Who is Jesus?

 

    Few questions in history have cause so great a debate as the issue of who Jesus said he was, how he lived and died, and whether or not he actually rose from the dead. Understandably the opinions of Jesus are varied and complex, with numerous religions offering up different interpretations of scripture and historical fact in support of their mutually exclusive views.

    The following article is designed to help the reader discern for themselves which version of Jesus is the true Jesus by comparing the claims of some of the world's great religions that recognize the unique person of Jesus within their teachings. Each of these religions claims to be the only true religion, and are therefore mutually exclusive in their views on Jesus. Yet, as the reader will see, each of the four religions I will examine present their followers with a vastly different picture of who Jesus is and claimed to be.

    The following statements are not intended to be exhaustive on the subject by any means. But it is my sincere hope that the reader will take what is in essence a cursory examination of Jesus and investigate further to discover the truth of the Messiah.

    (*Note: As a matter of personal preference, all external links to Biblical passages—unless stated otherwise—reference the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible. Other translations and languages are available from a pull-down menu on the external site to suit the individual preference of the reader. Cross examination with physical copies of textual references are also encouraged.)

Jesus According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints:

Founder: 
The Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844 AD)

Holy Texts: 
The Holy Bible (King James Version, 1611; adopted by LDS in 1851)

The Book of Mormon (1830)

Doctrine and Covenants (1835; expanded in later editions)

The Pearl of Great Price (1851) 

Supporting Texts:
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (1830s; excerpts canonized in Pearl of Great Price and LDS Bible footnotes)

Articles of Faith (1842; canonized only as part of Pearl of Great Price, not standalone)

Journal of Discourses (1854–1886; influential sermons, not scripture

1) Long before Jesus was born on earth, he was eternally existent as an organized intelligence. He was then born as a spirit in the Preexistence along with his brother Lucifer (Satan). His father was Father God (Formerly a man named Elohim who had reached Exaltation in another life, thus ascending to Godhood) and his goddess wife, Mother God. Together, these two gods produced millions of spirit-children (the rest of humanity) with which to populate the earth.
   
2) Jesus was born twice. Spiritually, Jesus was born out of a union between Father God and Mother God—like all human souls—while his mortal body was born out of a sexual encounter between Father God and his human wife, Mary. This is why Jesus is referred to as "The Only Begotten of the Father" in John 1:14; because he is the only human to be born out of a sexual union between Father God and a mortal woman. In this regard, Jesus is literally God's one and only son. (Articles of Faith, 466; Journal of Discourses, 1:50, 11:268; Teachings of the Prophet Ezra Taft Benson [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], 7.)

3) Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, as foretold by the Prophet Micah in the Old Testament. (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:1-20)

4) Jesus never claimed to be God, merely that he and God share the same purpose on earth. (John 10:22-39)

5) Jesus atoned for the sins of man in the Garden of Gethsemane when he sweat great drops of blood. (Luke 22:39-44, The Mortal Messiah [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co. 1979], 4:229)

6) Jesus' atonement in the garden was merely an atonement for the original sin of Adam, and served the dual purpose of allowing all mankind to be resurrected at the End of Days and the possibility of reaching Exaltation (Godhood.) However, one must still atone for one's own sin by living a life of righteousness and by doing good works. (Articles of Faith 2, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:160)

7) Jesus was a polygamist and had many wives including Mary, Martha, and many of the other women we see mentioned in the Gospels. The wedding in Cana of Galilee recorded in John 2:1-11 is one of Jesus' weddings. Jesus and his wives also had many children together. (Journal of Discourses, 2:210, 2:301)
    The practice of marrying many women is what caused Jesus and his followers to be persecuted and ultimately lead to Jesus' arrest and death on the cross. (Journal of Discourses,1:346, ) Jesus was buried, and rose from the dead three days later whereupon he attained Godhood for himself, joining an infinite line of men who became gods. (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:33)

8) After rising from the dead, Jesus came to the Americas and preached the Gospel to the Native Americans who are in reality the Lost Tribes of Israel. (3 Nephi [The Book of Mormon]) Upon completion of his mortal ministry, Jesus ascended to heaven and will one day return to establish his Millennial Kingdom here on earth.

9) God is love and therefore would not condemn people to eternal punishment. This means that there is no hell, only different levels of heaven. Those who reach the highest level of heaven achieve Exaltation and are rewarded with Godhood. Once they become gods, these Exalted humans are then allowed to populate their own planet, just as Father God did with earth.

10) There are an infinite number of gods. (Documentary History of the Church, 6:476) In our world there are three gods who are perfect in knowledge, power, and glory: The Father (Father God), Son (Jesus), and Holy Ghost. They are each individual entities that are as one in regards to their unified purpose, thought, and will.

Jesus According to Jehovah's Witnesses:

Founder: 
Pastor Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916 AD)

Holy Texts: 
The New World Translation of the Holy Bible (1950-1961 AD)
The King James Version of the Holy Bible (1611 AD)

Supporting Texts:
The Watchtower Magazine
Awake Magazine
Publications produced by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society

1) Jesus preexisted in heaven as Michael the Archangel, the first and only direct creation of Jehovah (God) before the creation of the world. Jehovah then empowered Jesus so that he could create the rest of the world. Therefore Jesus was in the beginning with God and was both the architect and designer of all creation alongside God. (John 1:1-3 [New World Translation])

2) Jehovah created a body for Jesus in the womb of Mary, thus Jesus was a second Adam, a perfect man created by God and born of a virgin. (Matthew 1:18 [New World Translation], Luke 1:26-38 [New World Translation], Romans 5:12-21 [New World Translation])

3) Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, as foretold by the Prophet Micah in the Old Testament. (Micah 5:2 [New World Translation], Matthew 2:1-12 [New World Translation], Luke 2:1-20 [New World Translation])

4) The Old Testament foretold that the Messiah would die without descendants. (Isaiah 53:8 [New World Translation]) Therefore, Jesus died childless and was never married.

