Throughout the year, I observe questions from college students. This really shouldn’t be a surprise since I work with college students… and they adore me (sarcasm anyone??). This is the eigth installment of the semi-annual series of posts of questions from students with my responses. This one is a little different in the fact that it’s actually from a person who is preparing for the mission field.
THE QUESTION:
My wife and I are doing this missions training to go overseas, and the lesson I am studying is Witness Among Other Faiths. I came across an extremely challenging question and wanted to know your response.
Our Professor paints a picture of a devout Hindu man or woman living in Varanasi, India that you as a missionary befriend. After many discussions about religion, life, family, job, etc, your Indian friend asks you the question, “Why are you a Christian?” Knowing what you do about your friend, his culture, and his religion, how would you respond…
I am interested to know what you think!
MY RESPONSE:
Well, I’ll have to be quite honest with my friend. When posed with the question: “Why are you a Christian?” my response is pretty simple. It’s because of Jesus. It’s about him. It always will be and it always has been. Jesus transcends on so many levels. When we read the Scriptures, we see a free and even radical God who; came-into-the-flesh-lived-the-sinless-life-we-were-created-to-live-died-on-the-cross-for-our-sin-rose-again-from-the-grave-so-that-we-might-now-be-made-right-with-the-Father… this story is so shocking that nobody could have just “made it up” or “pulled it out of a hat” – it’s just that good and true.
So, I would start there. Talking about Jesus. Even the gospel (good news) of Jesus is at the heart of the Scriptures, and they (the Scriptures) indicate that this is of first importance: His death, burial, and resurrection to save sinners in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-8). Here’s the issue though that you’ve got. The dude is a Hindu. Hindus are a tough cookie. They’ve got no founder; no prescribed ecclesiastical structure; nor a defined creed. You haven’t given me enough information about this particular Hindu. You see, Hindus may believe in one god, many gods, or no god. So, I don’t really know where he stands or sits on any of that.
So, to answer your question in the context you asked, I’ll assume he believes in many gods as many Hindus do. I’ll assume he thinks Jesus is just one among many; and I’ll assume he believes in the reincarnation of the soul in accordance with karma. Many of us know and understand karma because it gets tossed around more than a baby in Michael Jackson’s arms… but I’ll address that in a minute. I’ll simply deal with each of these one by one. (please also understand that there is a TON of stuff to cover, and I’m trying to keep this brief for the sake of the reader).
- I’ll assume he believes in many gods.
The problem with this idea is Jesus. He said he was God (the only God mind you) and the Scriptures declare it from the left and to the right: Matt. 7:28-29; John 1:1, 14, 18, 8:58-59, 10:30-33, 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Phil 2:5-7; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:3, 8, 10; & 2 Pet. 1:1 just to name a few. Not only did Jesus say he was God – he in so many ways proved it with his actions: forgave sins (Luke 5:20), rose from the dead (John 2:19-21), raised others from the dead (John 11:43-44) just to name a few. To place it gently, no one ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever has ever done these things… ever. period.
So, our friend should begin to feel a little queasy. Why? Because of Jesus. Nobody even comes close to comparing to him… and no one ever will… ever.
- I’ll assume he thinks Jesus is just one among many.
(see above). I mean, let’s be honest. A lot of people think that Jesus is just one of the great men among many many great men. While I do think Jesus is the greatest man ever… I think he’s also actually in a completely different category than ever other man too. Look – how many men – great men at that – rose from the dead, calmed a sea at command, healed the sick (lame, blind, hemorrhaging, etc.), raised the dead… and even forgave sins? Do you know of any? I don’t. This alone makes him pretty gosh darn special.
Here’s the main issue here… Jesus never emphasized the fact that he was great. I don’t think I can just sit back and say, ‘you know, Jesus was great and is greatest among others’ – something just doesn’t sit right with me in regards to that. I think I know why, Jesus said he was God (John 1:1, 14; 10:30-33; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8). If you don’t think he was God, then you’re accusing this “great” man as a liar, or at least a lunatic. If someone claimed to be God today, they’d be sent away to a padded room with nice men in white suits. A “great” man wouldn’t be making these accusations. But Jesus did. He isn’t just one among other gods… he said he was God.
- I’ll assume he believes in the reincarnation of the soul in accordance with karma.
Karma can be generally defined as this: by what you do, good or bad, the same will be brought about and upon you. It’s quite popular. Ask My Name is Earl. The problem with karma simply is well, Jesus. If we can have good come to us by doing good, then what’s the need for the cross? Besides, what makes anyone think that reincarnation is true? Believing it to be true doesn’t mean that it is. Yes, I know, believing Christianity true doesn’t make it true either. But there is a big difference. In Christianity, we have Jesus. Jesus said He was the only way. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me,” (John 14:6).
Further, Hebrews 9:27 simply states: “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…” which refutes the idea of reincarnation already. That’s not even including the fact that at it’s core, reincarnation negates the Cross (and thus Jesus) because it says that if you don’t get it right the first time, you have another chance to well, get it right again and again and again and again – but this time, you’re a cat.
In the end, reincarnation works with karma. But here’s what karma won’t tell you – your past lives affect the quality/position of your next incarnation. Okay – see if you can follow me. The point of karma is that at some point you’ll develop perfect karma by which you might achieve “divine consciousness” once you’ve learned whatever you’re supposed to learn here on earth. The implication here is that each person had a perfect karma since there he was well, a blank slate and had done nothing wrong. So, if you had a perfect slate and thus perfect karma, and you didn’t learn in your first life what you were supposed to learn, what makes you think that after thousands of incarnations in which you’ve piled up bad karma you’ll be able to achieve perfect union with the “divine consciousness”? Makes absolutely no sense.
In the end, reincarnation is empty…
Now, I’ve worked within some assumptions about my/your so-called friend. In the end, my goal is not to convince him of Jesus, rather to live out Jesus among him. So, once again, I’m a Christian because of Jesus Christ. He’s the One I follow. He’s the One I surrender to. He’s the One with whom I’ve given my life to – and it’s by his grace by which I’m save.
Hope this helps.
criner