Pope Francis Makes Headlines Again! Is Every Religion A Way To Arrive At God?

 

Vatican News reported, “During an interreligious meeting at Singapore's Catholic Junior College, Pope Francis urged young people to work toward unity, become responsible citizens, and pass down what they have learned to future generations.” He continued, “God is God for all, and if God is God for all, then we are all sons and daughters of God.” Pope Francis also said, “All religions are paths to reach God. They are, to make a comparison, like different languages or dialects to get there. But God is God for everyone.”¹

Is every religion a way to arrive at God? Are all religions the same? Do all religions lead to heaven?

No.

In an earlier blog of mine, I explained why all religions cannot lead to God & heaven:²

“Three reasons could be posited to explain why all religions cannot lead us to God and heaven:

            1. Every major religion contradicts the other.

            2. There can be only one God.

            3. There can be only one means of salvation.

Every Major Religion Contradicts The Other

Every major religion claims exclusivity. I provided a glimpse of the exclusivity claims of the major world religions in an earlier article of mine, entitled Exclusivity Claims of Major World Religions. While discussing the exclusivity claims of Hinduism, I wrote, “Hinduism excludes other religions based on its core doctrines. Consider the doctrine of God in Hinduism. Brahman, the absolute God of Hinduism, is a mysterious being.

Although Brahman is one God, he manifests in innumerable forms, “Hinduism is unique because it is essentially a monotheistic faith which acknowledges polytheism as reflective of the diversity in God’s creation. God is one, but also many. He manifests Himself in innumerable forms and shapes.” But the God of Christianity does not manifest Himself in innumerable forms. Hence, Hinduism should exclude Christianity or Islam on the basis of the Godhead. The same holds true for doctrines such as karma and reincarnation, which absolutely contradict Christianity and other religions.”

Even Islam, Buddhism and Judaism claim exclusivity. So if every religion contradicts the other, then all religions are not teaching the truth. Only one religion would teach the truth, whereas the others do not.

Historic Christianity also claims exclusivity. Conservative Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven. This belief renders every non-Christian as an eternal inhabitant of hell. But the conclusion that Jesus is the only way to heaven is predicated on the premise that Christianity is the only religion that makes valid truth claims.

Since every religion contradicts the other, all religions cannot lead man to God and heaven.

One God

God is the ‘maximally great being’ or the ‘greatest conceivable being’ or the ‘greatest being possible.’ The maximally great being should be omnipotent (infinitely powerful), omniscient (possessing unlimited knowledge), and morally perfect, to say the least. 

Such a maximally great being ought to be singular. In other words, there cannot be two maximally great beings. They cannot be maximally great if they are equal. Maximal greatness signifies that one of the two would essentially be greater than the other.

Therefore, there can only be one God.

One Salvation

Salvation is the deliverance from the power and penalty of sin. Sin is an assault on God. In other words, sin is the transgression or violation of God’s commands.

If God is one, then the sin of mankind is essentially against that God (because there are no other Gods). Hence, there can be only one means of salvation, for it is that one infinite God who offers the means of salvation to erring finite humans.

But what if God offers two or more means of salvation to the erring humans? Is this possible? It is possible as long as the means of salvation do not contradict each other.

There are two major means of salvation offered by the major world religions. While Historic Christianity offers salvation by the grace of God through faith in Christ, the other major world religions teach salvation through good works.

Salvation by grace through faith is a non-negotiable tenet of Historic Christianity. Historic Christianity teaches that mankind cannot perform good works (i.e. be perfectly obedient to God) to go to heaven because man is a perpetual sinner. Hence, God graciously sent HIS Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die on behalf of all (the sins) of mankind, thereby paying the penalty for sin, which is death. Christ then overcame death through HIS resurrection and ascension. Thereby, those who believe in Christ are saved by virtue of Christ’s one-time perfect sacrifice and their belief in HIM.

Contrarily, the other major world religions teach that mankind would have to perform good works i.e. being obedient to God, to go to heaven. For instance, Islam teaches that worship of God and obedience to his commands are the prerequisites for salvation.

Hence, salvation by grace through faith contradicts salvation through good works. Since the means of salvation in other religions and Christianity contradict each other, there could only be one way to be saved.

