Christianity is not the only way to God

[John1.12]

Christianity is not the only way to God

I have evidence from the Bible itself:

God is love, whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him, 1 John 4:16

What do you think about that?

This is a verse from the Bible. The Bible says that the only way to heaven is through Jesus. John 14 .6 . 1 john 4 : 16 is written to believers not unbelievers.

 

[John1.12]

You can read it but that is no guarantee you will understand what it means (what God intended for it to mean).
The same verses can have more than one meaning and more than one meaning can be correct, but some meanings you assign can be incorrect.

Again let's try another verse .
Acts 3
1¶Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Ok, I'm reading that Peter and John went up together to the temple. it was the 9th hour ( so we have the who , the where and the when ) . Then there's a certain lame man, lame from the womb, laid daily at the gate of the temple . The gate was called ' beautiful ' ect ect ect .
Is that difficult?

 

[Yoshua]

Yes. Faith is the heart believing in and searching for the Absolute, the Ultimate Truth or Reality, or otherwise called "God". All major religions have that at their core. It's why people follow the practices, in search of That.

Windwalker,

Therefore faith in Hindu and Muslim in a God are the same?

 

[Yoshua]

Well, a Buddhist may not call it "God", but it is still the same thing in essence they seek. But there are branches of Buddhism which does have deity forms.

Windwalker,

Buddhist don't acknowledge a God or deity, even a personal god. They follow the path of Buddha who is a man.

 

[John1.12]

Windwalker,

Therefore faith in Hindu and Muslim in a God are the same?

is there a God in Hinduism ? I thought there were billion s ?

 

[Yoshua]

But for a better analogy, we can ask how God will look at the heart of an avowed atheist, who denies there is any sort of Higher Truth, or Reality. I would answer that He looks at the intent and truthfulness or sincerity of the person believing the way that they do, be that a Christian, a Buddhist, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Pagan, etc.

Therefore, are you saying that Hindu, Atheist, and Pagan were pleased by God if they are truthful and sincere in their faiths or beliefs?

 

[Yoshua]

This is a verse from the Bible. The Bible says that the only way to heaven is through Jesus. John 14 .6 . 1 john 4 : 16 is written to believers not unbelievers.

Absolutely right!

 

[Yoshua]

is there a God in Hinduism ? I thought there were billion s ?

I believe it is millions

 

[Trailblazer]

Ok let's do something even more simple .
Just a random verse in the book of Acts . literally dropping a finger on the page , ok here : Acts 2
1¶And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Ok even before we look at the who ,what, when, what, where questions i can readily read that the when and where is the day of pentacost, they are all in one place ( jews ) . I can read that suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Ok this may seem child like ,but it really is this simple . The approach I mean .

These verses are in reference to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus which occurred 10 days after Jesus ascended to heaven. That came to be called the Day of Pentecost.

 

[Trailblazer]

?? This is what you said //Because that is what my religion teaches. It is called the Twin Duties.//

My religion has what are referred to as 'teachings' just as Christianity has teachings.
The teachings of Christianity come from the New Testament.
The teachings of the Baha'i Faith come from the Baha'i Writings.
The Twin Duties are contained in the Writings of Baha'u'llah.

 

[Trailblazer]

Do you do that with the Daily news paper ? " oh
You can read it but that is no guarantee you will understand what it means (what the reporter intended for it to mean).
The same words can have more than one meaning and more than one meaning can be correct, but some meanings you assign can be incorrect."
This is silly . Where did you get that idea from ?

It is simple logic. Two different people reading the same text will not think the same way about what it referring to.

Scriptures are not the same as a newspaper article, which is straightforward factual information. Some scriptures are straightforward but some are not. That is why there are so many online verse interpretations and interpretations of the same scripture are different.

People have different understandings of the same scriptures.

Who are the 144,000 in the Bible?

One understanding is that the 144,000 are recently converted Jewish evangelists sent out to bring sinners to Jesus Christ during the seven year tribulation period. Preterists believe they are Jewish Christians, sealed for deliverance from the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
144,000 - Wikipedia

Will only 144000 go to heaven?

Based on their understanding of scriptures such as Revelation 14:1-4, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that exactly 144,000 faithful Christians go to heaven to rule with Christ in the kingdom of God.
Jehovah's Witnesses and salvation - Wikipedia

 

[Trailblazer]

Again let's try another verse .
Acts 3
1¶Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Ok, I'm reading that Peter and John went up together to the temple. it was the 9th hour ( so we have the who , the where and the when ) . Then there's a certain lame man, lame from the womb, laid daily at the gate of the temple . The gate was called ' beautiful ' ect ect ect .
Is that difficult?