5) Jesus never claimed to be God, the Jews merely misunderstood what he was saying. (John 10:22-39 [New World Translation])

6) Jesus was never worshiped, nor did he accept worship.

7) Jesus was not crucified. Instead he was nailed to an upright wooden stake. The cross is a pagan symbol adopted by Christian apostates in an attempt to make their religion more appealing to the heathen cultures around them.

8) Jesus submitted himself to Jehovah's will and remained obedient to him even unto death. Because Jesus lived a perfect life, his death was enough to atone for the sin of Adam—a perfect life exchanged for perfect life marred by sin. Those who believe in Jesus are forgiven for this inherited sin of Adam, but must still atone for their own personal sins by living godly lives filled with righteousness and good works. (Philippians 2:5-11 [New World Translation], James 2:14-26 [New World Translation])

9) The man Jesus is forever dead and there was no bodily resurrection of Christ. Instead, Jesus was resurrected as an invisible spirit creature, and his mortal body dissolved into vapors or was otherwise annihilated. Therefore, Jesus only had the appearance of a bodily resurrection when he revealed himself to his disciples.

10) Jesus ascended to heaven after his death and began ruling invisibly as King of the World in 1914 AD. Jesus will never physically return to the earth because he is already here as an invisible presence preparing the world for his invisible revelation in the events of Armageddon.

11) When a person dies they enter into a non-existence. There is no afterlife and no hell. If a person has followed Jesus' example, lived a godly life, and done enough good works, then God will remember them and they will be resurrect at the End of Days. However, if a person has not followed Jesus or done enough good works to earn a place on the New Earth, then they will simply cease to exist. (Psalm 146 [New World Translation], Ecclesiastes 9:5-10, [New World Translation], Ecclesiastes 12:7 [New World Translation])

12) The Doctrine of the Trinity is a false teachings that originated centuries after Jesus' death. God is one person, Jehovah. Jesus is another being altogether. The holy spirit is an impersonal presence in the world, a divine power used of God, and not a person himself. Jehovah, therefore, is not a Triune God comprised of three distinct persons. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 [New World Translation])

Jesus According to Islam:

Founder: 
The Prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632 AD)

Holy Text: 
The Quran: Oral Tradition (c. 570-653 AD)
                      First written form standardized by Kahlifa Uthman, (c. 653 AD)
                      Modern Quran: Standardized Cairo Edition. (1924 AD)

Supporting Texts: 
The Hadith (Oral traditions recounting the life of the Prophet Muhammad.)
(Full List of Hadith Collections.)
Sirat Rasul Allah (c. 706-773 AD [the original work has since been lost to antiquity and only survives in the form of quotations found in subsequent sources.])
Sahih al-Bukhari (c. 810-870 AD)
Sahih Muslim (c. 817-875 AD)
                 
1) Jesus (Hazrat Isa) was a man, the Messiah, and a great prophet of Allah entrusted with delivering Allah's message through the Gospel. (Surat Al-Ma'idah [5:46],[5:47], Surat Az-Zukhruf [43:59])

2) Jesus was miraculously conceived and born of the virgin Mary. (Surat Maryam [19:19, 20, 21])

3) Having conceived, Mary withdrew to a secluded place and gave birth to Jesus under a date palm tree. Jesus then spoke to Mary from within the womb and offered her the comfort of Allah during her solitary labor and delivery. (Surat Maryam [19:22, 23, 24, 25, 26])

4) Jesus is not God's son because Allah is not a father. (Surat Al-Isra [17:111], Surat Maryam [19:35])

5) Jesus is not Allah because Allah would never lower himself by coming into this sinful world, much less by allowing himself to be born through a woman's birth canal.

6) Jesus never claimed to be God for their is no God but Allah. His teachings were simply misunderstood and adulterated by early Christians who turned Allah's prophet into a god.

7) The Quran is silent on weather or not Jesus was married. That said, Surat Ar-Rad [13:38] implies that it is possible that Jesus could have been married. However there is no definitive evidence that he actually was. Therefore, the general consensus is that Jesus was never married and had no children of his own.

8) Jesus did not die by crucifixion, but only appeared to have died. (Surat an-Nisa [4:157])
    There are two commonly held interpretations of this Quranic passage. The first interpretation is that Allah made another person look like Jesus. The two most likely candidates being either Judas Iscariot or Simon of Cyrene; the man who carried Jesus' cross. Once the substitute was made to look like Jesus they were crucified in his place, thus allowing Jesus to escape from death.
    The second interpretation is that Jesus fainted on the cross and was taken down early by orders of Pontius Pilate who had secretly collaborated with Joseph of Arimathea in order to save Jesus from death. (John 19:38-42)
    In the later example, Allah used the medicine (aloe, spices, and bandages) provided by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus to miraculously heal Jesus in the tomb. Jesus was then able to leave the tomb before the dawning of the third day, thus making it appear to everyone involved that he had risen from the dead.

9) Jesus did not die, therefore he did not rise from the dead. The tomb was empty either because Jesus was never in it, or because he walked out after Allah healed him.

10) Jesus did not die for the sins of the world. Rather he was wrongfully accused by those living in ignorance of Allah's laws because he was a righteous man.