Conclusion

There is only one way to God. All religions cannot lead us to God. Those believing that all religions lead to God are treading dangerously. They are risking their eternity.

If you are in that boat, think this through and make sense of your life. If you pray to God to lead you to the right path, HE will. May the truth set you free.

 

Endnotes:

¹https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-09/pope-calls-singapore-youth-unity-during-interreligous-dialogue1.html

²https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2019/01/three-reasons-why-all-religions-do-not.html

Websites last accessed on 15^th September, 2024.

DOES JESUS CHRIST HAVE TWO WILLS OR ONE? (MONOTHELITISM OR DYOTHELITISM)

Whether God incarnate, Jesus Christ, has two wills or one is pertinent for a better understanding of our Lord Jesus and how His truly human and truly divine natures relate to one another. Before we proceed any further, let us define certain vital terms related to our context:

Person: “Person” is a center of self-consciousness, intentionality, and will.¹

Nature: That which makes humans distinctly human rather than animals.

Will: That which enables a deliberate action.

Monothelitism: Jesus has only one will – a divine will.

Dyothelitism: Jesus has two wills – a human and a divine.

Jesus Christ is a divine person (the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity) with both a divine nature and a human nature (the Hypostatic Union). Therefore, the question of wills in Jesus Christ is predicated on whether the will is a function of the “person” or the “nature.”

If the will is a function of the person, then Jesus Christ should have only one will, which is the divine will. If the will is a function of one’s nature, then Jesus Christ should have two wills—one divine and one human—because Jesus has two natures: one divine and one human.

Ligonier.org explains why the church voted in favor of the Dyothelitism view: “Monothelitism was declared a heresy and the reason it was declared a heresy is because the church concluded a will is in extent an essential part of a nature. If Jesus didn't have a human will as well as the divine will, it would be very difficult to see him as truly and fully human. We know he has a divine will because he was the Logos from all eternity and the second person in trinity that has a will. So, we know he has a divine will. If he has only one will it's just the divine will and the church, I think, rightly concluded that that would mean he did not have a fully human nature because he wouldn't have a fully human will.”²

On the contrary, Dr. William Lane Craig holds to Monothelitism. He states, “…the will is properly a faculty of a person rather than of a nature, I believe that there is but one will in Christ, despite his having two natures. For there is one person who is Christ, namely, the divine second person of the Trinity.”³

A common objection posed to the Monothelitism view is: if the will is a function of personhood, then would the Triune God—who is one God in the form of three persons—possess three distinct wills? If so, would these wills contradict each other? If they contradict each other, then they cease to be God, as this situation would limit God’s omniscience.

William Lane Craig states that God’s absolute perfection entails a perfect harmony between their wills, “Now if we affirm a robust conception of a person as a center of self-consciousness, intentionality, and will, as I think we should, it follows that the three Trinitarian persons have three wills. Of course, as the wills of three perfect persons, their wills always agree and are in harmony. Though there are three distinct acts of will, they all will the same thing.”⁴ [Emphasis Mine]

The church affirmed Dyothelitism by considering the following verses from the Bible:

Matthew 26:39 (NIV): “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  

Luke 22:42 (NIV): “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

John 5:30 (NET): “I can do nothing on my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.”

John 6:38 (NET): “For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”

Other passages assume human will in Christ (John 4:34, 5:19. 8:29, 14:31; Rom. 5:19; Phil. 2:8; Heb. 10:9.

To defend his position, Craig argues that if the will is associated with one’s nature then Christ should have two persons – a divine and a human.⁵

This is nothing more than an introduction to this complicated subject where, I believe, theology and philosophy should intersect to provide an adequate understanding of it.

Endnotes:

¹https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/monothelitism-and-the-trinity

²https://www.ligonier.org/posts/does-jesus-have-one-or-two-wills

³https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/monothelitism-and-the-trinity

⁴Ibid.

⁵https://www.reasonablefaith.org/media/other-videos/dyothelitism-vs-monothelitism & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIr3o799aFA&ab_channel=ReasonableFaithOrg

Websites last accessed on 5^th August 2024. 

