Christianity, Judaism, and Islam-Similarities, Differences, and Where Are the Mind of God - Essay Example

Abrahamic Religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam-Similarities, Differences, and where is the mind of God By Abrahamic Religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam-Similarities, Differences, and where is the mind of God Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are called Abrahamic Religions because their roots are in the God of Abraham. Originally, these religions were a people of one belief- they believed in the God of Abraham. It was therefore one faith in God before the original belief took a different man-made detour and the different mode of worship to the same God. It now became one creation, one faith, one religion disintegrate into three faith, three religion, and different people claiming worship to the same God in different ways. This paper looks at the similarities, the differences, and the mind of God in the three religions. The paper also gives an argument in support of the view that the full revelation of God is found in the Messiah- Jesus the Christ. This therefore means that the Islam and the Judaism religions worship the true God but they lack the knowledge or the update of the truth- the final revelation of God in Jesus Christ. One of the main similarities among these three religions is that the three religions share the tradition that God, actually, revealed himself in a powerful way to the Patriarch Abraham (Bakhos, 2014). Despite sharing this tradition, however, the three religions differ on history and when they were founded. Although the founding date of Judaism as a religion is unknown, Judaism however is undoubtedly the earliest religion because it was already in existence before Christianity and Islam religions were founded (David, 2008). Judaism traces its origin to Jacob, the grandson of Abraham; according to Judaism, therefore, Judaism is a religion of the descents of Jacob. Christianity, on the other hand, is the second earliest Abrahamic religion. Christianity was founded in the year 33 CE, by the followers of Jesus Christ, after the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Merkle, 2003). Originally, Christianity began as a Judaism sect in the Mediterranean religion. Later, however, Christianity metamorphosed into a fully-fledged religion, with practices and beliefs distinct from the Judaism religion. The belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God marked the main differences between Judaism and the newly found religion, the Christianity. Islam as a religion was founded much later, after the founding of Christianity. Islam was founded in the year 622 in Saudi Arabia. As a religion, the main difference between Islam and the other two Abrahamic religions lies in the Islam religion emphasis on the teachings of prophet Mohammed- Islam is actually centred on the teachings of prophet Mohammed (Bakhos, 2014). Having looked briefly at the similarities and the differences among the three religions in their history and origins, let us now look at the main similarities and differences among the three religions in their teachings and their faith. On the nature of God, the three Abrahamic religions are agreed that there is only one God (Monotheism). Both the Islam and the Judaism religions have a strict monotheism view of God. Christianity, however, has a Trinitarian monotheistic view of God. Christianity teaches that there is one God in three persons, i.e. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Christian Trinitarian monotheistic view has its basis in the book of Genesis, a religious text that is shared by both the Christians and the Judaism religions, although the Judaism religion holds a strictly monotheistic view of God. In the book of Genesis we read “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image…”. Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, affirmed that there is indeed one God in three persons (John, 14:26). Christian Trinitarian view of God therefore has its basis in the Hebrew Bible, and it was confirmed later by Jesus Christ- who is the full revelation of God according to the Christians (Barnett, 2002). The other major point of difference among the three Abrahamic religions is on the figure of Jesus Christ. According to the Muslims, Jesus Christ is a true prophet of God, but his message has been corrupted; Islam, however, does not teach that Jesus Christ was the son of God. Islam believes that Jesus Christ had a virgin birth. The Muslims also believe that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross but he ascended into heaven during the crucifixion, for this reason, the Islam religion deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Islam religion, however, affirm that Jesus Christ will come again, during His second coming. The Judaism religion, however, holds that Jesus Christ was a false Prophet. The Judaism religion also teaches that Jesus Christ’s birth was a normal birth, and not a virgin birth. The followers of Judaism religion also believe that Jesus Christ died through crucifixion, and they deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Judaism religion also denies the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Christian religion, on the other hand, hold that Jesus Christ is the son of God, God incarnate, and the saviour of the world- the promised Messiah in the Hebrew Bible. Christianity also believes in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ; also, Christianity teaches died through crucifixion and that He resurrected on the third day after His death. Christianity also affirms the second coming of