“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. “

1 Kings 18: 21

The two largest religions in the world today are Christianity and Islam.  There is some similarity, but without a doubt there is a vast difference between the theology, teaching, and example of its two leaders:  Jesus and Muhammad.

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In the time of Elijah, there came a point when the real God “stood up” in a demonstration of power, Jehovah made it clear that He was the One and only true God and that the false gods were the creation of man’s mind and hands.

In the days of Elijah, the false gods  of Baals and Asherah were very popular and growing.  The true God, Jehovah, was sadly declining.  To acknowledge the true God of  Elijah was often met with ridicule and even death.

During this dangerous time for the true believers, the true God (Jehovah) sends Elijah to the wicked king Ahab.  This story is interesting because the differences between the popular gods of Ahab and the God of Elijah were not only very stark, but there is a subtle story behind the drama that helps us understand the true and the false.

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The meeting of Elijah and the false prophets (850 of them) on a mountain top demonstrate the power of the true and only God and it has a message for us today.  As we see the works of the false gods in our world.  It is true, that

“You will know them by their fruits.”

Matthew 7:16

Just as a tree can be recognized by its leaves and the fruit it produces,  the character of a teaching of a god or philosophy can tell us whether it is true or false.   There are other ways to tell the truth from the lies.  This will be our topic in the coming blogs.

We will see in the story of the false prophets of Baal and Asherah more than one way to tell who is the true God and which is the true philosophy.  It is not just about the powerful way the prayer of Elijah is answered or the dramatic way the soggy sacrifice is licked up by the fire sent by God himself, but there is something more.  It is  often missed in this story..

Let’s take a moment and review the event found in 1 Kings 18.  But, before we get there, let’s set up the story from previous chapters 16 and 17.

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Ahab the Israelite king, the son of Omri  was an evil king.

” (He) did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.

1 Kings 16:30

Omri his father was also evil and  the same is said about him as his son Ahab:

Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse  than all who were before him”

1 Kings 16:25

Both of these kings were kings of Israel (God’s chosen people), but they sinned greatly by…

“(setting) up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a wooden image.”

1 Kings 16: 32, 33

Like Father like son.   They both provoked the true God of heaven to anger. Then there came a day God sent Elijah, the true prophet of God,  to Ahab and proclaimed,

“…there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

1 Kings 17:1

Then Elijah disappeared from the wicked king’s presence.

A drought, as predicted overtook the land.  During this terrible period, God feeds Elijah and provides water for him.  Later, Elijah is cared for by a widow and her son.  Her son falls ill and dies, but Elijah prays earnestly for him to be brought back to life. Despite no answer after two prayers, Elijah continues to plead with God to bring back the young boy.

On the third prayer, the life comes back to the young boy and the mothers admits this,

 “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.”

1 Kings 17:24

She was convinced by the power of the true God to bring back to life her dead son.  Another example of the importance of resurrection.  In the long run, it is resurrection that separates the true from the false.

Anyone can claim to be a prophet or a god, but their actions and their fruit must demonstrate that they are true.

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Now we come to chapter 18 of 1 Kings.  Elijah is being hidden from Ahab, but God tells him to go present himself before Ahab. Elijah obeys and begins the journey to Ahab’s palace.

At the same time, Obadiah (a righteous believer in the true God) and Ahab leave the city and split up looking for grass to feed their mules and horses.  During this search, Obadiah comes upon Elijah and is surprised to see him and falls down to pay him homage.

Elijah instructs Obadiah to go and tell Ahab that

“Elijah is here.”

1 Kings 18: 8

Elijah like Jesus has returned after disappearing.  During this absence, things got worse and worse; dryer and dryer until the vegetation and water was gone.

Obadiah is reluctant to tell Ahab  Elijah was back, fearing Elijah will disappear again and the king will be angry.  But, Elijah gives him his word and Obadiah demonstrates faith and sets up a meeting with them both.

The first words from Ahab’s mouth to Elijah is accusatory:

“Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

1 Kings 18: 17

Elijah responds quickly and boldly,

“I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.”

1 Kings 18:18

This time of trouble was over the leadership forsaking the law of God.  God’s law is not be ignored, changed, or explained away.

Elijah makes it clear that the trouble brought upon Israel was because Ahab was disobedient to the law of God and followed after false gods.  Elijah then instructs the King to:

“….send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.””

1 Kings 18:29

The king not only calls for the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, but also the children of Israel.  He is so convinced that his 850 prophets will be shown to be true and powerful.  It will be a big defeat for Elijah and his God.

Ahab is depending on the majority numbers of his prophets, the vast number of believers, and his own intense belief in something that is false.