Different Levels Of Punishment In Hell

             Christians would be rewarded differently in heaven, “Christians will be offered varying rewards in heaven (cf. Daniel 12:3; 1 Corinthians 3:14-15). The Bible says all Christians will stand before the judgment seat of God and each of us will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:10,12). Apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth tells the Corinthians, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Corinthians 5:10; cf. Luke 19:17,19)... Even though there will be degrees of reward in heaven, the joy of each person will be full and complete for eternity. If we think that those with greater rewards or higher status would be more joyful in heaven, we are mistaken. For if those with higher status would be more joyful, the apostles and the heavenly creatures would be more joyful than the others. In a state of perfection, this disparity does not seem plausible.”¹

            Similarly, would there be varying degrees of punishment in hell?

            J. Warner Wallace in his article entitled “Are There Different Degrees Of Punishment In Hell?” writes: “In the next life, some will be punished more than others. There are clearly degrees of punishment...those who reject the teaching and calling of God will be harshly punished, while those who have less clarity on what can be known about God (“the one who did not know it”), will be punished with less severity... Those who know more are held in a higher degree of accountability and responsibility. If you know the truth about God and reject it, you will be punished more than someone who doesn’t yet know better.”²

            So yes, just as there will be varying rewards in heaven, there will also be different degrees of punishment in hell.

            If we are sure of going to heaven, let us strive for a greater reward.

Endnotes:

¹http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2021/04/varying-rewards-in-heaven.html

²https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/are-there-different-degrees-of-punishment-in-hell/

Websites last accessed on 18^th August 2022. 

How “Undesigned Coincidences” Enhances The Reliability Of The Bible?

            Those interested in learning more about the reliability of the Bible should study the very interesting topic of “Undesigned Coincidences.”  

            Christian analytic philosopher Lydia McGrew, who has written a book entitled Hidden in Plain View, defines undesigned coincidences as, “An undesigned coincidence is a notable connection between two or more accounts or texts that doesn't seem to have been planned by the person or people giving the accounts. Despite their apparent independence, the items fit together like pieces of a puzzle.”¹

            An article in Christianity Today further explains this, “In other words, an undesigned coincidence occurs when multiple passages of Scripture include details that at first seem unrelated but which, upon further reflection, fit together in a way that only makes sense if both accounts are based on the same underlying historical truth.”²

            How do undesigned coincidences enhance the reliability of the Bible? The same article states, “Undesigned coincidences are subtle enough that it would be pointless for a fabricator to make them up. But on analysis, they provide valuable internal evidence of the reliability of the New Testament histories. The only plausible explanation for their occurrence is that the authors were carefully recording real events.”³

            Consider two examples of undesigned coincidences from the New Testament:⁴

One of the simplest coincidences concerns Herod’s reaction to the commencement of Jesus’ ministry. Matthew 14 reports that Herod “said to his attendants, ‘This is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead!’” (v. 1). But how would Matthew know what the king said to his servants in the privacy of his palace? A skeptic might conclude that he was taking liberties with the truth.

Unless, that is, the skeptic in question happened to notice an obscure phrase in the Gospel of Luke. On a totally different topic, Luke 8 lists a number of women who were following Jesus. One of them is named as “Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household” (v. 3).

The second passage explains the first. Matthew could have known about Herod’s comment to his servants because the wife of one of those servants was a follower of Christ. And yet the connection is incredibly oblique. If the Gospels were fabricated, Luke would have had no particular reason to invent this detail. The best explanation is that the pieces fit so well because they are both true.

Another coincidence is even more striking. In John 6, Jesus asks Philip where to buy bread just prior to the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 (v. 5). Why Philip? John gives no explanation. Yet elsewhere, in unrelated passages, he does mention something that turns out to be relevant: Philip was from Bethsaida.

There is no obvious connection between these two pieces of information until one turns to the Gospel of Luke. Luke 9 notes that the feeding of the 5,000 occurred near Bethsaida (v. 10). Jesus asked Philip where to buy bread because he was a local.

If the Gospels were fabricated, there would be no particular reason for John to report that Jesus asked Philip where to buy bread. There would be no particular reason for listing Philip as a native of Bethsaida. There would be no particular reason for Luke to situate the feeding of the 5,000 near Bethsaida. Further, the details are so randomly strewn through the accounts that they are obviously not an attempt at subtle harmonization. Once again, the best explanation as to why the puzzle pieces fit so well is that they are all true.

