Sermon Tone Analysis

“Nothing in Christianity is original.

The pre-Christian god Mithras—called /the Son of God/ and /the Light of the World/—was born on December 25, died, was buried in a rock tomb, and then resurrected in three days.”

Sir Leigh Teabing, /The DaVinci Code./

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This is a strong accusation by Dan Brown that Christianity is not what we believe it to be.

However, as we consider the facts in this final session of /The DaVinci Deception/, I hope you will be able to see that the imposter is not Christianity, but Gnosticism and other mythologies or religions.

Today, in the name of diversity, we hear much about alternative religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, Islam (Muslim), Wicca, Gnosticism, etc.  Without wanting to promote these religions, I think it is interesting to take a quick look at some differences between them and Christianity:

¨     Hindus acknowledge multitudes of gods and goddesses.

¨     Buddhists say there is no deity.

¨     New Age followers believe they are god.

¨     Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable god.

¨     Wicca’s believe that mother earth is god and can bring them rebirth

¨     Gnosticism says that knowledge is hidden and only available to the enlightened ones of God.

¨     Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable.

Unfortunately, there are many today who have accepted the ideas of alternative religions.

For example, we are often challenged by those who would say all religions lead to God.

Or those who would say that we are all gods in our own right and no one religion is better than another.

Look at the number of TV programs that deal with “spirituality” today (e.g.

Medium, Charmed, Ghost Whisperer, etc) and you will see that our world is looking for another way other than Christianity.

In this “Burger King generation” we want our hamburgers our way, and we want our religion our way.

This is the do-it yourself “spirituality” of our age.

What do we say to these ideas and how can we defend our beliefs as Christians that Christianity is the only way to God?

 

Let’s look at some of the ideas that were presented by Dr Lutzer about what makes Christianity unique (we will only be able to take a brief look at each of these, since there is much more truth in each area than what we can examine in this short time).

He stated that there are 3 beliefs that set Christianity apart from all other religions of the world:

1.

The doctrine of sin:  Sin—“any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.”[i]

James 4:17 says

¨     (NIV) “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

¨     (NASB) Therefore, ato one who knows /the /1right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

By the definition of sin, it is clear that all men have sinned.

There is not one man alive regardless of what religion they profess (or don’t profess) that is not a sinner.

As G.K Chesterton said, “he couldn’t understand why anyone would deny original sin, since it is the only doctrine that could be proved by reading the daily newspaper!”[ii]

Other religions do not deal with the doctrine of sin since they basically accept that we are all good people who just need guidance or that we are gods ourselves and incapable of sin.

As necessary as it is for us to preach the doctrine of sin, we have to be careful to not use it as a club to beat people up with it.

It is a fact that we are born into this world as sinners, but it is also a fact that God does not want us to remain that way.

2.

The holiness of God—what is it that makes us aware of our sin?

The holiness of God.

No matter how good we think we are, we can never measure up to the holiness of God.  “God’s holiness means that He is separated from sin and devoted to seeking His own honor.”[iii]

In the Old Testament we can see the separation of sin clearly illustrated in the Tabernacle~/Temple.

The one place where God’s presence would dwell was called the Holy of Holies.

It was separated from the Holy Place by a veil so that sinful men would not enter into His presence and die.

¨     Exodus 26:33 (NIV) Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain.

The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

In fact the holiness of God was such that only one man—the High Priest—was allowed to enter into that place where God’s presence dwelled.

He was not allowed to enter into the Holy of Holies except one time a year on the Day of Atonement, and then only after following exact rituals of washings and sacrifices.

It may seem sometimes when looking at the holiness of God that God did not want to be around sinful men, but the truth is that God’s desire was to have a holy people who He could fellowship with and who would worship Him.

He commanded Moses to speak to Israel as a nation to be holy:

¨     Lev 19:2 (NIV) “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

As new covenant believers we are to:

¨     Heb 12:14 (NIV)  “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

In an amazing truth of the scriptures, we are given the privilege to share in God’s holiness and He disciplines us to make that possible:

¨     Hebrews 12:10 (NIV) “… God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.”

To deny the holiness of God is to make us equal with Him by pulling Him down to our level.

It is saying that we are gods and there is no one greater than ourselves.

Yet, even unbelievers will refer to a “higher power” or “higher essence” which means that they are acknowledging that there is some supreme being who is greater than we are.

It is the holiness of God that demands justice that our sin must be punished.

To deny the punishment for sin would mean that His holiness would be compromised and make Him no longer holy.

3.

The incarnation of Jesus—the idea that a holy God would become flesh is uniquely a Christian concept.

No other religion acknowledges that their god would come to the earth to save us.

¨     John 1:14 (NIV) The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The incarnation of Jesus shows us that we need a Redeemer to save us from our sin and make us a holy people.

It is impossible for us to do it in our strength or by our own will power.

That a holy God would be willing to go to the length of sacrificing His only Son for our redemption shows the great love this God has for us.

It also shows that to ignore such a great sacrifice would be to earn the wrath of a holy God.

That wrath can only be satisfied by the sinner paying the price for his sins, since the price has already been paid by the sacrifice of Jesus.

To reject the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is to say to our holy God that the sacrifice of Jesus was not necessary.

Here is the good news though,

¨     2 Cor 5.19 (NIV) “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. . . .

“

 

No other religion shows us the way to a personal relationship with a holy God.

In fact, most religions do not think it is possible to have a personal relationship with their god.

Hindu’s believe that if they don’t get it right the first time as a human being, they will come back as an animal or some other idol and try again and again and again. . .

.

New Agers believe that they are god and therefore don’t need a relationship with a higher being.

Buddhists do not worship any god but are trying to achieve spiritual enlightenment and freedom from the continuous cycle of life and death caused by countless rebirths due to their cravings, aversions, and delusions (i.e.

sins).

Muslims believe that Allah is the one almighty supreme god who is untouchable but must be worshipped through good deeds and disciplined religious rituals.

Christianity on the other hand declares that this is why God sent His only Son Jesus to the earth—so that we might have the right to be called the children of God.

It is this personal relationship with a holy God that sets Christianity apart from all other religions and philosophies.

¨     Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV) In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

Friends, God is not silent about who He is and what is necessary to have a relationship with Him.

We should be thankful for that; otherwise we would have to try to figure it out on our own as many are trying to do today.

God has clearly spoken through His Son Jesus Christ so that all men can become a part of His family.

He desires that all men would know Him personally and intimately as a loving Father and live with Him now and for all eternity.

Do you know Him today in this personal way?

If not you can—right now—by simply acknowledging that you need Him to be your Savior and Lord.

¨     Romans 10:9 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

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[i] Wayne Grudem,/ Bible Doctrine/, Zondervan, 1999, p. 210

a Luke 12:47; John 9:41; 2 Pet 2:21

1 Or /good/

[ii] Erwin Lutzer, /The DaVinci Deception/, Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, p. 137

[iii] Wayne Grudem,/ Bible Doctrine/, Zondervan, 1999, p. 92