After everyone is gathered, a simple test is proposed by Elijah.  There are to be two alters built and a sacrifice placed upon both.  One sacrifice is for the false gods and on for the true God.

Whichever prayer is heard and that god sends fire to consume the sacrifice  will be proclaimed the true God.

The people, the prophets, and Ahab were agreeable and up for this test.  They went into it confident their god would do as they prayed.  But they had been deceived.  So much so that they didn’t know it.  This gave them a false sense of faith in their god.

The 450 prophets of Baal went first.

From morning to noon, they prayed,

“O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.” 

I Kings 18:26

But there was no response.  All was quiet

Elijah gave them all the time they needed.  He also could not resist having a little fun with them.  So he said,

“Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

1 Kings 18:27

They became desperate and began to cut themselves so that blood gushed out.  They leapt into the air around the altar so Baal would pay attention to them.  Their sincerity of blood and leaping produced no response.

Being sincere is not evidence of truth.

Even though they were getting no attention from Baal, they prophesied or preached until the evening.  Their false words were all they could produce.  It is highly likely that their preaching were filled with excuses for their false god.  They may have used Elijah’s own sarcasm as an excuse.  Baal is busy with something more important perhaps.

Excuses and rationalization will never justify lies.

“But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.”

1 Kings 18:29

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Then it was Elijah’s turn.  He called the people to come close so they could see there was no trickery, but also to see and feel the silent story  he was telling by slowly and deliberately rebuilding the altar.

 Elijah’s actions of carefully rebuilding the altar was meant to soften the hard hearts of those who had been tricked by false prophets.  The people of God were to be reminded of their heritage and God’s love for them.  They would find in the true God mercy, forgiveness, and power to be obedient.

Elijah chose 12 stones, that represented the 12 tribes of the sons of Jacob, to restore the altar.  This act was to remind them that Jehovah is the same today, tomorrow, and forever.  He was also the God of the Fathers.  They had a Godly tradition rooted in the word of God.

Godly tradition rooted in truth is the only acceptable type of tradition.

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

2 Thessalonians 2:15

Jesus went as far to say that traditions and teachings of men was vain worship.

And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men

Mark 7:7

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Once the altar was built, Elijah made a trench to hold water.  The sacrifice was laid upon it, and Elijah called for water to be poured upon both the sacrifice and the altar.  The wood would become soaked.  This was repeated three times so that there was so much water that it began to pour out over the trench.  Try lighting a match to that!

Then Elijah prayed a short and simple prayer for God’s people Israel:

““Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.””

1 Kings 18: 36, 37

This prayer reminded them that he was praying to the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.  They same God who had delivered them many times and was gracious towards them.

It was a prayer to demonstrate that this same God is real.  It also demonstrated a great contrast between the false god who required cutting of the flesh and desperate dancing. This did nothing, but make the prophets look foolish and liars.  When their god did not answer them, they thought their lying prophecies would continue to deceive the children of Israel.

Then God came down in great power.

“Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench”

1 Kings 18: 38

Everything was consumed by the breath of God!  Nothing was left! The people’s response was a one might expect:

Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

1 Kings 18: 39

One might be tempted to say, why doesn’t a prophet like Elijah show up and have the same test between Jesus and Muhammad.  Between Jehovah and Allah

To be honest, I don’t know.   Such a demonstration might be very effective to convince people of the true God. But, this I do know.  There are plenty of “tests” in this story that go unrecognized.  It is not just the dramatic fire falling from heaven.  It it is the contrast between the real God and the false gods and their prophets.  It is the fruits of each religion and the prophets’ demonstration of who is the true God.

It is a gracious God compared to a figment of the false teachers mind.  It is the written history of how God has dealt with His people over time.  This information written in God’s word produces the touch stone for determining truth from error…truth from false.   His  word is

“…the same yesterday and today and forever.”  

Hebrews  13:8

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 40:8

Today, we have the same touchstone preserved for thousands of years.  If false prophets speak today, we can know the truth by comparing it to His word.

The people were lured away from the true God and led by the false teachers to break God’s law, especially the two about building and worshiping idols.

They should have known and embraced Isiah’s council:

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

Isaiah 8:20

Today, many people do not know God’s word.  Because of this, confusion grips the land.  Because of this ignorance of God’s word, they are fed and accept the word of their teachers and ignore plain teachings from God’s word.  There is no basis for them to know the truth except through a show of force.

One day, the true God will stand up and everyone else will go down on their knees:

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2: 9-11

Until that day, there are many ways to know that Jesus is all He claimed to be.  Next blog we will begin to explore the many ways we can know that Jesus is true and all else is a lie.