            Undesigned coincidences are not only found in the New Testament. They are found in the Old Testament also.

            Here is one such example from an article authored by Christian Apologist Jonathan McLatchie:⁵

Why Does Ahithophel Turn on David?

2 Samuel 15 details the story of King David’s son Absalom conspiring against his own Father. In verses 7-12, we read,

And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.’” The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

In verse 12, Absalom sends for Ahithophel, David’s counselor. Who is this man, Ahithophel? According to 2 Samuel 16:23:

Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.

Ahithophel, then, was the most trusted adviser to King David. Why, then, did Absalom count on Ahithophel to join him in conspiring against the King?

In 2 Samuel 23, in a completely unrelated part of the text, we have an important clue. Verses 24-39 list the thirty-seven body guards of King David. In verse 39, we have a familiar name – Uriah the Hittite, the husband of Bathsheba. Another individual mentioned is Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite (verse 34). This means that Ahithophel’s son was a colleague of Uriah the Hittite.

It gets even more interesting when we look over at 2 Samuel 11, in which we read of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. Here is what we read in verses 2-3:

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

Thus, it appears that Bathsheba was the the granddaughter of Ahithophel, David’s counselor, and her father Eliam himself was among the King’s body guards along with Bathsheba’s husband Uriah. This then explains why Absalom in chapter 15 expected Ahithophel to be ready to conspire against King David and why Ahithophel joined Absalom’s rebellion. He wanted revenge on David for what he had done to Bathsheba and Uriah.

But it gets even more interesting. Flip over to chapter 16 and verses 20-22:

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?” Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Why do they pitch a tent for Absalom on the roof so that he can sleep with his father’s concubines? It was on the roof that David’s eye first caught Bathsheba bathing, resulting in his adulterous affair and his murder of her husband Uriah. Her grandfather Ahithophel then seeks revenge, and so encourages Absalom to sleep with his father’s concubines on the roof of the palace.

Now, note that it was only by putting together different, seemingly unrelated, parts of the text that we were able to arrive at these explanations. Nowhere in Scripture is it explicitly spelled out that Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. Rather, one has to do detective work in order to see beneath the surface what exactly is going on here.

This is not the sort of pattern that one might expect in stories of myth and legend. Rather, it is the hallmark of truth.

Endnotes:

¹https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/unique-evidence-for-the-new-testament-interview-with-lydia-mcgrew-about-unintended-coincidences-1

²https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/august-web-only/defending-accuracy-of-scripture-one-coincidence-at-time.html

³Ibid.

⁴Ibid.

⁵https://jonathanmclatchie.com/undesigned-coincidences-in-the-scriptures-an-argument-for-their-veracity-part-1-old-testament-examples/ 

Websites last accessed on 13^th June 2022.

Pride Month: Evolution Of Homosexuality In India And Its Next Step

            The appalling practice of homosexuality has been in existence since time immemorial. But its lengthy existence for centuries in the past has not made it either legitimate or honorable, for the God of the Bible unequivocally condemns the practice of homosexuality (Genesis 19:5; Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:10; Jude 1:7).

            We need to remind ourselves that the Bible condemns the practice of homosexuality and not its orientation. One can possess homosexual orientation, but if he/she resists that orientation through prayer and godly counsel, he/she is not in sin.

            I strive to obey the Bible, for I believe it is absolutely the Word of God. I have no doubts! Hence, I consider homosexuality to be an abnormal or a sinful practice. Significantly, I do not have the power to declassify a sin. So when God has deemed homosexuality to be a sin, I merely obey.

            Homosexuality has been legal in India since 6^th September 2018. So homosexuality is no longer a crime in India. This obviously implies that the practice of homosexuality was regarded as a crime in India prior to 2018.

            Until the 90s, Indian television and the movie industry were highly conservative. Erotic scenes were diligently censored. Today it is not so. Erotic scenes are no longer taboo! 

            Few web series portray homosexuality as a natural phenomenon, thus corrupting minds in the process. Homosexuality piggybacks on the theme of ‘tolerance.’