Jesus Christ. A critical look at the three Abrahamic religions teachings on Jesus Christ shows that the Christian teaching on Jesus Christ is the correct teaching on Jesus Christ. This is because, first, the Christian teaching on Jesus Christ is strongly rooted in the Hebrew Bible (The Old Testament). Since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God promised them a saviour who would restore the broken relationship between God and the human beings (Genesis 3:15). This saviour was no other than Jesus Christ himself. Also, many Old Testament prophets including Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, prophesied about the coming of the Messiah, who was born as Jesus Christ. Again, the teachings of Jesus Christ were all based on the teachings of the Hebrew Bible, and Jesus Christ actually did not contradict any of the teachings of the Hebrew Bible, but he brought to completetion and gave new meaning to the teachings of the Hebrew Bible by basing the Hebrew Bible teachings on the grace of Lord, rather than on the law, the mosaic law (Ratzinger, 2006). This fact therefore shows that the Judaism religion dismissal of Jesus Christ as a false prophet is not justified; the dismissal can be attributed to the fact that Jesus Christ as the promised messiah did not come as a political messiah that the Jews were expecting. However, a critical look at the Hebrew Bible teachings on the messiah shows that the promised messiah wasn’t a political messiah as the Jews expected him to be. On the other hand, Islam’s denial of the divinity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not based on any of the Hebrew Scriptures. The denial of the divinity and resurrection of Jesus Christ by the Muslims is based on the teachings of Mohammed (Gnilka, 1997). Mohammed, however, is foreign in the Hebrew Scriptures. This fact therefore shows that the Islam denial of the divinity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be justified. These facts therefore show that the Christian teachings on Jesus Christ are indeed the true teaching on the figure of Jesus Christ. Another fundamental point of difference among the three Abrahamic religions lies on the Divine revelation. Islam teaches that the ultimate revelation of God was through Mohammed as recorded in Quran. Judaism, on the other hand, teaches that the ultimate revelation of God was through the prophets, recorded in the Hebrew Scripture. The Christians, however, hold that the ultimate revelation of God lies in the teachings of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Christians also believe that the teachings of the prophets in the Old Testament represent true revelation of God to His people. Some Christians, the Catholics, also believe that the teachings of the Magisterium and the Pope represent true revelation of God. A critical look at the teachings of the three Abrahamic religions on the Divine revelation shows that the Christian teaching is the correct teaching on Divine revelation. While the Judaism religion is correct on the view that the God revealed himself through the Old Testament prophets, the Judaism religion, however, err by not recognizing the teaching of Jesus Christ as a true and ultimate revelation of God )(Ratzinger, 2006). This can be attributed to the Judaism’s outright dismissal of Jesus Christ as the son of God. On the other hand, Islam’s teachings on divine revelation are foreign to the Hebrew Scriptures. This fact therefore shows that Islam’s view on divine revelation is erroneous for it has no basis on the Hebrew Scriptures. This therefore means that Christian teachings on the divine revelation are the correct teachings on the Divine revelation; Jesus Christ is indeed the ultimate revelation of God to human beings. In conclusion, a critical look at the similarities and the differences between the three Abrahamic religions shows that some teachings of Islam and Judaism are flawed. The main problem with Judaism lies in the rejection of Jesus Christ as the son of God. By rejecting Jesus Christ who brought the teachings of the prophets in the Old Testament into completion, Judaism religion lacks the knowledge or the update of truth on God and His will on His people. On the other hand, Islam’s rejection of the Divinity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the grounds of the teachings of Prophet Mohammed are also flawed. Prophet Mohamed is foreign in the Hebrew Scriptures and for that reason he cannot be the basis of rejecting the Divinity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lastly, Christianity basis all its teachings on Jesus Christ on the Hebrew Scripture; Christianity does not introduce any foreign idea on the Divinity and the teachings of Jesus Christ, that was not anticipated for in the Hebrew Scriptures. This fact therefore shows that Christianity is the true and the complete form of Abrahamic religion, while Islam and Judaism lack the knowledge or the update of the truth. References Barnett, P. (2002). Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times. USA: Inter Varsity Press. Print. Bakhos, C. (2014). The Family of Abraham: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Interpretations. UK: Harvard University Press. David, K. (2008). The Semitic Religions- Hebrew, Jewish, Christians, and Muslim. USA: Read books Publishers. Gnilka, J. (1997). Jesus of Nazareth: Message and History. Peabody, Mass.:Hendrickson Publishers. Print Merkle, J.C, & Harrelson, W.J. (2003).Faith Transformed: Christian encounter with Jews and Judaism. USA: liturgical Press. Print. Ratzinger, J (2006). Jesus ofNazareth. Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa. Print Read More