11) Jesus ascended bodily to heaven/paradise, and will one day return. (Surat an-Nisa [4:158], Surat Az-Zukhruf [43:61])

12) Salvation comes, not through faith in Jesus, but by living a righteous life. When a person dies, they will stand before Allah who will judge them according to their works. If a person has followed Allah's law as revealed in the Quran, then they will live forever in paradise. However, if a person disobeys the word of Allah or fails to worship him in life, they will be condemned to an eternity in hell.

13) Worshiping Jesus is blasphemy against Allah and leads to eternal damnation in hell. (Surat Al-Ma'idah [5:17], [5:72])

14) The Doctrine of the Trinity is Christianized polytheism. There is no God but Allah. Jesus is not Allah and neither is the Holy Spirit. (Surat an-Nisa [4:171])

Jesus According to orthodox Christianity:

Founder: 
Jesus Christ (c. 6 BC-36 AD)

Holy Text: 
The Old Testament (c. 1440-400 BC)
The New Testament (c. 44-98 AD)

1) God is one God who exists in three persons. Just as each human exists as one human being with one person (the individual), so too God exists as one divine being with three persons: The Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. Therefore, Jesus is God and has always existed. He was there at the time of creation, and through him all things were created. (Isaiah 44:24, John 1:1-5, 1:14)

2) Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary, who remained a virgin until after Jesus was born. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38)

3) Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, as foretold by the Prophet Micah in the Old Testament. (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:1-20)

4) The Old Testament Prophets foretold that the Messiah would be God himself. (Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 40:3) We know from the language used in Isaiah 9:6 that the Prophet Isaiah was stating that the Messiah would be God. This is confirmed in the following chapter when the Prophet uses the exact same language when speaking of Almighty God (Yahweh/Jehovah) (Isaiah 10:21)
    Likewise, we know for certain that the prophesies in Isaiah 40 were fulfilled by John the Baptist and Jesus in all four Gospels. (Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-11, Luke 3:1-22, John 1:19-34)

5) Jesus openly claimed to be God on at least two occasions during his earthly ministry, once in John 10:22-39, and again in John 14:7-9. In the case of John 10:34 Jesus is quoting a passage from Psalm 82 condemning unjust judges who thought of themselves as gods among men. The Psalmist therefore is not stating that men are gods, rather he uses the term "I say you are gods" ironically in order to stress the point that even though these corrupt rulers thought of themselves as gods, they would die like men and be judged by God for their wickedness.
  Jesus also frequently referred to himself using the phrase "Ego Eimi," (ἐγώ εἰμί) which means "I Am" or more accurately: "I Am and have always been." (John 4:1-26, John 8:31-59, John 18:1-11) We find this exact same phrase used by God in the Greek version of Exodus 3:13-14. (Septuagint)
    Since Greek was the universal language of the day, and the Greek Septuagint was the most widely read version of the Old Testament in use at the time, it makes sense that Jesus would quote from it. In that regard, Jesus was using terms that would be easily understood by everyone present in order to identify himself as God.
  Finally, Jesus claimed to be both God and the Messiah during his trial by identifying himself with an "I Am" statement and a simultaneous reference to Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14. (Matthew 26:57-65, Mark 14:60-64, Luke 22:66-71)

6) Jesus accepted worship due only to God. (Matthew 2:9-11, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 28:8-9, Luke 24:50-53)

7) Jesus forgave sins when only God can forgive sin. (Mark 2:5-7, John 8:1-11)

8) Many of Jesus' miracles were indisputable proofs that he was indeed God incarnate. Specifically, Jesus was the only person in the entire Bible to heal the blind (John 9) which was a miracle that only God could do. (Isaiah 35:4-6) Jesus also walked on water in Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-51, and John 6:16-21, which is another miracle associated with God alone. (Job 9:4-8) Finally, Jesus claimed that he would raise himself from the dead after three days; something that no mere man could ever hope to accomplish. (Mark 14:57-59, John 2:13-22, John 10:17-18)

9) Jesus predicted that he would die and rise again after three days and spoke of such things often and openly with his disciples. (Mark 8:31-38, Luke 9:21-22)

10) The Old Testament foretold that the Messiah would die without descendants. (Isaiah 53:8) Jesus also died childless and was never married.

11) The Old Testament prophets foretold that the Messiah would die for the sins of the world and gave an accurate description of Jesus' death by crucifixion down to the most minute detail. (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22:1-18, Psalm 34:20) The Old Testament also prophesied that Jesus would rise from the dead. (Psalm 16:10)

12) Jesus was executed by crucifixion in all four Gospels. (Matthew 27:35-54, Mark 15:33-39, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37) Additionally, it is recorded in the Gospel of John that Jesus' executioners thrust a spear between his ribs, piercing his chest cavity and pericardium which resulted in a flow of blood and water. (John 19:34) The presence of fluid in Jesus' chest cavity is indisputable evidence of death by asphyxiation. Since crucifixion causes death by asphyxiation, such medical evidence is to be expected. Furthermore, if Jesus were not dead before the spear thrust to the heart, he most certainly was afterwards. 