            So what’s next for homosexuality in India? How would homosexuality further evolve in India?

            At some point in time in the future, Indian society will endorse homosexuality. Homosexual marriages would be as common and as approved as heterosexual marriage (although a minority subscribing to Historic Christianity would continue to oppose this evil).

            This is when another problem (not new) will rear its ugly head. The young generation, especially the biblically illiterate, will passionately believe that homosexuality is not a sin. They would also believe that homosexuality is normal behavior.

            Now, while homosexuality continues to gain a stronger foothold over minds, unfortunately, a vast majority of churches are losing their battle against this evil. These churches are not preparing their congregation, especially the young generation, to fight this evil.

            The ruler of the kingdom of the air will continue to work in the minds of the disobedient. But this is not the end of this story. A minority would continue to prayerfully raise their voices against this evil.

            Are you one among this prayerful minority? 

Does God Answer The Prayers Of Unbelievers?

            Some Christian leaders teach that God would not answer any prayer of unbelievers other than their prayer of repentance.

            The Bible portrays God answering the prayers of unbelievers:¹

Here are some passages dealing with prayer by an unbeliever:

The people of Nineveh prayed that Nineveh might be spared (Jonah 3:5-10). God answered this prayer and did not destroy the city of Nineveh as He had threatened.

Hagar asked God to protect her son Ishmael (Genesis 21:14-19). God not only protected Ishmael, God blessed him exceedingly.

In 1 Kings 21:17-29, especially verses 27-29, Ahab fasts and mourns over Elijah’s prophecy concerning his posterity. God responds by not bringing about the calamity in Ahab’s time.

The Gentile woman from the Tyre and Sidon area prayed that Jesus would deliver her daughter from a demon (Mark 7:24-30). Jesus cast the demon out of the woman’s daughter.

Cornelius, the Roman centurion in Acts 10, had the apostle Peter sent to him in response to Cornelius being a righteous man. Acts 10:2 tells us that Cornelius “prayed to God regularly.”

            Consider an instance wherein a Christian visits hospitals to pray for the sick. In such a situation, that Christian would pray for both believers and unbelievers who are sick. While praying with an unbeliever, he could advise the unbeliever to pray for healing in Jesus’ name. If the unbeliever prays earnestly to Jesus for healing, would not the living God answer his prayers?

        I am not remotely suggesting that God will heal every unbeliever who prays for healing in the same way that God need not necessarily answer the prayer of healing of every believer.

            But if an unbeliever pleads for God’s abiding presence, peace, encouragement, strength, and power to endure his sickness, would not the living God answer his prayers? Who knows, maybe the unbeliever would turn to Christ through this event as well.

            The living God, who healed Commander Namaan (2 Kings 5) – an unbeliever – of his leprosy, is sovereign in HIS nature.  An article on the Biblword website pertinently summarizes, “God is sovereign, and there is no limit to his power and ability. We cannot put Him in a box and say this or that is what He will or will not do. He knows what is in the heart of every man, woman and child. He hears the cry of their heart and He can choose to answer any prayer that He sees fit.”²

Endnotes:

¹https://www.gotquestions.org/unbeliever-prayer.html

²https://www.biblword.net/does-god-hear-the-prayers-of-the-sinners-and-unbelievers/

Websites last accessed on 30^th May 2022.  

Did God Create Music? Can Christians Listen To Secular Music?

             Music is an art engineered by man. Some people are blessed with the talent to play musical instruments, write songs, and/or sing. Others are not naturally inclined to music! (They may be more inclined towards other forms of art, science, etc.)

            This raises a pertinent question. Why are some naturally gifted to play music and/or sing whereas others are not? The reason is God. Martin Luther said, “Music is one of the fairest and most glorious gifts of God, to which Satan is a bitter enemy; for it removes from the heart the weight of sorrow and the fascination of evil thoughts.”

            God is the source of music, not Satan or anything else.

            It is God who creates man, not Satan. Hence, it is God who blesses people with the ability to participate in the field of music. So music is a gift from God.

