Christianity Confronting Hinduism

Jol Klein - Trinity Baptist Church, Wamego, KS
SBFYC 2007 Seminar 3

You need to be intentional and deliberate in your commitment to God and evangelism. Here are some basic truths to look for that will help you distinguish truth from a lie, especially as it relates to Hinduism.

"History is loaded with men who claim to be God, but there is only one God who claimed to be man."

1) Other religions:
1) Other world religions don't believe Jesus was who He said He was (John 3:16)
2) While lowering Jesus to less than He is supposed to be, other religions usually elevate some other man to a higher spiritual position than Jesus
3) Other world religions add a "new revelation" or other religious works to the Bible (Revelation 22:18-19)
4) Only true biblical Christianity believes that we are totally saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9)

2) Hinduism:
1) Vedas is the Hindu bible and they believe it is divine
2) Believe in one supreme being who may be manifested in all things (panentheism)
3) Believe the universe undergoes endless cycles
4) Believe in karma, the law of cause and effect, you make your own destiny
5) Believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny.
6) Believe that through temple worship, rituals, sacraments, etc. create a communion with their god.
7) Believe that all life is sacred. Therefore they practice "noninjury."
8) Believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God's pure love and light deserving tolerance and understanding. Since Hindu Scriptures are essentially silent on the issue of religious conversion, the question of whether Hindus should evangelize is open to interpretation. What is important is that you are sincere about your religious beliefs regardless of what they are.

3. How do we evangelize Hindus (or any person because the message is always the same!):
1) Prayer
2) Talk to them with love and discernment
3) Lead them to the conscience, pointing them to the Law
4) Present the truth

4. What is hope!
1) What do we hope in? (Sophia)
2) Romans 15:13; Hebrews 6:19
3) Is your hope solid?