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Below is a chart  produced by Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry and its founder Matt Slick.  It shows the difference between Muhammad and Jesus.

As you look at this, consider the character of each.  By their fruits you shall know them….

	Jesus	Muhammad
Death	Jesus died and rose from the dead.	Muhammad died and stayed dead.
Fighting	Jesus never fought.	Muhammad fought many many times.
Hearing from God	When Jesus heard from God, he went to the desert to be tempted and began his ministry with boldness. (Mark 1:14-15).	When Muhammad heard from God (supposedly through an angel), he cowered, was uncertain, and wanted to commit suicide. (Quran 74:1-5)
Identity	Jesus claimed to be God (John 8:24;8:58) as well as a man. Jesus claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6).	Muhammad claimed to be a man.
Instructions Received	From God the Father (John 5:19)	Allegedly from an angel
Killing	Jesus never killed anyone.	Muhammad killed many.
Life	Jesus had the power to take life but never did. He restored it.	Muhammad had the power to take it, but he never restored it.
	No one ever died in Jesus’ presence.	Many people died in Muhammad’s presence–he killed them.
Marriage	Jesus never married.	Muhammad had over 20 wives and even married a nine-year-old girl.
Ministry	Jesus received his calling from God directly. (Matt. 3:17).Jesus received his commission in the daylight.	Muhammad allegedly received it from an angel (Gabriel).Muhammad received his words in the darkness of a cave.
Ministry Length	Jesus taught for 3 1/2 years.	Muhammad taught for more than 20 years.
Miracles	Jesus performed many miracles including healing people, calming a storm with a command, and raising people from the dead.	Muhammad’s only alleged miracle was the Quran.
Prophecy	Jesus fulfilled biblical prophecy about being the Messiah.	Muhammad did not fulfill any biblical prophecy except the ones about false teachers (Matt. 24:24).
Sacrifice	Jesus voluntarily laid his life down for others.	Muhammad saved his own life many times and had others killed.
Sin	Jesus never sinned. (1 Pet. 2:22)	Muhammad was a sinner. (Quran 40:55; 48:1-2)
Slaves	Jesus owned no slaves.	Muhammad owned slaves.
Virgin Birth	Jesus was virgin born.	Muhammad was not virgin born.
Voice of God	Jesus received and heard the direct voice of God. (Mark 1:10-11)	Muhammad did not receive or hear the direct voice of God. It was an angel instead.
Women	Jesus spoke well of women.	Muhammad said women were 1/2 as smart as men (Hadith 3:826; 2:541), that the majority in hell will be women (Had. 1:28,301; 2:161; 7:124), and that women could be mortgaged.

Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;  for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:  “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

Acts 17: 22-25

When Paul visited Athens, he was moved by the many idols and the gods they represented.  The council of elders (Areopagus) having itching ears and desiring to hear some new philosophy invited Paul to speak at Mars Hill.  It is here that Paul attempts to reveal to the these men the true creator God from among the many false ones.  His “sermon” was effective until he begins to talk to  about the resurrection.

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Acts 17:32-34

Isn’t it interesting that the topic of the resurrection divided the people into three groups:  Unbeliever (mockers),  Apathetic (Will hear later), and Believers (they joined him and believed)

Click here to read the blog from Answer From Scripture called “Resurrection-How Important is it?”

The reality of the resurrection of Jesus is what separates Jesus from all the other religions,  gods, and philosophies.   Yet it is easy to understand why these Greek  elders would not believe in the concept of resurrection.   It is something that is difficult to understand.  But, without the resurrection, Christianity is like any other faith.

As we look at the multitude of other gods, religions, and philosophies let’s watch for the other unique and powerful characteristics of Jesus.

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Below is a summary of the 21 different religions and their gods.  Also included is a quick snapshot of their philosophy or teaching.

As I reviewed I noticed some common things  among them and many things unique about Jesus.

Take a moment to look over this information and I will meet you on the other side of the table.  🙂