            The Bible reveals music’s purpose:

                        1. To worshipping God (Psalm 4:1; 6:1, 54:1).

                        2. To soothe a troubled mind (1 Samuel 16:14-23).

                        3. To warn of danger (Nehemiah 4:20).

                        4. To surprise the enemy (Judges 7:16-22).

            Having said this, could Christians listen to or play or sing secular music? (Let's just define secular music as that which has nothing to do with Historic Christianity.)      

            Without pontificating, the broad answer is yes as long as the music does not malign Jesus or the Triune God or Historic Christianity in any form or manner.

            But let’s assume that a Christian is employed in a music band and that his job demands playing music (at times) that glorifies other gods. In such a situation, how should this Christian respond?

            As long as this Christian’s life is devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, he could play that music, for playing that music does not absolutely or necessarily imply a denial of Jesus.

            Let’s extend this question to a restaurant. Can a Christian be employed in a non-Christian restaurant, wherein non-Christian prayers and rituals are a daily occurrence? The answer is yes, as long as the Christian does not subscribe to the prayers and rituals directed towards another god.

            However, here’s a caveat. If non-Christian prayers, rituals, and music are distracting a Christian from worshipping his God, then he would be better off being employed elsewhere in a spiritually non-threatening environment or he should take actions to intentionally worship the living God.

            If Christians are to be employed only in Christian settings, then most Christians would be rendered jobless.

            So to return to our context, a Christian could listen to secular music as long as that music does not deny or malign the God of the Bible or Historic Christianity and as long as that music does not prevent or distract the Christian from worshipping the Lord Jesus or growing in the Triune God.

            To conclude, music is good. But Jesus is all in all. Music is a gift from God, but not a god. 

How Is The Date For Easter Determined?

             Easter is not celebrated on a particular date of any year like Christmas.

            Last year (2021), we celebrated Easter on the 4^th of April. This year we celebrated Easter on the 17^th of April. Next year (2023), we will celebrate Easter on the 9^th of April. The year after (2024), we will celebrate Easter on the 31^st of March. In the year 2025, we will celebrate Easter on the 20^th of April. Easter will be celebrated on 5^th April in the year 2026.

            Why is there a variation in Easter dates every year and how is the date for Easter determined every year?

            Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry briefly details the backdrop, “Luke 24:1 says that Jesus rose on the first day of the week, Sunday. This is why we have Easter Sunday as the day of the celebration which occurs once a year. Furthermore, Jesus was crucified at the time of the Passover which is the 14th of Nissan. So traditionally Christians would celebrate the resurrection of Christ on the first Sunday following the traditional date of Christ’s crucifixion, which was a Friday following the first full moon of the month, which corresponds to our modern month of April. Therefore, “the dates of Easter can range from March 22 to April 25.””¹

            Professor Farrell Brown in his article in Christianity Today describes the dating process:² [Emphasis Mine]

Our first stop on this tour of the wandering Easter is a quick study of how calendars were used in the Biblical lands around 30 A.D. Although the Julian or solar-based calendar of the Roman Empire had been in place since 45 B.C., it did not supplant the lunar calendar that was the chart and compass of 2,000 years of Jewish history. (A lunar year is 12 lunar cycles of 29.53 days each or 354.36 days while a Julian year is 365.25 days with a leap day every four years.) The Julian calendar functions by having three years of 365 days and one year of 366 days every four years.

The incongruence of the two calendars had marred historical recordings in the Eastern Mediterranean and environs since the dual systems began. And to add to the confusion, Jesus' followers had failed to record the exact date of their Lord's resurrection. Many of those first believers expected Jesus to return soon, a hope that (some scholars believe) rendered such anniversaries unimportant for them. For these reasons, a single, universally accepted date for the event's celebration had little to no chance.

The Nicean accord

Three hundred years later in the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine, Christianity was beginning to spread though [sic] out the Empire. Since any self-respecting religion was expected to have its religious festivals and days of observance, a date for celebrating Easter now became a priority. In fact, this was one of eight major topics considered by priests and bishops at the church's first Ecumenical Council in 325, in Nicea (present-day Turkey). One unanimously accepted canon guaranteed that Easter would never fall on the beginning the Jewish Passover, perhaps reflecting Christian animosity towards the Jewish people for their perceived role in Jesus' death.

