Jesus answered, "I
am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me.” –John 14: 7
If there is only one
heaven and one God, then why would God create many different ways for people to
reach him? The necessity of God to create ways for people to approach him is
not validated because If He exists then He is the one in authority and has all
the right to command all men to come to him through ‘His way'. Think logically
and ask yourself, if God is seated on His throne (which is in fact the highest
position) then why should He create more than one way for one kind of creature
(that is, mankind) to reach him? Jesus is honored because He is confident that
He is the only way to heaven; ask all other gods but none can make such an
exclusive statement because they are not even certain of their own position.
Jesus said, "I am
the way", and not "I am a way". There are many good ways, people
and philosophies, but there is only one God and one way to heaven. Some people
believe in the ten incarnations of God. But let me ask you a question, “Why
should God be born again and again in this world to solve one problem (that is,
the problem of sin) and yet not solve it even after ten incarnations?” Is God
so weak and is his strategy so fragile? On a closer examination you will find
that the way these so called incarnations were trying to solve the problem of
sin was the 'real’ problem. You cannot defeat sin by destroying sinners, which
is exactly what all those incarnations excelled in doing. Sin cannot be
defeated by destroying sinners; it can be overcome only by destroying the
"sin" that lies within the sinner.
For this reason God
came once and for all, (because that was sufficient) in human form and bore the
punishment of all sins on his sinless body to set free all sinners (who believe
in Him) from the prison of sin. First,
by forgiving their past sins and saving them from the punishment of sin (in
hell), then by saving them from the tendency to sin or from "sin"
itself by creating in them a new way of life, and ultimately by residing inside
of them spiritually and leading them according to His plan and purpose for
their lives.
Jesus kills the sin and
not the sinner, that's the difference. When this 'sin' inside a person is killed
he is Born-again spiritually. Which do you think is the better option? God
being born again several times to destroy sinners and finally becoming
frustrated because the sin keeps on increasing or God deciding to die for
sinners in order to forgive their sins and then starts living inside them by
making them Born-again spiritually? I think if I were God I would choose to
give sinners the opportunity to be Born-again spiritually and live holy lives
rather than I being born again and again just to kill a few sinners, yet not
solve the problem of sin.
Immortality is a
fundamental desire of all human beings. According to a popular Hindu belief
Asuras and Devas fought each other for it. The legend goes that both Asuras and
the Devas joined hands in churning a sea called the sea of milk. As they
churned, a variety of gifts were released from the bottom of the sea; the last
of all but the most precious one was “Amrutham,” a sacred fluid that gives
eternal life to all who drink from it. Devas tricked the Asuras and captured
the jar containing the fluid. As they were fighting for it in the heavenly
realms, a portion of it fell to some rivers of the earth. Hence, these rivers
became holy, and there came a belief that those who wash themselves in these
rivers will receive the cleansing of their sins and eternal life. Hindus
believe that all human beings are sinners and cannot acquire eternal life
without the cleansing of their sins.
How does the blood of
Jesus qualify over the water of the rivers?
The Blood of Jesus is
Divine: It has its origin in God whereas “Amrutham” came from the bottom of the
sea. Why do we say that the blood of Jesus is divine? The answer is simple,
‘because Jesus himself is divine’. Jesus was born of a virgin named Mary.
Before His birth an angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and
the power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the Holy one to be born will
be called the Son of God.” Jesus is the Son of God, He is divine and so is His
blood.
The Blood of Jesus is
Redemptive: Jesus shed his blood on a cross for the very purpose of cleansing
the sins of humanity whereas “Amrutham” fell in the rivers accidentally. Jesus’
blood is God’s payment for human sins. God is Just; man is a sinner. God, in
his justice must punish all human beings for their sins. The punishment of sin
is eternal death in hell. God loves us and so he sent Jesus, His son, in human
likeness, to take the punishment of all our sins and hence save us from hell.
Jesus paid the penalty for our sins by His substitutionary death on a cross.
His blood is the price that God paid for our sins, once and for all.
Those who believe in
Jesus can receive the cleansing of their sins by His blood and hence eternal
life or immortality. God will pour out his Holy Spirit into such people. Holy
Spirit is the true “Amrutham”, which God gives freely to all who ask Him in
Jesus name. It is the true living water that satisfies the inner thirst of
every human being and becomes in them a spring of water welling up to eternal
life. Jesus said, “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.”
Written By: Dr. Manoj
Kumar Khatore,
Copyright © 2012 Dr.
Manoj Kumar Khatore
No comments:
Post a Comment