What's the Difference?!
by D. Gander
What is it about the Bible that puts it in a league apart from any other book? And what is it about its central character, Jesus Christ, that sets Him apart from other famous historical figures?
There have been lots of prophets and writings about God that vary as much as human imagination. Now, if one teacher claims there is no God, while another portrays a multitude of gods and goddesses, while yet another depicts an impersonal, dualistic God composed of darkness and light, positive and negative forces: can all these be true, if God as He is found in the Bible is true? God, as revealed in and through Jesus, is a personal, loving God, as well as the creator, sustainer, and judge of the universe and all mankind.
The story of the garden of Eden describes how mankind was misled through disobedience and deception into seeking the knowledge of good and evil in a way that departed from living in the continual presence of God. Man rejected God's instruction. He believed a lie. Could truth and goodness be discovered "naturally" after man was cast out of the garden and removed from daily relationship with God, the only author of all that is true and good? He was made in God's image and still had some knowledge and desire for God. But he was handicapped, having removed himself from God's presence. Man had to sweat now for his food, and the thoughts of mind and heart became distant from God, and contrary to His ways.
Concepts of God became confused and fanciful as the centuries passed and people spread out, moving farther away from Eden. Misconceptions continued to grow, and God sent the confusion of Babel to dampen man's presumptions.
But there is only one God, who has revealed Himself through centuries and millennia of history. The crown of His self-revelation is Jesus Christ, His only Son. No other prophet claimed to be the only Son of the one true God, the only name by which man must be saved (Acts 4:12). None other claims that "God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... every tongue confess that Christ is Lord..." (Phil.2:10-11).
It sounds compassionate to compromise and accentuate the value in other religious traditions. After all, people are not converted, their hearts are not changed, by an overbearing attitude from all-too-human Bible thumpers. And yet, the truth is not relative. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (Jn.14:6). Either He lied, or He was crazy, or else He was indeed the only Son of God, the Beginning and End of the life and history of mankind.
God made man capable of knowing God Himself. And He made man capable of certainty, of knowing that he knows, with a knowledge beyond mere belief or speculation. It's the certainty of being in love. It's the certainty of relationship with a father, an elder brother, and a lifelong friend all at once, who loves you and has known you from the beginning. "For all who receive Him... He gives power to become children of God" (1 Jn.1:12).
"He who has the Son has life... And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know Him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." (1 Jn.5:12, 20).
What is it about the Bible that puts it in a league apart from any other book? And what is it about its central character, Jesus Christ, that sets Him apart from other famous historical figures?
There have been lots of prophets and writings about God that vary as much as human imagination. Now, if one teacher claims there is no God, while another portrays a multitude of gods and goddesses, while yet another depicts an impersonal, dualistic God composed of darkness and light, positive and negative forces: can all these be true, if God as He is found in the Bible is true? God, as revealed in and through Jesus, is a personal, loving God, as well as the creator, sustainer, and judge of the universe and all mankind.
The story of the garden of Eden describes how mankind was misled through disobedience and deception into seeking the knowledge of good and evil in a way that departed from living in the continual presence of God. Man rejected God's instruction. He believed a lie. Could truth and goodness be discovered "naturally" after man was cast out of the garden and removed from daily relationship with God, the only author of all that is true and good? He was made in God's image and still had some knowledge and desire for God. But he was handicapped, having removed himself from God's presence. Man had to sweat now for his food, and the thoughts of mind and heart became distant from God, and contrary to His ways.
Concepts of God became confused and fanciful as the centuries passed and people spread out, moving farther away from Eden. Misconceptions continued to grow, and God sent the confusion of Babel to dampen man's presumptions.
But there is only one God, who has revealed Himself through centuries and millennia of history. The crown of His self-revelation is Jesus Christ, His only Son. No other prophet claimed to be the only Son of the one true God, the only name by which man must be saved (Acts 4:12). None other claims that "God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... every tongue confess that Christ is Lord..." (Phil.2:10-11).
It sounds compassionate to compromise and accentuate the value in other religious traditions. After all, people are not converted, their hearts are not changed, by an overbearing attitude from all-too-human Bible thumpers. And yet, the truth is not relative. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (Jn.14:6). Either He lied, or He was crazy, or else He was indeed the only Son of God, the Beginning and End of the life and history of mankind.
God made man capable of knowing God Himself. And He made man capable of certainty, of knowing that he knows, with a knowledge beyond mere belief or speculation. It's the certainty of being in love. It's the certainty of relationship with a father, an elder brother, and a lifelong friend all at once, who loves you and has known you from the beginning. "For all who receive Him... He gives power to become children of God" (1 Jn.1:12).
"He who has the Son has life... And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know Him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." (1 Jn.5:12, 20).