How to prove that Christianity is superior?

[Righttruth]

That's also the reason Richard Wurmbrand rejected the 'Jesus' of western societies - until an old man in the mountains in Switzerland prayed to God to send a Jew to him(the old man), because the old man was not able to go traveling to find a Jew to tell the Truth about God's Messiah.
Wurmbrand even said that for the Jews to reject the false Jesus is not a sin - it is not at all rejecting the true Jesus.
When God answered the old man's prayer, and sent Richard Wurmbrand to him,
He told the truth to Wurmbrand, and showed him the true Jesus, the Messiah, in the Bible,
and Richard Wurmbrand BELIEVED and WAS SAVED.

All the hypocrites of Christendom ignore the words of Jesus and look for other sources for shaping and forming Jesus to their liking.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I think it would help if we lived by faith instead of following rules, (where this applies) it might give some umph to our message.
.
When christianity becomes about following rules, people can't really see what is distinct about christianity .. much less what is superior about it.

 

[Righttruth]

I was an atheist before so here is my view:
It is the only religion that said to Love God and love your neighbor as yourself, the only one to not do revenge but love, the only one that says man alone can't over come his sins, but through the grace of God.

Jewish Torah sort of said the above as well, but are leaning to the law. Most Muslims claim the Bible is corrupted (yet Quran says Chrisitans/Jews should be judged by Gospel and Torah), so to me it is a big contradictory, that pretty much leave the Bible alone at the top.

Yes, Bible is alone at the top because of the words of Jesus. People ignore that conveniently for a comfortable life opposed to the way, life and truth of Jesus.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

People of other religions also claim that with regard to their holy books.

They might say so, but they do not have any real solid evidence to back up their claims. Again, look at the evidences I have provided. No other holy book can produce the same level of evidence that the Bible does.


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[Bible Highlighter]

I see all kinds of Tom, Dick and Harry claiming to be saints with a mere faith in Jesus.

But the trend appears that you can indulge in all kinds of carnal activities, yet saved by grace.

It may be possible to find saintly persons in other religions though inspired by human type of gods, but you see in many cases in Christianity the Holy God and the Son have no impact on their sinful life.

I know how you feel. I talk against a "Plan to Sin Again and still Be Saved" type doctrine almost every time I write here at CF. Some believe you can die in many unrepentant sins (like lying and lusting after a woman) and be saved. Others believe you have to generally live a holy life but dying in 1 or 2 unrepentant sins will not keep one out of God's Kingdom. However, both of these types of beliefs are false and evil. Jesus says we are to be perfect. Jesus says it is possible to stop sinning in this life.


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[Sketcher]

I'd settle for demonstrating it to be true. The superiority will take care of itself after that.

 

[Deadworm]

This thread is trying to get at the essential points for Christian apologetics in interfaith dialogue. But here are 3 relevant questions that few wannabe apologists can respond to well:

(1) In what year were the 66 books that now constitute our Bible organized into the collective we now know as the Old and New Testaments? If you don't know, how do you know that the books were chosen and put together in a responsible way?

(2) The NT makes several claims about the inspiration of Scripture and Christians debate whether these statements imply inerrancy, infallibility, or a generalized spiritual authority. But how can the NT comment on its own inspiration when it didn't even exist as a collective in a book and you don't even know when the collective was finally agreed to?

(3) And if you thus lack an argument for the inspiration of the NT, why should we accept what it says about OT inspiration?

I have my own answers to these 3 questions, but I'm interested in how forum members would respond to them.

 

[tickingclocker]

I give paramount importance to the preaching of Jesus. Now the trend in many Protestant churches is 'Redundant OT-No Gospel-Pauline appendix'

People who tend to make such over-generalized statements have been found to have never visited every Protestant church to prove their statements.

You haven't been to mine. This I know for absolute truth. You haven't been to many of my friends Protestant and even Orthodox churches either. This I also know for absolute truth as well.