Religion	God	Philosophy/Teaching (Snap Shot)
Christianity	Jesus	Jesus became a human and died to pay for the sins of the world started by the rebellion of Satan.  Jesus died on a cross and arose on the third day. He is mediating for the ongoing sin of man until he returns.  Jesus will come again and put an end to all sin and give those who trust Him eternal life. Salvation is offered as a free gift to those who will, by faith, accept it and follow Jesus.  He will create a new heaven and a new earth for the redeemed.  The new earth will become the home of the redeemed and the place where God will reside with His creation through eternity.
Islam	Allah.  His prophet is Mohammed	There are six articles of faith in Islam. These are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. They are belief in: A) the One God. B) all of the true prophets of God. C) the original scriptures revealed to Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad. D) the angels. E) the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. F) destiny.These practices must be undertaken with the best of effort in order to be considered a true Muslim:A) Declaration of faith in One God and that Muhammad is a prophet of God.B) Formal prayer five times a day. C) Poor-due “tax” – 2.5% of one’s excess wealth given to the needy once a year.D) Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if physically and financially able.E) Fasting during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.
Hinduism	Brahman (Various forms)	The concept of the transcendent and immanent ultimate reality of the One Godhead or Supreme Cosmic Spirit in Hinduism; the concept is central to Hindu philosophy
Chinese traditional religion	Various religious philosophical traditions:4 Main traditions:1.) Chinese folk religion,2.) Confucianism,3.) Taoism, and4.) Buddhism	Traditionally Taoism and Confucianism provided ethical guides to the proper behavior of individuals and officials. Taoism sought to promote the inner peace of individuals and harmony with their surroundings. Confucianism, based on the teachings and writings of the philosopher Confucius, is an ethical system that sought to teach the proper way for all people to behave in society. Each relationship–husband-wife, parents-children, ruler-subjects–involved a set of obligations which, if upheld, would lead to a just and harmonious society. Following his teachings would also promote a stable, lasting government.
Buddhism	Buddha.  Takes refuge in Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha	Elaboration and explanation of the delivered teachings of the Buddha as found in the Tripitaka and Agama.  Its main concern is with explicating the dhamas constituting reality. A recurrent theme is the reification of concepts, and the subsequent return to the Buddhist middle way.  Do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a God.
African Traditional & Diasporic	Believe in a supreme being, as well as in spirits and other divinities, veneration of ancestors.	The indigenous religious beliefs and practices of African peoples include various traditional religions. While generalizations of these religions are difficult, due to the diversity of African cultures, they do have some characteristics in common. Generally, they are oral rather than scriptural, include belief in a supreme being, belief in spirits and other divinities, veneration of ancestors, use of magic, and traditional medicine. The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonizing nature with the supernatural.
Sikhism	The concept of God in Sikhism is uncompromisingly monotheistic, as symbolized by “Ik Onkar”(one Creator), a central tenet of Sikh philosophy.	The philosophy of Sikhism is covered in great detail in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy text. Detailed guidance is given to followers on how to conduct their lives so that peace and salvation can be obtained in this life, rather than the afterlife. The holy text outlines the positive actions that one must take to make progress in the evolution of the person. One must remember the Creator at all times – it reminds the follower that the “soul is on loan from God, who is ever merciful”, and that the follower must dedicate their life to all good causes – to help make this life more worthwhile.
Juche	Kim Il-sung, North Korea’s first dictator who died in 1994	Juche Idea into a set of principles that the government uses to justify its policy decisions. Among these are a strong military posture and reliance on Korean national resources. Juche has been accused of being a form of political religion despite North Korea’s formal commitment to state atheism.
Spiritism	Recognizes all prophets	Spiritualism is a religion that is not based on a relationship with a particular savior. Any attempt to personalize the idea of God only limits the totality of that Intelligence, which is the reason that Spiritualists sometimes refer to that idea of God as “Infinite Intelligence” or “Infinite Spirit.”
Judaism	YHVA. The common pronunciation is “Jehovah.” More accurate pronunciation is “Yahweh”	Jewish tradition teaches that the true aspect of God is incomprehensible and unknowable, and that it is only God’s revealed aspect that brought the universe into existence, and interacts with mankind and the world. In Judaism, the one God of Israel is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is the guide of the world, delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, and gave them the 613 Mitzvot at Mount Sinai as described in the Torah.
Baha’i	God (Supreme Being)	The Bahá’í belief in one God means that the universe and all creatures and forces within it have been created by a single supernatural Being. This Being, Whom we call God, has absolute control over His creation (omnipotence) as well as perfect and complete knowledge of it (omniscience). Although we may have different concepts of God’s nature, although we may pray to Him in different languages and call Him by different names–Allah or Yahweh, God or Brahma–nevertheless, we are speaking about the same unique Being.