13) Jesus died for the sins of the world as an atoning sacrifice, once for all. (John 1:29, Hebrews 8-10, Romans 5:10, 8)

14) Jesus was dead when he was taken down from the cross. He was buried for three days, and then physically rose from the dead in a glorified body. He was then seen by multiple witnesses over a period of 40 days wherein he proved to them that he really was alive. (Luke 24:38-43, John 20: 24-28, Acts 1:1-5, 1 Corinthians 15:3-9)

15) After he rose from the dead Jesus ascended bodily into heaven and will one day return to establish his Kingdom on earth. (Mark 16:19, Acts 1:6-11)

16) Jesus clearly taught that there is life after death, and that people will either spend an eternity in heaven or hell when they die. (Matthew 13:47-50, 25:31-46, Mark 12:26-27, Luke 16:19-31, 23:39-43) It was for this very reason that Jesus came and died, so that we could have eternal life through faith in him. (John 3:16, John 20:31) Therefore, living a righteous life and doing good works are not a means of gaining eternal life. (Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)  Rather, they are the evidence of a life changed by God's saving grace; the proof that a person truly knows God and wants to please him by the way the live. (Matthew 7:15-20, John 3:17-21, Romans 6:1-2, Galatians 5:16-25)

Conclusion:

    Clearly there are many different interpretations of who Jesus was and claimed to be. Yet The Law of Non-contradiction states that two contradictory statements cannot be equally true at the same time—they can only be "true" or "false." So which Jesus is the real Jesus?
    Given the obvious facts we can conclude with a reasonable amount certainty that at least one of the following is true:
 
1) The stories of Jesus found in the Gospels and other New Testament writings have been Falsified and contain Legendary Elements added in over time.

    This is highly unlikely given that the earliest writings in the New Testament—the books of James and Galatians and the Gospels of Mark and Matthew—date to within the first 10-20 years after Jesus lived. Likewise, the rest of the New Testament was completed before 90 AD—well within the lifetime of Jesus' disciples and other eyewitnesses. The presence of living eyewitnesses to the historical events would have acted as a corrective against embellishment and lends substantial credibility to the Gospel accounts, as well as the rest of the New Testament writings.
    Additionally, over 24,000 copies of ancient Christian manuscripts have been documented and cataloged. The earliest of these manuscripts date back to the First, Second, and Third Centuries AD. Most are written in Greek; though translations in Coptic, Syriac and Latin are also prevalent. In addition to these early manuscripts, there are also two surviving copies of the complete New Testament dating to the mid 300s AD; the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus. Both of these ancient Greek texts are virtually identical to the earliest Christian manuscripts, as well as most modern translations of the Holy Bible.
    That said, if the Church had attempted to standardize its teachings by editing the New Testament in order to better suit its doctrines, we would expect to find such evidence in the historical records. Instead we find that there was no centralized church government until after 325 AD. Nor is there any record of a mass recall, alteration, or destruction of Christian Holy texts.
    Finally, the Jews of Jesus' day were fiercely monotheistic. Of all the people living in the world at the time, the Jews were the least likely to invent the idea of a god-man like Jesus. Yet we find that the earliest accounts of Jesus' life, as well as the majority of the New Testament writings, were all penned by Jews.
    This fact, combined with the early dates associated with the first Christian writings and the sheer volume and uniformity of surviving texts, rules out the possibility that the stories of Jesus have been embellished or altered in any significant way.

2) Jesus Lied.

     If the Gospels and other New Testament writings have not been infused with legendary elements and Jesus really did claim to be God incarnate; and if he really did predict that he would die and rise again and then failed to do so, then he was a liar. He manipulated the faith of others and blasphemed God. Therefore he is not a good moral teacher. Nor should he be considered a good man.

3) Jesus was a Lunatic.

    If Jesus claimed to be God and predicted that he would rise from the dead and then failed to do so while genuinely believing that he was God, then he was a mad-man and a megalomaniac of the highest caliber. In which case he is not good teacher or a prophet.

4) Jesus was an Incompetent Messiah.

     If Jesus did not claim to be God and if he did not predict that he would die and rise again, then he is proven to be completely inept in his role as Messiah. If he had been a good teacher, then he would not have allowed his followers to believe that he would die and rise from the dead. Nor would he have allowed anyone to believe that he was claiming to be a god—much less Almighty God! Instead he would have refuted such claims plainly whenever the opportunity arose. His failure to do so means that he is directly responsible for deceiving his own followers and countless millions of Christians throughout history. 

5) Both Jesus and God are Deceptive.

     If Jesus did not rise from the dead, or if he did not rise from the dead in the flesh, then God himself deceived Jesus' followers by making it appear that Jesus had been raised from the dead in a physical body. Likewise Jesus' failure to correct this assumption among his disciples lead to the spread of false teachings throughout the New Testament. In that regard, both God and Jesus are directly responsible for condemning millions upon millions of Christians either to hell or eternal nonexistence.

6) Jesus is God.

     If the New Testament accounts are accurate and Jesus was indeed telling the truth, then he is God. Jesus plainly said that he was God in all four of the Gospels. He did many miracles that only God could do. He predicted his own death and resurrection and revealed himself to his followers, alive and in the flesh, after his crucifixion in order to validate his claim.

     So the question remains: Who is Jesus? The answer, I feel, is one that must be discerned by the reader themselves.
     As previously stated, this article is not meant to be an exhaustive examination of Jesus Christ. Rather it is but an introduction regarding the unique person and claims of a man who is without doubt the most influential human being in history. The topic of Jesus, therefore, is one that deserves further investigation and study. And it is my hope that you, the reader, will continue your investigation through to the end.
   

See Also:

Was Jesus Real?

Did Jesus Say He was God?

Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

Was Jesus' Physical Body Raised from the Dead?

Saved by Faith or by Works?

The Message of the Cross: How Jesus is the Beating Heart of the Christian Faith

Saved by Faith or by Works?

