The following lesson will prove that all religions do not teach or believe the same doctrines about Christ.
What Jehovah’s Witnesses Teach About Jesus
Jesus is not God. Before he lived on earth, he was Michael, the archangel. Jehovah made the universe through him. On earth, he was a man who lived a perfect life. After dying on a stake (not a cross), he was resurrected as a spirit; his body was destroyed. Jesus is not coming again; he “returned” invisibly in 1914 in spirit. Very soon, he and the angels will destroy all non-Jehovah’s Witnesses.
What Christian Science Teaches About Jesus
Jesus was not the Christ, but a man who displayed the Christ idea. (“Christ” means perfection, not a person.) Jesus was not God, and God can never become man or flesh. He did not suffer and could not suffer for sins. He did not die on the cross. He was not resurrected physically. He will not literally come back.
What Scientology Teaches About Jesus
Jesus is rarely mentioned in Scientology. Jesus was not the Creator, nor was he an “operating thetan” (in control of supernatural powers, cleared from mental defects. Jesus did not die for sins.
What Wicca (Witchcraft) Teaches About Jesus
Jesus is either rejected altogether or sometimes considered a spiritual teacher who taught love and compassion.
What New Age Teaches About Jesus
Jesus is not the one true God. He is not a savior, but a spiritual model and guru, and is now an “ascended master.’ He was a New Ager who tapped into divine power in the same way that anyone can. Many believe he went east to India or Tibet and learned mystical truths. He did not rise physically, but “rose” into a higher spiritual realm.
What Islam Teaches About Jesus
Jesus (Isa in Arabic) is one of the most respected of over 124,000 prophets sent by Allah. Jesus was sinless, born of a virgin, and a great miracle worker, but not the Son of God. His virgin birth is like Adam’s creation. Jesus is not God, and God is not Jesus. He was not crucified. Jesus, not Muhammad, will return for a special role before the future judgment day, perhaps turning Christians to Islam.
What the Nation of Islam Teaches About Jesus
Officially, Jesus is a sinless prophet of Allah. Privately, Jesus was born from adultery between Mary and Joseph, who was already married to another woman. Jesus was not crucified, but stabbed in the heart by a police officer. He is still buried in Jerusalem. Prophecies of Jesus’ return refer to Master Fard, Elijah Muhammad, or to Louis Farrakhan.
What Judaism Teaches About Jesus
Jesus is seen as either an extremist false messiah or a good but martyred Jewish rabbi (teacher). Many Jews do not consider Jesus at all. Jews (except Messianic Jews and Hebrew Christians) do not believe he was the Messiah, Son of God, or that he rose from the dead. Orthodox Jews believe the Messiah will restore the Jewish kingdom and eventually rule the earth.
What Hinduism Teaches About Jesus
Jesus Christ is a teacher, a guru, or an avatar (an incarnation of Vishnu). He is a son of God as are others. His death does not atone for sins, and he did not rise from the dead.
What Buddhism Teaches About Jesus
Jesus Christ is not part of the historic Buddhist worldview. Buddhists in the West today generally view Jesus as an enlightened teacher, while Buddhists in Asia believe Jesus is an avatar or a Bodhisattva (but not God).
What Christianity Teaches About Jesus
Jesus is God, the second Person of the Trinity. As God the Son, He has always existed and was never created. He is fully God and fully man (the two natures joined, not mixed). As the second Person of the Trinity, he is coequal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. In becoming man, He was begotten through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus is the only way to the Father, salvation and eternal life. He died on a cross according to God’s plan, as full sacrifice and payment for our sins. He rose from the dead on the third day, spiritually and physically immortal. For the next 40 days, He was seen by more than 500 eyewitnesses. His wounds were touched and He ate meals. He physically ascended to Heaven. Jesus will come again visibly and physically at the end of the world to establish God’s kingdom and judge the world.
What the Bible Says About Denying the Doctrines of Christ
The Word of God clearly states what will occur when we deviate from the Bible’s teachings on Christ, and it offers the position Christians should take.
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is ANTICHRIST, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. IF THAT WHICH YE HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING SHALL REMAIN IN YOU, YE ALSO SHALL CONTINUE IN THE SON, AND IN THE FATHER. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you (1 John 2:22-26).
In conclusion, we can see from the cults and world religions that their definitions of Christ are not consistent with the Word of God. Just as Scripture states, there would be those who would come preaching “another Jesus.”
For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER JESUS, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him (2 Corinthians 11:4).
What should our position be toward those who desire fellowship with us, but do not accept our beliefs in Christ?
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds (2 John 9-11).