The True Vine Discipleship Program

Discipleship II Week 7

A Christian Response to Hinduism

As a Disciple of Christ you will encounter many different beliefs. Some that believe theirs is the correct way and the only way and some that believe all roads lead to heaven. The question is: How are we as followers of Jesus Christ to respond to these other beliefs? We must first look at this from the veiwpoint of how Jesus would respond to them? How would Jesus speak of them or to them? In the Bible we learn of many times in Jesus' ministry that he had to contend for the faith and rebuke and correct. He also exposed many false beliefs and for this cause he was continually persecuted, and so he warns of the persecution that we may face. To begin this week's instruction I would first like to share with you a little about the differences between Christianity and Hinduism. The chart below outlines a few of the differences:

The differences between Hinduism and Christianity are vast. Here are some of the basic differences between Hinduism and Christianity.

HINDUISM CHRISTIANITY

GOD A vast plurality of gods and goddesses exist as part of the impersonal Brahman.
There is one God, who cares deeply for each one of us.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4
“And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” Psalm 50:15

MAN Humans, as with all living things, are just manifestations of Brahman. We have no individual self, or self-worth.
God created mankind, and gave us free will. He cares deeply for us, and places a great deal of worth on His creation.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
“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

THE WORLD The world and everything on it are manifestations of Brahman. God created the universe, the world, and everything on it. (Genesis 1). As God did not create Himself, the world exists separately from God.

SIN Sin is committed against oneself, not against God.
God gave us rules because He cares about us. He also gave us free will – we can choose to disobey. Disobedience (sin) is an offense against God.

“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” Psalm 51:4
^“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

SIN'S PENALTY Since “sin” is committed only against oneself, the penalties are accrued only against the self. The penalty is the repeated cycle of rebirths, until you can escape to Nirvana.
Sin cannot exist in the presence of God. Therefore, the penalty of sin is spiritual death, or separation from God.

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23a

SALVATION Salvation is the release from the wheel of life, the cycle of rebirths, through which we must work to better ourselves, and realize our oneness with Brahman. It must be worked out by each individual through successive lives.
Salvation is a free gift to us from God. We must only accept it. We cannot earn it. Jesus bought our salvation by taking all our sin upon Himself on the cross, dying as a sacrifice for us, and then rising from the dead three days later. Salvation means spending eternity in heaven with our Almighty God!

“…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23b
“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
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9

If you are a Hindu man or woman reading this, please know that Jesus loves you and has come to give you hope. Even more than a hope, he gives assurance. You are not relegated to rebirth after rebirth in an attempt to “get it right.” There is a personal God, who cares deeply for you. He knows how many hairs you have on your head, yet he controls ever part of the universe. He loves you, and desires to bring you unto Himself. All you have to do is accept! Indescribable joy awaits you! To learn more about how to accept the gift of eternal life please visit: http://www.souls-for-christ.com/page803.html There is only one way and that through Jesus Christ!

For this week's study we will start addressing some of these issues with scripture, turn with me in your Bibles to the following texts:

Read Ephesians 4:1-10 What questions do you have after reading this?

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Answer the following questions:

How many God's are we supposed to follow and worship?

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What is the purpose of having only one God?

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Is it a sin to worship and serve other God's and goddesses?

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Read Exodus 20:1-1-17 What questions do you have after reading this?

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Answer the following questions:

Is God a jealous God?

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Does God show himself through images?

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What should we be doing on the seventh day of the week?

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How many laws or commandments are about our devotion to God?

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Read Romans 3:21-31 What questions do you have after reading this?

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Answer the following questions:

How can a man have the righteousness of God?

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How is redemption obtained?

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How is a man justified?

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Read John 10:1-10 What questions do you have after reading this?

Answer the following questions:

Who is the door to heaven?

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Who is a thief?

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What does the thief do?

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What has Jesus Christ come to do?

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Read Hebrews 9:23-28 What questions do you have after reading this?

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Answer the following questions:

Who did Christ appear before God's throne for?

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Why did Jesus die?

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How many times does a man die? What comes after his death?

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	HINDUISM	CHRISTIANITY
GOD	A vast plurality of gods and goddesses exist as part of the impersonal Brahman.	There is one God, who cares deeply for each one of us. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4 “And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” Psalm 50:15
MAN	Humans, as with all living things, are just manifestations of Brahman. We have no individual self, or self-worth.	God created mankind, and gave us free will. He cares deeply for us, and places a great deal of worth on His creation. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 “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
THE WORLD	The world and everything on it are manifestations of Brahman.	God created the universe, the world, and everything on it. (Genesis 1). As God did not create Himself, the world exists separately from God.
SIN	Sin is committed against oneself, not against God.	God gave us rules because He cares about us. He also gave us free will – we can choose to disobey. Disobedience (sin) is an offense against God. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.” Psalm 51:4 ^“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
SIN'S PENALTY	Since “sin” is committed only against oneself, the penalties are accrued only against the self. The penalty is the repeated cycle of rebirths, until you can escape to Nirvana.	Sin cannot exist in the presence of God. Therefore, the penalty of sin is spiritual death, or separation from God. “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23a
SALVATION	Salvation is the release from the wheel of life, the cycle of rebirths, through which we must work to better ourselves, and realize our oneness with Brahman. It must be worked out by each individual through successive lives.	Salvation is a free gift to us from God. We must only accept it. We cannot earn it. Jesus bought our salvation by taking all our sin upon Himself on the cross, dying as a sacrifice for us, and then rising from the dead three days later. Salvation means spending eternity in heaven with our Almighty God! “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23b “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 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9