    Understandably, the issue of whether or not a person is saved by faith or by works is a very common topic of debate among those seeking God. On the one hand, passages like Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:3-8 clearly teach that a person is saved by grace through faith, and not by works. Yet James 2:14-26 states that faith without works is dead.
    This apparent contradiction in the scriptures should of course raise some serious questions for those who believe in biblical inerrancy, not to mention the countless millions who are staking their eternal salvation on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
    If salvation is to be earned, then those claiming to be saved by faith alone are risking eternal damnation, for both themselves and others, by omitting the obvious works required. Likewise, if salvation cannot be gained through righteous deeds, then those attempting to earn their place in heaven are walking an equally treacherous path.
   The question therefore is whether or not the Bible is in conflict on the point of salvation; and whether one's path to eternal life is dependent on works or faith.

    In order to answer this question, we must first understand the context of the Book of James.

   Chronologically, James is the first book of the New Testament, written to Jewish Christians scattered by persecution somewhere between 10-20 years after the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the year 30-33 AD. Given the persecution facing early Christians at this time, faith, endurance, self-discipline and obedience to God are major themes throughout the book.
   Knowing this, the greater context of James 1-2 is exercising faith through living life in obedience to God's word. That said, we find that the Christians in James 2:1-13 were guilty of living a double standard. They were claiming to have faith in Jesus, yet they were guilty of showing favoritism within their community.
    After addressing the issue of discrimination in the church, James goes on to say that if a person claims to have faith but their life shows no evidence of faith, then that person's faith is dead and is of no use to anyone. (James 2:14-17) James further elaborates on this in verses 18-25 by comparing the faith of Abraham and Rahab the prostitute, both of whom were shown to have genuine faith by their actions.
    Finally, James' closing statement in verse 26 makes his point clear: Faith without good works is like a body without breath; it is dead and useless. Having dead faith, therefore, is not the same as as having no faith. A dead body is still a body. But just as a body without breath is lifeless and inanimate, so too faith without good deeds is also dead and useless.
    James is not saying that salvation comes from works instead of faith. He's saying that good works complete a person's faith, giving it life and movement and making it real. If a person's life is devoid of righteousness and good works, then how can anyone else know that that person has faith?

    Faith without works is dead, but the inverse is also true: Works without faith are also dead.

    In Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus warns his followers to be cautious of false teachers saying: "Just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions." Jesus then goes on to say that many people who do good works and miracles in his name will be turned away from heaven because they never knew him. (Matthew 7:21-23)
    It is important to note here that these individuals did many miraculous works in the name of Jesus and even called him "Lord." However, Jesus said that they would still be turned away on the grounds that they did not personally know him, and continued to break God's laws even though they did many mighty works in his name.
    In this regard, Jesus himself makes it abundantly clear that salvation comes from knowing and being known by him, and not from good works. Good works are still important—they are the proof that a person has indeed been saved by faith in Jesus Christ. But it is God's grace that saves, not the good works themselves. The Christian's faith is nonetheless made complete by doing good works, which God prepared for us long ago, and by living a righteous life. (Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 2:10)

   In conclusion, we can see from the greater context of the scriptures that salvation comes not from works, but from grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness and good works are not a means of earning salvation, rather they are the evidence of salvation.
   That said, if a person says that they believe in God and claims to have faith in Jesus but their life and words show no evidence of salvation, then the validity of that person's faith should be seriously questioned. If a person claims to be a follower of Jesus but is living in open sin then their actions show that they don't really know God at all. If a person knows God, then there should be evidence in their life to prove it.
   Likewise, a person can appear to know God on the outside by doing and saying all of the right things, when in reality their heart is far from him. Instead of trusting in God's saving grace, they try to earn salvation by doing good works and playing the part of the devoted Christian. But a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. Eventually the person living behind a mask of self-righteousness will be exposed, and all the good works in the world will not be enough to save them in the end.
    Salvation therefore is a matter of the heart and depends on the individual and their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is between them and God. No one else can make that choice. But once the choice has been made, salvation is assured and the works of a righteous person complete their faith and prove that it is genuine.
 
 

See Also:

The Issue of Faith: Is Faith Irrational?

Who is Jesus?

 
   

Debunked: Jesus vs. Asclepius

Jesus:

1) Born of a virgin. Was not conceived through sexual intercourse between a mortal and a god. Both of Jesus' parents remained faithful to each other and had other children after he was born. (Matthew 1:18-25, Mark 3:31-34, Luke 2:41-52)

2) Born in a cave/stable. Was placed in a manger. Birth heralded by angels and a star in the east. Was visited by magi and a group of shepherds. 

3) Jesus had twelve disciples and multiple other followers. 

4) Died without offspring and was never married. (Isaiah 53:8)

5) Had a three year ministry as a traveling teacher. He lived a sinless life and taught others to follow his example of moral excellence. (Ephesians 5:1-14)

6) In John 3:13-15 Jesus refers to a bronze snake erected by Moses, ca. 1440-1400 BC. (Numbers 21:4-9) In this story, God sent poisonous snakes among the Israelite because they were rejecting him and his provision for them in the wilderness. God then instructed Moses to make a bronze snake and to place it atop a pole in the center of camp, telling him that anyone who was bitten by a snake would be healed if they look at the bronze snake atop the pole.
    Just as the people in this Old Testament passage were miraculously saved from death by God's power through their faith, so too Jesus promised to bring spiritual healing and eternal life to those who would have faith in him, his death on the cross, and subsequent resurrection from the dead.
    (The bronze snake fashioned by Moses was later destroyed by King Hezekiah when the people began worshiping it as a god. 2 Kings 18:1-4) 