Jainism	None	Jainism rejects the idea of a creator deity that could be responsible for the manifestation, creation, or maintenance of this universe. According to Jain doctrine, the universe and its constituents (soul, matter, space, time, and principles of motion) have always existed. All the constituents and actions are governed by universal natural laws and an immaterial entity like God cannot create a material entity like the universe. Jainism offers an elaborate cosmology, including heavenly beings (devas), but these beings are not viewed as creators; they are subject to suffering and change like all other living beings, and must eventually die.
Shinto	Indefinitely large number of deities	Shinto today is a term that applies to the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods (kami) suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian periods.In modern scholarship, the term is often used with reference to kami worship and related theologies, rituals and practices. In these contexts, “Shinto” takes on the meaning of “Japan’s traditional religion”, as opposed to foreign religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and so forth.
Cao Dai	Cao	Caodaists accept the idea of âm (yin) and dương (yang) duality constituting the harmonious balance of the universe. Before the creation of the universe there was the Tao, the infinite, nameless, formless, unchanging, eternal source. The negative and positive principles of the universe are the components of the eternal nature.
Zoroastrianism	Ahura Mazda	Basic three principals:  good reflection, good word, and good deed
Tenrikyo	God, known by several names including Tenri-O-no-Mikoto	Followers of Tenrikyo believe that God, known by several names including Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, expressed the divine will through Nakayama’s role as the Shrine of God, and to a lesser extent the roles of the Honseki Izo Iburi and other leaders. Tenrikyo’s worldly aim is to teach and promote the Joyous Life, which is cultivated through acts of charity and mindfulness called hinokishin.
Atheists	None	Do not believe in God. Atheism can be narrow or wide in scope.  The narrow atheist does not believe in the existence of God (an omni- being).  A wide atheist does not believe that any gods exist, including but not limited to the traditional omni-God.  The wide positive atheist denies that God exists, and also denies that Zeus, Gefjun, Thor, Sobek, Bakunawa and others exist.  The narrow atheist does not believe that God exists, but need not take a stronger view about the existence or non-existence of other supernatural beings.  One could be a narrow atheist about God, but still believe in the existence of some other supernatural entities.  (This is one of the reasons that it is a mistake to identify atheism with materialism or naturalism.)
Neo-Paganism	Some believe in a supreme being. Many believe there are countless spirit beings, gods and goddesses	Contemporary pagan religious movements are diverse, sharing no single set of beliefs, deities, creed, ritual practices, or texts; nor do any claim to be absolutely authoritative. However, there is a great deal of overlap amongst pagan movements and there are a number of beliefs commonly shared by many pagans, including pluralism, pantheism, polytheism, and a general belief that divinity is found in mind and nature.
Unitarian-Universalism	Some are Atheist and others use the term “God” to convey different ideas.	The theology of individual Unitarian Universalists ranges widely, including Humanism, Atheism, Agnosticism, Pantheism, Deism, Christianity, Judaism, Neopaganism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and many more.
Rastafarianism	Haile Selassie	At the core of their belief is the re-interpretation of the Hebrew Bible with a focus on Blacks as God’s chosen race, and the belief that the true Messiah comes to us as Emperor Haile Selassie I  (Ras Tafari) of Ethiopia.   Through extensive spoken discourse, the Rastafarians aim to clarify the Western misinterpretation of the Bible, so as to spread the true word and fight against the unjust hierarchy of Western culture (collectively called Babylon).  In the meantime, Rastafarians await a time of repatriation of Blacks and a return to Ethiopia, qua Africa, of its rightful ruling status.
Scientology	A concept of God with no set dogma. Believer reaches a relationship to the Supreme Being at the Eighth Dynamic (infinity)	Scientology teaches that people are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature.Its method of spiritual rehabilitation is a type of counselling known as auditing, in which practitioners aim to consciously re-experience painful or traumatic events in their past in order to free themselves of their limiting effects

 

Here are are a few of my observations:

1.) Some have many different gods and/or philosophies.

2.) Almost all are nationalistic.  The religions have their origin and purpose for primarily their culture only.

3.) Most appear to be created by individuals in a relatively recent time. The newest religions are the last three on the list.

4.) Most religions focus on the “worshiper” and not on others.

5.) Many have no absolute truths.  The believer is able to believe as their mind choose.

Here is a quick list of things I saw unique to Jesus:

1.)  He claims to be God and the creator (We will look at this in depth when we talk about the 10 things every Christian should know about Jesus and the Trinity)

2.) Grace and sacrifice of God

3.) The Resurrection

4.) A literal return to create a new heaven and a new earth

5.)  While Christianity has its roots in Judaism, its mission is for everyone.

6.) The Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about the 1st and 2nd coming of Jesus.  This study is the one that convinced me that Jesus was all that He claimed to be.

In our next study, we will continue our comparison and look closely at the similarities  and differences of the two biggest religions: Christianity and Islam.  We will also attempt to  answer the question of why their is so much confusion.

“for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

Click here for a worship song my Robin Mark.  Have a great weekend!