 

[tickingclocker]

This thread is trying to get at the essential points for Christian apologetics in interfaith dialogue. But here are 3 relevant questions that few wannabe apologists can respond to well:

(1) In what year were the 66 books that now constitute our Bible organized into the collective we now know as the Old and New Testaments? If you don't know, how do you know that the books were chosen and put together in a responsible way?

(2) The NT makes several claims about the inspiration of Scripture and Christians debate whether these statements imply inerrancy, infallibility, or a generalized spiritual authority. But how can the NT comment on its own inspiration when it didn't even exist as a collective in a book and you don't even know when the collective was finally agreed to?

(3) And if you thus lack an argument for the inspiration of the NT, why should we accept what it says about OT inspiration?

I have my own answers to these 3 questions, but I'm interested in how forum members would respond to them.

My answer would be, it's all in God's hands as to what He wishes to say to humanity.
1. Sometime in the past.
2. Because God has that ability and the right.
3. The OT perfectly reinforces the NT, and the NT perfectly reinforces the OT.

Why do I believe the above?
a. God's timing is His own. He doesn't have to check with us first to see if we are "ready for the Bible".
b. God cannot lie.
c. God would not allow a lie in what He has to reveal to humanity. That would be self-defeating to His purposes.
d. What is there, when applied correctly, never fails to prove itself, and therefore, God, perfectly true to His Word.

 

[blessedbeyondbelief]

To answer the initial question, here's what I say to show why Christianity (and Judaism) is more reliable than other belief systems:

All belief systems rely on trusting one person who "God" "revealed" everything to. So there are never any witnesses or third parties to confirm or corroborate the revelation. Those belief systems are simply based on trusting one persons account.

In the Bible God reveals himself to the mixed multitude (the 12 tribes of Israel, their descendants and the Egyptians who left with them) when he gives them the commandments in Exodus 20:18-21. He speaks directly to them out of being terrified, they elect Moses to speak to God for them.

So you have a vastly large group of people (over a million I have read somewhere) that have heard the voice of God. He also gave them feast days (Lev 23) to remember what they went through and what was done for them and reinforced that they pass it down to their descendants forever.

 

[Nari]

[Deleted]

 

[tickingclocker]

It is all OK. But the worst part is that Christians become complacent and stagnant in their belief, and what is a hope is converted conveniently to an assurance and assumption totally ignoring the important responsibility of striving towards perfection. And the society continues with promiscuity and permissiveness which repel anyone for holiness.

You sound as if you have decided to lump all Christians together in your assessment of them. Including yourself? How do we know you are not what you suggest Christians are?

Not every Christian is "complacent and stagnant in their belief". Such a statement insults those on this forum for a start. i haven't encountered a single one who is what you claim they are "supposed to be", all because you have determined that is who they should be. Even those with whom I disagree I would never consider spiritually "complacent and stagnant". The very active existence of this forum proves you wrong.

Not every Christian is unaware of the need for holiness in their lives. Take a look around the "Christian Advice" forum. Loaded with people concerned about what amounts to the level of holiness in their lives, seeking to change their status. Take a look at your own pastor's weekly counseling schedule. He's overbooked. When one is seeking God's opinion, one is concerned about holiness.

As if Christians can contravene all of society? We try. We are historically shouted down. But we keep trying. Do you, for instance, keep trying? Imagine what this world would look like now if we hadn't kept trying?!

Some people, for some odd reason, sadly fail to consider using the word "some" when they paint everyone else with such broad and typically negative strokes. I wonder... why?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

I know how you feel. I talk against a "Plan to Sin Again and still Be Saved" type doctrine almost every time I write here at CF. Some believe you can die in many unrepentant sins (like lying and lusting after a woman) and be saved. Others believe you have to generally live a holy life but dying in 1 or 2 unrepentant sins will not keep one out of God's Kingdom. However, both of these types of beliefs are false and evil. Jesus says we are to be perfect. Jesus says it is possible to stop sinning in this life.


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Perfectly True ! Yes !

But people have to trust and believe Jesus , His Way,
instead
of trusting and believing men who lie, man's way,
to
even have a chance to see His Kingdom. (ONLY the PURE in heart can see any part of God's Kingdom, as Jesus says)

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

.. why?