7) It was foretold in the Old Testament book of Isaiah that the Jewish Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, and that the lame would leap for joy. (Isaiah 29:18, 35:4-6, 42:6-7) No one in the Old Testament ever healed the blind and no one in the New Testament healed the blind except Jesus. (John 9) Jesus also healed the deaf (Mark 7:31-37) and the lame (Matthew 9:1-8) In one instance, Jesus heals a lame man at a location we now know to have been home to a healing shrine of Asclepius. (John 5:1-15)
    In this particular example of Christ's healing power, Jesus bypasses the ritual associated with the healing god (waiting for the water to be moved by an angel/spirit) and heals a man simply by speaking. Likewise Jesus raised the dead, not through the use of ritual or magical herbs, but by his voice alone. (John 11:1-44, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 7:11-15)

8) He was arrested and tried before Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death by crucifixion. He died and was buried for three days before rising from the dead, whereupon he was seen by multiple witnesses. (1 Corinthians 15:3-9)

9) Defeated death and the grave by rising from the dead and brings eternal life to everyone who believes in him.(1 Corinthians 15:55-57, John 17:3)

10) Died sacrificially in order to fulfill Old Testament Prophecy and the requirements of the Law of Moses for the redemption of mankind. He was the "Lamb of God," an atoning sacrifice to take away the sins of the world by taking that sin upon himself. (John 1:29-30, 3:16-21, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 8-10)

Asclepius:

1) Asclepius was born out of a sexual union between Apollo and one of two women, Coronis or Arsinoe. In different versions of the myth, his mother was either killed by Apollo for being unfaithful to him or died in child birth. She was then laid out on a pyre to be burned, but Apollo (or in some cases Hermes) cut the unborn Asclepius from her womb and gave him his name which means "to cut open."

2) In one version of the myth, after he was rescued from his mother's womb, Asclepius was carried away to a mountain top were he was looked after by a dog and goat and was later discovered by the shepherd Aresthanas. While still another accounts states that he was raised by the centaur Kheiron (Chiron) who taught him the art of medicine. There was no manger, star, or magi in the accounts of Asclepius' birth. Though the baby was said to have "shown with the brilliance of fire" on account that he was rescued from the flames of his mother's funeral pyre.

3) No specific number of followers is recorded, and none of them are referred to as "disciples." 

4) Was married to Epione and had many god-children who embodied the healing characteristics of their father: Janiscus, Alexenor, Aratus, Hygieia, Aegle, Iaso, and Panaceia. 

5) Did not have any specific ministry and did not teach moral values or spiritual truths. Instead, Asclepius was regarded as a physician who traveled the world and instructed people in the medical arts.

6) Asclepius is often depicted carrying a serpent-entwined staff as a symbol of his healing power. According to the myth, a serpent wrapped itself around his staff and taught him which herbs to use in order to save the life of a man close to death. The same iconography of a serpent-entwined staff can be traced to Heka, the ancient Egyptian god of magic, and has remained the symbol of the medical arts to this day.

7) Asclepius never healed the blind, deaf or lame. Though he was believed to be able to heal those near death and even to bring the dead back to life. He accomplished this by using the blood of Medusa taken from the veins on her right side—which were said to posses life giving properties—and magical herbs. That said, Asclepius never healed someone with a command or a simple touch; his healing always required ritual and medicine—sometimes even surgery.   

8) Asclepius was killed by Zeus for saving too many people from death and for bringing too many people back to life. In one version Hades, the god of the underworld, convinced Zeus to kill Asclepius because Hades was afraid that there would be no more souls in his realm if Asclepius continued to keep people from dying. Another version of the myth state that Asclepius defied the gods by overturning the natural order leading to an overpopulation of earth, and was thus slain by Zeus. While still other accounts assert that Asclepius was struck down after he accepted a payment of gold for bringing a man back to life.
     In any event, Asclepius was not arrested, tried or crucified. In one myth, however, Zeus resurrected Asclepius to avoid any future quarrels with his father, Apollo. Though most myths end with Asclepius being "set in the heavens" as the constellation Orpiuchus, the "Serpent Holder."  

9) Asclepius did not defeat death and the grave, and was in fact killed for defying the natural order of the gods.

10) Did not die sacrificially for the sins of mankind. In fact, the concept of sin is not even found in the Asclepius myth.

Conclusion:

The stories of Jesus Christ are not based on the myths of Asclepius.



*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Sources:

Encyclopedia Britannica

Olympian gods

Asclepius


See Also:
Mythology and the Messiah

Debunked: Jesus vs. Dionysus

Debunked: Jesus vs. Horus

Debunked: Jesus vs. Mithras

Debunked: Jesus vs. Orpheus

Debunked: Jesus vs. Krishna

The Dying and Rising God: Jesus or Osiris?

Debunked: Jesus vs. Orpheus

Jesus:

1) Born of a virgin. Was not conceived through sexual intercourse between a mortal and a god. (Matthew 1:18-25)

2) Born in a cave/stable. Was placed in a manger. Birth heralded by angels and a star in the east. Was visited by three magi and shepherds. Was taken to Egypt when his parents fled from Herod the Great, fulfilling Old Testament Prophecy. (Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:13-15)

3) Died without offspring and was never married. (Isaiah 53:8)

4) Had twelve male disciples and multiple other followers including women. 