However, each church group present at Nicea seemed to have a different opinion on the matter of Easter's date. The biggest division was that between the Eastern churches of Antioch and Syria, which still relied on the Jewish or lunar calendar for determining the date of Easter, and the Western churches of Alexandria and Rome, which employed the efficient solar calendar. The resulting accord, as commonly stated, was that Easter shall fall on the first Sunday following the first full moon following the spring equinox. (The spring equinox is one of the two times in the year when the sun crosses the celestial equator and the length of day and night are approximately equal.)

This explains the 35-day span where Easter can occur (March 22 - April 25, inclusive): the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox may occur as little as two or as many as 37 days from the equinox.

Endnotes:

¹https://carm.org/other-questions/what-is-easter/

²https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2008/august/why-does-easters-date-wander.html

 

Websites last accessed on 22^nd April 2022.

The Ukrainian Church: What Is God Teaching Us?

            How is God blessing the Ukrainian church during the Russian invasion? What can we learn from it?

1. Stay

            Although the directive is for the missionaries to exit Ukraine, some missionaries are choosing to stay back in their mission field. These missionaries are not only risking their lives but the lives of their family members as well.

            Vasyl Ostryi - Pastor at Irpin’ Bible Church and Professor of youth ministry at Kyiv Theological Seminary writes, “My wife and I have decided to remain in our city near Kyiv. We want to serve the people here along with Irpin Bible Church ...In anticipation of coming disaster, we’ve bought a supply of food, medicine, and fuel so that, if necessary, we’ll be able to help those in need rather than burden them.

            Ours is a family of six. We’re raising four daughters. What I worry about the most is my 16-year-old who travels to college every day for an hour and a half, one way, by public transportation...Thankfully, her classes have now gone online.”¹

            To stay back to serve the people in need, while potentially sacrificing their lives and that of their families, is indeed remarkable, “...if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:10, NIV)

2. Serve

            Churches in Ukraine are in a state of readiness to serve (cf. Matthew 25:34-40), “The All-Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches, the largest Protestant community in Ukraine, reports among its ranks 2,272 churches, 320 missionary groups, and 113,000 adult believers.

            Many of these believers are mobilizing. Bandura explained that plans are underway to turn church basements into refugee centers, as they stock up on supplies. Members with medical backgrounds are readying for service.

            “We very much hope that our house of prayer will not be needed to shelter people...But we are preparing so that people can come here, if necessary, to find safety and shelter.”²

            Christianity Today reports, “Valentin Siniy, president of Tavriski Christian Institute (TCI) in Kherson, about 50 miles from Crimea, had to evacuate his seminary along with a team of Bible translators as Russian helicopters attacked local targets.

            “The majority of old pastors of the churches stayed in the cities. Youth leaders started evacuating young people,” he told CT. “We managed to purchase a van with 20 seats in order to evacuate people. About 30 people are in a safe place now, in western Ukraine. There are about 40 more people driving west [in] vehicles that are in bad condition.”

            Meanwhile his church has opened its basement to shelter neighbors living in multi-story buildings from bombings.

            “I and all ministers stay in Kyiv,” said Yuriy Kulakevych, foreign affairs director of the Ukrainian Pentecostal Church. “We continue our intercessory prayers, talk to people to reduce panic, and help those in need.”³

3. Pray

            The Ukrainian church is praying for unity, peace, wisdom, and the blessing of Ukraine and even her enemies, “...the focus turned to prayer: for wisdom, courage, ministers in the occupied territories, the national army—and even the enemies of Ukraine...And on Sunday evening at Grace Church of Evangelical Christians in Kyiv, over 1,000 people gathered to pray for the unity, peace, and blessing of Ukraine.”⁴

4. Preach

            Even before the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian church was preaching for peace, calm, and protection, “Preaching on the Sermon on the Mount’s injunction toward peacemaking, Kulakevych continued his laser-sharp focus on the possible Russian invasion. Five weeks ago, as the separatist conflict in the eastern Donbas region began to escalate, he surveyed the Bible for its teaching on “wars and rumors of war.”

