Christ Through the Ages, 29: Christ Refracted in the World: The Monotheists

Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introduction: 1 Corinthians 1:18-24

• Greeks: Christ is foolishness to polytheists, and to intellectuals who embrace philosophy over religion
• Jews: He is also unacceptable to the Jews (generally speaking).
• The Muslim view of Christ is similar to the Jewish view.

Jews

• Jesus was a failed Messiah, or rabbi whose claims were exaggerated.
• Early Judaism: magician
• Crucifixion stumbling block. Seizing on victorious imagery, as opposed to the language of sacrifice. (Refer to lessons 3, 4, 5, and 6.)
• Much of reaction to Christians is historically conditioned: pogroms, crusades, discrimination, etc.
• Many Jews have met few authentic disciples of Christ.
• For more on Judaism, listen to this podcast.

Islam

• Jesus was only a prophet, and inferior to Muhammad.
• Affirmation: prophethood, sinlessness, miracles, Second Coming, virgin birth, Word of God
• Shirk (association), the unforgiveable sin
• For more on Islam, please read our book Jesus & Islam, or listen to the podcasts on the actions and words of Muhammad (the Hadith).

The uniqueness of salvation through Christ is offensive to moderns, as it was to the ancients. Modern responses:

• Use the lingo of the narrow road but more as rhetoric than really putting our weight behind it.
• Universalism: “Accidental” salvation through Christ? Is there an alternative interpretation of John 14:6?
  • If we really have free will, it is hard to see how everyone will eventually make it. The non-Christian variety of universalism (all will be ultimately saved) is unbiblical.
  • Some Christians think that some Jews, Muslims, Taoists et al will be saved through Christ, even if they have not understood who Christ is. Somehow his Spirit is at work among them, and they have an implicit understanding of the Truth.
  • Some hold that, since only an explicit understanding and an explicit faith save, the genuine seekers among the world's religions will receive a post-mortem opportunity to learn about Christ.
  • Yet God is the ultimate Judge (1 Pet 2:23). And he tells us to tell them(Matt 28:18-20; 2 Cor 2:14, 5:18-6:1; Rev 12:11).
• Redefinition of tolerance
  • Tolerance of persons vs. tolerance of ideas. Modern tolerance of ideas entails the pretense that, in some sense, all ideas are equal.
  • Tolerance requires disagreement.
  • Beware simplistic, patronizing attitudes on the part of the "tolerant" -- who seldom have any tolerance or patience for biblical Christians who hold to salvation through Christ.
  • Christianity is both exclusive (John 14:6; Acts 4:12) and inclusive (1 Tim 2:4; Rev 7:9). We want everyone to come to the party -- yet we are not the ones deciding who gets admitted. (It is God's party.)
• Yet these modern responses do not work. Put simply, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one will get to the Father but through him (John 14:6).
• There is only one monotheistic religion that correctly understands Christ.

Next podcast: What the Atheists are Missing