5) Instructed his followers to commemorate his death with the ceremony of Holy Communion. (Luke 22:19-18) He did this by giving a new symbolic meaning to the Jewish Passover Ceremony in which the bread and wine symbolized the body and blood of the lams that were slain during the first Passover. (Exodus 12, John 1:19-29)

6) Had a three year ministry as a traveling teacher. He lived a sinless life and taught others to follow his example of moral excellence. (Ephesians 5:1-14)

7) Preformed many miracles, cast out demons, raised the dead, and walked on water, etc. During his final entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus said that "stones would cheer" if the people were silent. Though we see in the text that this event—which would have been quite miraculous—never took place as the crowd never stopped cheering. (Luke 19:36-44)

8) He was arrested and tried before Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death by crucifixion. He died and was buried for three days before rising from the dead, whereupon he was seen by multiple witnesses. (1 Corinthians 15:3-9)

9) Defeated death and the grave by rising from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

10) Died sacrificially in order to fulfill Old Testament Prophecy and the requirements of the Law of Moses for the redemption of mankind. He was the "Lamb of God," an atoning sacrifice to take away the sins of the world by taking that sin upon himself. (John 1:29-30, 3:16-21, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 8-10)

Orpheus:

1) Was reputedly born out of a sexual union with the Thracian king Oeagrus and a muse named Calliope. Though some versions state that Orpheus' father was the god Apollo. He was not born of a virgin. 

2) Being that Orpheus was the son of a king, he was not born in a stable. There were no angles, magi, or shepherds, and here was no star. However in some myths he did travel to Egypt to study. 

3) Was married at one point to a wood nymph named Eurydice. Though it was said that he later scorned the affection of women, prefering to instead share his love with young boys. ie he was a homosexual pedophile. 

4) Did not have any disciples or followers to speak of. Though he was one of the characters who accompanied Jason as one of the Argonauts in the epic poem Argonautica. 

5) The followers of Orpheus did use wine in a symbolic ritual in which they sought to commune/ become one with the god. However, some ancient sources state that Orpheus was merely a mortal, a great hero, and not a god. (ie. Strabo, 64 BC-c.24 AD )

6) Orpheus was a travailing musician, seer, and poet who, in some accounts, brought mankind the gifts of agriculture, writing, and medicine. Although these gifts are likewise accredited to numerous other gods depending on the myth in question. (ie both Apollo and Aesculapius also taught medicine to mankind.) Orpheus is also reputed to have started many cults of Apollo and Dionysus, and to have prescribed the secret rituals and rites of the various Greco-Roman mystery cults. He also practiced magic and astrology. That said, he did not have a specific ministry and was not widely known to be a teacher. He was not known to be a great moral exemplar and did not live a sinless life. 

7) The miracles preformed by Orpheous generally involved his music. It was said that he was able to charm inanimate objects like trees and stones with his song and bring them to life.

8) Was never arrested, tried, or crucified. Instead Orpheus was ripped apart by the Maenads—the female followers of Dionysus/Bacchus—because he preferred to worship the sun/Apollo. He also did not rise from the dead.

9) Orpheus is one of the few Greek heroes to descend to the underworld to save someone from death. However, in the Orpheus myths, he is not actually successful.
     As the story goes, Orpheus' wife died of a snakebite, so he descended into the underworld to bring her back to the land of the living with his music. Depending on the version of the myth, Orpheus either convinces Hades (the god of the underworld) to let him return with his wife or the gods deceive Orpheus with an apparition of his wife. In the story were Orpheus actual finds his wife he is instructed to lead her out of the underworld with his music. However he is told that if he looks back before leaving the underworld she will be lost to him forever. In this version Orpheus looks back before his wife has left the underworld and she vanishes. In the other version, she was never their to begin with and likewise vanishes. 
    Regardless of the myth, however, Orpheus' quest to the underworld is a complete failure. He does not defeat death in any respect, nor is he able to save anyone from death. 

10) As stated before, Orpheus did not die sacrificially. Nor did he take away anyone's sins. In fact, the concept of sin and salvation is completely absent from any Orpheus myth.

Conclusion:

The stories of Jesus Christ are not based on the myth of Orpheus. 

*     *     *     *     *     *

Sources:

Greekmythology.com

Orpheus

Orpheus/Greek Mythology

Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology  

See Also:

Mythology and the Messiah

Debunked: Jesus vs. Dionysus

Debunked: Jesus vs. Horus

Debunked: Jesus vs. Mithras

Debunked: Jesus vs. Asclepius

Debunked: Jesus vs. Krishna

The Dying and Rising God: Jesus or Osiris?

Debunked: Jesus vs. Dionysus

Jesus:

1) Born of a virgin. Was not conceived through sexual intercourse between a mortal and a god. (Matthew 1:18-25)

2) Born in a cave/stable. Was placed in a manger. Birth heralded by angels and a star in the east. Was visited by magi and a group of shepherds. Was taken to Egypt when his parents fled from Herod the Great, fulfilling Old Testament Prophecy. (Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:13-15)

3) Preformed many miracles and turned water into wine. (John 2:1-11)

4) Jesus had twelve male disciples and multiple other followers including women. Unlike Dionysus however, there was nothing inherently attractive about Jesus. (Isaiah 53:2-6)

5) Instructed his followers to commemorate his death with the ceremony of Holy Communion. (Luke 22:19-18) He did this by giving a new symbolic meaning to the Jewish Passover Ceremony in which the bread and wine symbolized the body and blood of the lambs that were slain during the first Passover. (Exodus 12, John 1:19-29)

6) Had a three year ministry as a traveling teacher. He lived a sinless life and taught others to follow his example of moral excellence. (Ephesians 5:1-14) Jesus also taught that people needed to be spiritually "born again" in order to enter the Kingdom of God. (John 3:1-21)

7) Had a "Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem while riding on a donkey. (Luke 19:28-40, Zechariah 9:9) 