            He followed that with an application of “Do not let your hearts be troubled” and, on the next Sunday, a treatise on worry. Last week, he tried shifting to include more mundane examples in a sermon on Jesus calming the storm, such as pandemic, career, and relationship difficulties. But the Russian threat did not dissipate.

            “Protect yourself and your family by all possible means,” Kulakevych told the church. “And serve as a mentor for people in a bad state.”⁵

5. God Rules

            God continues to bring HIS people into HIS presence even during this invasion, “But even amid this conflict, we’re hearing stories of people who’ve been prayed for over the years now coming to faith and making huge steps forward. In a word, what the Enemy has intended for evil, God is using for good.”⁶

Endnotes:

¹https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-stayed-ukraine/

²https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/february/ukraine-russia-churches-donetsk-luhansk-putin-independence.html

³https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/february/russia-ukraine-invasion-putin-war-christian-churches-prayer.html

⁴https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/february/ukraine-russia-churches-donetsk-luhansk-putin-independence.html

⁵Ibid.

⁶https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-planter-ukraine/

Websites last accessed on 28th February 2022.

 

Five Credible Reasons To Believe The New Testament

             Find below five credible reasons to believe the New Testament.

            1. Internal Evidence: The New Testament claims to be truthful and factual (Luke 1:1-4; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1).

            2. External Evidence: Archaeology affirms the New Testament. There is ample evidence to corroborate the credibility of the New Testament. A recent discovery (in December 2021) of a 2000-year-old second synagogue that may have been visited by the Lord Jesus is a classic case in point.¹

            3. Confirmation by Eyewitnesses: Another instance is that of Apostle Paul’s affirmation of Jesus’ resurrection, “...historians trust that Apostle Paul preserved an oral tradition about Christ’s resurrection that goes back to the early Christian church or the Jerusalem apostles, who were eyewitnesses to Christ’s resurrection. Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church narrates Christ’s resurrection from the perspective of the eyewitnesses and also as a written record of Christ’s resurrection closer to the time of Christ’s resurrection, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” (1 Corinthians 15: 3-7, NIV, Emphasis Mine).”²

            4. Criterion of Embarrassment: “If a report in the Gospels provides data that would have been embarrassing to the early Christian movement, we can have more confidence that the event had occurred, since it is unlikely that the author would have invented content likely to detract from the cause for which he wrote. This is called the criterion of embarrassment. For example, Mark reports that Peter rebuked Jesus and that Jesus in turn rebuked Peter, calling him “Satan” (Mark 8:31-33). Since Peter was a leader of the Jerusalem church, it seems unlikely that the early Christians would have invented and preserved a tradition that casts him in such an unfavorable manner.”³

            5. Criterion of Unsympathetic Sources: “If a source that is unsympathetic or even hostile toward the Christian faith provides a report that agrees with the Christian reports, we can have more confidence that the event had occurred, since the unsympathetic or hostile source would not have the bias carried by the authors of the Christian reports. This is called the criterion of unsympathetic sources. For example, Tacitus referred to Christianity as an evil and mischievous superstition (Annals 15.44). This identifies him as an unsympathetic source. So, when he reports Jesus’s execution by Pontius Pilate, a report entirely compatible with what we find in the Gospels, historians can have more confidence that the event had occurred.”⁴

            “Unsympathetic or hostile non-Christian sources have affirmed the following about Jesus Christ:

            1. Christ’s miraculous birth.

            2. Christ’s claim to be God and the Messiah.

            3. Christ performed the miraculous.

            4. Jesus was persecuted by the Jews.

            5. Jesus’ gory death through crucifixion.

            6. The empty tomb.

            7. Jesus’ resurrection, postmortem appearances to HIS disciples, and ascension.

            8. Disciples’ martyrdom.

            9. Early Christians’ regular worship. 

            Does the skeptic need more proof than this to believe in the existence of Jesus Christ? If after learning this information, if the skeptic refuses to believe in the Historical Jesus, then it seems that the skeptic is dishonest in his search for truth.”⁵

Endnotes:

¹https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2022/01/five-significant-biblical.html

²https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2016/03/why-should-we-believe-christs.html

³https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2020/02/reasons-for-existence-of-historical.html

⁴Ibid.

⁵Ibid.

Websites last accessed on 27^th February 2022.