Many people have been seeking God's Kingdom for decades,
and trying 'man's' way over and over not giving up,
and find that even finding as honest man is next to impossible,
let alone an honest man who is willing to do all Jesus says.
If you found even one,
consider yourself much more blessed than most people.

 

[tickingclocker]

Many people have been seeking God's Kingdom for decades,
and trying 'man's' way over and over not giving up,
and find that even finding as honest man is next to impossible,
let alone an honest man who is willing to do all Jesus says.
If you found even one,
consider yourself much more blessed than most people.

I've found quite a lot. It is because they are blessed that I am. When you look for the good in people, you more often than not find it. It helps to see people through God's eyes and not mine. Mine are naturally slanted toward me and those who are like me being superior. His eyes know better. MUCH better.

At least you used the word "many". Give credit where its due.

 

[Righttruth]

They might say so, but they do not have any real solid evidence to back up their claims. Again, look at the evidences I have provided. No other holy book can produce the same level of evidence that the Bible does.
...

What is the use of the evidence of the history of the book when majority walk differently from the preaching of Jesus?

 

[Righttruth]

I know how you feel. I talk against a "Plan to Sin Again and still Be Saved" type doctrine almost every time I write here at CF. Some believe you can die in many unrepentant sins (like lying and lusting after a woman) and be saved. Others believe you have to generally live a holy life but dying in 1 or 2 unrepentant sins will not keep one out of God's Kingdom. However, both of these types of beliefs are false and evil. Jesus says we are to be perfect. Jesus says it is possible to stop sinning in this life.
...

Yes, we need to strive to be perfect. Without adhering to that responsibility, it would be plain hypocrisy.

 

[Strong in Him]

To claim, that the Bible contains the words of God when interacting with people of other religions, will not help. They also quote their scriptures claiming the origin from their gods.

It is by the fruit of the Spirit that we show our superiority in spirituality, not in pages of books. It is by serving, sharing and suffering with humility that puts us apart from other religions.

I don't think our faith is superior, nor are we.

It's all about Jesus. He is THE Truth, the giver of eternal life, the ONLY way to the Father, the only name under heaven by which we can be saved, Acts 4:12. He made those claims, and invites us to accept them, receive salvation and follow him. We believe that those who do will be with him for eternity, and those who don't, won't. But everything we have is a gift from God - he took the initiative, loved us, sent Jesus and saved us. We haven't earned salvation by our actions or by our knowledge and have nothing to feel superior about.

And certainly, approaching people with the attitude, "our religion is better/greater/superior to yours" would be asking for trouble. That is how wars and prejudice start.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Jesus says simply that no other religion, actually no religion , benefits men. God says in His Word He curses those who trust mankind/ flesh/ any religion. I think some people want to be free from being cursed. A few are willing to do what God says in order to be set free from the curse(s), from the power of sin, and from the consequences of sin.

What is the use of the evidence of the history of the book when majority walk differently from the preaching of Jesus?

Yes, we need to strive to be perfect. Without adhering to that responsibility, it would be plain hypocrisy.

Agree, except "strive" seems like such a struggle, and it is indeed a kind of struggle,
but as Jesus says "Keeping MY Commands is NOT Burdensome" - LIFE! Free of guilt is the result of Trusting Jesus and Relying on Jesus for HOW TO LIVE. He Personally Teaches us, and He is Perfect. The GOOD SHEPHERD does not ever, not ever, no never neglect us sheep; HE cares for us perfectly ! And we follow Him wherever He goes.

As Jesus says "Work out salvation with fear and trembling" - awe, respect, knowing the consequences, knowing the price HE PAID with HIS LIFE, knowing most men are deceived and stay deceived because their deeds are EVIL and they REFUSE to come to the LIGHT because they LOVE THE DARKNESS.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

What is the use of the evidence of the history of the book when majority walk differently from the preaching of Jesus?

Because Jesus showed his people many infallible proofs.

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days," (Acts 1:3).

For there are a people that Jesus says,

"But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear" (Matthew 13:16).


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