8) He was arrested and tried before Pontius Pilate who sentenced him to death by crucifixion. He died and was buried for three days before rising from the dead, whereupon he was seen by multiple witnesses. (1 Corinthians 15:3-9)

9) Defeated death and the grave by rising from the dead.(1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

10) Died sacrificially in order to fulfill Old Testament Prophecy and the requirements of the Law of Moses for the redemption of mankind. He was the "Lamb of God," an atoning sacrifice to take away the sins of the world by taking that sin upon himself.  (John 1:29-30, 3:16-21, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 8-10)

Dionysus:

1) Dionysus was born out of a sexual encounter between Zeus and a mortal woman named Semele who was the daughter of Cadmus the king of Thebes. However, according to myth, Semele later asked to see Zeus' true form as a god which resulted in her being killed by his lightning bolts. Zeus then cut the unborn Dionysus from his mother's womb and sewed him into his thigh. Later, when the baby was old enough to be born, Zeus cut him out of his leg on  Mount Pramnos on the island of Ikaria. 

2) Dionysus was reportedly born on Mount Pramnos and was later raised by nymphs on the mythical Mount Nysa. There were no magi, shepherds, or angles in the Dionysus myth. Nor is there any mention of a miraculous star in the east. However, Zeus' wife, Hera, did send Titans to kill the baby Dionysus. In some myths, they ripped him apart as an infant, while in other stories he was in the form of a bull. Regardless of his form, Dionysus was ripped apart and eaten by Titans leaving only his heart behind. Zeus retrieved the heart and, depending on the myth, either sewed it back into his thigh or gave it to Semele to eat so that Dionysus could be reborn. For this reason Dionysus was sometimes known as the "twice born."

3) As a child, Dionysus discovered the art of cultivating vines and learned how to make wine and was regarded by the ancient Greeks as the first to do so. In some accounts it is implied that wine was miraculously created from Dionysus' tears, while other myths assert that he simply learned how to make wine and taught that knowledge to mankind. In that respect one could argue that Dionysus turned water (his tears) into wine. However the vast majority of ancient sources agree that no such miracle was ever performed by Dionysus. 

4) Dionysus had many followers and was sexually attractive to both men and women. However no exact number of followers is ever given. Nor are they ever referred to as "disciples." Instead, Dionysus is most often depicted surrounded by mythical creatures and "Raving Women" (Maenads) who participated with him in his wine-induced orgies.

5) The followers of the Dionysus Mystery cult practiced a ritual commemorating the death of the infant Dionysus in which they drank wine to the point of intoxication and ripped apart animals, devouring them raw, just as the Titans had done to Dionysus. (Though there is evidence that suggests the earliest rites involved human sacrifice and cannibalism.) These rituals usually climaxed in a wild frenzy of drunkenness and sexual indulgence among devotees. The rampant immorality associated with the Dionysus cult was so great that the Roman government attempted to regulate its practices and even went so far as to outlaw the religion altogether. 

6) Dionysus did not have a specific ministry. He was, however, afflicted with madness by Zeus' wife, Hera, which lead him to wander through Syria and Egypt for a time. The myths of Dionysus also state that he traveled to India and taught the local people how to cultivate grapes and to make wine.
    That said, the majority of ancient traditions state that Dionysus taught wine-making and grape cultivation, not moral principles. In fact, it is clear that any spiritual teachings Dionysus may have brought were anything but moral—even by pagan standards.
    Ironically, despite his propensity for violent dismemberment and wanton disregard for social order, Dionysus was viewed by his worshipers as a peace-loving god of culture and civilization. In the Orphic traditions he was even seen as a god of resurrection who would guide initiates to eternal life through reincarnation. 

7) Dionysus was often portrayed in a Triumphal Prepossession. Sometimes he is shown riding on a mule, though he is most often depicted dressed in leopard skins and riding in a chariot, followed by dancing centaurs, satyrs, and Meanads. Because of this, the Romans believed that Dionysus ("Bacchus" in the Roman Pantheon) was the originator of the Triumphal Procession. He did not ride on a donkey or a donkey's colt, nor did he appear in anyway humble.

8) In one myth, Dionysus was arrested by a king named Pentheus. However, Dionysus revealed himself to be the god of intoxication and had Petheus torn to pieces by mad women. He was neither crucified nor buried, nor did he rise from the dead after three days. 

9) Several myths depict Dionysus descending into the underworld to bring people back to the mortal realm. The most common story is that he traveled to the underworld in order to bring his mother back to life. Upon freeing her from the underworld, he carries her to Olympus where she remains. 
    Other Greek myths have a similar tone of descending into the underworld alive in order to bring someone else back to the mortal realm either through bribery, acts of valor, or trickery. Though at least one of these stories involving Dionysus is not a myth at all. Rather it is a comedy written by the ancient playwright Arisophanes.

10) Dionysus did not die sacrificially for anyone. Nor did he take anyone's sin upon himself. In fact, Dionysus demonstrated, condoned, and encouraged the very behaviors that Jesus himself condemned. (Mark 7:20-23, Romans 1:18-32)

Conclusion:

The stories of Jesus Christ are not based on the myths of Dionysus.



*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Sources:

Greek gods and goddesses

Olympian gods

Dionysus

Dionysus and Jesus


See Also:
Mythology and the Messiah

Debunked: Jesus vs. Horus

Debunked: Jesus vs. Mithras

Debunked: Jesus vs. Asclepius

Debunked: Jesus vs. Orpheus

Debunked: Jesus vs. Krishna

The Dying and Rising God: Jesus or Osiris?