesus’ oneness with God would have allowed Him to live a sinless, blameless life (Hebrews 7:26). And only Jesus Christ was able to pay the price for our sins by His death on the cross (Romans 4:25; Acts 4:12).
https://www.gotquestions.org/Mormons-Christians.html
Again, you are attempting to compare Christianity and Mormonism.
There is no new revelation as is claimed by Mormonism.
And certainly not anything that would directly contradict the already revealed word of God, that's for sure!
Mormonism is a contradiction of what has been revealed.
BINGO! Correct answer right out of the box! :-)
so every word, or utterance he ever made is in the bible? I don’t see where those verses say anything about written words. Surely you can see that. I have no qualms with the scripture, but it is clearly said by speaking or letter, it isn’t that hard to understand that.
No one has ever claimed that.
If you read the entire passage of 2 Thessalonians chapters 2 and 3 you will see what these traditions are that Paul speaks about.
When Paul wrote he encouraged, and in some cases instructed, his letters to be shared among the churches.
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