Like I just said, some verses are straightforward and easy to understand other verses aren't.

Go and look up the following verses on the internet and you will find many different opinions about what they mean.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

[John1.12]

My religion has what are referred to as 'teachings' just as Christianity has teachings.
The teachings of Christianity come from the New Testament.
The teachings of the Baha'i Faith come from the Baha'i Writings.
The Twin Duties are contained in the Writings of Baha'u'llah.

That's fair enough . You trust those writings .I trust the bible.

 

[John1.12]

It is simple logic. Two different people reading the same text will not think the same way about what it referring to.

Scriptures are not the same as a newspaper article, which is straightforward factual information. Some scriptures are straightforward but some are not. That is why there are so many online verse interpretations and interpretations of the same scripture are different.

People have different understandings of the same scriptures.

Who are the 144,000 in the Bible?

One understanding is that the 144,000 are recently converted Jewish evangelists sent out to bring sinners to Jesus Christ during the seven year tribulation period. Preterists believe they are Jewish Christians, sealed for deliverance from the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
144,000 - Wikipedia

Will only 144000 go to heaven?

Based on their understanding of scriptures such as Revelation 14:1-4, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that exactly 144,000 faithful Christians go to heaven to rule with Christ in the kingdom of God.
Jehovah's Witnesses and salvation - Wikipedia

Method and approach to the Scriptures is everything. The bible is true and factual and correct. What happens is people have presuppositions , bias , tradition, ect that influences how they read. The bible is fine . God hasn't made it difficult, we make it difficult.

 

[John1.12]

Like I just said, some verses are straightforward and easy to understand other verses aren't.

Go and look up the following verses on the internet and you will find many different opinions about what they mean.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Yes I believe those verses .

 

[John1.12]

Like I just said, some verses are straightforward and easy to understand other verses aren't.

Go and look up the following verses on the internet and you will find many different opinions about what they mean.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Some verses are as plain as the nose on your face , these are on how a person is saved and how we are to be and what to do . Other things take time to mature and understand as you go .

 

[Trailblazer]

That's fair enough . You trust those writings .I trust the bible.

I trust both. While addressing some Muslims and calling them foolish for saying that the Bible had been corrupted.
Baha'u'llah referred to the Bible as God's holy Book, His most great testimony amongst His creatures:

“We have also heard a number of the foolish of the earth assert that the genuine text of the heavenly Gospel doth not exist amongst the Christians, that it hath ascended unto heaven. How grievously they have erred! How oblivious of the fact that such a statement imputeth the gravest injustice and tyranny to a gracious and loving Providence! “How could God, when once the Day-star of the beauty of Jesus had disappeared from the sight of His people, and ascended unto the fourth heaven, cause His holy Book, His most great testimony amongst His creatures, to disappear also?” The Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 89

 

[John1.12]

Like I just said, some verses are straightforward and easy to understand other verses aren't.

Go and look up the following verses on the internet and you will find many different opinions about what they mean.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

I agree that there are lots of different interpretations on the Internet. The one that matters, is your own .

 

[John1.12]

I trust both. While addressing some Muslims and calling them foolish for saying that the Bible had been corrupted.
Baha'u'llah referred to the Bible as God's holy Book, His most great testimony amongst His creatures:

“We have also heard a number of the foolish of the earth assert that the genuine text of the heavenly Gospel doth not exist amongst the Christians, that it hath ascended unto heaven. How grievously they have erred! How oblivious of the fact that such a statement imputeth the gravest injustice and tyranny to a gracious and loving Providence! “How could God, when once the Day-star of the beauty of Jesus had disappeared from the sight of His people, and ascended unto the fourth heaven, cause His holy Book, His most great testimony amongst His creatures, to disappear also?” The Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 89

There are other things in other religions in which they have some things correct. A broken clock is right twice a day . There's things we seem to understand and know intuitively . As expected being created by the same God . However The bible does not allow for different paths to God and different ways. And why would we expect God to be arbitrary and inconsistent ?

 

[Trailblazer]

Method and approach to the Scriptures is everything. The bible is true and factual and correct. What happens is people have presuppositions , bias , tradition, ect that influences how they read. The bible is fine . God hasn't made it difficult, we make it difficult.

But everyone has presuppositions, bias, tradition, etc, that influences how they read. That includes you and me.
So people will interpret the same verses in different ways....

Not all of the Bible is factual, some of it is stories that are metaphorical and are used to convey spiritual truths.
Not everything in the Bible was intended to be interpreted literally. When Jesus said that faith can move a mountain, He did not mean that literally.

Matthew 17:20 And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.